cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A major QTL introgressed from wild Lycopersicon hirsutum confers chilling tolerance to cultivated tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum)

Many plants of tropical or subtropical origin, such as tomato, suffer damage under chilling temperatures (under 10°C but above 0°C). An earlier study identified several quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for shoot turgor maintenance (stm) under root chilling in an interspecific backcross population derived from crossing chilling-susceptible cultivated tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) and chilling-tolerant wild L. hirsutum. The QTL with the greatest phenotypic effect on stm was located in a 28 cM region on chromosome 9 (designated stm9), and enhanced chilling-tolerance was conferred by the presence of the Lycopersicon hirsutum allele at this QTL. Here, near-isogenic lines (NILs) were used to verify the effect of stm9, and recombinant sub-NILs were used to fine map its position. Replicated experiments were performed with NILs and sub-NILs in a refrigerated hydroponic tank in the greenhouse. Sub-NIL data was analyzed using least square means separations, marker-genotype mean t-tests, and composite interval mapping. A dominant QTL controlling shoot turgor maintenance under root chilling was confirmed on chromosome 9 using both NILs and sub-NILs. Furthermore, sub-NILs permitted localization of stm9 to a 2.7 cM interval within the original 28 cM QTL region. If the presence of the L. hirsutum allele at stm9 also confers chilling-tolerance in L. esculentum plants grown under field conditions, it has the potential to expand the geographic areas in which cultivated tomato can be grown for commercial production.
Economic clusters and the supply chain: a case study

Purpose – The purpose of the study is to illustrate the advantages for firms who build local supplier and customer relationships whenever possible.Design/methodology/approach – A case study of a US petrochemical firm is used along with a discussion of Porter's economic cluster theory.Findings – The firm outsourced two raw materials first to a firm about 200 miles away and then to a firm that built a plant across the street. By sourcing to a co‐located firm the company reduced its costs by $280,000 per year while simultaneously increasing quality by 6.5 per cent, reducing lead‐time by seven to ten days, and reducing raw material inventory from 800 tons to 30 tons.Research limitations/implications – As with all case studies, care must be taken when generalizing the findings of this study. This article provides empirical evidence that supports Porter's economic cluster theory.Practical implications – Managers are reminded that even in the age of the global business environment, there is still practical value...
Topology preserve gray image skeletonization algorithm

A new algorithm which can skeletonize both black-white and gray pictures is presented. This algorithm is based on distance transformation and can preserve the topology of the original picture. It can be extended to 3-D skeletonization and can be implemented by parallel processing.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
It’s never too early to get it Right: A conserved role for the cytoskeleton in left-right asymmetry

For centuries, scientists and physicians have been captivated by the consistent left-right (LR) asymmetry of the heart, viscera, and brain. A recent study implicated tubulin proteins in establishing laterality in several experimental models, including asymmetric chemosensory receptor expression in C. elegans neurons, polarization of HL-60 human neutrophil-like cells in culture, and asymmetric organ placement in Xenopus. The same mutations that randomized asymmetry in these diverse systems also affect chirality in Arabidopsis, revealing a remarkable conservation of symmetry-breaking mechanisms among kingdoms. In Xenopus, tubulin mutants only affected LR patterning very early, suggesting that this axis is established shortly after fertilization. This addendum summarizes and extends the knowledge of the cytoskeleton’s role in the patterning of the LR axis. Results from many species suggest a conserved role for the cytoskeleton as the initiator of asymmetry, and indicate that symmetry is first broken during early embryogenesis by an intracellular process.
Effects of hypertonia on voltage-gated ion currents in freshly isolated hippocampal neurons, and on synaptic currents in neurons in hippocampal slices

Abstract We studied the effects of hypertonia on voltage-gated currents of freshly isolated hippocampal CA1 neurons, using open pipette whole-cell as well as gramicidin-perforated patch-clamp recording. Extracellular osmolarity ( π o ) was raised by adding mannitol (50 or 100 mmol/l) to the bathing solution. Hypertonia depressed voltage-gated sodium, potassium and calcium currents in all trials. The threshold activation voltage of the currents did not change during hypertonic depression, but maximal activation of Ca 2+ current shifted to a more negative potential, suggesting stronger depression of high- compared to low-voltage activated currents. During 30 min high π o treatment (recorded with open pipette), the depression reached maximum in 10–15 min of exposure. The depression of the computed transient component of the K + current recorded by open pipette was statistically not significant. Following hypertonic treatment recovery of the I Na , the sustained I K and sustained I Ca were incomplete compared to control cells maintained in normal solution for an equal length of time. In hippocampal tissue slices hypertonia (+25, +50 and +100 mmol/l fructose) reversibly depressed excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs). We conclude that the shutdown of membrane ion currents by elevated π o is not selective, but the degree of the suppression varies among current types. Raising π o in human patients, possibly combined with mild artificial acidosis, may be useful in the prevention and treatment of acute crises associated with excessive excitation or depolarization of neurons.
Patient-Specific Hemodynamic Simulations in a Group of Patients With Coronary Artery Aneurysms Caused by Kawasaki Disease

Kawasaki disease (KD) is an acute febrile illness that can result in life threatening coronary artery aneurysms in up to 25% of untreated patients. These aneurysms put patients at risk for thrombus formation, myocardial infarction and sudden death. Currently, clinical decisions are made based on anatomy alone, with aneurysm diameter > 8mm as the arbitrary cutoff for anticoagulation therapy, despite a lack of evidence for this choice. We postulate that patient specific hemodynamics may be a better predictor for the risk of thrombosis than maximum diameter alone. To quantify hemodynamics, we performed computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations using patient specific models with custom coronary boundary conditions.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Focus Issue: Exciting Times for Signaling in the Brain

This week’s issues of Science and Science ’s STKE are devoted to topics in neuroscience and include articles that span the range of neuronal activity from that of the individual neuron to that of the whole brain. The Science Special Issue takes a look at computational models of neuronal function, whereas STKE casts on eye on excitatory signaling in the brain.
Strictly Concave Parametric Programming, Part I: Basic Theory

This paper, which is presented in two parts, develops a computational approach to strictly concave parametric programs of the form: Maximize α f1x + 1-αf2x subject to concave inequality constraints for each fixed value of α in the unit interval, where f1 and f2 are strictly concave and certain additional regularity conditions are satisfied. This class of problems subsumes a corresponding class of vector maximum problems and also, by means of a simple device, provides a deformation method for ordinary concave programming. The approach is based on exploiting the continuity properties of the parametric program so as to efficiently maintain a solution to the associated Kuhn-Tucker conditions as a traverses the unit interval. The same approach can be adapted to much more general parametric programs than the one above. In Part I, a Basic Parametric Procedure is derived and shown to be finite in a certain sense. It forms the basis of various parametric programming algorithms, depending on what special assumptions are made on the functions. In Part II, additional theory is developed that facilitates computational implementation, and one possible general-purpose algorithm for a digital computer is given. An illustrative graphical example is presented and several extensions are indicated.
Complexity science and social media: Network modeling in following “Tweets”

This paper explores the behavior of the Twitter social media network through the lens of complex systems and agent-based models. By examining the behavior of power-law-based preferential attachment networks, taking data from existing Twitter accounts, and creating a basic model of the network using these data and NetLogo modeling software, this research effort provides further insight into the processes involved in community self-organization through Twitter.
A numerical study of submarine-landslide-generated waves and run-up

A mathematical model is derived to describe the generation and propagation of water waves by a submarine landslide. The model consists of a depth–integrated continuity equation and momentum equations, in which the ground movement is the forcing function. These equations include full nonlinear, but weak frequency–dispersion, effects. The model is capable of describing wave propagation from relatively deep water to shallow water. Simplified models for waves generated by small seafloor displacement or creeping ground movement are also presented. A numerical algorithm is developed for the general fully nonlinear model. Comparisons are made with a boundary integral equation method model, and a deep–water limit for the depth–integrated model is determined in terms of a characteristic side length of the submarine mass. The importance of nonlinearity and frequency dispersion in the wave–generation region and on the shoreline movement is discussed.
Ventricular restraint therapy: And what of the right ventricle?

ESULTS: Post-ischemic recovery of left ventricular developed ressure (%equilibration) was significantly greater with MSCs 46.2 4.1%) and MSC conditioned media (44.2 4.0%) than with ehicle (35.3 2.7%) at end reperfusion. However, hearts treated ith siRNA VEGF deleted MSCs (29.7 1.7%) and corresponding onditioned media (28.5 5.4%) exhibited no difference from vehile. No significant difference was observed between hearts treated ith MSCs or siRNA scramble control MSCs. End diastolic pressure nd dP/dt followed a similar pattern in post ischemic functional ecovery.
Associations between source-indicative pollution metrics and increases in pulmonary inflammation and reduced lung function in a panel of asthmatic children

Exposure to traffic-related air pollution may pose an elevated risk of respiratory harm to asthmatic children. The goal of this study was to investigate the association between exposure to specific classes of air pollutants and respiratory response in a panel of asthmatic children in El Paso, Texas. Air pollution and health response was measured at two elementary schools in El Paso with different levels of air pollution exposure. A high-exposure school was adjacent to the U.S.–Mexico border in close proximity to a major border crossing for diesel truck traffic, while the low-exposure school was in a suburban area distant from major roadways. The indoor and outdoor concentration of particle- and gas-phase pollutants was measured at each school for 13 weeks. Speciation of pollutants was performed to help identify sources. Each week, a panel of 38 asthmatic students performed pulmonary function and exhaled nitric oxide tests and completed asthma symptom questionnaires. Changes in both lung function and airway inflammation were significantly associated with pollutants with known traffic-related sources. FEV1 declined by up to 5 % in association with an interquartile range increase in the concentration of volatile organic compounds with traffic sources. Exhaled nitric oxide increased 1–5 % in association with these same compounds as well as with particulate black carbon (which also has a traffic-related source). No associations were observed between health response and pollutants with non-roadway sources. Exposure to traffic-related air pollution may lead to increased airway inflammation and decreased lung function in asthmatic children.
Effects of frequency, duration of study trial, and total duration of exposure on affective judgments.

Studies of frequency and duration of exposure of stimuli, e.g., Chinese characters, Turkish words, faces, paintings, have traditionally been factorial, resulting in confounding among the parameters of frequency, duration of study trial, and total duration of exposure. This study attempted to separate the effects of these variables on affective ratings. 60 male and female introductory psychology students served as subjects. The stimuli were slides of female nudes. There were three comparison conditions, each of which was itself a within-subjects design in which two levels of two variables were established and repeated measures made for a given subject. Subjects viewed the slides and then rated them on attractiveness. Results indicate that, if total duration of exposure is held constant, no changes in judgments of attractiveness occur whereas, if total duration increases and duration of study trial or frequency increases concurrently, increases in ratings of attractiveness, or affect, will occur.
Immune responses of non-atopic individuals to prolonged immunisation with ragweed extract.

Abstract Forty-two non-atopic volunteers were injected with multiple doses of short ragweed extract from 6 months up to 2 years. Reaginic antibodies of IgE class developed in thirty-seven individuals after 4 weeks of immunisation as shown by skin and Prausnitz-Kustner testing. Anti-ragweed IgG antibodies were detected after 2-6 months of immunisation. Reaginic antibodies persisted in all individuals throughout the period of immunisation and were not affected by the appearance of IgG anti-ragweed antibodies. The results of provocative testing and histamine-release tests were negative in all individuals, and this suggested that there may exist inherent differences in the cellular reactivity of atopic individuals.
A growth factor signaling cascade confined to circular ruffles in macrophages

The formation of macropinosomes requires large-scale movements of membranes and the actin cytoskeleton. Over several minutes, actin-rich surface ruffles transform into 1–5 µm diameter circular ruffles, which close at their distal margins, creating endocytic vesicles. Previous studies using fluorescent reporters of phosphoinositides and Rho-family GTPases showed that signals generated by macrophages in response to the growth factor Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor (M-CSF) appeared transiently in domains of plasma membrane circumscribed by circular ruffles. To address the question of how signaling molecules are coordinated in such large domains of plasma membrane, this study analyzed the relative timing of growth factor-dependent signals as ruffles transformed into macropinosomes. Fluorescent protein chimeras expressed in macrophages were imaged by microscopy and quantified relative to circular ruffle formation and cup closure. The large size of macropinocytic cups allowed temporal resolution of the transitions in phosphoinositides and associated enzyme activities that organize cup closure. Circular ruffles contained transient and sequential spikes of phosphatidylinositol (4,5)-bisphosphate (PI(4,5)P2), phosphatidylinositol (3,4,5)-trisphosphate (PIP3), diacylglycerol, PI(3,4)P2, PI(3)P and the activities of protein kinase C-α, Rac1, Ras and Rab5. The confinement of this signal cascade to circular ruffles indicated that diffusion barriers present in these transient structures focus feedback activation and deactivation of essential enzyme activities into restricted domains of plasma membrane.
Isolation and characterization ofl-methionine-resistant mutants of SV40-transformed balb 3T3 (SVT2) affectingl-methionine transport

l-Methionine-resistant mutants (metr) of SVT2 have been isolated by a multistep or single-step procedure. They are stable and arise in the absence of the selective agent at a mutation rate of 3.5×10−5. Treatment with EMS raises the frequency of metr mutants 32- to 47-fold. SVT2 transports methionine at an initial rate 4.5 times that of 3T3. The metr mutants have a decreased initial rate of methionine transport. Some mutants had both an increase in Km and decrease in Vm while others had either an increase in Km or decrease in Vm. Kinetic studies permit the identification of two transport systems for methionine for 3T3 and only one for SVT2 and the metr mutants. The Vm for SVT2 is three times larger than for the high-affinity system of 3T3 while the Km's are the same. The change in initial rate of transport of a few specific amino acids besides methionine suggests that affects on transport observed in both transformation and mutation are not due to just a general membrane change. A comparison of the amino acid spectrum of inhibition of independently transformed SV40 cell lines demonstrates that each transformant is unique.
ELECTRICAL IMAGING AT THE LARGE BLOCK TEST YUCCA MOUNTAIN, NEVADA

Abstract A monolithic block of densely welded tuff was excavated from a site on Fran Ridge near Yucca Mountain, Nevada so that coupled thermohydrological processes could be studied in a controlled, in situ experiment. A series of heaters were placed in a horizontal plane about 3 m from the top of the 3 m×3 m×4.5-m high block. Temperatures were measured at many points within and on the block surface and a suite of other measurements were taken to define the thermal and hydrologic response. Electrical resistance tomography (ERT) was used to map two-dimensional images of moisture content changes along four planes in the block. The ERT images clearly delineate the drying and wetting of the rockmass during the 13 months of heating and subsequent 6 months of cool down. The main feature is a prominent dry zone that forms around the heaters then gradually disappears as the rock cools down. Other features include linear anomalies of decreasing moisture content, which are fractures dehydrating as the block heats up. There are also examples of compact anomalies of wetting. Some of these appear to be water accumulation in fractures, which are draining condensate from the block. Others may be rainwater entering a fracture at the top of the block. During cool-down, a general rewetting is observed although this is less certain because of poor data quality during this stage of the experiment.
The Electron Optics of Mass Spectrographs and Velocity Focusing Devices

The well-known results of the theory of mass spectrometers and velocity focusing devices are derived again by a different method which is simpler than the ones previously used and which brings out more clearly the electron optical nature of the deflecting and focusing properties of the fields employed in these types of instruments.
Pellet Fusion by High Energy Heavy Ions

One of the conclusions of recent work was that heavy ion sources of 100 mA of singly charged ions with normalized emittance (area/..pi..) of 0.02 mrad-cm are realizable with only modest extrapolation of existing source technology. If this projection proves correct, then the complex (and likely expensive) technique of molecular dissociation injection will not be required. In this case, the number of possibilities of different ions, charge states, and accelerator configurations capable of meeting the pellet requirements is very large. A report is given of some studies which concentrated on sifting out these many possibilities to discover the advantages and disadvantages of various alternatives before focusing on a second specific concept of an accelerator system for pellet fusion.
The Dependence Of Feedback Bandwidth On The Spectral Linewidth In External Cavity Semiconductor Lasers For Coherent Lightwave Communication Systems

We show quantitatively for the first time that the feedback bandwidth is a critical parameter controlling the linewidth in external cavity semiconductor lasers. The external cavity structures can be divided into four categories according to their feedback bandwidth Avf and feedback ratio R3. The limit of linewidth narrowing depends on feedback bandwidth rather than the length of external cavity. For very narrow linewidth (< 10 kHz), the feedback bandwidth required is < 100 kHz, provided optimum choice of the other three critical parameters R2, R3, 1ex is made as defined below.
Baseline Sensitivity of Guignardia citricarpa Isolates from Florida to Azoxystrobin and Pyraclostrobin

Abstract Citrus black spot (CBS), caused by Guignardia citricarpa, is an emerging disease in Florida. Fungicide applications are the main control measure worldwide. The in vitro activity and baseline sensitivity of G. citricarpa isolates to quinone outside inhibitor (QoI) fungicides (azoxystrobin and pyraclostrobin) were evaluated. The effective concentration needed to reduce mycelial growth or spore germination by 50% (EC50) was determined for 86 isolates obtained from Florida counties where CBS is found. The effect of salicylhydroxamic acid (SHAM) plus azoxystrobin and pyraclostrobin was also assessed for mycelial growth and conidial germination. The mean EC50 for mycelial growth for azoxystrobin was 0.027 μg/ml and that for pyraclostrobin was significantly lower at 0.007 μg/ml (P < 0.0001). Similarly, the mean EC50 for conidial germination for azoxystrobin was 0.016 μg/ml and that for pyraclostrobin was significantly lower at 0.008 μg/ml (P < 0.0001). There was no effect of SHAM on inhibition of myceli...
Professional movements, local appropriations, and the limits of educational critique: the cultural production of mixed messages at an urban middle school

Although critical ethnographers have explored in some depth the ways that social critique informs how youth assess their schooling experiences, the implications of social critique by educators themselves have been of much less interest. Yet, numerous professional educational movements have been wrought from social critique or, at the very least, from critique of school practices that fail to contribute to more equitable social outcomes. Featuring one middle‐school classroom contextualized by such movements in the field of education, this article presents an analysis of student appropriations of the messages embedded in a year‐long community service‐learning project. The project engaged students in democratic action framed by the question: Do our voices count? It is argued that while students embraced a newfound political agency through this work, the lack of opportunity to question individualism, the structural dimensions of urban poverty and their own relative privilege in the school ultimately produced ...
The heterogeneity of juvenile myositis.

Juvenile myositis is a heterogeneous group of systemic autoimmune diseases, in which clinical and serologic subgroups result in subsets of patients with distinct clinical manifestations, disease courses, immunogenetic associations, responses to therapy, and prognoses. A newly identified autoantibody of unknown specificity, anti-p155, is myositis-associated and seen in up to 20 – 30% of juvenile and adult DM patients. HLA DRB1*0301 and its linked allele DQA1*0501 have been identified as the major immunogenetic risk factor for juvenile and adult DM in both European- and African- American patients, and DQA1*0301 is an additional risk factor in European American patients. Several DQA1 alleles also are protective for juvenile DM. Environmental risk factors are poorly understood, but growing evidence suggests a role for infectious agents and ultraviolet radiation. The current therapy of juvenile DM consists of corticosteroids and other immunosuppressive agents, with the adjunctive treatment of cutaneous manifestations and rehabilitation. Therapeutic trials of biologic agents, including anti-TNFα and anti-CD20, may aid in developing promising new therapies for these disorders.
INFLUENCE OF PERSONALITY ATTRIBUTES ON ABORTION EXPERIENCES

Questionnaire responses of women who underwent legal abortions reveal a range of complex emotional reactions. This study suggests that both the resolution of negative feelings post-abortion and the motivation to use contraception are related to individual personality characteristics. Implications are offered for therapeutic intervention and for contraceptive counseling with young, unmarried women.
Entanglement propagation through spin chains in the presence of a staggered magnetic field

We study the dynamics of entanglement in an $XY$ spin chain subject to a staggered magnetic field and contrast it to the previously discussed uniform field case. We find that in the isotropic $(XX)$ limit a staggered field can provide almost equally favorable conditions for a high-fidelity transfer of entanglement, while even a modest amount of exchange anisotropy appears to have a strong detrimental effect. We also study interactions between different waves of entanglement and assess the possibility of simultaneous transmission of multiple bits of quantum information.
Amphetamine stimulates movement through thalamocortical glutamate release

The ventrolateral thalamus (VL) is a primary relay point between the basal ganglia and the primary motor cortex (M1). Using dual probe microdialysis and locomotor behavior monitoring, we investigated the contribution of VL input into M1 during amphetamine (AMPH)-stimulated monoamine release and hyperlocomotion in rats. Tetrodotoxin (10 μM) perfusion into the VL significantly lowered hyperactivity induced by AMPH (1 mg/kg i.p.). This behavioral response corresponded to reduced cortical glutamate and monoamine release. To determine which glutamate receptors the thalamocortical projections acted upon, we perfused either the α-amino-3-(3-hydroxy-5-methyl-isoxazol-4-yl)propanoic acid (AMPA)/kainate receptor antagonist 2,3-dihydroxy-6-nitro-7-sulfamoyl-benzo[f]quinoxaline-2,3-dione (NBQX) (10 μM) or the N-methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA) receptor antagonist (MK-801) intracortically followed by systemic AMPH. The results show that AMPA/kainate, and to a lesser extent NMDA receptors, mediated the observed effects. As glutamate-monoamine interactions could possibly occur through local or circuit-based mechanisms, we isolated and perfused M1 tissue ex vivo to determine the extent of local glutamate-dopamine interactions. Taken together, these results demonstrate that AMPH generates hyperlocomotive states via thalamocortical signaling and that cortical AMPA receptors are an important mediator of these effects. This study utilizes dual probe microdialysis sampling and comprehensive LC-MS analysis to determine the effects of amphetamine (1 mg/kg i.p.) on thalamocortical neurotransmission. Using pharmacological tools such as local thalamic tetrodotoxin (TTX) perfusion and glutamate antagonist at the cortical level, we demonstrate that thalamocortical glutamate (acting primarily through cortical AMPA receptors) is an essential component in amphetamine-induced hyperlocomotion.
Removing Tidal-Period Variations from Time-Series Data Using Low-Pass Digital Filters

Abstract Several low-pass, digital filters are examined for their ability to remove tidal Period Variations from a time-series of water surface elevation for San Francisco Bay. The most efficient filter is the one which is applied to the Fourier coefficients of the transformed data, and the filtered data recovered through an inverse transform. The ability of the filters to remove the tidal components increased in the following order: 1) cosine-Lanczos filter, 2) cosine-Lanczos squared filter; 3) Godin filter; and 4) a transform fitter. The Godin fitter is not sufficiently sharp to prevent severe attenuation of 2–3 day variations in surface elevation resulting from weather events.
A prospective, randomized study of EUS-guided celiac plexus neurolysis for pancreatic cancer: one injection or two?

Background The technique of alcohol injection during EUS-guided celiac plexus neurolysis (CPN) in patients with pancreatic cancer–related pain has not been standardized. Objective To compare pain relief and safety of alcohol given as 1 versus 2 injections during EUS-guided CPN (EUS-CPN). Secondary outcomes examined were characteristics that predict response and survival. Design Single-blinded, prospective, randomized, parallel-group study. Setting Tertiary-care center. Patients This study involved patients with pancreatic cancer–related pain. Intervention EUS-CPN done by injecting 20 mL of 0.75% bupivacaine and 10 mL 98% alcohol into 1 or 2 sites at the celiac trunk. Participants were interviewed by telephone at 24 hours and weekly thereafter. Main Outcome Measurements Time until onset of pain relief, duration of pain relief, complications. Results Fifty patients (mean age 63 years; 24 men) were enrolled and randomized (29 in 1-injection, 21 in 2-injections groups). Pain relief was observed in 37 (74%) patients: 20 (69%) in the 1-injection group and 17 (81%) in the 2-injection group (chi-square P = .340). Median onset of pain relief was 1 day for both 1-injection (range 1-28 days) and 2-injection (range 1-21 days) groups (Mann-Whitney P = .943). Median duration of pain relief in the 1-injection and 2-injection groups was 11 weeks and 14 weeks, respectively (log-rank P = .612). Complete pain relief was observed in 4 (8%) patients total, 2 in each group. There were no long-term complications. Limitations Single-blinded study. Conclusion There were no differences in onset or duration of pain relief when either 1 or 2 injections were used. There was no difference in safety or survival between the 2 groups. (Clinical trial registration number: NCT00583479.)
Effect of aldosterone on the metabolism of magnesium.

ABSTRACT The metabolism of magnesium was compared with that of potassium in 5 patients with primary aldosteronism and in an adrenalectomized subject. In primary aldosteronism the urinary excretion and clearance of magnesium is increased although the serum magnesium is normal. A rapid infusion of isotonic saline resulted in a markedly increased excretion of both potassium and magnesium, probably reflecting an increased filtered load. After the surgical removal of adrenal adenomata there was a simultaneous decrease in both the urinary potassium and magnesium, which continued for several weeks after surgery. Spironolactone reduced the urinary magnesium in 2 patients with primary aldosteronism. The increase in both urinary potassium and magnesium after the administration of 400 μg d-aldosterone intramuscularly in an adrenalectomized patient was reversed by spironolactone. These studies suggest that aldosterone increases the clearance and excretion of magnesium and potassium in a parallel manner.
Women's Rights, Shari'a Law, and the Secularization of Islam in Iran

Rather than a simple imposition of the shari‘a law, the Islamization of postrevolutionary Iran transpired at the intersection of political necessities, social realities, religious considerations, and legislative initiatives. As much as the Islamization project transformed society, this social transformation also reconfigured the meaning of the shari‘a and expanded the boundaries of communities with interpretive authority over its legal injunctions. The Iranian postrevolutionary experience highlights the fallacies of bifurcated conceptions of religion and politics and more specifically that of church and state. Through the examination of two important legislations on abortion rights and women’s inheritance, I show the contingencies in which the shari‘a is understood and contested in public. The success or failure of the Islamic Republic depends not on the separation of church and state but on how pluralistic and open the communities that lay claim on religious interpretive authority will become.
Experimental Structures of the Carbon Chains HC(7)N, HC(9)N, and HC(11)N by Isotopic Substitution.

The effective structures (r(0)) of the three linear cyanopolyynes HC(7)N, HC(9)N, and HC(11)N have been determined to high accuracy by isotopic substitution, following detection in a supersonic molecular beam with a Fourier transform microwave spectrometer of all of the singly substituted rare isotopic species. For each chain, the lengths of the individual bonds have been determined to an accuracy of 0.001 A or 0.1% toward the end of the chain and to 0.01 A or 1.0% toward the center. The experimental structures are in excellent agreement with recent high-level theoretical calculations, or, in the case of HC(11)N, with extrapolation from HC(9)N. The three polyynes studied here represent the largest reactive carbon chain molecules for which accurate structures have been derived empirically. For HC(7)N and HC(9)N, it has been possible to resolve at high-resolution nitrogen hyperfine structure in the lower rotational transitions and determine eQq for all of the singly substituted isotopic species of HC(7)N and for normal HC(9)N. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.
Human ADP-ribosylation Factor-activated Phosphatidylcholine-specific Phospholipase D Defines a New and Highly Conserved Gene Family

Activation of phosphatidylcholine-specific phospholipase D (PLD) has been implicated as a critical step in numerous cellular pathways, including signal transduction, membrane trafficking, and the regulation of mitosis. We report here the identification of the first human PLD cDNA, which defines a new and highly conserved gene family. Characterization of recombinant human PLD1 reveals that it is membrane-associated, selective for phosphatidylcholine, stimulated by phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate, activated by the monomeric G-protein ADP-ribosylation factor-1, and inhibited by oleate. PLD1 likely encodes the gene product responsible for the most widely studied endogenous PLD activity.
Limits on phonon information extracted from neutron pair-density functions

We explore the possibility of extracting information about lattice dynamics in simple crystal structures from the neutron pair-density function (PDF) through inverse data analysis. Contrary to the claims by Dimitrov, Louca, and R\"oder [Phys. Rev. B 60, 6204 (1999)], and in agreement with recent work by Reichardt and Pintschovius [Phys. Rev. B 63, 174302 (2001)], we find that the PDF alone is not sufficient for constructing accurate phonon dispersions in the entire Brillouin zone in systems with complex lattice dynamics. However, our numerical simulations show that for monatomic fcc and bcc crystal structures it is, in principle, possible to obtain phonon moments of complex metals as well as phonon frequencies of simple metals within a few percent accuracy.
Principles and procedures of exploratory data analysis.

Exploratory data analysis (EDA) is a well-established statistical tradition that provides conceptual and computational tools for discovering patterns to foster hypothesis development and refinement. These tools and attitudes complement the use of significance and hypothesis tests used in confirmatory data analysis (CDA). Although EDA complements rather than replaces CDA, use of CDA without EDA is seldom warranted. Even when well-specified theories are held, EDA helps one interpret the results of CDA and may reveal unexpected or misleading patterns in the data. This article introduces the central heuristics and computational tools of EDA and contrasts it with CDA and exploratory statistics in general. EDA techniques are illustrated using previously published psychological data. Changes in statistical training and practice are recommended to incorporate these tools.
Extended inertial frames, projective relativity, de Sitter space, and unambiguous quantization in a curved manifold. III

By examining inertial frames that are projectively connected, the group of extended Lorentz transformations, isomorphic to the de Sitter groups, is further developed, in particular for the anti--de Sitter case O(3,2) of recent interest. The clearly identifiable coordinates of a free particle in the inertial frames are what are taken to be fundamental for stating commutation rules, notwithstanding that the space-time metric is one of constant curvature. A simple transformation, in which these rules remain transparent, images free-particle motion in inertial frames into isotropic-harmonic-oscillator motion within a finite sphere. The group algebra, conservation laws, and Klein-Gordon equation (giving a purely discrete ladder energy spectrum) are worked out, and a hint to spinor theory, requiring eight-component spinors, is devised.
Relationships between Facets of Job Satisfaction and Task and Contextual Performance

This study examined the relationship between job satisfaction and task and contextual performance. Specifically, it assessed this relationship for overall as well as facets of job satisfaction. Four hundred and forty-four employees in a manufacturing plant completed measures of job satisfaction and their supervisors completed measures of task and contextual job performance. Results indicate that the relationships between overall job satisfaction and task and contextual performance were the same. However, when the facets of job satisfaction were considered, different relationships emerged. There was a stronger relationship between satisfaction with supervision and contextual performance compared to task performance. In contrast, there was a stronger relationship between satisfaction with work and task performance compared to contextual performance. Results indicated the importance of considering different facets with the job satisfaction and job performance relationship, as well as the importance of matching predictors and criteria in terms of their levels of specificity.
Synthesis of absorbing boundary condition with digital filter bank

This paper generalizes the technique of using a bank of IIR filters to realize the ABC in the FDTD method. The filter can absorb propagating and evanescent waves and multimodes as well. This approach is applied to the problem of an inductive iris, which is only 0.1 /spl lambda/ away from the ABC plane.
An extensive empirical study of feature selection metrics for text classification

Machine learning for text classification is the cornerstone of document categorization, news filtering, document routing, and personalization. In text domains, effective feature selection is essential to make the learning task efficient and more accurate. This paper presents an empirical comparison of twelve feature selection methods (e.g. Information Gain) evaluated on a benchmark of 229 text classification problem instances that were gathered from Reuters, TREC, OHSUMED, etc. The results are analyzed from multiple goal perspectives-accuracy, F-measure, precision, and recall-since each is appropriate in different situations. The results reveal that a new feature selection metric we call 'Bi-Normal Separation' (BNS), outperformed the others by a substantial margin in most situations. This margin widened in tasks with high class skew, which is rampant in text classification problems and is particularly challenging for induction algorithms. A new evaluation methodology is offered that focuses on the needs of the data mining practitioner faced with a single dataset who seeks to choose one (or a pair of) metrics that are most likely to yield the best performance. From this perspective, BNS was the top single choice for all goals except precision, for which Information Gain yielded the best result most often. This analysis also revealed, for example, that Information Gain and Chi-Squared have correlated failures, and so they work poorly together. When choosing optimal pairs of metrics for each of the four performance goals, BNS is consistently a member of the pair---e.g., for greatest recall, the pair BNS + F1-measure yielded the best performance on the greatest number of tasks by a considerable margin.
Selection of Yeast Strains With Enhanced Expression of Plasmodium falciparum Proteins

The poor expression of Plasmodium falciparum proteins in heterologous systems and the difficulty in obtaining sufficient material directly from the parasite have limited the experimental characterization of many of the approximately 5200 proteins encoded by this organism. To improve the expression of P. falciparum proteins in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, we selected yeast ura3 mutants that acquired the ability to utilize the P. falciparum orthologue (PfOMPDC) of URA3 to grow on media lacking uracil. Two of these mutant strains, BY#29 and PJ#17, expressed up to 100-fold more of four P. falciparum proteins as a result of mutations in either HRP1 or KAP104, respectively. These mutations, as well as a temperature-sensitive rna15 mutation, likely decrease the efficiency of mRNA 3’ end formation and produce longer mRNAs of P. falciparum genes. These yeast strains may be useful for the analysis and purification of P. falciparum proteins.
Safety Evaluation in Chickens of Candidate Human Vaccines Against Potential Pandemic Strains of Influenza

Two candidate formalin-inactivated vaccines, made from high-growth reassortant viruses with the HA and NA genes from avian viruses in a background of genes derived from A/Puerto Rico/8/34 (PR8), were prepared against H5N1 and H9N2 subtypes (designated as H5N1/PR8 and H9N2/PR8, respectively). These viruses bear the genotypes, antigenicity, and attenuation in mouse models that are desirable in candidate vaccines. The pathogenicity of the newly generated avian-human reassortant vaccine viruses was also evaluated in chickens. Neither H5N1/PR8 nor H9N2/PR8 were highly pathogenic for chickens. No clinical signs, gross legions, or histological lesions were observed in chickens that were administered H5N1/PR8 either intranasally (i.n.) or intravenously (i.v.), and virus was not detected in oropharyngeal or cloacal swabs. When H9N2/PR8 was administered i.n., no clinical signs, gross lesions, or histological lesions were observed and no virus was detected in cloacal swabs. However, virus was isolated at low titer from oropharyngeal swabs of all eight chickens. Although no clinical signs were observed when H9N2/PR8 was administered i.v., mild tracheitis was seen in one of two chickens. Moderate amounts of antigen were observed in tracheal respiratory epithelium, and low titers of virus were recovered from oropharyngeal and cloacal swabs of some chickens. In summary, both reassortant vaccine viruses replicated poorly in chickens. These studies suggest that these candidate vaccine viruses carry a low risk of transmission to chickens.
Double-Edge-Triggered Flip-Flops

A conventional positive-edge-triggered flip-flop (FF) senses and responds to the control input or inputs at the time the clock input is changing from 0 to 1. It does not respond at all to changes in the opposite direction. Negative-edge-triggered FF's behave in a complementary manner. Thus, these FF's can respond at most once per clock pulse cycle. It is proposed that double-edge-triggered (DET) FF's, responding to both edges of the clock pulse would have advantages with respect to speed and energy dissipation.
Clustering binary data in the presence of masking variables

A number of important applications require the clustering of binary data sets. Traditional nonhierarchical cluster analysis techniques, such as the popular K-means algorithm, can often be successfully applied to these data sets. However, the presence of masking variables in a data set can impede the ability of the K-means algorithm to recover the true cluster structure. The author presents a heuristic procedure that selects an appropriate subset from among the set of all candidate clustering variables. Specifically, this procedure attempts to select only those variables that contribute to the definition of true cluster structure while eliminating variables that can hide (or mask) that true structure. Experimental testing of the proposed variable-selection procedure reveals that it is extremely successful at accomplishing this goal.
Near speed-of-light on-chip interconnects using pulsed current-mode signalling

In this paper, we describe the design of on-chip repeaterless interconnects with nearly speed-of-light latency. Sharp current-pulse data transmission is used to modulate transmitter energy to higher frequencies, where the effect of wire inductance is maximized, allowing the on-chip wires to function as transmission lines with considerably reduced dispersion. A prototype 8 Gbps serial link employing this pulsed current-mode signalling in a 0.18 /spl mu/m CMOS process is described and measured.
Transit-time broad-banding of very high bandwidth monolithic p-i-n/HBT optical receivers

The authors show that phase shifts due to electron transit-times in the collector regions of heterojunction bipolar monolithic optical receivers lead to a widebanding of the frequency response or, at worst, circuit instability. Simple quantitative expressions are derived in order to analyze this effect. The dependence of widebanding on the open-loop transistor bias conditions is discussed. >
Is the Notion of a Divine Basic Act a Necessary and Sufficient Way of Talking about God's Actions in the World?

It may not be possible or necessary to reserve space for divine basic acts which override or bypass the intervening apparati of causal mechanisms provided that God has total control over them. Apart then from the necessity for each divine act having a beginning which does not depend upon anything other than God's intention to begin it (and intentional beginnings of this kind are of necessity for all acts, divine or human), divine acts need not all be basic with the possible exception of the original creative act that brings into existence all the causal mechanisms by which all future acts will be carried out