cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Expression of the orphan cytosolic sulfotransferase SULT1C3 in human intestine: characterization of the transcript variant and implications for function.

The cystolic sulfotransferse 1C3 (SULT1C3) gene was identified by computational analysis of the human genome and suggested to contain duplications of its last two exons (7a/b and 8a/b). Although the SULT1C3 isoform containing the more downstream exons 7b and 8b (SULT1C3d) has been expressed in Escherichia coli, crystallized, and characterized for activity, there is currently no evidence that SULT1C3 is expressed in any human tissue. Using reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction, we detected SULT1C3 mRNA in the colorectal adenocarcinoma cell line (LS180), colon, and small intestine, but the amplified fragment contained the more upstream exons 7a and 8a. 3′-Rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) confirmed that the SULT1C3 transcript expressed in LS180 cells contained exons 7a/8a, whereas 5′-RACE identified a noncoding exon 1. Full-length SULT1C3 transcript containing exons 7a/8a was amplified from LS180 and intestinal RNA, and in vitro transcription-translation of the cloned cDNA indicated that translation primarily began at the first of three in-frame ATG codons. Since SULT1C3 containing exons 7a/8a (SULT1C3a) would differ by 30 amino acids from SULT1C3d containing exons 7b/8b, we considered the functional implications of expressing one or the other isoform by generating structural models based on the reported crystal structure for SULT1C3d. Comparison of the structures indicated that five of the residues forming the substrate-binding pocket differed between the two isoforms, resulting in a change in both electron density and charge distribution along the inner wall of the substrate-binding pocket. These data indicate that SULT1C3 is expressed in human intestine but suggest that the expressed isoform is likely to differ functionally from the isoform that has been previously characterized.
Small unmanned aerial platform for geospatial data collection and analysis

This paper outlines research experiments performed on quantative evaluation of 3D geospatial data obtained by means of Photogrammetric Small UAV(PSUAV) developed at Michigan Tech. SUAV platform is equipped with autopilot and capable to accommodate a payload up to 11 pounds. Experiments were performed deploying 12MP Cannon Rebel EOS camera, which was a subject of calibration procedures. Surveying grade GPS equipment was used to prepare ground calibration sites. Work on processing of the obtained datasets encompasses: sensor modeling, single photo resections with image co-registration, mosaicking, and finally 3D terrain models generation. One of the most important results achieved at current stage of PSUAV development is method and algorithms for comparison of UAV obtained DEMs with another models obtained from different geospatial sources.
An Experimental Investigation of a Nonsupervised Adaptive Algorithm

An unsupervised or nonsupervised adaptive algorithm for linear decision boundaries is applied to two pattern recognition problems: the classification of spoken words, and the classification of hand-printed characters. The term unsupervised indicates that the class identification of the input patterns is not continuously available to the adaptive system. The algorithm discussed offers two advantages for pattern recognition applications. First, the number of patterns which must be labeled with class identification is reduced. Second, the adaptive system can follow changes in the class distributions over time, due to data fluctuation or hardware degradation. These advantages are demonstrated for each of the two applications.
Discovering determinants of high volatility software

This topic paper presents a line of research that we are proposing that incorporates, in a very explicit and intentional way, human and organizational aspects in the prediction of troublesome (defect-prone or changeprone or volatile, depending on the environment) software modules. Much previous research in this area tries to identify these modules by looking at their structural characteristics, so that increased effort can be concentrated on those modules in order to reduce future maintenance costs.
Detecting Route Attraction Attacks in Wireless Networks

Selecting high performance routes in wireless networks requires the exchange of link quality information among nodes. Adversaries can manipulate this functionality by advertising fake qualities for links; by doing so, they can attract routes and subsequently launch pernicious attacks. Our measurements suggest that malicious route attraction can fatally impact throughput. We design a framework that is effective against both independent and colluding attackers. In the latter case, we consider both local and remote colluders. With local collusion, malicious nodes exchange and advertise fake routing information to increase the probability of being selected as relays. Remote collusion refers to nodes residing in distant parts of the network that (i) create sybil identities in a local neighborhood and / or (ii) utilize link quality reports to advertise fake links. Our framework combines packet signing and frequency hopping to accurately detect the adversaries. We implement the framework on our testbed and conduct experiments to assess its efficacy. We observe that our framework provides significant throughput benefits by detecting attackers with 90% accuracy.
Mechanism of H2 desorption from monohydride Si(100)2 × 1H

Abstract Most recent experimental work on H2 desorption from the monohydride Si(100) surface seems to point to a pairwise desorption mechanism involving the concerted desorption of two hydrogen atoms on different Si atoms of a single dimer. Using ab initio SCF and CI theory and a cluster model of the surface, the present work finds that the lowest energy pathway is symmetric rather than asymmetric. The desorption energy barrier is calculated to be 3.7 eV. Compared with an experimental value of 2.6 eV, the large barrier suggests that this direct desorption mechanism is not applicable. A multi-step desorption mechanism which involves a delocalized process in the formation of dihydride SiH2 and a localized desorption of H2 is proposed and is shown to explain the experimental observations.
VOLTAGE DRIVEN NONDESTRUCTIVE SELF-REFERENCE SENSING FOR STT-RAM YIELD ENHANCEMENT

Spin-transfer torque random access memory (STT-RAM) has demonstrated great potentials as a universal memory for its fast access speed, zero standby power, excellent scalability and simplicity of cell structure. However, large process variations of both magnetic tunneling junction and CMOS process severely limit the yield of STT-RAM chips. In this paper, we propose a novel voltage-driven non-destructive self-reference sensing scheme (NDRS) to enhance the STT-RAM chip yield by significantly improving sense margin. Monte-Carlo simulations of a 16 Kb STT-RAM array shows that our proposed scheme can achieve the same yield as the previous NDRS scheme while improving the sense margin by 5 × with the similar access performance and power.
A New Photokeratoscopic Technique

Photokeratoscopy is not an invention of the twentieth century- it goes back to the nineteenth century when Alvar Gullstrand made his first attempt in 1896. He used the Placido disc, a planar object, and photographed the reflected concentric rings from the corneal surface acting as a convex mirror. iGullstrand was unable to photograph the total corneal surface from a single picture; he had to take two or three of them to cover the corneal surface. His planar object introduced several aberrations and therefore the quality of the image was not adequate. Moreover, Gullstrand hypothesized the cornea as having a spherical surface. This simplification is seen in his dioptric diagram describing the cornea.
Universal Physical Access Control System

With the recent rapid increase in the number of physical facilities and structures that need to be protected by restricting physical access to them, there has been an explosion in the number and type of physical access control systems being deployed to protect them. However, these systems are quite different from each other and there is no common standard that provides for interoperability between the various systems. The number and types of access devices being employed has grown steadily, but the systems in which they are being used are physically and technologically incompatible with each other. Consequently, there is renewed interest within the research community in developing a common universal system providing physical resource access protection regardless of the type of physical resource and where it is located. In this article we propose the Universal Physical Access Control System (UPACS) which provides a universal framework for controlling access to physical resources. It provides for the use of a wide variety of access devices and allows for both onsite and remote access. We show how it can be used to control access to any type of resource, including homes, vehicles and public infrastructure such as street lights and traffic lights and industrial infrastructure such as power plants. We also show how it can be implemented regardless of the location of the owner of the physical resource and the location of the resource relative to its users.
Comparison of binary phase-only filter (BPOF) against an extended normalized correlation method for face recognition

In this paper, we compare two correlation techniques for face recognition. An optical correlator using the Binary Phase-Only Filter (BPOF) was simulated and tested on a database of faces. Its performance is compared with that of an extended correlation method suggested by Kyatkin and Chirikjian. The results are compared in terms of the number of false positives. For our tests and for both methods we use the challenging AT&T database of images with varying facial illuminations, facial expressions, and pose. We show how, from the accuracy point of view, the extended correlation method outperforms the BPOF.
Impact of anisosmotic conditions on structural and functional integrity of cumulus-oocyte complexes at the germinal vesicle stage in the domestic cat.

During cryopreservation, the immature oocyte is subjected to anisosmotic conditions potentially impairing subsequent nuclear and cytoplasmic maturation in vitro. In preparation for cryopreservation protocols and to characterize osmotic tolerance, cat cumulus–oocyte complexes (COC) at the germinal vesicle (GV) stage were exposed for 15 min to sucrose solutions ranging from 100 to 2,000 mOsm and then examined for structural integrity and developmental competence in vitro. Osmolarities ≥200 and ≤750 mOsm had no effect on incidence of oocyte nuclear maturation, fertilization success, and blastocyst formation compared to control COC (exposed to 290 mOsm). This relatively high osmotic tolerance of the immature cat oocyte appeared to arise from a remarkable stability of the GV chromatin structure as well as plasticity in mitochondrial distribution, membrane integrity, and ability to maintain cumulus–oocyte communications. Osmolarities 750 mOsm compromised nuclear maturation and blastocyst formation in vitro via disruption of cumulus–oocyte communications, an effect that could be mitigated through 1,500 mOsm by adding cytochalasin B to the hyperosmotic solutions. These results (1) demonstrate, for the first time, the expansive osmotic tolerance of the immature cat oocyte, (2) characterize the fundamental role of cumulus–oocyte communications when tolerance limits are exceeded, and (3) reveal an interesting hyperosmotic tolerance of the immature oocyte that can be increased two-fold by supplementation with cytochalasin B.
The Role of Conformational Flexibility in Inhibitor Binding and Substrate Recognition for Cyp119

Conformational flexibility of several cytochromes P450 has been observed in response to substrate and ligand binding, and thus may play an important role in catalysis. CYP119, a bacterial thermophilic protein from cytochrome P450 superfamily has been observed in three different conformations with different inhibitors bound using X-ray crystallography, but the significance of these states in solution and in the function of the enzyme is not well known. According to the crystal structures, much of the diversity in conformational states arises in F and G helices, which fold around the substrate binding site at the distal heme face. Double electron electron resonance (DEER) was used to measure the average distances and the distance distributions between spin-labels for populated conformational states in solution. Pairs of spin-labels were introduced by coupling to engineered cysteines on the protein surface, and the effects of labeling on ligand dissociation constants (Kd) and enzyme function were characterized. DEER results from three different mutants of CYP119 indicated that 4-Phenylimidazole binding results in a conformational state that is distinct substrate-free and Imidazole-bound forms. The DEER distance changes between the two conformational states were determined as 10A for two of the mutants and 12A for the other one. Data will also be presented for the complex between CYP119 its proposed substrate, lauric acid. These results will be discussed in terms of models for substrate recognition and gated functional behavior in these enzymes.
Synthesis and Reactivity of Ir(CO)(η2-C2R2)(η5-C9H7) (R = Ph, Tol). Alkyne Coupling and Arene C−H Bond Activation Forming a Substituted Butadiene Ligand

The reaction of Ir(CO)(η2-C8H14)(η5-C9H7) with excess C2R2 (R = Ph, Tol) in benzene at reflux leads to a mixture containing Ir(CO)(η2-C2R2)(η5-C9H7) (1a, R = Ph; 1b, R = Tol), Ir2(CO)2(μ-C2R2)(η5-C9H7)2 (2a, R = Ph; 2b, R = Tol), and Ir(η4-HC4R4R‘)(η5-C9H7) (3a, R = Ph, R‘ = Ph; 3b, R = Tol, R‘ = Ph). Conducting the reaction in benzene-d6, toluene, or m-xylene leads to 1 and 2 and Ir(η4-DC4R4R‘)(η5-C9H7) (3c, R = Tol, R‘ = C6D5) or Ir(η4-HC4R4R‘)(η5-C9H7) (3d, R = Ph, R‘ = C6H4Me; 3e, R = Ph, R‘ = C6H3Me2; 3f, R = Tol, R‘ = C6H4Me). The structures of compounds 2a and 3b have been determined by X-ray diffraction. Compound 2a contains a dimetallacyclobutene framework with the CO ligands adopting a trans orientation with respect to the Ir2C2 mean plane. The indenyl ligands take positions opposite the carbonyls at each Ir center. Compound 3b contains a 1-phenyl-1,2,3,4-tetratolyl-1,3-butadiene ligand formed through both alkyne coupling and CH bond activation of the solvent benzene. The direct reactions of 1 w...
Single-crystal elasticity of diopside to 14 GPa by Brillouin scattering

The single-crystal elastic moduli (Cij) of diopside have been measured up to 14 GPa using Brillouin spectroscopy, from which the aggregate compressional and shear velocities, adiabatic bulk modulus, shear modulus, and their pressure derivatives were obtained. A least-squares fit of the velocity–pressure data to third-order finite strain equation yields K
Houses Divided: Lincoln, Douglas, and the Political Landscape of 1858

The year 1858 began with Illinois in the trough of a deep economic recession. The pre vious August the Ohio Life Insurance and Trust Company of Cincinnati had abruptly closed its doors and declared bankruptcy. That triggered a year of deflated land values, brought railroad construction to a halt on the Illinois Central and Michigan Central railroads, and reduced the supply of bank notes in circulation from $215 million to $155 million. Torrential rains flooded the Midwest in the early summer, sending the Ohio River up to forty-one feet at Cincinnati and flooding the southern-tip Illinois city of Cairo.1 Tsar Alexander II took the first steps toward emancipating Russian serfs, the transatlantic cable carried its first message, and Donati's comet, with two brilliant tails easily visible to the naked eye, arced through the summer sky. But of all these events, not one took the attention of Illinois and the nation like the election campaigns that were carried on across Illinois in the late summer and autumn of 1858 by Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas. In Dallas, Texas, the Lincoln-Douglas campaigns were termed "one of the most exciting political contests that has ever occurred." William Lloyd Gar rison's Liberator reported that "Illinois is all in a blaze just now. Lincoln and Douglas, candidates for the United States Senate, are canvassing the State." At least "for the time being," one Washington, DC, newspaper remarked, "Illinois becomes, as it were, the Union." Whatever else Illinois and the nation had to think about in 1858, they thought with a peculiar passion about Lincoln and Douglas.2
Computational study of the binding of CuII to Alzheimer’s amyloid-β peptide: Do Aβ42 and Aβ40 bind copper in identical fashion?

One of the many hypotheses on the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease is that the amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) binds CuII and can catalytically generate H2O2, leading to oxidative damage in brain tissues. For a molecular level understanding of such catalysis it is critical to know the structure of the Aβ–CuII complex precisely. Unfortunately, no high-resolution structure is available to date and there is considerable debate over the copper coordination environment with no clear consensus on which residues are directly bound to CuII. Considering all plausible isomers of the copper-bound Aβ42 and Aβ40 using a combination of density functional theory and classical molecular dynamics methods, we report an atomic resolution structure for each possible complex. We evaluated the relative energies of these isomeric structures and surprisingly found that Aβ42 and Aβ40 display very different binding modes, suggesting that shorter peptides that are truncated at the C-terminus may not be realistic models for understanding the chemistry of the most neurotoxic peptide, Aβ42.
Effects of inflammatory mediators on the glomerular localization of intravenously administered ferritins.

Effects of inflammatory mediators such as serotonin, histamine, and bradykinin upon glomerular localization of i.v. administered ferritins have been investigated. These mediators appear to enhance accumulation of the i.v. injected ferritins in the glomerular capillary walls of rats.
Inventing New Institutions: The Design Perspective

We live in an era of significant changes in the prevailing economic institutions, to a considerable extent in the direction of decentralization. In the West (U.S., U.K., France) steps have been taken toward deregulation as well as privatization or denationalization of public enterprises. In the People's Republic of China, in Hungary, and most recently in the Soviet Union, reforms have been carried out or proposed to move from command to market guidance of economic processes (see, for instance, Kornai). Earlier periods witnessed trends of the opposite type: establishment of regulatory agencies, nationalization of privately owned enterprises, and the substitution of decisions made by central organs of the state for market processes. Hence, although the early development of the design theory owes a great deal to the famous exchanges between Hayek, Lange, Lerner, and Mises, recent events alone justify interest in problems of design. But design problems are not limited to those involving the grand systems for national economies. Indeed, some of the most valuable insights derive from an analysis of the internal problems of managing firms, issues raised by vertical or lateral integration of previously independent units, as well as the comparison of performance characteristics of price versus quantity guidance of production in integrated firms or other economic organizations. Some institutional changes may be viewed as purely evolutionary phenomena, induced (as analyzed by Ruttan) by changes in external factors (technological, political, or other). But often these changes contain an important element of conscious design and produce an institutional framework different from anything that existed before. It may not be incorrect to view the new institutions as "invented." Although an invention involves a creative act, the science of economics should provide an analytical framework to aid in the design of new institutions or systems. Traditional economics does not do this. But two recent streams of thought, especially if integrated, can be useful for this purpose. The two are general theories (primarily normative in spirit) of resource allocation mechanisms and more specialized theories (mostly intended to explain observed phenomena) of the organizational structures of economic institutions, especially firms, markets, and hierarchies. Our purpose here is to indicate how these two approaches can be synthesized in order to strengthen each other. To accomplish this we consider, against the background of the general theory of mechanisms, some of the problems raised by the specialized models.
Single-system ectopic ureters: a review of 12 cases

Eight boys and 4 girls with single-system ectopic ureters were seen during a 15-year period. The abnormality was bilateral in 4 patients and the majority had major associated urological and other abnormalities. Eight ectopic ureters were reimplanted successfully into the bladder and 4 nonfunctioning kidneys were removed, as were 2 "blind" ectopic ureters. One patient died during the neonatal period and the others have been followed from 1 to 15 years. Renal function was noted to be normal in 10 patients and 1 has mild renal failure. Bladder function was normal in 8 patients. Early surgery should be undertaken in patients with single-system ectopic ureters. Stabilization of the upper urinary tract can be anticipated and satisfactory bladder function can also be expected in the majority of cases.
An improved method for determining codon variability in a gene and its application to the rate of fixation of mutations in evolution

If one has the amino acid sequences of a set of homologous proteins as well as their phylogenetic relationships, one can easily determine the minimum number of mutations (nucleotide replacements) which must have been fixed in each codon since their common ancestor. It is found that for 29 species of cytochrome c the data fit the assumption that there is a group of approximately 32 invariant codons and that the remainder compose two Poisson-distributed groups of size 65 and 16 codons, the latter smaller group fixing mutations at about 3.2 times the rate of the larger. It is further found that the size of the invariant group increases as the range of species is narrowed. Extrapolation suggests that less than 10% of the codons in a given mammalian cytochrome c gene are capable of accepting a mutation. This is consistent with the view that at any one point in time only a very restricted number of positions can fix mutations but that as mutations are fixed the positions capable of accepting mutations also change so that examination of a wide range of species reveals a wide range of altered positions. We define this restricted group as the concomitantly variable codons. Given this restriction, the fixation rates for mutations in concomitantly variable codons in cytochrome c and fibrinopeptide A are not very different, a result which should be the case if most of these mutations are in fact selectively neutral as Kimura suggests.
Therapy with lesbians and gay men: A cognitive behavioral perspective

Issues related to lesbians and gay men typically are not found in discussions of culture and therapy. However, successfully working with clients who are lesbians or gay men necessitates some familiarity with lesbian and gay culture generally, and receptivity to whether your client specifically identifies with that community. In this article, important background information about lesbians and gay men is outlined first; then, the focus shifts to therapy with lesbian and gay male clients. Because basic cognitive-behavioral principles apply to working with lesbians and gay men, the emphasis is on providing information about cultural factors, client factors, and therapist factors affecting therapy with lesbians and gay men rather than on specific therapeutic techniques.
EFFECTS OF ADA INHIBITION ON T CELL DEVELOPMENT IN VITRO.: 8

The effects of an induced ADA deficient state on thymocyte development in vitro has been studied in fetal thymus organ culture. Culturing day 16 fetal thymus for 5 days results in the development of normal cortical and medullary thymocyte populations. Thymuses were explanted at various stages of fetal life, day 16 (thymocytes are all large, immature subcapsular cortical thymocytes), day 18 (cortical thymocytes predominate - medullary thymocytes undetectable), and day 20 (both cortical and medullary thymocytes detectable in normal proportions), and incubated at the lowest concentration of inhibitor (both EHNA and DCF were run in separate studies) that produced >90% enzyme inhibition plus varying concentrations of AdR. Control cultures contained AdR or medium only. The results are summarized as follows: a) Day 16 cultures - little increase in cell number and no evidence of cortical or medullary thymocyte development. b) Day 18 cultures - a decrease in cell number and no medullary thymocyte development. c) Day 20 cultures - a decrease in cell number in the cortical thymocyte population with medullary thymocytes unaffected. The day 16 and 18 thymocytes that were incubated in an ADA deficient state had the characteristics of subcapsular thymocytes: they were Thyl+, TdT+ and RT-1+ (histocompatibility antigen). Thus, an induced ADA deficient state prevented the differentiation of subcapsular thymocytes into "mature" cortical and medullary thymocytes. (Supported by NIH grants HD-17061 and HD-00554)
Lipid stores, ovary development, and brain gene expression in Polistes metricus females

In order to gain insights into the mechanistic basis of caste and behavioral differences in Polistes paper wasps, we examined abdominal lipid stores and ovary development in Polistes metricus females in four groups: foundresses, queens, workers, and gynes. Queens had the largest ovaries, followed by foundresses, workers, and gynes. Gynes had 6x higher lipid stores than the other groups, and lipid stores were lower in foragers (foundresses, workers) than non-foragers (queens, gynes). Lipid levels and ovary development were negatively correlated across the four groups, but removing gynes from the analysis revealed a significant positive correlation for foundresses, workers, and queens, suggesting different energy allocation strategies for gynes vs. other groups. Expression levels of 9 genes (including three in the insulin pathway), examined in a previous study, correlated with either lipid stores or ovary development. These correlative results suggest important relationships between nutrition, reproduction, and division of labor in primitively social insects. We also show that it is possible to assign P. metricus females to one of the four female groups on the basis of wing wear (an indicator of foraging experience), lipid stores, and ovary development, which can facilitate caste-specific collections for future studies.
Impact of Fruit Smoothies on Adolescent Fruit Consumption at School

We examine the impact of serving fruit smoothies during school breakfast on fruit consumption among middle school and high school students. We draw on observational plate-waste data over a 10-week period during which fruit smoothies were introduced for breakfast at two Utah schools. Our total sample includes 2,760 student-day observations. We find that the fraction of students eating a full serving of whole fruit increased from 4.3% to 45.1%. As such, school districts should consider offering fruit smoothies as part of a set of interventions designed to increase fruit consumption at school.
Using social networking to teach new software

Social networking websites are extremely popular among college students. Our project seeks to capitalize on this familiar environment to teach students how to use other computer programs. The first software we are creating with this pedagogy teaches students how to use electronic health record software. Students will be educated via the familiar interface using instructional walkthroughs, teacher led projects, and assignments. The social networking interface improves the functionality of EHR software because patients can be viewed as friends, "walls" can be used to list administered medicines and vitals, and pictures can show diagnostic images or verify patient identity.
Next Generation Online: Advancing Learning through Dynamic Design, Virtual and Web 2.0 Technologies, and Instructor Attitude

With the advent of web 2.0 and virtual technologies and new understandings about learning within a global, networked environment, online course design has moved beyond the constraints of text readings, papers, and discussion boards. This next generation of online courses needs to dynamically and actively integrate the wide-ranging distribution of content knowledge: network learners, in new ways, while still addressing their unique qualities, assess the process as well as the products of learning and assimilate the rapidly-emerging technologies that are expanding communication and sharing. The acceleration of change in the communication process is requiring a flexibility in the course development process but also in the attitude of the instructor. Instructors must be open to new conceptions of learning and evidence of learning and must be willing to embrace challenge and uncertainty while establishing ongoing development, evaluation, and research goals. This article provides plentiful examples of ways that...
Nutritional status affects quality of life in Hemodialysis (HEMO) Study patients at baseline.

Abstract Objective: To evaluate associations between frequently used indicators for assessing nutritional status and health-related quality of life in hemodialysis patients after controlling for demographics, comorbidity, and dialysis dose. Design: Survey of 1,387 hemodialysis patients enrolled at baseline in the Hemodialysis (HEMO) Study. Nutritional status indicators included dietary energy intake, equilibrated normalized protein catabolic rate (enPCR), serum creatinine (SCr), serum albumin (SAlb), body mass index (BMI), calf circumference, and appetite. Health-related quality of life was measured by the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36 (MOS-SF-36) summary measures: the Physical Component Scale (PCS) and Mental Component Scale (MCS). Setting: Fifteen clinical sites throughout the United States providing in-center hemodialysis. Results: The mean PCS score was 36.1 ± 10 SD, lower than normative data in healthy populations. PCS scores were lower among women, whites, and those with diabetes, severe comorbidities, and poor appetites. Appetite, dietary energy intake, SAlb, and SCr were strongly associated with PCS scores even after controlling for demographics and comorbidity. The sum of the parameter estimates for the effects of nutritional status on PCS was large, 7 points or more depending on the individual's nutritional status indicators. The mean MCS score was 49.7 ± 10.1 SD, similar to scores in healthy populations, but lower among those with severe comorbidities, poor appetites, advanced age, and more years on dialysis. Appetite, age, and years on dialysis were significantly associated with MCS after controlling for other demographics and comorbidity. Dialysis dose did not significantly alter these relationships. Conclusion: Easy-to-use indicators for assessing nutritional status (appetite, energy intake, SAlb, and SCr) together are strongly associated with health-related quality of life, even after controlling for comorbidities and dose of dialysis in hemodialysis patients, providing an additional reason for maximizing patients' nutritional status and health. © 2002 by the National Kidney Foundation, Inc.
Sensitivity analysis of a complex, proposed geologic waste disposal system using the Fourier Amplitude Sensitivity Test method

Abstract The Fourier Amplitude Sensitivity Test (FAST) method has been used to perform a sensitivity analysis of a computer model developed for conducting total system performance assessment of the proposed high-level nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, USA. The computer model has a large number of random input parameters with assigned probability density functions, which may or may not be uniform, for representing data uncertainty. The FAST method, which was previously applied to models with parameters represented by the uniform probability distribution function only, has been modified to be applied to models with nonuniform probability distribution functions. Using an example problem with a small input parameter set, several aspects of the FAST method, such as the effects of integer frequency sets and random phase shifts in the functional transformations, and the number of discrete sampling points (equivalent to the number of model executions) on the ranking of the input parameters have been investigated. Because the number of input parameters of the computer model under investigation is too large to be handled by the FAST method, less important input parameters were first screened out using the Morris method. The FAST method was then used to rank the remaining parameters. The validity of the parameter ranking by the FAST method was verified using the conditional complementary cumulative distribution function (CCDF) of the output. The CCDF results revealed that the introduction of random phase shifts into the functional transformations, proposed by previous investigators to disrupt the repetitiveness of search curves, does not necessarily improve the sensitivity analysis results because it destroys the orthogonality of the trigonometric functions, which is required for Fourier analysis.
Cathepsin Gene Expression Profile in Rat Acute Pneumococcal Otitis Media

Objectives/Hypothesis: Acute otitis media, often caused by infection with Streptococcus pneumoniae, is characterized by inflammation of the middle ear mucosa. A prominent feature of the host response to bacterial infection of the middle ear mucosa is an influx of inflammatory cells that contributes to the local pool of inflammatory mediators by releasing additional inflammatory chemicals, which in turn cause further tissue injury. The objective was to identify candidate effector and signaling molecules involved in acute otitis media pathogenesis caused by S pneumoniae infection. Study Design: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to 1 of 5 groups, including 1 control group without treatment, 2 placebo groups (12 and 48 hours) and 2 infected groups (12 and 48 hours). The rat middle ear was bilaterally inoculated with either 25 μL of tryptic soy broth (TSB group) or 25 μL of TSB containing approximately 1.24 × 1010 cfu/mL of S pneumonias type 6A (SP group). Rats were killed at 12 and 48 hours after inoculation and the middle ear mucosa was collected. Total RNA was extracted and pooled from each group for gene expression assays. Methods: Gene expression profiles for rat middle ear mucosa at 12 and 48 hours after S pneumoniae or placebo inoculation were constructed using microarray technology (Clontech Atlas Rat 1.2 Array, 1176 cDNAs). Genes of interest were further validated by real-time polymerize chain reaction. Results: Middle ear mucosa expression of a gene cluster encoding the lysosomal cysteine proteases, cathepsins B (Ctsb), L (Ctsl), and K (Ctsk), was modified after S pneumoniae challenge. Specifically, at 12 hours, Ctsk and Ctsl messenger RNA that was abundantly expressed in the normal middle ear mucosa was decreased, whereas Ctsb transcript was induced. The changes in Ctsb and Ctsk gene expression were sustained at 48 hours. Conclusion: The constitutive expression of Ctsk and Ctsl messenger RNA in normal middle ear mucosa supports a function in the maintenance of middle ear mucosa homeostasis, and their downregulation as an early event in acute otitis media may reflect a disruption in that function. The induction of Ctsb messenger RNA in the infected middle ear mucosa suggests a role in early tissue injury; thus, Ctsb may represent a potential target for molecular diagnostics and/or rational intervention during the development of acute otitis media.
Size of Human Lens β-Crystallin Aggregates Are Distinguished by N-terminal Truncation of βB1

The aggregates formed by the interactions of the human lens β-crystallins have been particularly difficult to characterize because the β-crystallins comprise several proteins of similar structure and molecular weight and because their sequences were not known until recently. Previously, it could not be ascertained whether the species of various acidities were different proteins or modifications of the same proteins. The recent determination of the sequences permits calculation of molecular weights and unambiguous identification of the various β-crystallins and their modified forms by mass spectrometry. In this investigation, the components of the three sizes of β-crystallin aggregates, β1 (∼150,000), β2 (∼92,000), and β3 (∼46,000), were determined. The principal differences among the different β-crystallin aggregates was the presence of βA4 in β1 and β2, but not β3, and the length of the N-terminal extension of βB1. The size of the β-crystallin aggregate correlated with the length of the N-terminal extension of βB1, indicating that the flexible N terminus of βB1 is critical to the formation of higher molecular weight aggregates of β-crystallins. Separation of the components by ion exchange under non-denaturing conditions showed that βB2 occurs as homo-dimers and homo-tetramers as well as contributing to hetero-oligomers. Other β-crystallins were present only as hetero-oligomers.
High Angle of Attack Velocity Vector Rolls

Abstract This paper presents the design of a flight control system for performing the velocity vector roll maneuver at high angles of attack. A six degree of freedom model is developed, and the multiple-input multiple-output Quantitative Feedback Theory (QFT) robust control design method is used to treat both the inherent system nonlinearities and the variability in the system parameters due to changes in flight condition, as structured uncertainty. The development of a weighting matrix aids in this design process, yielding a three-axes rate-commanded inner-loop control system. Nonlinear six degree-of-freedom closed-loop simulations demonstrate the successful initiation and arrest of the maneuver.
Toward a community health-system model.

Abstract This paper describes the application of cybernetic ideas to the development of a hospital system model. The author analyses the effects of increasing costs and demands for medical care in the USA, discusses methods for managing health systems and then describes models to evaluate their performance with particular reference to a cybernetic model of an adaptive system. The impact of the health care system on the individual patient is stressed.
Brief exposure to a novel environment enhances binding of hippocampal transcription factors to their DNA recognition elements

The behavioral regulation of transcription factor function in hippocampus, a brain region activated by novelty and important for information storage, has not been previously studied. Sixty min after a 4 min exploration of a novel space by adult albino rats, electrophoretic mobility shift assays revealed a selective increase in specific binding to particular consensus recognition elements. For both AP-1 and CRE, an upper and lower band were observed in the electrophoretic mobility shift assay. The upper band showed increased binding restricted to the 60 min time point after exploration; no increase was observed 30 min or less, or 120 min or more after the novel experience. Increased binding to the lower of either AP-1 or CREB was observed at 30 and 120 min. When the time of exploration was increased from 4 to 15 min, no alterations in either the upper or lower band were observed in the transcription factor binding to either the AP-1 or the CRE element. Since the animals ceased to explore the environment after 10 min, the lack of binding may reflect behavioral habituation, leading to transcription factor deactivation. We conclude that brief, naturalistic stimulation can activate brain transcription factors in a time-delimited fashion, suggesting post-translational control of protein-DNA binding. We propose that promoter elements of target genes critically involved in the storage of information are turned on by environmentally-activated transcription factors.
The Manufacture of Turbine Blade Airfoil Contours by Electrochemical Machining

This paper discusses the application of electrochemical machining to the production of gas turbine airfoils. A new adaptively controlled system for maintaining a constant gap between tool and work is described. This system coupled with a unique tooling concept allows the production of airfoils in difficult-to-machine materials to heretofore unobtainable tolerances.Copyright © 1968 by ASME
High-flow nasal cannula as a device to provide continuous positive airway pressure in infants.

Objective To measure the intrapharyngeal pressure (IPP) generated by high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) at varying flow rates up to 5 l min(-1). Study design We studied 14 infants on HFNC or NCPAP using IPP manometry to measure the IPP generated at flows of 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 l min(-1). Result On average flow rates of 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 l min(-1) generated an IPP (cm of H(2)O) of 1.70+/-0.34, 1.75+/-0.2, 2.62+/-0.28, 3.78+/-0.44 and 4.84+/-0.51 respectively. Conclusion HFNC delivers significant IPP and is potentially a well-tolerated and viable option to provide CPAP at flows of > or = 3 min(-1) in infants with respiratory distress.
Diuretic radionuclide renography and scintigraphy in the differential diagnosis of hydroureteronephrosis

Conventional radionuclide renography has been modified to include a pharmacologic intervention by administration of intravenous furosemide. The procedure is applied in patients with hydroureteronephrosis to distinguish dilated, nonobstructed systems from those with significant mechanical obstruction. Diagnostic patterns are derived from computer-generated time-activity histograms that depict the accumulation of radiotracer prior to diuresis and in response to diuresis. In dilated, nonobstructed systems, increased urine flow following diuresis causes a decline or "washout" of activity. In significantly obstructed systems, there is a failure of tracer activity to decrease in response to diuresis. The procedure is applied most commonly in suspected ureteropelvic junction and ureterovesical junction obstruction. The significance of residual urinary tract dilatation following corrective surgery also can be readily assessed. The major current limitation to the technique is poor renal function with inadequate response of urine flow to diuresis.
Nonpolar interactions in the modification of an essential sulfhydryl of sorbitol dehydrogenase by N-alkylmaleimides.

A series of N-alkylmaleimides varying in chainlength from N-methyl to N-octylmaleimide inclusive was shown to effectively inactivate sheep liver sorbitol dehydrogenase at pH 7.5 and 25°C. The apparent second-order rate constants for inactivation increased with increasing chainlength of the N-alkylmaleimide used. Positive chainlength effects were also indicated by the Kd values for the N-ethyl and N-heptyl derivatives obtained from studies of the saturation kinetics observed for inactivation of the enzyme at high concentrations of these maleimides. The complete inactivation of sorbitol dehydrogenase was demonstrated to occur through the selective covalent modification of one cysteine residue per subunit of enzyme. The stoichiometry of enzyme inactivation was supported on the one hand by fluorescence titration with fluorescein mercuric acetate of the native and the inactivated enzyme, and, on the other hand, by the simultaneous inactivation of the enzyme with selective modification of one sulfhydryl per subunit by N-[p-(2-benzoxazolyl)phenyl]maleimide. Protection of the enzyme from N-alkylmaleimide inactivation was observed with the binding of NADH, whereas both NAD and sorbitol were ineffective as protecting ligands. Diazotized 3-aminopyridine adenine dinucleotide, in contrast to previous studies of this reagent with yeast alcohol dehydrogenase and rabbit muscle glycerophosphate dehydrogenase, did not function as a site-labeling reagent for sorbitol dehydrogenase.
Courts under threat

In recent years ‘Patriots’, Freemen, sovereign citizens and members of so‐called common law courts have come into conflict with federal, state and local authorities. The media, various watchdog organizations and the authorities themselves have drawn our attention to these radical right groups and the individuals belonging to them. This article tackles the problem from a different angle. It is based on the responses of a random sample of state and municipal judges throughout the United States to a survey instrument. The latter sought to determine the kinds of interactions judges have with litigants who challenge the authority and jurisdiction of the court. In particular, the survey reported in this article focuses on what types of judges are most likely to confront challenges, the kinds of cases most likely to provoke such challenges and who the judges believe are the kinds of individuals most likely to pose the challenges. In addition, the article examines the kinds of responses judges make to the latter ...
Do the public gains from vegetation protection in north-western New South Wales exceed the landholders' loss of land value?

Protection of native vegetation on farms provides many gains for the public as a whole, but may also lead to losses in property value for the landholders. At least 41% of Moree Plains Shire remains in native vegetation, most of which is grazed extensively and all of which must now be protected under recent laws. A benefit-cost analysis was combined with a risk simulation to estimate these gains and losses. The data collection stage of the analysis included a synthesis of the literature on the relationship between protection and land values. The analysis showed that protection of native vegetation leads to substantial public gains and to considerable losses in land value in this region. The public gains and the private losses are of the same magnitude, so there may be an economic case for protection. But the size of the landholders' losses demonstrates the need to better balance the gains and losses through policies to target protection and to redistribute the costs between the landholder and the community.
It's not size, it's substance

Lacroix and colleagues provide the first evidence that endothelium-derived microparticles provide an efficient surface for plasminogen activation in a urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA)–dependent and uPA receptor (uPAR)–dependent manner, and suggest that generated plasmin may influence angiogenesis.
Analysis of electrochemical noise data for a passive system in the frequency domain

Electrochemical noise measurements (ENM) for SS 316L exposed to Ringer’s solution have been analyzed in the frequency domain using power spectral density (PSD) and spectral noise plots. Excellent agreement between spectral noise plots and impedance spectra was observed. However the noise resistance Rn was found to be dependent on the bandwidth of the ENM and was much lower than the polarization resistance Rp.
Characterization of the structure of Langmuir-Blodgett films by short-wavelength radiations

Abstract A review is given of the methods of determining the structure of organic thin films using short-wavelength radiations. These include X-rays, electrons and neutrons. Most of the methods involve diffraction and interference effects, of either traveling or standing waves. In addition, direct imaging techniques are also mentioned. Particular emphasis is given to the structure of Langmuir-Blodgett films but the applicability extends to thin polymer films as well. Some trends of the research in this field are identified.