cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The incorporation of pimelic acid as a unit in the biosynthesis of biotin

Abstract Previous investigators have obtained indirect evidence that pimelic acid is a precursor of biotin (1,2,3,4,5). We have obtained direct evidence that pimelic acid serves as a precursor of biotin by isolating labeled biotin sulfone from hydrogen peroxide-treated eluates derived from culture filtrates of Aspergillus niger grown on a medium containing pimelic acid-1,7-C 14 (6). The incorporation of pimelic acid into biotin was substantiated in a later report by Eisenberg in which labeled desthiobiotin was obtained after growth of Phycomyces blakesleeanus on a medium containing labeled pimelic acid-1,7-C 14 (7). The experiments described in this paper provide evidence that pimelic acid is incorporated as a unit in the biosynthesis of biotin and offer no substantiation for the results of Eisenberg indicating a multiple entry of pimelic acid into the biotin molecule.
A fast algorithm for computing the response of a linear system to a large number of inputs

A method is presented which saves computation time when determining the response of an arbitrary linear time-invariant system, where several input-output responses are desired. The method is based on an assumption that the system input is band-limited.
Backward conditioning of taste aversions in rats using cyclophosphamide as the US

Conditioned taste aversion was demonstrated to result from a US-CS, or “backward,” conditioning procedure using a 75-mg/kg cyclophosphamide injection as the US. The magnitude and resistance to extinction of the conditioned taste aversion was found to decrease monotonically when the US-CS ISI was systematically varied from 1.0 min to 4 h. In this respect and in the inconclusive nature of the signs of sickness following US administration, cyclophosphamide appears to act similarly to ionizing radiation in conditioning taste aversions. It was argued that these results reflect truly associative, not pseudoconditioned, avoidance responses.
A Theoretical Method for the Determination of Amino Acid Availability Utilizing 14C Labeled Protein Sources

Abstract A theoretical method is described whereby the availabilities of amino acids from test proteins are determined relative to the availabilities of amino acids from egg albumen. The method requires that both the test protein and the egg albumen be 14C labeled. The relative availabilities of the amino acids are determined from the change in specific activities of the dietary amino acids and those recovered in the feces.
Mesoionic purinone analogs. III. The synthesis and properties of mesoionic thiazolo[3,2‐a ] pyrimidine‐5,7‐diones

A number of mesoionic thiazolo[3,2-a ]pyrimidine-5,7-diones, isoconjugate mesoionic analogs of xanthinc, were prepared by the condensation of 2-alkylaminothiazoles with bis(2,4,6-trichloro-phenyl)malonate esters. The ground state molecular properties and reactions of these compounds were found to be consistent with predictions based upon previous SCF molecular orbital treatments of the π-systems of these analogs.
Aggressive behaviour affects selection on morphology by influencing settlement patterns in a passerine bird

The importance of behaviours as instigators or inhibitors of evolutionary change remains largely unresolved and this is in part because there are very few empirical examples of how behaviours affect evolutionary processes. By determining the environment of breeding, aggressive interactions over territories have the potential to strongly impact selection pressures experienced by individuals. Western bluebirds (Sialia mexicana) provide a unique opportunity to investigate the evolutionary importance of aggression, since their highly variable breeding habitat favours distinct foraging techniques and they also compete aggressively for nest boxes, a resource that is easy to manipulate. Here, I show experimentally that more aggressive males compete more effectively for territories with a high density of nest boxes and, as a consequence, aggressive and non-aggressive males are sorted into distinct breeding habitats that differ in the strength of selection on morphological traits. Specifically, males with longer tails and tarsi were favoured in open habitats where high agility is required to forage efficiently, whereas in forested habitats, where agility is less important, selection was weak. These results show that aggression can affect selection on a local scale by determining individual settlement patterns. More generally, because territorial interactions are important across a wide variety of taxa, these results suggest that aggressive behaviour has the potential to impact the evolutionary trajectory of many animal populations.
The Processivity of Multiubiquitination by the APC Determines the Order of Substrate Degradation

The anaphase-promoting complex (APC) coordinates mitosis and G1 by sequentially promoting the degradation of key cell-cycle regulators. Following the degradation of its substrates in G1, the APC catalyzes the autoubiquitination of its E2 UbcH10. This stabilizes cyclin A and allows it to inactivate APC(Cdh1). How the APC establishes this complex temporal sequence of ubiquitinations, referred to as substrate ordering, is not understood. Here we show that substrate ordering depends on the relative processivity of substrate multiubiquitination by the APC. Processive substrates obtain ubiquitin chains in a single APC binding event. The multiubiquitination of distributive substrates requires multiple rounds of APC binding, which render it sensitive to lower APC concentrations, competition by processive substrates, and deubiquitination. Consequently, more processive substrates are preferentially multiubiquitinated in vitro and degraded earlier in vivo. The processivity of multiubiquitination is strongly influenced by the D box within the substrate, suggesting that substrate ordering is established by a mechanism intrinsic to APC and its substrates and similar to kinetic proofreading.
The effect of spatial cues on visual sensitivity

Although once doubted, a consensus has emerged from the literature that visual sensitivity can be heightened locally with an appropriate precue. Experiments with partially and totally valid precues suggest an increase in sensitivity of less than one-half log unit at the precued position, as compared with other positions. New experiments with non-informative precues demonstrate that most of this small enhancement is not due to focal attention. Sensitivity can be heightened at eight positions simultaneously, just as much as when a single position is precued. Sensitivities produced by single, totally valid precues and single, non-informative precues were similar. Thus there seems to be no capacity limit for the effect of precues on visual sensitivity.
Exploring how teacher-related factors relate to student achievement in learning advanced algebra in technology-enhanced classrooms

In this study, we examine the relationship between contextual variables related to teachers and student performance in Advanced Algebra classrooms in the USA. The data were gathered from a cluster-randomized study on the effects of SimCalc MathWorlds®, a curricular and technological intervention as a replacement for Algebra 2 curriculum, on student learning of Algebra 2 content. Conditional measures (teacher background characteristics) and instructional measures (self-reported instructional preferences, stances, and classroom practices) were subjected to a variety of empirical analyses to discern their relationship to student learning. Researchers examined both the overall effect of teacher contextual variables on student learning and the specific effect of SimCalc on both teacher instructional measures and student performance. There is evidence to support that teachers who use the SimCalc curriculum value classroom communication, deep understanding of math concepts, and support for both routine and non-routine problems.
CALPAINS AND CALPASTATIN IN SH-SY5Y NEUROBLASTOMA CELLS DURING RETINOIC ACID-INDUCED DIFFERENTIATION AND NEURITE OUTGROWTH: COMPARISON WITH THE HUMAN BRAIN CALPAIN SYSTEM

Calpains have importance in human neurodegenerative disease pathogenesis, but these mechanisms are difficult to study in postmortem tissues. To establish a cellular model of the human calpain and calpastatin system, we characterized calpain I, calpain II, and calpastatin in SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells in relation to their counterparts in human brain and investigated their expression and activity after inducing cellular differentiation with retinoic acid (RA), a physiological effector of normal brain development. Calpain I in both SH-SY5Y cells and human brain existed in the cytosolic and particulate fractions as three isoforms (80, 78, and 76 kDa) and exhibited atypical isoelectric focusing behavior. Calpain II in SH-SY5Y cells, as in human brain, migrated as a single predominantly cytosolic 76-kDa protein with an isoelectric point ranging from 5.9 to 6.3. Calpastatin from both sources was also 90% cytosolic. In the cells it was composed of four discrete bands, ranging in molecular weight from 110 to 127 kDa. Levels of activated (76 and 78 kDa) and precursor (80 kDa) calpain I isoforms rose 54% (P < 0.0001) in the particulate fraction and 26% (P < 0.0001) in the soluble fraction after 3 days of RA exposure. Because levels and activity of calpastatin remain unchanged during the first 7 days of RA exposure, the increased abundance of calpain I implies a net activation of the calpain system during differentiation. Calpain I activation may contribute to the remodeling of cell shape and neurite extension/retraction associated with neuronal differentiation.
Radiologic assessment of HeartMate II position: Minimal pump migration after long-term support.

Background Surgical positioning of the HeartMate II (HMII) left ventricular assist device assuring an unobstructed blood flow path is essential for optimal device function and hemodynamic support. We report a non-invasive radiologic assessment of HMII position after implant and long-term follow-up. Methods We reviewed 132 consecutive patients (age 64 ± 14 years; 86% male; 60% destination therapy) implanted with an HMII from January 2009 to December 2012 and followed for them for up to 4 years. A radiologist measured pump position, pocket depth and cannula angles using chest radiography. Changes over time were determined in 64 of these patients with pairs of radiographs immediately after implant and at an average of 2.0 ± 0.7 years of follow-up. Results The axis of the pump relative to the spine was 92 ± 10° at baseline and 94 ± 9° at 2 years ( n = 64, p = 0.02), and inflow cannula angles averaged 21 ± 13° from vertical at baseline and 20 ± 12° at 2 years ( p = not statistically significant). More than 90% of angle measurements showed p Conclusion Non-invasive radiographic measurements of surgical pump placement designed to avoid pump and cannula malposition demonstrate stable position with minimal pump migration.
Ability to predict biochemical progression using Gleason score and a computer-generated quantitative nuclear grade derived from cancer cell nuclei.

Abstract Objectives To determine the ability to predict prostate cancer progression using shape, size, and chromatin texture nuclear grading features preselected by logistic regression analyses based on expert-selected prostate cancer cell nuclei captured using a computer-assisted image analysis system. Methods One hundred fifteen patients with clinically localized prostate cancer were identified at the Johns Hopkins medical institutions. The mean follow-up period was 10.4 ± 1.7 years in 70 patients without disease progression, whereas the mean time to progression for the entire group was 3.8 ± 2.5 years. Using 5-μm Feulgen-stained tissue sections, approximately 150 cancer cell nuclei were selected and captured for each case using a CAS-200 Image Analysis System. Thirty-eight different nuclear morphometric descriptors (NMDs) were calculated for each cell nucleus. The variance of the NMDs for each tumor was examined by univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses and by Cox survival analyses to assess their ability to predict prostate cancer progression. Results Postoperative Gleason scoring was significantly correlated with disease progression ( P P P quantitative nuclear grade (QNG), was created from the variances of these 11 multivariately significant NMDs using the logistic regression function. The QNG and the postoperative Gleason score were combined to create a model for the prediction of progression having a sensitivity of 89%, specificity of 84%, and ROC-AUC of 92%. These two parameters (QNG and Gleason score) clearly separated the patient sample into three statistically distinct risk groups and predicted the time to progression on the basis of Kaplan-Meier survival probability analysis. Conclusions The QNG, combined with the postoperative Gleason score, may assist in the more accurate stratification of patients undergoing radical prostatectomy into low-, moderate-, and high-risk groups for cancer recurrence and may permit the early initiation of adjuvant therapy.
Optimal drilling strategies for petroleum extraction

This note outlines an adaptation of some control theoretic techniques developed earlier for a search problem to derive results of computational interest for optimizing a class of petroleum drilling operations. These results are obtained by formulating the drilling operation as a multistage decision process and using a dynamic programming approach.
The Ito "Flow-Through" Centrifuge. A new device for long-term (24 hours) plasmapheresis without platelet deterioration.

An efficacious procedure for continuous plasmapheresis in long-term extracorporeal circulation has not yet been developed. This technique could be important in plasma exchange or cross-exchange and in artificial organ support if it could be accomplished safely using heparin as the anticoagulant. When sheep were connected to the Centrifuge® for 23 hours and administered 150 units/kg per hour heparin anticoagulant, we found gross platelet clumping in separated plasma and a 60 per cent fall in platelet count. When 120,000 units of heparin were directly injected into the centrifuge bowl at the onset of the centrifugation followed by hourly heparin administration at 500 units/kg, there was no platelet clumping but the platelet count fell to 52 per cent. Under identical conditions the Ito Flow-Through Centrifuge, a new continuous flow centrifuge with no rotating seals, was used. We found no platelet aggregates and no drop in platelet count, and there was a 100 per cent recovery of platelets in the separated plasma. Platelets sampled from arterial blood and separated plasma were found to have normal function in vitro, and responded 100 per cent to both collagen and ADP. These results indicate that the Ito Flow-Through Centrifuge can be used in plasmapheresis with heparin anticoagulation with no donor platelet loss and normal function in separated plasma.
Understanding practitioners' characteristics and perspectives prior to the dissemination of an evidence-based intervention

OBJECTIVES: To describe the characteristics and repertoires of community practitioners serving families involved in child physical abuse that may inform training and treatment dissemination efforts. The aims are to: (a) describe the background characteristics of these clinicians; (b) document their most common intervention techniques; (c) examine clinicians' attitudes toward manualized treatment; and (d) understand the organizational climate of community agencies. METHOD: Practitioners from nine different agencies who have worked with cases in which there was child physical abuse (n=77) completed focus group discussions and three self-report questionnaires. Qualitative and quantitative analyses were conducted in tandem. RESULTS: Practitioners reported that they most often focused on family issues and employed family therapy techniques. Although treatment manuals were important, it was difficult to determine how practitioners used or would use these materials with families. An almost equal number of concerns and benefits were raised regarding using manuals in treatment. There was moderate agreement in how practitioners perceived their work environments. Age and attainment of a graduate degree were positively related to greater caring and job satisfaction, respectively, while length of time at a given agency was positively related to greater reports of emotional exhaustion on a measure of organizational climate. CONCLUSIONS: Given the promising benefits of evidence-based treatments for child abuse, it is important that researchers begin to form partnerships with community agencies that will lead to the dissemination and evaluation of effective treatment strategies. Language: en
Microsurgical management of vascular lesions affecting the spine and spinal cord

Abstract Spinal cord vascular lesions are rare but well-recognized entities. Their natural history and treatment indicate that surgical resection often offers the best chance to ameliorate symptoms and to improve a patient’s neurological condition. Having knowledge of the appropriate microsurgical techniques and approaches to these vascular lesions will facilitate their effective treatment.
Constraints on couplings of a fast decaying axion

Abstract Constraints are imposed on the couplings of an axion-like pseudoscalar particle φ that decays into e+e− and γγ. The electron g−2 sets a severe bound not only on the φe+e− coupling but also on the φγγ coupling. The most reliable bound on the φ coupling to the light quarks comes from the decay ∑+ → pe+e− which was measured in a hydrogen bubble-chamber experiment with good sensitivity and resolution covering the entire range of e+e− mass practically down to 2me. These upper bounds, together with a constraint from the decay K+→π+γγ, reinforce arguments against the particle-physics interpretation of the anomalous positrons in heavy-ion collisions, since the couplings are by orders of magnitude smaller than needed to produce e+e− pairs at the observed level by known mechanisms.
Transition phase in the production of recombinant proteins in yeast under the ADH2 promoter: an important step for reproducible manufacturing of a malaria transmission blocking vaccine candidate

TBV25H, a malaria transmission blocking vaccine candidate, has been cloned in Saccharomyces cerevisiae under the control of the glucose repressed ADH2 promoter. Available fermentation procedures for production of this protein have been unsatisfactory, mainly because of irreproducibility. This work presents an efficient and reproducible method for the production of this vaccine candidate by implementing a three-stage fermentation process. During the first (glucose fed-batch) phase, the promoter is repressed and the culture is allowed to grow exponentially. In the second stage, the glucose supply is provided at a slower constant rate. In the third (ethanol consumption) stage, accumulated ethanol is first allowed to be consumed and an external ethanol supplement is then added as required. The promoter is fully derepressed in this phase, and TBV25H is synthesized. The period of glucose limitation was concluded to be essential for reproducibility. It is presumed that during this period, the culture moves gradually from glucose to ethanol utilization, derepressing the promoter, activating recombinant protein biosynthesis and consequently resuming metabolism without the typical diauxic phase of batch cultures.
Race and Ethnic Self-Identification Influences on Physical and Mental Health Statuses Among Blacks

We examine if commonly used distress measures, rates of psychiatric disorders, and chronic health conditions are affected by alternate measures of race-ethnicity for African Americans and Caribbean blacks. We examined two alternative self-identification measures to investigate if their influence might differ. A study on national household probability sample of non-institutionalized African Americans (n = 3,570) and blacks from Caribbean countries, who now live in the United States (n = 1,621), was conducted between February 2001 and June 2003, using a slightly modified version of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. The method used to measure black race and ethnicity has influence on physical and mental health outcomes. The distributions of depressive symptoms are not affected, while the distributions of DSM IV disorders and chronic health conditions vary by race and ethnic self-identifications among the African American and Caribbean black populations. There are serious implications of using alternate measures of race-ethnicity on the distribution of physical and mental health morbidity among African Americans and Caribbean blacks. The conceptualization and assessment of race-ethnicity should be carefully considered when studying mental and physical health statuses and service needs in the American black population.
Effect of lung inflation on perivascular cuff fluid volume in isolated dog lung lobes.

Isolated, degassed dog lung lobes were suspended in a sealed container. We filled the lobes with saline to a lobe fluid pressure of 20 cm H2O. The pressure inside the container was adjusted so the lobes were inflated to transpulmonary pressures (PL) of 2 to 20 cm H2O. After 15 min of fluid inflation, the lobes were frozen in liquid nitrogen. We measured the volume of perivascular cuff fluid relative to the blood volume by a point counting procedure. In addition, we measured lobe hemoglobin content, wet weight, and dry weight. We found that perivascular cuff fluid volume increased as PL increased. There were significant (p < 0.05) increases in cuff fluid volume as PL doubled from 5 to 10 and from 10 to 20 cm H2O. The largest increases in cuff volume/cm H2O increase in PL were observed in the pressure range from 2 to 10 cm H2O. Previous investigators demonstrated that radial traction exerted by the expanding lung parenchyma results in an increase in volume of the extraalveolar vessels with lung inflation. We suggest that the same mechanism explains the measured increase in perivascular cuff fluid volume occurring with lung inflation. The relationship between perivascular interstitial fluid volume and transpulmonary pressure suggests that the compliance of the extraalveolar interstitial space decreased as the interstitial volume increased. The maximum perivascular cuff fluid volume measured in these experiments was 2.6 ml/g dry blood-free lung, which suggests that, in pulmonary edema, a substantial volume of fluid can accumulate in the perivascular interstitial space. We conclude that a decrease in interstitial fluid pressure around extraalveolar vessels with static lung inflation resulted in an increased perivascular cuff fluid volume.
Palmar segmental aponeurectomy for Dupuytren's disease with metacarpophalangeal flexion contracture.

Eighty palmar segmental aponeurectomies were performed between 1993 and 1999 for well-localized palmar cords with metacarpophalangeal flexion contracture. A retrospective patient review with a minimum follow-up of 1-year demonstrated a 6% rate of recurrent metacarpophalangeal flexion and two minor complications. Segmental aponeurectomy rather than limited fasciectomy is recommended for this type of disease.
Modeling the hydrologic effects of roadside ditch networks on receiving waters

Summary Roadside drainage networks can affect deleterious changes to watershed hydrology and water quality. However, very few studies have explored these effects in agricultural settings where the potential for nonpoint source pollution and the implications of tighter hydrologic linkages between landscape and stream are more critical. In this study, we apply a GIS-based, spatially distributed hydrologic model under a variety of drainage scenarios to quantify the hydrologic effects of roadside ditches at multiple spatial scales. We also qualitatively investigate the relative impacts of ditches on phosphorus transport. Our principle findings indicate that roadside ditches: (i) substantially alter basin morphometry and natural flow pathways, (ii) increase peak and total event discharge and (iii) expedite the transport of agricultural pollutants, thereby short-circuiting natural degradation processes that would otherwise have mitigated their effects. These findings underscore how relatively fine-scale alterations to natural flow pathways can result in substantial impacts to watershed scale hydrology and water quality and may help to inform spatially-targeted water resource management decisions and future modeling efforts.
Aneurysms of the ascending aorta and arch: the role of imaging in diagnosis and surgical management.

Thoracic aortic aneurysms tend to be asymptomatic and were previously often diagnosed only after a complication such as dissection or rupture occurred. Better imaging techniques and an increase in the use of cross-sectional imaging has led to an increase in the diagnosis of aortic aneurysms, which has allowed for elective treatment prior to the development of a complication. The location, size and etiology of an aneurysm all impact the clinical outcomes and these factors are used to determine the appropriate timing of surgical replacement. Surgeons often rely on the information obtained from preoperative imaging to determine when to intervene and what type of procedure will be necessary, making it important for the radiologist to understand these issues in order to provide the necessary information. Postoperative imaging after surgical replacement of the aorta is also important, as there are some common findings that occur in this patient population that can impact how they are treated. The purpose of thi...
Space of Criticism: Exhibitions and the Vernacular in Italian Modernism

In Italy during the Fascist regime as well as after the Second World War, a few seminal exhibitions and related publications challenged the status quo and redirected debates central to architecture and politics. Two exhibitions installed at the Milan Triennale valorized the study of vernacular buildings in opposition to the dominant classicizing tendency of state-sponsored architecture. Rural Italian Architecture: Functionality of the Rural House (1936), curated by Giuseppe Pagano and Guarniero Daniel, and Spontaneous Architecture Exhibition (1951), mounted by a team of architects, including Enzo Cerutti, Giancarlo De Carlo, and Giuseppe Samona, demonstrated critical curatorial practices that prompted divergent design responses. They represent what Bruno Zevi called “architectural criticism in architectural forms” and, conversely, what Manfredo Tafuri dismissed as “operative criticism.”
On acceleration methods for coupled nonlinear elliptic systems

We compare both numerically and theoretically three techniques for accelerating the convergence of a nonlinear fixed point iterationu?T(u), arising from a coupled elliptic system: Chebyshev acceleration, a second order stationary method, and a nonlinear version of the Generalized Minimal Residual Algorithm (GMRES) which we call NLGMR. All three approaches are implemented in `Jacobian-free' mode, i.e., only a subroutine which returnsT(u) as a function ofu is required. We present a set of numerical comparisons for the drift-diffusion semiconductor model. For the mappingT which corresponds to the nonlinear block Gauβ-Seidel algorithm for the solution of this nonlinear elliptic system, NLGMR is found to be superior to the second order stationary method and the Chebychev acceleration. We analyze the local convergence of the nonlinear iterations in terms of the spectrum ?[T u (u (*))] of the derivativeT u at the solutionu (*). The convergence of the original iteration is governed by the spectral radius ?[T U (u (*))]. In contrast, the convergence of the two second order accelerations are related to the convex hull of ?[T u (u (*))], while the convergence of the GMRES-based approach is related to the local clustering in ?[I?T u (u (*))]. The spectrum ?[I?T u (u (*))] clusters only at 1 due to the successive inversions of elliptic partial differential equations inT. We explain the observed superiority of GMRES over the second order acceleration by its ability to take advantage of this clustering feature, which is shared by similar coupled nonlinear elliptic systems.
PYROLYSIS OF METHYLENE CHLORIDE IN METHANE/NITROGEN BATH USING A FLOW REACTOR

Reactions of methylene chloride and methane in nitrogen bath were studied in tubular flow reactors of different diameters (4, 10, and 16 mm ID) over a temperature range of 750 to 1042°C at atmospheric pressure. The concentration ratio of methylene chloride/methane/nitrogen was kept constant at 1:4:10. Acetylene, ethylene, benzene, carbon, and hydrochloric acid were the major products for residence times of 0.08 to 2-5 sec at temperatures above 950°C. Stable chlorinated hydrocarbons detected at lower temperatures (<900°C) include chloromethane, trichloroethylene, and vinyl chloride. Significant wall effect was observed for surface to volume (S/V) ratios of greater than 10cm-1. The impact was unimportant at lower S/V (4, and 2.5cm-1’) ratios.
Afterthoughts: so where are we to turn in the study of journalism?

The contributors to this symposium on the identity, mission, and direction of journalism studies have raised more questions than answers. Each contributor faced responding to: what is required to ensure that journalism’s scholarship remains connected with its practice and criticism? How are we to study journalism in a way that will keep it vital, relevant, and yet connected to impulses that go beyond the world of newsmaking? How are we to create a future for the study of journalism? While answering questions with questions is a rhetorical strategy with sometimes positive implications, here it appears to fasten ambivalence and uncertainty as the default assumptions underlying the study of journalism. Disciplines Communication This journal article is available at ScholarlyCommons: http://repository.upenn.edu/asc_papers/300 Afterthoughts: so where are we to turn in the study of journalism?
Effects of cytochalasin B on sperm--egg interactions.

Abstract The effects of cytochalasin B (CB) on the interaction of sea urchin ( Arbacia ), molluscan ( Spisula ), and mammalian ( Mus ) gametes have been examined. Despite the absence of sperm incorporation and gamete membrane fusion, CB-treated Arbacia and Spisula eggs (1–10 μg/ml for 1–10 min) mixed with sperm activated. Unlike the situation observed in Arbacia and Spisula , mouse eggs treated with CB (1–50 μg/ml for 1 hr) are capable of sperm incorporation. These data are discussed with reference to possible mechanisms by which sperm may induce eggs to activate.
The gravitational collapse of gaseous spheres and galaxy formation

The spherical collapse of a gas cloud initially in hydrostatic equilibrium is examined using self-similar solutions. It is found that the collapse of gas clouds to form galaxies can occur on a hydrodynamic time scale only if the gas dominates the gravitational field and the inflow forms a central dominant mass. The likelihood of a collisionless component and the observation of extended mass distributions in galaxies implies that the collapse of a hot protogalactic cloud is cooling-regulated. The formation of the Galaxy from an initially smooth, hot cloud is examined, showing that some nonlinear substructure must initially be present.
Changes in dengue risk potential in Hawaii, USA, due to climate variability and change.

Climate variability brought about by the El Nino-Southern Oscillation has been linked to outbreaks of infectious diseases, such as hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, cholera, and malaria. Additionally, climate change affects the distribution of diseases, causing some regions to become more or less favorable for the transmission of certain pathogens. Mosquitoes in particular are sensitive to climate change, and mosquito-borne diseases may become more common at higher latitudes and elevations under warmer conditions. This study examined the potential changes in dengue risk in Hawaii, USA, in response to climate variability and change using GIS. Dengue, transmitted by mosquitoes of the genus Aedes, is considered to be an emerging disease and almost half of the world’s population is at risk of infection. Previous research has identified mosquito habitat and potential dengue risk areas in Hawaii based on average climate conditions, and this study incorporated notions of climate variability and change to that model and determined the population at risk under different scenarios. Dengue risk areas generally contract during El Nino-induced droughts and expand as a result of increased precipitation received during La Nina events. Future climate scenarios predict warmer temperatures and wetter summers in Hawaii over the next 25 yr, which will cause an expansion of mosquito habitat and potential dengue risk areas. The results of this study contribute to the overall understanding of climate–dengue relationships and will aid public health officials in efforts to determine where to concentrate resources for mosquito and dengue surveillance, given certain current or forecast climate conditions.
The chemical and structural origin of efficient p-type doping in P3HT

Abstract We investigate the chemical and structural properties of solution-processed thin films of P3HT blended with p-type dopant F4TCNQ. The maximum in-plane electrical conductivity of doped films is observed at a molar doping fraction of 0.17, in agreement with the binding mechanism of F4TCNQ:P3HT complexes. Through the use of X-ray diffraction, a previously unreported crystalline phase is observed for P3HT films doped above a critical threshold concentration. This crystalline phase involves the incorporation of F4TCNQ molecules into ordered polymer regions and ultimately improves charge dissociation, leading to higher carrier density in thin film. Finally, optical absorption and X-ray diffraction reveal that the chemical state of P3HT in solution has a dramatic impact on the electrical and structural properties of the blended films.
Design and Specification of Ballistic Test Fixtures and a Data Acquisition System for Analysis of Bridge-Wire Initiators

Constant volume closed vessel testing is one commonly-accepted method for evaluating the output performance of pyrotechnic bridge-wire initiators. In conventional closed vessel tests, initiators are discharged into known volumes and the resulting changes in pressure within the vessels are recorded as a function of time. The resulting maximum pressures are then compared to specified acceptance values. More detailed analyses use the measured pressure-time characteristics to yield the energy released by combustion of the initiator, and this information may serve as an important input for predictive codes. But these analyses require an accurate representation of the internal pressure within the closed vessel to provide meaningful results. Since bridge-wire initiators are used in a wide variety of aerospace and automotive applications, the quantity, physical characteristics, and the formulation of the pyrotechnic constituents are required to meet specific performance criteria. Therefore, closed test vessels encompass a wide range of volumes that often simulate the free volume of the initiator application. At the same time, the data acquisition system must be properly specified so that an accurate pressure response is obtained. Of critical importance in selecting the data acquisition system are the dynamic response of the system components and the measurement uncertainty. The purpose of this work is to design and specify test fixtures and an associated data acquisition system to study the ballistic characteristics of bridge-wire initiators as discharged into confined environments. This paper documents the status of this development and addresses measurement and calibration problems associated with the data acquisition system. Experimental results are reported for a novel laser ablation technique to determine the dynamic response of the data acquisition system.
Technology and Alliance Strategies for Follower Countries

Abstract This paper starts with a simplified model and then modifies it with accelerated innovation process, changing comparative advantages, and emerging global strategies to explain the contemporary situations of international trade and industrial transplantation induced by global innovative product or product class, and the new challenges to follower countries. In order to explore the feasible strategies for the follower countries, this paper assumes the United States as a leading innovator and examines the historical experiences of Japan (a first follower) and Taiwan (a second follower) in their catch-up courses. The preliminary conclusions are as follows: 1. (1)The follower countries mainly relying on “traditional strategies” will very likely be unfavorably impacted by the new situations. 2. (2)The concerted national technological cooperative system and international management of foreign bases to accelerate “technological metabolism,” as Japan's experience shows, can contribute decisively to a follower country's rapid progress in especially process technology and appropriability economic benefit from innovation. 3. (3)The historical priority on process technology as suggested by Japan's successful locus should not be taken for granted by today's follower countries. New emphasis should be placed on product innovation, as shown in the case of Taiwan. To implement this strategy, the geographical deployment of innovation functions to and the international alliances with innovative countries are crucial to success. 4. (4)Aggressive joint efforts by follower countries, as illustrated by the close connection between Japan and Taiwan, can bring about extra benefit for participants and also shorten their lags behind the innovator and forerunners.
The Princeton Shape Benchmark

In recent years, many shape representations and geometric algorithms have been proposed for matching 3D shapes. Usually, each algorithm is tested on a different (small) database of 3D models, and thus no direct comparison is available for competing methods. We describe the Princeton Shape Benchmark (PSB), a publicly available database of polygonal models collected from the World Wide Web and a suite of tools for comparing shape matching and classification algorithms. One feature of the benchmark is that it provides multiple semantic labels for each 3D model. For instance, it includes one classification of the 3D models based on function, another that considers function and form, and others based on how the object was constructed (e.g., man-made versus natural objects). We find that experiments with these classifications can expose different properties of shape-based retrieval algorithms. For example, out of 12 shape descriptors tested, extended Gaussian images by B. Horn (1984) performed best for distinguishing man-made from natural objects, while they performed among the worst for distinguishing specific object types. Based on experiments with several different shape descriptors, we conclude that no single descriptor is best for all classifications, and thus the main contribution of this paper is to provide a framework to determine the conditions under which each descriptor performs best.
Mechanism of Killing of Pneumococci by Lysozyme

Lysozyme is abundant in respiratory secretions and may play a role in lung host defenses. Mechanisms by which lysozyme killed Streptococcus pneumoniae, an important respiratory pathogen, were studied. Lysozyme caused optical clearing of pneumococcal suspensions and released fragments containing [3H]choline from their cell walls. Electron micrographs revealed wide-spread cell wall destruction and bacteriolysis. Breakdown of the cell wall appeared to be mediated mostly by the major pneumococcal autolysin, N-acetylmuramoyl-L-alanine amidase, because it was blocked by phosphorylcholine, a specific inhibitor of amidase, or by substitution of ethanolamine for choline in the cell wall. Blockade of amidase did not greatly increase survival of lysozyme-treated pneumococci on blood agar. Pneumococci in which amidase was blocked appeared intact immediately after treatment with lysozyme, but when they were reincubated at 37 degrees C in fresh culture medium they swelled and lysed. Thus, widespread triggering of the major pneumococcal autolysin is not essential for the bactericidal effect of lysozyme.
Anirolac vs. naproxen for postpartum uterine pain

Anirolac, a new nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, was evaluated for relative efficacy, safety, and time course of analgesia. In a stratified, randomized, parallel, double-blind trial, 120 hospitalized women with moderate or severe postpartum uterine pain were treated with single oral doses of anirolac, 50 or 100 mg, naproxen sodium, 550 mg, or placebo. Using verbal scales, patients rated pain intensity, pain relief, and side effects at regular intervals for 6 hours. Highest summed analgesic ratings over placebo were induced by anirolac, 100 mg (P ≥ 0.001), and naproxen (P ≥ 0.001), followed by anirolac, 50 mg (P ≥ 0.005). At each assessment after the first hour, anirolac, 50 and 100 mg, and naproxen induced significantly stronger analgesia than did placebo. Statistically significantly more drowsiness was reported with all three active agents than with placebo. Our results suggest that, for postpartum uterine pain, analgesia with anirolac, 50 or 100 mg, is equivalent to that with naproxen, 550 mg. Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (1987) 42, 89–95; doi:10.1038/clpt.1987.113
Averroes' Middle and Long Commentaries on the De anima

This article claims that Averroes wrote his Middle Commentary on the De anima after he composed both his Short and Long commentaries. A close comparison of the two texts proves that he had the Long commentary before him when composing the Middle. This has implications both for the development of Averroes' doctrine of the intellect, and for understanding Averroes' style of composing commentaries.
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors: Pharmacologic Profiles and Potential Therapeutic Distinctions

OBJECTIVE:To review the respective pharmacologic profiles of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), with particular emphasis placed on clinically relevant distinctions.DATA SOURCES:A MEDLINE search was conducted to identify English language literature published within the last five years on the four SSRIs (fluoxetine, sertraline, paroxetine, fluvoxamine). Previous review articles were scrutinized for additional citations, and manufacturers provided a contemporary bibliography of more recent material.STUDY SELECTION/DATA EXTRACTION:Studies were selected for specific citation on the basis of comparative research merit and the contribution of this original literature to the pharmacologic profile(s) described.DATA SYNTHESIS:All SSRIs appear to be more efficacious than placebo for the acute treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD). Short-term (six-week) efficacy was comparable with that of tricyclic antidepressants for the amelioration of MDD regarded as moderate in severity. Further comparat...
Neuroimaging endophenotypes: Strategies for finding genes influencing brain structure and function

It is vitally important to identify the genetic determinants of complex brain-related disorders such as autism, dementia, mood disorders, and schizophrenia. However, the search for genes predis- posing individuals to these illnesses has been hampered by their genetic and phenotypic complexity and by reliance upon phenomenologically based qualitative diagnostic systems. Neuroimaging endo- phenotypes are quantitative indicators of brain structure or function that index genetic liability for an illness. These indices will significantly improve gene discovery and help us to understand the func- tional consequences of specific genes at the level of systems neuroscience. Here, we review the feasibil- ity of using neuroanatomic and neuropsychological measures as endophenotypes for brain-related dis- orders. Specifically, we examine specific indices of brain structure or function that are genetically influ- enced and associated with neurological and psychiatric illness. In addition, we review genetic approaches that capitalize on the use of quantitative traits, including those derived from brain images. Hum Brain Mapp 28:488-501, 2007. V C 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Vernacularization on the ground: local uses of global women's rights in Peru, China, India and the United States

The articles published in this special journal issue examine how global ideas about women's rights actually get used in four contexts - China, India, Peru and the United States. Our findings result from collaborative research conducted by teams in each country. We call the process of appropriation and local adoption of globally generated ideas and strategies vernacularization. In each country, vernacularization differed depending on the contents of the global women's rights packages at play, the work of vernacularizers and the different social positions they occupy, how human rights ideas are framed, the channels and technologies of trans- mission, and the local geographies of history and culture within which circulation and vernacularization take place. We find that vernacularization is a widespread practice that takes different forms in different kinds of organizations and in different cultural and historical contexts. Ongoing tensions between global and national rights ideas are quite common. Finally, our work brings to light two dilemmas in the way human rights are appropriated and used - a resonance dilemma and an advocacy dilemma - both arising from the disparity between human rights as law and human rights as a social movement.
Relation Between Pulmonary Vein Firing and Extent of Left Atrial–Pulmonary Vein Connection in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation

Background— The purpose of this study was to measure the extent of left atrial–pulmonary vein (LA-PV) connections and determine the relation to PV firing in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Methods and Results— Ten close-bipolar (1 mm-spacing) Lasso electrograms were recorded circumferentially around 210 PVs (excluding 2 right middle PVs and 4 left common trunks) in 62 patients with AF. PV firing was provoked by isoproterenol (4 μg/min) and cardioversion of pacing-induced AF. The width of each LA-PV connection was measured in tenths of PV circumference, based on number of continuous close-bipolar Lasso electrode sites required for ablation (10% for each close-bipolar electrode site). One, 2, or 3 to 4 discrete LA-PV connections (discrete connection defined by ablation along 10% to 30% of PV circumference) were present in 18 (9%), 31 (14%), and 32 (15%) of 210 PVs, respectively: 1 broad connection (ablation along continuous 40% to 80% circumference) in 46 (22%) PVs; 1 broad plus other broad or discr...