cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nanozymes-based biosensors for food quality and safety

Abstract Nanozymes are nanomaterials, both metallic and non-metallic, that have the ability to catalyze biochemical reactions just as natural enzymes do. Since their discovery in 2007, nanozymes are exploited as nanoscale enzymatic mimics, which are now at the forefront for various biosensing applications. Compared with natural enzymes, nanozymes offer several advantages such as relatively higher stability, lower cost, easier modification, and inherently more efficient. Past research on the structure and catalytic principles of nanozymes has brought into focus various developments of nanozyme-based biosensors. Herein we introduce several typical nanozymes, primarily those belonging to the peroxidase and oxidase families. The enzyme mimicking mechanisms of these nanozymes are presented, which primarily result in colorimetric signals suitable for simple and easy biosensing. Emphasis is placed on nanozyme-based biosensors for detecting chemical contaminants, such as ions and pesticide residues, and biological contaminants, such as pathogens and biotoxins, that can compromise food quality and safety. In the future, more optimizations and improvements could be in the structure of nanozymes to enhance their catalysis ability and specificity. Overall, nanozymes possess great potential for biosensing in food and non-food applications.
SPLUNC1: A Novel Marker of Cystic Fibrosis Exacerbations

ABSTRACT Acute pulmonary Exacerbations (AE) are episodes of clinical worsening in cystic fibrosis (CF), often precipitated by infection. Timely detection is critical to minimize the morbidity and lung function decline associated with acute inflammation during AE. We previously demonstrated that the airway protein Short Palate Lung Nasal epithelium Clone 1 (SPLUNC1) is regulated by inflammatory signals. Here, we investigated the use of SPLUNC1 fluctuations to diagnose and predict AE in CF. We enrolled adult CF subjects from two independent cohorts to measure AE markers of inflammation in sputum and recorded clinical outcomes for a 1-year follow-up period. SPLUNC1 levels were high in healthy control sputum (n=9, 10.7μg/mL), and significantly decreased in CF subjects without AE (n=30, 5.7μg/mL, p=0.016). SPLUNC1 levels were 71.9% lower during AE (n=14, 1.6μg/mL, p=0.0034) regardless of age, sex, CF-causing mutation, or microbiology findings. Cytokines Il–1β and TNFα were also increased in AE,whereas lung function did not consistently decrease. Stable CF subjects with lower SPLUNC1 levels were much more likely to have an AE at 60 days (Hazard Ratio: 11.49, Standard Error: 0.83, p=0.0033). Low-SPLUNC1 stable subjects remained at higher AE risk even one year after sputum collection (Hazard Ratio: 3.21, Standard Error: 0.47,p=0.0125). SPLUNC1 was transcriptionally downregulated by inflammatory cytokines and degraded by proteases increased in sputum during AE. Our findings suggest that low sputum SPLUNC1 levels could detect subjects at increased risk of AE in order to guide early therapeutic interventions in CF. TAKE-HOME MESSAGE Sputum concentrations of the secreted airway protein SPLUNC1 decrease during CF exacerbations. Lower SPLUNC1 levels in stable subjects portend a significantly increased risk of exacerbation and could inform therapeutic interventions. PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY SPLUNC1 is an abundant host defense protein found in the respiratory tract that decreases with inflammation. Individuals with cystic fibrosis experiencing clinical worsening (exacerbation) have much lower levels of SPLUNC1 in their sputum. In stable cystic fibrosis patients, lower levels of SPLUNC1 may predict an upcoming respiratory illness. Therefore, SPLUNC1 may serve as a tool for early diagnosis and treatment of cystic fibrosis exacerbations.
Impact of immediate post‐transplant parenteral iron therapy on the prevalence of anemia and short‐term allograft function in a cohort of pediatric and adolescent renal transplant recipients

Anemia is common but under-diagnosed and often inadequately treated in KTX recipients. ID is the major cause of early-onset anemia. We introduced routine use of parenteral (IV) iron in patients (2-18 years) who had KTX between January 2011 and December 2015. We explored the clinical benefits of this practice by comparing the iron-treated subjects [TX] with historical controls who had KTX between 2005 and 2010. The prevalence of anemia at 6 months (early-onset) for the cohort (both the study group and controls) was 55% and for anemia at 12 months (late-onset) was 60%. Although cause-effect relationship may not be proven in a retrospective study design, there was a significant greater frequency of ID and anemia at 3 (P < .02) and 6 months (P < .04), and a reduced allograft function (eGFR < 60 mL/min/1.73 m2 ) at 12 (P = .03) and 24 months (P = .04) of KTX in the control arm. Furthermore, a greater proportion of the control arm required either ESA (P = .03) or blood transfusion (P = .04) as a rescue treatment for moderate-to-severe anemia. In conclusion, routine parenteral iron treatment was associated with a lower prevalence of early- and late-onset anemia, and a lower requirement for either ESA rescue or blood transfusion.
Inferring Unstable Equilibrium Configurations from Observed Dynamics

Unstable equilibria play an important organizing role in nonlinear dynamic systems in a global sense. However, it is difficult to measure them directly in a physical experiment. In this study, a digital image correlation (DIC) system is used to capture the transient behavior of a post-buckled beam in which trajectories are generated by repeated impacts. The dynamic data collected by the DIC system, with relatively high temporal and spatial resolution, is used estimate equilibrium configurations of the post-buckled beam, including a detection of the presence of unstable equilibria. The results show good agreement with the equilibrium configurations obtained from two-mode models for the beam.
Figuras impertinentes: Rodrigo Calderón y el Libro de entretenimiento de la pícara Justina (1604)

espanolEste ensayo propone una lectura de La picara Justina y sus paratextos, a partir de la relacion de complementariedad entre el self-fashioning y las artes plasticas. Este analisis subraya el potencial de emblemas y jeroglificos, escudos y empresas, de moldear la identidad individual y asi contrarrestar la fijacion del orden establecido con la genealogia, el abolengo, y la “limpieza de sangre”. El caso de Rodrigo Calderon, poderoso ministro de Felipe III, cuyo escudo de armas figura en la portada de la editioprinceps, sirve como ejemplo para investigar la conexion entre la heraldica y el fenomeno del self-fashioning, en la Espana de la temprana modernidad. Por una parte, la manipulacion de la identidad a partir de formas simbolicas representa un desafio al sistema; por otra, la adopcion de sus paradigmas perpetua y sustenta los idearios culturales sobre los que esta construido. EnglishThis essay proposes a reading of La picara Justina and its paratexts based on the complementary relationship between self-fashioning and artistic modes of expression. This analysis emphasizes the potential of emblems and hieroglyphics, imprese and coats of arms, to shape individual identity in order to counteract the establishment’s fixation with genealogy, ancestry, and the so-called “purity of blood”. The case of Rodrigo Calderon, a powerful political figure at the court of Philip III whose coat of arms is featured on the title page of the first edition, offers an example to investigate the connection between heraldry and the process of self-fashioning in early modern Spain. On the one hand, the exercise of shaping one’s public persona through symbolic forms of representation constitutes a challenge to the social order; on the other hand, the adoption of its own paradigms, contributes to perpetuate discriminatory cultural practices and prevailing ideologies.
Michigan Local Government Officials Weigh in on Housing Shortages and Related Issues

This report presents the opinions of Michigan’s local government leaders on local housing issues, including current housing capacity and condition in their community, local government policies that may hinder or help new renovation and construction, and support for possible state government action to address housing issues in Michigan. These findings are based on statewide surveys of local government leaders in the Fall 2017 wave of the Michigan Public Policy Survey (MPPS).
Impact of Vaccine Prioritization Strategies on Mitigating COVID-19: An Agent-Based Simulation Study using an Urban Region in the United States

BackgroundApproval of novel vaccines for COVID-19 has brought hope and expectations, but not without additional challenges. One central challenge is how to appropriately prioritize the use of limited supply of vaccines. This study evaluates various prioritization strategies and the efficacy of the vaccination campaign underway in the U.S. MethodsThe study develops a granular agent-based simulation model for mimicking community spread of COVID-19 under various social interventions including full and partial closures, isolation and quarantine, use of face mask and contact tracing, and vaccination. The model is populated with demographic and societal data for an urban community in the U.S. with 2.8 million residents as well as viral parameters. The model tracks daily numbers of infected, hospitalized, and deaths for all census age-groups. Model is calibrated using parameters for viral transmission and level of community circulation of individuals. Published data from the Florida COVID-19 dashboard is used to validate the model. Vaccination strategies are compared using hypothesis test for pairwise comparisons. ResultsThree prioritization strategies examined are: a close variant of the CDC recommendation, an age-stratified strategy, and a random strategy. The impact of vaccination is also contrasted with a no vaccination scenario. The comparison shows that the ongoing campaign in the U.S. using vaccines developed by Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna is expected to 1) reduce the cumulative number of infection by 10% and 2) help the pandemic to subside below a small threshold of 100 daily new reported cases sooner by approximately a month. The prioritization strategies when compared with each other showed no significant difference in their impacts on pandemic mitigation. ConclusionsRecent explosive growth of the number of new COVID-19 cases in the U.S. continues to shrink the susceptible population. This, we believe, will likely limit the expected number of people that could be prevented from getting infected due to vaccination. A shrinking susceptible pool may also be an attributable reason for the observed lack of statistical difference among the outcomes of the prioritization strategies. However, the invariance of the strategies should give more latitude for decision makers in COVID-19 vaccine distribution.
Morality and Emotions

Sociologists have long considered morality to be a core aspect of social life, though direct interest in the topic has waxed and waned in the past century. Research in this area has been increasing over the past decade, however, especially as cognitive disciplines highlight the importance of emotions for understanding moral development, moral action, and the power of moral codes to circumscribe individual functioning. This chapter summarizes these parallel bodies of work as they can inform sociological understanding of emotions and their cultural milieu. We begin with a brief overview of the extant research on the role emotions play in cognitive processing and decision making. We then discuss the universality and cultural specificity of moral emotions before tracing arguments about the cultural moral systems that, often implicitly, shape individual moral feeling, and conclude with a call for more sociological research on the cultural facets of moral emotions.
Sexual Differentiation of Testosterone Metabolism Exemplified by the Accumulation of 3β,17α-Dihydroxy-5α-androstane 3-Sulfate as a Metabolite of Testosterone in the Castrated Rat

Abstract Identification of 3β,17α-dihydroxy-5α-androstane 3-sulfate as a previously unidentified metabolite of testosterone in the rat is described. The levels of accumulation of this compound in the castrate adult animal in vivo are determined by a postnatal sexual differentiation process.
Communication Costs Driven Design Space Exploration for Reconfigurable Architectures

In this paper we propose a design space exploration method targeting reconfigurable architectures that takes place at the algorithmic level and aims to rapidly highlight architectures that present good performance vs. flexibility tradeoffs. The exploration flow is based on a functional model to describe the architectures that the designer wants to compare. The paper mainly focuses on the projection step of our flow and presents an allocation heuristic that is based on communication costs reduction.
Interactions of Escherichia coli transcription termination factor rho with RNA. I. Binding stoichiometries and free energies.

Abstract In this paper we examine the binding of Escherichia coli transcription termination factor rho to single-stranded RNA. Random polyribonucleotide copolymers containing low ratios of the fluorescent base 1, N 6 -ethenoadenosine have been synthesized using polynucleotide phosphorylase. Binding of rho to these polynucleotides elicits a significant increase in fluorescence, thus allowing either the direct monitoring of the titration of these polynucleotides with rho or measurement of the competitive displacement of the protein from these probes with other nucleic acids, even in the presence of biologically significant concentrations of ATP. By these techniques, it is shown that the binding site size ( n ) of rho protein to polynucleotides is 13(±1) nucleotide residues per rho monomer (or 78(±6) nucleotide residues per rho hexamer). Binding constants ( K ) and co-operativity parameters (ω) for the binding of rho to these polynucleotides have been measured as a function of nucleotide composition and of salt concentration. The results show that the affinity of rho for cytosine residues is quite strong and salt concentration independent, whilst binding to uridine residues is somewhat weaker and very salt concentration dependent. Poly(rC) and poly(dC) bind to rho competitively and with equal affinity and site size, although poly(rC) is the strongest cofactor for activating rho-dependent ATPase and poly(dC) has no ATPase cofactor activity at all. It is also shown that ATP (or ADP or ATP-γ-S) binding does not change the binding site size of rho on RNA nor decrease its affinity for RNA binding. Circular dichroism measurements of rho binding to phage R17 RNA suggest that the affinity ( Kω ) of rho for RNA may be increased by ATP. The possible significance of these results for models of rho-dependent transcription termination is discussed in the companion paper.
Natural Security: What can We Learn from 3.5 Billion Years of Life on Earth?

The 21st century faces a range of severe threats to security including conflicts with non-state actors, emerging diseases, natural disasters, cyber-attacks, and climate change. This diverse set of problems would benefit from a common solution framework that can illuminate their root causes and be applied broadly to security analysis and practice. One such framework is evolutionary biology. 3.5 billion years of biological evolution have led to an enormous variety of security solutions that nonetheless share a key commonality: natural security is adaptable. Organisms in nature achieve adaptability through a decentralized organization where threats are detected and responded to peripherally, by managing uncertainty and turning it to their advantage, and by extending their adaptive capacity through symbiotic partnerships. Here I will show how the basic tenets and many of the specific strategies of natural security systems can be applied to the analysis, planning and practice of security in human society.
The accumulation of cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP in guinea pig brain slices. Effect of calcium ions, norepinephrine and adenosine.

Abstract The effect of Ca2+ and putative neurotransmitters on formation of cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP has been studied in incubated slices of brain tissue. Cyclic AMP levels in cerebellar slices after about 90 min of incubation ranged from 10 pmol/mg protein in rabbit, to 25 in guinea pig, to 50 in mouse and 200 in rat. Cyclic GMP levels in the same four species showed no correlation with cyclic AMP levels and were, respectively, 1.3, 20, 5 and 30 pmol/mg protein. The absence of calcium during the prolonged incubation of cerebellar slices had little effect on final levels of cyclic AMP, while markedly decreasing final levels of cyclic GMP. Reintroduction of Ca2+ resulted in a rapid increase in cerebellar levels of cyclic GMP which was most pronounced for guinea pig where levels increased nearly 7-fold within 5 min. Prolonged incubation of guinea pig cerebral cortical slices in calcium-free medium greatly elevated cyclic AMP levels apparently through enhanced formation of adenosine, while having little effect on final levels of cyclic GMP. Norepinephrine and adenosine elicited accumulations of cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP in both guinea pig cerebral cortical and cerebellar slices. Glutamate, γ-aminobutyrate, glycine, carbachol, and phenylephrine at concentrations of 1 mM or less had little or noe effect on cyclic nucleotide levels in guinea pig cerebellar slices. Prostaglandin E1 and histamine slightly increased cerebellar levels of cyclic AMP. Isoproterenol increased both cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP. The accumulation of cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP elicited by norepinephrine in cerebellar slices appeared, baed on dose vs. response curves, agonist-antaganonist relationships and calcium dependency, to involve in both cases activation of a similar set of s-adrenergic receptors. In cerebellar slices accumulations of cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP elicted by norepinephrine and by a depolarizing agent, veratridine, were strongly dependent on the presence of calcium. The stimulatory effects of adenosine on cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP formation were antagonized by theophylline. The lack of correlations between levels of cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP under the various conditions suggested independent activation of cyclic AMP- and cyclic GMP-generating systems in guinea pig cerebellar slices by interactions with Ca2+, norephinephrine and adenosine.
Getting to Know Your Students: The Importance of Learning Students’ Thoughts and Feelings in Physical Education

Your class walks out to the field for the first day of a softball unit. A few students sprint ahead with their gloves, eager to play the game. Others talk among themselves and slowly make their way to the field. When it is time for game play, some students rush out to play shortstop, first base, and pitch, while others try to hide in the outfield, particularly to the right. On offense, these same students try to hit in the bottom of the batting order or get another student to bat for them. Based on your observations, do you perceive these students as not interested in physical education, disengaged, or resistant to your instruction? Have you ever asked yourself why these students want to play defensive positions where the ball is least likely to be hit to them, or do not want to come to bat? Getting to know students and understanding their background and experi­ ences are primary goals of effective teachers. But how can physical educators accomplish this? This article discusses how teachers can get to know their students by incorpo­ rating various formative assessment methods within their instruction to foster self-confidence and a positive self-image, while enhancing students' valuation and enjoyment of physical activity.
The technical supervisor as captain and catalyst

Technical supervisors can increase the performance and job satisfaction of their subordinates indirectly by acting as catalysts, and directly by acting as captains. Findings from a study of 2172 technical professionals suggest that technical, but mainly people and administrative skills, help supervisors act as catalysts. In contrast, the findings also suggest that although people skills help supervisors act as captains, technical skills help supervisors only marginally, and administrative skills mainly detract them from acting as captains. Moreover, the findings suggest that the more supervisors act as catalysts, the less supervisors act as captains. The implications of the findings are discussed.
Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrometric Determination of Iron, Cobalt, Nickel, and Copper at Parts-Per-Billion Level in High-Purity Lanthanum Fluoride

This paper describes an analytical method for the quantitation of iron, cobalt, nickel, and copper in lanthanum fluoride at trace levels with graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS) without using any matrix modifier. These metals were preconcentrated in HNO3 and analyzed directly. The detection limits for iron, cobalt, nickel, and copper were found to be 3, 1, 2, and 2 ppb, respectively. The average precision of measurements (% RSD) for all the elements was <10%.
Temperature and Leaf Wetness Requirements for Pathogen Establishment, Incubation Period, and Sporulation of Phytophthora infestans on Petunia × hybrida

The temperature and leaf wetness requirements for pathogen establishment (germination, infection, and colonization) and the temperature effects on incubation period and sporulation of Phytophthora infestans on petunia were compared with those on tomato. The responses to environmental parameters were found to be similar on petunia and tomato and agreed with those previously reported for late blight development on tomato and potato. In the current study, temperatures ranging from 13 to 23°C generally were conducive to establishment. Very little establishment occurred at 28°C. The minimum leaf wetness period that enabled pathogen establishment was 2 h, whereas most establishment occurred within 6 h of inoculation. The incubation period (time period from inoculation to lesion development) and the time required for development of sporangia after lesions were formed were shortest at 23 and 28°C, respectively. Production of sporangia was greatest (per square centimeter) at 18°C and was nearly absent at 28°C on both petunia and tomato. The sporulation density at 18°C was only slightly less on petunia compared with tomato (20,000 and 24,000 sporangia/cm2, respectively); however, the total lesion area on petunia was only 20% of that on tomato.
Technical aspects and recent trends in the management of large and giant midbasilar artery aneurysms.

OBJECTIVE: Cranial base approaches that involve radical petrosectomy are associated with significant rates of morbidity. We have sought alternative approaches to the midbasilar artery to reduce the extent of temporal bone removal and correspondingly to reduce complications while still providing adequate surgical exposure. The extended orbitozygomatic and far-lateral approaches are two such approaches. We compared our experience with these approaches to our experience with the standard transpetrosal approaches in the treatment of midbasilar artery aneurysms. METHODS: Between 1990 and 1995, 28 patients with large and giant midbasilar artery aneurysms were treated with approaches involving either radical or conservative petrosectomy. RESULTS: Overall, good outcomes (Glasgow Outcome Scale scores of 1 and 2) were observed in 21 patients (75%), and three patients (11 %) had permanent treatment-associated neurological deficits. Four patients died. Later in the series, the pterional-subtemporal approach (four patients) was supplanted by the orbitozygomatic approach (six patients). The increased use of hypothermic circulatory arrest improved exposure of the midbasilar region from above (orbitozygomatic approach) and below (far-lateral approach, 13 patients). Concomitantly, the use of transpetrosal approaches (five patients) decreased. CONCLUSION: Modified orbitozygomatic and far-lateral approaches adequately expose the midbasilar region and can replace transpetrosal approaches in some cases. These extended approaches can be associated with lower morbidity rates than can transpetrosal approaches. Hypothermic circulatory arrest is critical to clipping large and giant midbasilar artery aneurysms directly when approaches that conserve the temporal bone are used.
Über die Isomerisierung hochungesättigter Isolenfettsäuren bei der thermischen Behandlung von Seetierölen

Vff. stellten fest, das beim Erhitzen der Methylester der hochungesattigten Fettsauren des Tintenfisch-Oles auf 200° bis 250°C zunachst cis-cis-trans-, dann trans-cis-trans-konjugierte Trien-Verbindungen entstanden, die sich z. T. intra- und intermolekular cyclisierten. Der Verlauf der von der Temperatur und der Versuchsdauer abhangigen Reaktion wurde durch Bestimmung der Kennzahlen, durch praparative Aufarbeitung, z. B. Harnstoff-Fraktionierung, und durch UV- und IR-Messungen verfolgt. Fettsauren mit mehr als drei konjugierten Doppelbindungen konnten nicht nachgewiesen werden. The Isomerisation of Highly Unsaturated Nonconjugated Fatty Acids by Heat Treatment of Sea-Animal Oils The authors have established, that by heating the methylesters of highly unsaturated fatty acids of cuttle-fish-oil at 200°C to 250°C first cis-cis-trans and then trans-cis-trans-conjugated triene compounds are formed, which undergo partly intra- and intermolecular cyclisation. The course of the reaction dependent on the temperature and the period of investigation, has been followed by determination of the characteristics, by working up preparatively, e. g. urea-fractionation, and by UV- and IR-measurements. Fatty acids with more than three conjugated double bonds could not be identified.
Integrating Low- and High-Level Skills in Instructional Protocols for Writing Disabilities:

Twenty-four children with writing problems were given instruction in handwriting automaticity, spelling strategies, and the composing process (plan, write, review, revise) in 14 one-hour individual...
Child abuse and neglect in military and civilian families

Patterns and correlates of child maltreatment were investigated both within the military and between military and civilian families. The results revealed that certain patterns and correlates emerged within the military that were significant. For example, loss of control and lack of tolerance were two major reasons given for abuse by military perpetrators . Also the stresses of family discord, new baby and continuous child care along with relocation and isolation played important roles in the occurrence of abuse within the military. When comparisons were made between military and civilian families, some differences were discovered but many more similarities were found. As an example, the analysis revealed that the stress of broken family was a more important correlate of abuse in civilian than in military cases of abuse. For all the other kinds of stresses (e.g., family discord and isolation), however, one was no more important for military than for civilian perpetrators . Although the patterns and correlates of child abuse and neglect may not be unique to the military, this does not minimize the importance of the problem in the armed forces. Programs of treatment and prevention must be developed and implemented to fit the needs and life styles of military families.
Mechanisms of DNA damage and insight into mutations by chromium(VI) in the presence of glutathione

Abstract The mechanisms of hexavalent chromium(VI) induced DNA damage were unveiled by detecting products of single- and double-stranded DNA in the presence of glutathione. The absence of a detectable hydroxyl radical in the reactions indicates that DNA damage was exclusively by hypervalent chromium species. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) experiments with 32-mer single-stranded oligonucleotide and its complementary duplex revealed cleavages largely at purine bases with significant enhancement of such cleavages in the presence of a base. Quantitative estimations of bases released by HPLC before and after enzymatic digestion with exonucleases unequivocally established the excessive release of purine bases. This release was accompanied by the concomitant formation of phosphoglycolate as characterized by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS). These data connote that the preponderance DNA damage is due to an oxidation specifically at H4′ of the ribose moiety leading to the formation of apurinic sites. In addition to the oxidation at H4′, DNA oxidation was also initiated through H5′ site as evidenced by the identification of furfural. This pathway appears to be non-selective and more abundant for ssDNA as cleavages were observed at both purine and pyrimidine bases. Finally, the detection of guanidinohydantoin as a minor product points the involvement of an oxygen activated hypervalent chromium species, perhaps a peroxo-chromium species. Both major and minor pathways lead to cleavages at purine sites for ds-DNA and are consistent with the observation that DNA cleavage was enhanced in the presence of a base. In contrast, when hydrogen peroxide was added to the reactions, random DNA cleavages were apparent indicating involvement of multiple species including a hydroxyl radical. These data pinpoint mutation mechanisms induced by chromium(VI) in the presence of glutathione due to transversion either by inserting the wrong bases opposite to the apurinic sites during replication or by purine–purine mismatch.
Ground-motion modelling at regional distances for earthquakes in a continental interior, I. Theory and observations

To understand the ground-motion contribution by multiple-mode surface-wave arrivals, the surface-wave theory required for predicting ground-motion time histories is discussed. The adequacy of the theory in accounting for observed earthquake ground motion is tested by comparing theoretically predicted long-period seismograms with real seismograms for two earthquakes in the central United States. The agreement between the predicted and observed maximum vertical component Lg ground velocities and accelerations in the 2- to 3-sec period range is excellent over a distance range of 100 to 2,000 km.
A circadian rhythm of the luciferin binding protein fromGonyaulax polyedra

It has previously been shown that a protein extracted fromGonyaulax polyedra strongly and specifically binds luciferin, the substrate of the bioluminescent reaction. This binding is markedly dependent on pH with tight binding at pH 8.0 and almost no binding at pH 6.5, as measured by two independent methods. A procedure for the determination of the dissociation constant (Kd) of the luciferin binding protein (LBP) is presented, and Kd is estimated to be7×10−9 M at pH 8.0, assuming an overall quantum yield of 0.1 for the bioluminescent reaction. With cells grown in a 12 h light — 12 h dark cycle, 5 to 10 times more LBP activity can be extracted from dark phase cells than from light phase cells. This rhythm persists in a circadian fashion in cultures maintained in constant dim light.
Field-Aligned (Birkeland) Currents

Following earlier suggestions of Edmond Halley and Anders Celsius for the “magnetic behavior” of auroral phenomena, Kristian Birkeland discovered in his polar expeditions of 1902–03 that large-scale electric currents were associated with the aurora. He was also the first to suggest that these currents originated far from earth and that they flowed into the upper polar atmosphere and out of it along magnetic field lines; the existence of such field-aligned currents was widely disputed until satellite and rocket-borne instruments confirmed their permanent existence. The importance of these “Birkeland currents” to the coupling between the magnetosphere and the polar ionosphere is emphasized by their intensity, which ranges between 106 and 107 amperes, and by the energy which they dissipate in the upper atmosphere, which can exceed by a considerable factor the energy dissipated there by auroral particles. The large- and small-scale average properties of field-aligned currents, determined from spacecraft observations, are reviewed here.
Topography and local conductance images of YBa2Cu3O7 crystals fractured in ultra high vacuum

Abstract Atomic-scale topography and local dynamic conductance images of polycrystalline YBa2Cu3O7 samples fractured in ultra high vacuum are obtained with a cross-sectional scanning tunneling microscope. Topographic features are found which consist of strips with a 12 A periodicity. Simultaneous measurements of normalized conductance (d In I/dV) on these surfaces exhibit a sharp contrast from strip to strip. The corresponding tunneling spectra at these areas show an alternation of metallic and semiconducting characteristics. Possible implication of the results on the basic understanding of high temperature superconductivity is discussed.
Revision Anatomic Double-Bundle Anterior Cruciate Ligament Surgery

As the number of primary anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstructions performed in the United States continues to increase, so will the need for revision surgery for “failed” primary surgery. These failed ACL surgeries are often the result of technical errors in the primary surgery. Current literature reports inferior functional and objective results of revision ACL surgery in comparison with primary surgery. This is often the result of unrecognized injury to the secondary stabilizers of the knee. The anatomic double-bundle ACL surgery has been shown to more accurately recreate the kinematics of the native knee in comparison with “classic” transtibial single-bundle ACL reconstructions. We believe that the use of the principals and techniques of anatomic double-bundle ACL reconstruction in the revision situation may be advantageous for many reasons. This is a technically demanding procedure that requires proper preoperative preparation. This article outlines our approach to these challenging situations.
Oxidation Studies of Dipositive Actinide Ions, An2+ (An = Th, U, Np, Pu, Am) in the Gas Phase: Synthesis and Characterization of the Isolated Uranyl, Neptunyl, and Plutonyl Ions UO22+(g), NpO22+(g), and PuO22+(g)

Reactions of atomic and ligated dipositive actinide ions, An2+, AnO2+, AnOH2+, and AnO22+ (An = Th, U, Np, Pu, Am) were systematically studied by Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry. Kinetics were measured for reactions with the oxidants, N2O, C2H4O (ethylene oxide), H2O, O2, CO2, NO, and CH2O. Each of the five An2+ ions reacted with one or more of these oxidants to produce AnO2+, and reacted with H2O to produce AnOH2+. The measured pseudo-first-order reaction rate constants, k, revealed disparate reaction efficiencies, k/kCOL: Th2+ was generally the most reactive and Am2+ the least. Whereas each oxidant reacted with Th2+ to give ThO2+, only C2H4O oxidized Am2+ to AmO2+. The other An2+ exhibited intermediate reactivities. Based on the oxidation reactions, bond energies and formation enthalpies were derived for the AnO2+, as were second ionization energies for the monoxides, IE[AnO+]. The bare dipositive actinyl ions, UO22+, NpO22+, and PuO22+, were produced from the oxidation of t...
The reaction of bovine lens αA-crystallin with aspirin

Acetylation of the lysines of bovine lens alpha A-crystallin has been examined after 0-48-hr incubations of whole alpha-crystallins in 100 mM aspirin. The alpha A-crystallins were isolated after the incubation, proteolytically digested into peptides which were separated by reversed phase HPLC and analysed by mass spectrometry. For the reaction conditions used in this investigation, acetylated lysyl residues were the principal products. The extent of acetylation was quantified from the intensities of the peaks in the fast atom bombardment mass spectra of the modified and unmodified peptides. The modified lysine containing peptides demonstrated that all seven lysyl residues of alpha A-crystallin reacted with aspirin; the extent of acetylation at each lysyl residue varied. Plots of the extent of acetylation vs. time were used to calculate rate constants for the reaction at each lysyl residue. The rate constant for the acetylation of Lys 166, the most reactive, was about seven times greater than for Lys 88, the least reactive. These rate constants were used to calculate the yield of predicted products for the reaction of alpha-crystallin with therapeutic concentrations of aspirin. Comparison of the yield of acetylated alpha-crystallin with the yield of carbamylated alpha-crystallin that might occur due to renal failure indicates that aspirin is not likely to be an effective inhibitor of cataract due to carbamylation of lysyl residues.
Accommodation and vergence latencies in human infants

Purpose Achieving simultaneous single and clear visual experience during postnatal development depends on the temporal relationship between accommodation and vergence, in addition to their accuracies. This study was designed to examine one component of the dynamic relationship, the latencies of the responses.
Sensitive dual wavelength densitometer with suppression of the support introduced background optical density

Abstract An instrument for the direct photometric scanning of zones is described. The method involves the alternative flashing of two beams of light through the support. The wavelengths used are the peak of absorption and a selected reference at one of the sides of the absorption curve of the colored compound in the zone. This technique allows an inherent suppression of the background optical density of the support while maintaining full sensitivity and specificity. This results in a performance increase of about two orders of magnitude when sensitivity or precision are compared with single wavelength operating instruments.
Pleomorphic Rhabdomyosarcoma of the Uterus in a Postmenopausal Woman with Elevated Serum CA125

Background. Pure rhabdomyosarcoma of the uterus is an exceedingly rare tumor. While there are no commonly associated tumor markers, a previously reported case confirmed CA125 production by a pure uterine rhabdomyosarcoma. Case. We describe a postmenopausal woman who presented with vaginal bleeding and was diagnosed with pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcoma of the uterus. Of particular interest was an elevated serum CA125 level at presentation. Immunohistochemical staining with CA125 antibody, however, showed no activity within the tumor. Despite aggressive therapy, the patient experienced distant nodal metastases and succumbed to the disease within 25 months of diagnosis. Conclusion. Our patient illustrates the typical presentation and aggressive behavior of this rare neoplasm. While serum CA125 may be a useful tumor marker in selected patients, elevated levels do not directly reflect tumor burden when associated with negative immunohistochemical staining.
Russia and the Eastern Question: Army, Government, and Society 1815–1833 – By Alexander Bitis

In recent decades, diplomatic and military history has fallen out of fashion and yet, as this author reveals, a thorough examination of the interplay between the Russian army, government, and publi...
A trivariate Powell—Sabin interpolant

Abstract We consider the problem of producing a piecewise quadratic C1 interpolant to positional and gradient information at the vertices of a tessellation in R 3 of tetrahedra. By splitting each tetrahedron in an appropriate way we show how the problem may be solved. The solution does rely upon the fact that certain geometric constraints must be satisfied. We consider these, and examine how they might be met through a splitting process which is a generalization of that for the bivariate Powell-Sabin element. Since the interpolant is piecewise quadratic, it can be contoured easily.
Practical Performance of Defecography for the Evaluation of Constipation and Incontinence

By opacifying the sigmoid, rectum, and vagina with different barium consistencies and using fluoroscopy to evaluate the mechanics of defecation in a physiologic setting, a wide range of pathologies associated with constipation and incontinence can be diagnosed. This review article discusses the primary indications for fluoroscopic defecography, techniques, common diagnoses, and challenges faced in clinical practice.
EFFECT OF REINFORCEMENT PROBABILITY AND PRIZE SIZE ON COCAINE AND HEROIN ABSTINENCE IN PRIZE‐BASED CONTINGENCY MANAGEMENT

Although treatment outcome in prize-based contingency management has been shown to depend on reinforcement schedule, the optimal schedule is still unknown. Therefore, we conducted a retrospective analysis of data from a randomized clinical trial (Ghitza et al., 2007) to determine the effects of the probability of winning a prize (low vs. high) and the size of the prize won (small, large, or jumbo) on likelihood of abstinence until the next urine-collection day for heroin and cocaine users (N = 116) in methadone maintenance. Higher probability of winning, but not the size of individual prizes, was associated with a greater percentage of cocaine-negative, but not opiate-negative, urines.
Conformational transitions of monellin, an intensely sweet protein

Abstract Conformational transitions of monellin, an intensely sweet protein from the berries of Dioscoreophyllum cumminsii, were studied by the circular dichroism (CD) probe. According to the CD spectra, monellin has a low content of the helical structure and a significant amount of the pleated sheet (β) conformation. The native conformation was found to be sensitive to alkali, sodium dodecyl sulfate, and guanidine·HCl, but it was stable in acid (e.g. pH 2.4) as shown by CD and persistence or the disappearance of sweet taste. The main chain conformation of the alkali-denatured monellin (pH 10.9) was restored upon acidification (pH 3.3) of the alkaline solutions. The tertiary structure, however, was not completely restored, as indicated by CD in the 230–300 nm spectral zone, although the sweet taste reappeared. If the pH of a neutral solution was raised to 9.6, the CD in the near ultraviolet was significantly altered, though the sweet taste persisted. This indicates that a slight conformational change did not interfere with the effects on the taste buds. While sodium dodecyl sulfate readily disorganized the tertiary structure, the main chain was reconstructed by this reagent into a new form of higher helix content than in the native macromolecule. Reconstruction into a modified conformation of higher helix content was achieved also with 50% ethanol. The main chain conformation was not affected by 25% ethanol which produced slight changes in the CD at 230–260 nm zone and did not abolish the sweet taste.
On The Characterization Of Ice Particles In The Atmosphere

Ice particles in the atmosphere range in size from ice fog particles a few pm diameter to hailstones some 10 cm across. Many smaller particles tend to have singular crystalline facets and grow in the form of either solid or hollow hexagonal columns or needles, hexagonal plates, sector plates or dendrites. Size and shape determine fall speed and orientation. Beyond a size of a few hundred microns, aggregation to snowflakes takes place and particles may rime, to form soft hail particles, and ultimately higher density hailstones; aggregation to snowflakes takes place. Particles often depart drastically from the idealized shapes and dimensions sometimes used in modelling radiation interactions. Particles may be characterized by scales downward from their maximum dimension, to surface steps and bubbles of dimension < μm. Size and fall velocity distributions are intimately related to generation and velocity sorting mechanisms, and may be quite narrow or very broad depending on circumstances.© (1983) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
On parallel computation of grobner bases

We have developed a coarse-grain parallelization of the Buchberger algorithm for computing Grobner bases in algebras of linear differential operators. The implementation of this algorithm provides good speedups on the majority of examples coming from these noncommutative algebras, which are superior to the speedups achieved for (commutative) polynomial rings.
Images in cardiovascular medicine. Epicardial real-time 3-dimensional echocardiography during septal myectomy for obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

A 22-year-old man who had hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and progressive exertional dyspnea despite treatment with β-blockers was referred for septal myectomy. Preoperative transthoracic echocardiography showed severe asymmetric septal hypertrophy (septal thickness of 3.1 cm) with marked systolic anterior motion of the mitral valve and a dynamic left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) gradient of 125 mm Hg. Epicardial real-time 3-dimensional echocardiography (RT3DE) (Sonos 7500, Philips Medical Systems), was performed intraoperatively, providing …
Integrating Undergraduate Students in Faculty-Driven Motor Behavior Research.

This article described the faculty-sponsored, faculty-driven approach to undergraduate research (UGR) at Auburn University. This approach is centered around research in the Pediatric Movement and Physical Activity Laboratory, and students can get elective course credit for their participation in UGR. The article also describes how students' roles and responsibilities typically progress with continued involvement in the lab's research projects.
Metacognitive influences on study time allocation in an associative recognition task: An analysis of adult age differences

The current study evaluated a metacognitive account of study time allocation, which argues that metacognitive monitoring of recognition test accuracy and latency influences subsequent strategic control and regulation. The authors examined judgments of learning (JOLs), recognition test confidence judgments (CJs), and subjective response time (RT) judgments by younger and older adults in an associative recognition task involving 2 study–test phases, with self-paced study in Phase 2. Multilevel regression analyses assessed the degree to which age and metacognitive variables predicted Phase 2 study time independent of actual test accuracy and RT. Outcomes supported the metacognitive account—JOLs and CJs predicted study time independent of recognition accuracy. For older adults with errant RT judgments, subjective retrieval fluency influenced response confidence as well as (mediated through confidence) subsequent study time allocation. Older adults studied items that had been assigned lower CJs longer, suggesting no age deficit in using memory monitoring to control learning.
Uniqueness and absolute continuity of weak solutions for parabolic SPDE's

The paper presents necessary and sufficient conditions for the absolute continuity of measures generated by infinite-dimensional martingale problems. This result is applied to the study of the existence and uniqueness of weak solutions to nonlinear parabolic SPDE's. The paper also addresses the problem of stochastic integration with respect to a martingale in a quasi-complete locally convex topological vector space.
Evaluation of wheat cultivars for ability to retard development of stem rust

SUMMARY The ability of wheat cultivars (Triticum aestivum) to retard the development of stem rust, Puccinia graminis f.sp. tritici, was evaluated in hill plots for 3 yr at several locations in Minnesota, against single races and mixtures of races. The area under the disease progress curve was a convenient and reliable method for data summation, but the rate of disease development was not. When inoculated with single races (15B2, 32, 113 or 31) or with mixtures of races (11, 15, 15B2, 17, 32, 151), the cvs Exchange, Thatcher, McMurachy, Redman, Kenya 58, Frontana and Idaed retarded stem rust development more than Baart, Prelude and Marquis; Lee was intermediate. The methods and techniques reported should permit selection of cultivars capable of retarding the development of stem rust.