cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Inhibition of protein tyrosine phosphatases causes phosphorylation of tyrosine-331 in the p60 TNF receptor and inactivates the receptor-associated kinase

Inhibition of protein tyrosine phosphatases blocks tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-induced growth modulation and NF-κB activation, both mediated primarily through the p60 TNF receptor. How inhibition of the phosphatases affects the p60 TNF receptor or the recently described receptor-associated serine/threonine kinase (p60TRAK) is not known. In this report, we show that this inhibition, when induced by pervanadate, caused the tyrosine phosphorylation of the cytoplasmic domain (CD) of the p60 receptor, as revealed by phosphoamino acid analysis. Furthermore, site-directed mutagenesis indicated that pervanadate specifically induced the phosphorylation of tyrosine-331, which is located in the death domain of the TNF receptor, a domain to which p60TRAK binds. This tyrosine residue was also phosphorylated by purified, recombinant pp60Src in vitro. Inhibition of protein tyrosine phosphatases by pervanadate also led to the inactivation of p60TRAK. In contrast, okadaic acid, a specific inhibitor of protein serine/threonine phosphatase, increased p60TRAK activity. Taken together, these results suggest that protein tyrosine phosphatases play an essential role in phosphorylation of the cytoplasmic domain of the TNF receptor and in regulation of the receptor-associated kinase, and this in turn may play a role in TNF-mediated growth modulation and NF-κB activation.
Crocetin administration increases exercise endurance in trained rats

The carotenoid crocetin has been shown to relieve the hypoxic condition caused by many diseases. Since hypoxia is also a limiting factor in endurance performance, this study evaluated the effect of crocetin administration on exercise endurance. Eleven treadmill trained rats were randomly divided into an experimental or control group. Sixty minutes prior to exhaustive exercise, the exercise group received a 0.3 mL intraperitoneal injection of 0.2 mg crocetin/kg body weight, and the control group received a placebo injection. The experimental group improved running time by 18± 3 minutes (t test, p ≤ 0.01) and showed a reduction in postexercise blood lactate concentration by 1.84 ± 0.52 mM (t test, p ≤0.01). The results demonstrate that crocetin increased exercise endurance and decreased blood lactate concentration in trained rats. The mechanism of action may be that, by increasing oxygen diffusion, crocetin enhanced aerobic production of adenosine triphosphate while reducing anaerobic adenosine triphosphate...
Endoscopic cricopharyngeal myotomy

Dysphagia secondary to cricopharyngeal muscle dysfunction (achalasia) is not uncommon. Dysfunction can be seen in isolation, in association with Zenker's diverticulum, or as a contributing component to more global dysfunction of the swallowing mechanism. Treatment has traditionally involved an open transcervical approach under general anesthesia, with complete lysis of the muscle fibers and concomitant extraction of the associated diverticulum when indicated. In select patients, the muscle can be divided endoscopically. Endoscopic myotomy offers several advantages over traditional open myotomy, including the avoidance of an incision, no risk of recurrent laryngeal nerve or great vessel injury, and low risk of perforation and fistula. In addition, endoscopic myotomy affords precise targeting of the affected muscle. This article will describe the technique, its indications, and its potential complications.
Estimates of Threatening Behavior Based on Reports of Friends

MANY EARLIER studies have shown that response effects in surveys increase as questions become more threatening. See, for example, Cannell and Fowler (1963); Clark and Wallin (1964); Clark and Tifft (1966); David (1962); Ellis (1947); Knudsen, et al. (1967); Levinger (1966); Locander, et al. (1976); and Poti, et al. (1962). Results summarized in Sudman and Bradburn (1974) indicate that response effects are negative for questions dealing with threatening or illegal behaviors, so that increasing response effects mean increasing underreporting. Higher reporting is improved reporting for such items. In a recent paper, we have suggested manipulating question format to improve estimates of threatening behaviors (Blair, et al., 1977). Monroe Sirken (Office of Substance Abuse Services, 1975) has suggested using questions about friends' behavior as another approach to improving data on threatening topics. Questions about friends' behavior can replace or supplement the usual questions about respondent's behavior in estimating total levels of behavior. These questions are not, however, surrogates of the respondent's own behavior and cannot be crossclassified by respondent characteristics. The following question illustrates this approach: "Think of your three closest friends. (Don't mention their names). As far as you know, how many of them have ever smoked marijuana?" Questions about friends' behavior may have three advantages over standard questions about respondent's behavior for estimating total lev-
Semantic Visual Understanding of Indoor Environments: From Structures to Opportunities for Action

We present a two-layer representation of the locally sensed 3D indoor environment. Our representation moves one step forward from capturing the geometric structure of the environment to reason about the navigation opportunities for an agent in the environment. The first layer is the Planar Semantic Model (PSM), a geometric representation in terms of meaningful planes (ground and walls). PSM captures more semantics of the indoor environment than a pure planar model because it represents a richer set of relationships among planar segments. In the second layer, we present the Action Opportunity Star (AOS), which describes the set of qualitatively distinct opportunities for robot action available in the neighborhood of the robot. Our two-layer representation is a concise representation of indoor environments, semantically meaningful to both robot and to human. It is capable of capturing incomplete knowledge of the local environment so that unknown areas can be incrementally learned as observations become available. Experimental results on a variety of indoor environments demonstrate the expressive power of our representation.
Microtubule inhibitor-based antibody–drug conjugates for cancer therapy

The specificity of monoclonal antibodies represents a potential therapeutic advantage, but their use as single agents in oncology has proven limited to date. The development of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) takes advantage of the specificity of the monoclonal antibody and potent cytotoxic effect of chemotherapy, leading to enhanced cytotoxicity in target cells and limiting toxicity to normal tissue. Microtubules represent a validated oncologic target in a range of tumor types, with a number of anti-microtubule targeting cytotoxic drugs approved for cancer use. The systemic use of potent microtubule-binding agents is limited by their effects in normal cells, which leads to toxicity including myelosuppression and peripheral neuropathy. Linking these agents to monoclonal antibodies may limit toxicity to normal tissues and increase drug concentration in target tissues, also allowing the use of more potent agents which would be too toxic to administer in their unbound form. Two such ADCs have been approved for clinical use and many others are in development. Here we review the characteristics of each of the ADC components that have led to efficacious therapies and discuss some of the tubulin inhibitor-based ADCs in development for cancer therapy.
Pyrrolizidine alkaloids from Senecio longilobus and Senecio glabellus

Abstract TLC, capillary GC, packed column and capillary GC-MS, and1H NMR were used to characterize pyrrolizidine alkaloids fromSenecio longilobus andS.glabellus.S.glabellus contained senecionine and integerrimine, andS.longilobus contained senecionine, integerrimine, seneciphylline and retrorsine, all present predominantly asN-oxides. Alkaloid content varied greatly in collections ofS.longilobus. This is the first report of integerrimine in these plants.
Analytic Rasterization of Curves with Polynomial Filters

We present a method of analytically rasterizing shapes that have curved boundaries and linear color gradients using piecewise polynomial prefilters. By transforming the convolution of filters with the image from an integral over area into a boundary integral, we find closed-form expressions for rasterizing shapes. We show that a polynomial expression can be used to rasterize any combination of polynomial curves and filters. Our rasterizer also handles rational quadratic boundaries, which allows us to evaluate circles and ellipses. We apply our technique to rasterizing vector graphics and show that our derivation gives an efficient implementation as a scanline rasterizer.
Implementation of the National Science Foundation’s “Broader Impacts”: Efficiency Considerations and Alternative Approaches

The National Science Foundation (NSF) has, since 1997, attempted to diversify and enrich science research and education in the USA through the Broader Impacts Criterion (BIC), also known as “Criterion Two” or the “Second Criterion”. In doing so, NSF has so successfully integrated BIC into its discovery grant funding programmes that it has become difficult to assess the efficiency (in an economic sense) of BIC activities, as opposed to cataloguing its products (number of trainees, publications, etc.). Moreover, current practice at NSF requires that each and every Principal Investigator receiving a discovery grant address both Science, Technology, Engineering and Math activities and broader impacts, despite the fact that their formal training is most likely to be in only one of these areas. Against this backdrop, I consider NSF spending on broader impacts, conduct a microeconomic analysis of effectiveness of BIC expenditures, and discuss alternative funding models and Principal Investigator profiles and exp...
Mixed venous oxygen saturation for differentiating stable from unstable tachycardias

Abstract Current antitachycardia systems are incapable of adequately distinguishing stable from unstable tachycardias. Previously, integration of a pressure sensor or an impedance sensor, together with electrogram analysis, has been investigated as an improved method of identifying unstable arrhythmias. A mixed venous oxygen saturation sensor was investigated for differentiating stable from unstable paced and induced tachycardias in 10 patients. During rapid pacing at 600, 500, 400, 350, 300, and 250 msec cycle lengths, mixed venous oxygen saturation decreased as cycle length decreased. For any given cycle length, rapid ventricular pacing tended to result in greater mixed venous oxygen desaturation compared with atrial pacing. Mixed venous oxygen saturation decreased similarly during induced ventricular tachycardias at cycle lengths > 230 msec. However, ventricular tachycardias at cycle lengths ≤230 msec and ventricular fibrittation had no effect on mixed venous oxygen saturation until after termination. Subsequently, a mixed venous oxygen saturation-tiered therapy algorithm (cycle length ≤230 msec=unstable; cycle length >230 msec and MVO 2 ≥6% over 30 seconds=unstable) was developed and was tested retrospectively in 113 paced and induced tachyarrhythmias in these 10 patients for detecting unstable tachycardias (defined as a decrease from baseline systolic arterial pressure of ≥50 mm Hg at 15 seconds). The mixed venous oxygen algorithm had 93% sensitivity and 96% specificity compared with rate-only (rate ≥170 beats/min) detection with 93% sensitivity and 71% specificity. Therefore a tiered therapy antitachycardia device could integrate zoned rate detection with mixed venous oxygen saturation to improve detection specificity of current antitachycardia systems.
Sheep liver 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase: isolation procedure and effect of pH, ionic strength, and metal ions on the kinetic parameters.

Abstract A procedure has been established for the isolation, from sheep liver, of 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase which is homogeneous according to the criteria of the analytical ultracentrifuge, and isoelectric focusing. A systematic determination of the effects of pH, ionic strength, metal ions, and temperature, on the kinetic parameters of the isolated 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase has been carried out. Double-reciprocal plots of enzyme rate measurements as a function of substrate concentration indicate K m values of 15 μ m for 6-phosphogluconate, and 7 μ m for NADP + , under optimum assay conditions, and show no effect of the concentration of one substrate on the K m of the other substrate under the assay conditions employed. Ionic strength, monovalent and divalent metals, are apparently interchangeable in their ability to activate the enzyme, and act by decreasing the K m values of the enzyme, not by increasing the reaction rate. Concentrations of metals above the optimum are strongly inhibitory. Plots of −log K m vs pH show inflection points at 8.3 for 6-phosphogluconate, and 6.5 for NADP + . At low substrate concentrations the pH optimum of the enzyme is at pH 7.7, but plots of V vs pH increase up to pH 9.1 (the enzyme is unstable at higher pH values). An Arrhenius plot shows a straight line between temperatures of 8.6 and 39.4 °C, and an energy of activation of 15,450 cal mole −1 .
Prevalence of cutaneous findings in hospitalized pediatric patients.

: Cutaneous findings can be useful in establishing the diagnosis and treatment of hospitalized patients. Observation and identification of cutaneous abnormalities can improve the accuracy of diagnosis and result in improved patient care. We set out to determine the prevalence of cutaneous abnormalities in hospitalized pediatric patients in a hospital and how often these findings were noted and properly diagnosed by the admitting team of physicians. Children with medical problems admitted to Kosair Children's Hospital during the month of January 1995 were randomly selected for a skin examination, which was performed within 24 to 28 hours of admission. Parental consent was required prior to admission into the study. Of 117 patients offered participation, 110 accepted. Physical findings were noted and in addition the completeness of charting by the admitting physician and the relationship of any cutaneous findings to admitting diagnosis were noted. One hundred five of the 110 patients (95%) had cutaneous findings consisting of either a “rash” or a “congenital lesion.” Fifty-one had more than one cutaneous finding noted on examination. Dermatitis was the most common diagnosis made, followed by pigmented lesions and congenital vascular malformations of all types. In 35 of the 105 patients with a dermatologic diagnosis, the dermatologic diagnosis related directly to the admitting diagnosis. In only 22 of these 35 (63%) was the cutaneous involvement noted by the admitting physician. In 9 of the 110 cases (8%), the findings on dermatologic examination altered the primary diagnosis and/or treatment. Cutaneous findings are very common in the hospitalized pediatric patient. The diagnosis, charting, and treatment of dermatologic conditions by the primary pediatric team were often incomplete, although an expert cutaneous examination can be critical to patient care.
MAPPING FUELS AND FIRE REGIMES USING REMOTE SENSING, ECOSYSTEM SIMULATION, AND GRADIENT MODELING

Maps of fuels and fire regimes are essential for understanding ecological relationships between wildland fire and landscape structure, composition, and function, and for managing wildland fire hazard and risk with an ecosystem perspective. While critical for successful wildland fire management, there are no standard methods for creating these maps, and spatial data representing these important characteristics of wildland fire are lacking in many areas. We present an integrated approach for mapping fuels and fire regimes using extensive field sampling, remote sensing, ecosystem simulation, and biophysical gradient modeling to create predictive landscape maps of fuels and fire regimes. A main objective was to develop a standardized, repeatable system for creating these maps using spatial data describing important landscape gradients along with straightforward statistical methods. We developed a hierarchical approach to stratifying field sampling to ensure that samples represented variability in a wide variety of ecosystem processes. We used existing and derived spatial layers to develop a modeling database within a Geographic Information System that included 38 mapped variables describing gradients of physiography, spectral characteristics, weather, and biogeochemical cycles for a 5830-km 2 study area in north- western Montana. Using general linear models, discriminant analysis, classification and regression trees, and logistic regression, we created maps of fuel load, fuel model, fire interval, and fire severity based on spatial predictive variables and response variables measured in the field. Independently evaluated accuracies ranged from 51 to 80%. Direct gradient modeling improved map accuracy significantly compared to maps based solely on indirect gradients. By focusing efforts on direct as opposed to indirect gradient modeling, our approach is easily adaptable to mapping potential future conditions under a range of possible management actions or climate scenarios. Our methods are an example of a standard yet flexible approach for mapping fuels and fire regimes over broad areas and at multiple scales. The resulting maps provide fine-grained, broad-scale information to spatially assess both ecosystem integrity and the hazards and risks of wildland fire when making decisions about how best to restore forests of the western United States to within historical ranges and variability.
A general kinematical analysis of double slip

Abstract G eneral kinematic solutions for double slip in fcc and bcc crystals are presented which are free from constitutive assumptions: that is, the analysis does not presuppose equal amounts of slipping on equallystressed slip systems, in contrast to the standard solutions (wherein Taylor hardening is implicitly assumed). The axis rotations and limiting positions on a stereographic projection are illustrated for several different slip-system combinations, initial axis positions (none on a symmetry line), and proportional slip ratios in both fcc and bcc crystals. It is suggested that the solutions have particular application to the experimental study of double slip in the tensile test of prestrained crystals.
Experimental potential energy curves for X2Π and 2Σ+ states of HF+

Abstract The photoelectron spectra of HF and DF have been obtained with a cylindrical-mirror analyzer, using the He 584 A and Ne 736 A lines as incident radiation. The four vibrational bands observed corresponding to the 2 Σ + state of HF + , clearly demonstrate that the dissociation energy of HF cannot be significantly less than ca. 5.86 eV and hence that D o (F 2 ) ≈ 1.59 eV. The DF data corroborate the HF results. The data have been ???ated to derive ω e , ω e x e , D e and r e for both X 2 Π and 2 Σ + states of HF + , and an estimate of the 2 Π 3 2  2 Π 1 2 splitting was deduced. These results are discussed in the light of recent ab initio calculations on this system.
SURVEY OF THE PARASITOIDS OF THE TULIPTREE APHID, ILLINOIA LIRIODENDRI (HOM : APHIDIDAE), IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

A survey of the parasitoids ofIllinoia liriodendri (Monell) in northern California conducted from 1988–1990 revealed the presence of 12 primary and 14 hyper-parasitoid species. The most common primary parasitoid wasAphidius polygonaphis (Fitch), which was imported from the eastern United States in the 1970's and is now established throughout the area. New host records were noted forA. ervi Haliday,A. avenaphis (Fitch), Praon occidentale Baker,P. unicum Smith,Diaeretiella rapae M'Intosh,Lysiphlebus testaceipes (Cresson), andMonoctonus nervosus (Haliday) (all Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Aphidiinae), andAphelinus sp. nr.asychis Walker (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae). The most common hyperparasitoid species werePachyneuron aphidis (Bouche) andAsaphes californicus Girault (both Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae). New hyperparasitoid host records were noted forPachyneuron californicum Girault on Aphidiine and Aphelinidae spp. andCoruna clavata Walker (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) onAphelinus sp.
Teachers as Child Advocates: A Continuum of Involvement.

First steps into advocacy must encourage involvement, not intimidate. Instead of struggling with the complexities of advocacy, a simple continuum of advocacy involvement helps ground teachers into roles which are more comfortable and encourages active participation, even by novices. Reinforcing advocacy activity, even at the simplest levels, aids teachers in gaining skill and experience as they move toward advocating for solutions to the more complex problems facing children and families.
Fluid mechanical analysis of injection mold filling

The hydrodynamics of the filling of a rectangular mold cavity by a molten polymer is considered in terms of lubrication theory. Both isothermal and nonisothermal mold filling are analyzed. The relationship of the velocity field to the cavity geometry and temperature dependence of the rheological properties is predicted. Increasing the activation energy of viscous flow increases the tendency for channeling of melt through the center of the cavity. The results are compared to the experimental observations of our previous studies.
Black Settlement Houses and Oppositional Consciousness

Due to the failure of the mainstream American settlement house movement to assist Blacks moving to cities in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a parallel movement was developed by Black femal...
Scanning electron microscopy study of the avalanche multiplication factor

A method is presented for examining the distribution of the multiplication process over the active area of shallow junction avalanche diodes using a scanning electron microscope. The multiplication factor is measured as a function of both diode voltage and electron beam energy, and the results are compared with those obtained by more conventional techniques.
Phosphorylation of acidic ribosomal proteins from rabbit reticulocytes by a ribosome-associated casein kinase

Abstract Two acidic proteins from 80-S ribosomes were isolated and purified to homogeneity. The purified acidic proteins could be phosphorylated by casein kinase using [γ-32P]ATP and [γ-32P]GTP as a phosphoryl donor. The proteins became phosphorylated in situ, too. Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel analysis of the purified acidic proteins and of 80-S particles showed identical phosphoproteins in the 16 000 dalton region.
Anti-interleukin therapy in asthma

Asthma remains one of the most prevalent and costly diseases in the United States. Asthma accounts for a significant amount of direct medical expenditures and indirect cost from days lost at school and work. Modern understanding of its complex pathogenesis has allowed recognition of the heterogeneity of the disease across populations and the various inflammatory pathways that drive airway inflammation in asthma. Interleukins play important roles in both eosinophilic and noneosinophilic asthma, and anti-interleukin therapy will allow for a targeted, personalized approach to asthma management. With the success of anti-interleukin (IL) -4, IL-5, and IL-13 therapy in recent large trials among specific populations of asthmatics, it is likely that targeted anti-interleukin therapy will be approved for use in the near future. It will be important for clinicians and pharmacists to understand their risks, benefits, and proper indications.
Increased ventriculostomy infection rate with use of intraventricular tissue plasminogen activator: A single-center observation

Abstract Objective Intraventricular tissue plasminogen activator (alteplase) has been advocated for prevention of vasospasm in aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage and treatment of traumatic or spontaneous intraventricular hemorrhage. External ventricular drain (EVD) insertion is often performed to manage increased intracranial pressure and hydrocephalus associated with these disease states. EVD-related ventriculitis is a serious infection with an up to 50% mortality rate. Methods We assessed the EVD infection rate in patients receiving intraventricular alteplase over a 12-month period. Patients were divided into intraventricular alteplase and non-intraventricular alteplase groups; ventriculitis rates were compared. Results EVDs were placed in 93 patients. Six of 7 (86%) patients who received intraventricular alteplase developed ventriculitis versus 4 of 86 (5%) patients in the non-intraventricular alteplase group (p Conclusion Intraventricular alteplase use may increase ventriculitis risk. Currently, we reserve intraventricular alteplase for patients with EVDs obstructed by hematoma accompanied by increased intracranial pressure.
TRAP binding to the Bacillus subtilis trp leader region RNA causes efficient transcription termination at a weak intrinsic terminator

The Bacillus subtilis trpEDCFBA operon is regulated by a transcription attenuation mechanism controlled by the trp RNA-binding attenuation protein (TRAP). TRAP binds to 11 (G/U)AG repeats in the trp leader transcript and prevents formation of an antiterminator, which allows formation of an intrinsic terminator (attenuator). Previously, formation of the attenuator RNA structure was believed to be solely responsible for signaling RNA polymerase (RNAP) to halt transcription. However, base substitutions that prevent formation of the antiterminator, and thus allow the attenuator structure to form constitutively, do not result in efficient transcription termination. The observation that the attenuator requires the presence of TRAP bound to the nascent RNA to cause efficient transcription termination suggests TRAP has an additional role in causing termination at the attenuator. We show that the trp attenuator is a weak intrinsic terminator due to low GC content of the hairpin stem and interruptions in the U-stretch following the hairpin. We also provide evidence that termination at the trp attenuator requires forward translocation of RNA polymerase and that TRAP binding to the nascent transcript can induce this activity.
Neuronal oscillations and speech perception: critical-band temporal envelopes are the essence

A RECENT OPINION ARTICLE (NEURAL OSCILLATIONS IN SPEECH: do not be enslaved by the envelope. Obleser et al., 2012) questions the validity of a class of speech perception models inspired by the possible role of neuronal oscillations in decoding speech (e.g., Ghitza, 2011; Giraud and Poeppel, 2012). The authors criticize, in particular, what they see as an over-emphasis of the role of temporal speech envelope information, and an over-emphasis of entrainment to the input rhythm while neglecting the role of top-down processes in modulating the entrainment of neuronal oscillations. Here we respond to these arguments, referring to the phenomenological model of Ghitza (2011), taken as a representative of the criticized approach.
The effects of varying lower-lip displacement on upper-lip movements: implications for the coordination of speech movements.

Upper-lip and lower-lip movements were transduced in the inferior-superior dimension in five normal-speaking subjects during four tasks. In task 1 visual feedback was used to manipulate the maximum...
Health Perceptions As Predictors of Exercise Adherence in Older Women

Purpose : To determine if health perceptions, measured by SF-36 subscales, could identify women more likely to adhere to exercise, particularly during exercise adoption and maintenance phases. Design and Methods: Subjects (Age = 67 ± 5 yr, BMI = 24.4 ± 3 kg/m2) were 189 estrogen-taking, postmenopausal women in a 2-year home-based resistance-training program. Results : Vitality, role-emotional, bodily pain, social functioning, and mental health subscales of the SF-36 were significantly (p<.05) predictive of exercise adoption. Vitality, role-emotional, general health, and bodily pain subscales were significantly (p<.05) predictive of exercise maintenance. Implications: Women who perceived themselves as having more energy, fewer emotional problems, less pain, fewer social problems, less feelings of nervousness and depression were more likely to start exercising. Women who perceived themselves as having more energy, fewer emotional problems, excellent health, less pain were more likely to continue exercising....
KM and the enterprise of the future

Purpose – This aim of this paper is to discuss knowledge management's (KM) long‐term relationship and support of the enterprise of the future over the next ten to 15 years.Design/methodology/approach – Several topic areas are identified in knowledge management that can provide important support to the enterprise of the future's productivity and growth goals.Findings – Advances in the areas of raising the value of work, advancing workplace/workspace performance, reducing and streamlining work complexity, and early detection of emerging market changes/disruptions are identified as being among some of the leading future KM capabilities needed by future enterprises.Originality/value – The paper contains useful information on directions for development of future KM capabilities.
GFP: trip to the light fantastic

The emergence and exploitation of green fluorescent protein (GFP) has redefined our approach to, and our understanding of, development, homeostasis and disease progression. The utility of fluorescent proteins like GFP has revolutionized experimental approaches in biological research, advancing what
Optical properties of solid CO2: Application to Mars

Using a special low-temperature cell, thick layers of solid CO2 are grown on an infrared-transparent window. The transmission spectra of solid CO2 is measured from 4000 to 360 kaysers (2.5-27.8 microns). The complex index of refraction is derived for samples of different thicknesses. Scattering in the samples is the major source of error. Away from the major absorption bands the imaginary index is very low. The absorption coefficient is of the order of 1 kayser. The emissivity in the Viking IRTM 20-micron band of a solid surface of CO2 is estimated at 0.72 + 0.17 or -0.10. Snowlike deposits have similar or lower emissivity. The results of this paper relieve the need for exceptional meteorology to explain Martian brightness temperatures below the CO2 frost point.
Generalized confocal imaging and synthetic aperture imaging

Synthetic aperture imaging is treated as a confocal process. The point-spread function of the synthetic aperture process is narrower than that of conventional imaging by a factor of 0.5, whereas the conventional confocal process offers resolution improvement of a factor of 0.72. The resolution in the regime between conventional confocal and conventional synthetic aperture is explored by computer simulation. Also, experimental results are given.
Post Walrasian and Post Marxian Economics

It is widely believed that the failure of the socialist experiment should have had a devastating effect on radical economics. Yet radical economics is not only alive and well, but flourishing. Years before the official demise of Marxist-socialism, they had broadened their critique of standard economics well beyond the received Marxist literature. Indeed, their arguments offered striking parallels with the mainstream critiques of Walrasian economics provided by the newly developing strand of thought I shall refer to as "information economics." In Walrasian economics, information is free. Moreover, there are no costs associated either with making or enforcing contracts. But with imperfect and costly information and incomplete risk markets, the field of information economics has established that: 1) in general, markets are not (constrained) Pareto efficient; 2) markets may not clear; 3) markets may not exist, or when they exist, may be thin; 4) rents are pervasive, and indeed, reputation rents are necessary to ensure that high-quality products get produced, that workers do not shirk, and so on; 5) even when there are many participants in a market, competition may be highly imperfect; and 6) the distribution of income matters for economic efficiency.
Trace cache miss tolerance for deeply pipelined superscalar processors

The trace cache is a technique that provides accurate, high bandwidth instruction fetch. However, when a desired instruction trace is not found in the cache, conventional instruction fetch and decode must be used to satisfy the trace request. Such auxiliary fetch hardware can be expensive in terms of energy, area and complexity. An approach to combine a trace cache and conventional instruction fetch hardware using a decoupled design is explored. The design enables the processor to dynamically switch between trace ID and PC-based prediction methods and helps to hide the latency associated with the instruction memory path. The decoupled design with accelerated slow path instruction delivery and no instruction cache is able to provide comparable benefit to a front-end with an 8 kB instruction cache (within 2% of the instructions per cycle with the cache). High tolerance can be demonstrated for both trace table misses and increased memory latency when scaling down the size of the trace table and scaling up the L2 access latency.
Efficient 2D Bayesian Inversion of Borehole Resistivity Measurements

Summary Assessment of uncertainty of borehole resistivity measurements is important to quantify the accuracy of hydrocarbon reserves and production forecasts. We develop an efficient Bayesian inversion method for the quantitative interpretation of general borehole resistivity measurements. It enables the estimation of resistivity properties together with their uncertainties in conjunction with arbitrary sets of a priori information about the measurements and/or the unknowns. The inversion method can process either raw voltage measurements (raw electrical conductivities) or apparent resistivities acquired with induction or laterolog instruments. Two field cases of application verify the accuracy and stability of the new Bayesian inversion method.
Serum esterase diversity in mice of the genus Peromyscus.

Abstract 1. Electrophoretic separation of serum esterases of approximately 1500 mice of the genus Peromyscus revealed polymorphisms in all populations of the seven species sampled. 2. In P. maniculatus a limited number of major serum esterases were observed and mating data indicate each of these single components are determined by alleles at independent loci. 3. In P. boylei complex patterns of multiple esterases were observed suggesting isomeric esterase structure such that changes of multiple bands are related to single allelic differences. 4. Limited samples from five additional species of the genus are compared to the contrasting esterase patterns of P. maniculatus and P. boylei . 5. A number of questions regarding the form and function of these proteins are raised due to their observed diversity within this single genus.
On the latency and nature of phenoloxidase present in the left colleterial gland of the cockroach Periplaneta americana.

The phenoloxidase system responsible for the sclerotization of cockroach ootheca is found to be present as an inactive form in the left colleterial gland of Periplaneta americana. The supernatant fraction obtained by centrifugation of the milky white secretions contained the inactive phenoloxidase which required both sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and the insolubel sediment for exhibiting enzyme activity. Bovine serum albumin could replace the sediment in the activation process. Proteins separated from the supernatant fraction by molecular sieve chromatography on Sephadex G-25 did not require either albumin or the sediment, but required SDS for exhibiting the phenoloxidase activity. Among the detergents tested, SDS (anionic) and cetylpyridinium chloride (cationic) activated the phenoloxidase, but CHAPS (zwitterionic) or nonionic detergents failed to activate the enzyme. The activation caused by SDS occurred well below the critical micellar concentration of SDS indicating that SDS is causing the activation by binding to the protein and altering its conformation. Chloroform-methanol extracts of vestibulum or right gland could replace SDS confirming the presence of endogenous activator(s) of phenoloxidase system. A variety of exogenously added lipids could activate the latent enzyme, among which linoleate, oleate, laurate, linolenate, phosphatidylethanolamine, and phosphatidylglycerol proved to be the effective activators of the latent phenoloxidase. Partially purified phenoloxidase was found to be extremely labile and lost its activity on (a) freezing and thawing, (b) dialysis, and (c) heating for 10 min at 55°C. It exhibited a pH optimum of 7 and was inhibited drastically by phenylthiourea and diethyldithiocarbamate. It readily oxidized a number of o-diphenols such as 3,4-dihydroxybenzylalcohol, 3,4-dihydroxyphenethyl alcohol, catechol, N-acetyldopamine, N-acetylnorepinephrine, dopa, dopamine, etc., but failed to oxidize both 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid and 3,4-dihydroxybenzaldehyde. It neither converted the typical laccase substrate syringaldazine to its quinone methide product, nor oxidized the p-diphenols, hydroquinone and methylhydroquinone. Therefore, the enzyme participating in the quinone tanning of cockroach ootheca appears to be a typical o-diphenol oxidase and not a laccase as previously thought.
HISTOCOMPATIBILITY STUDIES IN A CLOSELY BRED COLONY OF DOGS : II. INFLUENCE OF THE DL-A SYSTEM OF CANINE HISTOCOMPATIBILITY UPON THE SURVIVAL OF CARDIAC ALLOGRAFTS

The DL-A system of histocompatibility plays an important role in conditioning the survival of cardiac allografts in the unmodified canine host. The mean survival time of six cardiac allografts performed in DL-A-compatible littermate dogs obtained from a closely bred colony of beagles was 53.2 days, while the MST of transplants performed in seven DL-A-incompatible animals was 7.3 days. The MST of cardiac allografts performed in nine DL-A-compatible nonlittermate beagles was 26.3 days, as compared with 6.3 days in six DL-A-incompatible nonlittermate transplants. The results did not appear to be affected by Swisher erythrocyte-group incompatibilities. The MST of 28 cardiac allografts performed in randomly selected mongrel dogs was 10.0 days. Incompatibilities for DL-A antigens e, f, g, l, and m may constitute major barriers to transplantation, but antigens b, c, d, and k appeared to act as weak histocompatibility antigens. Under controlled conditions of donor-recipient DL-A compatibility, cardiac allografts may be less immunogenic than renal transplants. Heart transplants performed across major donor-recipient DL-A incompatibilities appeared, however, to be more vulnerable to the events of allograft rejection than renal allografts performed under similar conditions. The selection of optimally compatible donor-recipient combinations for organ transplantation may be aided materially by genetic studies of the transmission of DL-A antigens to the animals under consideration.
Effects of xenobiotics on milk secretion and composition

Abstract The effect of xenobiotics on milk secretion and composition has received limited systematic study. This review highlights current understanding of the mechanisms and regulation of milk secretion and indicates potential sites of xenobiotic perturbation. Major emphasis includes review of the cellular architecture and biochemical mechanisms of the differentiated mammary alveolar cell in relation to secretion of lipid, lactose, milk proteins, electrolytes, trace elements, host defense systems, vitamins, hormones, growth factors, and antioxidant enzyme systems. The regulation of milk secretion by oxytocin, prolactin, steroid hormones, and thyroxine is reviewed in the context of potential or known modulation by xenobiotics. Lastly, the impact of xenobiotic-induced changes in nutrient delivery to the mammary gland from altered mammary blood flow or malnutrition are considered. This review also summarizes the limited current knowledge of the impact of selected xenobiotics of environmental concern on milk secretion and composition. Attention is directed to alcohol, polychlorinated biphenyls, phthalate plasticizers, pharmacologic agents, tumor promotors, insecticides, heavy metals, and vitamins. The critical need for additional research is addressed, with proposals for epidemiologic studies in the human population and further development of animal and tissue culture models for mechanistic investigations.
Enumeration of chiral and achiral edge and face substitutions of buckminsterfullerene

The edge and face groups of the buckminsterfullerene cluster are formulated. The generalized character cycle indices of all the irreducible representations of both edge and face groups are obtained. The generating functions computed from these groups yield the chiral and achiral isomers, and mappings that transform according to the specified irreducible representation for edge and face colorings of buckminsterfullerene.
The role of organic matter in association with zinc in selected arable soils from Kujawy Region, Poland

Abstract A study was conducted to investigate the role of organic matter in association with zinc in agricultural soils of Kujawy region. Surface and subsurface soils were collected. Zinc bound to soil organic matter was extracted with 0.1 M K4P2O7 at pH=10. The total amount of zinc for the majority of samples was higher than the geochemical values of Zn, due to agricultural soil management including application of fertilizer, manure and plant protection chemicals. The amount of zinc in organic form did not exceed 14.6% of total metal in any of the soils that were tested. Correlation analysis demonstrated that organically bound Zn is related to pH and soil organic matter content.
Pointwise convergence of nonconventional averages

We answer a question of H. Furstenberg on the pointwise convergence of the averages 1 N N n=1 U n (f ¢ R n (g)); where U and R are positive operators. We also study the pointwise convergence of the averages 1 N N n=1 f(S n x)g(R n x)
The Ultimate Basis of the Caching Preferences of Rodents, and the Oak-Dispersal Syndrome: Tannins, Insects, and Seed Germination

SYNOPSIS. We have shown that eastern gray squirrels and other animals consistently prefer to store intact acorns from the red oak group rather than those from the white oak group. We hypothesized that the ultimate advantage to this behavior comes from the dormancy of red oak acorns. Acorns of the white oak group germinate early in the autumn; thus, we hypothesize that avoiding germination is the primary selective advantage to the preference for caching red oak acorns. Here, we test two alternative hypotheses to explain the benefits of this caching preference: 1) storing red oak acorns allows the high tannin concentrations in red oak acorns to decline (making them more palatable), and 2) storing red oak acorns minimizes losses to insects, presuming they are less infested with insects. We also test the effect of germination schedule on squirrel caching preferences directly, by presenting them with dormant red oak acorns, and red oak acorns about to germinate. We find no evidence that tannin concentrations in red oak acorns decline, although tannin levels did decline in our white oak acorns. We found high losses to insect infestations in one white oak species, but a second white oak species lost very little mass to insects. Finally, we found that germination schedule directly affects squirrel caching preferences: red oak acorns that are near germination are treated like white oak acorns. We conclude that the primary advantage to the preference for caching red oak acorns is that they are less perishable, due to their dormancy. We discuss the effects of this preference on the dispersal of red and white oak acorns, and the subsequent effects of differential dispersal on the ecology and evolution of oaks.
Natural attenuation with varying degrees of aquifer heterogeneity: Implications for groundwater monitoring

This study evaluated the effect of heterogeneity in hydraulic conductivity on the tendency for contaminant plumes to attenuate via dilution, hydrodynamic dispersion, and molecular diffusion in simulated aquifers. Simulations included one homogeneous and four increasingly heterogeneous hydraulic conductivity fields. A numerical mass transport model generated an initial contaminant plume for each case; all initial plumes had the same mass. Next, the model simulated plume migrations through the simulated aquifers. Results suggest that highly heterogeneous settings are potentially effective at plume attenuation. Low-velocity zones in heterogeneous settings delay plume travel, enabling more time for natural processes to lower contaminant concentrations in groundwater. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Recent advances in digital-domain background calibration techniques for multistep analog-to-digital converters

An overview of the recent advances in digital-domain linearity enhancement techniques for multistep analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) is presented. Leveraging on increasingly more abundant on-chip processing, a built-in digital adaptability arises as the common denominator underlying most of these approaches. A multitude of the techniques are analyzed in this paper with the associated complexity, limitations, and potentials pointed out. The brief review serves as a stepping-stone for (and entails) more advanced studies in this booming field.
Modification of the effects of 5-methoxy- N , N -dimethyltryptamine on exploratory behavior in rats by monoamine oxidase inhibitors

Rationale The hallucinogenic tea known as ayahuasca is made from a combination of psychoactive plants that contribute the active components N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) and 5-methoxy-DMT (5-MeO-DMT), as well as the monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors (MAOIs) harmine and harmaline for oral activity.
Prevalence and long-term prognosis of patients with complete bundle branch block (right or left bundle branch) with normal left ventricular ejection fraction referred for stress echocardiography.

Background The prognostic value of stress echocardiography (SE) in patients with complete bundle branch blocks (BBB) with normal left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) has not been well described. We sought to determine the prognostic value of SE in patients with BBB and normal LVEF. Methods We analyzed 7214 patients (58 ± 14 years; 57% female) with a mean follow-up time of 9 ± 4 years. Dobutamine SE was performed in 51% of patients and exercise SE was performed in 49%. All-cause mortality data were obtained from the Social Security Death Index. Results There were 222 (3%) patients with right bundle branch block (RBBB) and 50 (0.7%) patients with left bundle branch block (LBBB). Patients with LBBB were 3 times more likely to have an abnormal stress test after adjusting for age, gender, mode of stress test, and coronary artery disease risk factors (OR = 3.3; 95% CI: 1.86–5.92; P < 0.001). The mortality rates were 4.5%/year for patients with LBBB, 2.5%/year for patients with RBBB, and 1.9%/year for patients without BBB (P < 0.001). Among patients with a normal SE, those with LBBB had similar mortality to those without LBBB (HR = 0.9; 95% CI: 0.4–2.2; P = 0.8). Patients with LBBB and abnormal SE had more than 2 times greater risk of all-cause mortality (HR = 2.4; 95% CI: 1.4–4.2; P = 0.002). Conclusion A normal stress echocardiogram in LBBB is associated with benign prognosis while those with LBBB and abnormal SE have the worst outcomes.