cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Spatial Modeling of Agricultural Markets

Spatial heterogeneity is the presence of structural instability over space, producing systematic parameter variation or differential response functions as we move through the spatial sample of data observations. Past econometric approaches to this problem have involved random coefficient models, spatial adaptive filtering, spatial expansion, and switching regression methods (Anselin). Despite the fact that agricultural production takes place in the spatial plane, the spatial dimension of agricultural economic models has not been subjected to formal spatial econometric methods. A fair amount of attention has been paid to spatial orientation issues in agricultural studies of crop yields, where spatial statistical tools have been used to facilitate experimental design of crop yield studies (see, for example, Brewer and Mead). Econometric methods that deal with spatial heterogeneity would seem to have a great deal of intuitive appeal in econometric analysis of agricultural economic relationships. The present study examines the structural stability over time and space of simple economic relations between spatial output of tobacco, acreage harvested, past season prices, and climatic variables, finding evidence of systematic parameter variation over time and space. This type of variation should come as no surprise, given the inherently spatial nature of agricultural production and forces such as weather, regional market influences, regional production similarities, and soil conditions, which are all likely to produce spatial variation. In order to model such spatial variation, a Bayesian multiprocess mixture approach is used to 'mix' parameter distributions from spatially related areas. The intuition behind this is that
The Gordon syndrome: Autosomal dominant cleft palate, camptodactyly, and club feet

The triad of a camptodactyly, club feet, and cleft palate, called the Gordon syndrome, is a rare autosomal dominant trait with variable expressivity, known from only three previously described families. Here we report the condition in a mother and her daughter. They also had several previously undescribed anomalies, which suggests that the Gordon syndrome is a more complex malformation syndrome than previously suspected.
Almost Split Sequences for Comodules

Abstract Let Γ be a coalgebra over a field k. We introduce an operator Tr that takes a right quasi-finitely copresented Γ-comodule M to a left quasi-finitely copresented Γ-comodule Tr M. If M is indecomposable not injective and Tr M is finite-dimensional over k, we prove the existence of an almost split sequence 0 → M → E → DTr M → 0 in the category of all right Γ-comodules, where D = Homk( , k). If Γ is right semiperfect and the embedding of each simple right comodule S into its injective envelope I(S) has the property that the socle of I(S)/S is finite-dimensional, the above almost split sequence exists for each finite-dimensional M, and DTr M is also finite-dimensional.
Cults, New Religions, and the Spiritual Landscape: A Review of Four Collections

Four recent edited collections on new religions inspired this essay. As a group, the books are complementary to one another and relatively cohesive, summarizing recent research on new religious movements and offering clues for more directions for theory and research. They also raise a number of questions about the field and its future. The collections vary slightly in their foci, and each would be useful in undergraduate classes on religious movements in the United States, social movements, or the sociology of religion. In Cults and New Religious Movements, Dawson suggests that the sociological study of new religious movements has come of age, and this collection sometimes presents opposing views on topics such as controversies on brainwashing. James R. Lewis's Oxford Handbook of New Religious Movements also includes core chapters on issues that have received the most sociological attention and pages in print over the past three decades. Lewis adds a specific emphasis on modernization and new technologies as they relate to cults. Lucas and Robbins's New Religious Movements in the 21st Century considers many of the same 20th century issues as the collections noted above, but adds an international element, with interesting chapters on globalization, Islamic sects, and developing nations. Only Davis and Hankins's New Religious Movements and Religious Liberty in America offers a unified thematic focus, examining controversial movements and their detractors over the past 200 years. These collections draw together chapters representing established research on new religions and much of the middle range theory currently grounding the field. All of the editors attempt to present major debates and areas of agreement about cults. It is also the case, however, that these books provide rather narrow interpretations of the sociology of new religious movements.
Automation and management of scientific workflows in distributed network environments

Large-scale computation-intensive applications in various science fields feature complex DAG-structured workflows comprised of distributed computing modules with intricate inter-module dependencies. Supporting such workflows in heterogeneous network environments and optimizing their end-to-end performance are crucial to the success of large-scale collaborative scientific applications. We design and develop a generic Scientific Workflow Automation and Management Platform (SWAMP), which contains a set of easy-to-use computing and networking toolkits for application scientists to conveniently assemble, execute, monitor, and control complex computing workflows in distributed network environments. The current version of SWAMP integrates the graphical user interface of Kepler to compose abstract workflows and employs Condor DAGMan for workflow dispatch and execution. SWAMP provides a web-based user interface to automate and manage workflow executions and uses a special workflow mapper to optimize the end-to-end workflow performance. A case study of the workflow for Spallation Neutron Source datasets in real networks is presented to show the efficacy of the proposed platform.
What is unconventional oil and how does it impact oil resources evaluation and ultimately oil prices

Unconventional oil resources have become a real game changer over the last few years. As a result, the overall oil industry here in the USA and elsewhere has been completely rejuvenated. This paper presents a coherent definition of unconventional oil resources and their relation to conventional oil. Unconventional oil production costs are much higher than the corresponding costs for similar grade conventional oil. However, this difference in production costs is not reflected in the price of oil, which is unsustainable. Standards for linking unconventional oil resources to oil prices are discussed in this paper, and outlined the rational distinction between conventional and unconventional oil.
General clipping on an oblique viewing frustrum

An algorithm is presented which clips on a non-rotated viewport positioned anywhere on the viewport plane relative to the viewing vector. This is a generalization of the traditional three-dimensional clipping algorithm in which the viewing vector intersects the viewport at its center. This traditional algorithm is shown to be a special case of the general algorithm. Also shown is that both orthogonal box clipping and perspective pyramid clipping can be accomplished using the same algorithm with only a slight increase in complexity. Finally, the ability to perform switch-controlled hither and yon plane clipping is described. It should be noted that with this general clipping algorithm no separate clipping operation is required for two-dimensional operations since they can be handled as an orthogonal projection from an arbitrary default Z-plane onto the viewport plane.
338 THE ADHESION OF STREPTOCOCCUS PNEUMONIAE TO HUMAN EPITHELIAL CELLS

The adhesion of 32 Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates to human nasopharyngeal and buccal epithelial cells was investigated. Four strains, showing over 200 bacteria per nasopharyngeal cell were classified as highly adherent. Comparable results were obtained with buccal epithelial cells. The pneumococcal adhesin was shown to be proteinaceous. A novel adhesion assay was developed using epithelial cells immobilized in ELISA plates. This method enabled us to screen large numbers of isolates.
Expression of the Artemia trachealess gene in the salt gland and epipod.

SUMMARY The Drosophila trachealess gene encodes a basic-helix-loop-helix-PAS transcription factor that controls the formation of the trachea and salivary duct. An ortholog of trachealess was identified in the brine shrimp, Artemia franciscana, and was shown to be highly conserved by sequence identity. Expression of Artemia trachealess was observed at two sites during development: the naupliar salt gland and the juvenile thoracic epipod. These two organs function at their respective times of development in osmoregulation, an important aspect of brine shrimp physiology. This extends the range of putative functions of trachealess to include formation of osmoregulatory, respiratory, and ductile organs.
Unilateral Atelectasis in Asthma

Complete atelectasis of the right lung occurred in a 19-year-old man, with a protracted history of asthma. In addition to hydration, antimicrobials, intermittent positive pressure breathing, chest percussion, and bronchodilators, the patient had bronchoscopy on four occasions during the hospitalization, with progressive improvement. The early and repeated use of bronchoscopy, in addition to appropriate medical treatment, facilitated the clinical course of massive atelectasis occurring with asthma and was largely responsible for the reversibility of the lesion.
Both handwriting speed and selective attention are important to lecture note-taking

The primary purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the relationship of handwriting speed, fine motor fluency, speed of verbal access, language comprehension, working memory, and attention (executive control; selective) to note-taking and all of the aforementioned variables to test performance (written recall). A second purpose was to determine whether one or both of the hypothesized components of handwriting speed (as based in the children’s literature), fine motor speed or speed access to verbal codes (SAVCs), are responsible for the relationship of handwriting speed to notes. Results indicated that handwriting speed and selective attention were the only variables significantly related to notes and note-taking skill was the only variable that was significantly related to test performance. In a secondary analysis, we tested whether fine motor fluency and SAVC were related to handwriting speed. Handwriting speed was regressed on all of the other independent variables. Only fine motor fluency and SAVC were related to handwriting speed. The implications of these results for conceptualizations of note-taking and handwriting speed are discussed.
Pulsed Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Experiments Identify the Paramagnetic Intermediates in the Pyruvate Ferredoxin Oxidoreductase Catalytic Cycle

Pyruvate ferredoxin oxidoreductase (PFOR) is central to the anaerobic metabolism of many bacteria and amitochondriate eukaryotes. PFOR contains thiamine pyrophosphate (TPP) and three [4Fe−4S] clusters, which link pyruvate oxidation to reduction of ferredoxin. In the PFOR reaction, TPP reacts with pyruvate to form lactyl-TPP, which undergoes decarboxylation to form a hydroxyethyl-TPP (HE-TPP) intermediate. One electron is then transferred from HE-TPP to one of the three [4Fe−4S] clusters to form an HE-TPP radical and a [4Fe−4S]1+ intermediate. Pulsed EPR methods have been used to measure the distance between the HE-TPP radical and the [4Fe−4S]1+ cluster to which it is coupled. Computational analysis including the PFOR crystal structure and the spin distribution in the HE-TPP radical and in the reduced [4Fe−4S] cluster demonstrates that the distance between the HE-TPP radical and the medial cluster B matches the experimentally determined dipolar interaction, while one of the other two clusters is too close ...
Pollen Abortion in T Cytoplasmic Male-Sterile Corn (Zea mays): A Suggested Mechanism

A rapid replication of mitochondria (20- to 40-fold increase) occurs between the precallose and tetrad stages in the tapetum of N and T corn (Zea mays) anthers, followed by mitochondrial, tapetal, and pollen breakdown in T anthers. It is suggested that the altered DNA in T mitochondria may malfunction under these stress conditions.
III. ‘Humanity Sold for Sugar!’ The British Abolitionist Response to Free Trade in Slave-grown Sugar

Prior to 1944, the interpretation of the British anti-slavery movement was dominated by the ‘humanitarian’ ideas of the school of imperial historians centred round the great Sir Reginald Coupland. The turning point in slave trade and slavery studies came with the publication of Eric Williams' Capitalism and Slavery, significantly enough published at Chapel Hill—it would be interesting to find out whether the manuscript had previously been submitted to any English firms. In his bibliography, Williams remarked of Coupland that he ‘represents the sentimental conception of history; his works help us to understand what the anti-slavery movement was not’. But the attack went much further than personalities. Capitalism and Slavery included evidence which stood the more traditional interpretation on its head, while its conclusions rejected the simple moral motivation which had previously been picked out as the main factor behind the abolition of the slave trade and slavery. The whole thesis of Williams' book was that while the moral awakening of which Coupland and his followers had written may have genuinely affected the behaviour of individual supporters of abolition, the root cause of the abandonment of the slave trade and later of West Indian slavery was a change in the balance of economic pressure groups. Building on the work of Lowell Joseph Ragatz, Williams suggested that the anti-slavery movement was a group response of the middle class, to a decline in the relative power of the West India interest on the one hand, and a change in the needs of the increasingly industrialized society in which they lived on the other.
Power analysis in dermatohistopathology

Magnification of histologic and ultrastructural photoimages is frequently misrepresented in published reports. "Power," P , the usual mode of representation of magnification, is defined as the ratio of the distance between two points on the photoimage to that between the same two points on the original specimen, but is idiomatically denoted as xP rather than the mathematically correct xP 2 in common usage. In this publication, the definitions of "power" and "area magnification," the relationship between "original magnification," "resolving power," and "empty magnification," sources of error that may be introduced during processing of papers for publication, and the relationship between magnification and perception are delineated. Practical suggestions, arising from this discussion, for expression of magnifications when publishing photoimages and for dealing with projected photoimages are provided.
4D electron microscopy: principles and applications.

The transmission electron microscope (TEM) is a powerful tool enabling the visualization of atoms with length scales smaller than the Bohr radius at a factor of only 20 larger than the relativistic electron wavelength of 2.5 pm at 200 keV. The ability to visualize matter at these scales in a TEM is largely due to the efforts made in correcting for the imperfections in the lens systems which introduce aberrations and ultimately limit the achievable spatial resolution. In addition to the progress made in increasing the spatial resolution, the TEM has become an all-in-one characterization tool. Indeed, most of the properties of a material can be directly mapped in the TEM, including the composition, structure, bonding, morphology, and defects. The scope of applications spans essentially all of the physical sciences and includes biology.Until recently, however, high resolution visualization of structural changes occurring on sub-millisecond time scales was not possible. In order to reach the ultrashort tempor...
Role of eddy conductivity in thermal transport

Interest in the course of chemical reactions in turbulent flow has made desirable detailed knowledge of the temperature distribution in flowing streams. One method of predicting the temperature distribution under a variety of conditions is reviewed here, the approach being limited to conditions of local uniform transport of momentum. A discussion of some of the aspects of eddy conductivity is included along with a brief review of the velocity distribution in uniform flow. The results serve to illustrate the relation of microscopic conditions of flow to the temperature distribution in a turbulently flowing stream. The importance of the molecular Prandtl number upon the transfer process is stressed.
The Transport Numbers of the Ions in Solutions of Silver Dodecyl Sulphate

The electrical conductivities of a number of metallic long-chain alkyl sulphates have been measured at different temperatures (Lottermoser and Piischell 1933; Howell and Robinson 1936). The curve for each salt at each temperature consists of three distinct ranges.
An economic analysis of a safe resident handling program in nursing homes.

Background Occupational injuries, especially back problems related to resident handling, are common in nursing home employees and their prevention may require substantial up-front investment. This study evaluated the economics of a safe resident handling program (SRHP), in a large chain of skilled nursing facilities, from the corporation's perspective. Methods The company provided data on program costs, compensation claims, and turnover rates (2003–2009). Workers' compensation and turnover costs before and after the intervention were compared against investment costs using the “net-cost model.” Results Among 110 centers, the overall benefit-to-cost ratio was 1.7–3.09 and the payback period was 1.98–1.06 year (using alternative turnover cost estimates). The average annualized net savings per bed for the 110 centers (using company based turnover cost estimates) was $143, with a 95% confidence interval of $22–$264. This was very similar to the average annualized net savings per full time equivalent (FTE) staff member, which was $165 (95% confidence interval $22–$308). However, at 49 centers costs exceeded benefits. Conclusions Decreased costs of worker injury compensation claims and turnover appear at least partially attributable to the SRHP. Future research should examine center-specific factors that enhance program success, and improve measures of turnover costs and healthcare productivity. Am. J. Ind. Med. 56:469–478, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Crystallization from a strained melt or solution

The elongation and orientation of randomly coiled macromolecules in a strained melt or solution reduces their entropy and thus increases the crystallization or melting temperature of the ideal lattice. At any given temperature of experiment this enhances nucleation and crystal growth rate. As a rule, linear primary nuclei are formed. They contain more or less extended chains. The existence of row nuclei reduces the local gradient in the liquid to such an extent that further crystallization proceeds by epitaxial overgrowth of folded chain lamellae. Densely packed cylindrites are formed with the ribbon-like lamellae radiating from the central row nucleus. The irregular shish-kebab structure observed in stirred or sonicated solutions seems to be formed by subsequent exial deformation of cylindrites in the flow field. It displaces the lamellae irregularly and thus produces a great many microfibrillar elements parallel to the original row nuclei. The almost completely extended chains in the shish yield a high elastic modulus and tensile strength for exial loading. The shish-kebab morphology in fibers as spun does not affect to a great extent the mechanical properties obtainable by subsequent drawing. The lamellae are transformed into microfibrils in very much the same manner as in spherulitic samples. But the highly regular orientation of lamellae seems to result in a more uniform drawing and hence a stronger fiber. In an extremely high temperature and pressure gradient, the melt extrusion produces hard elastomers where the lamellae of the cylindrites seem to be locally stapled. Upon application of tensile load in the extrusion direction, the intervening sections bend like beams, thus forming thin holes extending in the direction perpendicular to the load. The holes enormously enhance the permeability for gases and liquids. The elastic bending of lamellae yields the high recoverable strain and low tensile modulus.
The photolytic degradation and oxidation of organic compounds under simulated Martian conditions

Cosmochemical considerations suggest various potential sources for the accumulation of organic matter on Mars. However the Viking Molecular Analysis did not indicate any indigenous organic compounds on the surface of Mars. Their disappearance from the top layer is most likely caused by the combined action of the high solar radiation flux and various oxidizing species in the Martian atmosphere and regolith. In this study the stability of several organic substances and a sample of the Murchison meteorite was tested under simulated Martian conditions. After adsorption on powdered quartz, samples of adenine, glycine and naphthalene were irradiated with UV light at various oxygen concentrations and exposure times. In the absence of oxygen, adenine and glycine appeared stable over the given irradiation period, whereas a definite loss was observed in the case of naphthalene, as well as in the volatilizable and pyrozable content of the Murchison meteorite. The presence of oxygen during UV exposure caused a significant increase in the degradation rate of all samples. It is likely that similar processes have led to the destruction of organic materials on the surface of Mars.
Structure and Chemistry of Yttria-Stabilized Cubic-Zirconia Symmetric Tilt Grain Boundaries

The atomic structures of two symmetric [001] tilt grain boundaries in yttria-stabilized cubic-zirconia, Σ5 (310) and near-Σ13 (510), are studied by Z-contrast scanning transmission electron microscopy. Both boundaries are composed of periodic arrays of highly symmetric structural units, with a distinct unit for each boundary. Oxygen K-edge electron energy-loss spectra show that the oxygen coordination is similar between the bulk and grain boundary, indicating that oxygen ions within the grain boundary reside in distorted tetrahedral sites. Atomic models of the grain boundaries are proposed that are consistent with the experimental data. The core structures are different from previously studied metal or oxide grain boundaries and are unique to the fluorite structure. Yttrium segregation to the grain boundaries is also investigated by electron energy-loss spectroscopy. Yttrium is found to segregate preferentially to the Σ5 grain boundary, and the spatial distribution of the segregation layer is confined to within 1 nm of the boundary plane.
Constructing Surface Roughness of Silver for Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering by Self-Assembled Monolayers and Selective Etching Process

A new approach has been developed to roughen silver plates or foils for surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). An aqueous solution consisting of potassium ferricyanide(III) and potassium thiocyanate was used as an etchant, which could selectively remove the unoccupied sites of the underlying silver. The resulting substrate was found to have a signal-enhancing effect for Raman scattering comparable to that produced by the oxidation-reduction cycle (ORC) technique. The etching time required to achieve optimal enhancement was very sensitive to the structure of adsorbed molecules in static etching. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) allowed the characterization of surface roughness of the substrate. A step-by-step etching mechanism was revealed by the SEM images obtained from the substrate plates after different lengths of etching time, and a homogeneous distribution of the spheric silver features (diameters on the order of 100 nm) was observed throughout the surface after an optimal etching time. Electrochemical measurements of heterogeneous electron-transfer rates for different electrodes indicated an increase of surface area during etching, and an increase in the monolayer's barrier to electron transfer and the ion penetration upon re-immersion of the self-assembled monolayer (SAM) confined silver substrate in thiol solutions. The SER spectrum indicated that cyanide ion was adsorbed on the freshly formed silver surface. But the cyanide could be easily removed by re-immersing the electrode into the corresponding thiolate or sulfinate solution. Substrates subjected to UV exposure and water rinse were found to still be SERS-active and reusable for other analytes.
Exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage: a new concept for prevention

Exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage (EIPH) occurs world-wide during sprint racing in Quarter Horses, Standardbreds and Thoroughbreds. 1 EIPH is an important cause of exercise intolerance and results from strenuous exercise and/or pathophysiological changes in the equine lung. 2,3 EIPH in horses has a long history in racing, dating to at least the 18th century. Bleeding Childers, born about 1716, was one of the first documented bleeders. This horse was the great-grandsire of the Thoroughbred foundation sire Eclipse, but was retired to stud because of frequent bleeding episodes. In 1766,Herod, another foundation sire, broke a blood vessel in the lung and lost the Great Subscription Purse at York, England. EIPH is characterized by pulmonary hypertension, edema in the gas exchange region of the lung, rapture of the pulmonary capillaries, intra-alveolar hemorrhage, and the presence of blood in the airways. Endoscopic surveys have demonstrated that EIPH occurs in a high percentage (50-75%) of horses. Tracheal lavage has been used to detect EIPH by determining the presence of hemosiderophages in the aspirated fluid. 4 Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) studies (washing of the lungs)
Kelvin-Helmholtz and Thermal-dynamic Instabilities with Self-Gravity: A New Gravitational Interface Instability

In the vortex sheet limit, we generalize our previous work on compressible, anisentropic Kelvin-Helmholtz, and related instabilities by including self-gravity in the calculations. In addition to significantly modifying the Kelvin-Helmholtz modes, if the background media are of unequal density, self-gravity gives rise to a new instability that persists in the static limit. If the media have significant density contrast (ρ1/ρ2=½, say), the growth rate of this new gravitational interface instability is of the order of the free-fall time in the denser medium, and, unlike a Jeans instability, it depends only weakly on the perturbation wavelength. Such instabilities may initiate star formation near the boundaries of molecular clouds in the ISM on timescales of ~ 106-107 yr.
Statistical mechanics of a bounded, ideal magnetofluid

A statistical model of a three-dimensional, incompressible, cylindrically bounded, current-bearing magnetofluid is presented for the purpose of gaining insight into the nonlinear relaxation process routinely observed in reversed-field-pinch experiments. An absolute equilibrium ensemble is utilized that incorporates energy, magnetic helicity, and magnetic flux constraints. Results are extracted only after an extensive mathematical treatment of the properties of poloidal and toroidal fields. The model predicts the presence of magnetic fluctuations about a cylindrically symmetric, Bessel-function-model, mean magnetic field, which satisfies ▽ × 〈B〉 = μ〈B〉. As Taylor's ∵-parameter approaches 1.56, the model predicts that the significant region of the fluctuation spectrum narrows down to a single (coherent) m = 1 mode. An analogy between the Debye length of an electrostatic plasma and μ−1 suggests the physical validity of the model's prediction of the magnetic-field-fluctuation autocorrelation tensor 〈δB(r) δB(r′)〉, when |;r − r′| ≥ μ−1.
Problems in the statistical analysis of short periodic time series

Abstract In biological rhythm research very short records are not uncommon, especially in medicine, covering only one cycle and with few sample points. After contrasting this with some rare examples of long time series, the main approaches to the analysis of short records are discussed. Fourier methods and other avenues are compared. The classical Fourier analysis is shown to be a special case of multiple regression, the latter must be used if the data are unequispaced. Comparisons are made on some model sines with varying amounts of noise added. The effect of spatial and temporal errors are discussed; that of the successive addition of sine terms are also explored on an example from the seasonal temperature rhythm in rats. The relations between polynomial curve fitting and periodic regression are studied using the McLaurin expansion in connection with a discussion of period estimation. Some major methods presently being used are discussed, the cosinor, periodic regression and pergressive harmonic analysi...
A call to action: addressing the challenge of artemisinin-resistant malaria.

Malaria continues to exert an enormous toll globally. In 2008, there were an estimated 243 million clinical cases and 863,000 deaths [101]. More than 80% of these cases and approximately 90% of the...
Astragalus columbianus (Leguminosae)-Rediscovery of an “extinct” species

Astragalus columbianus, known from only two collections, was designated as rare, endangered and probably extinct. This species has been rediscovered and, while occupying a strip only 0.1 by about 10 km, is vigorous and in no immediate danger.
Cold-target recoil-ion-momentum spectroscopy study of single electron capture from He by slow Ar 8 + ions

Cold-target recoil-ion-momentum spectroscopy (COLTRIMS) has been used to study single electron capture from He by ${\mathrm{Ar}}^{8+}$ ions at projectile velocities between 0.2 and 1.0 a.u. Populations of $3d$ through $7l$ states on the final ion are resolved, and angular distributions are presented for separated major final channels. As the projectile velocity is raised, the reaction window is observed to spread. Contrary to expectations based on a Landau-Zener picture of the process, higher $n$ and $l$ become favored with higher $v.$ The results are in excellent agreement with coupled-channel calculations.
RNA mediation in DNA synthesis in HeLa cells studied with tritium labeled cytidine and thymidine.

1. 1. The minimal exchange of RNA-tritium with pool tritium and the preservation of the tritium distribution between uracil and cytosine offers additional evidence for the metabolic stability of a major part of the RNA in tissue culture, and thus supports the suggestion that the migration of label from nucleus to cytoplasm in the first hours following labeling does in fact represent the movement of macromolecules or of RNA fragments. 2. 2. 3H-cytidine taken up from the culture medium is rapidly converted to uridine or its nucleotides, perhaps to equilibrium, and uridine added in excess to the culture medium completely blocks the incorporation of tritium from cytidine into nucleic acids. 3. 3. Thymidine will partially inhibit the incorporation of 3H-cytidine into RNA but cytidine added in excess has hardly an effect on 3H-thymidine incorporation into DNA. 4. 4. Unlike thymidine, the 3H from cytidine continues to label nucleic acids for several hours after it has been removed from the culture medium. 5. 5. This delayed labeling is primarily found in cytosine of the RNA and must therefore involve a reamination of the uracil containing precursor. 6. 6. By contrast the delayed labeling of DNA is divided almost equally between cytosine and thymine. 7. 7. The addition of an excess of unlabeled cytidine to the medium following initial labeling with 3H-cytidine affects the rate of disappearance of label from the precursor pool (accelerating the disappearance of that in cytosine and retarding that in uracil), and blocks further incorporation into the cytosine of RNA and only depresses incorporation into the cytosine and thymine of DNA for the first hours, after which it stimulates incorporation into DNA. 8. 8. Uridine added in excess is less effective than cytidine in depressing the delayed labeling of DNA. 9. 9. Thymidine added in excess reduces the delayed labeling of DNA more effectively than uridine but less effectively than cytidine. It blocks continued rise in thymine and reduces that of cytosine. Simultaneously, it enhances the continuous labeling of RNA (mainly cytosine) in contrast to the effect of cytidine and uridine. 10. 10. The precursors for RNA and DNA pyrimidines by their different turnover rate and different sensitivity to competitors have therefore distinct metabolic pathways. 11. 11. The distribution of equivalent incorporated labeled pyrimidines suggests similarity in RNA and DNA synthesis. The experimental results support the hypothesis of a particular function of a fraction of RNA in providing precursors for DNA, possibly through an intermediate soluble fraction.
Allergic contact dermatitis to copolymers in cosmetics – case report and review of the literature

Copolymers or heteropolymers are large molecules with high molecular weights (>1000 D). They have been underestimated for a long time as to their sensitizing capacities. Allergic contact dermatitis to 6 copolymers in cosmetics and 1 in a medical dressing has been described; however, the nature of the hapten is still unknown. We report a case of allergic contact dermatitis to polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)/hexadecene copolymer in a purple-colored lipstick and review the literature on allergic contact dermatitis to 7 copolymers: PVP/hexadecene, PVP/eicosene, PVP/1-triacontene, methoxy polyethyleneglycol (PEG)-22/dodecyl glycols, methoxy PEG-17/dodecyl glycols, phthalic anhydride/trimellitic anhydride/glycols, and polyvinyl methyl/maleic acid anhydride.
Relationship Between Materials Properties and Shape Memory Behavior in Epoxy-Amine Polymers

Although epoxy-based polymers remain infrequently used as shape memory polymers (SMP’s), they are a promising base material for highly demanding applications due to their intrinsic physical properties and ease of processing. A series of epoxy SMP’s was synthesized with varying mechanical properties and with glass transition temperatures ranging from 31 to 93 °C, tunable via the variations of the molecular structures. The influence of chemical structures and physical properties of these epoxy SMP’s on their shape memory (SM) behavior is examined in detail along with the impact of the shape memory cycling conditions. While the results show that lower crosslink densities and/or higher molecular flexibility/mobility leads decreased SM performance, at low crosslink density the effect of molecular flexibility/mobility becomes dominant in influencing the SM response.
Small intestinal adenocarcinoma complicating regional enteritis

Three new cases of small intestinal adenocarcinoma complicating Crohn's disease are reported. Seventy-five other cases have been reported to date. Analysis of these cases in comparison with de novo adenocarcinoma of the small bowel shows that they: (1) occur at a younger age; (2) occur in distal small bowel; (3) show a male predilection; and (4) have a worse prognosis. The increasing number of these cases suggests that small intestinal regional enteritis predisposes to adenocarcinoma. Improved prognosis can only be achieved with earlier diagnosis.
Immediate effects of anterior to posterior talocrural joint mobilizations following acute lateral ankle sprain.

Restrictions in ankle dorsiflexion range of motion (ROM) have been associated with decreased posterior talar glide in individuals with an acute lateral ankle sprain. Talocrural joint mobilizations may be used to restore joint arthrokinematics. Our purpose was to examine the effects of a single bout of anterior to posterior (AP) talocrural joint mobilization on self-reported function, dorsiflexion ROM, and posterior talar translation in individuals with an acute lateral ankle sprain. This single-blinded, randomized controlled trial utilized 17 volunteers (nine treatment and eight control) with an acute lateral ankle sprain (grade I/II) who were immobilized for a period of 1–7 days. The treatment group received a single 30-second bout of grade III AP talocrural joint mobilization the day their immobilization device was removed, while the control group did not receive any intervention. Active dorsiflexion ROM and posterior talar translation were assessed before, immediately after, and 24 hours after receipt of the treatment or control interventions. Self-reported function and pain were assessed before and 24 hours after the receipt of the treatment or control interventions using the foot and ankle disability index. Collectively all groups demonstrated improved dorsiflexion ROM and self-reported function. There was a significant decrease in pain perception at 24-hour follow-up for the treatment group. A single bout of AP talocrural joint mobilizations may not have an immediate effect on ankle dorsiflexion ROM, posterior talar translation, or self-reported function; however, they may have an immediate effect on pain perception in individuals with an acute lateral ankle sprain.
Biases and Compensatory Strategies: The Efficacy of a Training Intervention

Research misconduct is of growing concern within the scientific community. As a result, organizations must identify effective approaches to training for ethics in research. Previous research has suggested that biases and compensatory strategies may represent important influences on the ethical decision-making process. The present effort investigated a training intervention targeting these variables. The results of the intervention are presented, as well as a description of accompanying exercises tapping self-reflection, sensemaking, and forecasting and their differential effectiveness on transfer to an ethical decision-making task.
Lower glutamic acid decarboxylase 65-kDa isoform messenger RNA and protein levels in the prefrontal cortex in schizoaffective disorder but not schizophrenia.

Abstract Background Altered gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) signaling in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) has been associated with cognitive dysfunction in patients with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder. Levels of the GABA–synthesizing enzyme glutamic acid decarboxylase 67-kDa isoform (GAD67) in the PFC have been consistently reported to be lower in patients with these disorders, but the status of the second GABA–synthesizing enzyme, glutamic acid decarboxylase 65-kDa isoform (GAD65), remains unclear. Methods GAD65 messenger RNA (mRNA) levels were quantified in PFC area 9 by quantitative polymerase chain reaction from 62 subjects with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder and 62 matched healthy comparison subjects. In a subset of subject pairs, GAD65 relative protein levels were quantified by confocal immunofluorescence microscopy. Results Mean GAD65 mRNA levels were 13.6% lower in subjects with schizoaffective disorder but did not differ in subjects with schizophrenia relative to their matched healthy comparison subjects. In the subjects with schizoaffective disorder, mean GAD65 protein levels were 19.4% lower and were correlated with GAD65 mRNA levels. Lower GAD65 mRNA and protein levels within subjects with schizoaffective disorder were not attributable to factors commonly comorbid with the diagnosis. Conclusions In concert with previous studies, these findings suggest that schizoaffective disorder is associated with lower levels of both GAD65 and GAD67 mRNA and protein in the PFC, whereas subjects with schizophrenia have lower mean levels of only GAD67 mRNA and protein. Because cognitive function is generally better preserved in patients with schizoaffective disorder relative to patients with schizophrenia, these findings may support an interpretation that GAD65 downregulation provides a homeostatic response complementary to GAD67 downregulation that serves to reduce inhibition in the face of lower PFC network activity.
The relationship of age, sex, and reproductive state to assimilation efficiency in the adult milkweed bug, Oncopeltus fasciatus

Abstract The influence of age, sex, and reproductive state on efficiency of assimilation was examined in the milkweed bug Oncopeltus fasciatus . Amounts of food ingested and excreted decline with age in virgin males and females. Mated females laying eggs ingest significantly more food than virgin animals of either sex and also maintain a consistently higher assimilation efficiency. A qualitative analysis of the level of assimilation required for reproductive effort is discussed.
The Utilization of Carotene and Vitamin A by Chicks during the First Week after Hatching

Abstract INTRODUCTION WORK of Bolin et al. (1943) and Temperton and Dudley (1945) indicated that chicks absorbed dietary carotene and converted it to vitamin A, which was stored in the liver, by the end of the first week after hatching. However, based on the results of liver storage tests, Mann (1946) opined that young chicks could not utilize dietary carotene or vitamin A until they were about three weeks old. The report of Bolin et al. (1943), and also that of Rubin and Bird (1941), indicated that the liver was depleted of vitamin A during the first two weeks after hatching, unless dietary vitamin A was available in large quantities. Harvey et al. (1955b) commented on the difficulties of interpretation of liver storage data. It is possible that Mann was misled in interpretation of his data by depletion of liver vitamin A stores during the first few days after hatching. Since …
Implementation of An Artificial Immune System on a Mobile Robot

Abstract The research focuses on the implementation of an algorithm that enables a robot to navigate autonomously while performing a simple function of Obstacle Avoidance. The algorithm used here is the Idiotypic Artificial Immune Algorithm A program is created using Visual C++, which generates random antibodies for an antigen. The winning antibody is chosen from the randomly generated antibodies based on its affinity toward the given antigen. The winning antibody is not always a perfect match to neutralize the effects of the antigen. The functionality of the concept is proven through the implementation of the algorithm on a Pioneer 3DX robot. Numerous issues caused during implementation were solved
Monitoring the effects of arsenic and chromium accumulation in Chinese brake fern (Pteris vittata)

The objectives of this study were (i) to investigate the feasibility of using spectral reflectance for monitoring As and Cr accumulation in Chinese brake fern (Pteris vitatta), and (ii) to search for spectral indices sensitive to structural changes caused by metal accumulation during the process of phytoremediation. Potted Chinese brake fern plants were exposed to As (100 and 300 ppm) and Cr (300 and 600 ppm) treatments for 22 days. The plants were then harvested and analysed for metal accumulation. Diffuse reflectance spectra (350-2500 nm) of the plant canopies were collected regularly throughout the metal treatment period using a portable spectroradiometer. Leaf reflectance is governed by leaf surface properties, internal structure, and foliar pigments and biochemical components. Leaf samples were collected and analysed for structural changes through microscopic observations. Our microscopic studies on changes of leaf structure provide insight into the physical changes that are remotely detected as changes in reflectance, and may permit extrapolation of these results to other plant species. Cr accumulation resulted in a decrease in biomass, relative water content (RWC), and changes in the internal structure of the leaf. The structural and spectral results show significant changes in Cr-treated plants while the changes were minimal in As-treated plants compared to untreated plants. Our spectral analysis revealed that a unique ratio index R 1110/R 810 can be used to monitor structural changes in plants due to accumulation of Cr. This index distinguished Cr-treated plants from untreated and As-treated plants. The Normalized Difference Vegetative Index (NDVI) distinguished stressed plants, but NDVI cannot distinguish Cr-stressed plants from As-stressed plants. Our results show that brake fern can accumulate significant amounts of Cr in shoots (2108 mg kg-1 dry weight), but it is not a hyperaccumulator for Cr because much higher Cr accumulation was found in roots (7686 mg kg-1 dry weight). This study suggests that the infrared reflectance spectrum (800-1300 nm) of plant canopy may provide a non-intrusive monitoring method to access the physiological status of plants grown in heavy metal-contaminated soil.
Thematic Review Series: Sphingolipids. ISC1 (inositol phosphosphingolipid-phospholipase C), the yeast homologue of neutral sphingomyelinases

Sphingolipid biosynthesis and breakdown in yeast share many homologies in their pathways with higher eukaryotes (Dickson, R. C. 1998. Sphingolipid functions in Saccharomyces cerevisiae: comparison to mammals. Annu. Rev. Biochem. 67: 27–48). In mammals, ceramide can be generated through hydrolysis of sphingomyelin catalyzed by sphingomyelinase (SMase). To date, as many as five SMases have been identified molecularly, separated into three main groups: acid, alkaline, and neutral SMases (nSMases) (Marchesini, N., and Y. Hannun. 2004. Acid and neutral sphingomyelinases: roles and mechanisms of regulation. Biochem. Cell Biol. 82: 27–44). nSMase in mammals is represented by its homolog, inositol phosphosphingolipase C, codified by ISC1 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Sc) and Cryptococcus neoformans (Cn) and by CSS1 (Can't Stop Synthesizing cell wall) in Schizosaccharomyces pombe (Sp). Yeasts do not have sphingomyelin but instead have inositol phosphosphingolipids, which may function as orthologs of mammalian sphingomyelin. In this review, we will describe findings related to the function of ISC1, its localization, mechanisms, and its roles in cell response to different types of stresses. These studies serve as a foundation for the elucidation of the properties and functions of the extended family of nSMases.
SPT5, an essential gene important for normal transcription in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, encodes an acidic nuclear protein with a carboxy-terminal repeat.

Abstract Mutations in the SPT5 gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae were isolated previously as suppressors of delta insertion mutations at HIS4 and LYS2. In this study we have shown that spt5 mutations suppress the his4-912 delta and lys2-128 delta alleles by altering transcription. We cloned the SPT5 gene and found that either an increase or a decrease in the copy number of the wild-type SPT5 gene caused an Spt- phenotype. Construction and analysis of an spt5 null mutation demonstrated that SPT5 is essential for growth, suggesting that SPT5 may be required for normal transcription of a large number of genes. The SPT5 DNA sequence was determined; it predicted a 116-kDa protein with an extremely acidic amino terminus and a novel six-amino-acid repeat at the carboxy terminus (consensus = S-T/A-W-G-G-A/Q). By indirect immunofluorescence microscopy we showed that a bifunctional SPT5-beta-galactosidase protein was located in the yeast nucleus. This molecular analysis of the SPT5 gene revealed a number of interesting similarities to the previously characterized SPT6 gene of S. cerevisiae. These results suggest that SPT5 and SPT6 act in a related fashion to influence essential transcriptional processes in S. cerevisiae.