cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Lysis of erythrocytes by sepharose-staphylococcal delta toxin complex.

Abstract Purified delta toxin covalently attached to large polymers of sepharose retained 12.5% to 25% of its hemolytic activity against human erythrocytes. The lysis of human erythrocytes by such a complex indicates that the interaction of delta toxin with superficial membrane structures alone may suffice to initiate the lysis of erythrocytes.
Targeting firm social strategy at the community level in subsistence markets

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the social bottom line in subsistence markets or base of the pyramid. This examination aims to suggest that social strategies for the second bottom line should be focused at the community level in measurement, assessment and impact.Design/methodology/approach – A discussion of the double bottom line is presented. Social strategies are then discussed in terms of impact assessment at the community level and an impact assessment framework is developed reflective of the subsistence marketplace perspective. Implications are discussed in terms of poverty alleviation in subsistence markets and businessFindings – This examination suggests social strategies for the second bottom line should be focused at the community level in measurement, assessment and impact. Focusing social strategies at the community level reframes the role of firms and promotes a business in service of the community approach. Assessing impact at the community level creates a long‐term sustain...
Are gaming and sport effective tourism strategies during economic contractions? Evidence from the performance of baseball and casinos during America's great recession

Numerous cities that were former manufacturing centers have used gaming and sports to add tourism to their redevelopment strategies. Gaming, sports, and tourism have also been touted as new tools to bolster tax revenues that plummeted as factories were closed. Gaming and sports enjoy a level of popular importance that might also make demand for them less elastic and therefore even more valuable during recessions. Sports and gaming are each a distraction and a source of entertainment that could attract tourists during a recession. If that occurs then redevelopment plans could include a counter-cyclical advantage. Research in the 1980s suggested the demand for gaming was elastic but changes in its availability could contribute to a different outcome. The interest of local and regional governments in expanding gaming options to enhance tourism levels during recessions suggests the need for newer assessments of the performance of this industry during an economic contraction. Insight into the fiscal performanc...
Sedimentation, resuspension and chemistry of particles in the northwest Atlantic

Abstract Sediment traps were deployed to sample vertical fluxes of particulate matter both immediately above and within the nepheloid layer on the continental slope and rise of the western North Atlantic. The data from the traps are used to estimate the settling flux of particles and to attempt to distinguish between the primary flux (settling material from the upper water column) and the resuspended flux (settling material that has been resuspended from some region of the sea floor). From these data and from measurements of the net nepheloid standing crop of particles, estimates of the mean residence time for particles resuspended in the nepheloid layer are on the order of weeks to months from 15 to 500 m above bottom. Horizontal advection and diffusion are more important than vertical mixing in maintaining the upper portion of the nepheloid layer. The estimated flux of Al to the North Atlantic as atmospheric dust is one to two orders of magnitude less than the primary flux of Al measured just above the nepheloid layer, yet the range of accumulation rates of Al measured on the sea floor with radioisotopes is close to the values we define as the primary flux. Horizontal transport of Al-rich particles (mostly aluminosilicates) must therefore be significant even above the nepheloid layer. The size of 80—90% of the particles collected in the traps both above and within the nepheloid layer was less than 63 μm. The mean size of particles trapped in the nepheloid layer was about 22 μm, and above the nepheloid layer, 11 μm. The particles were probably in large aggregates when they encountered the traps, but identifiable fecal pellets are only a small fraction of the material collected in the traps. Between 6 and 15% of the primary production of particulate organic carbon in the euphotic zone was collected in floating sediment traps at the 100 m depth, indicating that most particulate organic carbon is recycled in the surface water. Only 2—3% of primary production of organic carbon was collected as primary flux 500 m above the sea floor. From an intercomparison of the composition of particles falling rapidly (collected in traps), falling slowly or not at all (collected in water bottles), and resting on the sea floor (from core tops), it was found that elements associated with biogenic matter, such as Ca, Sr, Cu and I, were carried preferentially by the rapidly falling particles. Once these particles reached the sea floor the concentration of those elements was decreased through decomposition, respiration, or dissolution. Dissolution appears to be rapid near or on the sea floor, because radiolarians, diatoms, and juvenile foraminifera were rare in core samples even though abundant in all traps. The dynamic nature of the nepheloid layer makes it possible for particles to be resuspended many times before they are finally buried, enabling sediment to be carried long distances from its origin. The recycling of particles near the sea floor may also increase dissolution of siliceous and carbonate matter.
Trauma-informed care training in a child welfare system: Moving it to the front line

Abstract The use of trauma-informed practices in the child welfare system is critically important to prevent system-induced trauma and encourage timely assessment, triage and referral for care when indicated. Ultimately, such measures have the potential over time to decrease the risk for mental health problems in children exposed to a trauma. This study evaluates an initiative in Arkansas to train child welfare front-line staff members in trauma-informed care practices. We evaluated the impact of the training on knowledge and use of trauma-informed care practices among three types of child welfare staff (Caseworkers, Program Assistants and Other front-line staff). Results suggest that this training process was highly successful in improving knowledge of trauma-informed care practices, especially among staff with the least formal education and training. We also found a significant increase in staff use of trauma-informed care practices at the three-month follow-up with little difference observed across staff groups. Barriers that may prevent staff from full implementation of training concepts are described and strategies to address barriers are proposed.
Differential quadrature analysis of deflection, buckling, and free vibration of beams and rectangular plates

Abstract A new approach to apply the differential quadrature method to the deflection, buckling, and free vibration analysis of beams and plates with various boundary conditions is presented. A different method for application of the beam boundary conditions, proposed earlier by Wang and Bert, is extended to clamped-fixed, simply supported-fixed, and fixed-fixed beams and excellent results are obtained. It is found that the differential quadrature method gives less accurate results for the buckling load when the plate aspect ratio ( a b ) exceeds 2.45 for the cases considered and possible reasons for this are discussed.
The Roots of Objectivity

(1) The facts about the things of this world are cognitively inexhaustible. (2) Real things — actually existing physical objects — have a cognitive depth whose bottom we cannot possibly plumb. (3) To have a correct conception of something we must have all of its important properties right. And this is something we generally cannot ascertain, if only because we cannot say what is really important before the end of the proverbial day. Accordingly, our conceptions of real things are inevitably corrigible. (4) This circumstance has a strongly realistic tendency. It means that the limits of our world — the world of our belief and of our information — cannot be claimed to be the limits of the world. It is the very limitation of our knowledge of things — our recognition that reality extends beyond the horizons of what we can possibly know or even conjecture about — that betokens the mind-independence of the real.
Re-assigned diagnosis of D4ST1-deficient Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (adducted thumb-clubfoot syndrome) after initial diagnosis of Marden-Walker syndrome.

We report on a 16-year-old female originally diagnosed with Marden-Walker syndrome due to features such as facial dysmorphism, several musculoskeletal anomalies, and atrial septal defect in addition to hypoplasia of the inferior vermis with normal-sized cerebellum and absence of the septum pellucidum. However, an SNP array performed at age 15 years detected a total of 142 Mb of long runs of homozygosity (ROH), and put the diagnosis in doubt. Using the Genomic Oligoarray and SNP array evaluation tool (http://www.ccs.miami.edu/ROH), CHST14 provided a “hit” as a gene mapping to the largest ROH region associated with a phenotype matching our patient's (if mutated). At that time, she was a cognitively intact, thin female with growth parameters below the 3rd percentile. Craniofacial features included microcephaly, midface hypoplasia, blepharophimosis, entropion, myopia, microretrognathia, and dental malocclusion. Musculoskeletal features included kyphoscoliosis, arachnodactyly, camptodactyly, and rocker-bottom feet with interphalangeal contractures. Her skin displayed large ecchymoses and poorly healed atrophic scars. Sequencing of CHST14 revealed a complex homozygous frameshift mutation involving a 7-bp deletion and an 11-bp insertion predicted to produce a truncated protein. This mutation was not seen in 100 controls of various ethnicities. Thus, our patient represents not only a novel (homozygous) mutation in CHST14, but is also the first patient with dermatan 4-O-sulfotransferase 1-deficient Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (adducted thumb-clubfoot syndrome) (DD-EDS ATCS) documented in the Western Hemisphere. Furthermore, our patient's central nervous system anomalies have not before been described in DD-EDS (ATCS). © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
How should organizational leaders use employee engagement survey data

This evaluation study explores how a nonprofit health insurance provider responds to the results of its annual employee engagement survey. The study answers two questions: (a) What do organizational leaders do with the data collected? and (b) How do leaders perceive the usefulness of the survey? It provides study results, discussions, and recommendations relevant to human performance technology practitioners, to help maximize the value of an organizational survey by increasing its usefulness as a catalyst for change.
Physicochemical Characterization of Liquid Crystalline Phases in Model Bile and Lipid Digestive Mixtures: A 2H Nmr Study

Abstract Phase properties of aqueous dispersions of model bile mixtures containing cholesterol, lecithin and bile salts and model mixed lipid digestive mixtures containing cholesterol, fatty acid, monoglyceride, lecithin and bile salts have been characterized by 2H NMR. We have chemically incorporated a deuteriomethyl (CD3) group into one or two lipid components and utilized differences in motionally-averaged quadrupole splittings (Δv) and CD3 chemical shifts, to determine directly by peak-area integration, for a number of compositions on the phase diagram, the distribution of a 2H-labeled component between micellar, lamellar and solid phases, as well as the chemical compositions of these phases. Our data show that increasing cholesterol stabilizes lamellar phases whereas bile salts disrupt them and favor micelle formation.
Preliminary observations of geomagnetic micropulsations with an array of magnetometers

Abstract Geomagnetic rapid variations in the period range 10–100 sec observed using a 5 station array of similar 3-component induction variometers are discussed. Data were obtained through a cooperative effort involving General Dynamics, AFCRL, McGill University and Lamont Geological Observatory. It was found that specific variations can be identified as occurring at all stations, and that the general character of the variation does not change appreciably with spatial distribution.
Explaining the formation of thin ice crystal plates with structure-dependent attachment kinetics

Abstract We propose a new type of crystal growth phenomenon—structure-dependent attachment kinetics—to explain the growth of thin ice plates from the vapor phase at temperatures near −15°C. In particular, we propose that the condensation coefficient for growth of ice prism facets increases dramatically when the width of the facet approaches atomic dimensions. This model reconciles several conflicting measurements of ice crystal growth and makes additional predictions for future growth experiments. Other faceted crystalline materials may exhibit similar morphological instabilities that promote the diffusion-limited growth of thin plate-like or needle-like crystal structures.
Improved mechanical properties of organoclay/nylon 6 nanocomposites prepared via a supercritical carbon dioxide‐aided, melt blending method

The use of supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2) as a processing aid to help exfoliate nanoclays and improve their dispersion after melt blending in polymer matrices has been reported in the literature by our laboratory and others. Previous work has focused on nonpolar polymers such as polypropylene. In this work, the supercritical carbon dioxide-aided, melt blending method with single-screw compounding was applied to an organoclay/nylon 6 composite system with favorable interactions. Wide-angle X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, dynamic mechanical testing, and tensile tests are provided to investigate the effect of processing with scCO2 on the final composite morphology and properties. It was found that properties of composites prepared with the scCO2-aided method were similar to or higher than those reported in the literature for samples prepared with twin-screw compounding. At 7.6 wt% the modulus value reached 4.75 GPa which is one of the highest increases (1.7 GPa) reported for these materials processed at intermediate concentrations. Beyond 7.6 wt% the improvement due to scCO2 processing matches that of direct blending. It is possible that with the use of a twin-screw extruder, the modulus would continue to increase. The use of nylon illustrates the importance of having functionalities that can interact with the clay during scCO2-aided melt compounding. POLYM. COMPOS. 36:527–537, 2015. © 2014 Society of Plastics Engineers
A rapid bioassay for the determination of non-nucleoside HIV-1 reverse transcriptase inhibitor plasma levels.

Abstract A rapid method for measuring pyridinone HIV-1 reverse trabscriptase inhibitor plasma levels was necessary for identifying potential clinical candidates and for choosing a clinical formulation. Due to its sensitivity to the pyridinones, ability to tolerate extraneous material, and its capability for rapid, high through-put screening, the HIV-1 RT assay was developed into a bioassay for determining plasma levels of the pyridinones in Rhesus monkey plasma. With this assay, dose proportionality of L-697, 639 was established. Formulation studies using L-697, 639 indicated that the plasma levels achieved in Rhesus monkeys with the clinicak formulation (peak levels = 3.9 μ M at 30 min) fall between the levels achieved with polyethylene glycol 300 and hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose formulations (peak levels = 8.9 μ M and 0.4 μ M respectively, at 60 min). Two other pyridinones, L-696, 229 and L-697, 661, administered as the clinical formulation, had peak plasma levels of 1.6 μM (30 min) and 0.3 μM (60 min), respectively. In Rhesus monkeys, the bioavailabilities of these compounds (administered as the clinical formulation) ranged from 11 to 24% and their half-life values ranged from 24 to 120 min. The results of oral studies in Rhesus monkeys with these compounds were very similar to initial results of studies in humans.
Modeling and computation of the onset of failure in polymeric liquid filaments

Abstract In this paper we study a one-dimensional (1-D) quasilinear hyperbolic model for the elongation and onset of failure of polymeric liquid filaments. Our model is derived from the full 3-D free surface boundary value problem, assuming a Maxwell constitutive law for the polymeric liquid, by (a) positing a dominant balance of inertia, surface tension, gravity, viscosity and elastic relaxation, and (b) applying the slender axisymmetric perturbation methods of Bechtel et al., J. Stability Appl. Anal. Continua, 2 (1992) 1. The transient 1-D approximate equations in Lagrangian form consist of a coupled system of five, first-order quasilinear partial differential equations which admit explicit characteristic analysis and classification. The system may be genuinely hyperbolic or mixed elliptic-hyperbolic type. Importantly, a simulation which begins hyperbolic may evolve into the ill-posed mixed type regime at a particular time and location. Such a transition corresponds to a departure from slender behavior and breakdown of the 1-D theory, which we equate with onset of filament failure. The detailed nature of this transition from slender behavior is given particular scrutiny here. Our 1-D model is applied with appropriate initial and boundary data to simulate the experimental conditions in which one end of a filament is attached to a ceiling and the other to a falling drop which pulls a slender filament behind it. We show a representative sample of extensive parameter studies in which the model for the filament is initially a well-posed hyperbolic system, and numerical predictions are made on the filament behavior as it stretches. A remarkable variety of filament behavior is predicted within this 1-D Maxwell model. As we vary the competing physical effects, we predict qualitatively different locations, timescales and modes of onset of failure.
A histochemical study of intracellular digestion in triclad flatworms

The course of digestion of an essentially protein food (beef liver) was followed by histological and histochemical methods in Planaria dorotocephala. After an average fasting period of two weeks, the planarians were fed and examined at close time intervals, ranging from one minute to eighty-seven days after feeding. Liver particles are engulfed by the phagocytic cells of the intestine into food vacuoles, where a series of digestive changes occur. The liver particles coalesce into a granular spherule which gradually condenses into a homogeneous and chromatophilic spherule. As the spherule transforms from a granular to a homogeneous condition, it exhibits a gradually increasing affinity for stains, an intensified protein reaction, and a gradual diminution in size. These spherules are protein, since they give positive xanthoproteic and Millon reactions. The homogeneous protein spherules gradually disappear, beginning at about twelve hours after feeding and continuing until the fifth day. During this period fat-droplets form, gradually increasing at the expense of the protein spherules. The protein spherules apparently dissolve into the cytoplasm, furnishing intermediate chemical compounds (tests indicate that a carbohydrate stage does not intervene) from which fat is synthesized. It thus appears that the fat is formed from the protein spherules. The fat thus formed is stored in the phagocytic cells, and remains unchanged in quantity for a fasting period lasting six weeks, after which it gradually diminishes. During the engulfment of the food, the fat decreases markedly, apparently furnishing energy for phagocytic activities. A few of the protein spherules may persist as «protein reserve».
Homogenization of a nickel-base superalloy ingot material

Abstract The kinetics of homogenization of cast-ingot material of a typical nickel-base superalloy, Waspaloy, were determined and compared to previous measurements for single crystals. The observed kinetics for the ingot material were approximately twice as fast as those for the single crystal, an effect attributable to concomitant grain growth and hence enhanced (pipe) diffusion along grain boundaries in the polycrystalline condition.
Use of ethylene glycol to evaluate gradient performance in gradient‐intensive diffusion MR sequences

Imaging a phantom of known dimensions is a widely used and simple method for calibrating MRI gradient strength. However, full-range characterization of gradient response is not achievable using this approach. Measurement of the apparent diffusion coefficient of a liquid with known diffusivity allows for calibration of gradient amplitudes across a wider dynamic range. An important caveat is that the temperature dependence of the liquid's diffusion characteristics must be known, and the temperature of the calibration phantom must be recorded. In this report, we demonstrate that the diffusion coefficient of ethylene glycol is well described by Arrhenius-type behavior across the typical range of ambient MRI magnet temperatures. Because of ethylene glycol's utility as an NMR chemical-shift thermometer, the same 1H MR spectroscopy measurements that are used for gradient calibration also simultaneously “report” the sample temperature. The high viscosity of ethylene glycol makes it well-suited for assessing gradient performance in demanding diffusion-weighted imaging and spectroscopy sequences. Magn Reson Med, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Esophageal manometry: a comparison of findings in younger and older patients.

Abstract Objective: We sought to determine the utility of esophageal manometry in an older patient population. Methods: Consecutively performed manometry studies (470) were reviewed and two groups were chosen for the study, those ≥ 75 yr of age (66 patients) and those ≤ 50 years (122 patients). Symptoms, manometric findings (lower esophageal sphincter [LES], esophageal body, upper esophageal sphincter [UES]) and diagnoses were compared between the groups. Results: Dysphagia was more common (60.6% vs 25.4%), and chest pain was less common (17.9 vs 26.2%) in older patients. In the entire group, there were no differences in LES parameters. Older patients with achalasia had lower LES residual pressures after deglutition (2.7 vs 12.0 mm Hg), but had similar resting pressures (31.4 vs 35.2 mm Hg) compared with younger achalasia patients. Duration and amplitude of peristalsis were similar in both groups, whereas peristaltic sequences were more likely to be simultaneous in the older group (15% vs 4%). The UES had a lower resting pressure in the older patients (49.6 vs 77.6 mm Hg) and a higher residual pressure (2.0 vs −2.7 mm Hg). The older patients were less likely to have normal motility (30.3% vs 44.3%) and were more likely to have achalasia (15.2% vs 4.1%) or diffuse esophageal spasm (16.6% vs 5.0%). When only patients with dysphagia were analyzed, achalasia was still more likely in the older group (20.0% vs 12.9%). Conclusion: When older patients present with dysphagia, esophageal manometry frequently yields a diagnosis to help explain their symptoms.
Evaluation of a new instrument for measuring optical turbulence

For the past 6 years, the Ft. Belvoir Meteorological Team has used the NOAA Wave Propagation Laboratory developed and Lockheed built path integrated optical scintillometer. This instrument has and continues to serve us well. Through research funding by the Army Test and Evaluation Command we were able to procure a new instrument for the measurement of Cn2 which is based on holographic techniques. The 'HOLODAR' was developed by Dove Electronics, Inc. of Rome, N.Y. In this paper we describe the instrument and provide comparison data with the existing Lockheed system. It is our hope that HOLODAR can be used as a calibration reference for optical turbulence measurements.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
The acid reaction and ionization constants of 8-hydroxyquinoline-n-oxide

Abstract The constants for the acid reactions of 8-hydroxyquinoline-N-oxide were determined at 25°C and 1 M ionic strength. The first ionization constant for the cation of oxine-N-oxide, H2Q+, was 0·0486±0·0004. The constant for the acid reaction for the second ionization of the above compound was 176kw ± 15. This constant is for the ionization of oxine-N-oxide which produces hydrogen ions and a combination of basic forms including the anion and the sodium salt. The first ionization constant was determined by potentiometric measurements. The second ionization was studied by solvent extraction methods. A procedure for synthesis of the reagent is described.
Enumeration and Classification of 12-Bar Planar Simple-Jointed Kinematic Chains Using a Hierarchical Approach

The complete set of 12-bar planar simple-jointed kinematic chains is enumerated using the stratified or hierarchical representation, of Fang and Freudenstien (1990) in which post-priori isomorphism testing is not needed. This is achieved by directly enumerating the simplified and contracted graphs from which the kinematic chains are built up. The number obtained is compared with those from previous studies, and the list is catagorized by the link sets and by the numbers of major vertices and edges in the simplified graphs. A major feature of the technique is the use of an efficient rote-based technique for eliminating degenerate chains.Copyright © 2002 by ASME
Flame ionization detection after splitting the water effluent in subcritical water chromatography

Abstract The coupling of subcritical water separation with flame ionization detection (FID) in the split mode has been investigated in this study. In order to keep the FID system stable during subcritical water separation, a Tee union was connected between the separation column and the FID system to split the water flow. The ratio of the water flow to the FID system over the flow-rate to a waste bottle varied depending on the dimension of capillary tubings and the total water flow-rate used. Separations of several carbohydrates, carboxylic acids, and amino acids were performed on commercially available columns using a laboratory-made subcritical water chromatography–FID system. The FID system was very stable in this split mode even at total flow-rate as high as 1.24 ml/min. The linear dynamic range was up to three orders of magnitude and the limit of detection (LOD) ranged from 38 to 111 ng (306–925 ng/μl injected) with split ratios of ∼1:10 to ∼1:17 (FID/waste bottle) for several analytes studied. However, the LOD can be significantly lowered by adjusting the dimensions of the restrictors to allow a higher percentage of the total flow to the FID system.
Energetics and cooperativity of tertiary hydrogen bonds in RNA structure.

Tertiary interactions that allow RNA to fold into intricate three-dimensional structures are being identified, but little is known about the thermodynamics of individual interactions. Here we quantify the tertiary structure contributions of individual hydrogen bonds in a “ribose zipper” motif of the recently crystallized Tetrahymena group I intron P4−P6 domain. The 2‘-hydroxyls of P4−P6 nucleotides C109/A184 and A183/G110 participate in forming the “teeth” of the zipper. These four nucleotides were substituted in all combinations with their 2‘-deoxy and (separately) 2‘-methoxy analogues, and thermodynamic effects on the tertiary folding ΔG°‘ were assayed by the Mg2+ dependence of electrophoretic mobility in nondenaturing gels. The 2‘-deoxy series showed a consistent trend with an average contribution to the tertiary folding ΔG°‘ of −0.4 to −0.5 kcal/mol per hydrogen bond. Contributions were approximately additive, reflecting no cooperativity among the hydrogen bonds. Each “tooth” of the ribose zipper (com...
The masculinity of violent crime—some second thoughts

Abstract Criminologists who currently argue that violent crime remains exclusively masculine have been misled because they have failed to consider the female crime rate as a valid phenomenon in and of itself. This article takes such a focus and presents data on current crime trends, which indicate that there have been substantial increases in violent crime by females, especially in the rates for assault, aggravated assault, and weapons violations. These increases are more pronounced for young girls than for women; thus there is a greater trend toward convergence of rates of violent crime for juveniles than for adults. It is argued that “masculine” when it has been applied to violent crime is a short-hand way of expressing a cluster of variables that may promote violent behavior and that are more likely to affect the female of today than her counterpart of twenty years ago.
Model-based signal analysis and interpretation in the intensive care unit

This paper describes the architecture and functionality of a distributed intelligent signal analysis and interpretation system developed for the monitoring of neonates in the intensive care unit. In this system, named SIMON, various aspects of a monitoring task are performed by three independent modules running asynchronously: the feature extraction, the patient model, and the display modules. Central to SIMON is the notion of context sensitivity which permits the adaptation of the monitoring strategy in response to changes either in the patient state or in the monitoring equipment as well as the contextual interpretation of incoming data.
Exceptional high-temperature stability through distillation-like self-stabilization in bimetallic nanoparticles

Metal nanoparticles with precisely controlled size and composition are highly attractive for heterogeneous catalysis. However, their poor thermal stability remains a major hurdle on the way towards application at realistic technical conditions. Recent progress in this area has focused on nanostructured oxides to stabilize embedded metal nanoparticles. Here, we report an alternative approach that relies on synthesizing bimetallic nanoparticles with precise compositional control to obtain improved high-temperature stability. We find that PtRh nanoparticles with sufficiently high Rh content survive extended calcination at temperatures up to approximately 850 degrees C without significant sintering. For lower Rh content, sacrificial self-stabilization of individual nanoparticles through a distillation-like process is observed: the low-melting-point metal (Pt) bleeds out and the increasing concentration of the high-melting-point metal (Rh) leads to re-stabilization of the remaining nanoparticle. This principle of thermal self-stabilization should be broadly applicable to the development of multi-metallic nanomaterials for a broad range of high-temperature applications.
Effect of Atherogenic Diet on Chicken Plasma Lipids and Lipoproteins

Abstract Adult male White Leghorn chickens were used in an experimental model system to study atherogenesis, and the effects of an atherogenic diet on plasma lipoprotein composition including carotenoids were determined. This model also included treatment with diazepam, a drug known to reduce formation of atherogenic plaques. After 6 wk consumption of a high-cholesterol, high-triglyceride diet, chickens had mean total plasma cholesterol, triglyceride, and carotenoid concentrations that were significantly increased over those from chicks that consumed the standard diet. Diazepam treatment had no significant effect on whole plasma concentrations of these lipids. Total body weight gain was unaffected by diet, but liver weight expressed as percentage of body weight was significantly increased in chickens that consumed the atherogenic diet. High density lipoprotein (HDL) and low density lipoprotein (LDL) fractions were isolated from plasma samples by ultracentrifugation. The atherogenic diet increased the carotenoid, cholesterol, and protein content of the LDL fractions but not the HDL fractions.
Structures of the wild-type and activated catalytic domains of Brachydanio rerio Polo-like kinase 1 (Plk1): changes in the active-site conformation and interactions with ligands

Polo-like kinase 1 (Plk1) is a member of a family of serine/threonine kinases involved in the regulation of cell-cycle progression and cytokinesis and is an attractive target for the development of anticancer therapeutics. A zebrafish homolog of the human Plk1 (hPlk1) kinase domain (KD) was identified that can be expressed in large quantities in bacteria and crystallizes readily, whether in a wild-type form or as a variant containing the activating Thr196-->Asp substitution, in one space group and under similar conditions both in the absence and presence of active-site compounds. This construct was validated by testing a panel of hPlk1 inhibitors against human and zebrafish proteins and it was shown that the selected small molecules inhibited the homologs with a high degree of correlation. Crystal structures of ligand-free wild-type and activated zebrafish Plk1 (zPlk1) KDs revealed the organization of the secondary structural elements around the active site and demonstrated that the activation segment was disordered in the activated form of the domain but possessed a well defined secondary structure in the wild-type enzyme. The cocrystal structure of wild-type zPlk1 KD with ADP documented the hydrolysis of ATP and revealed the phosphorylation site. The cocrystal structure of the activated KD with wortmannin,more » a covalent inhibitor of Plk1 and PI3 kinases, showed the binding mode of the small molecule to the enzyme and may facilitate the design of more potent Plk1 inhibitors. The work presented in this study establishes the zPlk1 KD as a useful tool for rapid low- and high-throughput structure-based screening and drug discovery of compounds specific for this mitotic target.« less
Distribution and excretion of lead in young and adult female mice

The kinetics of whole body lead elimination and organ distribution were studied in 10-day-old and adult female mice following a single dose of lead. Necropsies were performed periodically during the 50-day experiment to assess organ lead distributions and lead elimination. Between Days 15 and 50 excretion of lead was found to occur nearly equally through urinary and fecal routes. Whole body lead retention during the terminal elimination phase was observed to have a half-time similar to that of lead retained in femur. Rates of lead elimination from femur and from whole body of young mice were apparently less rapid than comparable elimination rates in adult mice. Lead fluxes from the brains of young and adult mice were closely approximated by single component exponential equations. The results suggest that a three-compartment model does not adequately account for the kinetics of lead distribution and retention in mouse brain after a single dose.
Permeability–saturation–capillary pressure relations in textile fabrics from an integrated upward–horizontal–downward wicking test

A new wicking test was developed that provides intrinsic quantitative descriptors of fabrics that can be used to predict wicking behavior. These descriptors are permeability (k) and capillary pressure (P c) as functions of saturation (S). A single fabric strip is positioned to allow sequential upward, horizontal, and downward wicking of fluid from an infinite reservoir. The upward section governs saturation, the horizontal section is analyzed to determine capillary pressure, and the downward segment is analyzed to determine permeability. The test is described and its application demonstrated on a plain stitch knit fabric manufactured for performance athletic apparel. Results are provided in the form of characteristic k–S–P c relations for water.
Evidence that Specificity of Microhelix Charging by a Class I tRNA Synthetase Occurs in the Transition State of Catalysis

Determinants for the identities of tRNAs are located in the acceptor stem and, commonly, in the anticodon as well. Although the anticodon is an important determinant for the identity of methionine tRNA, RNA microhelices whose sequences are based on the acceptor stem alone can be aminoacylated by the class I methionyl-tRNA synthetase. We show here that specific nucleotide substitutions in a microhelix significantly reduced its rate of aminoacylation. In contrast, affinity coelectrophoresis analysis showed that microhelix binding to the enzyme was not significantly affected by the same substitutions. These and additional experiments and considerations imply that specific determinants for microhelix aminoacylation are needed for orientation of the acceptor stem in the transition state of catalysis rather than for enhanced binding interactions. The effect of linking together acceptor stem interactions with those in the anticodon, as occurs in the whole tRNA molecule, was also evaluated. This analysis showed t...
Polarography of Copper (II)-(I) Cysteamine-Cystamine Systems

Abstract The polarography of copper(II) and copper(I) in acetonitrile-water mixtures, to which cysteamine or cystamine was added, has been studied. Copper(II) is rapidly reduced to copper(I) by cysteamine. Copper(I) forms several complexes with cystamine and cysteamine including Cu2(S-CH2-CH2-NH2).
Monte Carlo calculation of the radial distribution function of quantum hard spheres at finite temperatures

Abstract The Green's function Monte Carlo method is generalized to treat quantum systems at non-zero temperature. The algorithm that is developed absolutely requires importance sampling to make it feasible. The nature of the importance sampling transformation needed for an efficient algorithm is discussed in theory and practice. As a demonstration of the principles, we carry out a calculation of the two body contribution to the radial distribution function and the second virial coefficient of a hard sphere fluid. Accurate numerical results are obtained. It is also shown how improvement in the structure of the importance function can lead to dramatic improvements in computational efficiency. A method is described, and successfully applied, whereby an importance function may be determined in large part during the Monte Carlo, rather than a priori. Finally, we conjecture that importance sampling can also be applied to the sums over permutations for treating boson or fermion systems.
Photopigments underlying color vision in ringtail lemurs (Lemur catta) and brown lemurs (Eulemur fulvus).

A recent examination of color vision in the ringtail lemur produced evidence that these prosimians could make color discriminations consistent with a diagnosis of trichromatic color vision. However, it was unclear if this behavior reflected the presence of three classes of cone or whether lemurs might be able to utilize signals from rods in conjunction with those from only two classes of cone. To resolve that issue, spectral sensitivity functions were obtained from ringtail lemurs (Lemur catta) and brown lemurs (Eulemur fulvus) using a noninvasive electrophysiological procedure, electroretinographic flicker photometry. Results from experiments involving chromatic adaptation indicate that these lemurs routinely have only a single class of cone photopigment in the middle to long wavelengths (peak sensitivity of about 545 nm); they also have a short-wavelengthsensitive cone pigment with peak of about 437 nm. The earlier behavioral results are suggested to have resulted from the ability of lemurs to jointly utilize signals from rods and cones. The cone pigment complements of these lemurs differ distinctly from those seen among the anthropoids. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Low Leakage Designs for Rotor Teeth and Honeycomb Lands in Labyrinth Seals

Design improvements on labyrinth seal teeth and a honeycomb land are examined by three-dimensional CFD numerical modeling of the flow field. The only objective is reduction of the total leakage through the new seal. CFD assumptions and analysis was validated by comparison with leakage data from labyrinth seal experiments conducted by Stocker [1]. The baseline chosen for comparison of sealing effectiveness is a conventional low clearance straight-through labyrinth seal with four teeth and a honeycomb land of symmetrical hexagonal cells. The proposed new seal has a staggered honeycomb land and straight teeth with an inclined notch. CFD predicts ∼17% reduction in seal leakage at a radial clearance of 0.005 inch (0.122mm) due to higher wall friction and flow turbulence.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
A pars plana approach for cataract surgery in posterior lenticonus

Purpose To report the management and outcome of cataract surgery and intraocular lens placement in a child with unilateral posterior lenticonus. Methods Case report. A 7-year-old boy with a best-corrected visual acuity of RE, 20/200, posterior lenticonus, and cataract underwent a pars plana lensectomy, vitrectomy, posterior chamber intraocular lens insertion into the ciliary sulcus, and central anterior capsulotomy. Result At 2 years of follow-up, best-corrected visual acuity was RE, 20/40. Conclusion This technique allowed complete removal of the opaque posterior lenticonus plaque while preserving the peripheral anterior capsule for sulcus fixation of the posterior chamber intraocular lens.
IL-4 enhances IEC-6 intestinal epithelial cell proliferation yet has no effect on IL-6 secretion

Intestinal epithelial cells (IEC) form an important line of defence at the intestinal mucosa by providing a barrier to lumenal contents and also by their ability to secrete various inflammatory cytokines. Recently, several T cell-derived cytokines have been shown to regulate specific IEC functions. In this study, the effect of IL-4 on IEC proliferation and secretion of the inflammatory cytokine IL-6 was investigated using the non-transformed rat IEC-6 intestinal epithelial cell line. Recombinant rat (rr)IL-4 was found to enhance IEC-6 cell proliferation over 4 days of culture, and this enhancement was dose-dependent. Further studies using specific antibodies confirmed that IL-4 induced the effect and that the effect was not mediated by autocrine-produced transforming growth factor-alpha. However, IL-4 did not induce IL-6 secretion by the IEC-6 cells, nor did it alter IL-1β-induced IL-6 secretion. These results indicate that T cells may be capable of regulating IEC proliferation via the secretion of IL-4 without altering the capacity of the IEC to function in the inflammatory response by secreting IL-6.
The Nelder-Mead Simplex Procedure for Function Minimization

The Nelder-Mead simplex method for function minimization is a “direct” method requiring no derivatives. The objective function is evaluated at the vertices of a simplex, and movement is away from the poorest value. The process is adaptive, causing the simplexes to be continually revised to best conform to the nature of the response surface. The generality of the method is illust'rated by using it. to solve six problems appearing in the May 1973 issue of Technometrics.
Efficient synthesis of radiolabeled propionyl-coenzyme A and acetyl-coenzyme A.

Abstract The efficient microscale synthesis of [1- 14 C]propio-nyl-CoA from commercially available sodium [1- 14 C]propionate using 1,1′-carbonyldiimidazole in yields of nearly 70% is reported for the first time. A substantial improvement in the process for making [1- 14 C]acetyl-CoA from sodium [1- 14 C]acetate was also achieved. Yields of greater than 90% were consistently obtained for the latter synthesis. The salt-free CoA-thioesters were obtained in homogenous form by reverse-phase HPLC. The products were judged to be pure by 1 H NMR analysis: neither iso-CoA analogs nor contaminants frequently found in commercial samples could be detected. The samples of acetyl- and propionyl-CoA were shown to be radiochemically pure by HPLC and by analysis of the products of incubations with acetyl- and propionyl-CoA carboxylase. This highly efficient synthesis is a cost-effective method for the preparation of radiolabeled CoA thioesters and can easily be adapted to the production of other acyl-CoA analogs.
Different approach to calculating average angular distributions of elastically scattered neutrons in the resonance region

A relatively simple formalism for calculating the {ital average} neutron elastic angular distribution {ovr d{sigma}{sub el}}/d{Omega} in the resonance region below several hundred keV is presented. The expression for {ovr d{sigma}{sub el}}/d{Omega} depends mainly on the R-matrix parameters S{sub 0}, R{sup {prime}}, S{sub 1}, and R{sub 1}{sup {infinity}}. Comparisons between calculated and experimental angular distributions are presented for {sup 103}Rh, {sup 139}La, {sup 232}Th, and {sup 238}U. A fit to {sup 238}U data at 75 keV led to a value of the p-wave strength function of S{sub 1}=1.81{plus_minus}0.35{times}10{sup {minus}4}. Except for measuring a complete set of individual l=1 resonances, determining the p-wave strength function by fitting low-energy angular distributions is probably more reliable than, or competitive with, other techniques which are available. An analysis of elastic angular distributions as a function of neutron energy is also well suited to a search for intermediate structure in the s- or p-wave strength function. {copyright} {ital 1997} {ital The American Physical Society}
The processing of a class of transitive-closure queries on uniprocessor and shared-nothing multiprocessor systems

Abstract This paper examines, using probabilistic average-valued analytical models, the performance of the δ- wavefront , a sequential algorithm suitable for processing an important class of recursive queries, the partially-instantiated closure ( TC ) ones. Moreover, it develops and evaluates several parallel variants to the δ- wavefront algorithm. These variants assume the shared-nothing (message-passing) multi-processor organization. The studies presented in this paper reveal, among other findings, that the performance of the δ- wavefront algorithm and its variants is strongly dependent on the characteristics of the system's hardware, the processed base-relation and, to a less degree, the processed query. Although the speed of the different parallel variants has been found to exhibit anomalous behavior (i.e. an increase in the number of processing nodes in the distributed system beyond a certain value brings a decrease in the speed of these algorithms rather than an increase), nevertheless, this study reveals that the processing of a TC query can be greatly speeded up provided that the proper parallel variant and the proper number of processing nodes are chosen. Two parallel variants to the δ- wavefront algorithm are identified to possess the best performance, one for systems with a slow interconnect and the other for systems with a fast one.
A note on a general non-linear knapsack problem

This paper discusses a general non-linear knapsack problem with a concave objective function and a single conves constraint. in particular, it includes an efficient procedure to find the continuous (relaxed) solution and a reduction process which computes tight lower and upper bounds on the integer variables. Some implicit enumeration criteria to be used in an enumeration algorithm are also suggested.
Money and Banking in Yugoslavia: A Socialist Dilemma

This paper examines both the macroeconomic and microeconomic implications for self-management of a current proposal for restructuring the Yugoslav monetary and banking system. Specifically, it examines the monetary theory of Ivo Perisin, former head of the Yugoslav National Bank, and Asim Stranjak, economist and banker.At the heart of the proposal is an assertion that the fractional reserve system of banking is incompatible with the goals of self-management and that a banking system which is based on Marxian monetary theory should be instituted in its place. This paper demonstrates that the proposal is not rooted in Marxian value theory but rather reflects the tenets of the real bills doctrine. The major finding of this paper is that under current institutional arrangements and with current pricing and investment policies pursued in Yugoslavia today, this theory of finance is inappropriate.