cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The catalytic mechanism of the amidotransferase domain of the Syrian hamster multifunctional protein CAD. Evidence for a CAD-glutamyl covalent intermediate in the formation of carbamyl phosphate.

The multifunctional protein CAD catalyzes the first three steps in pyrimidine biosynthesis in mammalian cells, including the synthesis of carbamyl phosphate from bicarbonate, MgATP and glutamine. The Syrian hamster CAD glutaminase (GLNase) domain, a trpG-type amidotransferase, catalyzes glutamine hydrolysis in the absence of MgATP and bicarbonate (Km = 95 microM and kcat = 0.14 s-1). Unlike E. coli carbamyl phosphate synthetase (Wellner, V.P., Anderson, P.M., and Meister, A. (1973) Biochemistry 12, 2061-2066), a stable thioester intermediate did not accumulate when the mammalian enzyme was incubated with glutamine. However, a covalent adduct could be isolated when the protein was denatured in acid. The steady state concentration of the intermediate increased with increasing glutamine concentration to nearly one mole per mole of enzyme with half saturation at 105 microM, close to the Km value for glutamine. The adduct formed at the active site of the glutaminase domain. The rate of breakdown of the intermediate (k4), determined directly, was 0.17 s-1 and the rate of formation (k3) was estimated as 0.52 s-1. In the absence of MgATP and bicarbonate, k4 = kcat indicating that the decomposition of the intermediate is the rate-limiting step. The intermediate was chemically and kinetically competent, and the glutamine dissociation constant (330 microM) and rate constants were consistent with steady state kinetics and accurately predicted the steady state concentration of the intermediate. These studies suggest a mechanism similar to the cysteine proteases such as recently proposed by Mei and Zalkin (Mei, B., and Zalkin, H. (1989) J. Biol. Chem. 264, 16613-16619) who identified a catalytic triad in glutamine phosphoribosyl-5'-pyrophosphate amidotransferase, a purF-type enzyme. MgATP and bicarbonate increased kcat of the glutaminase reaction 14-fold by accelerating both the rate of formation and the rate of breakdown of the intermediate, and prevented the accumulation of the intermediate; however, the Km value for glutamine was not significantly altered. The instability of the thioester intermediate leads to appreciable hydrolysis of glutamine in the absence of the other substrates. However, bicarbonate alone spares glutamine by increasing the Km and Ks of glutamine to 600 and 8960 microM, respectively, thus reducing kcat/Km 3-fold when MgATP is limiting. In the absence of MgATP and bicarbonate, ammonia decreased the rate of hydrolysis and the accumulation of the thioester intermediate indicating that ammonia had direct access to the thioester at the GLNase domain active site.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Formulating representations of time: an event-related fMRI study

We studied the neural underpinnings of temporal cognition by distinguishing brain activation related to encoding time intervals from activation associated with discriminating intervals. The relationship between brain activity and behavioral measures of timing difficulty was also investigated to elucidate the functional role of neural systems mediating temporal discriminations. Healthy adults underwent fMRI as they made judgments about whether a comparison tone-pair was longer or shorter than a standard tone-pair (1200 or 1800 ms). The main results showed activation in the bilateral caudate, right inferior parietal cortex, left middle frontal cortex (BA 6), and left hippocampus during interval encoding. Interval comparison was associated with activation in bilateral middle frontal cortex (BA 9,10,46), parahippocampus, and cerebellum. Harder interval discriminations produced greater activation in the prefrontal and inferior parietal cortices; easier discriminations produced greater activation in bilateral parahippocampus. The results implicated the striatum and right inferior parietal cortex in clock processes and the medial temporal lobes in encoding and retrieval of interval representations.
Value of agile transparent optical networks

We describe how and why agile transparent optical networks can lower the cost of building and maintaining a long haul network. We analyze the key value drivers of a transparent network and explore the implications for key optical components and modules.
PROGRESS IN CALCULATIONS OF THE SUPERCONDUCTING PROPERTIES OF TRANSITION METALS

First principles calculations of the electron-phonon parameters of d-band metals can now be performed to an accuracy of about 10% for “averaged” quantities such as the mass enhancement or the room temperature resistivity. Quantities such as the spectral function α2F(ω) or the phonon linewidth which describe the electron-phonon interaction in more detail can also be calculated. Agreement between calculated and experimental phonon linewidths is generally good but there are differences between the experimental and calculated versions of α2F(ω). Calculations of the thermodynamic critical field and the upper critical field for Nb agree well with experiment.
IBD: Medical Management

The cause of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is unknown, but it is believed to be an uncontrolled immune response within the intestinal mucosa leading to inflammation in genetically predisposed individuals. Multifactorial evidence suggests a defect of innate immune response to microbial agents and abnormalities in adaptive immunity and epithelial barrier function. The goals of therapy include controlling symptoms, improving quality of life, and minimizing short-term and long-term complications of disease and treatment. There are two phases of treatment: (1) inducing remission in active disease and (2) maintaining remission. Surgery is usually reserved for treating medically refractory disease or for specific complications.
Study on identification of rice seeds by chemical oscillation fingerprints

A variety of nonlinear chemical oscillation fingerprints were studied which were produced by the interaction between rice seeds and a B–Z oscillation system. The chemical constituents and their relative content in the rice seeds could be indirectly reflected by the oscillation fingerprints, and the characteristic parameters of the oscillation fingerprints could be automatically extracted by a program. The results showed that all rice seed samples used in the experiment could be identified accurately by both principal component analysis and cluster analysis, and the identification process could be efficiently completed in 10 to 20 minutes. The method has many advantages in terms of application, such as simple operation, low cost, rapid identification and so on.
Positive Definite Matrices, Characteristic Roots, and Positive Matrices

As soon as we leave the well-traversed fields of real and complex numbers for the broader and relatively unexplored domains of hyper-complex numbers, we open the way for the introduction of many different types of ordering relationships. In this chapter, we shall discuss a variety of interesting inequalities centering about the theme of matrices. As we shall see, the basic concept of positive number can be extended to matrices in many different and significant ways.
The Ordovician rocks of Pobroszyn in the Łysogóry region of the Holy Cross Mountains, Poland

In the village of Pobroszyn near Opatow, a faulted section of Ordovician deposits represented by upper Tremadoc clayey-silty lithofacies, upper Arenig carbonate-phosphorite lithofacies and Upper Ordovician claystones with limestone interbeds, were identified. The upper Tremadoc is dated on basis of acritarch. This is the first time that upper Tremadoc deposits have been documented in the Łysogory region. The late Arenig transgressive deposits were probably preceded by emergence in the latest Tremadoc and early Arenig. The Ordovician rocks from Pobroszyn are intensely tectonised. Two groups of faults, oblique and longitudinal, are distinguished. The first one strikes from 120–140°, and dip to NE at 40–45°, and the second one that strikes 15–25° and dips 65–80° to E.
Genetic Analysis of Caenorhabditis elegans glp-1 Mutants Suggests Receptor Interaction or Competition

glp-1 encodes a member of the highly conserved LIN-12/Notch family of receptors that mediates the mitosis/meiosis decision in the C. elegans germline. We have characterized three mutations that represent a new genetic and phenotypic class of glp-1 mutants, glp-1(Pro). The glp-1(Pro) mutants display gain-of-function germline pattern defects, most notably a proximal proliferation (Pro) phenotype. Each of three glp-1(Pro) alleles encodes a single amino acid change in the extracellular part of the receptor: two in the LIN-12/Notch repeats (LNRs) and one between the LNRs and the transmembrane domain. Unlike other previously described gain-of-function mutations that affect this region of LIN-12/Notch family receptors, the genetic behavior of glp-1(Pro) alleles is not consistent with simple hypermorphic activity. Instead, the mutant phenotype is suppressed by wild-type doses of glp-1. Moreover, a trans-heterozygous combination of two highly penetrant glp-1(Pro) mutations is mutually suppressing. These results lend support to a model for a higher-order receptor complex and/or competition among receptor proteins for limiting factors that are required for proper regulation of receptor activity. Double-mutant analysis with suppressors and enhancers of lin-12 and glp-1 further suggests that the functional defect in glp-1(Pro) mutants occurs prior to or at the level of ligand interaction.
Newly Discovered Inlier of Ordovician Phi Kappa Formation, South-Central Idaho: ABSTRACT

An inlier of Ordovician Phi Kappa Formation at Meridian Creek, Custer County, Idaho, provides new information on the distribution and character of this formation. The exposure, which trends 2.3 km along the drainage and ranges up to 0.5 km in width, is isolated from other Phi Kappa outcrops by Tertiary Challis Volcanics. Although the rocks here are similar in age and general lithology to the Phi Kappa exposed 7.1 km northwest in the East Pass Creek window and 5.2 km south on the North Fork of the Lost River, there are significant differences. The Ordovician at Meridian Creek has a minimum thickness of 210 m. About 150 m is graptolite-bearing, Middle Ordovician (Caradocian) shale and calcareous siltstone, whereas the remainder consists of thick (30 m) units of dolomitic limestone and radiolarian-bearing chert. The carbonate unit, which consists of medium to thick beds of fine to medium-grained, dolomitic limestone with clasts of mudstone up to 1 cm long, is coarser grained and thicker than carbonates in Ordovician rocks in nearby areas. The limestones seem to be turbidites, but this interpretation is difficult to reconcile with potential carbonate sources. The uppermost Phi Kappa at Meridian Creek is intensely deformed. Similar relations are present in adjacent areas where the Mississippian Copper Basin Formation is thrust over the Ordovician. Although Mississippian rocks are absent along Meridian Creek, it seems a Copper Basin thrust plate once extended across this area. Regional considerations also suggest that the Ordovician rocks at Meridian Creek are allochthonous. End_of_Article - Last_Page 567------------
The LDL receptor-related protein can form homo-dimers in neuronal cells

The ability of the low density lipoprotein receptor-related protein (LRP) to form homo-dimers was studied in mouse neuroblastoma and human neuroglioma cells as well as in primary cortical cultures from adult mouse brain. Homo-dimerization of LRP light chain (LC) was shown by several methods including co-immunoprecipitation, fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy, and bimolecular fluorescence complementation assay. The requirement of intact NPXY motifs of LRP LC for homo-dimerization was ruled out by co-immunoprecipitation assay.
Size effects of electrical breakdown in quenched random media.

Two percolation models for electrical breakdown in quenched random media, a fuse-wire network and a dielectric network, are introduced and studied. A combination of Lifshitz and scaling arguments leads to a size dependence given by $\frac{{V}_{b}}{L}\ensuremath{\sim}\frac{a(p)}{[1+b(p){(\mathrm{ln}L)}^{\ensuremath{\beta}}]}$, where $\frac{\ensuremath{\beta}=1}{(d\ensuremath{-}1)}$ for the fuse network and $\ensuremath{\beta}=1$ for the dielectric network. Simulations support this hypothesis in the 2D fuse network. We argue that any finite fraction of quenched defects qualitatively reduces the breakdown strength of a wide variety of electrical and mechanical systems in both two and three dimensions.
Testosterone Increases Human Platelet Thromboxane A2 Receptor Density and Aggregation Responses

Background The incidence of thrombotic cardiovascular disease is greater in men than in premenopausal women. Testosterone has been implicated as a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease and for acute myocardial infarctions and strokes in young male athletes who abuse anabolic steroids. Thromboxane A2 (TXA2) is a vasoconstrictor and platelet proaggregatory agent that has been implicated in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease. We therefore tested the hypothesis that testosterone regulates the expression of human platelet TXA2 receptors. Methods and Results In a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized, parallel-group study, we determined the effects of testosterone cypionate 200 mg IM given twice, 2 weeks apart, or saline placebo in 16 healthy men. Platelet TXA2 receptor density (Bmax) and dissociation constant (Kd) were measured by use of the TXA2 mimetic 125I-BOP. Platelet aggregation responses to I-BOP and to thrombin and plasma testosterone concentrations were measured before trea...
Unique Determination of Some Homoplasies at Hybridization Events

Phylogenetic relationships may be represented by rooted acyclic directed graphs in which each vertex, corresponding to a taxon, possesses a genome. Assume the characters are all binary. A homoplasy occurs if a particular character changes its state more than once in the graph. A vertex is "regular" if it has only one parent and "hybrid" if it has more than one parent. A "regular path" is a directed path such that all vertices after the first are regular. Assume that the network is given and that the genomes are known for all leaves and for the root. Assume that all homoplasies occur only at hybrid vertices and each character has at most one homoplasy. Assume that from each vertex there is a regular path leading to a leaf. In this idealized setting, with other mild assumptions, it is proved that the genome at each vertex is uniquely determined. Hence, for each character the vertex at which a homoplasy occurs in the character is uniquely determined. Without the assumption on regular paths, an example shows that the genomes and homoplasies need not be uniquely determined.
How does yoga reduce stress? A systematic review of mechanisms of change and guide to future inquiry

Yoga is increasingly used in clinical settings for a variety of mental and physical health issues, particularly stress-related illnesses and concerns, and has demonstrated promising efficacy. Yet the ways in which yoga reduces stress remain poorly understood. To examine the empirical evidence regarding the mechanisms through which yoga reduces stress, we conducted a systematic review of the literature, including any yoga intervention that measured stress as a primary dependent variable and tested a mechanism of the relationship with mediation. Our electronic database search yielded 926 abstracts, of which 71 were chosen for further inspection and 5 were selected for the final systematic review. These five studies examined three psychological mechanisms (positive affect, mindfulness and self-compassion) and four biological mechanisms (posterior hypothalamus, interleukin-6, C-reactive protein and cortisol). Positive affect, self-compassion, inhibition of the posterior hypothalamus and salivary cortisol were...
Variants of alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone in rat brain and pituitary: Evidence that acetylated α-MSH exists only in the intermediate lobe of pituitary

Abstract The alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-MSH) variants from rat and human pituitary and rat brain have been analyzed in detail by radioimmunoassay (RIA) interfacing with various chromatography systems. No authentic α-MSH was detected in extracts of rat brain regions or human pituitary. In these tissues the only α-MSH variant detected was characterized as des-acetyl α-MSH. Conversely, acetylated α-MSH was found to be the predominant form in rat pituitary. In addition to α-MSH, extracts from both rat and cow pituitary were found to contain an α-MSH variant with the characteristics of an O-N-diacetyl derivative.
Evaluating the performance of the Ft. Huachuca compact range

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) presents a plan for evaluating and verifying the performance of the refurbished Ft. Huachuca compact antenna test range, hereafter referred to as the Range. This plan was based upon information supplied to NIST on the anticipated applications. Information included required measurement accuracies for gain, main- and crosspolarization pattern, RMS sidelobe level, and beam steering. Each of these accuracy requirements affects various aspects of the Range. For example, a requirement for accurate measurements of low-level sidelobes limits the tolerance to multipath errors.
Cache parameters and memory power consumption of video algorithms

Energy efficient computing is growing in demand as portable systems require energy efficiency in order to maximize the battery life. Memory power consumption is becoming an increasingly larger fraction of the total power consumption of a given system. In this paper, we provide data and insight into how the choice of cache parameters affects memory power consumption of video algorithms. We make use of memory traces generated as a result of running typical MPEG- 2 motion estimation algorithms to simulate a large number of cache configurations. The cache simulation data is then combined with on-chip and off-chip memory power models to compute memory power consumption. We provide a detailed study of how varying cache size, block size, and associativity affects memory power consumption. The configurations of particular interest are the ones that optimize power under certain constraints. We also study the role of process technology in these experiments. In particular, we look at how moving to a more advanced process technology for the on-chip cache affects optimal points of operation with respect to memory power consumption.© (1998) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
A Framework for Distributed Problem Solving

This work explores a distributed problem solving (DPS) approach, namely the AM/AG model, to cooperative memory recall. The AM/AG model is a hierarchic social system metaphor for DPS based on the Mintzberg's model of organizations. At the core of the model are information flow mechanisms, named amplification and aggregation . Amplification is a process of expounding a given task, called an agenda, into a set of subtasks with magnified degree of specificity and distributing them to multiple processing units downward in the hierarchy. Aggregation is a process of combining the results reported from multiple processing units into a unified view, called a resolution , and promoting the conclusion upward in the hierarchy. The combination of amplification and aggregation can account for a memory recall process which primarily relies on the ability of making associations between vast amounts of related concepts, sorting out the combined results, and promoting the most plausible ones. The amplification process is discussed in detail. An implementation of the amplification process is presented. The process is illustrated by an example.© (1989) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Ultraviolet Imaging Polarimetry of Narrow-Line Radio Galaxies

In an examination of the unification of radio galaxies and quasars, we obtained UV polarization images of eight narrow-line radio galaxies (NLRGs) with the Faint Object Camera on board the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). By observing in the rest ultraviolet, we can measure the polarization of the active nucleus with little contamination from unpolarized host-galaxy starlight. If, as the unified model predicts, NLRGs are really quasars with their jets lying in the sky plane, we expect to find elongated continua and large polarizations, with the E-vector perpendicular to the UV extent. The observations presented in this paper confirm both of these predictions.
Oral contraceptives, personality, and changes in depression

Abstract The subjects are patients who take the multiphasic examination at a Kaiser-Permanente Medical Center, in Northern California. In addition to the medical measures, the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory is administered. Preliminary analysis of the psychological data have been directed at two problems: (a) pre-pill characteristics and (b) changes in depression. Thirty-two never users were age-matched with pill choosers who were tested prior to use of the drug. Comparisons were made in terms of all the standard MMPI scales. Differences between these groups were negligible. Consequently, it appears that cross-sectional data comparing pill-users to non-users cannot be explained by these pre-pill variables. In addition, no significant changes were found in depression among 49 patients who were measured with the MMPI 3 months after using the drug. However, there was a significant improvement in premenstrual moods. The results seem consistent with other longitudinal studies.
The Role of Dairy Cattle Genes In United States Beef Production

Abstract Cattle carrying genes from dairy breeds or dairy-beef crossbreds make up 20 to 25% of the United States beef supply. Dairy breeds may contribute desired growth and milk traits, but compared to beef breeds at equal finish they have lower dressing percent, ratio of gain to feed, and cutout percent; overall palatability of the beef is close to equal. Dairy cows have higher maintenance requirements, longer postpartum intervals, and more teat and udder problems. Cull dairy heifers and cows bred to beef sires for special purposes may be utilized to a greater extent. Crossbred dairy-beef cows may create a desirable blend of traits and exploit heterosis and complementarity. However, a continuous flow of genes from dairies to the beef supply except as a by-product does not appear likely in the short term. Diverting any selection differential from dairy to beef characters, except those of dual benefit, such as calving ease, does not appear warranted. For the long term, research to quantify and clarify cause and effect relationships among characters such as milk production, ratio of muscle to bone, maintenance requirements, appetite, and gastrointesrinal tract capacity should have high priority, because the results would be useful for both dairy and beef production.
Quantum size effects in the surface energy of Pb/Si (111) film nanostructures studied by surface x-ray diffraction and model calculations

We have used surface x-ray diffraction from a synchrotron source, along with models based upon a free-electron gas confined to a quantum well, to study quantum size effects in the surface energy of ultrathin Pb films grown on pretreated Si(111) substrates. Films grown at $110\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{K}$ are smooth, but as they are annealed to near room temperature, their morphology is observed evolving through various metastable states and eventually to a roughened state in local equilibrium. Strong variations in the stability of different island heights are observed, consistent with quasibilayer oscillations in the surface energy found from the theoretical free-electron calculations. By analyzing the quasiequilibrium distribution of thicknesses, empirical information on the film surface energy is obtained for a wide range of thicknesses. The morphological annealing behavior of the films is also found to be explained by the deduced surface energy.
Parameters influencing reversal of segment sequence in posterior egg fragments ofCallosobruchus (Coleoptera).

The “double abdomen” type of embryonic segment pattern can develop in posterior fragments ofCallosobruchus eggs. In this type of pattern, a series of posterior segments is joined in reversed polarity to an equal set from the original pattern persisting in normal polarity. Reversed and non-reversed sets are fused in a plane of mirror symmetry, which shows in the larval cuticle as a “symmetry line”. This line may be located anywhere in the posterior thorax or the anterior abdomen. The reversed abdomen may be incomplete caudally due to secondary causes. Polarity reversal and concomitant double abdomen formation occurred only when temporary constriction was terminated before cellularization of the blastoderm, and only when the anterior fragment was degenerating. Maximum reversal frequency was 94% of analyzable posterior partial larvae when the constriction was applied slightly anterior to the middle of the egg when the egg contained 4–32 nuclei. Reversal was often restricted to longitudinal strips of the larval cuticle. The longitudinal borderlines between the reversed and the non-reversed strips ran predominantly along the larval midlines. Such borderlines probably existed in the blastoderm anywhere around its circumference, but borderlines in the future mesoderm and serosa would be internalized during gastrulation and dorsal closure, respectively, and the embryonic midlines would then become secondary borderlines visible in the larval cuticle. If a morphogen is involved in segment pattern formation, its transport in the egg must be polarized longitudinally in order to account for reversals restricted to longitudinal cuticular strips.
Spatially periodic suspensions of convex particles in linear shear flows. II. Rheology

Abstract Following the purely kinematical developments of Part 1, a rigorous analysis is presented of the “almost” time-periodic low Reynolds number hydrodynamics of a spatially periodic suspension of identical convex particles in a Newtonian liquid undergoing a macroscopically homogeneous linear shear flow. By considering the case of a single particle within a unit cell of the instantaneous spatially periodic configuration, the quasistatic dynamical analysis of this infinite-particle system is effected in much the same way as for a single particle suspended in an unbounded fluid. This is accomplished via the introduction of a partitioned hydrodynamic Stokes resistance matrix, linearly relating the force, couple and stresslet on the particle in the unit cell to the translational and rotational particle-(mean) suspension slip velocities and the mean rate-of-strain of the suspension. In contrast with the unbounded fluid case for a given geometry of the individual particles, the (purely geometric) elements of the resistance matrix depend upon the instantaneous lattice configuration. These dynamic quasistatic calculations for a given instantaneous lattice conformation, in particular that for the stresslet, are then appropriately averaged over both space and time for the class of almost time-periodic, lattice-reproducing, flows discussed in Part I. (In actually performing the time average, an important distinction is drawn between the ergodic and deterministic shear processes whose kinematical basis was laid in Part I.) In turn, this averaged dynamical information is translated into knowledge of the rheological properties of the macroscopically homogeneous suspension. A rigorous asymptotic, lubrication-theory analysis is performed during the course of an illustrative calculation of the rheological properties of a concentrated suspension of almost-touching spheres in a simple shear flow. Contrary to the findings of a previous heuristic treatment of this same lubrication-theory problem—one that ignores evolutionary variations in the instantaneous geometrical configuration of the spatially periodic suspension as the shear proceeds—the time-average properties of the suspension are found to be nonsingular in the limit. Finally, brief comments are offered on potential extensions of the scheme to include nonlinear phenomena, such as nonNewtonian fluids and inertial effects.
Linguistically informed statistical models of constituent structure for ordering in sentence realization

We present several statistical models of syntactic constituent order for sentence realization. We compare several models, including simple joint models inspired by existing statistical parsing models, and several novel conditional models. The conditional models leverage a large set of linguistic features without manual feature selection. We apply and evaluate the models in sentence realization for French and German and find that a particular conditional model outperforms all others. We employ a version of that model in an evaluation on unordered trees from the Penn TreeBank. We offer this result on standard data as a reference-point for evaluations of ordering in sentence realization.
DEVELOPMENTAL PLASTICITY ALLOWS BETULA NANA TO DOMINATE TUNDRA SUBJECTED TO AN ALTERED ENVIRONMENT

We investigated how three co-dominant arctic shrubs (Betula nana, Salix pulchra, and Ledum palustre ssp. decumbens) responded to long-term treatment with N+P fertilizers and greenhouses in a factorial field experiment at Toolik Lake, Alaska. Our goal was to understand the relationship between growth of individuals and species abundance in the community, and the mechanism by which one species achieves dominance under changed environmental conditions. We compared aboveground growth and allocation patterns in individual ramets 15 yr of age with community abundance measured by quadrat harvests. Ramets of all three species substantially increased their stem biomass with fertilization, but the increase was much larger for Betula than for the other two species. In quadrat sampling, only Betula appreciably increased its biomass per unit area with fertilization or greenhouse treatment. For Salix in all treatments, and Ledum in the two fertilizer treatments, ramet density per unit area decreased more than growth of...
Blepharoptosis and central nervous system abnormalities in combined valproate and hydantoin embryopathy.

Purpose To report a case of intrauterine anticonvulsant exposure with subsequent ocular adnexal manifestations. Methods Case report. Results An 18-month-old child with known anticonvulsant embryopathy was referred for the management of bilateral congenital blepharoptosis. Physical examination confirmed ocular and nonocular external manifestations of valproate and hydantoin embryopathies. Cavum septum pellucidum, mild sulcation defects, and cerebellar atrophy were identified on neuroimaging. Conclusions To our knowledge, our patient represents the second reported case of anomalous septum pellucidum after intrauterine valproate exposure. Clinicians evaluating patients with craniofacial features associated with intrauterine valproate exposure should recognize that concomitant anomalies of the central nervous system, including the septum pellucidum, might exist.
A distributed web-based virtual reality interface to database systems

A principal problem facing users of scientific or engineering databases is that of finding the correct data, due to a lack of detailed knowledge about the structure or schema of the available data. This paper discusses an approach to the design and development of a web-based interface that incorporate a visual model to access database information. This interface links a VRML (Virtual Reality Modeling Language) world to a database, creating an accessible 3D query interface that eliminates the need to know database query language syntax, database structure, and VRML. The user views the virtual world and retrieves information from a connected database with the click of a button. The interface offers the ability to create dynamic 3D anchors and associates queries that relate to parts of a VRML world. The main advantage of this virtual design is the simplicity of data retrieval for the end user.
Photonic local oscillator system for the Millimeter Array

A photonic local oscillator system for the Millimeter Array is described. The mixing of coherent infrared signals generated at a central location and distributed in the 1.3 - 1.55 micrometer wavelength window over optical fiber holds the promise of savings in both cost and manpower over a conventional system. This proposed system, using the many commercially developed components now available also offers advantages in ease of maintenance and reliability.© (1998) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Elbow kinematics during overground manual wheelchair propulsion in individuals with tetraplegia

Purpose. The purpose of this study was to describe horizontal and vertical translation of the elbow and elbow angle in two planes and three speeds during manual wheelchair overground propulsion in individuals with tetraplegia.Methods. Seven individuals with tetraplegia who used manual wheelchairs wheeled overground at three different speeds were recruited for the study. Video motion capture methods quantified their movements. Video data were tracked and used to calculate variables describing three-dimensional elbow translation and angular orientation. Repeated measures ANOVA were used to determine effects of speed on elbow translation and elbow angle. Paired t-tests were used to evaluate left to right differences.Results. Right elbow anterior-posterior translation was found to be significantly different during slow and fast and slow and normal speeds. Vertical and medial-lateral translation of the right elbow was significantly different between slow and fast speeds. No significant effects for speed during...
Fabrication and characterization of three-dimensional periodic ferroelectric polymer-silica opal composites and inverse opals

Using a high temperature solution infiltration process, ferroelectric poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) copolymer is infiltrated into three-dimensional (3D) periodic opal lattices with the silica opal diameters of 180, 225, and 300 nm to form periodic composite structures. By etching out the silica opal, inverse copolymer opals can be fabricated, which retains the 3D periodic structure of the original silica opal lattice. In addition to the optical observation, x-ray diffraction and dielectric study were carried out to characterize the change in the ferroelectric behavior of the composites and inverse opals. Although the copolymer in the composites and inverse opals remains ferroelectric, the ferroelectric transition in the composites and inverse opal becomes diffused and moves to a lower temperature, which is due to the random stress introduced by the irregular voids and interfaces and may be made use of to facilitate the transformation of the copolymer into a relaxor. These results suggest the...
Origin and taxonomy of the fossil elephants of the island of Crete (Greece): problems and perspectives

Abstract Despite the fact that during the last century more than 30 studies have been published referring to the fossil elephants of the island of Crete (Greece), there are still many questions that remain unanswered. These questions concern their geographic and phylogenetic origin, how and when they reached the island, the number of valid species, how, when and why each species became extinct and, finally, the possible effect of the phenomenon of dwarfism on each species. (Dwarfism is characteristic of large mammals in insular faunas.) In addition to the available data, which we have reviewed, cross-checked and updated, we describe new fossil elephant material found in the interior of the island, at an altitude of 1000 m above sea level. Using this revised data set, we propose to (1) retain the separate taxonomic status of the dwarf elephant Mammuthus creticus; and (2) join all the described specimens of larger size under the new subspecies name Elephas antiquus creutzburgi. Moreover, in the light of the new approaches that have been attempted for the fossil elephants in other localities of the Mediterranean region, we try to solve and at least explore the mentioned problems and identify the remaining gaps in our knowledge which need to be filled in order to obtain a complete picture of the natural history of the elephants on Crete.
Avoiding Expert Opinions on the Ultimate Legal Question: The Case for Integrity

In this article, we argue against testifying to the ultimate legal issue. There is no basis in science or clinical knowledge for determining the degree of capacity that is required in order to reach the threshold of capacity associated with legal questions such as competency and criminal responsibility. Society qualifies mental health professionals to provide expert testimony on the basis of their clinical and scientific expertise. Thus testifying to the ultimate legal issue is inappropriate and illogical and to do so threatens the integrity of mental health professions and the legal process.
Between compactness and completeness

Abstract Call a sequence in a metric space cofinally Cauchy if for each positive e there exists a cofinal (rather than residual) set of indices whose corresponding terms are e -close. We give a number of new characterizations of metric spaces for which each cofinally Cauchy sequence has a cluster point. For example, a space has such a metric if and only each continuous function defined on it is uniformly locally bounded. A number of results exploit a measure of local compactness functional that we introduce. We conclude with a short proof of Romaguera's Theorem: a metrizable space admits such a metric if and only if its set of points having a compact neighborhood has compact complement.
Measurements of the phonon density of states of amorphous Ni0.95Tb0.05

Abstract Inelastic neutron scattering measurements of amorphous Ni 0.95 Tb 0.05 self supporting thick films were employed to determine the phonon density of states, G(E). The measured G(E) is compared to the computer calculation made by Thorpe et al. based on a relaxed dense random packing of hard spheres of nickel atoms. Differences in the peak positions between the experimentally determined and the calculated G(E) are attributed to a reduction of the Ni-Ni force constants in the amorphous state relative to the crystalline state. Additional differences between the model and the experimental results are believed to be a consequence of differences in the degree of disorder between the two systems.
Surveillance of birth defects: Brazil and the US

The impacts of birth defects in the society have substantially increased over the last decades in countries where the reduction of infant mortality by other causes has occurred. Birth defects surveillance represents an important source of information for planning X health policies and resource allocation. In this article, we discuss the potential utilizations, methodology options, limitations, and policy issues related to birth defects surveillance. Also, the birth defects surveillance programs from US and Brazil are described and compared as an illustration of the development of surveillance systems in two countries with clearly dissimilar health systems and resource allocation for birth defects programs. Finally, we propose measures for the improvement of the existing systems in both countries focusing at the utilization of preexisting resources.
Evaluation of the potential benefits of lot streaming in flow-shop systems

Abstract Lot streaming is the process of splitting a production lot into sublots, and then scheduling the sublots in overlapping fashion on the machines, in order to improve the overall performance of the production system. Simulation-based and industry-based reports have confirmed that substantial benefits are possible via lot streaming. In this paper, we present, for the first time, analytical results pertaining to the potential benefits of lot streaming in flow-shop systems. The results are developed using three common performance measures. These measures are (a) lakespan (i.e., the total completion time of all the lots), (b) mean flow time, and (c) average WIP level. For each, an expression of the ratio of the measure under lot streaming to the measure without lot streaming is developed. These expressions can be used to evaluate the benefits of lot streaming under certain operating conditions. It is further shown that, in special extreme cases, these expressions purely depend upon the problem parameters (i.e., the number of machines, the number of lots, the lot-sizes, etc.)
Skill theory v2.0: dispositions, emulation, and spatial perception

An attempt is made to defend a general approach to the spatial content of perception, an approach according to which perception is imbued with spatial content in virtue of certain kinds of connections between perceiving organism’s sensory input and its behavioral output. The most important aspect of the defense involves clearly distinguishing two kinds of perceptuo-behavioral skills—the formation of dispositions, and a capacity for emulation. The former, the formation of dispositions, is argued to by the central pivot of spatial content. I provide a neural information processing interpretation of what these dispositions amount to, and describe how dispositions, so understood, are an obvious implementation of Gareth Evans’ proposal on the topic. Furthermore, I describe what sorts of contribution are made by emulation mechanisms, and I also describe exactly how the emulation framework differs from similar but distinct notions with which it is often unhelpfully confused, such as sensorimotor contingencies and forward models.
On stability of generalized short-crested water waves

Abstract In this paper, we take up the question of dynamic stability of genuinely two-dimensional “generalized” hexagonal traveling wave patterns on the surface of a three-dimensional ideal fluid (i.e., stability of Generalized Short-Crested Wave (GSCW) solutions of the water wave problem). We restrict ourselves to a study of spectral stability which considers the linearization of the water wave operator about one of these traveling generalized hexagonal waves, and draws conclusions about stability from the spectral data of the resulting linear operator. Within the class of perturbations we are allowed to study, for a wide range of geometrical parameters, we find stable traveling waveforms which eventually destabilize with features that depend strongly on the problem configuration. In particular, we find “Zones of Instability” for patterns shaped as symmetric diamonds, while such zones are absent for asymmetric configurations. Furthermore, we note that within a geometrical configuration, as a “generalized SCW” ratio is varied (essentially the character of the linear solution), these waves become more unstable as the waves become more asymmetric.
Examining the Association between Oral Health and Oral HPV Infection

Oral human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is the cause of 40% to 80% of oropharyngeal cancers; yet, no published study has examined the role of oral health in oral HPV infection, either independently or in conjunction with other risk factors. This study examined the relation between oral health and oral HPV infection and the interactive effects of oral health, smoking, and oral sex on oral HPV infection. Our analyses comprised 3,439 participants ages 30 to 69 years for whom data on oral HPV and oral health were available from the nationally representative 2009-2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Results showed that higher unadjusted prevalence of oral HPV infection was associated with four measures of oral health, including self-rated oral health as poor-to-fair [prevalence ratio (PR) = 1.56; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.25-1.95], indicated the possibility of gum disease (PR = 1.51; 95% CI, 1.13-2.01), reported use of mouthwash to treat dental problems in the past week (PR = 1.28; 95% CI, 1.07-1.52), and higher number of teeth lost (Ptrend = 0.035). In multivariable logistic regression models, oral HPV infection had a statistically significant association with self-rated overall oral health (OR = 1.55; 95% CI, 1.15-2.09), independent of smoking and oral sex. In conclusion, poor oral health was an independent risk factor of oral HPV infection, irrespective of smoking and oral sex practices. Public health interventions may aim to promote oral hygiene and oral health as an additional measure to prevent HPV-related oral cancers.
Evidence of partial anadromy and resident-form dispersal bias on a fine scalein populations of Oncorhynchus mykiss

We examine sympatric anadromous (steelhead) and nonanadromous (resident) rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) from neighboring locations to test three hypotheses: (1) the sympatric life history types are not genetically different; (2) fine-scale dispersal is the same for both sexes, and (3) fine-scale dispersal is the same for steelhead and resident individuals. Data from 13 microsatellite loci reveal no genetic difference between sympatric steelhead and resident O. mykiss but moderate population structure (FST=0.019–0.028) between adjacent samples, regardless of life history type. Our results provide further evidence of partial anadromy and suggest that geographic proximity and genetic history, more than migratory type, should be considered when identifying populations for use in restoration of local genetic diversity. We find evidence of resident-form dispersal bias on a fine spatial scale, however, we find no evidence that fine-scale dispersal varies by gender. Conservation strategies should aim to maintain resident and anadromous forms when they occur in sympatry, as they may be important in facilitating gene flow on small and large spatial scales, respectively.
Out of the Box: The Origination and Form in Creativity

This comment turns a critical eye on the popular dictum, “Think out of the box!” Given routinely as an end-all exhortation, this pronouncement misrepresents the true dynamics of creation, which is the dialectic process between the twin principles of origination and form. Referring to the relevant observations of many a creator in differing disciplines, I warn against the real danger of the originative potential being left as a mere promise without being fully realized into the culminating creation of worth.
The carbide M7C3 in low-temperature-carburized austenitic stainless steel

Abstract Prolonged low-temperature gas-phase carburization of AISI 316L-type austenitic stainless steel can cause intragranular precipitation of the carbide M 7 C 3 (M: randomly dispersed Fe, Cr, Ni). Transmission electron microscopy revealed that the carbide particles have the shape of needles. They grow by a ledge-migration mechanism and in a crystallographic orientation relationship to the austenite matrix that enables highly coherent interphase interfaces. A small solubility limit of Ni in the carbide and restricted Ni diffusivity at the processing temperature leads to Ni pileup around the particles and may explain the extreme aspect ratio of the particle shape. These characteristics closely resemble what has been observed earlier for precipitates of M 5 C 2 under slightly different processing conditions and can be rationalized by considering the particular constraints imposed by carburization at low temperature.