cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The characterization of surfaces by electron spectroscopy

Abstract An introduction to the surface-sensitive electron spectroscopic techniques of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS or ESCA) and Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) is presented. These techniques provide information concerning the chemical composition and electronic properties existing within the first few monolayers of a free surface. A brief description is given of the energetics of the physical processes involved, the experimental techniques used, and the degree of surface sensitivity attainable. The extent to which XPS and AES can provide qualitative analysis, quantitative analysis, and chemical bonding information is discussed. XPS proving to be generally superior because of the greater simplicity of the process and the higher energy resolution attainable. AES possesses the advantages of higher two-dimensional resolution and greater speed of analysis than XPS.
Threat postures signal impending attack in mice

Attacks exhibited by male mice toward olfactory bulbectomized stimulus males are classified as either ritualized or nonritualized according to whether they are or are not immediately (within 2 sec) preceded by a species-typical threat display. Comparisons between these two classes of attack behavior show that ritualized attacks are significantly shorter in duration than nonritualized attacks. These data indicate that a particular component of agonistic behavior in male mice, the threat posture, functions as a signal that limits the intensity of intermale aggression.
Cation Exchange at Pressures up to 400 MPa

Abstract The effects of pressures up to 400 MPa (∼60,000 psi) on the capacity factors of sodium, potassium, rubidium, lithium, and magnesium ions were studied using nitrate eluents. The capacity factors, corrected for compression, were changed by almost 25% for rubidium and potassium ions by going from atmospheric pressure to 350 MPa. The corrected capacity factor for magnesium ion changed 15%, whereas those for lithium and sodium were essentially unchanged. The effect was attributed to changes in the sizes of the hydrated cations.
DNMT3A mutations and response to the hypomethylating agent decitabine in acute myeloid leukemia

DNMT3A mutations and response to the hypomethylating agent decitabine in acute myeloid leukemia
Managing Wildlife within U.S. National Forests

The main question addressed in this research is whether the Forest Service has been able to maintain control over its wildlife conservation program in the face of increased interest and policymaking activity from the president and Congress. Determining who has influence over wildlife management decisions is assessed by examining the development of national forest policies over the past 30 years along with more recent shifts in rulemaking and the allocation of staff and budgetary resources. I conclude that political institutions have been increasingly successful in their efforts to shape wildlife program decisions through both policy and regulatory initiatives. This includes the willingness of public officials to make greater use of positive incentives to obtain agency cooperation as well as the threat of sanctions for agency noncompliance.
In vitro germination and pollen tube growth of maize (Zea mays L.) pollen—VII. Effects of ultraviolet irradiation☆

Abstract Pfahler P. L. In vitro germination and pollen tube growth of maize (Zea mays L. ) pollen —VII. Effects of ultraviolet irradiation. Radiation Botany 13, 13–18, 1973.—Fresh, mature pollen grains (mean diameter = 88·0 ± 0·5 μ ) of the inbred H55 were exposed to irradiation from 0 to 29·7 × 10 5 erg/cm 2 at 2·7 × 10 5 erg/cm 2 intervals using an apparatus that exposed the pollen grains to irradiation from all directions. After irradiation, pollen grains from each exposure were cultured on an artificial medium containing 15% sucrose, 0·6% bacto-agar, 0·03% calcium nitrate and 0·01% boric acid. Germination ranged from 82·5 per cent at 0 exposure to 0·0 per cent at 29·7 × 10 5 erg/cm 2 . A significant decrease in germination was obtained with each increase in exposure indicating a negative linear relationship. The LD 50 value was 15·0 × 10 5 erg/cm 2 . The ruptured grain per cent ranged from 5·6 at 0 exposure to 18·6 at 29·7 × 10 5 erg/cm 2 . No significant differences were obtained in ruptured grain per cent between 0 and 18·9 × 10 5 erg/cm 2 . However, each increase in exposure above 18·9=10 5 erg/cm 2 resulted in a significant increase. A negative relationship between exposure and pollen tube length was found at 1, 2 and 3 hr after inoculation. However, the depression in pollen tube length at each interval after inoculation was much more pronounced at lower than at higher exposures.
Targeting of MPEG-protected polyamino acid carrier to human E-selectin in vitro

Targeted diagnostic agents are expected to have a significant impact in molecular imaging of cell-surface associated markers of proliferation, inflammation and angiogenesis. In this communication, we describe a new class of targeted polyamino acid-based protected graft copolymers (PGC) of poly-(L-lysine) and methyl poly-(ethylene glycol) (PGC) covalently conjugated with a monoclonal antibody fragment, F(ab′)2. We utilized targeted PGC conjugates as carriers of near-infrared indocyanine fluorophores (Cy5.5) for optical imaging of endothelial cell populations expressing IL-1β inducible proinflammatory marker E-selectin. We compared two conjugation chemistries, involving either introduction of sulfhydryl group to F(ab′)2, or via direct attachment of the antibody fragment directly to the chemically activated PGC. Both PGC-based targeted agents demonstrated high binding specificity (20–30 fold over non-specific uptake) and were utilized for imaging E-selectin expression on human endothelial cells activated with IL-1β.
Congenital iris ectropion associated with ocular albinism, foveal hypoplasia, and keratoconjunctivitis sicca.

c ongenital iris ectropion is a rare, nonprogressive anomaly characterized by the presence of iris pigment epithelium on the anterior surface of the iris at the pupillary border. Recent authors.have attributed congenital iris ectropion to a developmental arrest of neural crest structures caused by contact of the posterior iris pigment epithelium with a retained primordial endotheliumJ, 2 Anterior segment abnormalities associated with congenital iris ectropion include angle dysgenesis and a prominent Schwalbe's line) These anterior segment findings have been observed in association with abnormalities of chromosome 6, suggesting that genes on this chromosome affect ocular structures derived from the neural crest. 4 Normal shape of the pupil and function of the sphincter and dilator muscles are usually found in iris ectropion, except when it is associated with Rieger's anomaly or aniridia. Glaucoma usually develops within the first two decades of life. 3 Few hereditary cases have been reported. Most cases of congenital iris ectropion are unilateral and are associated with ipsilateral ptosis. 2 Congenital iris ectropion has also been associated with neurofibromatosis, facial hemihypertrophy, Prader-Willi syndrome, factor XI deficiency, and gingival hyperplasia, s, 6
Hypermagnesemia-induced paralytic ileus

Hypermagnesemia is a well-known cause of hypotension and cardiac dysfunction but not well recognized is the induction of paralytic ileus. This report details the second and third adult patients reported with hypermagnesemia-induced paralytic ileus. The first patient was a 65-year-old white woman with normal renal function, who had consumed large amounts of magnesium citrate and milk of magnesia. As magnesium blood level fell from 5.1 mg/dl on admission to 2.4 mg/dl on day 3, the vomiting, obstipation, and abdominal distension resolved. The second patient was a 67-year-old woman with mild renal insufficiency, who consumed a large amount of Epsom salts containing magnesium sulfate to treat her constipation. Magnesium levels of 8.1 mg/dl on admission fell to below 3.1 mg/dl on the third hospital day and the paralytic ileus resolved. Mechanical obstruction was ruled out by colonoscopy, gastrographin enema, and barium small bowel series in both patients. Although the clinical findings of muscle weakness, flaccid paralysis, respiratory muscle paralysis or cardiac arrest due to hypermagnesemia are well described in the literature, intestinal smooth muscle dysfunction leading to paralytic ileus has only been reported in one other adult patient. The laboratory and clinical course of these two patients strongly suggest a causal relationship between hypermagnesemia and paralytic ileus.
The carbon stable isotope biogeochemistry of streams, Taylor Valley, Antarctica

Abstract The McMurdo Dry Valleys region of Antarctica is the largest ice-free region on the continent. This study reports the first C stable isotope measurements for dissolved inorganic C present in ephemeral streams in four dry valleys that flow for four to twelve weeks during the austral summer. One of these valleys, Taylor Valley, has been the focus of the McMurdo Dry Valleys Long-Term Ecological Research (MCM-LTER) program since 1993. Within Taylor Valley, numerous ephemeral streams deliver water to three perennially ice-covered, closed-basin lakes: Lake Fryxell, Lake Hoare, and Lake Bonney. The Onyx River in the Wright Valley, the longest river in Antarctica, flows for 40 km from the Wright Lower Glacier and Lake Brownworth at the foot of the glacier to Lake Vanda. Streamflow in the McMurdo Dry Valley streams is produced primarily from glacial melt, as there is no overland flow. However, hyporheic zone exchange can be a major hydrogeochemical process in these streams. Depending on landscape position, these streams vary in gradient, channel substrate, biomass abundance, and hyporheic zone extent. This study sampled streams from Taylor, Wright, Garwood, and Miers Valleys and conducted diurnal sampling of two streams of different character in Taylor Valley. In addition, transect sampling was undertaken of the Onyx River in Wright Valley. The δ 13 C PDB values from these streams span a range of greater than 14‰, from −9.4‰ to +5.1‰, with the majority of samples falling between −3‰ and +2‰, suggesting that the C stable isotope composition of dissolved C in McMurdo Dry Valley streams is largely inorganic in character. Because there are no vascular plants on this landscape and no groundwater input to these streams, atmospheric exchange is the dominant control on δ 13 C-DIC.
Effects of smoke deprivation interval on puff topography

Our purpose in this series of three studies was to determine the effects of deprivation interval on smoking topography. In experiment 1, subjects were allowed to smoke ad libitum for 1 hour after 3, 30, and 300 minutes of tobacco smoke deprivation. An increased latency to the first cigarette developed after 3 minutes deprivation and an increase in the number of cigarettes smoked occurred after 300 minutes of deprivation. In experiment 2, puff number and spacing were held constant to determine if smokers would compensate for long deprivation intervals by more intense smoking, i.e., increased puff volume. Puff volumes and carbon monoxide (CO) boosts did not differ across smoking bouts preceded by either 30, 100, or 300 minutes of tobacco smoke deprivation. In experiment 3, average puff volumes and CO boosts were examined during smoking periods with short (3, 10, and 30 minutes) deprivation intervals. Subjects smoked less intensely (lower puff volumes and CO boosts) when smoking was spaced by 3 than by 30 minutes. We conclude that smokers do not increase puff volume after long deprivation intervals up to 300 minutes, but they may decrease puff volumes after short (3 minutes) deprivation intervals when puff number and spacing cannot be used as compensatory mechanisms. Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (1985) 38, 109–115; doi:10.1038/clpt.1985.143
Lattice parameters and ionic radii of the oxide and fluoride garnets

Abstract An equation relating ionic radii and lattice parameters for compounds with the garnet structure has been fit to over 330 representative formulations. The radii of the anions, together with the radii and lattice sites of cations, are taken into account. This mathematical relationship can be used to test data, to assist in the assignment of cations to symmetry sites, to predict lattice parameters of unknown compositions, and to suggest the feasibility of preparing compounds with specific compositions. Previously unreported cationic radii for eight-coordinate Cu(I) and four-coordinate Co(III) and Fe(IV) as well as the radii of vacancies in the garnet structure are discussed.
Perceptions of the rape incident: Physicians and volunteer counselors

The present study investigated attitudes toward rape in a group of physicians and a group of volunteer rape-crisis counselors. A series of 25 statements derived from the literature on rape was administered to a group of physicians and to a group of rapecrisis counselors. The 25 statements were factor analyzed based on responses from an independent sample. Two main factors emerged: one represented perceived causality of the rape incident and the other represented perceived consequences of the rape incident. Comparison of the physicians and volunteers on items loading on the two factors indicated that there was a slight tendency for the volunteers to see rape as having more serious consequences than did physicians.
Aeroelastic detuning for stability enhancement of unstalled supersonic flutter

A mathematical model is presented for analyzing the effect of aeroelastic detuning on unstalled supersonic flutter, where the detuning mechanism employed is alternate-blade structural detuning. Two alternative aerodynamic detuning methods are compared: the novel, alternate-chordwise airfoil spacing method, and the alternate circumferential airfoil spacing aerodynamic detuning. A combination of aerodynamic and structural detuning is considered. Relative flutter stability enhancements are assessed for a twelve-blade baseline rotor.
Pseudopotential floating spherical gaussian orbital calculations on group IV hydrides

A modification of the floating spherical gaussian orbital (F.S.G.O.) method, in which the core orbitals are replaced by a pseudopotential, is used to perform electronic structure calculations on the series of group IV compounds XH3, YH3(X, Y = C, Si, Ge). The good geometry predictions of the all electron F.S.G.O. method for such group IV compounds are reproduced in the present scheme. In addition a partial improvement of the orbital energies over those of the all-electron F.S.G.O. results for C2H6 is observed. Rather good orbital energies are also found for Si2H6. An explanation of this observation is offered.
An elementary proof of the lower bound of Cramér’s Theorem in Rd

Abstract Let { ξ i } be a family of i.i.d. random vectors in R d ( d ≥ 2 ) , and μ n be the distributions in R d of the empirical means ξ 1 + ⋯ + ξ n n . Without imposing any conditions, a new and elementary approach is presented in this note for showing the lower bound of the large deviation principle for { μ n } , lim inf n → ∞ 1 n ln μ n ( O ) ≥ − inf x ∈ O Λ ⋆ ( x ) , open O ⊆ R d , for some rate function Λ ⋆ ( ⋅ ) which is defined in this note.
Clearance of linezolid via continuous venovenous hemodiafiltration.

Background: Linezolid is being used increasingly for life-threatening vancomycin-resistant infections in critically ill patients. Limited data suggest that linezolid is cleared by intermittent hemodialysis. However, information on clearance of linezolid by continuous renal replacement therapy is limited. A patient undergoing continuous venovenous hemodiafiltration (CVVHDF) was evaluated to determine linezolid clearance through CVVHDF. Methods: A 33-year-old man with necrotizing fasciitis and acute-on-chronic renal failure requiring CVVHDF was treated with linezolid, 600 mg every 12 hours, for a vancomycin-resistant urinary tract infection. The study was performed on day 4 of therapy after a 1-hour infusion of linezolid. A series of blood samples and all urine and diafiltrate were collected during a 12-hour period. Linezolid concentrations were determined by using high-performance liquid chromatography assay. Linezolid clearance through CVVHDF was determined by using 2 methods. Method 1 evaluated the amount of drug recovered in diafiltrate. Method 2 evaluated plasma drug concentrations in prefilter and postfilter (PAN-10 Hemofilter; Asahi Medical Co, Tokyo, Japan) samples. Results: Clearance of linezolid through CVVHDF was 15.6 mL/min by method 1 and 21.6 mL/min by method 2. Total-body clearance was 189 mL/min. The amount of linezolid recovered in diafiltrate was 50 mg (8.3% of the dose). Conclusion: Clearance of linezolid through CVVHDF in this patient was marginal. It does not appear that supplemental dosing of linezolid is necessary in patients undergoing CVVHDF.
Doktor-Gigi in the Peace Corps

Like other underdeveloped countries, Sabah, a Malaysian state, woefully lacks dental services. Three dentists, one a Peace Corps volunteer, care for the needs of 450,000 people. Up to 45 extractions a day is normal.
Persistent Neuromuscular and Corticomotor Quadriceps Asymmetry After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction

Context: Return to activity in the presence of quadriceps dysfunction may predispose individuals with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) to long-term joint degeneration. Asymmetry may manifest during movement and result in altered knee-joint–loading patterns; however, the underlying neurophysiologic mechanisms remain unclear. Objective: To compare limb symmetry of quadriceps neuromuscular function between participants with ACLR and participants serving as healthy controls. Design: Descriptive laboratory study. Setting: Research laboratory. Patients or Other Participants: A total of 22 individuals with ACLR (12 men, 10 women) and 24 individuals serving as healthy controls (12 men, 12 women). Main Outcome Measure(s): Normalized knee-extension maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) torque (Nm/kg), quadriceps central activation ratio (CAR) (%), quadriceps motor-neuron–pool excitability (Hoffmann reflex to motor wave ratio), and quadriceps active motor threshold (AMT) (% 2.0 T) were measu...
Genetic mapping of a new promoter for the lac operon.

Abstract A mutation (or group of mutations) necessary for the synthesis of increased quantities of lac mRNA has been localized within the structural gene for the lac repressor ( lacI ). This mutation is probably a new cyclic AMP-binding protein-dependent promoter within the I gene. We propose that the synthesis of lac mRNA in the mutant is initiated within the I gene, and that transcriptional initiation continues to occur normally at the wild-type I promoter.
The Inflammatory Footprints of Alcohol-induced Oxidative Damage in Neurovascular Components

Microvessels, the main components of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) are vulnerable to oxidative damage during alcohol-induced stress. Alcohol produces oxidative damage within the vessels and in the brain. Using our animal model of catheter implant into the common carotid artery (CCA), we trace the footprints of alcohol-induced oxidative damage and inflammatory process at the BBB and into the brain. The uniqueness of the finding is that ethanol causes oxidative damage in all neurovascular components by activating NADPH oxidase and inducible nitric oxide synthase in the brain. It is not the oxidants but the ethanol that traverses through the BBB because we found that the highly reactive peroxynitrite does not cross the BBB. Thus, oxidative damage is caused at the site of oxidant production in the microvessels and in the brain. Our data indicate that acetaldehyde (the primary metabolite of ethanol) is the inducer/activator of these enzymes that generate oxidants in brain neurovascular cells. Evidence for alcohol-induced BBB damage is indicated by the alterations of the tight junction protein occludin in intact microvessels. Importantly, we demonstrate that the site of BBB oxidative damage is also the site of immune cells aggregation in the microvessels, which paves the path for inflammatory footprints. These findings reveal the underlying mechanisms that ethanol-elicited BBB oxidative damage initiate the brain vascular inflammatory process, which ultimately leads to neuroinflammation.
Pediatric Head and Neck Malignancies Incidence and Trends, 1973-2010

ObjectiveDetermine the current epidemiology of head and neck (H&N) cancer in the US pediatric population.Study DesignAnalysis of national tumor registries comparing childhood H&N cancer trends to overall childhood cancer trends.Subjects and MethodsThe SEER (Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results) database was accessed to gather epidemiologic data regarding pediatric H&N cancer between 1973 and 2010. Specific trends related to demographic background, histologic diagnosis, tumor location, and incidence, as well as general trends of all pediatric cancers, were extracted.ResultsThe total burden and incidence rates of pediatric cancer as well as H&N cancer continue to rise. Cancer was diagnosed in children <15 years old at a rate of 12.5 cases (95% confidence interval [CI], 11.9-13.1) per 100,000 from 1973 to 1975 and 17.3 (95% CI, 16.7-17.9) from 2007 to 2009, an increase of 38%. H&N cancers in the same age group increased from 1.1 (95% CI, 0.9-1.2) in 1973-1975 to 1.6 (95% CI, 1.4-1.8) in 2007-2009, an ...
Identification of Escherichia coli HemG as a novel, menadione-dependent flavodoxin with protoporphyrinogen oxidase activity.

Protoporphyrinogen oxidase (PPO, EC 1.3.3.4) catalyzes the six-electron oxidation of protoporphyrinogen IX to the fully conjugated protoporphyrin IX. Eukaryotes and Gram-positive bacteria possess an oxygen-dependent, FAD-containing enzyme for this step, while the majority of Gram-negative bacteria lack this oxygen-dependent PPO. In Escherichia coli, PPO activity is known to be linked to respiration and the quinone pool. In E. coli SASX38, the knockout of hemG causes a loss of measurable PPO activity. HemG is a small soluble protein typical of long chain flavodoxins. Herein, purified recombinant HemG was shown to be capable of a menadione-dependent conversion of protoporphyrinogen IX to protoporphyrin IX. Electrochemical analysis of HemG revealed similarities to other flavodoxins. Interestingly, HemG, a member of a class of the long chain flavodoxin family that is unique to the γ-proteobacteria, possesses a 22-residue sequence that, when transferred into E. coli flavodoxin A, produces a chimera that will c...
Localization of gelfoam emboli after partial splenic embolization utilizing99mTc-labeled emboli

Partial splenic embolization using99mTc-labeled Gelforam was employed to manage of four renal transplant patients with thrombocytopenia and leukopenia. In each patient the individual Gelfoam particles could be seen on the persistence scope of a gamma camera as they arrived in the spleen. This allowed the precise location of each Gelfoam particle to be defined immediately. Gamma camera imaging of the99mTc Gelfoam particles in the spleen proved as accurate as selective splenic arteriography in determining the amount of spleen embolized. No ectopic99mTc Gelfoam particles were found as judged by total body gamma camera imaging obtained immediately after the partial splenic embolization procedure was completed.
Magnetic properties of one-dimensional Ni/Cu and Ni/Al multilayered nanowires: Role of nonmagnetic spacers

We have used density functional theory within spin-polarized local density approximation to investigate the equilibrium structure, electronic, and magnetic properties of one-dimensional Ni/Cu and Ni/Al multilayered nanowires. In particular, we look into the subtle changes in the magnetic properties of the nanowires with the change in the width of the nonmagnetic spacer. Our calculations yield the magnitude of cohesive energy in both the systems to decrease with the increase in the concentration of the nonmagnetic spacer, suggesting that Ni rich nanowires are more stable. Analysis of the magnetic moment per Ni atom $({\ensuremath{\mu}}_{\text{av}})$ in the Ni/Cu hybrid multilayered nanowire suggests that there is a steady decrease in ${\ensuremath{\mu}}_{\text{av}}$ with the increase in the number of Cu layers. In contrast, in Ni/Al multilayered nanowire, there is a nonmonotonic decrease in ${\ensuremath{\mu}}_{\text{av}}$ with the increase in Al layers. The observed difference in magnetic property between Ni/Cu and Ni/Al multilayered nanowires is attributed to the dissimilar interfacial bonding in the two cases. In the case of Ni/Al nanowire, the nonmonotonic variation in ${\ensuremath{\mu}}_{\text{av}}$ is due to the strong directional nature of the $\text{Ni}\text{ }d$ and $\text{Al}\text{ }p$ hybridization, which favors Ni to have higher coordination number. Higher coordination for Ni leads to smaller ${\ensuremath{\mu}}_{\text{av}}$ in the Ni/Al multilayered nanowire. However, the hybridization between $\text{Ni}\text{ }d$ and $\text{Cu}\text{ }s$ states is predominantly responsible for the smaller ${\ensuremath{\mu}}_{\text{av}}$ in the Ni/Cu nanowire. Furthermore, we found that in Ni/Al multilayered nanowire with two Al spacer layer, the antiferromagnetic configuration is favored over ferromagnetic configuration. In Ni/Cu multilayered nanowire, ferromagnetic configuration is favored over antiferromagnetic configuration for the same spacer length.
Abstract ED01-01: Overview of biorepository best practices

There is considerable heterogeneity in the way that patients’ biospecimens (tissues, blood, urine for example) are collected, processed and stored in biorepositories. This unknown or uneven quality of biospecimens used for research can lead to unreliable and irreproducible results. In addition to technical and operational issues, many ethical, legal and policy guidelines and concerns must be addressed when conducting research involving the use of biospecimens from cancer patients and other research participants. After an extensive review of its own biorepostories, in 2007 the NCI Office of Biorepositories and Biospecimen Research (OBBR) published the NCI Best Practices for Biospecimen Resources (http://biospecimens.cancer.gov/practices/). The Best Practices do not comprise detailed procedures and are intended to be adapted, as appropriate, based on the mission and scientific needs of the individual biorepository. The technical best practices include recommendations for the collection, processing, storage and shipping of biospecimens, as well as quality control of processes and the proper collection of clinical data. The ethical, legal and policy practices provide guidance on informed consent, privacy and confidentiality, custodianship and intellectual property concerns. In response to questions and comments from the research community a new version of the Best Practices is being published in 2011. Major revisions include the addition of sections on biorepository management and operations and conflicts of interest, and expansion of recommendations related to custodianship and informed consent, harmonization with current Federal guidance documents and recommendations from international organizations. The revised Best Practices will be launched using an interactive web format, to provide a mechanism for more frequent updates and to encourage feedback from the community. The Best Practices will continue to evolve as the field of biospecimen biology advances; novel scientific, technological and clinical practices develop; and new ethical and legal policies and regulations emerge. The NCI is committed to maintaining current and scientifically accurate best practices for biorepositories and will continue to solicit input from stakeholders in the cancer research community. Citation Information: Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2011;20(10 Suppl):ED01-01.
The purine nucleotide cycle inHelix hepatopancreas

The enzymes adenylosuccinate synthetase (EC 6.3.4.4 IMP: L-aspartate ligase [GDP-forming]), adenylosuccinate lyase (EC 4.3.2.2) and AMP deaminase (EC 3.5.4.6 AMP aminohydrolase) were demonstrated inHelix aspersa hepatopancreas tissue. The presence of these enzymes along with high levels of aspartate transaminase is presumptive evidence for the operation in this tissue of the purine nucleotide cycle. In the absence of evidence that glutamate dehydrogenase acts to release ammonia during amino acid catabolism, it is suggested that the purine nucleotide cycle serves this function. Glutamine synthetase (EC 6.3.1.2 L-glutamate: ammonia ligase [ADP-forming]) was shown to be present primarily in the cytosolic fraction ofHelix hepatopancreas. Since the operation of the purine nucleotide cycle results in the release of ammonia in the cytosol, the localization of glutamine synthetase in this compartment indicates that it is the primary ammonia-detoxifying enzyme and is consistent with the suggestion that the purine nucleotide cycle serves as the major pathway for amino acid catabolism.
Sports-related concussion: assessment and management.

Most major U.S. professional sports and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) have adopted concussion policies. Current National Football League and NCAA guidelines do not permit an athlete with a concussion to return to play on the same day as the injury. No adolescent or high-school athletes with a concussion should be allowed to return to play on the same day regardless of severity. Loss of consciousness is uncommon with concussion. Acute concussion symptoms are generally self-limited, and most symptoms typically resolve within two weeks. Concussion risk and severity may be affected by age, sex, and genetic predisposition. Athletes with a concussion should rest physically and cognitively until symptoms have resolved at rest and with exertion. Rehabilitation following concussion progresses through a stepwise graded fashion. Neuropsychological testing can provide objective data on an athlete after a concussion. However, it alone cannot be used to diagnose a concussion or determine when an athlete is allowed to return to play. Retirement from contact or collision sports may be necessary for an athlete who has sustained multiple concussions or has a history of prolonged symptoms after concussions. Long-term effects of concussions are still relatively unknown, and further research is required to offer guidance for athletes of all levels.
Optimal location of candidates in ideological space

The strong point is the point which minimizes the probability that a candidate be defeated in a two-party election. The center of power is the weighted average of voters' positions in a spatial voting game, where the weights are given by Shapley's modified value. We show that, under very general conditions, the strong point and the center of power coincide.
A martingale approach to minimal surfaces

Abstract We provide a probabilistic approach to studying minimal surfaces in R 3 . After a discussion of the basic relationship between Brownian motion on a surface and minimality of the surface, we introduce a way of coupling Brownian motions on two minimal surfaces. This coupling is then used to study two classes of results in minimal surface theory, maximum principle-type results, such as weak and strong halfspace theorems and the maximum principle at infinity, and Liouville theorems.
Electron transport in semiconductors

Previous calculations of macroscopic electron transport based on an exact integro-differential equation of motion yield a set of three coupled equations. These were solved with the assumption of a single thermalizing time. We show that when we supplement the three equations with a generalized Fokker-Planck equation their solution is fully determined without the additional assumption. The final result is the same thermalizing processes and macroscopic transport coefficients as reported earlier.
A promoter-linked coupling region required for stimulation of α-fetoprotein transcription by distant enhancers

We previously demonstrated that the rat alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) gene has three upstream enhancers that stimulate the AFP promoter additively in HepG2 cells (1). In this paper, deletion analysis demonstrated that a promoter-linked segment from -178 to -155 was required for full activity when the enhancers were distant from the promoter, even at less than their normal genomic distances, but dispensable when the enhancers were moved close to the promoter. This 'promoter-coupling element' appears to interact simultaneously with all three enhancers. Deletion analysis also localized a transcription stimulatory and a negative region in the promoter. Though these latter regions controlled the strength of the isolated promoter, they did not affect 'coupling' to the distant enhancers, and transcription stimulation by these distal promoter elements was small compared to the distant enhancers. Overall, the distant enhancers, acting through the promoter-coupling element, accounted for 70% of the activity of the transfected AFP gene. Footprint analysis with HepG2 nuclear extracts demonstrated protein binding at two sites near the promoter-coupling element. The data indicate a positive transcription control mechanism by which distant enhancers stimulate the AFP promoter through a specific promoter-linked element.
Laser Desorption/Ionization of Transition Metal Atoms and Oxides from Solid Argon

The oxides TiO, CrO, and CoO, formed by reaction of the laser-ablated metal atoms and O2 in excess argon during condensation at 10 K, have been laser desorbed/ionized from solid argon with 308 nm radiation for observation by TOF mass spectrometry. Mass peaks for Ti+, Cr+, Co+, and particularly TiO+ and CrO+ were enhanced by adding to the copper support a thin film of organic acid typically used as a matrix in matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry. Adding the C6H5Br chromophore to the Ar/O2 gas mixture also enhanced the metal and oxide ion signals. The laser desorption/ionization (LDI) process in these cryogenic experiments with low ionization energy subject atoms and molecules is assisted by the organic acid and bromobenzene chromophores, suggesting that charge exchange plays an important role in this process.
On nonparametric regression for IID observations in a general setting

We consider the problem of sharp-optimal estimation of a response function $f(x)$ in a random design nonparametric regression under a general model where a pair of observations $(Y, X)$ has a joint density $p(y, x) = p(y|f(x)) \pi(x)$. We wish to estimate the response function with optimal minimax mean integrated squared error convergence as the sample size tends to $\infty$. Traditional regularity assumptions on the conditional density $p(y| \theta)$ assumed for parameter $\theta$ estimation are sufficient for sharp-optimal nonparametric risk convergence as well as for the existence of the best constant and rate of risk convergence. This best constant is a nonparametric analog of Fisher information. Many examples are sketched including location and scale families, censored data, mixture models and some well-known applied examples. A sequential approach and some aspects of experimental design are considered as well.
Removal of the synaptic target permits terminal sprouting of a mature intact axon.

When the central nervous system (CNS) develops, neurones send out axons to make contact with appropriate synaptic target cells and then stop growing. If its usual target is missing, an axon may continue to grow until it synapses with a suitable but inappropriate target1. This suggests that contact with a synaptic target is important in stopping axonal growth during development. Many classes of neurone in the adult CNS retain a capacity to grow towards denervated targets2–5, but it is not known whether the synaptic contacts established during development continue to regulate the growth of individual mature, intact axons. This has been a difficult problem to investigate; in vertebrates most studies necessarily involve large populations of neurones, and the most direct approach, removal of a synaptic target, usually damages many neurones, including the axons that are to be studied. We report here a demonstration of target cell influences on the growth of a single mature, intact axon in the CNS of the leech by selectively destroying the axon's synaptic target without injuring the axon itself. Target removal, which itself does not trigger sprouting of intact axons, permits the intact axon to grow at its tip in response to injury of other axonal branches of the same cell.
“Staircase” Saccadic Intrusions plus Transient Yoking and Neural Integrator Failure Associated with Cerebellar Hypoplasia: A Model Simulation

We present hypothesized ocular motor mechanisms of unique “staircase-like” sequences of saccadic intrusions in one direction that we have named, “staircase saccadic intrusions (SSI),” square-wave jerks/oscillations (SWJ/SWO), and transient failures of yoking and neural integrators in a patient with severe hypotonia, ataxic speech, motor and language developmental delays, and torticollis (Joubert syndrome). Brain magnetic resonance imaging showed hypoplasia of the cerebellar vermis and inferior cerebellar peduncles, abnormal superior cerebellar peduncles with deepening of the interpeduncular fossa, and enlargement of the fourth ventricle. During far and near fixation and smooth pursuit (rightward markedly better than leftward), the subject exhibited conjugate SSI (rightward more than leftward, with intersaccadic intervals equivalent to the normal 250 msec visual latency), SWJ, SWO, and uniocular, convergent and divergent saccades (including double saccades). Simulations using a behavioral ocular motor syst...
Vulnerability of Hampton Roads, Virginia to Storm-Surge Flooding and Sea-Level Rise

Sea-level rise will increase the area covered by hurricane storm surges in coastal zones. This research assesses how patterns of vulnerability to storm-surge flooding could change in Hampton Roads, Virginia as a result of sea-level rise. Physical exposure to storm-surge flooding is mapped for all categories of hurricane, both for present sea level and for future sea-level rise. The locations of vulnerable sub-populations are determined through an analysis and mapping of socioeconomic characteristics commonly associated with vulnerability to environmental hazards and are compared to the flood-risk exposure zones. Scenarios are also developed that address uncertainties regarding future population growth and distribution. The results show that hurricane storm surge presents a significant hazard to Hampton Roads today, especially to the most vulnerable inhabitants of the region. In addition, future sea-level rise, population growth, and poorly planned development will increase the risk of storm-surge flooding, especially for vulnerable people, thus suggesting that planning should steer development away from low-lying coastal and near-coastal zones.
Testing children for inherited thrombophilia: more questions than answers

Thrombotic events in children have become an increasingly common problem, particularly in paediatric tertiary care hospitals. The prevalence of inherited thrombophilia in children who develop thrombosis varies substantially depending on the population. Children who develop thrombosis, as well as those who have not but have a positive family history, are frequently tested for inherited thrombophilia. The clinical utility of performing such tests has been questioned, in both adults and children. This review will examine the practise of testing for inherited thrombophilia in children, focusing on the rationale for testing and highlighting areas in which more evidence is needed prior to making strong recommendations. Future studies, many of which are currently being performed or proposed, are necessary to address many of the unanswered questions.
Adaptive step size selection for use with the continuation method

An adaptive procedure for selecting the step size when incremental or continuation methods are used to solve sets of non-linear equations is presented. The increment size is limited by requiring the corrective iteration procedure employed to reduce the drifting error to be within a contractive boundary at each level. The usefulness of the procedure is extended by the development of a set of conditions for detecting impending divergence of the corrective iteration process. These conditions, used in conjunction with the step size selection procedure permit the continuation of the solution through highly non-linear regions and also provide a simple means of isolating a limit point, if one exists. Two additional benefits of the procedure are an effective convergence criterion for terminating the iteration process and a simple means for switching between the Newton-Rephson and modified Newton-Raphson iteration procedures. The paper concludes with a number of example problems, three are hyperelastic bodies at finite strain and the final example is the large displacement analysis of an elastic beam. The results illustrate that the procedure is computationally inexpensive, using only information normally obtained in a non-linear analysis, flexible in the sense that a dense or sparse distribution of points along the total solution curve may be obtained, and effective, normally requiring less total computational effort than a constant step size procedure.
THE BOOK OF VISIONS: DREAMS, POETRY, AND PROPHECY IN CONTEMPORARY EGYPT

It was a warm November night in 2003 when I first heard about the Book of Visions. Shaykh al-Qusi and his followers were holding a Ramadan gathering on a large parking lot in one of Cairo's more affluent neighborhoods. Next to me at the gathering sat a middle-aged, wealthy Sudanese woman who was wearing an elegant green silk veil and many golden bracelets. She was visiting from Australia to spend the month of fasting in Cairo, close to her spiritual teacher. The woman had been among Shaykh al-Qusi's followers for many years. I, in contrast, had met him only recently but was already intrigued by his charismatic aura, his cosmopolitan demeanor, his habit of smoking Marlboros while talking casually about the saints as if they were his next-door neighbors, and, finally, his own saintlike status.
the politics of androgyny in Japan: sexuality and subversion in the theater and beyond

The gendered body is constructed and performative. Androgyny involves the scrambling of gender markers (clothes, gestures, speech patterns) in a “surface politics of the body.” I explore the politics of androgyny in Japan as they have been embodied and enacted by same-sex theater actors and expressed in Japanese society at large. The referent of androgyny, or the body of the androgyne, has changed over the past 300 years from male to female. Since the early 20th century, androgyny has been deployed in both dominant and marginal discourses to camouflage “unconventional” female sexual choices and practices by creating the illusion of an asexual identity. It has also been evoked in reference to females who “do” both “female” and “male” gender without being constrained by either. [androgyny, gender, sexuality, theater, girls and women, Japan]
Efficient standard basis Reed-Solomon encoder

This paper presents an efficient Reed-Solomon encoder based on standard basis. The key operation in Reed-Solomon encoding is the multiplication of a feedback term with several (possibly) known terms. We present an efficient structure to implement this operation. The hardware complexity of this encoder is identical to the well-known Berlekamp encoder. It however, offers two advantages over the Berlekamp encoder-a critical path independent of the order of Reed-Solomon code being implemented and the ability to encode without any need for basis conversion.
Ultra-capacitor based pulse power management in electrical ships

Integrated power systems of ships have a great difficulty in supplying pulsed loads, since the pulsed loads need a high power in a very short time period. Therefore, pulsed loads affect sustainability of the ship's power systems in an adverse manner. Several methods have been studied that attempt to meet the required power of pulsed loads and thus reduce to the impact of pulsed loads on the ship's power systems. However, these conventional methods have some drawbacks. Therefore, based on effectiveness of the conventional approaches, this paper purposes a more operative method for pulsed power management via an ultra-capacitor based system.
Interaction of platinum (II) and platinum (IV) with 1,2,3-benzotriazole

Abstract As part of a systematic study of the interaction of the platinum elements with 1,2,3-benzotriazole, this paper presents methods for the synthesis of several 1,2,3-benzotriazole co-ordination compounds of platinum. Also reported are several 1,2,3-benzotriazole co-ordination compounds of platinum with certain halides in varying yields and high purity.
Development of photocrosslinked sialic acid containing polymers for use in Aβ toxicity attenuation

Abstract β-Amyloid peptide (Aβ), the primary protein component in senile plaques associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD), has been implicated in neurotoxicity associated with AD. Previous studies have shown that the Aβ-neuronal membrane interaction plays a crucial role in Aβ toxicity. More specifically, it is thought that Aβ interacts with ganglioside rich and sialic acid rich regions of cell surfaces. In light of such evidence, we have hypothesized that the Aβ-membrane sialic acid interaction could be inhibited through use of a biomimic multivalent sialic acid compound that would compete with the cell surface for Aβ binding. To explore this hypothesis, we synthesized a series of photocrosslinked sialic acid containing oligosaccharides and tested their ability to bind Aβ and attenuate Aβ toxicity in cell culture assays. We show that a polymer prepared via the photocrosslinking of disialyllacto- N -tetraose (DSLNT) was able to attenuate Aβ toxicity at low micromolar concentrations without adversely affecting the cell viability. Polymers prepared from mono-sialyl-oligosaccharides were less effective at Aβ toxicity attenuation. These results demonstrate the feasibility of using photocrosslinked sialyl-oligosaccharides for prevention of Aβ toxicity in vitro and may provide insight into the design of new materials for use in attenuation of Aβ toxicity associated with AD.
Applicant Reactions to Selection Procedures: An Updated Model and Meta-Analysis

An updated theoretical model of applicant reactions to selection procedures is proposed and tested using meta-analysis. Results from 86 independent samples (N= 48,750) indicated that applicants who hold positive perceptions about selection are more likely to view the organization favorably and report stronger intentions to accept job offers and recommend the employer to others. Applicant perceptions were positively correlated with actual and perceived performance on selection tools and with self-perceptions. The average correlation between applicant perceptions and gender, age, and ethnic background was near zero. Face validity and perceived predictive validity were strong predictors of many applicant perceptions including procedural justice, distributive justice, attitudes towards tests, and attitudes towards selection. Interviews and work samples were perceived more favorably than cognitive ability tests, which were perceived more favorably than personality inventories, honesty tests, biodata, and graphology. The discussion identifies remaining theoretical and methodological issues as well as directions for future research.