cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Selective Inhibition of Enzyme Synthesis Under Conditions of Respiratory Inhibition

When Neurospora mycelium is transferred from a medium containing sucrose to one containing acetate as sole source of carbon, a preferential synthesis of many Krebs cycle, glyoxylate cycle, and associated enzymes occurs. Respiration was inhibited during preferential enzyme synthesis in the following ways. (i) The amount of aeration (shaking) was reduced, (ii) cyanide was added to the culture, (iii) the carbon source, acetate, was removed, (iv) a mutant strain was starved of its Krebs cycle intermediates, and (v) respiration was inhibited by mutation. The effect of this respiratory inhibition on the synthesis of a number of enzymes was measured. It was found that the synthesis of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD)-linked glutamate dehydrogenase and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase was significantly less inhibited under conditions of respiratory inhibition than was the synthesis of Krebs cycle, glyoxylate cycle, and most other cell proteins synthesized during the adaptation period. This differential inhibition of enzyme synthesis was almost certainly not due to differential repression by regulatory metabolic end product effectors. Inhibition of mitochondrial respiration under these conditions most likely results in a limitation of the energy supply of the cell. Thus, it is suggested that the inhibition of synthesis of most proteins after inhibition of mitochondrial respiration results from a lack of energy in a utilizable form. Possible reasons to account for the relative insensitivity of NAD-linked glutamate dehydrogenase and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase to inhibition under these conditions are discussed.
Orchestration of CD4 T Cell Epitope Preferences after Multipeptide Immunization

A detailed understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms that underlie epitope preferences in T cell priming is important for vaccines designed to elicit a broad T cell response. Protein vaccinations generally elicit CD4 T cell responses that are skewed toward a small fraction of epitopes, a phenomenon known as immunodominance. This characteristic of T cell responses, which limits the diversity of CD4 T cell recognition, is generally attributed to intracellular Ag processing. However, we recently discovered that immunodominance hierarchies persist even after vaccination with synthetic peptides. In this study, we probed the regulatory mechanisms that cause diminished CD4 T cell responses to subdominant peptides after such multipeptide immunization in mice. We have found that the delivery of subdominant and dominant epitopes on separate dendritic cells rescues expansion of less favored CD4 T cells. Furthermore, through the use of genetic models and inhibitors, we have found that selective losses in CD4 T cell responses are mediated by an IFN-γ-induced pathway, involving IDO, and that regulatory T cell activities may also regulate preferences in CD4 T cell specificity. We propose that after multipeptide immunization, the expansion and differentiation of dominant T cells initiate complex regulatory events that determine the final peptide specificity of the elicited CD4 T cell response.
Orthopädische Probleme bei Frauen im Alter

Der Gynakologe als „Hausarzt der Frau“ wird oft auch mit fachfremden Problemen in Klinik und Praxis konfrontiert. Im folgenden Artikel werden zwei orthopadische Krankheitsbilder aufgezahlt, die speziell bei Frauen in der Postmenopause auftreten: Es sind die Osteoporose und die chronische Polyarthritis, die signifikant haufiger bei Frauen als bei Mannern in diesem Alter auftreten. Wichtig aus orthopadischer Sicht ist die Tatsache, das im praeklinischen Osteoporosestadium neben einer medikamentosen Therapie auch immer ein praeventives Training in Form von speziellen Bewegungsubungen durchgefuhrt wird. Im klinischen Stadium der Osteoporose sollte auf eine suffiziente Schmerz-, Bewegungs- und Orthesenversorgung besonderen Wert gelegt werden. Die chronische Polyarthritis beeinflust vor allem mit ihren Spatfolgen (Bewegungseinschrankung und Schmerzen) die Psyche sowie das Sozialverhalten. Hier ist ebenfalls neben einer suffizienten medikamentosen Therapie abhangig von dem Stadium der Erkrankung eine physikalische und ergotherapeutische Behandlung dringend notwendig.
Intracranial Metastases in the Initial Staging of Bronchogenic Carcinoma

We evaluated the effectiveness of neurologic examination, electroencephalography (EEC), and computed tomography (CT) in the initial staging of patients with nonsmall cell carcinoma. Eight of 66 patients had evidence of intracranial metastases. Three of these had no other metastases and would otherwise have been surgical candidates. Thus, thorough investigation for evidence of intracranial metastases is warranted at the time of initial staging. The CT proved to be more effective than clinical evaluation or EEG, alone or in combination, in detecting intracranial metastases. The CT screening of patients prior to curative resection should increase the success rate for such procedures by eliminating patients with preexisting metastases.
Improving the Performance of Single Chip Image Capture Devices

Single chip charge-coupled devices (CCDs) coupled with filters for isolating red, green, and blue color content are commonly used to capture color images. While this is more cost effective than multiple chip systems, best results are obtained when full RGB color information is obtained for every point in an image. The process of color subsampling in a single chip system degrades the resulting image data by introducing artifacts such as blurry edges and false coloring. We propose an algorithm for enhancing color image data that were captured with a typical single chip CCD array. The algo- rithm is based on stochastic regularization using a Markov random field model for the image data. This results in a constrained optimi- zation problem, which is solved using an iterative constrained gra- dient descent computational algorithm. Results of the proposed al- gorithm show a marked improvement over the original sampled image data. © 2003 SPIE and IS&T. (DOI: 10.1117/1.1560643)
Fever and rash.

The combination of fever and rash comprises an extensive differential diagnosis. Many of the causes of this presentation are life-threatening. In this article, rashes are categorized as petechial, maculopapular, vesicular, erythematous, and urticarial. Each type of rash is then divided into infectious etiologies, both treatable and nontreatable, and noninfectious etiologies. It is usually possible to arrive at a workable differential diagnosis when clinical, historical, and epidemiologic factors are considered.
Review Article: The Use of Somatosensory Evoked Potentials in Infants and Children

Somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEPs) are a useful, reliable means of assessing function of the somatosensory system. Complex maturational changes of the CNS such as synaptogenesis and myelination, as well as body growth, complicate interpretation of SSEPs. An understanding of these factors enhances clinical interpretation in infants and children.
Ab Initio Characterization of Triatomic Bromine Molecules of Potential Interest in Stratospheric Chemistry

The equilibrium structures, harmonic vibrational frequencies, quadratic force fields, dipole moments, and IR intensities of several triatomic bromine compounds of known or potential importance in stratospheric ozone depletion chemistry have been determined using the CCSD(T) electron correlation method in conjunction with a basis set of triple zeta double polarized (TZ2P) quality. Specifically, the molecules included in the present study are HOBr, HBrO, FOBr, FBrO, BrNO, BrON, Br2O, BrBrO, BrCN, BrNC, ClOBr, ClBrO, and BrClO. Very accurate isomeric energy differences have also been determined at the CCSD(T) level with atomic natural orbital basis sets that include through g-type functions. In most cases, the isomer with a normal neutral Lewis dot structure is the lowest energy form, with the single exception that FBrO is predicted to be 11.1 kcal/mol (0 K) lower in energy than FOBr. In all cases, however, the hypervalent isomer is more stable relative to the isomer with a normal Lewis dot structure as compared to the chlorine analogs. Consistent with this observation, the energy of the last three molecules given above increases in the order ClOBr less than ClBrO less than BrClO. The CCSD(T)/TZ2P geometries and vibrational frequencies are in good agreement with the available experimental data. Heats of formation are determined for all species using a combination of theoretical isomeric, homodesmic, and isodesmic reaction energies. The accuracy of these quantities is ultimately dependent on the reliability of the experimental heat of formation of HOBr.
Mass Deception: Moral Panic and the US War on Iraq

Scott A. Bonn, Mass Deception: Moral Panic and the US War on Iraq (New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press, 2010), xiv + 190 pp. $24.95 (paper), $14.97 (e-book). At the heart of Scott Bonn's pr...
Monotone failure rates for multivariate distributions

It is shown that the monotone multivariate failure rates of Brindley and Thompson have no natural analog involving the multivariate failure rate function of Basu for absolutely continuous distributions. Quantities related to the multivariate failure rate function are used to define monotone failure rates. It is shown that these are equivalent to the monotone failure rates of Brindley and Thompson. Based on these quantities, the loss of memory property of Marshall and Olkin is characterized.
Metal assisted chemical etching for high aspect ratio nanostructures: A review of characteristics and applications in photovoltaics

Metal assisted chemical etching (MacEtch) is a recently developed anisotropic wet etching method that is capable of producing high aspect ratio semiconductor nanostructures from patterned metal film. In this review article, we highlight the characteristics of MacEtch of silicon (Si) including controllability of the produced sidewall roughness, the inherent high aspect ratio, the weak crystal orientation dependence, impurity doping and solution concentration dependent porosity, as well as the applicability of MacEtch to non-Si based semiconductor materials including III–V compound semiconductors. Also reviewed are applications of MacEtch produced high aspect ratio Si nanostructures in photovoltaics, where the p–n junction can be in the planar Si tray, core–shell, or axial geometry, with nanowire, micropillar, or hole arrays serving as light trapping or carrier collection structures. The prospect of using MacEtch to improve the cost and efficiency of photovoltaic cells is discussed.
MEPROBAMATE AND LABORATORY-INDUCED ANXIETY

INTRODUCTION Coincident with the general rise of systematic studies of behavior under stress since World War I1 (Pronko & Leith, 1956), there has been a development of pharmacological preparations designed to alleviate stress reactions. From our standpoint, these parallel developments are not unrelated. At any rate, the literature abounds with clinical studies using ataraxics applied to the whole gamut of psychiatric disorders. However, controlled laboratory experiments using these drugs are rare. Certain of these studies are reviewed sketchily as a background to our own study, although no attempt has been made to exhaust the voluminous literature on the subject since excellent reviews (Graffagnino & Furr, 1957; Himwich, 1958; Kline, 1958; and Laties & Weiss, 1958) are already available. A study by Cowen ( 1952a) has shown that increasing degrees of experimentally-induced stress elicited increasing amounts of problem solving rigidity with water-jar tests. Beam (1955) found that for serial learning, stressed Ss made one-and-one-half as many errors and required one-and-one-half as many trials to reach a criterion of mastery as did their controls under neutral conditions. Both level and rate of GSR conditioning were definitely higher under stress than under neutral conditions.
Identification guide for solid dosage forms.

The need to identify rapidly an unknown tablet or capsule frequently occurs in a wide variety of circumstances. In such cases, a qualitative chemical analysis followed by confirmation tests frequently is a long and difficult task. The time factor, coupled with the limited quantities of the unknown, makes the identification difficult and often impossible. Methods to aid in identification have involved direct comparisons of the unknown with pictures of known products 1 or with authentic samples carried on various types of display boards. Such methods may suggest the identity of the unknown or eliminate a few possibilities, and in this way they are of some value in identification work but are necessarily limited in scope. Development of Identity Guide As a possible aid in drug dosage identification work occasionally undertaken by the A. M. A. Chemical Laboratory, the feasibility of a preliminary screening method, based solely on the physical characteristics
Hemodynamic and Metabolic Variables Predict Porcine ex Vivo Liver Function

Early recognition of hepatic function during initial graft reperfusion is important in beginning hepatic support perfusions as well as in liver transplantation. We hypothesized that both hemodynamic and metabolic perfusion variables obtained immediately after reperfusion predict eventual function during liver support or transplantation. Specific hemodynamic variables, i.e., portal vein pressure and hepatic vascular resistance, as well as metabolic variables, i.e., O2 consumption and PCO2 gradients, were compared with indices of hepatic function and damage, i.e., aqueous bile production, bile lipid outputs, lactate dehydrogenase levels, and histopathology, during an ex vivo support perfusion. O2 consumption during early reperfusion correlated directly with unstimulated bile flows (P < 0.02) and histopathology scores (P < 0.05). Hepatic venous PCO2 gradients correlated inversely with unstimulated bile flows (P < 0.05). Hemodynamic variables, i.e., portal vein pressure and hepatic vascular resistance, were inversely related with taurocholate-stimulated bile flows (P < 0.05). Hemodynamic and metabolic variables of early reperfusion are useful parameters in predicting eventual effectiveness of the harvested liver for ex vivo hepatic support perfusions.
“Well, I’m not moving”: open housing and white activism in the long civil rights movement

This essay explores the open housing movement in Louisville, Kentucky to illuminate the transitions in the national civil rights struggle in the mid‐1960s. Inspired by the idealism of the nonviolent direct action campaigns in the South, a new wave of activists, including many whites, joined open housing. Yet a more vocal opposition, increasingly conservative political climate, and the seeming ineffectiveness of both mass direct action and legislation to alter residential segregation caused disillusionment and encouraged civil rights proponents to seek new ideas and strategies. This new cohort of activists, however, served as a bridge linking the middle period of activism to ongoing campaigns for racial equality, human rights, and to what scholars now call the “long civil rights movement.”
Pilot-scale evaluation of new resin application equipment for fiber-reinforced plastics

Abstract Styrene is the monomer used as a cross-linking agent in the majority of fiber-reinforced plastics manufacturing processes. Its evaporation is undesirable from environmental, health and safety, and economic perspectives. The effect of a proprietary Fluid Impingement Technology™ (FIT™) nozzle, developed by Magnum Industries, on styrene emissions was evaluated and compared to other conventional application equipment — conventional spray guns and flow coaters (operated at both low and high pressure). The FIT™ nozzle produced less styrene emissions during both gel coating and resin testing, with significant emissions reduction occurring during the application process.
Numerical solutions to the self-similar transonic two-dimensional nonlinear wave system

We present numerical results on a two-dimensional Riemann problem governed by the self-similar nonlinear wave system that gives rise to a transonic shock. We consider a configuration for a vertical incident shock moving to the right above a rectangular object. The incident shock then interacts with a sonic circle soon after it moves beyond the object, and creates a transonic region. We implement Lax–Liu positive schemes and Strang splitting, and obtain several numerical solutions for the model system. With the numerical results that we have obtained, we present several analyses of the transonic shock strengths and the positions of the transonic shocks with various Riemann data. Moreover, due to the presence of the corner of the object, numerical oscillations are apparent. We discuss regularity results for the solution near the corner of the object. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Contrasting Structure and Function of Pubescent and Glabrous Varieties of Hawaiian Metrosideros polymorpha (Myrtaceae) at High Elevation

Hawaiian dominant tree species Metrosideros polymorpha varieties glaberrima and polymorpha have glabrous and pubescent leaves, respectively. Sympatric populations at 2040 m elevation showed major differentiation beyond the pubescence itself. The varieties differed substantially in stomatal traits and in leaf composition, leaf water status, and instantaneous gas exchange rates, despite similarity in leaf and wood cross-sectional anatomy. Functional differentiation among varieties represents a possible mechanism facilitating the occupation of an exceptional ecological range.
Changes in immune function with age.

Human immune responses are the result of interactions among diverse components of the body's immune system. The primary reason for the existence of such a complex system is to allow the body to distinguish self from nonself, and to defend against pathogens in a hostile environment. Aging is associated with a number of changes in the immune system (summarized in Table 1), referred to as immune senescence. There is a high degree of variability in immune responses among individuals of all ages, and this variability increases in old age. Thus, individuals in their seventh and eighth decades of life may have immune responses comparable with young adults. Secondary changes in immune function owing to environmental factors also are important in the elderly. These include diet, drugs, physical activities, and diseases. On the whole, however, aging is linked to a decline in the ability of the host's body to defend against foreign pathogens or carcinogens, with associated greater morbidity and mortality in the elderly from infectious diseases 9 and cancer. 81 It has been known for some time that the incidence of many autoantibodies is increased in the elderly population. The appearance of autoantibodies may imply an overactive immune system. Given the proposed pathogenic role of some autoantibodies, one also may expect a higher incidence of autoimmune diseases in this age group. It is therefore perhaps paradoxic that the aging immune system is associated with a decline in immune responses and reduced antibody response to antigens. In addition, the incidence of most autoimmune diseases is lower in the elderly.
Framing Peace: The Role of Media, Perceptions, and United Nations Peacekeeping Operations in Haiti and Côte d’Ivoire

Despite conducting sixty-six peacekeeping missions, the United Nations (UN) must repeatedly justify the necessity and wisdom of continuing these operations to the international community. Domestic success is contingent to a large degree on the willingness of citizens to cooperate with peacekeepers. Consequently, public perception in both the host country and abroad has become crucial to the continuation and maintenance of UN Peacekeeping Operations (UNPKO). A discourse analysis of domestic and international newspapers, radio transcripts, and television broadcasts about contemporaneous UNPKOs in Haiti and Cote d’Ivoire reveals staggering disparities. Diverging interpretations of mission mandates, violence, censorship, and colonial practices contribute to the way in which peacekeeping missions are perceived. This article identifies how current UNPKOs are perceived domestically and internationally and emphasises the role of these perceptions as a basis for evaluating and improving these operations.
Retinal Ganglion Cells Downregulate Gene Expression and Lose Their Axons within the Optic Nerve Head in a Mouse Glaucoma Model

Little is known about molecular changes occurring within retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) before their death in glaucoma. Taking advantage of the fact that γ-synuclein (Sncg) mRNA is expressed specifically and highly in adult mouse RGCs, we show in the DBA/2J mouse model of glaucoma that there is not only a loss of cells expressing this gene, but also a downregulation of gene expression of Sncg and many other genes within large numbers of RGCs. This downregulation of gene expression within RGCs occurs together with reductions in FluoroGold (FG) retrograde transport. Surprisingly, there are also large numbers of Sncg-expressing cells without any FG labeling, and among these many that have a marker previously associated with disconnected RGCs, accumulation of phosphorylated neurofilaments in their somas. These same diseased retinas also have large numbers of RGCs that maintain the intraocular portion while losing the optic nerve portion of their axons, and these disconnected axons terminate within the optic nerve head. Our data support the view that RGC degeneration in glaucoma has two separable stages: the first involves atrophy of RGCs, whereas the second involves an insult to axons, which causes the degeneration of axon portions distal to the optic nerve head but does not cause the immediate degeneration of intraretinal portions of axons or the immediate death of RGCs.
Direct and indirect effects of white-tailed deer in forest ecosystems

Ungulates can profoundly alter the structure and composition of forest communities via both direct and indirect mechanisms. Individual plant species often respond in a unique way to the direct effect of herbivory as a function of their sensitivity to browse damage, ungulate food preferences, and the density of ungulates present. Sustained browsing pressure can limit the regeneration of favored and susceptible woody plants and eliminate populations of favored or susceptible herbaceous plants. These losses, in turn, give rise to indirect effects via trophic cascades or physical habitat modification. These indirect effects affect many other plant and animal populations. In the mixed conifer‐hardwood forests around the Great Lakes in North America, widespread habitat modification and the extirpation of native predators and other ungulates have acted to boost populations of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) to historically high densities. Such densities have curtailed regeneration of several important conifers (e.g. Tsuga canadensis and Thuja occidentalis) as evidenced by demographic analysis. Deer also appear to limit regeneration of Quercus and Betula in many areas. Impacts on understory herbs are harder to assess, but baseline data from 50 years ago indicate that these communities are changing in a pattern that implicates deer: grasses, sedges, and some ferns are increasing while overall herb diversity is declining. Thus, deer are playing a keystone role in these communities. We are currently assessing an additional set of questions, including: How best can we measure and represent ungulate impacts? At which densities do deer threaten forest diversity? How do impacts depend on initial plant and ungulate densities? Which species emerge as ‘winners’ or ‘losers’ in heavily-browsed landscapes? What characteristics or traits make a species susceptible to ungulate herbivory? How do ungulates affect patterns of diversity and relative abundance in ecological communities? What are the pathways by which ungulates exert indirect effects on species? and How significant are indirect effects? # 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Laser treatment of periocular skin conditions

Advances in laser technology in recent decades have increased the options for the treatment of dermatologic conditions of the eye and eyelid. Benign tumors can be laser-ablated with relative ease, and vascular and melanocytic lesions can be precisely targeted with modern lasers. In this contribution, we review treatment of periocular pigmented lesions, including melanocytic nevi and nevus of Ota; vascular lesions including telangiectasias, port wine stains, and infantile hemangiomas; hair removal; eyeliner tattoo removal; laser ablation of common benign periocular tumors, such as syringomas, xanthelasma, milia, and seborrheic keratoses; and laser resurfacing. The recent advent of fractionated laser technology has resulted in dramatically decreased healing times for periocular skin resurfacing and fewer adverse effects. Fractionated laser resurfacing has now nearly supplanted traditional full-field laser resurfacing, and safe treatment of rhytides on the thin skin of the eyelids is possible. Proper eye protection is, of course, essential when using lasers near the eye. Patient preparation, safety precautions, and risks--intraocular and extraocular--are discussed herein. As laser technology continues to advance, we are sure to see improvements in current treatments, as well as development of new applications of cutaneous lasers.
Maternal-fetal conflict: court-ordered cesarean section.

Advances in prenatal care have created areas of conflict between the pregnant woman and her fetus. Court orders mandating cesarean section have denied to pregnant women rights that are accorded to all other competent adults in the United States. The caregiver–patient relationship can become adversarial in such situations. Nurses participating in the decision-making process when judicial involvement is being considered must be informed about the issues.
Anomalous Transmission of X Rays in Slightly Deformed Crystals

A new analysis is presented of the results obtained by Borrmann and Hildebrandt on anomalous transmission in a crystal subject to a thermal gradient. Penning and Polder's theory failed to explain the observed intensity decreases. It is pointed out that a simple fanning out of the lattice planes without curvature does produce an effect on the wave fields, contrary to Penning and Polder's conclusion. Machine calculations using Taupin's differential equations exhibit substantial agreement with experiment.
Ultrahigh resolution mass spectrometry and indicator species analysis to identify marker components of soil- and plant biomass- derived organic matter fractions.

The chemical properties of organic matter affect important soil processes such as speciation, solubilization, and transport of plant nutrients and metals. This work uses ultrahigh resolution electrospray ionization Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry to determine the molecular composition of three organic matter fractions of soils and aqueous extracts of crop biomass. Comparison of the van Krevelen plots allowed tracking the changes in organic matter with increasing humification. Aqueous plant biomass extracts contain a diverse mixture of lipids, proteins, and lignins. Soil aqueous extracts were marked by increases in lignin and carbohydrate components and decrease in the protein component as compared to the plant extract. Refractory humic acid fractions were marked by decrease in the lignin component and increases in the lipid and condensed aromatic components. The multivariate indicator species analysis was used to identify marker components of the four organic matter types inves...
Development of an interferometric fiber optic sensor using diode laser

Fiber optic Mach-Zehnder interferometric sensors for the measurement of various physical parameters such as pressure temperature and magnetic fields are well known and documented. This paper deals with the construction of a fiber optic sensor incorporating He-Ne and diode lasers. Preliminary experimental results for temperature sensing are reported.© (1991) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Antinociceptive activities of non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) following intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) and intrathecal (i.t.) administration in mice

Analgesics of the non-steroidal antiinflammatory group (NSAID) are classified as "peripheral analgesics" and act via cyclooxygenase inhibition, reducing the biosynthesis of peripheral prostaglandins (PGs). However, there has been some evidence that NSAIDs also reduce the nociceptive and hyperalgesic stimuli, either via inhibition of central cyclooxygenase [1], or via inhibition of Substance P (SP), another known mediator of pain at the spinal level [2]. This study was undertaken to investigate whether the antinociceptive effects of NSAIDs in the phenylbenzoquinone (PBQ)-induced writhing assay in mice had a central component, at either a supraspinal or spinal site, and for their effect against intrathecally administered SP.
"Mind the gaps": an empirical approach to engineering ethics, 1997-2001.

A survey on ethical issues in engineering was administered over a five-year period to Stanford engineering students and practicing engineers. Analysis of its results strongly suggests that important disconnects exist between the education of engineering students regarding ethical issues in engineering on the one hand, and the realities of contemporary engineering practice on the other. Two noteworthy consequences of these gaps are that the views of engineering students differ substantially over what makes an issue an ethical issue, while practicing engineers exhibit significant disagreement over what is the most important non-technical aspect of being a responsible engineering professional in contemporary society. These divergences impede the recognition of ethical issues and of specific moral responsibilities of engineers in concrete professional practice. It is argued that the use of suitably refined and probing surveys of engineering students and practicing engineers about ethical issues in engineering is an important although neglected empirical approach to the study of engineering ethics. Such an approach can enhance the prevailing case study method and combat over-tidy theoretical-analytical approaches to the subject.
Oxidants Painting the Cysteine Chapel: Redox Regulation of PTPs

Growth factors and cytokines appear to stimulate the intracellular production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Evidence suggests that this alteration in the cellular redox state is essential for downstream signaling, but the precise mechanism has remained elusive. A new study now demonstrates that ligand-stimulated intracellular hydrogen peroxide can specifically and reversibly regulate the activity of protein tyrosine phosphatases.
A new perspective concerning the influence of the solar wind on the Jovian magnetosphere

The solar wind exerts a strong influence on the Jovian magnetosphere in changing its volume, in energizing plasma, and in stimulating the aurora and a host of other associated effects. However, whereas at Earth the dominant solar terrestrial coupling process is magnetic reconnection, the dominant energy reservoir in Jupiter's magnetospheric plasma, continually present, is the kinetic energy of its rotating plasma disk. This “flywheel”’ produces effects with no terrestrial analogy, some of which we describe here. The most surprising prediction from the analysis of this paper is that remotely sensed symptoms of Jovian magnetospheric activity are likely to occur in conjunction with solar wind pressure decreases. Compressions of the magnetosphere produced by forward shocks and other solar wind pressure increases will heat the magnetospheric plasma but substantially reduce the ionosphere-magnetosphere current systems. The intensity of dayside aurora and of radio wave emissions associated with increased ionospheric-magnetospheric current systems will tend to anticorrelate with magnetospheric compressions and correlate with expansions. The link to the aurora is based on an argument that the auroral zone maps to the plasma disk of the middle magnetosphere and is thus linked to plasma sheet dynamics. The effect of expansion on the plasma sheet is to increase the parallel pressure, setting up conditions that can produce detached plasma “blobs” and enhance mass loss. The analysis is particularly apposite in light of the opportunities for observing solar wind-Jovian interactions using data from both the Galileo and the Cassini spacecraft during the Cassini flyby of Jupiter in late 2000, ideally supplemented by auroral imaging with ground-based and Hubble telescopes.
Research Note: Effects of Dietary Butylated Hydroxyanisole and Cysteine on Toxicity of Lathyrus odoratus to Broiler and Japanese Quail Chicks

The effect of .75% dietary butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and 1% cysteine on the toxicity of Lathyrus odoratus seed to Japanese quail and broiler chicks was examined. In both species, the feeding of Lathyrus seed as a component of a complete diet depressed (P less than .05) body weight gain and feed intake. Typical signs of lathyrism, including ruffled feathers, enlarged hocks, curled toes, ataxia, leg paralysis, and mortality, were observed. Neither BHA nor cysteine exerted protective effects against the lathyrogenic effects. As assessed by mortality, these additives appeared instead to potentiate Lathyrus toxicity.
Minority Rights in a Nation-State: The Nixon Administration's Campaign against Arab-Americans

The nineteenth century initiated the process of ushering out one concept of socio-political organization of society (empire), and ushering in another (the modern nation-state). While the official death of empires was not completed until the twentieth century, and while the modern nation-state has not completed its sweep, in functionaJ political terms, of the peoples of the world, it is the nation-state whose physical form is everywhere and whose conceptual hold is solidified on the minds of men. Whatever else the concept of the nation-state may include, there are two basic qualities that the nineteenth century deposited as defining it: 1) that the state will serve and judge all of its citizens with equity; and 2) that in return for this guarantee of equity, its citizens will be loyal to it, even in opposition. These defining qualities were the culmination of rational thought that posited the belief that it is possible to create a secular humanism by consciously and systematically applying man's rationality to the organization of society and the security of its citizens. The basic concept of the nation-state is thus clear. The principle of nationalism, i.e. of one poople belonging together in the nation-state and being therefore entitled to all of its rights and obligations, should theoretically be in harmony with the concept. That is, all those who are citizens of the state should be entitled to equitable treatment, and in turn should be loyal to the state and its citizens.
Nitrite Reductase Activity of Hemoglobin S (Sickle) Provides Insight into Contributions of Heme Redox Potential Versus Ligand Affinity

Hemoglobin A (HbA) is an allosterically regulated nitrite reductase that reduces nitrite to NO under physiological hypoxia. The efficiency of this reaction is modulated by two intrinsic and opposing properties: availability of unliganded ferrous hemes and R-state character of the hemoglobin tetramer. Nitrite is reduced by deoxygenated ferrous hemes, such that heme deoxygenation increases the rate of NO generation. However, heme reactivity with nitrite, represented by its bimolecular rate constant, is greatest when the tetramer is in the R quaternary state. The mechanism underlying the higher reactivity of R-state hemes remains elusive. It can be due to the lower heme redox potential of R-state ferrous hemes or could reflect the high ligand affinity geometry of R-state tetramers that facilitates nitrite binding. We evaluated the nitrite reductase activity of unpolymerized sickle hemoglobin (HbS), whose oxygen affinity and cooperativity profile are equal to those of HbA, but whose heme iron has a lower redox potential. We now report that HbS exhibits allosteric nitrite reductase activity with competing proton and redox Bohr effects. In addition, we found that solution phase HbS reduces nitrite to NO significantly faster than HbA, supporting the thesis that heme electronics (i.e. redox potential) contributes to the high reactivity of R-state deoxy-hemes with nitrite. From a pathophysiological standpoint, under conditions where HbS polymers form, the rate of nitrite reduction is reduced compared with HbA and solution-phase HbS, indicating that HbS polymers reduce nitrite more slowly.
Hidden Gifts, The Mystery of Angus MacPhee

Rarely do I watch a documentary so arousing that it causes me to telephone the film distributor, but such was the case with this gem of a documentary, Hidden Gifts, The Mystery of Angus MacPhee. In...
MeV Ion-Beam Bombardment Effects on The Thermoelectric Figures of Merit of Zn4Sb3 and ZrNiSn-Based half-heusler compounds

Semiconducting â-Zn 4 Sb 3 and ZrNiSn-based half-heusler compound thin films were prepared by co-evaporation for the application of thermoelectric (TE) materials. High-purity solid zinc and antimony were evaporated by electron beam to grow the â-Zn 4 Sb 3 thin film while high-purity zirconium powder and nickel tin powders were evaporated by electron beam to grow the ZrNiSn-based half-heusler compound thin film. Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS) was used to analyze the composition of the thin films. The grown thin films were subjected to 5 MeV Si ions bombardments for generation of nanostructures in the films. We measured the thermal conductivity, Seebeck coefficient, and electrical conductivity of these two systems before and after 5 MeV Si ions beam bombardments. The two material systems have been identified as promising TE materials for the application of thermal-to-electrical energy conversion, but the efficiency still limits their applications. The electronic energy deposited due to ionization in the track of MeV ion beam can cause localized crystallization. The nanostructures produced by MeV ion beam can cause significant change in both the electrical and the thermal conductivity of thin films, thereby improving the efficiency. We used the 3u-method measurement system to measure the cross-plane thermal conductivity ,the Van der Pauw measurement system to measure the cross-plane electrical conductivity, and the Seebeck-coefficient measurement system to measure the cross-plane Seebeck coefficient. The thermoelectric figures of merit of the two material systems were then derived by calculations using the measurement results. The MeV ion-beam bombardment was found to decrease the thermal conductivity of thin films and increase the efficiency of thermal-to-electrical energy conversion.
Multiple haemoglobins in bats.

MULTIPLE haemoglobins and variation in electrophoretic mobility have been reported for many animals. The physiological significance of these discoveries is not completely understood. Some investigators have compared haemoglobin electrophoretic properties and phylogeny. Dunlap, Johnson and Farner1 analysed 21 species of birds and showed differences in haemoglobin apparently correlated with taxonomic kinship, and Marchlewska-Koj2 noted that amphibian haemoglobin heterogeneity may serve as complementary data for taxonomy. Comparable investigations of fish haemoglobins have been conducted by Hashimoto and Matsuura3,4, Smith5, and others, and of mammalian haemoglobins by Blumberg, Allison and Garry6, Foreman7, Ewy and Wojcik8, Buettner-Janusch9, Buettner-Janusch and Buettner-Janusch10 and others.
Magnetic effects on triplet exciton interactions

The rates of many bimolecular reactions involving triplet excitons are magnetic field dependent at room temperature and for modest field strengths. The specific interactions discussed are the fusion of a pair of triplet excitons to yield either a single or triplet exciton, the interaction between a triplet exciton and a trapped triplet, the fission of a singlet exciton into a pair of triplets and the triplet exciton-free radical interaction. The magnetic field effects result from the influence of the field on the spin wavefunctions of the triplet exciton together with the existence of spin selection rules for the interactions. A simple theory of these effects is presented. Application of the theory to the experimental field dependence results yields new information about the mechanisms of these interactions.
Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Reverses Alcohol-Induced Allostasis of the Mesolimbic Dopaminergic System: Implications for Alcohol Reward and Seeking

We previously showed that infusion of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) into the ventral tegmental area (VTA) rapidly reduces alcohol intake and relapse ([Carnicella et al., 2008][1], [2009a][2]), and increases dopamine (DA) levels in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) of alcohol-naive rats ([Wang et al., 2010][3]). Withdrawal from excessive alcohol intake is associated with a reduction in NAc DA levels, whereas drug-induced increases in NAc DA levels are associated with reward. We therefore tested whether GDNF in the VTA reverses alcohol withdrawal-associated DA deficiency and/or possesses rewarding properties. Rats were trained for 7 weeks to consume high levels of alcohol (5.47 ± 0.37 g/kg/24 h) in intermittent access to 20% alcohol in a two-bottle choice procedure. Using in vivo microdialysis, we show that 24 h withdrawal from alcohol causes a substantial reduction in NAc DA overflow, which was reversed by intra-VTA GDNF infusion. Using conditioned place preference (CPP) paradigm, we observed that GDNF on its own does not induce CPP, suggesting that the growth factor is not rewarding. However, GDNF blocked acquisition and expression of alcohol-CPP. In addition, GDNF induced a downward shift in the dose–response curve for operant self-administration of alcohol, further suggesting that GDNF suppresses, rather than substitutes for, the reinforcing effects of alcohol. Our findings suggest that GDNF reduces alcohol-drinking behaviors by reversing an alcohol-induced allostatic DA deficiency in the mesolimbic system. In addition, as it lacks abuse liability, the study further highlights GDNF as a promising target for treatment of alcohol use/abuse disorders. [1]: #ref-9 [2]: #ref-10 [3]: #ref-70
What is the prevalence of MRSA colonization in elective spine cases

Background The incidence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection is increasing. However, the prevalence of MRSA colonization among patients undergoing spine surgery is unclear.
Diagnostic utility of hepatobiliary scintigraphy with 99mTc-DISIDA in neonatal cholestasis

We retrospectively evaluated the utility of hepatobiliary scintigraphy and various clinical factors in differentiating intrahepatic cholestasis from biliary atresia in 28 consecutive infants with neonatal cholestasis. One millicurie of technetium-labeled diisopropyliminodiacetic acid (DISIDA) was administered intravenously, and images were obtained for up to 24 hours or until gastrointestinal excretion was noted. Nine separate studies in seven infants with biliary atresia were correctly interpreted as showing no gastrointestinal excretion of radionuclide. Of the 21 patients with intrahepatic cholestasis, only nine had gastrointestinal excretion on the first study; in eight without excretion, a second study was done, and five of these showed gut excretion. All infants with either neonatal hepatitis (six) or inspissated bile syndrome (three) had demonstrable gastrointestinal excretion either on the first or second DISIDA study. However, five of six infants with paucity of intrahepatic bile ducts, two of six infants with cholestasis secondary to total parenteral nutrition, and one infant with cholangiolitis did not show evidence of gastrointestinal excretion. The mean birth weight, mean gestational age, and mean weight at study were significantly greater (P less than 0.005) for infants with biliary atresia without excretion than for infants with intrahepatic cholestasis without excretion. The mean direct bilirubin concentration was 6.0 mg/dL for both infants with biliary atresia and infants with intrahepatic cholestasis without excretion; however, infants with excretion had a significantly lower (P less than 0.02) mean direct bilirubin value of 3.4 mg/dL. Excretion was noted in four infants with total bilirubin values greater than 10.0 mg/dL. The absence of gut excretion on the first DISIDA study was 100% sensitive but only 43% specific for biliary atresia. In infants without gut excretion of DISIDA, birth weight greater than 2200 g was 100% sensitive and 92% specific for biliary atresia. We conclude that DISIDA scanning, together with clinical data, is useful in differentiating extrahepatic from intrahepatic cholestasis. The absence of gut excretion on the first DISIDA study does not necessarily indicate extrahepatic obstruction; the study should be repeated if the diagnosis is not clear.
Design and control of a single-phase D-STATCOM inverter for wind applications

Application of renewable energy systems has become very popular. Since most utilities do not track the end points of their distribution lines carefully, where most of the wind turbines are connected to the grid, increasing the application of renewable energies in utilities can result in problems for the whole system dynamics. This paper presents the design and control of a D-STATCOM inverter for small to mid-sized wind turbines (10kW–20kW) to solve the problem of power factor correction of the grid. The proposed D-STATCOM Inverter can control the VARs on each single feeder line while the output of the renewable energy source, especially wind, is varying. Active power is controlled by shifting the phase angle while reactive power control is achieved by modulation index control. Also, the inverter is able to eliminate a large amount of harmonics using the optimized harmonic stepped waveform (OHSW) technique. The proposed inverter utilizes the hybrid-clamped topology. All simulations were done in MATLAB/Simulink environment.
GLP-compliant assay validation studies: considerations for implementation of regulations and audit of studies

Bioanalytical methods used in nonclinical safety studies are validated to demonstrate that the methods are reliable and reproducible for the intended use. Analytical method validation studies should be designed according to regulatory guidance on method validation. A cell-based assay is described to discuss fundamental validation parameters, such as repeatability, immediate precision, accuracy, and linearity. A Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) compliance program provides a useful platform for ensuring data integrity in assay validation studies. A good understanding of the method validation concepts and regulatory requirements will help Quality Assurance Unit (QAU) auditors focus on key areas and be more effective when auditing assay validation protocols, final reports, and associated data. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Flexible and general redirected walking for head-mounted displays

Traditional head-mounted display (HMD) locomotion interfaces map real world movements into an equivalent virtual world movement. Therefore, people cannot naturally explore a virtual world that is larger than the real world space. Joysticks, treadmills, redirected walking, and other techniques have been proposed by others to relax this restriction. In this work, we propose a new “general redirected walking” interface which works with arbitrary shaped and sized real worlds and virtual worlds by injecting dynamic translation or rotation gains into virtual world and steering a user to walk along a best direction in the real world identified by three heuristics in real time. We tested our algorithm with 10 virtual world models and 5 real-world (i.e., tracking system) models using software designed to simulate a user walking on a random path. We have also developed a prototype implementation for our HMD system.