cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dynamic Nuclear Polarization of Biomembrane Assemblies

While atomic scale structural and dynamic information are hallmarks of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) methodologies, sensitivity is a fundamental limitation in NMR studies. Fully exploiting NMR capabilities to study membrane proteins is further hampered by their dilution within biological membranes. Recent developments in dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP), which can transfer the relatively high polarization of unpaired electrons to nuclear spins, show promise for overcoming the sensitivity bottleneck and enabling NMR characterization of membrane proteins under native-like conditions. Here we discuss fundamental aspects of DNP-enhanced solid-state NMR spectroscopy, experimental details relevant to the study of lipid assemblies and incorporated proteins, and sensitivity gains which can be realized in biomembrane-based samples. We also present unique insights which can be gained from DNP measurements and prospects for further development of the technique for elucidating structures and orientations of membrane proteins in native lipid environments.
Evaluating Environmental Protection Agency's Definition of Environmental Justice

This article represents the first time that a rigorous evaluation of Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) current definition of environmental justice has been undertaken. This is a matter of s...
Wheel running leads to sex-specific effects on Western diet-associated glucose homeostasis and brain insulin signaling without altering food-related impulsive choice.

OBJECTIVES There is a clear association between obesity and impulsivity. While exercise can suppress weight gain and decrease impulsive choice (IC), the relationship between impulsivity, the consumption of palatable, energy dense diets, and exercise is unclear. We examined IC before and after Western diet (WD) exposure in rats of both sexes and whether exercise would rescue any diet-mediated increases in IC. Our hypotheses were twofold: first, increased impulsivity would be associated with higher WD preference in a positive feedback loop and second, increased WD consumption would impair both peripheral and central insulin signaling, both of which exercise would attenuate. METHODS Following baseline assessment of IC through a delay discounting task, rats were divided into naive, sedentary (Sed), or wheel running (WR) groups for a 5-week WR and two-diet choice period after which rats underwent an oral glucose (OGTT) and insulin tolerance test (ITT) in addition to a re-test of IC. Insulin induced Akt-GSK3β signaling in the brain was examined using western blot. RESULTS All Sed rats preferred the WD diet, and all WR rats initially avoided the WD but subsequently reversed their avoidance to preference with females reversing earlier than males. Exercise suppressed weight gain and adiposity to a greater extent in males than females. Only WR males showed improved glucose clearance during OGTT, but both male and female WR rats had a faster recovery of hypoglycemia during ITT. Furthermore, WR rescued WD-induced deficits in hypothalamic Akt-GSK3β signaling in males but not females. In the prefrontal cortex, however, WD and WR both reduced Akt-GSK3β signaling in males but not females. There were no sex differences in IC at baseline, and all rats made more impulsive choices during the re-test independent of diet, sex, or exercise. DISCUSSION The results suggest that while exercise may have a greater efficacy at attenuating diet-mediated metabolic dysregulation in males, it has some beneficial effects for females and highlights the need to develop sex-specific interventions for restoring energy balance.
Solution of the Problem on Image Reconstruction in Computed Tomography

This paper describes a new solution of the problem of two-dimensional (2-D) image f(x, y) reconstruction from a finite number of line-integrals. The reconstruction is a discrete image $$f_{n,m}$$fn,m on the Cartesian lattice lying in the X---Y plane as is required in all practical applications including imaging in medicine, electron microscopy, radio astronomy, geophysics, etc. The image is reconstructed from a finite number of projections. The values of the image are calculated exactly from the line-integrals. To achieve such a reconstruction of the image, we describe a method of calculation of all required ray-sums of the discrete image $$f_{n,m}$$fn,m from the line-integrals of f(x, y). The paired representation of the image is also considered. The set of projections and number of measurements for each projection are determined (defined) by the complete set of 2-D discrete paired functions which allows composition of the discrete image as a sum of direction images. The model of reconstruction is described, and examples and experimental results of implementation of the proposed method are given. In the framework of the proposed model, the reconstruction is exact. The reconstruction of the image with noise and the reconstruction from a limited range of angles are also described.
MOTOR VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC Hit and Run: Increase Penalty

The Act increases the penalty from a misdemeanor to a felony for drivers who leave the scene of an accident in which serious bodily injury or death occurs. It also provides that a violation of this Code section constitutes a state violation, rather than a violation of a local ordinance.
Reactive Epilepsy: Phenylketonuria

The first case of phenylketonuria (PKU) was described in 1934 by Folling. Only 5 years later it was shown that PKU was an inherited condition, transmitted through an autosomal recessive gene homozygotes. Very high levels of phenylalanine accumulated in the patients. The enzyme deficiency was identified as that of phenylalanine hydroxylase (Jervis 1953).
Problems with Geo-Data

This paper, which complements that given on “Data base research and development at UKSC”, will consider the implications of handling geographic data in that context. It surveys the practical and semantic problems of handling geographic data and summarises the requirements that must be satisfied by a coherent support system. The philosophy is presented of a geographic data type, taking an allowed range of values, and associated with an appropriate set of primitive operators. The implications of network geographic data are also considered. The interface between the system and the problem programmer is discussed, and implementation problems are explored with reference to conventional geographic processing technology, noting the inherent advantages and difficulties. An alternative strategy is outlined which offers the possibility of overcoming some of the present problems and acheiving significant advantages in terms of simplicity and performance. The paper concludes with a discussion on the potential for geo-data in processing as compared with that required solely for graphic output, and hence considers the true role of such data in pictorial applications.
Investigating the mechanism of TLR signaling crosstalk in mouse macrophages (IRM5P.702)

It is well established that the TRIF- and MyD88-dependent signaling branches in the TLR4 pathway cooperate to induce a strong innate immune response. It is also known that certain toll-like receptor (TLR) ligand combinations can induce synergistic production of some cytokines. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying this signaling pathway cooperation remain elusive. We conducted a microarray analysis of mouse bone marrow-derived macrophages stimulated with all pairwise combinations of the TLR ligands LPS, Pam3CSK4, R848 and poly I:C to characterize synergy in transcript induction. We find that the crosstalk between the different TLR pathways is most prevalent in combinations which induce both the TRIF and the MyD88 pathways, which is essentially a mimic of the TLR4 pathway. Genes synergistically induced under dual TLR stimulation are mainly cytokines and immune effectors, including IL-6, IL-10, IL-1α, IL-1β, haptoglobin, lipocalin 2, and SOCS3. Based on these data, over 200 synergy factor candidates were picked and targeted using RNAi screening, with IL-6 and IL-12p40 secretion as read outs. A total of 32 hits were identified in the primary screening, including well-known regulators of secondary response gene transcription such as Nfkbiz, Irak2, Tnfaip3 and Tnip1. Secondary screening is ongoing to verify what role the 32 identified genes play in the MyD88/TRIF-dependent synergistic induction of immune regulators.
BONE MARROW TRANSPLANTATION (BMT) IN CHRONIC GRANULOMATOUS DISEASE (CGD)

A 5 month-old Amish male infant with CGD underwent BMT from his 5 year-old, histocompatible brother after a preconditioning regimen of busulfan 8 mg/kg and cyclophosphamide 200 mg/kg. At the time of BMT, he was free of infection and remained so through the course of his transplant. He engrafted promptly with complete reversal of the neutrophil function defect (Table), and no sign of graft vs. host disease. This was followed by loss of the erythroid graft and gradual deterioration in neutrophil function (Table). Now, 16 months after BMT, he is free of infection, growing normally with essentially no evidence for neutrophil engraftment.
Chapter 33 Utility theory with uncertainty

Publisher Summary Utility theory with uncertainty describes a class of models designed to formalize the manner in which a decision maker chooses among alternative courses of action when the consequences of each course of action are not known at the time the choice is made. The distinguishing characteristic of the subject matter is that each course of action results in one of several consequences. The chapter discusses that the problem is conveniently formalized with the use of the notions of consequences, states of nature, and acts. The first primitive of the theory is a nonempty set of consequences, denoted by C. The empirical counterpart of a consequence is anything that has to do with the welfare of the decision maker. The second primitive of the theory is a nonempty set of feasible acts, denoted by A0, whose elements are courses of action from which the decision maker may choose. Decision problems in which the set of states is a singleton, or in which all acts are constant acts, and the set of consequences consists of probability measures or lotteries on a set of outcomes are referred to as “decisions under risk;” if the set of acts includes nonconstant acts they are decisions under uncertainty. Given the primitives of the theory, a complete and transitive binary relation on the set of consequences is a natural ingredient necessary to guide the decision maker's choices among acts. In the theory of choice under certainty, there is a one-to-one correspondence between acts and consequences.
Adaptive Contouring with Quadratic Tetrahedra

We present an algorithm for adaptively extracting and rendering isosurfaces of scalar-valued volume datasets represented by quadratic tetrahedra. Hierarchical tetrahedral meshes created by longest-edge bisection are used to construct a multiresolution C0-continuous representation using quadratic basis functions. A new algorithm allows us to contour higher-order volume elements efficiently.
Demonstration of the presence of a histidine residue at the active site of streptococcal proteinase.

Experiments are described which have led to the selective alkylation of a histidine residue in streptococcal proteinase without concomitant reaction with the single essential sulfhydryl group. The reduced, active form of the enzyme was first treated with sodium tetrathionate to protect the sulfhydryl group and to introduce a negative charge near the active center. The resulting inactive derivative was not detectably alkylated by iodoacetic acid, iodoacetamide, N-chloroacetyltryptophan, or N-chloroacetylglycyleucine. After treatment with these reagents activity could be regenerated by reduction with a thiol. If, however, the S-sulfenylsulfonate derivative of the enzyme was exposed to a positively charged alkylating agent, α-N-bromoacetylarginine methyl ester, 1 molecule of the reagent was incorporated per molecule of protein, as indicated by an increase in the amount of arginine by 1 residue, a decrease in the amount of histidine by 1 residue, and the formation of 1 residue of 3-carboxymethylhistidine. The modified protein possessed no enzymatic activity when the sulfhydryl group was regenerated by reduction. These experiments thus furnish direct chemical evidence for the involvement of a histidine residue, as well as of a sulfhydryl group, in the active site of streptococcal proteinase.
Universal power supply approach for improved ride-through in industrial drives

This paper summarizes current designs of power supplies (PSs) for industrial drives and presents a novel universal switch-mode power supply (SMPS) approach. Adjustments to the switching algorithm and transformer turns ratio are presented to improve ride-through characteristics and allow the SMPS to operate as a universal supply over a wide input voltage range, without the additional circuitry of current universal PS systems. The proposed approach can also overcome potential safety issues of common universal PSs and is equally suitable to meet the requirements of many commercial systems. Simulation and experimental results on a 100 W (5 V/20 A) halfbridge SNIPS are provided to demonstrate the proposed approach.
International Law, Intellectual Property and Power

Public international law scholarship has developed metatheories to account for power. However, few scholars have tested these theories in contemporary problems involving both private and public international law. By examining global intellectual property problems, this article clarifies a metatheory of power that the author previously developed and applied to state succession and to foreign investments. Through analyses of international IP rule-making, decision-making in tribunals, and corporate transactions, this article validates a typology in which international decisions tend to reflect a balance of power and legal and social norms. These decisions in turn reallocate power and adjust norms. New decisions then follow. By understanding this dynamic balance, decision-makers will be better able to anticipate the aggregate consequences of their strategies and more effectively promote the relevant policy goals.
Self-Reports of Academic Performance: Response Errors Are Not Well Behaved

Exploratory data analysis (EDA) is used to study errors in self-reports of lest scores and grades from a survey sample of college students. Both response and non-response are found to be systematically biased, with unfortunate effects in combination. Errors are not normally distributed, and would be better modeled as contaminated distributions made up of two or more simple distributions. Errors are correlated with each other and with other variables, leading to spuriously inflated as well as deflated intervariable correlations. These findings may be typical of survey data in general; hence, more realistic error models and robust estimation methods are desirable.
Crosslinking poly(1-trimethylsilyl-1-propyne) and its effect on solvent resistance and transport properties

Abstract Poly(1-trimethylsilyl-1-propyne) (PTMSP) has been crosslinked using 3,3′-diazidodiphenylsulfone to improve its solvent resistance. This study reports the influence of crosslinker content on the solubility properties of PTMSP, its density, and its gas sorption and transport properties. Crosslinking PTMSP renders it insoluble even in excellent solvents for the uncrosslinked polymer. Gas permeability and fractional free volume (FFV) decreased as crosslinker content increased, while gas sorption was unaffected by crosslinking. Therefore, the reduction in permeability upon crosslinking PTMSP was due to decreases in diffusion coefficients. Permeability reductions due to crosslinking could be offset by adding nanoparticles to the films. The addition of 30 wt.% fumed silica nanoparticles increased the permeability of crosslinked PTMSP by approximately 80%. In mixed gas permeation experiments, when the composition of the feed gas was 98 mol% CH4 and 2 mol% n-C4H10, uncrosslinked PTMSP had an n-C4H10/CH4 selectivity of 31 and an n-C4H10 permeability of 114,000 barrers at 35 °C and 14 atm feed fugacity. At the same conditions, crosslinked PTMSP containing 5 wt.% crosslinker had an n-C4H10/CH4 selectivity of 28 and an n-C4H10 permeability of 73,000 barrers, and crosslinked PTMSP containing 5 wt.% crosslinker and 30 wt.% fumed silica nanoparticles had an n-C4H10/CH4 selectivity of 21 and an n-C4H10 permeability of 110,000 barrers.
Reversed-phase high-pressure liquid chromatography of some tryptamine derivatives.

Abstract A quantitative reversed-phase high-pressure liquid chromatographic method is described for tryptamine, bufotenine, N-methyltryptamine and N,N-dimethyltryptamine. All compounds were eluted with base-line separation within 15 min. The method is used to determine the tryptamine level in a leaf extract of Acacia podalyriaefolia A. Cunn. Satisfactory recoveries of tryptamine from plant material, and N,N-dimethyltryptamine from urine were obtained.
The metabolic responses of the common iguana, Iguana iguana, to walking and diving

Strictly aerobic metabolism in Iguana iguana during walking was highly temperature-dependent, as was the maximum rate of walking without the incurrence of an oxygen debt. The absolute maximum rate of walking aerobically correlated with the temperature of the maximum metabolic scope. 2. The energetic cost of walking did not increase with temperature, but rose curvilinearly with speed, the efficiency being greatest at the higher rates of walking. 3. Diving iguanas could remain submerged for up to 4½ hr, tolerating blood lactate levels as high as 320 mg per cent. THIS paper will deal with the study of metabolism and its side-effects in iguanas actually engaged in types of activity to be expected in nature. The two activities considered are diving and walking. Both had to be studied under artificial condi- tions because of the nature of the parameters being measured, but it is believed that the data obtained are relevant to natural situations. Walking at a measured rate is of particular interest because it is an activity regularly undertaken in the field by iguanas. It is also convenient to study as the duration and severity of the exercise are easy to regulate. According to Fry's (1947) hypothesis, discussed in the previous paper (Moberly, 1968), the temperature where the metabolic scope is greatest should correspond with the temperature where that animal can sustain the highest rate of movement for the longest length of time. In the iguana this should occur at about 32°C (Moberly, 1968). Other parameters of interest can also be observed in walking experiments. These involve the relative efficiencies of muscular exercise at varying speeds and temperatures. For instance, man's efficiency in running increases up to a point as the rate increases, after which it begins to decrease (Karpovich, 1965). In sock-eye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka), the efficiency of swimming shows much the same sort of phenomenon. An addi- tional consideration is applicable to poikilotherms. In sock-eye salmon, the cost of
Intranasal Administration of CNS Therapeutics to Awake Mice

Intranasal administration is a method of delivering therapeutic agents to the central nervous system (CNS). It is non-invasive and allows large molecules that do not cross the blood-brain barrier access to the CNS. Drugs are directly targeted to the CNS with intranasal delivery, reducing systemic exposure and thus unwanted systemic side effects. Delivery from the nose to the CNS occurs within minutes along both the olfactory and trigeminal neural pathways via an extracellular route and does not require drug to bind to any receptor or axonal transport. Intranasal delivery is a widely publicized method and is currently being used in human clinical trials. Intranasal delivery of drugs in animal models allows for initial evaluation of pharmacokinetic distribution and efficacy. With mice, it is possible to administer drugs to awake (non-anesthetized) animals on a regular basis using a specialized intranasal grip. Awake delivery is beneficial because it allows for long-term chronic dosing without anesthesia, it takes less time than with anesthesia, and can be learned and done by many people so that teams of technicians can dose large numbers of mice in short periods. Efficacy of therapeutics administered intranasally in this way to mice has been demonstrated in a number of studies including insulin in diabetic mouse models and deferoxamine in Alzheimer's mouse models. The intranasal grip for mice can be learned, but is not easy and requires practice, skill, and a precise grip to effectively deliver drug to the brain and avoid drainage to the lung and stomach. Mice are restrained by hand using a modified scruff in the non-dominant hand with the neck held parallel to the floor, while drug is delivered with a pipettor using the dominant hand. It usually takes 3-4 weeks of acclimating to handling before mice can be held with this grip without a stress response. We have prepared this JoVE video to make this intranasal delivery technique more accessible.
Activation of immune cells in bovine mammary gland secretions by zymosan-treated bovine serum.

Abstract Mastitis, caused by bacterial infection of the mammary gland, is a major disease of dairy cattle. The greatest risks of intramammary infection occur at the end of lactation and at the initiation of the next lactation when the cow calves. Treating serum with zymosan (yeast cell wall preparation) causes the complement to cleave, allowing this serum to serve as a source of complement fragment 5a (C5a), a potent chemoattractant and activator of the immune system. Our hypothesis was that intramammary infusion of zymosan-treated serum (ZTS) would recruit polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) and generate prolonged activity in lymphocytes within the mammary gland. Ultimately this could help prevent bacterial infections in cows at dry-off and at the initiation of lactation. Two ipsilateral quarters of the mammary gland of each cow were infused with ZTS (12.5mL/quarter), and 2 contralateral quarters were infused with saline in 8 cows shortly after lactation ended. Mammary secretions were collected periodically throughout the dry period and the first 2 wk of the next lactation. Activation status of lymphocytes and PMN in those secretions was assessed based on the intracellular presence or absence of IFN-γ and IL-8 as determined by flow cytometry. The ZTS infusion greatly increased PMN numbers in mammary secretions for the first week only. The percentage of IFN-γ positive lymphocytes and PMN, and the percentage of IL-8 positive PMN, exhibited a sustained increase in secretions from ZTS-treated quarters through the first 2 wk of lactation. The ZTS can stimulate PMN and lymphocyte-mediated immune defense mechanisms in the mammary gland, which may provide a useful means of preventing new intramammary infections during the dry period as well as at the initiation of lactation.
Entropy stability of continuous dynamic systems

The problem of stochastic stability of continuous dynamic systems is examined from the point of view of entropy. The concept of entropy, as it was defined by Shannon, represents a measure of average uncertainty in a random situation. In this research, the entropy of the state of a system is considered and conditions for keeping it within certain bounds or minimizing it are sought. For this purpose several tools and results of the theory of stochastic differential equations are used. Previous results of narrow scope concerned only systems with initial random conditions. Here, the problem is generalized to systems with noise inputs. The systems under consideration are with constant or periodic coefficients. Also, general non-linear Ito-type systems are examined. A linearization procedure is applied in the non-linear case and sufficient conditions for stability are developed. Finally, a lower bound to the entropy of nonlinear systems is found. This bound provides the tools for instability results. It should ...
Effect of the H2O/TEOS ratio upon the preparation and nitridation of silica sol/gel films

Abstract Silica sol/gel thin films were deposited on silicon wafers by spinning solutions of varying H 2 O/TEOS ratio. It was found that the density of the initial microporous dried gel film increases with the H 2 O/TEOS ratio. Consequently, the amount of film shrinkage observed during thermal treatment in N 2 or NH 3 was decreased with increasing H 2 O/TEOS. This is contrary to the behavior of bulk gels derived from solutions of increasing H 2 O/TEOS ratio. Most significant, though, was the enhanced incorporation of nitrogen during ammonia treatment of the films prepared with solutions of increasing H 2 O/TEOS ratio. Moreover, there was some indication that the nitrided films obtained after the ammonia treatment may limit oxidation of the silicon wafer.
Effect of fixation with formalin on flow cytometric measurement of DNA in nucleated blood cells

Abstract A study was performed to determine the role formalin fixation plays in flow cytometric (FCM) analysis of DNA in nucleated blood cells. Blood was frozen and stored at −80°C in a DMSO-citrate-sucrose buffer. When FCM analysis was needed the sample was thawed and added to a large volume of propidium iodide (PI) stain and analyzed after not less than 10 min of staining. No centrifugation steps were necessary. This protocol has been used by us for the discrimination of triploid from diploid Chinese grass carp (Ctenophary ngodon idella). Fixation of PI-staned nucleated RBCs with a final concentration of 1–2% phosphate-buffered formalin significantly lowered the amount of fluorescence recorded from the sample even when the fixed and stained RBCs were washed free of the fixative. Fixation with formalin prior to staining with PI yielded similar results. Our results show that formalin fixation of samples prior to or after staining with PI may lead to problems in data interpretation not previously appreciated. A FCM study was done to select the most appropriate biological DNA reference standard for grass carp RBCs. In this study DNA histograms of red blood cells from chicken, rainbow trout and diamondback watersnake as well as human nucleated white blood cells were compared to grass carp DNA histograms. Trout RBCs were selected as the most appropriate DNA reference standard for grass carp.
Carrageenin-Induced Edema in Hind Paw of the Rat as an Assay for Antiinflammatory Drugs

SummaryA method is presented for measuring the edema induced by injection of 0.05 ml of 1% solution of carrageenin, an extract of Chondrus, into the plantar tissues of the hind paw of the rat. Peak...
Correlation measurements of fluctuating mode-locked laser pulses

Abstract An analysis of signal recovery from the time integrated correlation functions of arbitrary order, including field amplitude fluctuations is presented.
Urine VCAM-1 as a marker of renal pathology activity index in lupus nephritis

Introduction Although renal pathology is highly predictive of the disease course in lupus nephritis, it cannot be performed serially because of its invasive nature and associated morbidity. The goal of this study is to investigate whether urinary levels of CXC ligand 16 (CXCL16), monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) or vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) in patients with lupus nephritis are predictive of particular features of renal pathology in renal biopsies obtained on the day of urine procurement.
The dual role of fibrinogen as inhibitor and nucleator of calcium phosphate phases: The importance of structure

Constant composition and free drift methods have been used to investigate the abilities of human serum albumin (HSA) and fibrinogen to influence calcium phosphate precipitation. Both molecules inhibit hydroxyapatite (HAP) crystal growth when present in the solution phase. Fibrinogen, when immobilized at hydrophobicized germanium or silica surfaces, is able to nucleate calcium phosphate phases; at clean germanium or silica surfaces, it appears to be inactive. The apparent configuration of fibrinogen molecules at germanium or silica surfaces on which octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS) was deposited probably exposes more negative sites for participation in nucleation.
Biot's Slow Wave In Massillon And Berea Sandstones

Biot,s proposed a comprehensive theory that has explained many of the important features of wave propagation in fluid-saturated porous media. One striking feature of the theory is the prediction of a slow compressional wave with a speed lower than that of either component. Since the slow mode involves a coupled motion of fluid and solid, it's speed and attenuation depend on the morphology of the pore space, which also determines fluid transport properties such as formation permeability. Mode conversion from fast to slow waves at interfaces should contribute a source of strong wave attenuation as the slow wave propagates. In site of the revival of interest in the predicted mode, no unambiguous examples of slow wave propagation in natural rocks for viscous fluids have been reported because of strong attenuation and interference from the ordinary fast compressional and shear waves. We describe here a new experimental technique using air coupled ultrasonic waves and air saturation that allows unambiguous observations of slow waves in both synthetic and natural porous materials. This method provides a direct link between fluid transport and wave propagation properties for porous rocks. 5 refs., 2 figs.
AMINO ACIDS AS CENTRAL NERVOUS TRANSMITTERS: THE INFLUENCE OF IONS, AMINO ACID ANALOGUES, AND ONTOGENY ON TRANSPORT SYSTEMS for l‐GLUTAMIC AND l‐ASPARTIC ACIDS AND GLYCINE INTO CENTRAL NERVOUS SYNAPTOSOMES OF THE RAT

—The accumulation by synaptosomal fractions from rat central nervous system tissue of transmitter candidate amino acids and non-candidate amino acids was studied with respect to ionic requirements, metabolic inhibitors, structural analogues, and ontogeny. For l-glutamic and l-aspartic acids in cortex and spinal cord and glycine in spinal cord a stringent sodium requirement for high affinity uptake was demonstrated. Detailed kinetic analysis of the sodium requirement for glutamic acid uptake into cortical synaptosomal fractions suggests that: (1) sodium ion acts both competitively and non-competitively in determining the velocity of high affinity uptake; (2) in the absence of sodium ion only the low affinity uptake can be demonstrated; and (3) inhibition of the Na–K-ATPase enzyme system with ouabain reduces the velocity of uptake to 60% of control values in contrast to alanine whose synaptosomal uptake is less dependent on this enzyme system. No potent inhibitors of l-glutamic acid accumulation were found among several structural analogues or derivatives. The kinetic analysis for glycine accumulation was more complex and suggested allosteric interactions between glycine and sodium ion. Developmental studies revealed GABA and l-glutamic acid to have absolute sodium requirements for cortical synaptosomal accumulation from the 16th gestational day through adulthood, with glycine accumulation showing a decreasing sodium requirement as maturation proceeded over this period. The combined evidence suggests that sodium requirement for high affinity uptake is a characteristic of neuroactive substances and may be used as a screening tool to search for other neurotransmitter candidates.
Low-loss subwavelength metal C-aperture waveguide.

We present a design of a linear optical waveguide that utilizes a C-shaped metallic nano-aperture that efficiently transports light while maintaining a spot size of λ/10. The performance of a C-aperture waveguide is superior to both a regular ridge waveguide and other surface plasmon based metal nano-optical waveguides. The energy transport mechanisms are explained by the coupling of an aperture surface resonance and the thickness resonances inside the guide channel. Finite-difference time-domain simulations of gold C-aperture waveguides are performed for a 1.5 μm wavelength incident plane wave. The 1/e decay length in power transmission is predicted to be ∼2.5 μm. The total power throughput is 1.66 for the 2.55 μm long guide, with an intensity 6 times that of the incident wave at a distance 120 nm from the exit plane, having a spot size of 150 nm.
How will bioinformatics influence metabolic engineering

Ten microbial genomes have been fully sequenced to date, and the sequencing of many more genomes is expected to be completed before the end of the century. The assignment of function to open reading frames (ORFs) is progressing, and for some genomes over 70% of functional assignments have been made. The majority of the assigned ORFs relate to metabolic functions. Thus, the complete genetic and biochemical functions of a number of microbial cells may be soon available. From a metabolic engineering standpoint, these developments open a new realm of possibilities. Metabolic analysis and engineering strategies can now be built on a sound genomic basis. An important question that now arises; how should these tasks be approached? Flux-balance analysis (FBA) has the potential to play an important role. It is based on the fundamental principle of mass conservation. It requires only the stoichiometric matrix, the metabolic demands, and some strain specific parameters. Importantly, no enzymatic kinetic data is required. In this article, we show how the genomically defined microbial metabolic genotypes can be analyzed by FBA. Fundamental concepts of metabolic genotype, metabolic phenotype, metabolic redundancy and robustness are defined and examples of their use given. We discuss the advantage of this approach, and how FBA is expected to find uses in the near future. FBA is likely to become an important analysis tool for genomically based approaches to metabolic engineering, strain design, and development.
Sonication-induced Ostwald ripening of ZIF-8 nanoparticles and formation of ZIF-8/polymer composite membranes

Abstract The effect of typical membrane processing conditions on the structure, interfacial morphology, and gas separation performance of MOF/polymer nanocomposite membranes is investigated. In particular, the ZIF-8/Matrimid® nanocomposite membrane system is examined, and it is shown that ultrasonication – a commonly employed particle dispersion method – induces significant changes in the shape, size distribution, and structure of ZIF-8 particles suspended in an organic solvent during membrane processing. Dynamic light scattering and electron microscopy reveal that ZIF-8 nanoparticles undergo substantial Ostwald ripening when subjected to high intensity ultrasonication as often required in the formation of MOF/polymer nanocomposite membranes. Other characterization techniques reveal that the ripened particles exhibit lower pore volumes and lower surface areas compared to the as-made material. ZIF-8/Matrimid® composite membranes fabricated using two sonication methods show significant differences in microstructure. Permeation measurements show significant enhancement in permeability of CO 2 and increased CO 2 /CH 4 selectivity in membranes fabricated with high-intensity sonication. In contrast, composite membranes prepared with low-intensity sonication are found to be defective. A careful evaluation of MOF membrane processing conditions, as well as knowledge of the properties of the MOF material after these membrane processing steps, are necessary to develop reliable processing–structure–property relations for MOF-containing membranes.
The relationship between geometry and numeric ratio as an open problem in Ledoux's architecture: a study of the floor plans of the barrières of Paris

The floor plans of Ledoux's barrieres of Paris, designed during the 1780s, are described using simple geometric constructions. Based on a study of these geometric constructions and the ratios of their parts, it is suggested here that the architect did not treat geometry or numeric ratio as an ideal model of architecture. Rather, he treated the relationship between geometry and numeric ratio as an open problem foreshadowing the attitude of the modern architect.
Using a two-stage optimization strategy for the active alignment of multifiber optical devices

The alignment of optical components is a key factor when designing and manufacturing multifiber optical systems. This problem can be treated as a standard multiobjective optimization problem and solved by numerical optimization methodologies. The core diameter of a single-mode fiber is ~9 µm, and any slight misalignment during manufacturing will cause signification optical losses in connections. Previous studies have shown that the currently used alignment methods for multifiber devices can increase the optical power summation of all fibers, but the results are not very accurate. This study first compares different numerical optimization methodologies that can be used to find the ideal connection position. Two indices are used to judge the performances of different methods: the required time and the optical power. Next, a two-stage optimization strategy is proposed to obtain a fast and accurate result. In the first stage, the Nelder-Mead simplex method is used to move toward the optimum position quickly. In the second stage, the steepest descent method with polynomial interpolation is applied to improve the accuracy because of the stability of the method.
Making the Connection: Transmediation and Children's Literature in Library Settings

Librarians in school and academic libraries provide students of all ages with opportunities to engage in meaningful learning in response to children's literature. This article advocates for librarians to have an understanding of semiotics, multiple sign systems and their relationship to intertextuality and meaning making through transmediation, and to use that knowledge in planning learning activities in library settings. Library learning activities with children's literature are often narrowly focused on just one sign system—language. Many times sign systems other than language are used only for presentations at the end of discussions about stories. Librarians can capitalize on the many ways of knowing and reach more than just a fraction of a learner's capacity by allowing them to flexibly use more than one sign system when responding to children's literature. A number of researchers have suggested ways that other sign systems (e.g. art, music, dance, technology, etc.) through transmediation can provide ...
Long-term complications of rattlesnake bites: a telephone survey from Central California.

Objective The purpose of this institutional review board-approved, cross-sectional study was to identify residual symptoms and signs of envenomation reported by snakebite survivors via a telephone survey. Methods Victims of rattlesnake bite who were treated at a single hospital center during a 10-year period were contacted through a telephone survey. Study subjects were included through a diagnosis-based retrospective chart review of snakebite victims, and excluded if they did not receive rattlesnake antivenom. Data collection was done using a standardized form that included sections about residual, recurrent, or new pain, weakness, paresthesias, or other limitations of the bitten limb. Results We identified 46 snakebite cases including 5 of 46 "dry" bites. The remaining cases (41 of 46) all received Crofab. Interviews were completed for 31% of these patients (13 of 41), and the remainder were lost to follow-up. Most bites occurred in men (12 cases, 92% males) and on the arms (9 cases, 69%). Six of the 13 respondents (46%) reported residual symptoms from the bite. Persistent symptoms described included localized pain at the bite site (3 cases), numbness or paresthesias (2 cases), abnormal skin peeling and discoloration at the bite site (2 cases), and persistent weakness of the bitten extremity (1 case). Among patients reporting persistent symptoms, the bite-to-survey interval ranged from 7 months to 12 years, with a median interval of 4 years. Conclusions Our study population demonstrated a notable incidence (43%) of self-reported persistent symptoms related to their rattlesnake bites, although the overall level of disability from these injuries seems low.
Extension to arbitrary barriers of the Büttiker-Landauer characteristic barrier interaction times

Abstract In a series of papers Buttiker and Landauer used various approaches to derive characteristic times describing the interaction of particles with a rectangular barrier (more general barriers were treated only within the WKB approximation). We generalize their results to arbitrary barriers and present calculated characteristic times for a selection of frequently used barrier shapes. We find that, even for a rectangular barrier, two of the approaches lead to corresponding characteristic times that can be quite different, particularly at low energy. Moreover, the identification of one of the characteristic times with the well known “dwell” time is shown not to hold in general, although it is certainly correct for a rectangular barrier.
THE PRINCIPLE OF EQUIVALENCE AT FINITE TEMPERATURE

We demonstrate that the equivalence principle is violated by radiative corrections to the gravitational and inertial masses at finite temperature. We argue that this result can be attributed to the Lorentz noninvariance of the finite temperature vacuum.
Thrombin preconditioning provides protection in a 6-hydroxydopamine Parkinson's disease model.

Abstract Low-dose thrombin given several days before lesioning is neuroprotective in ischemic and hemorrhagic models of stroke, an effect termed thrombin preconditioning (TPC). Here, the ability of TPC to provide protection in a 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) model of Parkinson's disease (PD) was evaluated. All animals received 10 μg 6-OHDA into the right medial forebrain bundle. Three days prior to 6-OHDA, the animals received either 1 U rat thrombin ( n = 17) or saline ( n = 14) 1 mm above the site of neurotoxin delivery. The animals were then evaluated for neurobehavioral deficits until 21 days post-injection. TPC animals performed significantly better on both a vibrissae-elicited forelimb placing test and a forelimb-use asymmetry test than the saline controls. The animals were then sacrificed for either catecholamine determination by HPLC with electrochemical detection or for histopathology to determine lateral ventricular volume or striatal tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactivity. Although TPC did not protect against the dopamine depletion associated with this severe model, it did reduce dopaminergic terminal loss and ventricular enlargement as compared to saline-treated animals. This report presents the new finding that preconditioning (and TPC in particular) provides protection in a 6-OHDA PD model. Understanding the mechanisms involved in TPC-mediated protection may stimulate innovative therapeutic regimens.
An Estimate of Race and Gender Role-Model Effects in Teaching High School

Single-equation regression models are employed to estimate the student-teacher race and gender interaction effects in high school economics courses. No evidence of a gender role-model effect is found, but there is evidence of effects for African-American students.
Men with pelvic pain: perceived helpfulness of medical and self-management strategies.

Objective: To assess the frequency of use of different treatments and pain management strategies and their perceived helpfulness in male patients with pelvic pain. Methods: Approximately 1 month after a health maintenance oganization visit for pelvic pain, 286 men (mean age 46.7 years) completed telephone interviews about their symptoms and treatments and pain management strategies used in the past year. Participants rated the helpfulness of each treatment and strategy used on 0 to 10 scales. Results: Even though men with identified bacterial etiology were excluded from the study, antibiotic medication was the most commonly reported treatment (67% of patients) and rated as the second most helpful treatment [mean (SD) = 6.3 (3.6)]. Opiates were rated as the most helpful treatment on average [mean (SD) = 7.9 (2.1)], but were used by only 12% of patients. Substantial minorities of patients reported several behaviors as helpful, including urinating (reported as helpful by 26%), taking warm baths (23%), and drinking water (23%), although patterns of effects differed for men with versus without urinary symptoms. Activities most commonly reported as worsening symptoms were sitting (42%), walking/jogging (27%), and sexual activity (25%). Discussion: Patients with male pelvic pain syndrome are commonly prescribed antibiotics, which they perceive as moderately helpful, despite the lack of scientific evidence of efficacy. Clinicians may find it useful to support patient use of safe, inexpensive, self-management approaches, especially warm baths, increased water intake, and avoidance of prolonged sitting.
Skin and femur collagens and urinary hydroxyproline of cortisone-treated rats.

Weanling, young adult and adult male rats received 7 daily intramuscular injections of cortisone acetate. The cortisonetreated and similar control animals received intraperitoneal injections of glycine-2-14C immediately after the last cortisone injection. All animals were sacrificed 24 hr after the isotope injections. Urine samples were collected from each group of control and cortisonetreated rats throughout the experiment. Incorporation of labeled glycine into total skin collagen, mature skin collagen and total femur collagen was decreased in each of the 3 age groups of cortisone-treated rats. Urinary hydroxyproline excretion was markedly decreased in cortisone-treated weanling rats and less decreased in cortisone-treated young adult and adult rats. It was concluded that the most probable explanation of these and other data, including tissue free glycine contents, is that cortisone in the quantity administered in the present study primarily decreases synthesis and does not increase degradation of collag...
Outplacement counselling: an effective tool for certified public accounting firms

Offers information to CPA firms which realize that restructuring and downsizing would be the prudent move for their client. Transition is the phase in which displaced persons can move forward to address the situation. Outplacement provides the mechanism for communicating the methods and options to the individual or to help them through the period of adjustment. Discusses the changing nature of organizations dealing with the emotional impact of career job change and loss in the transition, a model for understanding loss, assessments in outplacement counselling, job search strategies, options for managers seeking re‐employment, how outplacement helps the individual, and beneficial services provided for every level of outplacement. Statistical results overwhelmingly show career growth for both men and women receiving outplacement services. Concludes, therefore, that CPA firms will want to consider an outplacement firm when restructuring and downsizing is the chosen option for revitalization of their client’s organization.