cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Multi-model approaches to phylogenetics: Implications for idealization.

Phylogenetic models traditionally represent the history of life as having a strictly-branching tree structure. However, it is becoming increasingly clear that the history of life is often not strictly-branching; lateral gene transfer, endosymbiosis, and hybridization, for example, can all produce lateral branching events. There is thus motivation to allow phylogenetic models to have a reticulate structure. One proposal involves the reconciliation of genealogical discordance. Briefly, this method involves using patterns of disagreement -- discordance -- between trees of different genes to add lateral branching events to phylogenetic trees of taxa, and to estimate the most likely cause of these events. I use this practice to argue for: (1) a need for expanded accounts of multiple-models idealization, (2) a distinction between automatic and manual de-idealization, and (3) recognition that idealization may serve the meso-level aims of science in a different way than hitherto acknowledged.
Response Rates in Placebo arm of MG Clinical Trials (P5.4-025)

Objective: To analyze the extent of improvement in reported outcomes measures in patients in the placebo groups in Myasthenia Gravis (MG) clinical trials Background: Various immunosuppressive agents used in MG clinical practice have failed to meet primary end points in randomized double blind placebo controlled clinical trials. Patients in the placebo group of MG clinical trials are treated with prednisone and other standard of care therapies. Clinical improvement from these therapies within the placebo group could have led to the failure of research trials to meet primary end points. Many MG outcomes measures are used in multiple randomized clinical trials allowing for comparison of clinical improvement across studies. Design/Methods: We reviewed published manuscripts of all randomized double blind clinical trials in myasthenia gravis that used the quantitative MG (QMG) and MG-Activities of daily living (MG-ADL) scales. We analyzed the improvements in clinical outcome measures and evaluated clinical trial phase, mode of drug/placebo administration and duration of the clinical trails. We also reviewed the inclusion criteria and whether MG patients were refractory at the time of enrollment. Results: We analyzed 8 recent MG clinical trails evaluating 5 different therapies. Clinical trial duration ranged from 3 to 12 months. Three trials required refractory MG status before recruitment. QMG was used as a primary or secondary end point in 8 trials and MG-ADL was used as a primary or secondary end point in 7 clinical trials. In the placebo groups, the mean QMG score improvement was 2.24 (−0.3–3.67) and mean MG-ADL score improvement was 2.03 (0.6–2.8). Conclusions: Average improvement in QMG and MG-ADL scores in the placebo arm of MG trials meets criteria for clinically significant change. Future clinical trials in MG should consider this observation and ascertain goals for primary and secondary end points for clinical trials accordingly. Disclosure: Dr. Muppidi has received personal compensation for consulting, serving on a scientific advisory board, speaking, or other activities with Alexion Pharmaceuticals. Dr. Samara has nothing to disclose. Dr. Lin has nothing to disclose. Dr. Goyal has nothing to disclose.
DeepPOSE: Detecting GPS spoofing attack via deep recurrent neural network

Abstract The Global Positioning System (GPS) has become a foundation for most location-based services and navigation systems, such as autonomous vehicles, drones, ships, and wearable devices. However, it is a challenge to verify if the reported geographic locations are valid due to various GPS spoofing tools. Pervasive tools, such as Fake GPS, Lockito, and software-defined radio, enable ordinary users to hijack and report fake GPS coordinates and cheat the monitoring server without being detected. Furthermore, it is also a challenge to get accurate sensor readings on mobile devices because of the high noise level introduced by commercial motion sensors. To this end, we propose DeepPOSE, a deep learning model, to address the noise introduced in sensor readings and detect GPS spoofing attacks on mobile platforms. Our design uses a convolutional and recurrent neural network to reduce the noise, to recover a vehicle's real-time trajectory from multiple sensor inputs. We further propose a novel scheme to map the constructed trajectory from sensor readings onto the Google map, to smartly eliminate the accumulation of errors on the trajectory estimation. The reconstructed trajectory from sensors is then used to detect the GPS spoofing attack. Compared with the existing method, the proposed approach demonstrates a significantly higher degree of accuracy for detecting GPS spoofing attacks.
Gordon research conference on the dynamics and regulation of photosynthesis: from the origin of bio-catalysis to innovative solar conversion

We provide here a news report on the 2015 Gordon Research Conference "Dynamics and regulation of photosynthesis: from the origin of biocatalysis to innovative solar conversion.'' It was held at Bentley University, Waltham, MA, USA, June 28-July 3, 2015, and offered a mix of traditional and emerging areas that highlighted new directions and methods of analyses. A major innovation was short (1 min) poster highlights that added an exciting dynamic to the interactions. Following the end of the formal sessions, three young scientists (Andrian Gutu, of Harvard University, USA; Alizee Malnoe, of University of California, Berkeley, USA; and Yuval Mazor of Tel Aviv University, Israel) were recognized for their research; they also each received a recent volume of "Advances in photosynthesis and respiration including bioenergy and related processes" from Govindjee. We also provide at the end a brief report on the Gordon Research Seminar that preceded the conference.
Fourier Transform Infrared Absorption Spectroscopy for Quantitative Analysis of Gas Mixtures for Homeland Security Applications

Chemical detectors are crucial tools for first responders during emergency-response scenarios and for continuous monitoring of public spaces for general safety. For those who depend upon chemical detectors for safety and security, ensuring that detectors alarm at specified levels is critical. During detector performance evaluation, the accurate delivery of known concentrations of the chemical target to the detector is a key aspect of the test. Referee methods enable the analyte test concentration and associated uncertainties in the analyte test concentration to be validated by independent analysis, which is especially important for reactive analytes. This work demonstrates a method to use Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) absorption spectroscopy for quantitatively evaluating the composition of vapor streams containing hazardous materials at acute exposure guideline levels (AEGL) under test conditions defined in recently published standard specifications for chemical vapor detectors. The described method covers the use of primary reference spectra to establish analyte concentrations, the generation of secondary reference spectra suitable for measuring analyte concentrations under specified testing environments, and the use of referee feedback to compensate for depletion of the test analyte. Important benefits of this approach included verification of the test analyte concentration with characterized uncertainties by in situ measurements co-located with the detector under test, near-real-time feedback, and broad applicability to toxic industrial chemicals.
Analysis of a Vidale-Wolfe Duopoly

We consider a Vidale-Wolfe triopoly model in the present chapter. As opposed to the analysis of the Vidale-Wolfe duopoly in chapter 4, here we do not restrict the model to a single state variable, and instead assume a separate sales state variable for each of the three competitors. The sales state variables are assumed to change across time according to the following relationships: $$ \begin{gathered} {{\dot{S}}_1} = {\beta_1}A_1^{{{\alpha_1}}}\left( {N - \sum\limits_{{i = 1}}^3 {{S_i}} } \right) - {\delta_1}{S_1} \hfill \\ {{\dot{S}}_2} = {\beta_2}A_2^{{\alpha 2}}\left( {N - \sum\limits_{{i = 1}}^3 {{S_i}} } \right) - {\delta_2}{S_2} \hfill \\ {{\dot{S}}_3} = {\beta_3}A_3^{{{\alpha_3}}}\left( {N - \sum\limits_{{i = 1}}^3 {{S_i}} } \right) - {\delta_3}{S_3} \hfill \\ \end{gathered} $$ (7.1) The objective of each competitor is to maximize discounted profit: $$ \begin{gathered} \mathop{{\max }}\limits_{{{A_1}}} \int\limits_0^{\infty } {{e^{{ - rt}}}} ({h_1}{S_1} - {A_1})dt \hfill \\ \mathop{{\max }}\limits_{{{A_2}}} \int\limits_0^{\infty } {{e^{{ - rt}}}} ({h_2}{S_2} - {A_2})dt \hfill \\ \mathop{{\max }}\limits_{{{A_3}}} \int\limits_0^{\infty } {{e^{{ - rt}}}} ({h_3}{S_3} - {A_3})dt \hfill \\ \end{gathered} \dot{S} = ({\beta_1}A_1^{{{\alpha_1}}} + {\beta_2}A_1^{{{\alpha_2}}})(N - S) - \delta S $$ (7.2) where h i i = 1, 2, 3, is competitor i’s contribution per unit of sale.
Bounds on max-product algorithms for multiple fault diagnosis in graphs with loops

In this paper, we analyze the performance of algorithms that use belief propagation max-product iterations to solve the generalized multiple fault diagnosis (GMFD) problem. The GMFD problem is described by a bipartite diagnosis graph which consists of a set of components (or diseases), a set of alarms (or symptoms) and a set of connections (or causal dependencies) between them, along with a set of parameters that describe the prior probabilities for component, alarm and connection failures. Given the alarm observations, our goal is to find the status of the components that has the maximum a posteriori (MAP) probability. The max-product algorithm (MPA) and the improved sequential max-product algorithm (SMPA) that we developed in earlier work are guaranteed to converge to the MAP solution if the underlying diagnosis graph is a tree (the MPA requires in addition that the MAP solution is unique). By using several properties of the MPA and the SMPA, we obtain in this paper upper bounds on the probability P e of diagnosis error (for both algorithms) with respect to the MAP solution. These upper bounds apply to arbitrary graphs (possibly with loops) and show that P e decreases exponentially with the size of the smallest loop (i.e., the loop with the least number of alarms). We also provide examples to verify our theoretical analysis.
Implicit Questions in Michael Confino's Essay

Questions implicites dans l’essai de Michael Confino : Etat corporatif et verticalite des relationsLe present essai appuie les critiques stimulantes formulees par Michael Confino pendant de nombreuses annees sur les conceptualisations communement utilisees par les historiens de la Russie. L’auteur admet les critiques de la notion de soslovie avancees par Confino dans son dernier article (CMR, 49 (4), 2008). Il laisse entendre qu’en adoptant le modele selon lequel la modernisation de la Russie se serait operee par le passage d’une societe de soslovija a une societe de classes, les historiens ont pu passer a cote d’une autre conceptualisation plus fructueuse et edifiante, associee d’ordinaire aux regimes latino-americains et iberiens plutot qu’a la Russie, a savoir, le developpement de la Russie par le passage d’un Etat patrimonial a un Etat et une societe corporatistes. L’auteur pointe egalement les obstacles que souleve la notion de soslovie dans la comprehension de la microdynamique de l’histoire russe. La notion de soslovie tend a masquer un aspect de la vie russe que Confino lui-meme avait commente il y a longtemps deja : les Russes de tous statuts sociaux vivaient en proximite etroite et etaient en contact quotidiennement. L’auteur propose des exemples extraits de differents travaux, dont les siens, et invite a utiliser davantage l’approche microdynamique de l’histoire russe.
Neuroimaging after critical illness: implications for neurorehabilitation outcome.

Survivors of critical illness frequently have profound and long-lasting cognitive impairments and psychiatric disorders, which adversely affect functional outcomes including return to work, and quality of life. While data regarding cognitive outcomes has been increasing over the last 15 years, neuroimaging data in medical and surgical critical populations is extremely limited. The abrupt development of new significant cognitive impairments after critical illness along with abnormalities on neuroimaging suggest that critical illness results in new acquired brain injury, similar to that observed in other acquired brain injuries. Abnormalities on neuroimaging including cortical and subcortical lesions, brain atrophy, and WMHs which occur in widely distributed brain regions. Given the high prevalence rate of cognitive impairments in this population, neuroimaging is important to help elucidate neuropathology of critical illness acquired brain injury. Research is needed across imaging modalities in order to fully understand the effect of critical illness on the brain and to help understand the effects of rehabilitation, including cognitive rehabilitation in survivors of critical illness.
Assessing hydrogeochemical heterogeneity in natural and constructed wetlands

While “water quality function” is cited as animportant wetland function to design for and preserve,we demonstrate that the scale at which hydrochemicalsamples are collected can significantly influenceinterpretations of biogeochemical processes inwetlands. Subsurface, chemical profiles for bothnutrients and major ions were determined at a site insouthwestern Wisconsin that contained areas of bothnatural and constructed wetlands. Sampling wasconducted on three different scales: (1) a large scale(3 m between sampling points), (2) an intermediatescale (0.15 m between sampling points), and (3) a smallscale (1.5 cm between sampling points). In mostcases, significant vertical heterogeneity was observedat the 0.15 m scale, which was much larger thanpreviously reported for freshwater wetlands and notdetected by sampling water table wells screened overthe same interval. However, profiles of ammonia andtotal phosphorus showed tenfold changes in the upper0.2 meters of the saturated zone when sampled at thesmall (1.5 cm) scale, that was not depicted bysampling at the intermediate scale. At theintermediate scale of observation, one constructedwetland site differed geochemically from the naturalwetlands and the other constructed wetland site due toapplication of off-site salvaged marsh surface anddownward infiltration of rain. While importantdifferences in dissolved inorganic phosphorus anddissolved inorganic carbon concentrations existedbetween the constructed wetland and the naturalwetlands, we also observed substantial differencesbetween the natural wetland sites for theseconstituents. A median-polishing analysis of our datashowed that temporal variations in constituentconcentrations within profiles, although extensivelyrecognized in the literature, were not as important asspatial variability.
Biosynthesis of the Purines XXXIV. INITIAL RATE STUDIES OF FORMYLGLYCINAMIDE RIBONUCLEOTIDE AMIDOTRANSFERASE WITH COMPETITIVE AND PRODUCT INHIBITORS

Abstract Information concerning the mechanism of action of formylglycinamide ribonucleotide (FGAR) amidotransferase from chicken liver has been obtained from initial rate studies of the reaction of the three substrates of the enzyme system. The data are consistent with the belief that the substrates add sequentially to form a quaternary complex with the enzyme before undergoing reaction with release of products, and that glutamine adds first to the enzyme with ATP and FGAR adding randomly thereafter (partially compulsory order mechanism). Further studies with competitive and product inhibitors have led to this same conclusion. It was observed that albizziin, a competitive inhibitor of glutamine, acted as a mixed type inhibitor of the enzyme with respect to the other substrates. β,γ-5'-Adenylyl methylene diphosphonate, a competitive antagonist of ATP, acted as an uncompetitive and noncompetitive inhibitor of the enzyme with respect to glutamine and FGAR, respectively. Similarly, ADP functions as a competitive product inhibitor of the enzyme with respect to ATP but shows uncompetitive and mixed type inhibition patterns relative to glutamine and FGAR, respectively.
Analysis of anisotropy of spectra and spatial distribution of hard x-ray emission from 0.9–1.0 MA high-Z x-pinches

The presence of collimated 1.5–2.0 MeV electron beams in 0.9–1.0 MA high-Z x-pinch plasmas leads to the generation of hard x-ray radiation in the crossing point of the wires. The results of 0.9–1.0 MA Fe, Mo, and W x-pinch studies have shown that an x-pinch is an effective source of hard x-ray radiation (more than 50–100 keV). An anisotropic hard x-ray radiation with an energy of several hundred keV was observed moving upwards along the axis of x-pinches. The size of the source was estimated as small as 1 mm. The time duration of a hard x-ray beam from an x-pinch is 100–150 ns. The side-on measured electron temperature is higher than the end-on temperature. Introducing of a hard x-ray synchrotron radiation in a side-on direction is used for the explanation of the distortion of side-on spectra. The value of the local magnetic field in plasma hot spots required for the effective hard x-ray synchrotron radiation appearance has been estimated.
Live-cell imaging of slow axonal transport in cultured neurons

Cytoskeletal polymers and other cytosolic protein complexes are transported along axons in the slow components of axonal transport. Studies on the movement of neurofilaments and microtubules in the axons of cultured neurons indicate that these polymers actually move at fast rates and that the movements are also infrequent and highly asynchronous. These observations indicate that the slow rate of slow axonal transport is due to rapid movements interrupted by prolonged pauses which presents special challenges for studies on the mechanism of movement. This chapter describes the procedures that the author's laboratory has used to observe and analyze the movement of neurofilaments and microtubules in axons of cultured neurons from the superior cervical ganglia of neonatal rats. In particular, the author describes how to culture these neurons, how to transfect them by nuclear injection, and how to detect the rapid and infrequent movement of cytoskeletal polymers using time-lapse fluorescence imaging.
Impact of a State Evidence-Based Practice Legislative Mandate on County Practice Implementation Patterns and Inpatient Behavioral Health Discharge

Evidence-based Medicine (EBM) and Comparative Effectiveness Research (CER) are salient topics in healthcare. The evidence-based framework and terminology has been collectively applied to fields such as criminal justice, child welfare, behavioral health, and management (Sherman, 2002; Aarons & Palinkas, 2007; Rapp, Bond, Becker, Carpinello, Nikkel, & Gintoli, 2005; Rieckmann, Kovas, Fussell, & Stettler, 2008; Pfeffer & Sutton, 2006). The normative term evidence-based practice refers to interventions demonstrating a general level of accepted efficacy. The evidence-based framework provides a rational mechanism for evaluating and categorizing interventions by the level of supporting evidence. Expected products of this process include an increased clarity in the definition of best practices and a convergence of practices across providers. As a public policy, ensuring the use of evidence-base practices provides a potential rational method for controlling the quality of provider practices. In theory, provider use of evidence-based practices increases the quality of services provided and improves outcomes. The implementation of an evidence-based practice legislative mandate in the State of Oregon provided an opportunity to analyze the county-level implementation patterns of evidence-based practices and their impact on expected outcomes. This study sought to assess whether the implementation and outcome patterns associated with the Oregon policy met the “rational mechanism” expectations implicit to the policy. Study results identify some evidence that the policy yielded “rational mechanism” processes and outcomes, but also indicated that other mechanisms may have influenced implementation patterns and that the evidence of a link between policy and IMPACT OF STATE EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE MANDATE ii outcomes is a best inconsistent. Further research on evidence-based policies using definitional and measurement frameworks applied in this study is clearly warranted. IMPACT OF STATE EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE MANDATE iii
Ectopic Production of Creatine Kinase MB: Updated Evaluation by Mass Assays

There have been several reports of apparently high concentrations of creatine kinase (CK)-MB in the sera of cancer patients (1)(2)(3)(4). In several of these cases, the high activity resulted from the presence of macro CK types 1 and 2 (5). False-positive results for CK-MB can occur if nonspecific assays such as immunoinhibition are used (6). These atypical isoenzymes are not inhibited by anti-CK-B antibodies, and high apparent CK-MB activities are produced. Macro CK type 1 (CK-BB bound to IgG) migrates between CK-MM and -MB, whereas type 2 (polymeric mitochondrial CK) migrates cathodic to CK-MM and can be readily differentiated from CK-MB by electrophoresis (7). However, macro CK-BB linked to IgA can comigrate with CK-MB, and false-positive detection of MB is possible even with electrophoresis (8). Annesley and McKenna (9) published the one clear case of ectopic CK-MB production by a tumor, by demonstrating high concentrations of CK-MB in homogenized tumor tissue and ruling out the presence of macro CK forms by heat stability tests. We describe a second case in which persistently high concentrations of CK-MB were detected in a patient with metastatic cancer. CK isoforms, myoglobin, lactate dehydrogenase isoenzymes, and cardiac troponins T and I were used to rule out the presence of acute myocardial injury. A 71-year-old white man with a past medical history of coronary artery disease, acute myocardial infarction (AMI), hypertension, congestive heart failure, cerebrovascular accident, carotid stenosis, and atrial fibrillation presented to the Hospital of St. Raphael with a 4-day history …
The Effect on Leniency of Justifying Performance Ratings to a Supervisor

Summary Topic and time were found to influence the reliability of the Personal Attribute Inventory scale as a measure of attitudes toward oneself, normal children, and mentally handicapped children. Test-retest reliability correlations over an 11 week period were +.50, +.59, and +.69, respectively, for 138 college students. Stereotyping is proposed to account for the greater reliability of the PAI when applied to handicapped children in contrast to its self-concept application. Multiple administration may account for the lower reliability of the latter measure than earlier research suggests.
Optical tweezers and non-ratiometric fluorescent-dye-based studies of respiration in sperm mitochondria

The purpose of this study is to investigate how the mitochondrial membrane potential affects sperm motility using laser tweezers and a non-ratiometric fluorescent probe, DiOC6(3). A 1064?nm Nd:YVO4 continuous wave laser was used to trap motile sperm at a power of 450?mW in the trap spot. Using customized tracking software, the curvilinear velocity (VCL) and the escape force from the laser tweezers were?measured. Human (Homo sapiens), dog (Canis lupis familiaris) and drill (Mandrillus leucophaeus) sperm were treated with DiOC6(3) to measure the membrane potential in the mitochondria-rich sperm midpieces. Sperm from all three species exhibited an increase in fluorescence when treated with the DiOC6(3). When a cyanide inhibitor (CCCP) of aerobic respiration was applied, sperm of all three species exhibited a reduction in fluorescence to pre-dye levels. With respect to VCL and escape force, the CCCP had no effect on dog or human sperm, suggesting a major reliance upon anaerobic respiration (glycolysis) for ATP in these two species. Based on the preliminary study on drill sperm, CCCP caused a drop in the VCL, suggesting potential reliance on both glycolysis and aerobic respiration for motility. The results demonstrate that optical trapping in combination with DiOC6(3) is an effective way to study sperm motility and energetics.
A study of the human immune response to Lolium perenne (rye) pollen and its components, Lol p I and Lol p II (Rye I and Rye II): II. Longitudinal variation of antibody levels in relation to symptomatology and pollen exposure and correction of seasonally elevated antibody levels to basal values

This study used a standardized, dialyzed, Lolium perenne (ryegrass) pollen extract and two of its well-characterized components, Lol p I (Rye I) and Lol p II (Rye II), to characterize the longitudinal variation of both IgE and IgG antibody (Ab) levels, as well as total serum IgE levels, in 20 grass-allergic subjects followed for 13 months. Ab levels declined toward a basal level just before, and increased just after, the grass-pollination season, returning to the same basal level just before the next grass-pollination season. The least complex allergen, Lol II, demonstrated the most uniform pattern of variation in both IgE and IgG Ab levels. Total serum IgE levels demonstrated the least regular pattern of variation. Grass-pollen counts were strongly correlated with symptom-medication scores for these subjects (rs = 0.87). Initial values were correlated with the rise in total IgE and IgE Ab to Lol II across the grass-pollen season. Skin test results were correlated with initial IgE Ab levels for L. perenne pollen extract and Lol II. Finally, a procedure for correcting IgE Ab levels to basal values was proposed and tested. The correction procedure, for each IgE Ab, was based on the average rise during the grass-pollination season (or average decline after the grass-pollination season) observed for all subjects with that IgE Ab.
Iron‐independent dynamics of IsiA production during the transition to stationary phase in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803

The cyanobacterial iron stress-induced protein A (IsiA) protein is inducible under many stress conditions. We show that isiA is transcribed during the transition from exponential to the stationary state, translated into protein and incorporated into membranes. Both transcription and translation of isiA demonstrated extraordinary dynamics and was reflected in the formation of IsiA–Chl complexes. We also identified the upstream region of isiA that controlled the CAT activity similar to the regulation of IsiA. The de-repression of isiA during the stationary phase was neither dependent on iron nor a result of oxidative stress.
Alteration of renal respiratory Complex-III during experimental type-1 diabetes

Diabetes has become the single most common cause for end-stage renal disease in the United States. It has been established that mitochondrial damage occurs during diabetes; however, little is known about what initiates mitochondrial injury and oxidant production during the early stages of diabetes. Inactivation of mitochondrial respiratory complexes or alteration of their critical subunits can lead to generation of mitochondrial oxidants, mitochondrial damage, and organ injury. Thus, one goal of this study was to determine the status of mitochondrial respiratory complexes in the rat kidney during the early stages of diabetes (5-weeks post streptozotocin injection). Mitochondrial complex activity assays, blue native gel electrophoresis (BN-PAGE), Complex III immunoprecipitation, and an ATP assay were performed to examine the effects of diabetes on the status of respiratory complexes and energy levels in renal mitochondria. Creatinine clearance and urine albumin excretion were measured to assess the status of renal function in our model. Interestingly, of all four respiratory complexes only cytochrome c reductase (Complex-III) activity was significantly decreased, whereas two Complex III subunits, Core 2 protein and Rieske protein, were up regulated in the diabetic renal mitochondria. The BN-PAGE data suggested that Complex III failed to assemble correctly, which could also explain the compensatory upregulation of specific Complex III subunits. In addition, the renal F0F1-ATPase activity and ATP levels were increased during diabetes. In summary, these findings show for the first time that early (and selective) inactivation of Complex-III may contribute to the mitochondrial oxidant production which occurs in the early stages of diabetes.
Synthesis and cell phototoxicity of a triply bridged fused diporphyrin appended with six thioglucose units.

A triply bridged fused diporphyrin appended with six thioglucose units is reported. This new, chemically, and photochemically stable amphiphilic compound is taken up by breast cancer cells and causes cell death upon light exposure. Photophysical studies reveal absorption bands in the near IR region, and photosensitized formation of singlet oxygen in high quantum yields.
Some comments on the states between the ψ and ψ

Abstract A spin-parity assignment is made for the four even charge conjugation states now probably observed between the ψ and ψ ′. Consequences for the model of the new mesons as bound states of a new heavy quark and its corresponding antiquark are then commented upon.
Variant T47D human breast cancer cells with high progesterone-receptor levels despite estrogen and antiestrogen resistance

Abstract In target tissues for estrogen, including breast cancer cells, the synthesis of progesterone receptors (PRs) is controlled by estradiol acting through estrogen receptors (ERs). We describe studies with T47D human breast cancer cells, whose PRs are not regulated by estradiol, though present in extraordinary amounts (300,000 sites per cell). These cells have no ERs sedimenting at 8S on sucrose density gradients, and no unfilled cytoplasmic or nuclear ERs; some apparently hormone-filled nuclear sites, with KD ⋍ 0.7 nM, can be demonstrated by exchange. The nuclear ER sites are not processed after estradiol treatment. Nafoxidine, however, doubles nuclear estrogen binding in 6 hr, in a cycloheximide-insensitive step that may represent a reversal of processing. T47D cells are profoundly resistant to estrogens and antiestrogens; estradiol does not stimulate PRs, and nafoxidine concentrations that are cytotoxic to ER-positive cells have no effect on cell growth or on PR levels. Yet the PRs are normal by several criteria, and they can be stoichiometrically translocated to, and extracted from, nuclei in the first 3 min after progesterone addition. If progesterone treatment exceeds 10 min, rapid nuclear turnover prevents quantitative PR recovery. Cytoplasmic PRs are replenished in 10 to 24 hr, and this cycloheximide-sensitive step is also estrogen- and nafoxidine-resistant. However, despite their insensitivity to estradiol or antiestrogen, PRs are not constitutively synthesized; 5-bromodeoxyuridine and sodium butyrate can selectively inhibit PR production. Thus, since PRs retain some characteristics of inducible proteins, the persistent nuclear estrogen-binding sites may be stimulating PRs continuously, even in the absence of exogenous estradiol.
Stimulation of pollen embryo induction in tobacco by pretreatment of excised anthers in a water-saturated atmosphere

Abstract The effect on the embryogenic potential of tobacco anthers of a preculture period in a water-saturated atmosphere was examined. It was found that maintaining excised anthers in such an atmosphere for 2 or 3 days at 23°C increased the number of anthers subsequently producing pollen plants 4-fold and doubled the number in which embryos were induced. This increase in frequency was negatively correlated with the rate of anther senescence in culture. It is suggested that some component of the usual culture medium is toxic to anthers during the early period of culture.
Dynamic priority ceilings: a concurrency control protocol for real-time systems

Real-time systems have stringent deadline requirements for their tasks. To meet the requirements, a real-time system must use scheduling algorithms that ensure a predictable response even in the face of mutually exclusive accesses to critical sections. We present a concurrency control protocol for systems using the earliest deadline first scheduling algorithm. The protocol specifies a dynamic priority ceiling for each critical section which is the earliest deadline of jobs which are currently in or will enter the critical section. Jobs trying to enter a critical section will be blocked if they do not have a priority higher than the priority ceiling of any critical section which is in use. We show that the protocol prevents both deadlock and chained blocking. The schedulability condition and implementation issues of the protocol are also discussed.
The effects of acclimation on the salinity tolerance of grass carp, Ctenopharyngodon idella (Cuv. and Val.)

Grass carp acclimated to 3, 5, 7, and 9% salinities were tested for salinity tolerance. The upper tolerance limit (LS50) for 3 and 5%, and 7% acclimated fish were 14.2 and 14.0%, respectively. Fish acclimated to 9% had a 50% mortality at an estimated salinity of 16.0%, for 24 h exposure. Weight losses for the 3 and 5% acclimated fish were significantly lower than for those acclimated to 9%.
Graphic Analysis of Perturbed Rydberg Series

A method of analysis of all level positions in multiple strongly perturbed series of levels is presented and illustrated by examples from the rare gas and Ba spectra. The method is suggested by Seaton's multichannel quantum defect theory but is presented here as an empirical approach. It emphasizes the dependence of a perturbation on the periodicity of the perturbing series and aims at extracting significant information from experimental data in compact form; this goal will be pursued in later works.
Analysis of side‐chain conformational distributions in neutrophil peptide‐5 nmr structures

The side-chain conformations have been analyzed in the antimicrobial peptide, Neutrophil Peptide-5 (NP-5), whose structure was independently generated from nmr-derived distance constraints using a distance geometry algorithm. The side-chain and peptide dihedral angle distributions in the nmr structures were compared with those constructed from a data base of high-resolution protein crystal structures. The side-chain conformational preferences for NP-5 in solution are significantly different from those observed in the crystal structure data base. These results indicate that the side-chain conformations are quite disordered for many of the residues of NP-5. The absence of a correlation between the width of the conformational distribution and surface accessibility suggests that the disorder may be due to limitations in the structural information extracted from the nmr data rather than to molecular motion. However, it is also observed that the degree of conformational disorder is only weakly correlated with the number of nuclear Overhauser enhancements to a given side chain. Possible reasons for this are discussed. Molecular mechanics refinement of these structures did not significantly change the side-chain populations. Anomolously wide distributions are observed for rotations about the peptide bonds and the disulfide bonds in the NP-5 distance geometry structures, which are improved by the refinement. The very high degree of order observed for the central dihedral angle of the disulfide bond in the high-resolution crystal data base suggests that the rotation about this bond in proteins is determined by the local potential.
Evaluation of the American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status classification system in risk assessment for plastic and reconstructive surgery patients.

Background: The American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status (ASA-PS) classification is a ranking system that quantifies patient health before anesthesia and surgery. Some surgical disciplines apply the ASA-PS to gauge a patient's likelihood of developing postoperative complications. Objective: In this study, the authors analyze whether ASA-PS scores can successfully predict risk for postoperative complications in plastic and reconstructive operations. Methods: The authors retrospectively reviewed the charts of 1801 patient procedures and selected for inclusion 1794 complex plastic and reconstructive operations that took place at 1 of several academic medical institutions between January 2008 and January 2012. ASA-PS scores, patient comorbidities, and postoperative complications were analyzed. Percentile data were treated with tests for proportions. Nonpercentile data were analyzed through comparison of means ( t test). Low-risk (ASA 1-2) and high-risk (ASA 3+) groups were compared with simple odds ratios. Results: For the 1430 women and 364 men in the patient cohort (average age, 49.5 years), the overall complication rate was 27.7%. When patients with complications were compared to those without, body mass index, operation time, recent major surgery, diabetes, hypertension, renal disease, cancer, and oral contraceptive use were statistically significant. After high-risk (n = 398) and low-risk (n = 1396) groups were identified, infection, delayed wound healing, deep vein thrombosis, and overall complications had significantly increased incidence in the high risk group. Notably, deep vein thrombosis displayed the highest odds ratio (4.17) and a complication rate increase from 0.93% to 3.77%. Conclusions: ASA-PS scores can be used either as substitutes for or as adjuncts to questionnaire-based risk assessment methods in plastic surgery. In addition to deducing significant findings for deep vein thrombosis incidence, ASA-PS scores hold important predictive associations for multiple non–venous thromboembolism complications, providing a broader measurement for postoperative complication risks. Level of Evidence: 4 ![Graphic][1] [1]: /embed/inline-graphic-1.gif
A note from the Newberry Library, Chicago

(1970). A note from the Newberry Library, Chicago. Imago Mundi: Vol. 24, No. 1, pp. 145-145.
Urinary bacteria in adult women with urgency urinary incontinence.

Introduction and hypothesis This study’s aims were to detect and quantify bacterial DNA in the urine of randomized trial participants about to undergo treatment for urinary urgency incontinence (UUI) without clinical evidence of urinary tract infection (UTI) and to determine if the presence of bacterial DNA in baseline urine relates to either baseline urinary symptoms or UTI risk after urinary tract instrumentation.
A Geometric Rigidity Theorem for Hydrodynamical Blowup

Suppose there is a smooth solution u of the Euler equation on a 3-dimensional manifold M, with Lagrangian flow η, such that for some Lagrangian path η(t, x) and some time T, we have . Then in particular smoothness breaks down at time T by the Beale-Kato-Majda criterion. We know by the work of Arnold that the Lagrangian solution is a geodesic in the group of volume-preserving diffeomorphisms. We show that either there is a sequence t n ↗ T such that the corresponding geodesic fails to minimize length on each [t n , t n+1], or there is a basis {e 1, e 2, e 3} of T x M with e 3 parallel to the initial vorticity vector ω0(x) such that the components of the stretching matrix Λ(t, x) = (Dη(t, x))T Dη(t, x) satisfy The former possibility can be studied in terms of the two-point minimization approach of Brenier on volume-preserving maps, while the latter gives a precise sense in which the vorticity vector tends to align with the intermediate eigenvector of the stretching matrix Λ.
Importance of medium in demonstrating penicillin tolerance by group B streptococci.

Abstract A total of 30 clinical isolates of group B streptococci were studied for penicillin tolerance in vitro. Minimal inhibitory and bactericidal concentrations of penicillin were determined simultaneously in three test media which have been used for group B streptococci, tryptose phosphate, Mueller-Hinton, and Todd-Hewitt broths, using a logarithmic-phase inoculum of 105 colony-forming units per ml. Minimal inhibitory concentrations in the three media did not differ significantly. However, minimal bactericidal concentrations were significantly higher in tryptose phosphate broth (mean, 1.04 μg/ml) than in Mueller-Hinton broth (0.22 μg/ml) or Todd-Hewitt broth (0.15 μg/ml). Similarly, ratios of minimal bactericidal to minimal inhibitory concentrations were significantly greater in tryptose phosphate broth than in Mueller-Hinton or Todd-Hewitt broth. After incubation in tryptose phosphate broth for an additional 24 h, the minimal bactericidal concentration consistently fell to levels which were only twice or equal to the minimal inhibitory concentration. This study illustrates the importance of the medium in the demonstration of penicillin tolerance and of controlling laboratory variables in the susceptibility testing of group B streptococci with penicillin.
A Geometrical Interpretation of Exponentially Embedded Families of Gaussian Probability Density Functions for Model Selection

Model selection via exponentially embedded families (EEF) of probability models has been shown to perform well on many practical problems of interest. A key component in utilizing this approach is the definition of a model origin (i.e. null hypothesis) which is embedded individually within each competing model. In this correspondence we give a geometrical interpretation of the EEF and study the sensitivity of the EEF approach to the choice of model origin in a Gaussian hypothesis testing framework. We introduce the information center (I-center) of competing models as an origin in this procedure and compare this to using the standard null hypothesis. Finally we derive optimality conditions for which the EEF using I-center achieves optimal performance in the Gaussian hypothesis testing framework.
Anti-proliferative effects of tumor necrosis factor, gamma interferon and 5-fluorouracil on human colorectal carcinoma cell lines

We have previously utilized a bank of diverse human colorectal carcinoma cell lines to assess the synergistic antiproliferative effect of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and IFN-gamma (IFN-γ) in combination. In this study, we used 3 of these cell lines (HCT 116, SKCOI and VACO 9P) to study the growth-inhibitory effects of TNF and IFN-γ (TNF/IFN-γ) on these cells when administered in conjunction with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). All 3 cell lines were sensitive to suprapharmacologic concentrations of 5-FU. However, the 3 lines varied in their sensitivities to clinically achievable concentrations of 5-FU. Concentrations of 0.1 μg/ml of 5-FU administered for 96 hr, and 50 μg/ml administered for I hr, inhibited the growth of HCT 116 cells by 20% and 77%, that of SKCOI cells by 25% and 66%, and that of VACO 9P cells by 25% and 55%, respectively. All 3 cell lines were sensitive to the anti-proliferative effects of TNF/IFN-γ in a dose-dependent and duration-dependent fashion. TNF/IFN-γ was administered for I hr every other day on days 1, 3 and 5 to the 3 cell lines. Cells were also exposed to 5-FU, administered either concomitantly for 96 hr, or for I hr on day I. The addition of TNF/IFN-γ to clinically achievable concentrations of 5-FU in both schedules resulted in additive cytotoxicity. For example, the addition of 10 ng/ml of both TNF and IFN-γ to 96 hr of 0.1 μg/ml 5-FU resulted in 10%, 5%, and 20% of control growth for the HCT 116 cell line, SKCOI cell line, and VACO 9P cell line, respectively. The addition of 10 ng/ml of both TNF and IFN-γ to I hr of 50 μg/ml of 5-FU inhibited all cell growth in all 3 cell lines. We conclude that TNF/IFN-γ and 5-FU can be combined to achieve higher anti-tumor activity than either 5-FU or TNF/IFN-γ alone in this in vitro model, that the 3-drug combination has potent growth-inhibitory effects at pharmacologic concentrations which are not schedule-dependent, and that this combination warrants further study in clinical trials.
Technical Communication and Late Capitalism: Considering a Postmodern Technical Communication Pedagogy

This article proposes a postmodern reconceptualization of technical communication pedagogy to make student and professional agency a major concern, especially because technical communicators must compete in a global economy that rewards flexibility and penalizes inflexibility. Postmodern mapping metaphors and Robert Reich's methodology for training “symbolic-analytic” workers are used to suggest ways in which a postmodern approach to technical communication could be taught.
Infrared Spectroscopy of Symbiotic Stars. III. First Orbits for Three S-Type Systems

Infrared radial velocities have been used to derive the first well-determined orbital elements for the cool giants of three symbiotic systems, BF Cyg, V1329 Cyg, and V343 Ser=AS 289. Periods found for BF Cyg and V1329 Cyg from the radial velocity data are in good agreement with periods previously determined for their light variations, and the orbits are circular. Masses for the components of BF Cyg and V1329 Cyg were determined by combining our orbital elements for the cool giants with elements for their hot stars. BF Cyg and V1329 Cyg are shown to be detached binary systems. The third system, V343 Ser, has an orbital period of 450.5 days, a value that is typical for symbiotic binaries. However, the system is atypical because of its somewhat eccentric orbit, with e = 0.135 and the possibility that it is a semidetached system. An orbital inclination of 18° is estimated, indicating that V343 Ser does not eclipse.
Defect structures in silicon merged epitaxial lateral overgrowth

Merging of two epitaxial lateral overgrowth fronts has been achieved to produce thin silicon-on-insulator (SOI) structures. The electronic quality of the material is generally of high quality; however, at the merger interface are defects associated with improper merging. Defects at the oxide/silicon interface and the merging interface were characterized using transmission electron microscopy. Device performance indicated the need for a process modification to improve the material quality for potential electronic applications.
Bud initiation in a non-budding strain of hydra: role of interstitial cells.

A non-budding strain of Chlorohydra viridissima has been maintained by vegetative propagation and used to study factors which initiate budding. These hydra can be induced to bud by implanting small pieces of normal tissue into their columns. The cellular bases of the non-budding phenotype and the bud induction were investigated by means of grafting, radio-autography, and histological methods. No differences in the proportions or appearances of the cell types were observed between non-budding and normal animals. However, induced buds have higher proportions of interstitial cells and their derivatives (nerves and nematoblasts) than do normal buds. Many of these interstitial cells and derivatives origihate from cells in the grafted implant, as demonstrated by using 3H-thymidine labeled implanted tissue. Normal tissue from which interstitial cells have been previously removed will not induce buds in non-budding hydra. We conclude that bud induction is mediated by migratory interstitial cells, and that the non-budding strains of hydra owe their phenotype to a deficiency in those interstitial cell differentiation events which are necessary for bud initiation.