cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The neuropeptide TLQP-21 opposes obesity via C3aR1-mediated enhancement of adrenergic-induced lipolysis.

Abstract Objectives Obesity is characterized by excessive fat mass and is associated with serious diseases such as type 2 diabetes. Targeting excess fat mass by sustained lipolysis has been a major challenge for anti-obesity therapies due to unwanted side effects. TLQP-21, a neuropeptide encoded by the pro-peptide VGF (non-acronymic), that binds the complement 3a receptor 1 (C3aR1) on the adipocyte membrane, is emerging as a novel modulator of adipocyte functions and a potential target for obesity-associated diseases. The molecular mechanism is still largely uncharacterized. Methods We used a combination of pharmacological and genetic gain and loss of function approaches. 3T3-L1 and mature murine adipocytes were used for in vitro experiments. Chronic in vivo experiments were conducted on diet-induced obese wild type, β 1 , β 2 , β 3 -adrenergic receptor (AR) deficient and C3aR1 knockout mice. Acute in vivo lipolysis experiments were conducted on Sprague Dawley rats. Results We demonstrated that TLQP-21 does not possess lipolytic properties per se . Rather, it enhances β-AR activation-induced lipolysis by a mechanism requiring Ca 2+ mobilization and ERK activation of Hormone Sensitive Lipase (HSL). TLQP-21 acutely potentiated isoproterenol-induced lipolysis in vivo . Finally, chronic peripheral TLQP-21 treatment decreases body weight and fat mass in diet induced obese mice by a mechanism involving β-adrenergic and C3a receptor activation without associated adverse metabolic effects. Conclusions In conclusion, our data identify an alternative pathway modulating lipolysis that could be targeted to diminish fat mass in obesity without the side effects typically observed when using potent pro-lipolytic molecules.
Alternative measures of toe trajectory more accurately predict the probability of tripping than minimum toe clearance

Tripping is responsible for a large percentage of falls. Minimum toe clearance (MTC) during the swing phase of gait is commonly used to infer the probability of tripping (POT). However, there is limited empirical evidence to support the relationship between these two variables, and other measures of toe trajectory may better predict POT than MTC. The goals of this study were to: 1) quantify the relationship between MTC and POT; and 2) explore alternative measures of toe trajectory that may predict POT more accurately than MTC. POT was estimated by comparing the distribution of tripping obstacles measured along heavily-used, paved sidewalks on a university campus, to the toe trajectory of 40 young adults obtained while walking over an obstacle-free walkway in a research laboratory. POT exhibited a curvilinear relationship with MTC, and regression equations were established to predict POT from MTC. POT was more accurately predicted when using virtual points on the bottom of the anterior edge of the shoe to determine MTC, compared to using a physical marker located on top of the toes to determine MTC. POT was also more accurately predicted when using a new measure of toe trajectory (the area below 40mm and above the toe trajectory, normalized by the swing length), compared to just MTC. These are the first empirical results supporting a direct, quantitative relationship between MTC and POT. These results may improve the ability to identify risk factors that influence POT, and aid in developing interventions to reduce POT.
FX11 inhibits aerobic glycolysis and growth of neuroblastoma cells

Background The MYC family of proteins promotes neuroblastoma tumorigenesis at least in part through the induction of aerobic glycolysis by promoting the transcription of key glycolytic enzymes, such as LDHA. FX11 is a selective inhibitor of LDHA that has demonstrated preclinical efficacy in adult cancers. Herein, we hypothesized that FX11 would inhibit aerobic glycolysis and block growth of neuroblastoma cells. Methods We surveyed 3 MYCN–single copy and 5 MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma cell lines to correlate C-MYC/N-MYC protein levels with LDHA expression. Cell viability was measured with FX11 using a tetrazolium-based assay. Cell cycle analysis using propidium iodide with flow cytometry was performed to evaluate for growth arrest. Immunoblotting demonstrated PARP and Caspase 3 cleavage as evidence of apoptosis. Results LDHA is frequently expressed in both MYCN--amplified and MYCN-single copy cell lines. N-MYC and C-MYC protein levels did not correlate with LDHA protein expression. FX11 inhibits aerobic glycolysis and growth in three MYCN-amplified and one MYCN–single copy neuroblastoma cell lines. FX11 induces modest G1 cell cycle arrest with selective induction of apoptosis. Conclusion Small molecule LDHA inhibition is capable of blocking aerobic glycolysis and growth of neuroblastoma cell lines in vitro and merits further in vivo evaluation of its preclinical efficacy in neuroblastomas.
Influence of Tissue Microstructure on Shear Wave Speed Measurements in Plane Shear Wave Elastography: A Computational Study in Lossless Fibrotic Liver Media.

Shear wave elastography (SWE) has been used to measure viscoelastic properties for characterization of fibrotic livers. In this technique, external mechanical vibrations or acoustic radiation force...
New Approaches to Clinical Evaluations

The necessity of the transmission of pressure and flow pulses, in order to perfuse organ vascular beds, puts a burden on the arterial conduits. The pulsation associated with each heartbeat presents periodical variations in blood pressure (BP). The pulse pressure (PP) exerted on the blood vessel wall manifests itself as cyclic stress on the wall. The greater the PP at any given mean pressure level, the greater the cyclic stress (Fig. 7-1). Cyclic stress has been shown to induce material fatigue. The consequence is the derangement of normal organization of blood vessel wall structures. At higher mean pressure levels, increased pulse becomes more threatening to mechanical function of the arteries, as well as to the heart. Increased mean pressure increases vascular resistance; increased PP is associated with increased vascular stiffness and decreased blood vessel compliance. This is easily seen from simultaneous recording of aortic pressure (AoP) and pulsatile diameter at normal and high BP conditions (Fig. 7-2). With increased BP, the vessel distends to a larger diameter, but the proportional change in diameter (ΔD), with respect to its mean value (D), or radial strain, is greatly reduced. Vascular changes in hypertension differ among the aorta, large and small arterie,s and arterioles. Vascular growth and hypertrophy have also been observed (Drzewiecki et al., 1997).
A mathematical model of a crystallizer

Particulate products, that is, products that contain solid particles, are in common use in industry. The particulates may be, for instance, silicon carbide crystals in abrasives (applied to polish surfaces), magnetic particles used in magnetic tapes, silver halide used in photographic film, or liquid crystal used for display. It is often necessary to grow crystals, used in such particulate products, to a desired size or size distribution. This precipitation process is often achieved by the process of Ostwald ripening, described in [1; Chap. 4].
Determination of Grain-Size Distributions from Ultrasonic Attenuation

The overall research goal of this project is the nondestructive measurement of grain-size distribution parameters using ultrasonic attenuation. Ultrasonic attenuation α is dependent upon the sound wavelength (λ), the size of the grains (D), and in many cases elastic constants and sound velocities of the material. Assuming that multiple scattering can be ignored, the expression for the wavelength dependence of the attenuation is $$ \alpha (\lambda ) = \int\limits_0^\infty {N(D)\,\alpha (\lambda, D)\,} \,dD $$ (1) where N(D) is the grain-size distribution. In previous work [1] the sizes were assumed to be distributed following a power-law with exponent γ: $$ N(D) = K{D^{ - \gamma }},0 < D < \infty $$ (2) Different justifications for this assumption have been provided [1]. After substituting the power-law expression for the grain-size distribution, the attenuation was shown to be a power-law: $$ \alpha (\lambda ) = K'\,{\lambda^{ - \gamma }} $$ (3)
Concord: a secure mobile data authorization framework for regulatory compliance

With the increasing adoption of mobile computing devices that carry confidential data, organizations need to secure data in an ever-changing environment. Critical organizational data should be protected from a) a disgruntled user's access and b) a theft or loss of the mobile device. When such compromises do occur, future data access should be immediately revoked and the knowledge of the data that might have been exposed be identified. Such assessment enables an organization to demonstrate its adherence to mandated regulatory compliance. We propose Concord: a framework that provides an organizational service that allows an organization to monitor data that has been accessed on its users' mobile devices. Concord distributes trust among multiple entities so as to enable data access following their successful interaction. Firstly, to enable data access, users of the mobile device require the organization's involvement to access the data on the mobile devices. Likewise, in the event of loss or theft of a mobile device, organizations can immediately discontinue further requests for data accesses to the previously-unread data on the mobile device. Secondly, a valid user's consent is required to access the data. Thus, should an intruder somehow receive organizational permission, the data on the mobile device is still inaccessible. Thirdly, upon identification of a compromise, Concord provides the organization with the detailed information about the data that has been exposed enabling them to initiate steps for regulatory compliance.
Lasers in Modern Chemistry

A recent application of the laser is laser chemistry. In brief, there are three general groups of interest in this field. One of them is the contribution of the laser to the dynamics of photochemistry; next to kinetic spectroscopy; and third to chemical lasers. Photochemistry may include such phases as dye chemistry, especially in solution photochemistry. This dye or colorant research is very important in laser biological research today. Methods of flash photolysis are also of importance. Kinetic spectroscopy would include laser spectroscopy, described previously, and laser excited Raman spectrometry for chemical structure studies. The special studies of laser impacts on DNA, RNA and on enzymes will be considered in Chapter 10. A new world of chemistry has been established by the use of high energy, the so-called “hot atom chemistry.” The role of the laser in this field is just beginning. Finally, the energy itself from a chemical reaction has been used to pump lasers.
Physiologic and pharmacologic effects of estrogen and progestins on bone

Estrogen deficiency has a primary role in the pathogenesis of osteoporosis, a major cause of morbidity and mortality in postmenopausal women. Estrogen therapy is associated with increased peak bone mass premenopausally and prevention of bone loss postmenopausally. The mechanisms by which estrogen exerts its effects on bone are not completely understood. Nonetheless, estrogen does affect calcium balance, and evidence suggests a direct mechanism via estrogen receptors on bone. The role of progestins in preventing bone loss is less well understood than that of estrogen. Studies in postmenopausal women and studies of add-back therapy in younger women have shown that norethindrone, but not medroxyprogesterone, treatment has a bone-sparing effect on cortical bone but not on trabecular bone. In addition, norethindrone, 5 or 10 mg daily, has effects on biochemical markers of bone turnover similar to those of estrogen, providing further evidence of a bone-sparing effect. The mechanisms for the effects of norethindrone on bone are unknown, although translocation of the estrogen receptor in an animal model and conversion in vivo to ethinyl estradiol have been postulated.
Transport Phenomena in Natural and Synthetic Membranes

Although the differences between natural and synthetic membranes are as yet far more numerous than their similarities, the relationship of structure to function in certain instances is strikingly parallel. In principle there seems no reason why some of the specific functions of natural membranes should not eventually be emulated to great advantage on an engineering scale, and indeed there are encouraging indications that the initial steps have been taken in this direction. The most important general property of natural membranes is that they function as “active” elements (to use electrical network terminology). The transport of a given species is frequently driven by an input of metabolic energy, and in many cases the flow may be non-conservative—i.e., reaction and diffusion occur simultaneously within the membrane. In contrast, most synthetic membranes function as “passive” elements (this is true of the numerous types which have been used in purely physico-chemical studies, as well as those developed for specific purposes such as desalination, separations technology, or biomedical engineering). The permeability characteristics of these membranes are the only parameters of significance; no coupling to chemical reaction occurs and transport across them is always conservative. With one or two notable exceptions, moreover, they do not approach the extraordinary selectivity of natural membranes.
Predicting Cloze Task Quality for Vocabulary Training

Computer generation of cloze tasks still falls short of full automation; most current systems are used by teachers as authoring aids. Improved methods to estimate cloze quality are needed for full automation. We investigated lexical reading difficulty as a novel automatic estimator of cloze quality, to which co-occurrence frequency of words was compared as an alternate estimator. Rather than relying on expert evaluation of cloze quality, we submitted open cloze tasks to workers on Amazon Mechanical Turk (AMT) and discuss ways to measure of the results of these tasks. Results show one statistically significant correlation between the above measures and estimators, which was lexical co-occurrence and Cloze Easiness. Reading difficulty was not found to correlate significantly. We gave subsets of cloze sentences to an English teacher as a gold standard. Sentences selected by co-occurrence and Cloze Easiness were ranked most highly, corroborating the evidence from AMT.
Excited Electron Dynamics at Benzene/Ag(111)

The electronic structure and excited electron dynamics of the benzene/Ag(111) interface was studied with angle- and femtosecond time-resolved two-photon photoemission.
A Data-Driven Framework for Residential Electric Vehicle Charging Load Profile Generation

Residential electric vehicle charging load profile is indispensable to achieve reliable control strategies for mitigating negative effects on power distribution system due to emerging electrified transportation. This paper introduces a data-driven framework of charging load profile generation for residential plug-in electric vehicles. Real world historical residential charging behavior data is utilized to construct empirical charging decision making model by using machine learning algorithm. A multiple channels method with kernel density estimation is proposed to construct probability density functions for estimating charging duration based on parking duration. A generation algorithm considering parking time and travel demand dependency is introduced to generate residential charging behaviors. This framework is extensible to generate various charging load profiles and simulate varied residential charging scenarios under different number of households and charging rates. This will be crucial for designing and validating residential charging control strategies.
Impacts of consecutive bleaching events and local algal abundance on transplanted coral colonies in the Florida Keys

Climate change threatens many marine ecosystems, including coral reefs and the thousands of organisms that inhabit these reefs. Fluctuations in sea surface temperatures trigger bleaching events in coral colonies that lead to increased coral mortality and reef degradation. To combat the decline in coral cover, many researchers have focused on transplanting coral colonies to better understand which species are best adapted to these environmental changes. This current study examined the impacts of two consecutive thermal stress events on transplanted coral colonies in the middle Florida Keys within the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Coral fragments of two species (Porites astreoides and Siderastrea siderea) were transplanted on seven reef sites. Transplanted colonies were monitored for evidence of coral bleaching during quarterly sampling trips from June 2013 through June 2017. Bleaching was only observed during the late summer of 2014 and 2015 when Degree Heating Weeks exceeded 4 °C-weeks. Results indicate that P. astreoides colonies had significantly higher bleaching than S. siderea colonies. Reefs differed in their proportion of bleached and unbleached corals for P. asteroides, but these reefs did not differ in their average daily maximum temperature or Degree Heating Weeks. However, individual corals that did bleach had a higher average fleshy algal abundance (Dictyota spp.) surrounding them than those corals that remained unbleached. Corals that bleached the first year and survived were no more or less likely to bleach the second year. These findings suggest that resilience to bleaching differs not only by coral species but may also be influenced by the local abundance of fleshy algal species.
Right Ventricular Spherical Dilatation Combined with Pulmonary Artery Compliance Predicts Severe-Acute Right Heart Failure after LVAD Implantation

Background Right heart failure (RHF) remains a major contributor to morbidity and mortality after left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation. Our ability to predict which patients are at highest risk for RHF remains limited. Pulmonary artery compliance (PAC), as a measure of right ventricular (RV) pulsatile load, is associated with RHF after LVAD. We hypothesized that the addition of RV spherical dilatation, which indexes the RV response to load, could further characterize the risk of post LVAD RHF. Methods We retrospectively studied 144 patients who underwent durable LVAD between 2009 and 2018 at our center and had both preoperative echocardiographic and hemodynamic data. RV spherical dilatation (RVs) was indexed by the RV basal short axis length in the apical 4-chamber view. PAC was calculated as SV/(PASP-PADP) and was indexed to body surface area to generate PACi. We generated a new composite variable, the Sphericity Index (SpI), where SpI = RVs/PACi; higher SpI values indicate more composite RV dilatation and pulsatile load. RHF was defined per INTERMACS classifications, with Severe RHF being ≥14d postoperative inotrope dependence and Severe-Acute RHF being need for RVAD or death from RHF. Multivariate logistic regression modeling was used to assess the relationship between SpI and PACi to both Severe and Severe-Acute RHF. Results Forty patients (27.8%) developed Severe RHF and 14 patients (9.7%) developed Severe-Acute RHF. Median PACi and SpI were 0.72 ml/mmHg/m2 (IQR 0.44 ml/mmHg/m2) and 1.62 cm*mmHg/ml/m2 (IQR 1.04 cm*mmHg/ml/m2), respectively. Lower PACi (OR 0.16 [0.04-0.64], p = 0.01) and higher SpI (OR 1.79 [1.12-2.83], p = 0.01) were associated with Severe RHF, adjusted for INTERMACS profile and heart rate. However, only SpI was associated with Severe-Acute RHF (OR 2.69 [1.44-5.00], p = 0.002), whereas PACi did not reach significance (p = 0.06). Conclusion SpI, a composite index combining RV spherical dilatation and PACi, characterizes both RV load and response to load and may predict Severe-Acute RHF after LVAD better than PACi alone.
L’Afrique du Nord après les révoltes arabes: by Luis Martinez, Paris, Presses de Sciences Po, 2019,228 pp., €22 (softcover), ISBN 978-2-7246-2475-5

Luis Martinez, nom de plume of the well-respected French-Algerian scholar of North Africa – based at Sciences Po Paris’ Centre de Recherches Internationales – has produced a craftsman-like primer o...
Revisiting Stories and Voices of the Rogue River War (1853–1856): A Digital Constellatory Autoethnographic Mode of Indigenous Archaeology:

The Rogue River War (RRW) between Indigenous peoples and settlers is historically overlooked and storied through settler-colonial lenses. This essay narrates participation in a digital restorying a...
Combined intra- and extra-peritoneal bladder perforation following rectal impalement injury.

Abstract A 62-year-old male presented with abdominal pain and hematuria following impalement of the rectum with a wooden foreign object. CT imaging showed air and fluid in the peritoneum prompting the patient to undergo abdominal exploration. An anterior rectal perforation was discovered along with dual bladder lacerations of the posterior wall and dome. The patient underwent a diverting colostomy and primary bladder repair. Post-operative course was uncomplicated and bladder repair was followed via cystograms with catheter removal 2 months post-operatively. Four months after the injury the patient underwent colostomy closure and remains with normal bladder and bowel function at 21-month follow-up.
“I Didn't Have a Lesson”: Politics and Pedagogy in a Diversifying Middle School:

Background/ContextDespite its emphasis on pluralism, empirical research on asset-based pedagogies has typically focused on culturally, linguistically, or racially homogeneous groups of students. Th...
Linguistic Skill Modeling for Second Language Acquisition

To adapt materials for an individual learner, intelligent tutoring systems must estimate their knowledge or abilities. Depending on the content taught by the tutor, there have historically been different approaches to student modeling. Unlike common skill-based models used by math and science tutors, second language acquisition (SLA) tutors use memory-based models since there are many tasks involving memorization and retrieval, such as learning the meaning of a word in a second language. Based on estimated memory strengths provided by these memory-based models, SLA tutors are able to identify the optimal timing and content of retrieval practices for each learner to improve retention. In this work, we seek to determine whether skill-based models can be combined with memory-based models to improve student modeling and especially retrieval practice performance for SLA. In order to define skills in the context of SLA, we develop methods that can automatically extract multiple types of linguistic features from words. Using these features as skills, we apply skill-based models to a real-world SLA dataset. Our main findings are as follows. First, incorporating lexical features to represent individual words as skills in skill-based models outperforms existing memory-based models in terms of recall probability prediction. Second, incorporating additional morphological and syntactic features of each word via multiple-skill tagging of each word further improves the skill-based models. Third, incorporating semantic features, like word embeddings, to model similarities between words in a learner’s practice history and their effects on memory also improves the models and appears to be a promising direction for future research.
Potassium channel-driven bioelectric signaling regulates metastasis in triple-negative breast cancer

Abstract There is a critical need to better understand the mechanisms that drive local cell invasion and metastasis to develop new therapeutics targeting metastatic disease. Bioelectricity is an important mediator of cellular processes and changes in the resting membrane potential (RMP) are associated with increased cancer cell invasion. However, the mechanism is not well understood. Our data demonstrate that altering the RMP of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells by manipulating potassium channel expression increases in vitro invasion, in vivo tumor growth, and metastasis, and is accompanied by changes in gene expression associated with cell adhesion. We describe a novel mechanism for RMP-mediated cell migration involving cadherin-11 and the MAPK pathway. Importantly, we identify a new strategy to target metastatic TNBC in vivo by repurposing FDA-approved potassium channel blockers. Our results provide an understanding of the mechanisms by which bioelectricity regulates cancer cell invasion and metastasis that could lead to a new class of therapeutics for patients with metastatic disease.
Early onset, multiple, bilateral fibroadenomas of the breast: a case report.

While fibroadenomas are common in the general population, affecting 10–20% of women, they are rarely early-onset, multiple, and bilateral. An 18-year-old woman presented with a 6 year history of multiple, bilateral breast masses without family history of breast disease. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI, Fig. 1) of the breasts showed innumerable, bilateral breast masses ranging in size from 0.5 to 4 cm. Two needle biopsies showed fibroadenoma. Although the patient’s family history did not meet National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines for genetic testing, it was performed due to the rarity of her presentation. Genetic testing identified a pathogenic mutation in the phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) gene. A germline mutation in PTEN is associated with an increased risk of breast cancer and often occurs as part of Cowden Syndrome. This case highlights the importance of genetic testing in patients with unusual presentations of early-onset, bilateral, and multiple (greater than four) fibroadenomas.
"How much desire should I have?": a qualitative study of low libido in postmenopausal women.

We conducted 15 interviews and 3 focus groups (total N = 36) among women 60 and older with low libido to better understand the role that it plays in their lives. Interviews and focus groups were led by facilitators using open-ended questions. A codebook was developed, then codes were assigned to all data. We identified three themes. First, women reported that sex was an important aspect of their lives. Second, women desired to know what was "normal" with regards to sexuality and aging. Third, women were distressed by low libido, concerned that it could have negative effects on romantic relationships and self-image.
The Extended Mind: A Chapter in the History of Transhumanism

As portrayed in Andy Clark’s extended mind thesis (EMT), human minds are inherently disposed to expand their reach outwards, incorporating and feeding off an open-ended variety of tools and scaffolds to satisfy their hunger for cognitive expansion. According to Steve Fuller’s heterodox Christian vision of transhumanism, humans are deities in the making, destined to redeem their fallen state with the help of modern science and technology. In this chapter, I re-examine Clark’s EMT through the prism of Fuller’s transhumanism, with the aim of unearthing a subterranean influence of theological tropes that are sweeping along beneath the naturalistic veneer of Clark’s thesis. Starting from four theological principles, which Fuller regards as foundational to his version of transhumanism, I review the philosophical narrative which, in Fuller’s view, provides the best philosophical motivation for the contemporary transhumanist project. On the basis of my reconstruction, I show how distant intellectual offshoots of the same principles mobilized by Fuller are also at play in Clark’s EMT – dressed up in secular garb, for sure, and in a materialistically inflected form, yet with a recognizably transhumanist bent. Undertaking this “archeology” of the EMT takes us surprisingly deep into the history of Western thought – to a point where Clark’s evocative “natural-born cyborg” image of humanity, with its emphasis on the radical openness of human nature to transcend itself, comes into view as a subtly blended continuation of certain historically consequential articulations of the Christian doctrine that humans are born “in the image and likeness” of God (imago dei).
The Potentially Harmful Effects of Theory in Social Work

Although the social work literature praises the integration of theory with practice, research, and education, there has been insufficient attention to the potentially harmful ways in which theory can be used. Bad (those known to be invalid) theories, in particular, waste the time of educators and researchers, and can lead to the development of ineffective and harmful social work practice. Adherence to a particular theory can significantly bias one's research studies, teaching, and practice in injurious ways, and in many instances theoretical content is simply inappropriately retrofitted into research for the purposes of making studies appear to be more ‘scientific’ or respectable. Theories of human behavior in the social environment permeate the social work discipline but not all that is taught and practiced is scientifically credible. This has harmful consequences to the usefulness of the profession to the public. Social work needs a more informed, legitimate, and useful integration of empirically-supported HBSE theory into its practice, research, and educational efforts, and a culling of invalid, ineffective, and harmful theory. This can be accomplished by adopted a more evidence-based approach to social work. Keywords: harmful theory; HBSE; human development; evidence-based practice
Cross-induction of Escherichia coli lysogens by an ultraviolet irradiation product. I. The dispensability of concurrent macromolecular syntheses in the formation of a metabolically unstable inducer.

Abstract Two approaches were adopted in an attempt to define an ultraviolet irradiation product which induces recipient lysogens when it is transferred from a male strain during bacterial conjugation (cross-induction). The metabolic stability of the prophage-inducing activity was determined and the requirement for concurrent macromolecular syntheses in its formation was evaluated from the effect of specific inhibitions established in the donors prior to irradiation. 1. 1. A diphasic decay pattern for the transferable inducer was observed. An overall half-life of 14 min in the absence of glucose was reduced to 9 min in its presence. The second phase of decay was seen only when aeration was continued after irradiation. A more rapid early decline occurred in versene-treated males. 2. 2. No reduction in inducing potential occurred when inhibition of nucleic acid synthesis was established by 5-hydroxyuridine or 6-azauracil. 3. 3. Complete inhibition of net protein synthesis by chloramphenicol eliminated cross-inducing activity. Some diminution occurred in puromycin-inhibited male cultures yet inhibition by 5-methyltryptophan was without effect. 4. 4. Exposure of males to 5-fluorouracil produced a dose-dependent decrease in the cross-inducing activity assayed subsequent to irradiation. 5. 5. Addition of actinomycin before or immediately after irradiation did not prevent cross-induction by irradiated versene-treated males. The data outlined suggest that the transferable inducer is either a small molecule or a preexisting macromolecule which has been modified by the irradiation.
Gonococcal transferrin-binding protein 1 is required for transferrin utilization and is homologous to TonB-dependent outer membrane receptors.

Abstract The pathogenic Neisseria species are capable of utilizing transferrin as their sole source of iron. A neisserial transferrin receptor has been identified and its characteristics defined; however, the biochemical identities of proteins which are required for transferrin receptor function have not yet been determined. We identified two iron-repressible transferrin-binding proteins in Neisseria gonorrhoeae, TBP1 and TBP2. Two approaches were taken to clone genes required for gonococcal transferrin receptor function. First, polyclonal antiserum raised against TBP1 was used to identify clones expressing TBP1 epitopes. Second, a wild-type gene copy was cloned that repaired the defect in a transferrin receptor function (trf) mutant. The clones obtained by these two approaches were shown to overlap by DNA sequencing. Transposon mutagenesis of both clones and recombination of mutagenized fragments into the gonococcal chromosome generated mutants that showed reduced binding of transferrin to whole cells and that were incapable of growth on transferrin. No TBP1 was produced in these mutants, but TBP2 expression was normal. The DNA sequence of the gene encoding gonococcal TBP1 (tbpA) predicted a protein sequence homologous to the Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas putida TonB-dependent outer membrane receptors. Thus, both the function and the predicted protein sequence of TBP1 were consistent with this protein serving as a transferrin receptor.
Stream Control Transmission Protocol (SCTP): Robust and Efficient for Data Centre Applications.

Due to rapid advancement in modern technology, as one of the major concerns is the stability of business. The organizations depend on their systems to provide robust and faster processing of information for their operations. Efficient data centers are key sources to handle these operations. If the organizational system is not fully functional, the performance of organization may be impaired or clogged completely. With the developments of real-time applications into data centers for data communications, there is a need to use an alternative of the standard TCP protocol to provide reliable data transfer. Stream Control Transmission Protocol (SCTP) consists of several well built-in characteristics that make it capable to work efficiently with real-time applications. In this paper, we evaluate an optimized version of STCP. The optimized version of SCTP is tested against a non optimized version of STCP and TCP in a data center environment. Simulations of the protocols are carried using NS2 simulator
Development and Testing of a Literature Search Protocol for Evidence Based Nursing: An Applied Student Learning Experience

Objective – The study aimed to develop a search protocol and evaluate reviewers' satisfaction with an evidence-based practice (EBP) review by embedding a library science student in the process. Methods – The student was embedded in one of four review teams overseen by a professional organization for oncology nurses (ONS). A literature search protocol was developed by the student following discussion and feedback from the review team. Organization staff provided process feedback. Reviewers from both case and control groups completed a questionnaire to assess satisfaction with the literature search phases of the review process. Results – A protocol was developed and refined for use by future review teams. The collaboration and the resulting search protocol were beneficial for both the student and the review team members. The questionnaire results did not yield statistically significant differences regarding satisfaction with the search process between case and control groups. Conclusions – Evidence-based reviewers' satisfaction with the literature searching process depends on multiple factors and it was not clear that embedding an LIS specialist in the review team improved satisfaction with the process. Future research with more respondents may elucidate specific factors that may impact reviewers' assessment.
Multiple Receiver, Zero-Length Baseline Kinematic GPS Positioning Techniques for Airborne Gravity Measurement

Despite advances in GPS receiver technology, undetected and uncorrected cycle slips remain a major problem which must be overcome before kinematic GPS interferometric positioning can be routinely used in airborne geophysical investigations. In an airborne scalar gravity survey, it is necessary to know the aircraft’ s geodetic position at a 1 Hz rate, or higher, to determine the vertical acceleration correction. An hour-long track, observing a minimum of four satellites in both the LI and L2 frequencies, yields 288,000 observations which must be checked for cycle slips. It has been suggested that the operation of multiple receivers (Brozena et al., 1989) would increase the likelihood that, for each observation epoch and for each satellite under observation, at least one receiver would maintain lock. Furthermore, if two or more receivers were operated from a single antenna, those observations would be stationary with respect to each other regardless of aircraft motion and could be examined using the double-difference techniques commonly used in static GPS work (Mader et al., 1991).
Magnetic Impurity Scattering in In Situ Superconductors

Measurements of ac losses for in situ prepared superconducting composites consistently show loss values higher than those observed for bronze process materials.1–5 At a magnetic field of 8 T, for example typical values are in the range of 1 mW/cm3 of conductor at a magnetic field ramp rate of 1 T/s.3 If there were no cross coupling between filaments the ac losses would be much lower because the filament size is on the order of 100 nm.1 There is, in fact, both proximity coupling and some cross joining of filaments so the losses are substantially higher. To get the measured ac loss one needs an effective filament size in the range of 20 to 50 μm. Our goal in this work is to understand quantitatively the origin of this coupling between filaments and to develop methods for controlling it.
Reflective λ-Calculus

We introduce a general purpose typed λ-calculus λ∞ which contains intuitionistic logic, is capable of internalizing its own derivations as λ-terms and yet enjoys strong normalization with respect to a natural reduction system. In particular, λ∞ subsumes the typed λ-calculus. The Curry-Howard isomorphism converting intuitionistic proofs into λ∞terms is a simple instance of the internalization property of λ∞. The standard semantics of λ∞ is given by a proof system with proof checking capacities. The system λ∞ is a theoretical prototype of reflective extensions of a broad class of type-based systems in programming languages, provers, AI and knowledge representation, etc.
Damage Control and the Open Abdomen: Challenges for the Nonsurgical Intensivist.

Background:As strategies in acute care surgery focus on damage control to restore physiology, intensivists spanning all disciplines care for an increasing number of patients requiring massive trans...
A current-comparator technique for measuring harmonic distortion of the loss current in high voltage cable insulation

Water trees, a type of deterioration that develops in high voltage cable insulation in a humid environment, introduce harmonic distortion in the waveform of the loss current component of the capacitive current of cable insulation. The measurements of the total harmonic distortion could be used as a diagnostic tool to assess the operating conditions of power cables, in particular polymeric-type cables, and their remaining insulation life. A current-comparator technique to accurately measure the total harmonic distortion, including test results obtained on laboratory-aged specimens and short lengths of field-aged cables containing water trees, is presented.
Effects of age, gender and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease on taste acuity.

Primary objective Multifactoral interactions of age, gender and medical conditions were investigated because of lack of definitive results in previous studies.Methods Absolute detection and recognition were determined thresholds using a three-alternative forced-choice test by younger men (n=50) and women (n=48); and by older men (n=43) and women (n=46) for each of the four basic tastes (sweet, sour, bitter, salty). Data from 46 elderly men with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) were included.Results Age was consistently associated with elevated recognition thresholds for each of the four tastants for men only. Gender differences were seen for absolute sweet thresholds and for sour, bitter, and sweet recognition thresholds for older participants. Men with COPD had the highest levels for absolute and recognition thresholds for each tastant.Conclusions Gender plays a role in taste perception. COPD diminishes taste.
Asbestos catalyzes the formation of the 6-oxobenzo[a]pyrene radical from 6-hydroxybenzo[a]pyrene.

Abstract Crocidolite asbestos catalyzes the oxidation of 6-hyroxybenzo[ a ]pyrene, a metabolite of benzo[ a ]pyrene, to the 6-oxobenzo[ a ]pyrene radical as determined by electron spin resonance spectroscopy. This may be a mechanism whereby inhaled asbestos enhances the incidence of lung cancer induced by cigarette smoke, which contains benzo[ a ]pyrene
A generalized self-consistent mechanics method for microcracked solids

Abstract A crack-matrix-composite model is proposed and studied for microcracked solids. The model properly accounts for the effect of crack interactions on the effective moduli of microcracked solids. Approximate formulas for randomly distributed penny-shaped cracks and tunnel cracks are given. The difference between the crack-matrix-composite model and that of the dilute or non-interacting solution is of the order ϵ 5 2 for penny-shaped cracks and ϵ2 for tunnel cracks, where ϵ is the crack density. The results from an accurate numerical method for arbitrarily distributed cracks, based on a pseudo-traction approach, verify the present crack-matrix-composite model.
Mother-child interaction and its relationship to speech disorders

Abstract The family dynamics model proposes that role development and symptom behavior can have functional value in stabilizing family relationships. Functional articulatory disorders were postulated to be explained as “scapegoat” role behavior within this model. The study gathered data about mothers' verbal behavior toward two of her children — one with a functional articulatory disorder and one speech-symptom free. The results showed that these mothers did not treat their children differently on the basis of the speech symptom under non-achievement oriented conditions and where the speech-symptom child was the older sibling. Under achievement conditions and when the speech-symptom child was younger, mothers were more directive and supportive and also more negative toward the speech-symptom child. The results are interpreted as consistent with the “scapegoat” explanation and the model is seen as having application in treating children with functional articulatory speech defects.
The catalyzed hydrosilation reaction: substituent effects

Ab initio electronic structure calculations using MP2 wavefunctions have been used to investigate a reaction path for the hydrosilation reaction catalyzed by divalent titanium [modeled by TiH2, TiCl2, and Ti(C5H5)2]. Optimized structures and energies are presented. All model reactions predict a barrierless reaction path compared to a barrier of 78 kcal/mol for the uncatalyzed reaction.
Using Oxidative Crosslinking and Proximity Labeling to Quantitatively Characterize Protein-Protein and Protein-Peptide Complexes

The quantitative analysis of protein-protein and protein-peptide complexes is of fundamental importance in biochemistry. We report here that nickel-catalyzed proximity biotinylation and Ru(II)(bpy)(3)(2+)-mediated oxidative crosslinking can be used to measure the equilibrium dissociation constant and stoichiometry of protein complexes. Only small amounts of protein are required, neither of the binding partners must be immobilized on a surface, and no special instrumentation is necessary. This chemistry should provide a useful complement to existing methods for the analysis of protein-protein and protein-peptide interactions.
Seasonal CO2 fluxes in the tropical and subtropical Indian Ocean

Abstract Improved estimates of the variability in air–sea CO2 fluxes on seasonal and interannual time scales are necessary to help constrain the net partitioning of CO2 between the atmosphere, oceans and terrestrial biosphere. Few direct measurements of the carbon system have been made in the main Indian Ocean basin. In the mid 1990s, several global carbon measurement programs focused on the Indian Ocean, greatly increasing the existing carbon database for this basin. This study examines the combined surface CO2 measurements from three major US programs in the Indian Ocean: the global carbon survey cruises, conducted in conjunction with the World Ocean Circulation Experiment (WOCE), the NOAA Ocean-Atmosphere Carbon Exchange Study (OACES) Indian Ocean survey and the Joint Global Ocean Flux Study (JGOFS) Arabian Sea Process Study. These data are fit with multiparameter linear regressions as a function of commonly measured hydrographic parameters. These fits are then used with NCEP/NCAR reanalysis and Levitus 94 gridded values to evaluate the seasonal variability of surface seawater CO2 in the tropical and subtropical Indian Ocean and to estimate the magnitude of the Indian Ocean as a net sink for atmospheric CO2. The net annual flux for the Indian Ocean (north of 36°S) was −12.4±0.5×1012 mol of carbon (equivalent to −0.15 Pg C) in 1995. The relatively small net flux results from the very different surface water pCO2 distributions and seasonal variations in the northern and southern Indian Ocean. The equatorial and northern hemisphere regions have values that are generally above atmospheric values. During the S-W monsoon, pCO2 values in the Arabian Sea coastal upwelling region are among the highest observed in the oceans. The upwelling is seasonal in nature, however, and only affects a relatively small area. The Indian Ocean equatorial region generally has values slightly above atmospheric. Unlike the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, however, no clear equatorial upwelling signature was observed in 1995. The Southern Hemisphere Indian Ocean, which represents the largest region by area, generally has values below atmospheric. The strongest undersaturations are observed in the austral winter, with summer values reaching near or slightly above atmospheric.
Electrokinetic behavior of germanium-liquid interfaces

Abstract When germanium comes into contact with a liquid or condensable vapor through an interface, the possibility exists of a doubly diffuse mobile space charge at the interface. That part of the diffuse double layer on the germanium side has been investigated in inversion layer studies. The part of the diffuse double layer on the liquid side has not been investigated. This paper discusses the properties of that part of the interfacial double layer on the liquid side of the interface. The methods used to study the charge distribution in the liquid are the classical electrokinetic phenomena with particular emphasis on streaming potential measurements. Liquids are forced through a porous plug of germanium under hydrostatic pressure and the potential created across the germanium is measured. The results of these experiments are discussed with the aim to provide further clarification of the phenomena of liquid induced excess currents on germanium.
The synthesis of multiple deuterated N-n-propyl-norapomorphine N-(d7) and derivatives

NPA has been labelled using n-propyl iodidie (d7) through alkylation of norcodeine followed by a multistep route which also affords the related deuterated analogs N-n-propylnorapocodeine (d7), the prodrug 10,11-methylenedioxy-NPA (d7) and 10,11-dimethoxy-NPA (d7).