cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
THE ANTIMICROBIAL PROPERTIES of LYSOZYME ALONE and IN COMBINATION WITH OTHER ADDITIVES IN VITRO and IN SELECTED MEAT PRODUCTS

Bactericidal properties of lysozyme alone and in combination with other antimicrobials were studied in vitro using the microtiter system and in hotdogs and hamburger with three pathogens: Salmonella enteriditis or typhimurium, Listeria monocytogenes ATCC# 35152, and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC# 69129. Lysozyme and nisin were found to be effective against L. monocytogenes and were bactericidal in vitro at 9.27 mg/ml and 212.8 μg/ml, respectively. Twelve and one-half μg/ml nisin and 5 mg/ml lysozyme were synergistic on hotdogs, where they reduced L. monocytogenes counts on MOX agar by 3 log10 cycles on day 1, 3 log10 cycles on day 2, and 2 log10 cycles on day 3. No synergism was found in hamburger. the combinations of 5 mg/ml lysozyme and 12.5 μg/ml nisin and 5 mg/ml lysozyme, 12 μg/ml nisin, and. 02% EDTA acted synergistically on hotdogs to reduce S. aureus counts by 2 and 3 log10 cycles, respectively, over the 3-day shelf-life study.
Stability and dissipativity theory for discrete-time non-negative and compartmental dynamical systems

Non-negative and compartmental dynamical systems are derived from mass and energy balance considerations that involve dynamic states whose values are non-negative. These models are widespread in engineering, biomedicine and ecology. In this paper we develop several results on stability, dissipativity and stability of feedback interconnections of discrete-time linear and non-linear non-negative dynamical systems. Specifically, using linear Lyapunov functions we first develop necessary and sufficient conditions for Lyapunov stability and asymptotic stability for non-negative systems. In addition, using linear and non-linear storage functions with linear supply rates we develop new notions of dissipativity theory for non-negative dynamical systems. Finally, these results are used to develop general stability criteria for feedback interconnections of non-negative dynamical systems.
MR imaging of kidneys: functional evaluation using F-15 perfusion imaging

Children with hydronephrosis are typically investigated by a combination of diuretic renal scintigraphy, ultrasound, and voiding cystourethrography. Unfortunately, there is no gold standard to assess obstruction. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the utility of dynamic contrast enhanced MR urography in the investigation of children with hydronephrosis to define urinary tract anatomy, to calculate differential renal function and to assess urinary tract obstruction. Dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging was performed in 40 children with unilateral hydronephrosis. There were 14 girls and 26 boys with an age range of 1 month to 14 years (mean 1.4 years). The information from traditional imaging modalities was compared to the information obtained from the single MR study. The anatomic imaging with MR urography was superior to other modalities. The split renal function was estimated with MR urography by calculating the volume of enhancing renal parenchyma and was comparable to renal scintigraphy (r=0.98). By using surgery versus non-surgery as the decision point, with MR urography the sensitivity was 100%, specificity 71%, positive predictive value 86%, negative predictive value 100%, and diagnostic efficiency 90%. For renal scintigraphy the sensitivity was 96%, the specificity 56%, positive predictive value 76%, negative predictive value 90%, and diagnostic efficiency 79%. Dynamic contrast-enhanced MR urography provides superior anatomic and functional information when compared with ultrasound and diuretic renal scintigraphy. The information is gathered in a single study that does not use ionizing radiation. It is likely that MR urography will replace renal scintigraphy in the evaluation of hydronephrosis in children.
The Institutional Repository at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln: Its First Year of Operations

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide a short history of the first year of operation of an institutional repository (IR) at a midwestern state university. Design/methodology/approach – The paper is anecdotal, reviewing aims, rationales, and strategies, and offering advice and some counter‐intuitive lessons.Findings – The paper finds that voluntary self‐archiving by faculty or campus publishers is exceptional or rare, but there are other ways of populating an IR with valuable content. IR's should seek original material, including new dissertations, as well as previously published articles. IR's should offer a variety of services to make faculty participation as effortless as possible. IR's can increase usage by efforts directed at publicizing their resources and offerings.Research limitations/implications – The paper concerns one institution, but the challenges faced are common to all new university institutional repositories.Originality/value – This paper is a useful source of information for ...
Gluten, Pasting, and Mixograph Parameters of Hard Winter Wheat Flours in Relation to Breadmaking

ABSTRACT Flour gluten, pasting, and mixogram characteristics of 12 hard winter wheat cultivars grown in six counties in Kansas were analyzed using the Glutomatic System, a Rapid Visco-Analyser, and MIXSMART computer software, respectively, to investigate their relationships with breadmaking. Gluten contents and hydration amounts had significant correlations with water absorption. In addition, gluten parameters were significantly correlated to kernel hardness. One of the most difficult challenges in mixograph usage is to find the optimum water absorption of a given flour. Flour protein contents (FP) and near-infrared hardness scores or FP and gluten parameters could predict mixograph water absorptions, showing R2 values of 0.842 or 0.814, respectively, by multiple regression analysis. For our set of 72 wheat samples, computer-analyzed mixograph parameters were significantly correlated to conventional parameters. Computer-analyzed mixograph midline peak times and bandwidths at 6 min were highly correlated t...
The Meteorological "Bomb"; An Explosive Maritime Cyclone

Explosively deepening cyclones occur from time to time in the North Atlantic and North Pacific Oceans, most frequently during winter and in a band just poleward of the Gulf Stream and of the Kuroshio. Study of a well-documented case suggests three phases development. The first is shallow and closely tied to strong gradients of SST. In some instances it is missing. In the second intensification occurs by interaction with an upper-level trough in a way similar to, but more intensely than: the case with virtually all baroclinic cyclones. In the final stage the circulation becomes nearly circular and physical processes resemble those of a tropical storm.
Heat-Pulse Propagation in Ionic Lattices

It is shown (i) that second sound and heat pulses traveling with the velocities of ordinary sound are merely different forms of the same collective oscillation of the energy density and (ii) that the standard theoretical result ${c}_{\mathrm{II}}$ for the second-sound velocity is not, as hitherto suggested, a limiting value for local thermal equilibrium but should be replaced by ${c}_{\mathrm{II}}^{\ensuremath{'}}={c}_{\mathrm{II}}\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{(\frac{1+2\ensuremath{\tau}}{{\ensuremath{\tau}}_{u}})}^{\frac{\ensuremath{-}1}{2}}$ which is a monotonically decreasing function with increasing temperatures. As the temperature decreases the hydrodynamic form of the energy wave moves continuously into the ballistic form and is accompanied by a smooth change of the propagation velocity ${c}_{\mathrm{II}}^{\ensuremath{'}}$ to the transverse sound velocity ${c}_{t}$. This is in qualitative agreement with recent heat-pulse experiments. $\ensuremath{\tau}$ and ${\ensuremath{\tau}}_{u}$ represent the relaxation times for $N$ and $U$ processes, respectively.
Autonomic, systemic, and renal hemodynamic actions of trimazosin in hypertensive patients

The acute and chronic autonomic, systemic, and renal hemodynamic effects of trimazosin and placebo were studied in patients with uncomplicated essential hypertension of mild to moderate severity. In these studies, trimazosin effectively reduced arterial pressure through a decrease in peripheral vascular resistance. In the acute studies the cardiac output increased, whereas in the chronic studies it remained unchanged. Acutely, trimazosin selectively increased renal blood flow, which was out of proportion to the increase in cardiac output. No significant effects on autonomic function, metabolic function, or renin and aldosterone release were observed with trimazosin after acute or chronic administration. No tolerance to the action of the drug developed. No significant hemodynamic or metabolic changes were observed when compared with placebo either acutely or chronically. Our conclusions are as follows: (1) trimazosin is an effective and safe antihypertensive agent given in single daily doses; (2) it exerts its effects mainly through direct arteriolar dilatation and less through autonomic inhibition; (3) its antihypertensive effectiveness is not compromised by the development of tolerance; (4) it exerts a selective beneficial effect on renal circulation that is unrelated to systemic hemodynamic changes; and (5) these properties of trimazosin may make it a desirable drug for the treatment of hypertension complicated by renal failure.
A Survey of Mentoring Experiences in School Psychology.

Abstract The present investigation is intended to describe the mentoring experiences of school psychologists as a basis for further exploration of its process and its improvement. A questionnaire was mailed to a random sample of NASP members and directors of doctoral and master's level graduate programs. Completed questionnaires were received from 607 respondents. The characteristics of the mentors, the proteges, and their relationship are presented, as are implications for the field.
Represented value sets for integral binary quadratic forms and lattices

A characterization is given for the integral binary quadratic forms for which the set of represented values is closed under products. It is also proved that for an integral binary quadratic lattice over a Dedekind domain, the product of three values represented by the form is again a value represented by the form. This generalizes the trigroup property observed by V. Arnold in the case of integral binary quadratic forms.
Modeling Material Removal in Lapping of Brittle Materials

Lapping of polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) is a costly and time-consuming process that demands fundamental studies to improve its efficiency and quality. A series of experiments are conducted in this study to gain insights into the effects of the most influential factors on material removal rate (MRR). The well-known Preston’s equation is found to be insufficient for a satisfactory prediction of MRR associated with PDC lapping, and a new model is developed. The current approach treats MRR as the product of removal intensity and removal density, which are formulated as simple functions of pressure, velocity and grain concentration. The newly derived model is in good accordance with the analyzed experimental results. The decrease in MRR at higher pressure and the connections between applied pressure, grain concentration and MRR can all be well explained by the proposed model.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Modeling Floating Objects at River Structures

More than half of the commercially navigable waterways in the United States are adversely impacted at some time by ice and debris conditions that hinder operation and delay navigation. This paper describes a method of combining a depth-averaged two-dimensional flow model and a discrete element model customized to simulate floating objects such as ice and debris. The flow model is the shallow-water equation module of the adaptive hydraulics system. The discrete element model (DEM) is based on a method that has been used to simulate river ice and debris accumulations and vessels such as barges. The modeling system provides designers of hydraulic structures, bridges, and ice control structures, a physically based method to evaluate design alternatives in dealing with problems due to the presence of floating objects. Descriptions of the flow model and the DEM are presented, and then numerical applications are provided, demonstrating the modeling of debris passage at the Harlan Diversion Tunnel and the evaluation of navigation conditions attributed to the guard wall at the Greenup Locks and Dam.
Species-resolved laser-probing investigations of the hydrodynamics of KrF excimer and copper vapor laser ablation processing of materials

Hydrodynamic phenomena from KrF excimer laser ablation (10-3-20 J/cm2) of polyimide, polyethyleneterephthalate, and aluminum are diagnosed by laser beam deflection, schlieren photography, shadowgraphy, laser-induced-fluorescence and dye-laser- resonance absorption photography (DLRAP). Experiments were performed in vacuum and gaseous environments (10-5 to 760 Torr). In vacuum, the DLRAP diagnostic shows species-resolved plume expansion which is consistent with that of a reflected rarefaction wave. Increasing the background gas pressure reveals the formation of sound/shock compared to CN in the laser-ablated polyimide (Vespel) plume/shock in inert (e.g. argon) and reactive (e.g. air) gases. At low pressures (less than 10 Torr) Al and CN species are in close contact with the shock front. As the pressure increases, the species front tends to recede, until at high pressures (over 200 Torr) the species are restrained to only a few mm above the target surface. After sufficient expansion, Al and CN are no longer detectable; only the shadowgraph of the hot gas plume remains. Since CN is observable in both inert and reactive environments, it can be concluded that CN is not a reaction product between the background gas and the ablated species. By way of comparison to excimer laser ablation processing of materials, copper vapor laser machined polyimide and polymethylmethacrylate (transparent to green and yellow copper vapor laser light) are also investigated. The two polymers are observed to have markedly different machined surfaces. Hydrodynamic effects for the copper vapor laser machined materials are investigated using HeNe laser beam deflection.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Neighborhood Disadvantage and Changes in Condom Use among African American Adolescents

Neighborhood context may influence youth sexual decision-making. We examined the association between neighborhood characteristics and condom use in a sample of African American youth followed across the high school years (N = 681; 51% female). Using a three-level hierarchical linear model, we modeled inconsistent condom use over time and then examined its association with youth’s sexual risk trajectories (sexual intercourse frequency, number of partners, and pregnancy concerns) and individual-level characteristics (sex, age, SES, and household composition), and neighborhood disadvantage. While sexual intercourse frequency was associated with inconsistent condom use over time, youth reporting greater pregnancy concerns and number of partners reported more consistent condom use over time. Females were more likely to report more inconsistent condom use over time. Neighborhood disadvantage characteristics were associated with less baseline condom use, but did not have an association with changes in youth’s condom use over the high school years. We discuss the implications for community-based HIV/AIDS prevention for youth.
NudC Deacetylation Regulates Mitotic Progression

Mitosis is largely driven by posttranslational modifications of proteins. Recent studies suggest that protein acetylation is prevalent in mitosis, but how protein acetylation/deacetylation regulates mitotic progression remains unclear. Nuclear distribution protein C (NudC), a conserved protein that regulates cell division, was previously shown to be acetylated. We found that NudC acetylation was decreased during mitosis. Using mass spectrometry analysis, we identified K39 to be an acetylation site on NudC. Reconstitution of NudC-deficient cells with wild-type or K39R acetylation-defective NudC rescued mitotic phenotypes, including chromosome misalignment, chromosome missegregation, and reduced spindle width, observed after NudC protein knockdown. In contrast, the K39Q acetylation-mimetic NudC was unable to rescue these mitotic phenotypes, suggesting that NudC deacetylation is important for mitotic progression. To examine proteins that may play a role in NudC deacetylation during mitosis, we found that NudC co-localizes on the mitotic spindle with the histone deacetylase HDAC3, an HDAC shown to regulate mitotic spindle stability. Further, NudC co-immunoprecipitates with HDAC3 and loss of function of HDAC3 either by protein knockdown or inhibition with a small molecule inhibitor increased NudC acetylation. These observations suggest that HDAC3 may be involved in NudC deacetylation during mitosis. Cells with NudC or HDAC3 knockdown exhibited overlapping mitotic abnormalities, including chromosomes arranged in a “dome-like” configuration surrounding a collapsed mitotic spindle. Our studies suggest that NudC acetylation/deacetylation regulates mitotic progression and NudC deacetylation, likely through HDAC3, is critical for spindle function and chromosome congression.
Teaching Science for Understanding at MIT: Engaging the Best and the Brightest

Studies of instructional technology at MIT can help us understand "how good students go wrong" and how "models of practice" can be used to inform our work on instructional technology.
Foraminiferal biostratigraphy of the shelf edge: a key to late Quaternary paleoenvironments

Abstract Foraminiferal assemblages in eight piston cores from West Flower Garden Bank at the edge of the Texas continental shelf contain a nearly complete record of late Quaternary paleoclimatic and geologic events. The faunas are divisible into three distinct successive biofacies on the basis of both planktonic and benthic foraminifers: the basal Inflata Facies accumulated in cool shallow waters during late Pleistocene glaciation; the middle Crassaformis Facies represents a deepening sea that had warming surface waters; the upper Cultrata Facies is characteristic of the Holocene outer-shelf environment. Sea level was at −73 m and −53 m at the end of deposition of the Inflata and Crassaformis Facies, respectively. The biostratigraphic events at West Flower Garden Bank can be accurately correlated with those recorded in the middle and inner shelf and in deep-sea cores. The sequence of late Quaternary sea level and paleotemperature changes in the northern Gulf of Mexico can thereby be reconstructed. Eventually, this knowledge can be integrated with similar data from the shelf edge in other parts of the world to help bridge the gap between the known Quaternary record of the deep sea and that of the continents.
From the picket line to the playground: labor, environmental activism, and the international paper strike in Jay, Maine

The 1987–88 strike at International Paper's Androscoggin Mill in Jay, Maine severed a longstanding ‘social contract’ where workers and community residents tolerated the mill's air and water pollution in return for good-paying jobs and a robust local economy. This article traces the development of environmental consciousness among union workers and community residents during the strike and their efforts to protect the environment from the pollution of the mill. The union publicized environmental problems at the mill and the state's failures to regulate pollution when the strike began. After a series of environmental accidents during the strike, including a massive chlorine dioxide gas leak that threatened the safety of the town, Jay residents formed a community environmental organization and pressured the company and the state to close the mill. The environment remained an important issue after the strike, as labor and environmental activists joined forces to uphold a municipal ordinance that allowed the t...
Natural Bond Orbital Evaluation of AM1-Predicted C−HO Hydrogen Bonds in Dimers of 1,5,7,11-Tetraoxaspiro[5.5]Undecane

Spiroorthocarbonates have potential utility as components of low-shrinkage polymeric materials. Density functional theory, ab initio Hartree−Fock theory, and natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis have been used to characterize AM1-predicted individual C−HO intermolecular interactions in calculated gas-phase van der Waals dimers of different conformations of 1,5,7,11-tetraoxaspiro[5.5]undecane (TOSU). NBO theory is employed to identify and evaluate individual charge-transfer interactions in a multi-interaction environment. Relative contributions to the stabilization energy arising from charge transfer for any C−HO close contacts predicted in the calculated geometries are approximated and compared. Emphasis is placed on identification of and differentiation between short-range intermolecular internuclear distances that represent hydrogen bonds and those that represent forced close contacts. C−HO intermolecular interactions in the unsubstituted TOSU were found to provide maximum energy stabilization in the S4 ...
Estimate of the price effect of competition The case of electricity

Abstract This study estimates the effects of direct electric utility competition on consumer prices. The data are from cities where two electric firms compete for the same customers. In these situations, if prices charged by one firm are too high, or services are inferior, a customer has the opportunity to change to the other firm serving his city. Multiple regression analysis shows that substantially lower prices evolve in competitive situations. The marginal price between 500 and 750 kWh blocks is lower by 16 percent, the marginal price between 750 and 1000 kWh blocks is lower by 19 percent, and the average price (average revenue) is lower by 33 percent because of competition. These results provide a measure of the effects of monopoly on the prices consumers pay and an assessment of the effects of competition as a regulator of utility rates of municipal utility firms.
Studies on the transport of aliphatic glucosides by hamster small intestine in vitro.

Abstract It has been found (1) that glucosides with a long alkyl chain (2–18 carbon atoms) as the aglycone can be transported by carrier-mediated processes in the hamster small intestine in vitro, (2) that these glucosides interact with the glucose carrier, and (3) that they compete with glucose and analogs for the binding to the carrier. There are Na + - and phlorizin-insensitive components of uptake for the long chain alkyl glucosides which suggest additional interactions or uptake processes.
Lattice Constants and Brillouin Zone Overlap in Dilute Magnesium Alloys

The lattice constants of primary solid solutions of indium, aluminum, and cadmium in magnesium have been determined as a function of composition. A sharp change in ($\frac{c}{a}$) has been found only for magnesium-indium. The linearity of the ($\frac{c}{a}$) vs concentration curve for magnesium-aluminum has suggested that electron zone overlap does not necessarily lead to axial ratio anomalies and that changes in short-range order may be needed to explain such anomalies.
BAPTA‐AM and ethanol protect cerebellar granule neurons from the destructive effect of the weaver gene

The mechanisms by which the weaver gene (Reeves et al., 1989; Patil et al., 1995) inhibits neurite extension and/or induces death of the granule neurons in homozygous weaver mouse cerebellum are not presently understood. Here we show that BAPTA-AM and ethanol, which either reduce cytosolic levels of free calcium or prevent calcium entry, promote neurite outgrowth of the weaver neurons similar to the L-type calcium channel blocker verapamil (Liesi and Wright, 1996). Importantly, BAPTA-AM, ethanol, and verapamil not only restore neurite outgrowth of the weaver neurons but adjust their depolarized resting membrane potentials to the levels of normal neurons. These results indicate that calcium-dependent mechanisms mediate the action of the weaver gene and that the weaver neurons can be normalized by blocking this calcium effect. We further report that BAPTA-AM and verapamil also have a neuroprotective effect on normal neurons exposed to high concentrations of ethanol. We suggest that verapamil should be evaluated as a drug for treatment of alcohol-induced brain damage and neurodegenerative disorders.
Sulfur compounds reduce potato toxins during extrusion cooking.

Free sulfhydryl groups in sulfur compounds have been reported to act directly on natural toxins to reduce toxicity. The objective of this study was to reduce protease inhibitors and glycoalkaloids in simulated snack foods by the addition of sulfur-containing compounds prior to extrusion. Thiamine, methionine, and benzyl disulfide were added to potato flakes at levels of 0.5% or 1.0% prior to twin-screw extrusion. Total and free thiols and protease inhibitors were monitored before and after extrusion by colorimetric assays. Potato glycoalkaloids were analyzed by HPLC and by immunoassay. Extrusion reduced potato flake disulfide bonds; disulfide bonds were higher in samples containing added sulfur compounds. Trypsin inhibitor activity was reduced by as much as 79% by extrusion plus methionine. Extrusion significantly reduced carboxypeptidase inhibitor, but only when benzyl disulfide and 0.5% methionine were not added. One percent methionine and thiamine resulted in 60% reductions in glycoalkaloids. Keywords:...
Disentangling Spatial Metaphors for Time Using Non-spatial Responses and Auditory Stimuli

While we often talk about time using spatial terms, experimental investigation of space-time associations has focused primarily on the space in front of the participant. This has had two consequences: the disregard of the space behind the participant (exploited in language and gesture) and the creation of potential task demands produced by spatialized manual button-presses. We introduce and test a new paradigm that uses auditory stimuli and vocal responses to address these issues. Participants made temporal judgments about deictic or sequential relationships presented auditorily along a body-centered sagittal or transversal axis. Results involving the transversal axis replicated previous work while sagittal axis results were surprising. Deictic judgments did not use the sagittal axis but sequential judgments did, in a previously undocumented way. Participants associated earlier judgments with the space in front of them and later judgments with the space behind them. These findings, using a new approach, p...
Impairment of avoidance acquisition and altered regional brain amine levels in mice with uremic endotoxemia.

Abstract Nephrectomized mice, with highly elevated blood-urea-nitrogen levels by 6 to 7 hr post-treatment, showed impaired acquisition of a passive avoidance response and changes in the ratio of 5-hydroxytryptamine to 5-hydroxyindole-acetic acid and level of norepinephrine in the telencephalon and cerebellum. The regional specificity of uremia-related biochemical changes and behavioral interaction offer bases upon which further investigation of endotoxemia effects on brain metabolism and behavior may be carried out.
Unidad en la diferencia: Reflexiones sobre el derecho cosmopolita

El articulo intenta abordar una evaluacion del modelo normativo de relaciones internacionales bosquejado recientemente por John Rawls. Para ello subraya sus virtudes (la sensibilidad al acomodamiento, reconocimiento y respeto de la diversidad cultural) y sus defectos (el achatamiento de su horizonte normativo) mediante el contraste con la propuesta de otro teorico politico contemporaneo que tambien bebe de las fuentes kantianas del ideal cosmopolita: Jurgen Habermas. El autor concluye con una propuesta en la que la diversidad cultural y los ideales normativos cosmopolitas son integrados mas alla de la completa aceptacion de la facticidad y de la total abstraccion universalista insensible al contexto.
Gauging Disciplinary Engagement with Internationalization: A Survey of Geographers in the United States

As higher education institutions worldwide seek to internationalize academic programmes, questions arise as to how institutions can effectively involve and support faculty in that process. The present study rests on the premise that professional development can play a decisive role in advancing two important components of internationalization—specifically international collaboration and the teaching of global perspectives by geography faculty. To explore this proposition, the AAG conducted a survey to determine how and why American geography professors have (a) pursued international collaboration in their work, and (b) incorporated global learning outcomes into the undergraduate geography curriculum. The analysis presented shows that faculty members who practise international collaboration and support global perspectives in their courses are more likely to do so when those practices are perceived to enhance the quality of teaching and research. Geographers who practice international collaboration also ben...
Electronic Energy Bands in Iron

The method of orthogonalized plane waves has been used to calculate the energy band structure of valence electrons in iron. Application of the results is made to the energy band theory of ferromagnetism. The exchange splitting of the energy bands and the tendency to ferromagnetism at absolute zero have been calculated.
Trichuris suis ova: Testing a helminth-based therapy as an extension of the hygiene hypothesis

The hygiene hypothesis, which was put forward more than 20 years ago by Strachan, proposes that the recent increase in allergic and autoimmune diseases is due to increasing hygiene standards. Since then, numerous epidemiologic and animal studies have provided support for this hypothesis and showed that certain microorganisms, helminths in particular, have immunomodulatory effects. More recently, studies have led to the identification of some of the mechanisms underlying these immunomodulatory effects. Substances, or crude extracts, produced by worms and responsible for these effects have been analyzed. Clinical trials have been performed mainly with pig whipworm, which was chosen because it is likely to be nonpathogenic in human subjects. Eggs of the pig whipworm (Trichuris suis ova) have been shown to be safe in multiple studies. Efficacy has been demonstrated in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases and in 1 case of pecan allergy. Altogether, this information supports further investigation of T suis ova in patients with immune-mediated diseases, particularly in areas in which there is currently no therapy, such as food allergy.
The enemy within: endogenous retroelements and autoimmune disease

Inappropriate or chronic detection of self nucleic acids by the innate immune system underlies many human autoimmune diseases. We discuss here an unexpected source of endogenous immunostimulatory nucleic acids: the reverse-transcribed cDNA of endogenous retroelements. The interplay between innate immune sensing and clearance of retroelement cDNA has important implications for the understanding of immune responses to infectious retroviruses such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Furthermore, the detection of cDNA by the innate immune system reveals an evolutionary tradeoff: selection for a vigorous, sensitive response to infectious retroviruses may predispose the inappropriate detection of endogenous retroelements. We propose that this tradeoff has placed unique constraints on the sensitivity of the DNA-activated antiviral response, with implications for the interactions of DNA viruses and retroviruses with their hosts. Finally, we discuss how better understanding of the intersection of retroelement biology and innate immunity can guide the way to novel therapies for specific autoimmune diseases.
Influence of season and hibernation on thyroid calcitonin content and plasma electrolytes in the ground squirrel

1. 1. Thyroid calcitonin contents, rectal temperature, and plasma, calcium, and magnesium have been determined in normothermic and hibernating ground squirrels (Citellus tridecemlineatus) at three seasons of the year. 2. 2. At any one season the calcitonin contents of the thyroids removed from control squirrels did not differ significantly from those removed from the hibernating animals. 3. 3. In November and December the thyroid calcitonin contents in both normothermic and hibernating squirrels fell markedly. 4. 4. It is concluded that hibernation (depressed body temperature) per se does not result in discharge of thyroid calcitonin stores.
MEASURING AND EVALUATING EFFICIENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS USING GOAL PROGRAMMING AND DATA ENVELOPMENT ANALYSIS IN A FUZZY ENVIRONMENT

Generally, in most situations optimal achievement of multiple goals is rarely possible for crisp mathematical programming techniques. In such cases, a compromise achievement of goals that leads to a satisfycing solution rather than an optimal solution bears more relevance. The present research introduces a Fuzzy Goal Data Envelopment Analysis (Fuzzy GoDEA) framework to measure and evaluate the goals of efficiency and effectiveness in a fuzzy environment. Fuzzy GoDEA accommodates crisp input and output data but allows imprecise specification of the aspiration levels for the efficiency and effectiveness goals. A membership function is defined for each fuzzy constraint associated with the efficiency and effectiveness goals and represents the degree of achievement of that constraint. Further, the Fuzzy GoDEA framework is extended into several variations that (i) allow the assignment of relative importance to the goals of efficiency and effectiveness and (ii) model scenarios where one of the goals of efficiency and effectiveness is crisp and the other fuzzy. The Fuzzy GoDEA framework is implemented for a newspaper preprint insertion process (NPIP).
Local Meets Global: Establishing New Perspectives in Urban History-Lessons from Ahmedabad

Urban theorists assert that cities need to be understood not only in terms of their internal systems but also in terms of their national and global connections. This study provides an analysis of these global connections for the city of Ahmedabad, India, through the twentieth century and into the twenty-first. It highlights three “events” and discusses their international ramifications: the arrival of Gandhi in 1915; the increasingly global reach of local manufacturing and cultural institutions; and the international censure of the Hindu–Muslim violence in the city, especially in 2002. It closes with a plea to urban historians to heed the arguments of the theoreticians and consider fully the significance of global connections in the study of individual urban histories.
Ethnobotany of horseradish (Armoracia rusticana, Brassicaceae) and its wild relatives (Armoracia spp.): reproductive biology and local uses in their native ranges.

Ethnobotany of Horseradish (Armoracia rusticana, Brassicaceae) and Its Wild Relatives (Armoracia spp.): Reproductive Biology and Local Uses in Their Native Ranges. Horseradish (Armoracia rusticana) has been cultivated for its root for over 2,000 years. Today, commercial production takes place primarily in North America and Europe where A. rusticana is propagated exclusively vegetatively. Like many vegetatively-propagated crops, cultivated A. rusticana plants are generally sterile. Armoracia rusticana is one of three species in the genus: A. macrocarpa is native to the Central Danube River Basin, A. rusticana is putatively native to Eastern Europe, and A. sisymbrioides is native to Siberia. Documenting the ways in which the three Armoracia species are used in their putative native ranges and the reproductive biology of Armoracia in these regions will advance understanding of the role of humans in the evolution of sterility in A. rusticana. In this broad-scale ethnobotanical analysis, we document 1) which Armoracia species are used in different geographic regions, 2) the reproductive biology of cultivated and natural Armoracia populations, and 3) the uses of Armoracia species in their native areas. Fieldwork was conducted in Austria, Bulgaria, Romania, and Russia. Ethnobotanical data were collected through written questionnaires. In all areas visited, A. rusticana is the primary Armoracia species; however, there is regional variation in the way the plant is used. Armoracia rusticana is propagated vegetatively and is not found in the wild. Armoracia macrocarpa and A. sisymbrioides reproduce by seed in nature. These data provide an understanding of contemporary uses and management strategies of Armoracia species in their native ranges, demonstrate the differential reproductive biology of a clonally-propagated crop relative to its wild progenitors, and emphasize the importance of ethnobotanical data collection for crops and their wild relatives from a broad geographic range.
Oxidation of detrital pyrite as a cause for Marcasite Formation in marine lag deposits from the Devonian of the eastern US

Late Devonian black shale successions in the eastern US contain numerous discontinuities that are characterized by lags containing variable amounts of quartz sand mixed with reworked pyritic and phosphatic debris. These lags can be partially cemented by iron sulfides with a radial fibrous to massive morphology. Examination of iron sulfide cements via electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) shows that these cements can consist entirely or partially of marcasite. It is proposed here that oxidation and dissolution of reworked pyrite debris led to favorable conditions for intermittent rapid marcasite formation by forcing a substantial pH drop in the surface sediment and by raising dissolved iron concentrations in the pore waters.
Brevetoxin-3: Total assignment of the 1H and 13C NMR spectra at the submicromole level

Abstract The proton and carbon NMR spectra of the marine polyether toxin, brevetoxin-3, are totally assigned using a series of 2D NMR experiments which included: TOCSY, ROESY, HMQC, HMBC, and IDR-(Inverted Direct Response)-HMQC-TOCSY. All work was performed on a sample consisting of 800 μg (0.95 μmole) at 500 MHz.
Uptake of putrescine by 3T3 and SV3T3 cells and its effect on ornithine decarboxylase activity.

The addition of 50 μM exogenous putrescine to Swiss 3T3 cells during serum stimulation resulted in a sixfold increase in intracellular putrescine content and prevented the rise in ornithine decarboxylase activity normally seen in response to serum. SV3T3 cells had putrescine levels ten times higher than those in the 3T3 cells. When SV3T3 cells were exposed to 50 μM putrescine, the intracellular content increased less than twofold. Despite the high levels of intracellular putrescine, ornithine decarboxylase was stimulated by addition of serum to SV3T3 cells. These results indicate that the system by which ornithine decarboxylase activity is regulated by its product is much less sensitive in the transformed SV3T3 cells. The ability of the 3T3 cells to take up putrescine changed with changes in the growth state, increasing when growth was stimulated by serum. These changes were manifested by changes in the maximum rate of transport (Vmax) rather than the Km. The increased transport rate was prevented when protein synthesis was inhibited by cycloheximide. The uptake of putrescine by SV3T3 cells did not change significantly under any of the conditions tested and the activity of this system in the SV3T3 cells was less than that of the 3T3 cells during exponential growth. This distinguishes the putrescine uptake system from those for amino acid uptake and suggests that the activity of the system may be regulated coordinately with the need for polyamines for cell growth. Finally, cadaverine (1,5-diaminopentane), a diamine not usually present in fibroblasts, was taken up much more slowly than putrescine and uptake was not saturable under the conditions tested. The slower uptake may account for the lesser ability of cadaverine to reduce ornithine decarboxylase activity in the 3T3 cells.
Leptin receptor neurons in the dorsomedial hypothalamus are key regulators of energy expenditure and body weight, but not food intake.

Objective Leptin responsive neurons play an important role in energy homeostasis, controlling specific autonomic, behavioral, and neuroendocrine functions. We have previously identified a population of leptin receptor (LepRb) expressing neurons within the dorsomedial hypothalamus/dorsal hypothalamic area (DMH/DHA) which are related to neuronal circuits that control brown adipose tissue (BAT) thermogenesis. Intra-DMH leptin injections also activate sympathetic outflow to BAT, but whether such effects are mediated directly via DMH/DHA LepRb neurons and whether this is physiologically relevant for whole body energy expenditure and body weight regulation has yet to be determined.
Influence of light intensity and photoadaptation on the toxicity of PCB to a marine diatom

An investigation of the influence of light intensity and photoadaptation on the toxicity of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) to the marine diatom, Ditylum brightwellu, was undertaken Cultures were adapted to six light intensities (30, 50, 75, 100, 125 and 150 μEm 2s−1) for a period of three months During this time a significant decrease in cell size occurred at the lower light intensities (The cultures grown at 30, 100 and 150 μEm 2s−1 were then tested for sensitivity to 10 μg/L PCB ) Rates of growth and photosynthesis (uptake of [14C]HCO3/μg Chl a/h) and cellular concentrations of chlorophyll a and carotenoids, as well as cell size, were measured PCB toxicity was greatest at the higher light intensities Adapted cultures were less sensitive to PCB than unadapted cultures indicating that photoadaptation increased tolerance to PCB In the unadapted cultures growth rates and photosynthetic activity were significantly depressed by all PCB treatments In the adapted cultures growth rate at 150 μEm 2s−1 was the only measurement to show a significant decrease with PCB treatment Cellular concentrations of chlorophyll a and carotenoids varied with adaptation history, light intensity and PCB treatment [14C]PCB (Aroclor 1254) accumulation was compared in adapted and nonadapted cultures The nonadapted cultures accumulated an order of magnitude more PCB, and the greatest accumulations correlated with reduced rates of photosynthesis and growth in cultures grown at the highest light levels
Survival after aortic valve replacement for severe aortic stenosis with low transvalvular gradients and severe left ventricular dysfunction

OBJECTIVE: We sought to assess whether aortic valve replacement (AVR) among patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS), severe left ventricular (LV) dysfunction and a low transvalvular gradient (TVG) is associated with improved survival. BACKGROUND: The optimal management of patients with severe AS with severe LV dysfunction and a low TVG remains controversial. METHODS: Between 1990 and 1998, we evaluated 68 patients who underwent AVR at our institution (AVR group) and 89 patients who did not undergo AVR (control group), with an aortic valve area < or = 0.75 cm(2), LV ejection fraction < or = 35% and mean gradient < or = 30 mm Hg. Using propensity analysis, survival was compared between a cohort of 39 patients in the AVR group and 56 patients in the control group. RESULTS: Despite well-matched baseline characteristics among propensity-matched patients, the one- and four-year survival rates were markedly improved in patients in the AVR group (82% and 78%), as compared with patients in the control group (41% and 15%; p < 0.0001). By multivariable analysis, the main predictor of improved survival was AVR (adjusted risk ratio 0.19, 95% confidence interval 0.09 to 0.39; p < 0.0001). The only other predictors of mortality were age and the serum creatinine level. CONCLUSIONS: Among select patients with severe AS, severe LV dysfunction and a low TVG, AVR was associated with significantly improved survival.
Practical Aspects of Aerosol Characterization in An Environment of Controlled Temperature and Relative-Humidity

AbstractIn the fields of environmental and pharmaceutical aerosols it is of importance to create atmospheres of controlled temperature and relative humidity for the investigation of airborne particulate behavior. Close control of humidity, especially where relative humidity sensing is used, also requires close temperature control because of the dependence of relative humidity on temperature. Unique designs of apparatus have been employed, in many cases, without considering the implications of the level of control required to obtain statistically acceptable data. This paper describes a novel apparatus, contrasts it with those in the literature and states specifically the level of control which can be achieved practically and how this compares with theoretical expectations.
Direct and Indirect Dissolution of Sapphire in Calcia–Magnesia–Alumina–Silica Melts: Dissolution Kinetics

The dissolution rate of sapphire into CaO-MgO-Al2O3-SiO2 (CMAS) melts was investigated at 1450° and 1550°C. The effects of immersion time, specimen rotation rate, and magnesia concentration in the bulk melt on the sapphire dissolution rate and on the growth rate of magnesium aluminate spinel at the sapphire/melt interface were determined. The processes of direct and indirect sapphire dissolution into CMAS melts are discussed, with the support of kinetic and microprobe data.1 A model of indirect sapphire dissolution1,2 is used along with the equations of Tedmon3 to describe the kinetics of indirect dissolution and spinel layer growth during forced-convective and static sapphire dissolution.
Dietary Fat Preferences Are Inversely Correlated with Peripheral Gustatory Fatty Acid Sensitivitya

: We previously demonstrated that taste receptor cells (TRCs) respond to cis-polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) through an inhibition of delayed rectifying K channels (KDR),1 which may represent the transduction mechanism for dietary fat. To determine if there is a link between the sensitivity of fungiform TRCs to PUFAs and dietary fat preferences, we compared the PUFA-sensitivity of TRCs using patch clamp techniques from Osborne-Mendel (O-M) and S5B/Pl rats, which display dietary preferences for fat over carbohydrate and carbohydrate over fat, respectively.3 In isolated TRCs, the PUFAs, linoleic (C18:2), linolenic (C18:3) and arachidonic acid (C20:4) inhibit KDR in a concentration-dependent manner in both strains, while the unsaturated lauric acid (C12:0) was ineffective. KDR from TRCs of S5B/Pl rats were significantly more sensitive to inhibition by all three PUFAs (10 μM) than were TRCs from O-M rats. We are currently investigating whether this differential responsiveness is due to (i) the relative affinity of the interaction between cis-PUFAs and the delayed rectifying K channels or (ii) the relative density of delayed rectifying K channels in the two rat strains. Whatever the mechanism, these data suggest an inverse correlation between peripheral gustatory sensitivity to PUFAs and the dietary preference for fat. This finding may provide insight into the mechanism for sensing dietary fat that allows the S5B rats to reduce fat intake on a high-fat diet and avoid the obesity which results when O-M rats eat a high-fat diet.
NASA Direct Readout for Its Polar Orbiting Satellites

The two overarching concepts that encompass the content of this Chapter are Direct Broadcast and Direct Readout. Fortunately, the conceptual separation is simple; one refers to the space segment, the other to everything on the ground.