cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Degradation of Met-enkephalin by hemolymph peptidases in Mytilus edulis.

1. Met-enkephalin is degraded by peptidases present in the hemolymph fluid and hemocyte membrane suspension ofMytilus edulis. Degradation of Metenkephalin is rapid in the fluid and slower in the membrane. 2. Aminopeptidase activity is bestatin sensitive in hemocyte membrane and highest in the fluid of the hemolymph, which appears to have a component which is insensitive to inhibitor. 3. ACE activity is found only in the fluid of the hemolymph. 4. Carboxypeptidase and NEP (CD10: “enkephalinase”) are membrane bound and the former appears to predominate. Phosphoramidon inhibits not only NEP, as expected, but the invertebrate carboxypeptidase as well.
New field evidence for an exposure of the Appalachian decollement at the east end of the Pine Mountain terrane, Georgia

Detailed field mapping at the east end of the Pine Mountain terrane in central Georgia indicates that the Box Ankle fault is an ∼4-km-thick ductile shear zone separating Grenvillian basement of Laurentian affinity in the footwall from allochthonous accreted terranes in the hanging wall. Fabric data from the Box Ankle fault indicate that it is a gently southeast dipping, northwest-vergent thrust fault. Recently discovered structural relations, together with geochronological data, indicate that the Box Ankle fault is of late Paleozoic age. We argue that the Box Ankle fault is a surface exposure of the Appalachian decollement. The east end of the Pine Mountain terrane may be the only place in the entire orogen where this fundamentally important structure is exposed for study.
Multivariate Analysis of Ecological Data using CANOCO.

JAN LEPS and PETR SMILAUER. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge CB2 2RU, UK. 2003. Paperback, 280 pp., $42.00. ISBN 0-521-89108-6. “The bread and butter of an ecologist's life” is what the authors call multidimensional data on community composition, populations, and the environment. Separate
Standard enthalpies of formation of some neodymium and gadolinium carbides, silicides and germanides by high-temperature direct-synthesis calorimetry

Abstract The standard enthalpies of formation of some congruent-melting compounds in the binary systems Nd + X and Gd + X (where X = C, Si, Ge) have been determined by direct-synthesis calorimetry at 1473 ± 2 K. The following values of ΔH 0 f (kJ/g.atom) are reported: NdC 2 , −29.2 ± 1.4; NdSi 2 , −62.0 ± 1.9; NdSi, − 78.7 ± 2.5; Nd 5 Ge 3 , −72.1 ± 1.6; NdGe 1.6 , −80.2 ± 1.9; GdC 2 , −24.8 ± 1.6; Gd 5 Si 3 , − 68.0 ± 2.3; GdSi 2 , −59.0 ± 2.1; Gd 5 Ge 3 , −82.0 ± 2.6. The results are compared with some earlier experimental data (all derived from e.m.f. or vapor pressure measurements), with predicted values from Miedema's semi-empirical model, and with earlier calorimetric data for NdX 3 and GdX 3 (where X = Sn, Pb).
Immunoglobulin G antibody bound to the C1q subcomponent of human complement exhibits segmental flexibility

The rotational dynamics of rabbit immunoglobulin G (IgG) anti-dansyl antibodies bound to the C1q subcomponent of human complement were studied by nanosecond fluorescence spectroscopy. Deconvoluted anisotropy decays of IgG-C1q mixtures were fitted to a two-exponential expression and were corrected for the effects of unbound IgG, which was determined with an analytical ultracentrifuge. Compared with the anisotropy parameters for free IgG, the pre-exponential weighting factors and the short correlation time of the C1q-bound antibody were nearly unchanged, and the long correlation time increased by only about 45 nanoseconds. These results, together with rotational diffusion calculations, indicate that the Fab arms of the C1q-bound antibody exhibited considerable flexibility. This finding may have biological relevance because it suggests that C1q can bind to the Fc segments of IgG molecules anchored in an immune complex, even though the angles between the two Fab arms of the different antibodies may vary. The results of this study also support our earlier interpretation that both the short and long correlation times of IgG principally represent flexible motions of the Fab segments.
The securitisation of refugee flows and the schooling of refugees: examining the cases of North Koreans in South Korea and Iraqis in Jordan

Drawing on data collected in South Korea, Jordan and the USA, this paper examines the degree to which security concerns impact the schooling of North Korean refugees in South Korea and Iraqi refugees in Jordan. Operating from a framework examining the intersection of migration and securitisation, the authors find that accounts of negative images of and identity concealment among North Korean students present the most compelling linkages to a larger phenomenon of societal securitisation. At the same time, South Korean perceptions of North Koreans’ level of preparedness for working in a capitalist society present the most compelling linkages to economic securitisation. With respect to Christian Iraqi refugees in Jordan, plausible connections can be drawn between societal security and an Iraqi identity generally. With respect to economic concerns in Jordan, measures taken to restrict Iraqi integration into the labour force can be seen as security actions.
Synovial fluid from patients with early osteoarthritis modulates fibroblast-like synoviocyte responses to toll-like receptor 4 and toll-like receptor 2 ligands via soluble CD14.

Objective Synovial inflammation, a feature of both osteoarthritis (OA) and meniscal injury, is hypothesized to be triggered in part via stimulation of Toll-like receptors (TLRs). We tested whether a TLR-2 or TLR-4 stimulating factor in synovial fluid (SF) from early knee OA patients with meniscal injury could lead to inflammatory activation of synoviocytes.
Stellar Metallicity and the Formation of Extrasolar Gas Giant Planets

Spectroscopic searches for extrasolar planets are most successful when the target star has high metallicity, a trend that may be caused by observational selection effects, pollution by ingested planetary material, or a requirement of high metallicity for gas giant planet formation. We show that in the scenario of the disk instability mechanism for forming gas giant protoplanets, clump-forming gravitational instabilities proceed in much the same manner in protoplanetary disks with metallicities that vary by factors of 10 greater or less than that of a standard disk model. This remarkable insensitivity to the dust grain opacity is attributed to radiative energy losses from the disks being controlled more by their being embedded in a thermal bath determined by their central protostar than by radiative fluxes deep within the disks' optically thick midplanes. This result suggests that if disk instability is the primary formation mechanism for extrasolar gas giant planets, even relatively low-metallicity galactic disk stars should harbor gas giant planets.
Metabolic activation of 9-hydroxymethyl-10-methylanthracene and 1-hydroxymethylpyrene to electrophilic, mutagenic and tumorigenic sulfuric acid esters by rat hepatic sulfotransferase activity.

Our previous studies on 7-hydroxymethyl-12-methylbenz[a]anthracene and 6-hydroxymethylbenzo[a]pyrene showed that cytosolic sulfotransferase activity plays a major role in the formation of hepatic benzylic DNA and RNA adducts by these carcinogens in rats. In the present study, we found similar sulfotransferase activity in rat liver cytosol which activates 9-hydroxymethyl-10-methylanthracene (HMA) and 1-hydroxymethylpyrene (HMP) to electrophilic sulfuric acid ester metabolites. Thus, incubation of these nonbay region hydrocarbons with calf thymus DNA in the presence of liver cytosol fortified with the sulfo-group donor, 3'-phosphoadenosine-5'-phosphosulfate (PAPS) produced benzylic DNA adducts that were chromatographically identical to those obtained by the reactions of the corresponding sulfuric acid esters with deoxyguanosine and deoxyadenosine. These adducts were also produced in the livers of infant rats injected i.p. with 0.25 mumol/g body wt of HMA or HMP. Administration of comparable doses of 9-sulfooxymethyl-10-methylanthracene (SMA) and 1-sulfooxymethylpyrene (SMP) resulted in much higher levels of hepatic benzylic DNA adducts than did the parent hydroxymethyl hydrocarbons. Both HMA and HMP induced His+ revertants in Salmonella typhimurium TA98 when preincubated with these bacteria in the presence of rat liver cytosol and PAPS. This sulfotransferase-mediated mutagenicity of HMA and HMP was reduced by dehydroepiandrosterone, an inhibitor of hepatic sulfotransferase activity for these hydrocarbons. SMA and SMP were directly mutagenic and their intrinsic bacterial mutagenicity was inhibited by glutathione (GSH) and GSH-S-transferase activity. Chloride ion at physiological concentrations enhanced the bacterial mutagenicity of SMA through the formation of 9-chloromethyl-10-methylanthracene as previously observed for SMP by Henschler et al. In contrast to the higher mutagenicity of 1-chloromethylpyrene (CMP) than SMP in bacteria, CMP formed smaller amounts of hepatic benzylic DNA adducts in rats than the sulfuric acid ester. SMA and SMP were weak skin tumor initiators in the mouse, but they were more active than HMA and HMP in this regard.
3D surface perception from motion involves a temporal–parietal network

Previous research has suggested that three-dimensional (3D) structure-from-motion (SFM) perception in humans involves several motion-sensitive occipital and parietal brain areas. By contrast, SFM perception in nonhuman primates seems to involve the temporal lobe including areas MT, MST and FST. The present functional magnetic resonance imaging study compared several motion-sensitive regions of interest including the superior temporal sulcus (STS) while human observers viewed horizontally moving dots that defined either a 3D corrugated surface or a 3D random volume. Low-level stimulus features such as dot density and velocity vectors as well as attention were tightly controlled. Consistent with previous research we found that 3D corrugated surfaces elicited stronger responses than random motion in occipital and parietal brain areas including area V3A, the ventral and dorsal intraparietal sulcus, the lateral occipital sulcus and the fusiform gyrus. Additionally, 3D corrugated surfaces elicited stronger activity in area MT and the STS but not in area MST. Brain activity in the STS but not in area MT correlated with interindividual differences in 3D surface perception. Our findings suggest that area MT is involved in the analysis of optic flow patterns such as speed gradients and that the STS in humans plays a greater role in the analysis of 3D SFM than previously thought.
On the compossibility of the divine attributes

Recent proponents of the ontological argument have leamed an important lesson from Leibniz: the argument requires the assumption, or premise, that God is possible. In one form or another this premise appears in the versions of the argument endorsed by Hartshome, Malcolm, and Plantinga.1 But Leibniz's lesson has not been taken fully to heart by his modem followers. He thinks that to bring the argument to a triumphant conclusion one needs to prove that God is possible. For without this proof, we have no assurance that the idea of God is noncontradictory.2 So Leibniz struggled vainly I think to produce two proofs of the possibility of God.3 His modem followers, however, have on the whole simply assumed the truth of the critical premise.4 The fact that there has been relatively little effort to show that the concept of God is not coherent probably contributes to whatever plausibility this procedure has.5 But, plausible or not, the procedure is mistaken. The concept of God is contradictory as I shall argue shortly. Establishing this would have consequences that go beyond the ontological argument: the entire edifice of orthodox natural theology would fall at a stroke.6 In arguing that the idea of God is contradictory it is important to be clear about what idea of God I have in mind. My target is the standard Judeo-Christian theological conception of divinity, a being who is by definition absolutely perfect. 'Absolute perfection' is to be taken in a sense strong enough to involve the properties of omniscience, omnipotence, and complete moral goodness. The idea of an absolutely perfect being is that of one who knows all things, has unrestricted power, possesses the maximum amount of virtue, and is free of any sort of defect or limitation. There have been other accounts of deity, and the argument I am going to propose does not apply to all of them. One cannot refute, with a single argument, the existence of such diverse Gods as have been conceived. God has, for example, sometimes been said to be limited in his power, or finite in some other way.
Formation of d-3-hydroxybutyryl-coenzyme A by an acetoacetyl-coenzyme A reductase in Syntrophomonas wolfei subsp. wolfei

Cell-free extracts of Syntrophomonas wolfei subsp. wolfei synthesized d-(-)-3-hydroxybutyryl-coenzyme A (CoA) (the stereoisomer required for the synthesis of poly-β-hydroxyalkanoate) from acetoacetyl-CoA, but not crotonyl-CoA, and NAD(P)H. Ammonium sulfate fractionation and ion exchange chromatography separated an acetoacetyl-CoA reductase activity that formed d-(-)-3-hydroxybutyryl-CoA from the β-oxidation enzyme activity, l-(+)-3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase. The former activity was further purified by hydroxylapatite and affinity chromatography. The most pure acetoacetyl-CoA reductase preparations formed d-(-)-3-hydroxybutyryl-CoA from acetoacetyl-CoA and had high specific activities using either NADH or NADPH as the electron donor. Thus, S. wolfei makes d-(-)-3-hydroxybutyryl-CoA by an acetoacetyl-CoA reductase rather than by a d-isomer specific enoyl-CoA hydratase and the reducing equivalents required for PHA synthesis from acetoacetyl-CoA can be supplied from the NADH made during β-oxidation.
Preventing Terrorism and International Conflict

Abstract This study tested the hypothesis that group practice of the Transcendental Meditation (TM)1 and TM-Sidhi1 programs by approximately the square root of 1% of the world's population globally reduces terrorism and international conflict. For 3 periods during 1983-1985, ranging from 8 to 11 days, practitioners of these programs assembled in one place to practice in a group. Data on the numbers of casualties and fatalities due to terrorism were obtained from the Rand Corporation and grouped as five-day aggregates, forming a single time series spanning the 3 assemblies. Data on international conflict were generated from date-blind ratings of news events in the New York Times and London Times to give comparable blocks for time series analysis before, during, and after each of the assemblies. Time series intervention analyses used the Akaike information criterion to objectively define optimal noise models. The analyses found a 72% drop in terrorism (p < .025) and an average drop of 32% in international c...
EEG correlates of sustained attention: Hemispheric and sex differences

Subjects were presented with sets of four digits, and had to respond only when all the digits in a set were odd. The EEG was measured from occipital-parietal derivations over the left and right hemispheres, and the energy within each of five frequency bands was integrated over 3-sec epochs corresponding to the presentation of individual sets of digits. The EEG abundance was found to be lower the more a digit set resembled a signal, but hemisphere differences in this effect tended to be small and to occur only in certain frequency bands. The effect for stimulus type changed over time in some frequency bands, but there were no differences between the hemispheres in this change. Nor were sex differences in lateralization found. Reaction time was found to correlate positively with (a) EEG abundance, and (b) EEG differentiation of stimuli, in the theta and low alpha frequency bands.
Periglacial geomorphology of the Appalachian highlands and interior highlands south of the glacial border — A review

Abstract Many features reported in the Appalachian region have been assigned a paleoperiglacial origin based on field relationships and their similarities with analogs active in present day actuoperiglacial environments. These forms include, but are not limited to, sorted and nonsorted varieties of patterned ground, grezes litees, block fields, block slopes, and block streams, cryoplanation terraces, and hillslope and river terrace landscapes. Although very small-scale features (generally less than 1 m in plan or section dimension) and some larger forms on steep hillslopes are known to be at least sporadically active today, the large-scale features discussed here are interpreted as either inactive or truly fossil periglacial phenomena. Thus they hav implications for paleoclimatic reconstruction and significance as indicators of relative landscape stability since the time(s) of their development. This paper briefly reviews the historical dimension of early researchs' work, present selected examples of recent results, and gives authors' conclusions.
Self-consistent ion-by-ion growth model for kinetic isotopic fractionation during calcite precipitation

Abstract Microscopic mechanisms operating at the mineral–aqueous interface control rates of growth and dissolution, isotope fractionation and trace element partitioning during crystal growth. Despite the importance of characterizing surface kinetic controls on isotopic partitioning, no self-consistent microscopic theory has yet been presented which can simultaneously model both mineral growth rate and isotopic composition. Using a kinetic theory for AB or di-ionic crystal growth, we derive a model to predict precipitation rate and isotope fractionation as a function of growth solution oversaturation and solution stoichiometry and apply the theory to calcium isotope fractionation during calcite precipitation. Our model assimilates the current understanding of surface controlled isotope fractionation with kinetic theories of ion-by-ion mineral growth to predict isotopic partitioning during the growth of ionic crystals. This approach accounts for the effect of solution composition on microscopic mineral surface structure and composition, providing numerous testable hypotheses for growth of sparingly soluble AB crystals such as calcite, namely: (1) Both oversaturation and solution stoichiometry control growth rate and partitioning of isotopes during precipitation; (2) for growth driven primarily by step propagation, distinct expressions describe dislocation- and 2D nucleation-driven growth rates, while the expression for isotope fractionation is the same for both mechanisms; (3) mineral precipitation occurring via the formation of an amorphous precursor will generate isotope effects that are not compatible with ion-by-ion growth theory and may therefore be excluded from comparison; and, (4) the absolute kinetic limit of isotope fractionation may not be accessible at high oversaturation due to the formation of amorphous precursors. Using calcite as a model system, we derive expressions for growth rate and isotopic fractionation as a function of oversaturation and Ca 2 + : CO 3 2 − in solution. Increasing oversaturation increases mineral growth rate and drives isotope partitioning towards the kinetic limit, while increasing the concentration of Ca 2 + relative to CO 3 2 − at a given oversaturation tends to drive crystal growth towards isotopic equilibrium. These competing effects attenuate the magnitude of isotope fractionations observable in terrestrial environments.
Parallel summation, Maxwell's principle and the infimum of projections

Abstract In this paper we apply Maxwell's principle to give simple proofs of the properties of R: S, the parallel sum of two positive semi-definite linear operators. The parallel sum has been studied by Anderson, Ando, Duffin, Fillmore, Mitra, Williams, and others. In particular we give a short, elementary, and geometric proof of the result of Anderson and Duffin that gives the infimum of two orthogonal projections as twice their parallel sum.
Population coding in area V4 during rapid shape detections

While previous studies have suggested that neuronal correlations are common in visual cortex over a range of timescales, the effect of correlations on rapid visually based decisions has received li...
Vascular effects of estrogens: arterial protection versus venous thrombotic risk

Mechanisms by which estrogen reduces the risk of arterial disease, while simultaneously increasing the risk of venous thrombosis in postmenopausal women, are not clearly understood. In addition to providing beneficial arterial effects on the lipid profile, estrogen both increases production of nitric oxide and decreases production of endothelin-1 from arterial endothelium, decreases intracellular calcium in arterial smooth muscle and might favor fibrinolysis. All of these effects could act in concert to protect against development of arterial occlusive disease. However, comparable effects on venous endothelium and smooth muscle have not been studied systematically, and although blood elements such as platelets and leukocytes contain estrogen receptors, much remains to be learned about the effect that dose and duration of estrogen-treatment might have upon these cells. An integrative approach to understanding the actions of estrogen on the venous system and the interaction of blood elements with the vascular wall is necessary before new therapeutic interventions will provide arterial protection with no risk of venous thrombosis.
Isolation for the control of infection in skin wards.

Abstract An isolation policy in a hospital for skin diseases is reported. Patients carrying penicillin- and tetracycline-resistant organisms were to be isolated in single rooms, though barrier nursing was not practised. The policy failed because the single beds rapidly became blocked with long-stay patients and because even in a single-bed unit patients acquired staphylococci within 3-7 days of admission. Patients with skin diseases often do not feel `ill' and resent isolation.
Adenosine 3',5'-Monophosphate Phosphodiesterase: Multiple Molecular Forms

By starch-gel electrophoresis and a specific staining technique, seven different molecular forms of cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase have been demonstrated in supernatants from homogenates of rat and rabbit tissues. No tissue contains more than four components, but there are distinct differences in component patterns among the various tissues. Tentative molecular weights of the three most prevalent components of rat tissues have been estimated at 135,000, 150,000, and 167,000 by sucrose density gradient centrifugation.
The Medjerda Plan: A Precedent To Agrarian Reform In Tunisia

(1967). The Medjerda Plan: A Precedent To Agrarian Reform In Tunisia. The Professional Geographer: Vol. 19, No. 1, pp. 17-22.
Normal T-lymphocyte function in psoriatic patients undergoing methoxsalen photochemotherapy.

Peripheral blood lymphocytes from psoriatic patients undergoing photochemotherapy using oral 8- methoxypsoralen and high-intensity long-wave ultraviolet radiation, were isolated and their ability to respond to phytohemagglutinin and to form spontaneous rosettes with sheep red blood cells was measured in vitro. Seventeen patients were investigated who had received 200 to 3700 Joules/cm2 of ultraviolet radiation over a 6- to 33-month period. No significant defects in lymphocyte blastogenesis or E-rosette formation were detected in these patients.
Seasonal Habitat Use by Walleye in a Warmwater River System, as Determined by Radiotelemetry

Abstract Thirty-one adult walleyes Stizostedion vitreum were implanted with radio transmitters and tracked in the main-stem Ceder River, Iowa, and two of its tributaries from September 1986 through July 1988. The objectives were to (1) identify specific habitat use by walleyes at various times of the year; (2) determine interstream movement patterns; and (3) identify walleye spawning sites. Fish with transmitters were located 363 times, and 92% of fish locations were within 9.7 km of a dam on the Ceder River. Walleyes preferred (P < 0.05) gravel-cobble substrates during autumn and were often in water 1.25–1.8 m deep. Overhead cover was not essential. When decreasing water temperature approached 5°C, most fish overwintered in pools 1.5–3.0 m deep. Activity of walleyes increased as spring water temperature rose to about 2.8°C, the approximate temperature at which most walleyes moved upstream. Actual spawning took place at about 11°C and occurred in a riffle (the tailwater of a dam) comprising large cobble a...
Simultaneous monitoring of the decay of density and average energy of electrons in the early afterglow of pulsed N2 discharges

Abstract Temporal decay of both the density and the average energy of electrons is simultaneously monitored in the early afterglow of pulsed N 2 discharges. Results show the ambiguities associated with the interpretation of electron density decay curves under the possible influence of ionizing metastable-metastable collisions.
Lactate dehydrogenase isozymes before and after initiation of the heartbeat in embryos of the Mexican axolotl.

Abstract 1. 1. Lactate dehydrogenase isozymes were studied by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis before and after the initiation of the heartbeat in embryos of the Mexican axolotl. 2. 2. No change was observed in the LDH isozymes between the preheatbeat stage of cardiac development and immediately after the initiation of intrinsic activity. 3. 3. An increase in cathodal activity of LDH isozymes was seen at feeding stages of development and in hearts from juvenile and adult axolotls.
Chaucer and the Friars

AMONG the many unlovely characters in the General Prologue to the Canterbury Tales, the Friar is one of the rather small group with no mitigating virtues. Whenever Chaucer has occasion to mention friars, we get the same characterization, of unextenuated hypocritical villany. Besides the sketch of Huberd the Friar in the Prologue, there is the Summoner's Prologue and Tale and the remark of the WVife of Bath that since the banishment of fairies,
Metastable Phase of the Au(111) Surface in Electrolyte Revealed by STM and Asymmetric Potential Pulse Perturbation

We report, for the first time, a new phase of the Au(111) surface that is different from the well-known reconstructed (22 × √3) and the unreconstructed (1 × 1) states. This new metastable phase is characterized by a high density of highly mobile atoms, the absence of islands, and a paucity of reconstruction stripes. This phase results from the lifting of the reconstruction in the 0.1 M HClO4 interface that is induced by an asymmetric potential pulse perturbation and observed as the potential is stepped down, into the range from 0.3 to 0.45 VSCE, where the potential is neither high enough to form a stable unreconstructed Au(111)-(1 × 1) with islands nor low enough to form stable reconstructed Au(111)-(22 × √3) stripes. Our experiments demonstrate that the reconstruction process can be independent from Au island decay. Furthermore, we discovered that the formation of the (22 × √3) phase from the metastable phase is a fast process, which indicates that previous reports of slow Au(111) reconstruction, i.e., (...
Recrystallized chondrules in the Sharps (H-3) chondrite

Abstract Microprobe analyses of fifty chondrules in the Sharps (H-3) chondrite showed three to contain essentially homogeneous, calcium-poor olivines. All three show textural evidence of recrystallization, which is subtle in two and pronounced in one. It is concluded that these chondrules were recrystallized before they entered Sharps. Although Sharps is an H-group chondrite, the recrystallized chondrules have olivine and pyroxene compositions appropriate to recrystallized LL-group chondrites. They thus suggest that low-iron material, with a complex previous history, was present at the place of formation of the H-group chondrites.
Effect of electrical stimulation in VPM on saccharin preference and water intake in cats.

Elektrische Reizung im VPM-Nukleus der Katze setzt die Schwellenkonzentration bei denjenigen Tieren, die Saccharinlosung reinem Wasser vorzogen, auffallend herab.
Agricultural Trade and Investment Opportunities in Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union: Discussion

Agricultural economists are frequently involved in advising decision makers, directly or indirectly, on how the market system might disentangle the interrelatedness of Havel's set of problems. As empiricists we view natural experiments as observations upon which we test theoretically generated hypotheses. The Penn, Gady-Peyton, and Ohannesian (PGPO) papers can be viewed as observations of how their or-
Design and synthesis of irreversible depsipeptidyl human rhinovirus 3C protease inhibitors

Novel tripeptidyl C-terminal Michael acceptors with an ester replacement of the P(2)-P(3) amide bond were investigated as irreversible inhibitors of the human rhinovirus (HRV) 3C protease (3CP). When screened against HRV serotype-14 the best compound was shown to have very good 3CP inhibition (k(obs)/[I]=270,000M(-1)s(-1)) and potent in vitro antiviral activity (EC(50)=7.0nM).
The stereochemistry of pinidine.

Abstract The stereochemistry of pinidine, a piperidine alkaloid from Pinus sabiniana, was established by chemical and spectroscopic methods as 2-(R)-methyl-6-(R)-(2-trans-propenyl)-piperidine (XXI). Some interesting rearrangements which occurred during degradative studies are discussed, and the configuration of pinidine is compared with that of related alkaloids.
A population model for limited food competition

Abstract In this paper a deterministic differential equation system is proposed to model the population dynamics of a biological community in which two species on the same trophic level compete for a common food, taken to be in limited supply. Food limitation is assumed to be the only inhibition of the growth of the populations and food quantity is assumed to be only affected by consumption. The model is thus designed to mimic a closed experimental situation rather than a natural community. Analytical properties of the solution of the differential equation system are developed and corresponding biological interpretations suggested. Cited laboratory data on the experimental batch community consisting of the marine ciliates Euplotes vannus and Uronema marinum feeding on bacteria motivated the model and supported its analytic properties.
A new family of cyclophilins with an RNA recognition motif that interact with members of the trx/MLL protein family in Drosophila and human cells.

A new family of cyclophilins with an RNA recognition motif (RRM) has members in vertebrates, roundworms and flatworms. We have identified a Drosophila cyclophilin, Dcyp33, with a high degree of amino acid sequence identity and similarity with other members of the family. Dcyp33 interacts through its RRM domain with the third PHD finger of trithorax. This interaction is conserved in the human homologues of these proteins, Cyp33 and MLL. Over expression of Dcyp33 in Drosophila SL1 cells results in down-regulation of AbdominalB Hox gene expression, mirroring the effect of human Cyp33 on the expression of human HOX genes.
Efficacy of bicarbonate in decreasing pain on intradermal injection of local anesthetics: a meta-analysis.

Objective: Intradermal injection of local anesthetic often results in pain on injection due in part to the acidic pH of commercially prepared solutions, which are optimized to prolong shelf life. Although there are other possible explanations (eg, noxious properties of local anesthetics, pressure effect of infiltration), the etiology is most likely multifactorial. Although addition of bicarbonate to local anesthetics may decrease pain on intradermal injection, the extent of this analgesic effect is uncertain. We performed a meta-analysis of available trials investigating pain during intradermal injection of buffered local anesthetic preparations. Methods: We searched the National Library of Medicine9s PubMed database for all relevant articles published on the topic through November 2006. Inclusion criteria included double-blind, randomized controlled trials and use of a visual analog scale to measure pain on infiltration of local anesthetic buffered with sodium bicarbonate compared with that of unbuffered local anesthetic. Meta-analysis was performed using the Review Manager 4.2.7 (The Cochrane Collaboration, 2004). A random-effects model was used. Results: Our search resulted in 86 abstracts, of which 12 articles met all inclusion criteria. Overall, there were 609 observations for buffered local anesthetic and 615 for unbuffered local anesthetic. Use of buffered local anesthetic resulted in a statistically lower weighted mean difference in visual analog scale of −1.17 (95% confidence interval, −1.68 to −0.67) compared with unbuffered local anesthetic. Conclusions: Our systematic review suggests that the use of buffered local anesthetics seems to be associated with a statistical decrease in pain of infiltration when compared with unbuffered local anesthetic.
Evolution of New Disease Specificity at a Simple Resistance Locus in a Crop-weed Complex: Reconstitution of the Lr21 Gene in Wheat

The wheat leaf-rust resistance gene Lr21 was first identified in an Iranian accession of goatgrass, Aegilops tauschii Coss., the D-genome donor of hexaploid bread wheat, and was introgressed into modern wheat cultivars by breeding. To elucidate the origin of the gene, we analyzed sequences of Lr21 and lr21 alleles from 24 wheat cultivars and 25 accessions of Ae. tauschii collected along the Caspian Sea in Iran and Azerbaijan. Three basic nonfunctional lr21 haplotypes, H1, H2, and H3, were identified. Lr21 was found to be a chimera of H1 and H2, which were found only in wheat. We attempted to reconstitute a functional Lr21 allele by crossing the cultivars Fielder (H1) and Wichita (H2). Rust inoculation of 5876 F2 progeny revealed a single resistant plant that proved to carry the H1H2 haplotype, a result attributed to intragenic recombination. These findings reflect how plants balance the penalty and the necessity of a resistance gene and suggest that plants can reuse “dead” alleles to generate new disease-resistance specificity, leading to a “death–recycle” model of plant-resistance gene evolution at simple loci. We suggest that selection pressure in crop–weed complexes contributes to this process.
Exercise capacity in single-ventricle patients after Fontan correlates with haemodynamic energy loss in TCPC

Objective Elevated energy loss in the total cavopulmonary connection (TCPC) is hypothesised to have a detrimental effect on clinical outcomes in single-ventricle physiology, which may be magnified with exercise. This study investigates the relationship between TCPC haemodynamic energy dissipation and exercise performance in single-ventricle patients. Methods Thirty consecutive Fontan patients with TCPC and standard metabolic exercise testing were included. Specific anatomies and flow rates at rest and exercise were obtained from cardiac MR (CMR) and phase-encoded velocity mapping. Exercise CMR images were acquired immediately following supine lower limb exercise using a CMR-compatible cycle ergometer. Computational fluid dynamics simulations were performed to determine power loss of the TCPC anatomies using in vivo anatomies and measured flows. Results A significant negative linear correlation was observed between indexed power loss at exercise and (a) minute oxygen consumption (r=−0.60, p 3.0263 , p Conclusions This is the first study to demonstrate the relationship between power loss and exercise performance with the TCPC being one of the few modifiable factors to allow for improved quality of life. These results suggest that aerobic exercise tolerance in Fontan patients may, in part, be a consequence of TCPC power loss.
Variable Competition between Insect Herbivores on Genetically Variable Host Plants

Spatial heterogeneity in competition models has been shown to reduce the intensity of competition and to lead to coexistence of competitors that would not coexist if they had homogeneous distributions among patches (Atkinson and Shorrocks 1981, Ives and May 1985, Chesson 1986, Ives 1988). Although variation in plant quality for insect herbivores is widespread, little attention has been given to whether this source of variation is resource quality might affect interspecific competition between herbivorous insects. There are two ways in which variation in plant quality can affect competition between herbivores. First, habitat characteristics can change competitive relationships between species (e.g., Park 1954, Edson 1985). Species that are superior competitors on some plants may be inferior competitors on other, nonspecific host plants. Genetic variation in plant resistance to herbivores, or environmental effects on plant phenotypic variation, could create a variable competitive environment for insect herbivores. Second, patterns of covariance of herbivores among plants in response to phenotypic variation in quality can affect the long term coexistence of herbivores (Ives 1988). Thus, knowing if the covariance patterns of herbivore species among host plants influence the occurrence and outcome of interspecific competition is important in understanding the frequency of competition among herbivorous insects and in determining which herbivores are likely to be affected by competition. Fritz et al. (1987) and Fritz and Price (1988) showed that densities and proportions of four species of gallforming sawflies differed significantly among field and cloned willow plants. This sort of variation may be an important source of variation that could influence interspecific competition between coexisting herbivores. To my knowledge no studies have yet shown that competition between herbivores varies among genotypes of host plant that they occupy. In this paper I reanalyze the data of Fritz et al. (1986) and address the question:
Cultural Competence Training for Clinical Staff Measuring the Effect of a One-Hour Class on Cultural Competence

In an environment of changing demographics and health care disparities, it is essential that nurses continue to develop competence in providing care across cultures. This article presents the findings of a pilot project to measure and compare self-reported cultural competence scores before and after participation in one of the core classes of a cultural competence curriculum. Cultural competence of the staff of a patient care unit (N = 98) was assessed prior to the class, at 3 months, and at 6 months posteducation using the Inventory for Assessing the Process of Cultural Competence Among Healthcare Professionals-Revised. The results demonstrated that following an educational intervention the participants self-reported a statistically significant increase (p = .03) in cultural competence within the category range of cultural awareness. Providing cultural competence education may better equip nurses to care for patients from diverse cultures.
To Europa and beyond (enabled by a small-RPS)

Solar System Exploration (SSE) to the Outer Planets requires internal power sources, since external power generation, relying on solar power, is not very effective or practical. One of the scientifically interesting destinations in this region is Jupiter's moon Europa, where a lander would require internal power sources, such as batteries or radioisotope power systems (RPS) to achieve mission success. This paper discusses a Europa lander concept as a potential adjunct element to NASA's proposed Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter (JIMO) mission. The lander would operate on the surface for 3 to 14 days, performing astrobiology, geophysics and geological-compositional measurements as defined by the JIMO Science Definition Team (SDT). The power system trade study for this concept compares small-RPSs up to /spl sim/50 We against primary batteries. Additional SSE destinations are also outlined, where small-RPSs provide a viable option to accomplish science and mission objectives.
The Nyu Ultracomputer Designing a MIMD Shared Memory Parallel Machine

The design for the NYU ultracomputer, a shared-memory MIMD parallel machine composed of thousands of autonomous processing elements is presented. This machine uses an enhanced message switching network with the geometry of an omega-network to approximate the ideal behaviour of Schwartz's paracomputer model of computation and to implement efficiently the important fetch-and-add synchronisation primitive. The hardware which would be required to build a 4096 processor system using 1990s technology is outlined. System software issues are discussed and analytic studies of the network performance are presented. A sample of efforts to implement and simulate parallel variants of important scientific programs is included. 37 references.
Is there Evidence of Learning‐by‐Exporting in Turkish Manufacturing Industries?

Abstract Exporting has always been thought of as one tool to improve productivity and, consequently, to spur economic growth in low‐ to middle‐income economies. However, empirical evidence of this so‐called ‘learning‐by‐exporting’ effect has been limited. This article determines whether learning‐by‐exporting is evident in two Turkish manufacturing sectors—the textile and apparel (T&A) and the motor vehicle and parts (MV&P) industries. A semi‐parametric estimator that controls for problems associated with simultaneity and unobserved plant heterogeneity is used to test the learning‐by‐exporting hypothesis. After controlling for these issues, our results suggest statistically stronger learning‐by‐exporting effects in the T&A than in the MV&P industry. The highly concentrated and capital‐intensive nature of the MV&P industry is the main reason for the lower learning‐by‐exporting effect in this sector. From a policy perspective, this implies that targeting export‐enhancing policies to industries with significa...
Science Signaling Podcast: 07 October 2008

This conversation is about research highlighted in the Editors9 Choice summary titled, “Promoting an Inactivating Partnership.” The highlighted article is G. Hajishengallis, M. Wang, S. Liang, M. Triantafilou, K. Triantafilou, “Pathogen induction of CXCR4/TLR2 cross-talk impairs host defense function,” Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 105 , 13532–13537 (2008).
Sketch-Based Streaming PCA Algorithm for Network-Wide Traffic Anomaly Detection

Internet has become an essential part of the daily life for billions of users worldwide, who are using a large variety of network services and applications everyday. However, there have been serious security problems and network failures that are hard to resolve, for example, botnet attacks, polymorphic worm/virus spreading, DDoS, and flash crowds. To address many of these problems, we need to have a network-wide view of the traffic dynamics, and more importantly, be able to detect traffic anomalies in a timely manner. Spatial analysis methods have been proved to be effective in detecting network-wide traffic anomalies that are not detectable at a single monitor. To our knowledge, Principle Component Analysis (PCA) is the best-known spatial detection method for the coordinated low-profile traffic anomalies. However, existing PCA-based solutions have scalability problems in that they require linear running time and space to analyze the traffic measurements within a sliding window, which makes it often infeasible to be deployed for monitoring large-scale high-speed networks. We propose a sketch-based streaming PCA algorithm for the network-wide traffic anomaly detection in a distributed fashion. Our algorithm only requires logarithmic running time and space at both local monitors and Network Operation Centers (NOCs), and can detect both high-profile and coordinated low-profile traffic anomalies with bounded errors.
Enhanced Migration of Gasohol Fuels in Clay Soils and Sediments

Clay soils have low hydraulic conductivities in the presence of high polarity pore fluids, such as water. Low polarity fluids, including hydrocarbon fuels and halogenated organic solvents, typically cannot migrate into clay pores because they cannot displace water. Oxygenated additives in gasoline, such as alcohols and methyl-tert-butyl ether, are increasingly being used to control air pollution emissions. These relatively polar and water-soluble compounds may facilitate displacement of pore water and enhance migration of fuels and solvents through clay-rich soil strata. In the reported research, the migration of gasoline-alcohol fuel mixtures (gasohol) through consolidated clay was examined. Prepared kaolinite clay samples were consolidated from slurry, and various combinations of gasoline, alcohol, and water were applied to the clays under 152 Pa pressure in a fixed-wall permeameter. Movement of the fluids into the clay samples was monitored by measuring displaced pore fluid and by magnetic resonance imaging of the samples. Changes in clay aggregate structure were examined using environmental-scanning electron microscopy. Results of the research suggest that alcohol added to hydrocarbon fuels can enhance their migration through clays. Gasoline did not migrate into water-saturated clay, even after 14 days under pressure. The gasohol mixture migrated readily into the clay in only 20 minutes. Increased hydraulic conductivity of the clay in the presence of gasohol is hypothesized to be due to the collapse of the clay9s pores thereby creating larger pores. Increasing pore diameter decreases the capillary pressure needed for the gasohol to replace water and allows gasohol to migrate through the clay.
Streptococcal Toxic Shock Syndrome Associated with Necrotizing Fasciitis

Streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (strep TSS) with associated necrotizing fasciitis is a rapidly progressive process that kills 30-60% of patients in 72-96 h. Violaceous bullae, hypotension, fever, and evidence of organ failure are late clinical manifestations. Thus, the challenge to clinicians is to make an early diagnosis and to intervene with aggressive fluid replacement, emergent surgical debridement, and general supportive measures. Superantigens such as pyrogenic exotoxin A interact with monocytes and T lymphocytes in unique ways, resulting in T-cell proliferation and watershed production of monokines (e.g. tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin 1, interleukin 6), and lymphokines (e.g. tumor necrosis factor beta, interleukin 2, and gamma-interferon). Penicillin, though efficacious in mild Streptococcus pyogenes infection, is less effective in severe infections because of its short postantibiotic effect, inoculum effect, and reduced activity against stationary-phase organisms. Emerging treatments for strep TSS include clindamycin and intravenous gamma-globulin.
U.S. Social Welfare Reform: Policy Transitions from 1981 to the Present, by Richard K Caputo

New York, NY: Springer, (307 pp., $169.00, ISBN 978-1-4419-7673-4). U.S. Social Welfare Reform: Policy Transitions from 1981 to the Present examines changes in U.S. social welfare policies from 198...
AUTOMATIC ROOF OUTLINES RECONSTRUCTION FROM PHOTOGRAMMETRIC DSM

The extraction of geometric and semantic information from image and range data is one of the main research topics. Between the different geomatics products, 3D city models have shown to be a valid instrument for several applications. As a consequence, the interest for automated solutions able to speed up and reduce the costs for 3D model generation is greatly increased. Image matching techniques can nowadays provide for dense and reliable point clouds, practically comparable to LiDAR ones in terms of accuracy and completeness. In this paper a methodology for the geometric reconstruction of roof outlines (eaves, ridges and pitches) from aerial images is presented. The approach keeps in count the fact the usually photogrammetrically derived point clouds and DSMs are more noisy with respect to LiDAR data. A data driven approach is used in order to keep the maximum flexibility and to achieve satisfying reconstructions with different typologies of buildings. Some tests and examples are reported showing the suitability of photogrammetric DSM for this topic and the performances of the developed algorithm in different operative conditions.