cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Analysis of single frequency Raman amplifier for guide star application

We present theoretical and experimental results on the scalability of amplifying a single-frequency diode laser operating at 1178 nm through the utilization of a core pumped Raman fiber amplifier. A model that accounts for stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) and stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) in both co-pumped and counter-pumped configurations is developed. In order to mitigate the SBS process, a multi-step temperature distribution that is spatially optimized along the length of fiber is investigated numerically. We also present preliminary experimental results on a co-pumped Raman amplifier with an output power of 12 W and a measured Brillouin gain coefficient of approximately 1.2×10 -11 m/W.
Renal conservation of carnitine by infants and adults: no evidence of developmental regulation.

Abstract To determine the efficiency of renal conservation of carnitine in infants, urinary carnitine excretion was measured at intervals in 10 infants while plasma carnitine concentration was manipulated by supplementing carnitine-free formula with 0 μM, 140 μM and 280 μM l -carnitine. As carnitine supplementation increased from 0 μM to 280 μM, fractional excretion of free carnitine increased tenfold from 0.6% to 6.0%; fractional excretion of acylcarnitine esters increased to a lesser degree (10.5–15.6%). At all supplementation levels fractional excretion of acylcarnitine esters was significantly greater than fractional excretion of free carnitine. We conclude that free and esterified carnitine are handled differently in the infant kidney. Results in infants were compared to previously reported data for adults. Mean fractional excretions of total, free and esterified carnitine by infants (7.2%, 5.4% and 12.7%, respectively) were similar to those by adults (6.5%, 5.0% and 15.0%). Thus, renal losses of carnitine apparently do not account for the low plasma carnitine concentrations observed in infants fed carnitine-free formulas.
Self-Efficacy Mediates the Associations of Social Support and Depression with Treatment Adherence in Heart Failure Patients

Nonadherence to treatment recommendations is a leading preventable cause of rehospitalization and premature mortality in chronic heart failure (HF) patients. This study examined whether self-efficacy mediates the contributions of social support and depression to treatment adherence. A sample of 252 HF outpatients with a mean age of 54 years completed self-report questionnaires assessing depression, perceived social support, self-efficacy, and treatment adherence. Self-efficacy mediated the associations of social support and depression with treatment adherence after adjusting for demographic (age, gender, marital status, education, and ethnicity) and medical (New York Heart Association Classification and comorbidity) covariates. Self-efficacy explains the influence of social support and depression on treatment adherence and may be a key target for interventions to improve disease management and self-care behaviors in HF patients.
What you see is what you should get

This paper summarizes our work on optimization of video content compression in the context of the end user. I will briefly explain motivation and novelty of the work that presents the bulk of my dissertation research. Preliminary experiments with promising results are encouraging further steps that should lead to completion of a model for video compression that uses most of available bits for the video content that is actually seen. By this we mean the content that user attends to. Everything else is coded with much less bits, leading to significant savings compared to state-of-the-art coding techniques. Our work should be regarded as extension and not replacement of the hybrid coding paradigm.
Cross-modal interaction using XWeb

The XWeb project addresses the problem of interacting with services by means of a variety of interactive platforms. Interactive clients are provided on a variety of hardware/software platforms that can access and XWeb service. Creators of services need not be concerned with interactive techniques or devices. The cross platform problems of a network model of interaction, adaptation to screen size and supporting both speech and visual interfaces in the same model are addressed.
Production of Various Forms of Plasminogen Activator and Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor by Cultured Mammary Eplthelial Cells

Abstract We examined amounts and types of plasminogen activator and plasminogen activator inhibitor produced by cultured bovine mammary epithelial cells. The MAC-T and two other mammary epithelial cell lines, MACT-UV1 and MACT-UV2 derived from the parental MAC-T cells by subcloning, were used as model systems. Cells were cultured in a medium free of serum and protein. Data showed that MACT-UV2 cells produced 6.2 and 17.2% more plasminogen activator than MACT-UV1 and parental MAC-T cells, respectively. Addition of amiloride, a specific urokinaseplasminogen activator inhibitor, dramatically decreased the activity in the culture medium of parental and subclonal lines, indicating that urokinase-plasminogen activator was present. Zymography revealed the presence of urokinaseplasminogen activator with an approximate molecular mass of 50,000 kDa in the culture medium of parental MAC-T cells. The culture medium of the subclonal lines contained urokinaseplasminogen activator and tissueplasminogen activator with approximate molecular masses of 50,000 and 75,000 kDa, respectively. Complexes of both types of plasminogen activators with plasminogen activator-inhibitor-1 were detected in the culture medium of subclonal lines.
Effect of corticosteroids on arachidonate induced mortality in male and female mice.

Abstract Sodium arachidonate (50 mg/kg) given intravenously to male and female mice induces pulmonary emboli followed by respiratory distress and cyanosis. Female mice are significantly more resistant to this treatment than male mice. Cortisone pretreatment for four days to intact mice (10 mg/kg/day/4 days) had a significant protective effect in both males and females against arachidonate toxicity, eliminating the sex difference previously observed. Adrenalectomy four days before arachidonate infusion increased the sensitivity to SA and resulted in 100% mortality in both sexes. Pretreatment of adrenalized animals with cortisone significantly reduced to some degree the mortality rate in both sexes. Castration of male and female mice three weeks before adrenalectomy did not affect the mortality rate seen following adrenalectomy alone. In conclusion, exogenous cortical steroids augment the resistance of even intact mice and are absolutely necessary for survival in adrenalectomized animals. The observed sex differences in untreated intact animals is not seen after treatment with cortisone or adrenalectomy.
Pulmonary embolism as a result of Hickman catheter-related thrombosis.

S ince their introduction in the 197Os, Hickman catheters and similar venous access devices have become widely used in the management of patients with cancer [l-5] because of the ease they confer on blood drawing and administration of intravenous medications, nutrition, and hydration. As with other intravascular foreign objects, the complications of infection and thrombosis have been encountered but have in general been readily managed [6]. Adequate management requires prompt diagnosis for which a high index of suspicion is needed. Two cases of pulmonary embolism from superior vena caval thrombosis due to a Hickman catheter seen by the authors during a recent two-month period emphasize that this complication is not rare. These cases are presented with a review of the literature reporting thrombosis and pulmonary embolism due to Hickman catheters and similar venous access devices.
Role of the Diadic Cleft in Myocardial Contractile Control

The diadic cleft space is the region of the cell, in mammalian heart, between the JSR membrane and the inner leaflet of the T-tubular SL membrane. As results accumulate from various laboratories, the role of the cleft region in regulation of the calcium movements of the cell seems to be of considerable significance. Much remains to be learned about the region, but enough is currently known to warrant a brief perspective at this time. In terms of calcium control of contraction, it is useful initially to compare this control in skeletal and cardiac muscle, because both demonstrate cleft structure: diadic in the heart, triadic in skeletal muscle. A simple experiment, which attracted little attention at the time, clearly showed that the process of excitation-contraction coupling is very different in skeletal and heart muscle. Armstrong et al1 showed that single fibers from frog semitendinosus muscle continued to contract for 20 minutes or longer when perfused with zero calcium plus EGTA ([Ca]<10−8 mol/L). By contrast, removal of calcium from the perfusate bathing ventricular cells completely eliminates contraction within the period between two beats.2 Just before the Armstrong study, Endo et al3 demonstrated the process of CICR in skinned skeletal muscle fibers. Ironically, he later found4 that the process occurred only in heavily calcium-loaded or caffeine-treated skeletal SR and was not physiological for this tissue. Fabiato,5 6 however, in a series of seminal studies, later established that CICR played a physiologically crucial role in heart muscle. It then became obvious that excitation-contraction coupling was, indeed, very different in the two tissues and that events in the cleft space were dissimilar. In skeletal muscle, the L-type calcium channel, also known as the DHPR,7 acts as a voltage sensor that provides the signal for calcium release …
805 Vincristine, etoposide, mitoxantrone and prednisone (VEMP) as first-line chemotherapy for Hodgkin's disease (HD)

Etoposide and mitoxantrone were combined with vinca alkaloid and steroid in order to evaluate the activity of a new combination, VEMP, whilst avoiding the long term complications related to MOPP and ABVD. 30 consecutive patients (pts) with de novo HD were treated between Jan. 1992 and Dec. 1994. 21 were males, median age was 34 years (range 18–67). 3 patients were HIV+. 18 had nodular sclerosis, 8 mixed cellularity, 3 lymphocytic predominance, 1 lymphocyte depletion. 2 pts were IA, 6 IIA, 3 IIB, 5 IIIA, 3 IIIB, 2 IVA, 9 IVB. 4 pts had lung involvement, 2 bone marrow, 1 liver, 1 bone, 3 both liver and bone marrow. VEMP was given on a 21-day (D) cycle basis for a median of 6 courses as follows: vincristine 1.4 mg/m 2 iv D1 and 8, etoposide 100 mg/m 2 iv D1 to 4, mitoxantrone 10 mg/m 2 D1 and prednisone 100 mg po D1 to 5. Toxicity data are available for 25 pts. 6 pts had grade (G) 4 WHO leucopenia, 18 G2, 2 G1. I pt had G4 infection, 2 G2, 1 GI. 1 pt had G4 thrombocytopenia, 7 G1. Peripheral neuropathy G1 occurred in 10 pts, G2 in 6. I pt had cutaneous erythema, 1 toxic hepatitis, 1 myocardial infarction, 1 fatigue. Response rate was 100% with 42% complete remission (CR), 20% CR unconfirmed (CRu) and 38% partial remission (PR). 12 pts received additional radiation therapy and 3 pts high dose chemotherapy with peripheral stem cell rescue in first complete remission. I HIV+ pt relapsed at 6 months and died. 4 pts (2 HIV+) progressed at 3, 4, 6 and 9 months and died. Probability of survival in remission is 88% (95% CI 56–97%) at 18 months: (excluding the 3 HIV patients). VEMP is well tolerated and is highly active in most HD. VEMP can be combined with radiation therapy. VEMP can also be used as an induction regimen in selected cases proceeding immediately to high dose chemotherapy. VEMP is devoid of pulmonary toxicity. Despite a short follow-up, VEMP should not be as leukemogenic as the alkylating agent containing regimen and should neither sterilize men nor advance menopause in women.
Relationships between assessment and treatment within a behavioral perspective

Three alternative strategies to link assessment and treatment within a behavioral perspective are described. First is the functional analysis in which the maintaining variables of the target behavior are identified in assessment and modified in treatment. Although this strategy appears to be frequently successful based on positive treatment outcome, critical tests are seldom done: hypothesized functional analyses are not tested prior to intervention; nor is treatment outcome based on one functional analysis pitted against treatment outcome based on an alternative functional analysis. The second strategy is the keystone target behavior strategy. From among multiple possible target behaviors, one is selected for intervention that produces therapeutic response covariation. The third strategy is the diagnostic strategy. A treatment is selected for a particular client based on its overall success in treating a particular disorder. Empirical comparisons are needed to evaluate the effectiveness of these different strategies, linking assessment and treatment for different disorders.
Microstructure Patches in the Thermocline

Abstract Profiles of temperature microstructure have been found to exhibit strong intermittence in the distribution of χ, the rate of diffusive smoothing of temperature fluctuations. Records from the main thermocline in the subtropical gyro of the Pacific have been examined to determine the thickness of patches of microstructure activity. Since these profiles have few thermohaline intrusions, the small-scale structure must be generated by the “breaking” of internal waves or by salt fingering. The variations in the intensity of the microstructure thus reflect the irregularity in time and space of the occurrence of these processes. In addition, there is an intermittence of the microstructure due to variations in intensity of the microstructure within individual mixing events. Much of this internal variation is due to modulation of the amplitude of the microscale temperature fluctuations by the larger scale finestructure. In an attempt to compensate for the second type of intermittence, zero-crossings betwee...
Trend detection via temporal difference model predicts inferior prefrontal cortex activation during acquisition of advantageous action selection

The process of accurately predicting which actions are associated with advantageous versus disadvantageous outcomes is an important function of daily life. An integral part of this process is being able to detect when the association between an action and an outcome changes. This investigation examined the hypothesis that the inferior prefrontal cortex is critical for the detection of trends and that a trend process derived from the temporal difference model accomplishes this detection. Nineteen normal right-handed volunteers completed 120 4-s trials of a Rock Paper Scissors (RPS) task during functional magnetic resonance imaging. Subjects acquired the selection of advantageous actions during the RPS task. Activations in the medial frontal gyrus (BA 10), left ventrolateral frontal gyrus (BA 11/47), and left pallidum were significantly higher during trials in which subjects acquired the advantageous action. The time course of individually derived trend detection functions was found to be time-locked to the hemodynamic changes in the inferior frontal gyrus. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that the inferior prefrontal cortex computes a trend from previously experienced action-outcome sequences based on a value function derived from the temporal difference model.
Asymptomatic partial anomalous pulmonary venous return masquerading as pulmonary vein occlusion following radiofrequency ablation

Recent advances in the field of cardiac electrophysiology have resulted in the rapid growth of radiofrequency ablation for treatment of arrhythmias. Pulmonary vein stenosis or occlusion is a rare, but well described adverse outcome. Fortunately, the concomitant evolution of multislice computed tomography (CT) scanners has provided an excellent non-invasive method of monitoring for this complication. We recently encountered a case on multislice CT that initially appeared to be a pulmonary vein occlusion related to the procedure, but on further evaluation was found to be an asymptomatic case of partial anomalous pulmonary venous return.
Nanoscale Mo Ohmic Contacts to III–V Fins

A novel contact-first approach for III–V FinFETs and trigate MOSFETs is presented. In this process, the metal contact is sputtered on the as-grown semiconductor heterostructure, and the contact metal is used as a part of the fin dry-etch mask. We demonstrate this technique in Mo/n+-InGaAs contact structures with fin widths in the range of 50 to 300 nm. We have measured contact resistance in the range of 5 to $20~\Omega \,\cdot \,\mu $ m. These results are in good agreement with the state-of-art contact resistance obtained on planar devices using similar technology. We further explore the possibility of enhancing the contacts by wrapping the metal over the fin sidewalls and found no significant improvement.
FLOW FIELD IN A HOT AIR JET IMPINGEMENT OVEN ‐ PART I: A SINGLE IMPINGING JET

The axial and radial velocity components of a single jet impinging on a flat surface were measured in a commercial jet impingement oven using a laser Doppler anemometer. the measured velocity profiles had characteristics of a classical turbulent jet in its potential core region implying a local maximum for the rate of heat transfer directly under the jet center. Temperature variation at selected locations in the jet impingement oven was measured. the measured temperature field indicated that for a given set temperature of the oven, the variation of temperature within the oven cavity was dependent upon the location. Maximum of 15C variation was observed.
The effect of aspirin on dysmenorrhea in adolescents

1. Montgomery TL: Adolescent sexuality and para marriage, Am J Obstet Gynecol 124:818, 1976. 2. Feldman M J, Linzey EM, Srebnik E, et al: Abnormal cervical cytology in the teen-ager: A continuing problem, Am J Obstet Crynecol 126:418, 1976. 3. Feldman M J, Kent DR, and Pennington RL: lntraepithelial neoplasia of the uterine cervix in the teenager, Cancer 41:1405, 1978. 4. Pollack RS, and Taylor HC Jr: Carcinoma of the cervix during the two decades of life, Am J Obstet Gyneco153:135, 1947. 5. Walton Report: Can Med Assoc J 114:1003, 1976. 6. Ferguson JH: Positive cancer smears in ieenage girls, JAMA 178:365, 1961. 7. Kaufman RH, Burmeister RE, and Spjut HJ: Cervical cytology in the teen-age patient, Am J Obstet Gynecol 108:515, 1970_ 8. Johnson LD, Nickerson RJ, Easterday CL, et al: Epidemiological evidence for the spectrum of change from dysplasia through carcinoma in situ to invasive cancer, Cancer 22:901, 1968. 9. Koss LG: Concept of genesis development of carcinoma of the cervix, Obstet Gynecol Sur 24:850, 1969. 10. Sedlis A, Cohen A, and Sall S: The fate of cervical dysplasia, Am J Obstet Gynecol 107:1065, 1970. 11. Richart RM: Cervical intraepithelial neoplasia, in Sommers, SC, editor: Pathology annual 1973. New York, 1973, Appleton-Century-Crofts, pp 301-328. 12. Christopherson WM, and Parker JE: Relation of cervical cancer to early marriage and childbearing, N Engl J Med 273:235, 1965. 13. Rotkin ID: A comparison review of key epidemiological studies in cervical cancer related to current searches for transmissible agents, Cancer Res 33:1353, 1973. 14. Creasman WT, Weed JC, Curry SL, et al: Efficacy of cryosurgical treatment of severe cervical intraepithelial neoplasia, Obstet Gynecol 41:501, 1973.
Deposition Pattern Based Thermal Stresses in Single-Layer Laser Aided Direct Material Deposition Process

Despite enormous progress in laser aided direct metal/material deposition (LADMD) process many issues concerning the adverse effects of process parameters on the stability of a variety of properties and the integrity of microstructure have been reported. Comprehensive understanding of the transport phenomena and heat transfer analysis is essential to predict the thermally induced stresses in the deposited materials. A complete model that provides a quantitative relationship between process parameters, temperature history, phase transformation kinetics, and the thermal stresses is highly desirable. This paper examines the effect of deposition patterns and phase transformation kinetics on induced thermal stresses. The proposed model is based on the metallo-thermo-mechanical theory for sequentially coupled temperature, phase transformation, and stress/strain fields. Finite element analysis of various deposition processes illustrates the significant effect of deposition patterns on induced thermal stresses. Raster scan, spiral in-to-out, and spiral out-to-in patterns, in conjunction with their experimental verification, have been discussed in this paper. The existing model can easily accommodate any deposition pattern a user may want to study with slight modifications. The effect of substrate preheating on thermal stress is also studied and some reductions in thermal residual stress were observed. The importance of considering phase transformation effects is also verified through the comparison of the magnitudes of residual stresses with and without the inclusion of phase transformation kinetics. The simulation has been carried out for H13 tool steel deposited on a mild steel substrate.
Bolingbroke and the opposition to Sir Robert Walpole: The role of a fictitious persona in creating an audience

Political argument in the Age of Walpole (1720–1745) increasingly took the form of sustained public rhetorical interaction. The public interaction required the development of an appropriate persona to create a single voice masking the diversity of the source and to forge a unified audience out of multiple interest groups. This analysis focuses on Lord Boling‐broke's attempted mobilization of an opposition to Sir Robert Walpole through the creation of a persona who could effectively express an appealing ideology with which both Tories and disgruntled Whigs could identify.
A novel automated lazy learning QSAR (ALL-QSAR) approach: method development, applications, and virtual screening of chemical databases using validated ALL-QSAR models.

A novel automated lazy learning quantitative structure−activity relationship (ALL-QSAR) modeling approach has been developed on the basis of the lazy learning theory. The activity of a test compound is predicted from a locally weighted linear regression model using chemical descriptors and the biological activity of the training set compounds most chemically similar to this test compound. The weights with which training set compounds are included in the regression depend on the similarity of those compounds to a test compound. We have applied the ALL-QSAR method to several experimental chemical data sets including 48 anticonvulsant agents with known ED50 values, 48 dopamine D1-receptor antagonists with known competitive binding affinities (Ki), and a Tetrahymena pyriformis data set containing 250 phenolic compounds with toxicity IGC50 values. When applied to database screening, models developed for anticonvulsant agents identified several known anticonvulsant compounds that were not only absent in the tra...
Optimum secondary dampers for free response of underdamped systems

While the problem of vibration absorption of forced response of linear systems has received considerable treatment, the case of free response has not been studied adequately. This paper is concerned with the case of transient response of damped systems. Because the original vibrating system cannot usually be altered, a conventional plan of attack has been attaching a vibration absorber system to it. In the technique discussed here, this strategy is followed and a problem is formulated of finding the optimum parameters of such a secondary system so that the magnitude of the response of the combined system will be reduced. However, because of the complexity of the form of the ensuing mathematical programming problem, an analytical solution is not possible. Instead, the problem can be solved by employing a numerical optimization algorithm to be implemented by the digital computer. The results are presented in the form of comprehensive design tables that can be readily used by designers since the parameters are given in terms of dimensionless varibles. These results show that the addition of the absorber system can be effective only when the amount of damping in the original system is lower than a certain limit. They also show that, when the damping of the original system is low, the attachment of the damper is remarkably effective and beneficial.
Micellar effects upon the reaction of cobalt complexes with alkyl halides.

Abstract The reactions of the cobaloxime Co (DH) 2 − and the related Co(DOH)DOpn o are strongly catalyzed by cationic micelles of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTABr). The rate enhancements for the cobaloxime reaction and for that of Co (DOH)DOpn o (in parentheses) are: EtBr ∼ 1 (8.5); n -C 5 H 11 Cl, 220 (200); ClCH 2 CO 2 − , 420 (173); ClCH 2 CH 2 CO 2 − , 373. Anionic micelles of sodium lauryl sulfate inhibit the reaction of Co(DOH)DOpn o with ClCH 2 CO 2 − , but do not affect that with n -C 5 H 11 Cl. The reactions of Co(DOH)DOpn o , like those of the cobaloxime, are S N 2 displacements and in the absence of surfactant in MeOH n -PrBr is more reactive than iso-PrBr.
Studies on biosynthesis of waxes by developing jojoba seed tissue

Slices of developing jojoba cotyledons incorporated a variety of precursors in to wax, free alcohols, and polar lipids.14C-Decanoic and14C-lauric acids were elongated and desaturated, whereas14C-myristic and14C-longer chain fatty acids, although incorporated into wax, were insignificantly modified. Exogenously added14C-acetate contributed mainly to chain elongation of endogenous oleic acid, whereas14C from added glucose was uniformly distributed throughout the acyl chain of the fatty acids. These data suggest the existence of metabolically separate pools of acetate and/or sites for de novo synthesis and elongation of acyl chains.
Single muscle fiber gene expression with run taper.

This study evaluated gene expression changes in gastrocnemius slow-twitch myosin heavy chain I (MHC I) and fast-twitch (MHC IIa) muscle fibers of collegiate cross-country runners (n = 6, 20±1 y, VO2max = 70±1 ml•kg−1•min−1) during two distinct training phases. In a controlled environment, runners performed identical 8 kilometer runs (30∶18±0∶30 min:s, 89±1% HRmax) while in heavy training (∼72 km/wk) and following a 3 wk taper. Training volume during the taper leading into peak competition was reduced ∼50% which resulted in improved race times and greater cross-section and improved function of MHC IIa fibers. Single muscle fibers were isolated from pre and 4 hour post run biopsies in heavily trained and tapered states to examine the dynamic acute exercise response of the growth-related genes Fibroblast growth factor-inducible 14 (FN14), Myostatin (MSTN), Heat shock protein 72 (HSP72), Muscle ring-finger protein-1 (MURF1), Myogenic factor 6 (MRF4), and Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) via qPCR. FN14 increased 4.3-fold in MHC IIa fibers with exercise in the tapered state (P<0.05). MSTN was suppressed with exercise in both fiber types and training states (P<0.05) while MURF1 and HSP72 responded to running in MHC IIa and I fibers, respectively, regardless of training state (P<0.05). Robust induction of FN14 (previously shown to strongly correlate with hypertrophy) and greater overall transcriptional flexibility with exercise in the tapered state provides an initial molecular basis for fast-twitch muscle fiber performance gains previously observed after taper in competitive endurance athletes.
Profiling your competitors

Performance profiles of your competitors are a graphic means of communicating strategic issues that competitive intelligence uncovers.
The SEI education program: the challenge of teaching future software engineers

As the technical foundations of software production emerge, software engineers run the risk of obsolescence—now.
The Acyl-CoA Synthetase Encoded by LACS2 Is Essential for Normal Cuticle Development in Arabidopsis

Long-chain acyl-CoA synthetase (LACS) activities are encoded by a family of at least nine genes in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). These enzymes have roles in lipid synthesis, fatty acid catabolism, and the transport of fatty acids between subcellular compartments. Here, we show that the LACS2 gene (At1g49430) is expressed in young, rapidly expanding tissues, and in leaves expression is limited to cells of the adaxial and abaxial epidermal layers, suggesting that the LACS2 enzyme may act in the synthesis of cutin or cuticular waxes. A lacs2 null mutant was isolated by reverse genetics. Leaves of mutant plants supported pollen germination and released chlorophyll faster than wild-type leaves when immersed in 80% ethanol, indicating a defect in the cuticular barrier. The composition of surface waxes extracted from lacs2 leaves was similar to the wild type, and the total wax load was higher than the wild type (111.4 μg/dm2 versus 76.4 μg/dm2, respectively). However, the thickness of the cutin layer on the abaxial surface of lacs2 leaves was only 22.3 ± 1.7 nm compared with 33.0 ± 2.0 nm for the wild type. In vitro assays showed that 16-hydroxypalmitate was an excellent substrate for recombinant LACS2 enzyme. We conclude that the LACS2 isozyme catalyzes the synthesis of ω-hydroxy fatty acyl-CoA intermediates in the pathway to cutin synthesis. The lacs2 phenotype, like the phenotypes of some other cutin mutants, is very pleiotropic, causing reduced leaf size and plant growth, reduced seed production, and lower rates of seedling germination and establishment. The LACS2 gene and the corresponding lacs2 mutant will help in future studies of the cutin synthesis pathway and in understanding the consequences of reduced cutin production on many aspects of plant biology.
Trigger Factor-Mediated Prolyl Isomerization Influences Maturation of the Streptococcus pyogenes Cysteine Protease

Trigger factor, a ribosome-associated chaperone and peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase (PPIase), is essential for the secretion and maturation of the cysteine protease of the pathogenic gram-positive bacterium Streptococcus pyogenes. In the absence of trigger factor, the nascent protease polypeptide is not targeted to the secretory pathway. Some partial-function mutations restore targeting. However, the secreted protease does not efficiently mature into an enzymatically active form, suggesting that trigger factor has an additional role in protease biogenesis. Here, we show that, while not required for targeting, the PPIase activity of trigger factor is essential for maturation of the protease following its secretion from the bacterial cell. Site-specific mutations introduced into ropA, the gene which encodes trigger factor in S. pyogenes, produced mutant proteins deficient in PPIase activity. When these mutant alleles were used to replace the wild-type gene on the streptococcal chromosome, analysis of protease biogenesis revealed that, although the protease was secreted normally, it did not efficiently mature to an active form. Furthermore, mutation of a single proline residue in the protease prodomain suppressed the requirement for PPIase activity, suggesting that this residue is the target of trigger factor. These data support a model in which trigger factor-mediated prolyl isomerization influences the conformation of the prodomain, which in turn directs the protease into one of several alternative folding pathways.
The triplet state in Pt-acetylide oligomers, polymers and copolymers☆

Abstract Platinum acetylide oligomers and polymers are π-conjugated materials that display luminescence from the triplet exciton. This property makes platinum acetylides useful for exploring the properties of the triplet state in π-conjugated systems. In the present review we describe the excited state properties of a series of Pt-acetylide oligomers and polymers with an emphasis placed on understanding structure–property relationships for the triplet state in π-conjugated systems.
Behavioural alterations in male mice lacking the gene for D-aspartate oxidase.

Abstract d -serine and d -aspartate are important regulators of mammalian physiology. d -aspartate is found in nervous and endocrine tissue, specifically in hypothalamic supraoptic and paraventricular nuclei, pituitary, and adrenal medullary cells. Endogenous d -aspartate is selectively degraded by d -aspartate oxidase. We previously reported that adult male mice lacking the gene for d -aspartate oxidase ( Ddo −/− mice ) display elevated concentrations of d -aspartate in several neuronal and neuroendocrine tissues as well as impaired sexual performance and altered autogrooming behaviour. In the present study, we analyzed behaviours relevant to affect, cognition, and motor control in Ddo −/− mice. Ddo −/− mice display deficits in sensorimotor gating and motor coordination as well as reduced immobility in the forced swim test. Basal corticosterone concentrations are elevated. The Ddo −/− mice have d -aspartate immunoreactive cells in the cerebellum and adrenal glands that are not observed in the wild-type mice. However, no differences in anxiety-like behaviour are detected in open field or light–dark preference tests. Also, Ddo −/− mice do not differ from wild-type mice in either passive avoidance or spontaneous alternation tasks. Although many of these behavioural deficits may be due to the lack of Ddo during development, our results are consistent with the widespread distribution of d -aspartate and the hypothesis that endogenous d -aspartate serves diverse behavioural functions.
Climate variability, snow, and physiographic controls on storm hydrographs in small forested basins, western Cascades, Oregon

Large floods are often attributed to the melting of snow during a rain event. This study tested how climate variability, snowpack presence, and basin physiography were related to storm hydrograph shape in three small (<1 km2) basins with old-growth forest in western Oregon. Relationships between hydrograph characteristics and precipitation were tested for approximately 800 storms over a nearly 30-year period. Analyses controlled for (1) snowpack presence/absence, (2) antecedent soil moisture, and (3) hillslope length and gradient. For small storms (<150 mm precipitation), controlling for precipitation, the presence of a snowpack on near-saturated soil increased the threshold of precipitation before hydrograph rise, extended the start lag, centroid lag, and duration of storm hydrographs, and increased the peak discharge. The presence of a snowpack on near-saturated soil sped up and steepened storm hydrographs in a basin with short steep slopes, but delayed storm hydrographs in basins with longer or more gentle slopes. Hydrographs of the largest events, which were extreme regional rain and rain-on-snow floods, were not sensitive to landform characteristics or snowpack presence/absence. Although the presence of a snowpack did not increase peak discharge in small, forested basins during large storms, it had contrasting effects on storm timing in small basins, potentially synchronizing small basin contributions to the larger basin hydrograph during large rain-on-snow events. By altering the relative timing of hydrographs, snowpack melting could produce extreme floods from precipitation events whose size is not extreme. Further work is needed to examine effects of canopy openings, snowpack, and climate warming on extreme rain-on-snow floods at the large basin scale. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Light Sensitization of DNA Nanostructures via Incorporation of Photo-Cleavable Spacers

Using light irradiation as a trigger, large-scale structural reconfiguration of DNA nanostructures is demonstrated. We incorporated photo-cleavable spacers at strategic locations within the short oligonucleotide strands connecting adjacent helices within a DNA origami sphere, and then used light to transform the sphere into two tethered hemispheres.
NGC experience with audit of excitation system performance

Since restructuring of the UK electricity supply industry in 1990, technical specifications favoured by the previous vertically integrated industry structure have been replaced through a progressive move to functional performance based specifications. This is particularly true for power station generator excitation system performance. This paper briefly outlines the areas covered by the UK National Grid Company's (NGC's) functional specification and details NGC's experience in auditing excitation system performance and associated data. (7 pages)
Correction to "Demodulation of single-sideband signals via envelope detection"

H. Voelcker, author of the above-named paper which appeared on pp. 22-30 of the February, 1966, issue of this Transactions, has requested that the following corrections be made: The left-hand side of (14), which is missing in the published version, should be Susb(f). Readers should note that the singular points |f| = F0 are omitted in (14), mainly to avoid mathematical clutter. Equation (17) should read |S0(f)| = |S(f)|, η = 0.
Frequency of spontaneous congenital defects in rhesus and cynomolgus macaques

: This paper summarizes the spontaneous incidence of congenital defects in the rhesus and cynomolgus macaque colonies (Macaca mulatta and M. fascicularis) at the California Regional Primate Research Center. The computerized database used in this analysis included fetuses, term infants, juveniles, and adults that underwent a necropsy procedure over a 14-year period (1983–1996). The calculated malformation rates were 0.9% (40/4,390) and 0.3% (3/965) for the rhesus and cynomolgus monkey, respectively. Most of the observed malformations in both species affected the musculoskeletal and the cardiovascular systems, while a smaller number of defects were observed in the gastrointestinal, urogenital, endocrine, and central nervous systems. Inbreeding did not contribute to the spontaneous malformation incidence and there was no predilection for sex (male vs. female) or housing (indoors vs. outdoors) among the malformed cases. This spontaneous malformation database in our macaque colony aids in the interpretation of defects that occur in an experimental study as well as in the ongoing assessment of a healthy nonhuman primate breeding colony.
Bayesian adaptive randomization designs for targeted agent development

Background With better understanding of the disease’s etiology and mechanism, many targeted agents are being developed to tackle the root cause of problems, hoping to offer more effective and less toxic therapies. Targeted agents, however, do not work for everyone. Hence, the development of target agents requires the evaluation of prognostic and predictive markers. In addition, upon the identification of each patient’s marker profile, it is desirable to treat patients with best available treatments in the clinical trial accordingly.Methods Many designs have recently been proposed for the development of targeted agents. These include the simple randomization design, marker stratified design, marker strategy design, efficient targeted design, etc. In contrast to the frequentist designs with equal randomization, we propose novel Bayesian adaptive randomization designs that allow evaluating treatments and markers simultaneously, while providing more patients with effective treatments according to the patients...
Functional equivalence of hairpins in the RNA subunits of RNase MRP and RNase P in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

RNase MRP and RNase P are both ribonucleoprotein enzymes performing endonucleolytic cleavage of RNA. RNase MRP cleaves at a specific site in the precursor-rRNA transcript to initiate processing of the 5.8S rRNA. RNase P cleaves precursor tRNAs to create the 59 end of the mature tRNAs. In spite of their different specificities, the two RNases have significant structural similarities. For example, the two enzymes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae share eight protein subunits; only one protein is unique to each enzyme. The RNA components of the two nucleases also show striking secondary-structure similarity. To begin to characterize the role of the RNA subunits in enzyme function and substrate specificity, we swapped two hairpin structures (MRP3 and P3) between RNase MRP RNA and RNase P RNA of S. cerevisiae. The hairpins in the two enzymes could be exchanged without loss of function or specificity. On the other hand, when the MRP3 hairpin in RNase MRP of S. cerevisiae was replaced with the corresponding hairpin from the RNA of Schizosaccharomyces pombe or human RNase MRP, no functional enzyme was assembled. We propose that the MRP3 and P3 hairpins in S. cerevisiae perform similar functions and have coevolved to maintain common features that are different from those of MRP3 and P3 hairpins in other species.
Advances in Understanding Cerebral Palsy Syndromes After Prematurity

After completing this article, readers should be able to: 1. List neonatal morbidities that have been associated with the development of cerebral palsy (CP). 2. Describe the ultrasonographic findings that are suggestive of CP. 3. Compare and contrast the use of ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging in detecting lesions associated with CP. 4. Review strategies to adapt the infant neurologic examination to detection of CP. 5. Explain how the International Classification of Functioning can be used to examine risk and resiliency factors with respect to outcome. 6. Describe the severity of most cases of CP. During the past 25 years, major advances in maternal-fetal medicine, neonatology, and translational developmental biology have resulted in survival rates exceeding 90% among infants born at weights between 1,000 and 1,499 g, 80% for infants born at weights between 751 and 999 g, and 60% for infants born weighing 500 to 750 g. (1) These birthweight categories approximately reflect appropriate weights for 28 to 32 weeks’, 26 to 27 weeks’, and 23 to 25 weeks’ gestation, respectively. Although survival has improved among these very and extremely preterm infants, prevention of adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes in early childhood among such high-risk survivors as well as other neonatal cohorts receiving new technologies remains a major challenge. (2) The most common early recognized neurodevelopmental impairment is cerebral palsy (CP), and the overall prevalence of this disorder has not decreased over the past 25 years. However, with recent discoveries in brain structure and function, immunology, nutrition, early childhood learning, and developmental plasticity, the future holds promise. The purpose of this review is to describe risk factors for CP in preterm infants, focusing predominantly on extremely low-birthweight (ELBW) and very low-birthweight infants, but also highlighting gaps in the current knowledge of outcomes among moderately low-birthweight infants. Recent data from multicenter studies emphasize the complex pathways to the …
A Fluid Dynamic Analysis of a Rotary Blood Pump for Design Improvement

: The proper design of a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) requires an understanding of the pump's fluid dynamic and biocompatible properties. A hydraulically efficient system minimizes the power required for pumping. Biocompatibility refers to the ability to pump blood with minimal hemolysis and thrombus formation. Typically, shear stresses below a threshold level will not damage blood significantly. A fluid dynamic analysis of a prototype centrifugal pump designed for use as an LVAD was performed to establish flow characteristics. A flow visualization technique using Amberlite particles suspended in a glycerin/water blood analogue was used. The system was illuminated with a 1 mm planar beam strobed helium-neon laser, and the results were recorded photographically. An analysis of photographs revealed laminar and turbulent flows with vortices within an illuminated plane in both the inlet and outlet port areas. From these data, velocity and shear stress profiles were generated that showed possible areas of improvement. It was concluded that the outlet port design could be improved by changing its angle and the continuity of its expansion. The inlet port could also be improved by smoothing the transition area between the inlet tube and the pump body to allow for gradual acceleration of the entering fluid.
Representing and reusing explanations of legal precedents

Precedent-based legal reasoning depends on accurate assessment of relevant similarities between new cases and existing precedents. Determining the relevant similarities between a new case and a precedent with respect to a legal category requires knowing the explanation of the precedent's membership in the category. GREBE is a system that uses both general legal rules and specific explanations of precedents to evaluate legal predicates in new cases. GREBE assesses the similarity of a new case to a precedent of a legal category by attempting to find a pattern of relations in the new case that corresponds to the facts of the precedent responsible for its category membership. Missing relations in the new case are inferred by reusing other explanations from past cases.
The Anxiogenic β-Carboline FG 7142 Selectively Increases Dopamine Release in Rat Prefrontal Cortex as Measured by Microdialysis

The effect of the anxiogenic beta-carboline methyl-beta-carboline-3-carboxyamide (FG 7142) on dopamine release in prefrontal cortex and striatum in the awake freely moving rat was determined using the technique of microdialysis. FG 7142 (25 mg/kg, i.p.) caused a time-dependent increase in dopamine release in prefrontal cortex which was statistically significantly greater than the response to vehicle administration. Dopamine release in striatum was unaltered by FG 7142. Pretreatment of animals with the benzodiazepine antagonist Ro 15-1788 (30 mg/kg, i.p., 15 min prior to FG 7142 administration) completely abolished the increase in dopamine release caused by FG 7142 in prefrontal cortex. These data indicate that the anxiogenic benzodiazepine inverse agonist FG 7142 can selectively increase dopamine release in prefrontal cortex, and that this effect appears to be mediated via the gamma-aminobutyric acid/benzodiazepine receptor complex.
DEMOGRAPHY AND DIET OF THE PAINTED TURTLE (CHRYSEMYS PICTA) AT HIGH-ELEVATION SITES IN SOUTHWESTERN COLORADO

Abstract We collected data on diet and population ecology of painted turtles (Chrysemys picta) at 2 high-elevation sites in southwestern Colorado during 1996 and 2000. Painted turtles from both sites fit previously reported patterns of delayed maturity and increased body size for C. picta at more northerly latitudes. Minimum body size at sexual maturity was similar at both sites for males (93 to 95 mm plastron length) and females (165 to 177 mm plastron length). Males appeared to reach sexual maturity at 2 to 3 years of age, whereas the onset of sexual maturity in females was delayed until 7 to 8 years of age. Average adult female body size (183 mm) exceeded any previously reported values for this latitude and might reflect an adaptive response to cooler climates and shorter growing seasons. Our analysis of dietary data indicated that painted turtles from these sites did not exhibit the same degree of carnivory (53.8% and 71.7% animal material) compared to more northerly populations of C. picta.
Unforced Surface Air Temperature Variability and Its Contrasting Relationship with the Anomalous TOA Energy Flux at Local and Global Spatial Scales

AbstractUnforced global mean surface air temperature () is stable in the long term primarily because warm anomalies are associated with enhanced outgoing longwave radiation () to space and thus a negative net radiative energy flux (, positive downward) at the top of the atmosphere (TOA). However, it is shown here that, with the exception of high latitudinal and specific continental regions, warm unforced surface air temperature anomalies at the local spatial scale [T(θ, ϕ), where (θ, ϕ) = (latitude, longitude)] tend to be associated with anomalously positive N(θ, ϕ). It is revealed that this occurs mainly because warm T(θ, ϕ) anomalies are accompanied by anomalously low surface albedo near sea ice margins and over high altitudes, low cloud albedo over much of the middle and low latitudes, and a large water vapor greenhouse effect over the deep Indo-Pacific.It is shown here that the negative versus relationship arises because warm anomalies are associated with large divergence of atmospheric energy transpo...