cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Quantitative recording of dynamic precordial pressure.

Novel instrumentation is described that makes quantitative recording of the precordial pressure possible. A piezoresistive pressure transducer is employed to sense both the static application pressure as well as the variable forces associated with the heart beat. The fundamental theory and some experimental data with medical interpretation is also presented. This new instrument is useful for studying the dynamics of myocardial motion and it is changed in various pathological conditions.
Study of the structure development during the melt spinning of nylon 6 fiber by on‐line wide‐angle synchrotron X‐ray scattering techniques

The melt spinning of nylon 6 has been studied with on-line wide-angle synchrotron X-ray scattering techniques. The apparatus consisted of a single screw extruder and a metering pump mounted on a horizontal platform that could be translated in the vertical direction allowing a range of distances to be sampled with the X-ray beam. The structure development, equatorial crystallinity index, and crystalline orientation were studied as a function of take-up speed and position along the spinline. For low-speed (50 mpm) situations, the nylon chains crystallize into independent hydrogen bonded sheets that start to interact with each other as their concentration starts to increase. For higher speed situations, the nylon chains crystallize directly into the interacting hydrogen-bonded sheet structure. Upon conditioning at room temperature for 24 h, this interacting hydrogen-bonded sheet structure transforms into the well-known three-dimensional alpha and gamma phases of nylon 6, probably existing in a shish-kabob structure. The equatorial crystallinity index increases as distance from the spinneret increases and as take-up speed decreases. The crystalline orientation function is constant along the spinline for a constant take-up speed, and increases as take-up speed is increased. Conditioning further increases both the crystallinity and crystalline orientation of the fibers. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 37: 1277–1287, 1999
THE UNITED STATES OCEAN RESOURCES SERVICE: A PROPOSAL

Responding to recent calls for a multiple use, multiple resource approach to marine resource management, this paper sketches the organizational and legislative features of a hypothetical U. S. Ocean Resources Service modeled on the land-based U.S. Forest Service. The organization of the Washington, DC headquarters of the USDRS and the staff groups within what is called the National Ocean System of the USORS are outlined. USORS field units which correspond to USFS Regions, Forests, and Ranger Districts are described. Potential USORS legislative interventions are reviewed, using the chain of legislative interventions into Forest Service operations over the past quarter century as a model. Five potential legislative acts are discussed as are arguments favoring and opposing USORS formation.
Strategies for Seeking Healthcare in Mexico

Accessing affordable healthcare is one of the central issues of our time. As the United States continues to debate the best strategy to address the problem, the cost of healthcare continues to rise, and an increasing number of people are becoming uninsured. In response, a number of patients are looking to Mexico for pharmaceuticals, dental care, primary care, and even surgery. Attracted by the possibility of saving up to 70 percent on medical care that is advertised as "the same as the United States," some United States residents are starting to see Mexico as the only option to meet their health care needs. It has been estimated that in 2007, 29.4 percent of people living along the Texas/Mexico border traveled to Mexico for pharmaceuticals, and 19.9 percent sought medical care there (Warner and Jahnke 2010). In addition, the Winter Texan Market Survey found that 51 percent of winter Texans (retirees who spend the winter in Texas) living in the Lower Rio Grande Valley bought pharmaceuticals in Mexico, and ...
Optimal design of an integrated maintenance policy-maintenance force system

Abstract An integrated model has been built in which the rate of arrival of machines requiring service and the required maintenance force depend on the maintenance policy, and the maintenance policy depends on the cost of the maintenance service which in turn is the result of the given maintenance force. Using Monte Carlo simulation, the optimal combination of the preventive maintenance policy for a group of identical machines, and of the size of the maintenance force to service the machines has boon simultaneously derived by searching for the minimal total cost. This optimal result has been compared with the traditional independent sub system results, in which the system dependency is neglected.
Factors influencing stay in the postanesthesia care unit: a prospective analysis☆

Abstract Study Objective: To identify indicators of prolonged length of stay (LOS) in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU) and to test the following hypotheses: (1) that patient age, pain medication administration at the time of PACU admission, length of surgery, and cardiovascular, pulmonary, and pain responses postoperatively predict prolonged PACU LOS and (2) that cardiovascular and pulmonary symptoms preoperatively predict cardiovascular and pulmonary symptoms postoperatively . Design: Prospective, observational analysis. Setting: PACU of a university teaching hospital. Patients: 1,067 patients scheduled for surgery with general anesthesia between February and September 1996, 18 years of age or older. Measurement and Main Results: 11.2% of the variation in prolonged PACU LOS can be predicted by age, pain medication at the time of PACU admission, and postoperative cardiovascular, pulmonary, and pain symptoms. A significant number of patients who did not report a prior history experienced postoperative cardiovascular and pulmonary symptoms. Conclusion: Patient history and postoperative symptoms predict only a small percentage of prolonged PACU stays. Organizational factors may be a more important predictor of prolonged PACU stay. Additionally, assessment of cardiovascular and pulmonary history needs refinement to improve prediction of patient responses postoperatively.
Quantitative assessment of the permeability of the rat blood-retinal barrier to small water-soluble non-electrolytes.

1. The passive permeability of the blood-retinal barrier (b.r.b.) to the water-soluble non-electrolytes, sucrose and mannitol, was determined using a multiple time point-graphical approach as has been used in the assessment of blood-brain barrier (b.b.b.) permeability. 2. The calculated permeability surface area product for the b.r.b. for sucrose was 0.44 (+/- 0.081 S.E. of mean) X 10(-5) ml g-1 s-1 (n = 20) and for mannitol was 1.25 (+/- 0.30) X 10(-5) ml g-1 s-1 (n = 18). These values are similar and comparable to those found for the capillaries in the brain (P greater than 0.05) and significantly different from zero (P less than 0.01). 3. Data on the concentrations of sucrose in different parts of the eye show that the permeability of the blood-retinal barrier, rather than the more permeable blood-aqueous barrier permeability, was being measured by our technique.
Notice of Violation of IEEE Publication Principles Biologically inspired solutions to fundamental transportation problems

Traffic congestion in urban areas is an acute problem which is getting worse with the increased urbanization of the world population. The existing approaches to increasing traffic flow in urban areas have proven inefficient as they are expensive and therefore not scalable. It is shown in this article that a biologically inspired new approach could solve some of the fundamental transportation problems via a self-organizing traffic management paradigm.
Mechanical function of subchondral bone as experimentally determined on the acetabulum of the human pelvis

Abstract Experimental analysis of stress and strain on epoxy models of the human pelvis carried out by Sulzer Bros. Ltd. of Winterthur, Switzerland, in collaboration with the Orthopaedic Department of the University of Zurich, began three ago and has now shown that the subchondral bone within the acetabulum transmits a major part of the bearing load in the form of membrane stresses from the hip joint to the rim and then onto the cortical shell of the ilium and that the cancellous material within the pelvic bone is stressed to a much lower level in the natural physiological condition. The experimentally determined stresses could be extrapolated to show that in an individual of 60 kg weight, the membrane stresses in the subchondral bone attain values of ca. 98 kp/cm 2 whereas the peak normal compression stress within the cancellous material only reaches approx. 13 kp/cm 2 .
Flexure Theory of Multi-Layer Orthotropic Circular Sandwich Plates

A small deflection theory is presented for the flexure of multi- layer orthotropic circular sandwich plates by extremizing the com plementary energy with the use of Lagrange multipliers. The strain energy is supplemented by the equations defining the stress re sultants and equilibrium in which each one is preceded by a different Lagrange multiplier. The Euler-Lagrange equations re sulting from the extremization process are then solved simul taneously with the equations of stress resultants and equilibrium to yield the governing equations. These equations are then used to solve several symmetrical cases and one non-symmetrical case, namely a simply supported plate with hydrostatic load. Curves are included to show the effect of shear and the degree of orthotropy on the deflection for several cases.
Political and Economic Factors in Regional Economic Integration

The authors examine countries' decisions to join each other in regional integration schemes. They use a probit model of this decision to examine the wave of regional integration of the late 1950s and early 1960s. The results of this exercise reveal that quality of political relations, openness, country size, and proximity significantly influence the decision of two countries to integrate. The model predicts the formation of the EC, LAFTA, and CACM but not that of the EFTA. Moreover, the model does not predict the formation of any other integration schemes in this period. Copyright 1993 by WWZ and Helbing & Lichtenhahn Verlag AG
Structural Preference for Changes in the Direction of the Ca2+-Induced Transition: A Study of the Regulatory Domain of Skeletal Troponin-C

The determinants for specificity in the Ca2+-dependent response of the regulatory N-terminal domain of skeletal troponin-C are a combination of intrinsic and induced properties. We characterized computationally the intrinsic propensity of this domain for structural changes similar to those observed experimentally in the Ca2+-induced transition. The preference for such changes was assessed by comparing the structural effect of the harmonic and quasiharmonic vibrations specific for each Ca2+ occupancy with crystallographic data. Results show that only the Ca2+-saturated form of the protein features a slow vibrational motion preparatory for the transition. From the characteristics of this mode, we identified a molecular mechanism for transition, by which residues 42-51 of helix B and of the adjacent linker move toward helices (A, D), and bind to the surface used by the protein to interact with troponin-I. By obstructing the access of the target to hydrophobic residues important in the formation of the complex, helix B and the adjacent linker act as an autoinhibitory structural element. Specific properties of the methionines at the interaction surface were found to favor the binding of the autoinhibitory region. Located over hydrophobic residues critical for binding, the methionines are easily displaceable to increase the accessibility of these residues to molecular encounter.
Drug delivery strategy utilizing conjugation via reversible disulfide linkages: role and site of cellular reducing activities

The first disulfide linkage-employing drug conjugate that exploits the reversible nature of this unique covalent bond was recently approved for human use. Increasing numbers of drug formulations that incorporate disulfide bonds have been reported, particularly in the next generation macromolecular pharmaceuticals. These are designed to exploit differences in the reduction potential at different locations within and upon cells. The recent characterization of a novel redox enzyme in endosomes and lysosomes adds more excitement to this approach. This review focuses on understanding where and how the disulfide bond in the bioconjugate is reduced upon contact with biological milieu, which affects delivery design and the interpretation of the delivery strategies.
Regulatory mechanisms in endoluminal release of serotonin and substance P from feline jejunum.

The mechanisms controlling vagally induced 5-HT and SP release into the jejunal lumen were studied in the cat. In control animals, electrical vagal nerve stimulation doubled the rate of endoluminal secretion of 5-HT and SP. Propranolol pretreatment did not alter luminal secretion of these hormones. Atropine suppressed motor function and induced dose-related inhibition of vagal release of endoluminal 5-HT, but not of SP; the response to hexamethonium pretreatment was similar to that of atropine. In contrast, superior cervical ganglionectomy did not alter stimulated endoluminal 5-HT release but it completely abolished release into the portal vein. The portal 5-HT release was not affected by ganglionic blockade. The data suggest that (1) vagally mediated 5-HT release into the lumen and the portal circulation are mediated by different neural mechanisms, the former cholinergic, the latter presumably adrenergic; and (2) release of feline 5-HT and SP are independent, suggesting two intestinal sources, the EC cell for 5-HT and peptidergic neurons for SP.
Immobilized enzyme electrode for l-asparagine

Abstract A novel enzyme electrode is constructed using L-asparaginase bound to nylon nets as the reactive layer. It is shown that the resulting membrane electrode has a substantially faster response time than earlier enzyme electrodes without loss of desirable sensitivity, selectivity, and stability characteristics.
SIN, SAINTS, AND SHEEP IN SARDINIA 1

Narratives of Catholicism, gender, and criminality are entangled with social constructions of ‘resistance’ to a new Gennargentu National Park on areas of traditional common lands in central Sardinia, Italy. Embodied identities are strategically implicated in moral discourses of grassroots opposition to a park. The notion of Sardinian resistance as a form of cultural authenticity is rooted in a local sphere of social practices and expectations that are not shared by the wider Italian or European public. Ethnography in the town of Orgosolo demonstrates that a ‘politics of the weak’ can reframe relations of authority in local spheres and work to empower cultural recognition and control over common lands. Transgressive acts of violence, however, highlight embedded tensions, ambiguities, and disruptions in local identity practices. The gendered construction of cultural discourses in Orgosolo points to the paradox of a politics that seeks to affirm the authority of embodied traditions yet actually perpetuates a...
Isolation and replication of mutant populations of wound tumor virions lacking certain genome segments.

One gram or more of root tumors from a single sweet clover plant provided sufficient material for analysis, by polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis, of the double-stranded RNA segments of the genome of purified wound tumor virus. This technique made it possible to select cuttings through successive vegetative propagations that resulted in a progressive increase in the proportion of virions devoid of genome segment 2 or 5. The technique can detect a segment when it is present in only 0.1% of the virions in a population. Our hypothesis for explaining the demonstrated efficacy of this method of selection provides the basis for our conclusion that segment 2 or 5 is probably entirely absent in certain selected isolates. When the reverse selection was applied to sweet clover infected with virion populations which had subnormal amounts of segment 2 or 5 and which were poorly infective on vector cell monolayers, we recovered populations with wild-type genomes which were highly infective when subsequently tested on the monolayers. Selections aimed at eliminating segment 1 never reduced the proportion of virions carrying it below ∼10%, and we conclude that at least this proportion is necessary for replication of the virus. A deletion mutation in segment 7 was different from any other in that selection resulted in the remnant of the segment completely replacing the original segemnt so that the remnant survived in a quantity equimolar to the other segments. The virus isolates devoid of segment 2 or 5 replicate well in sweet clover and are fully tumorigenic; probably neither segment bears a postulated tumorigenic gene. Isolates devoid of segment 2 did not produce the virion polypeptide of size 131,000 daltons. Segments 4 and 5 both have a molecular weight appropriate for coding the virion polypeptide of size 96,000; because isolates without segment 5 had the full complement of virion proteins it is probable that segment 4 contains the code for the protein of size 96,000. Remnants of segments that had suffered a deletion mutation did not produce any detectable polypeptide.
25-year-old man with flank pain, hematuria, and proteinuria.

© 2009 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research A 25-year-old nonsmoking male tire technician presented to the emergency department with a 3-week history of macroscopic hematuria and flank pain. He had previously been feeling well and was taking no regular medications; however, he had seen his primary care physician 10 days previously for left flank pain and was empirically treated for pyelonephritis with oral ciprofloxacin. On presentation, the patient was not passing clots through the urethra, denied recent trauma, and rated his flank pain as 6 on a severity scale of 10, described as constant, bilateral, nonradiating, and pleuritic with no relieving factors. He had no nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fevers, chills, or rigors. He denied recent travel, animal contacts, occupational exposures, use of over-the-counter medications, or illegal drug use. On examination, the patient appeared clinically well without evidence of distress, pallor, or jaundice. His temperature was 36.8 C, blood pressure was 118/72 mm Hg, pulse rate was 74/min, and oxygen saturation was 95% while breathing room air. Findings on cardiovascular and respiratory examinations were noncontributory. The abdomen was soft, nondistended, and nontender without masses or organomegaly. No costovertebral angle tenderness, suprapubic tenderness, or renal bruits were appreciated. There was no evidence of rash or musculoskeletal abnormality. Laboratory tests yielded the following results (reference ranges provided parenthetically): a normal white blood cell count with no evidence of peripheral eosinophilia; creatinine, 1.5 mg/dL (0.9-1.4 mg/dL); C-reactive protein, 99.2 mg/L ( 8.0 mg/L); and erythrocyte sedimentation rate, 111 mm/h (0-22 mm/h). The estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was 57 mL/min per 1.73m2 and the international normalized ratio was 1.0. Urinalysis by dipstick showed trace ketones, protein 3+, bilirubin 1+, and occult blood 3+. Initial urinalysis showed reddish urine, a protein concentration of 3100 mg/dL, and a large amount of hemoglobin. Microscopic examination showed more than 100 red blood cells per high power field, with more than 25% dysmorphic red blood cells and no evidence of urinary eosinophils. Chest radiography showed mild bilateral pleural effusions and atelectasis at the left base behind the heart. Computed tomography (CT) of the abdomen and pelvis was performed according to the renal stone protocol; findings were negative for kidney stones.
Construct validation of a novel hybrid surgical simulator.

Simulated minimal access surgery has improved recently as both a learning and assessment tool. The construct validation of a novel simulator, ProMis, is described for use by residents in training. ProMis is a surgical simulator that can design tasks in both virtual and actual reality. A pilot group of surgical residents ranging from novice to expert completed three standardized tasks: orientation, dissection, and basic suturing. The tasks were tested for construct validity. Two experienced surgeons examined the recorded tasks in a blinded fashion using an objective structured assessment of technical skills format (OSATS: task-specific checklist and global rating score) as well as metrics delivered by the simulator. The findings showed excellent interrater reliability (Cronbach’s α of 0.88 for the checklist and 0.93 for the global rating). The median scores in the experience groups were statistically different in both the global rating and the task-specific checklists (p < 0.05). The scores for the orientation task alone did not reach significance (p = 0.1), suggesting that modification is required before ProMis could be used in isolation as an assessment tool. The three simulated tasks in combination are construct valid for differentiating experience levels among surgeons in training. This hybrid simulator has potential added benefits of marrying the virtual with actual, and of combining simple box traits and advanced virtual reality simulation.
Chimeric anti-tenascin antibody 81C6: Increased tumor localization compared with its murine parent

Abstract When labeled using the Iodogen method, a chimeric antibody composed of the human IgG 2 constant region and the variable regions of murine anti-tenascin 81C6 exhibited superior uptake in human glioma xenografts compared with its murine parent. In the current study, three paired-label experiments were performed in athymic mice with subcutaneous D-54 MG human glioma xenografts to evaluate further the properties of radioiodinated chimeric 81C6. These studies demonstrated that (a) the enhanced tumor uptake of chimeric 81C6 is specific; (b) when labeling was performed using N -succinimidyl 3-iodobenzoate, chimeric 81C6 again showed preferential accumulation in tumor compared with murine 81C6; and (c) the tumor uptake advantage observed previously with murine 81C6 for N -succinimidyl 3-iodobenzoate compared with lodogen labeling did not occur with chimeric 81C6.
Practical quantitative and kinetic applications of bio-layer interferometry for toxicokinetic analysis of a monoclonal antibody therapeutic.

Abstract Bio-layer interferometry (BLI) is a label-free technology that can be used for kinetic characterization of proteins. Although other label-free platforms have been used for quantitation purposes (most notably surface plasmon resonance), little work has been done using BLI. Here we present rationale and strategies for the development and analytical qualification of a BLI assay for the quantitation of a humanized antibody therapeutic in cynomolgus monkey plasma. Results of the qualification were compared to those of a validated ELISA used to quantitate the same therapeutic. Selectivity, matrix effect, and precision and accuracy were similar between the two methods. Target interference was more pronounced in the BLI assay compared to the ELISA. The main difference between the two assays was in the dynamic range (0.1–10 μg/mL for ELISA vs. 0.4–50 μg/mL for BLI). The monkey plasma BLI assay was applied to rat plasma for the comparison of study samples generated in the same matrix by ELISA. A direct quantitation comparison of sample results for the two methods shows a high degree of agreement (r2 = 0.979, slope = 1.017). However, an evaluation of low concentration samples showed a bias of over-recovery in the BLI compared to the ELISA. In addition to utilizing the quantitative capabilities of the platform, we evaluated the utility of using the kinetic properties of the quantitative assay to detect anti-drug antibodies (ADA) and illustrated the potential for ADA to cause either over recovery (non-neutralizing ADA) or under recovery (neutralizing ADA) of a biotherapeutic using the BLI assay.
Some comments on Malakooti et al. ‘Integrated group technology, cell formation, process planning, and production planning with application to the emergency room’

In this technical note, we suggest an alternative to the cellular layout for the emergency room problem discussed in Malakooti et al. (Malakooti, B., Malakooti, N.R. and Yang, Z., Integrated group technology, cell formation, process planning, and production planning with application to the emergency room. Int. J. Prod. Res., 2004, 42(9), 1769–1786). The alternative layout—hybrid flowshop layout—belongs to a class of hybrid cellular layouts that can be designed using the integrated suite of algorithms available in the production flow analysis and simplification toolkit (PFAST) software (Irani, S.A., Zhang, H., Zhou, J., Huang, H., Tennati, K.U. and Subramanian, S., Production flow analysis and simplification toolkit (PFAST). Int. J. Prod. Res., 2000, 38(8), 1855–1874). These layouts are intermediate between the traditional layout extremes—process layout and cellular layout—for a high-variety low-volume (HVLV) manufacturing facility. Our results indicate that the hybrid flowshop layout is superior to the ce...
The relationship between the ferroelectric phase transition near T 0 = 235 K in YBa2Cu3O7-x and High-T c superconductivity: Comparison with the polaron theory of pardee and mahan

Abstract A variety of data summarized in this special issue imply that diverse experimental data, including specific heat, dielectric permittivity, and Raman sectra, can be interpreted as evidence for a structural phase transition near 235 K, probably from mmm to mm2 space group symmetry. In the present paper we emphasize the Raman results of Zhang et al. and of Rebane et al. (Sol. St. Commun. 65, 487, 1535 (1988)) and attempt to relate them to the high-temperature superconductivity changes near T = 235 K reported by Bhargava et al. (Phys. Rev. Lett, 59, 1468 (1987)) as well as other phenomena near T c. The phenomena at T c and To bear a strong resemblance to those of sequential phase transitions in the polaron theory of Pardee and Mahan (J. Sol. St. Chem. 15, 310 (1975))
Additional-wh effects and the adjunction site theory

The Japanese adjunctwh-phrasenaze ‘why’ in an ECP configuration can be saved by the addition of anotherwh-phrase in a higher position, as noted by Watanabe (1991), among others. This paper discusses this “additional-wh” phenomenon in detail and presents an analysis according to whichnaze in LF adjoins to the higherwh instead of moving to a [+wh] CP Spec and thereby avoids an ECP violation. It is shown that this analysis provides support for Mahajan's (1989) proposal that clause-internal scrambling, but not long-distance scrambling, can be A-movement and also for Chomsky's (1989) proposal that traces can be licensed with respect to the ECP in the middle of the derivation as they are created. It is argued further that this analysis, together with the bounding facts observed with Japanese scrambling, leads to a strong supporting argument for Chomsky's (1986) hypothesis that the effect of a BC can be circumvented by adjunction.
Junction Transistor Equivalent Circuits and Vacuum-Tube Analogy

The junction transistor possesses operating characteristics that are closely comparable to a modified triode vacuum tube. A direct comparison between the two devices is particularly interesting if a ? equivalent circuit is used for the transistor. The vacuum-tube analogy and transistor equivalent circuits are considered in some detail in this paper. For purposes of comparison, a tabulation of operating characteristics of a transistor and a vacuum tube has been prepared.
Modulation of cultured chicken growth plate chondrocytes by transforming growth factor‐β1 and basic fibroblast growth factor

Expression of several cellular and matrix proteins which increase significantly during the maturation of growth plate cartilage has been shown to be affected by various endocrine and autocrine factors. In the studies reported here, transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β1) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) were administered to primary cultures of avian growth plate chondrocytes at pre- or post-confluent stages to study the interplay that occurs between these factors in modulating chondrocytic phenotype. Added continuously to pre-confluent chondrocytes, TGF-β1 stimulated the cells to produce abundant extracellular matrix and multilayered cell growth; cell morphology was altered to a more spherical configuration. These effects were generally mimicked by bFGF, but cell shape was not affected. Administered together with TGF-β1, bFGF caused additive stimulation of protein synthesis, and alkaline phosphatase (AP) activity was markedly, but transiently enhanced. During this pre-confluent stage, TGF-β1 also increased fibronectin secretion into the culture medium. Added to post-confluent cells, TGF-β1 alone caused a dosage-dependent suppression of AP activity, but bFGF alone did not. Under these conditions, TGF-β1 and bFGF had little effect on general protein synthesis, but TGF-β1 alone caused large, dosage-dependent increases in synthesis of fibronectin, and to some extent type II and X collagens. Given together with bFGF, TGF-β1 synergistically increased secretion of fibronectin. These findings reveal that regulation of phenotypic expression in maturing growth plate chondrocytes involves complex interactions between growth factors that are determined by timing, level, continuity, and length of exposure.
Ferrylmyoglobin formation induced by acute magnesium deficiency in perfused rat heart causes cardiac failure.

The oxidation states of intracellular myoglobin and cytochrome oxidase aa3 were monitored by reflectance spectrophotometry in isolated perfused rat hearts subjected to an acutely magnesium deficient environment. After exposure to low extracellular [Mg2+]o (i.e., 0.3 mM) for 30 min, more than 80% of the oxymyoglobin converted to its deoxygenated form. The level of reduced cytochrome oxidase aa3 also increased about 80% in low [Mg2+]o. The deoxymyoglobin was converted further to a species identified as ferrylmyoglobin by its reaction with Na2S to form ferrous sulfmyoglobin which was optically visible. This process, set into motion by acute Mg deficiency, resulted from a direct accessibility of the exogenous peroxide to the cytosolic protein. The results suggest that a pathway leading to cardiac tissue damage, induced by magnesium deficiency, is probably involved in the generation of a ferrylmyoglobin radical which could be prevented by addition of ascorbate, which is known to be a one-electron reductant of this hypervalent form of myoglobin. In further studies, we also investigated whether addition of different concentrations of ascorbic acid (AA) to the perfusate could enhance myocardial function after exposure to low [Mg2+]o perfusion. Four concentrations of AA (0.5, 1, 5, 10 mM) were tested, and the results indicate that they exert their effects in a concentration-dependent manner; 1 mM AA was the most effective dose in improving aortic output in a Mg-deficient heart. Ferrylmyoglobin formation was found to be formed considerably before intracellular release of either creatine phosphokinase or lactic dehydrogenase. These studies may have wide implications as a new mechanism by which low extracellular Mg2+ can induce myocardial injury and subsequent cardiac failure.
Lattice dielectric response of CdCu 3 Ti 4 O 12 and CaCu 3 Ti 4 O 12 from first principles

Structural, vibrational, and lattice dielectric properties of ${\mathrm{CdCu}}_{3}{\mathrm{Ti}}_{4}{\mathrm{O}}_{12}$ are studied using the density-functional theory within the local spin-density approximation, and the results are compared with those computed previously for ${\mathrm{CaCu}}_{3}{\mathrm{Ti}}_{4}{\mathrm{O}}_{12}.$ Replacing Ca with Cd is found to leave many calculated quantities largely unaltered, although significant differences do emerge in zone-center optical phonon frequencies and mode effective charges. The computed phonon frequencies of ${\mathrm{CdCu}}_{3}{\mathrm{Ti}}_{4}{\mathrm{O}}_{12}$ are found to be in excellent agreement with experiment, and the computed lattice contribution to the intrinsic static dielectric constant $(\ensuremath{\sim}60)$ also agrees exceptionally well with a recent optical absorption experiment. These results provide further support for a picture in which the lattice dielectric response is essentially conventional, suggesting an extrinsic origin for the anomalous low-frequency dielectric response recently observed in both materials.
Thermodynamic Analysis of the Ceria Redox Cycle With Methane-Driven Reduction for Solar Fuel Production

The nonstoichiometric cerium oxide (ceria) redox cycle is an attractive pathway for storing energy from concentrated sunlight in chemical bonds by splitting water and carbon dioxide. The endothermic reduction reaction Display Formula(R1)CeO2-δox→CeO2-δed+Δδ2O2 is favored thermodynamically at high temperatures and low oxygen partial pressures, while the CO2 and H2O splitting reactions (R2, R3) are exothermic and favored at lower temperatures and higher oxygen partial pressures. The produced hydrogen and carbon monoxide, referred to collectively as syngas, are important feedstocks used in the synthesis of ammonia and liquid fuels.Display Formula(R2)CeO2-δed+ΔδCO2→CeO2-δox+ΔδCO Display Formula(R3)CeO2-δed+ΔδH2O→CeO2-δox+ΔδH2Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Direct measurement of water movement in the zone of aeration

A perusal of published papers dealing with the theory and technology of direct measurement of soil water movement in the zone of aeration indicates that several promising measurement methods have been developed but remain essentially untested. Only a relatively small number of investigators throughout the world have yet taken the opportunity to try these methods. Knowledge of the effects that events at the soil surface may have on the rate of water movement through the zone of aeration can be an important tool in managing the quality and quantity of groundwater through control of the recharging waters.
Block time and frequency domain modified covariance algorithms

A block modified covariance algorithm (BMCA) is proposed for autoregressive (AR) parametric spectral estimation. The BMCA can be implemented either in the time or in the frequency domain with the latter being more efficient in high-order AR estimation. Although the BMCA operates on a block of data it allows for both block and sequential (sample-by-sample) updates. The performance of the algorithm is evaluated in terms of computational complexity and convergence characteristics. Results are given for narrowband and broadband processes. >
Testing in resource constrained execution environments

Software for resource constrained embedded devices is often implemented in the Java programming language because the Java compiler and virtual machine provide enhanced safety, portability, and the potential for run-time optimization. It is important to verify that a software application executes correctly in the environment in which it will normally execute, even if this environment is an embedded one that severely constrains memory resources. Testing can be used to isolate defects within and establish a confidence in the correctness of a Java application that executes in a resource constrained environment. However, executing test suites with a Java virtual machine (JVM) that uses dynamic compilation to create native code bodies can introduce significant testing time overheads if memory resources are highly constrained. This paper describes an approach that uses adaptive code unloading to ensure that it is feasible to perform testing in the actual memory constrained execution environment. The experiments demonstrate that code unloading can reduce both the test suite execution time by 34% and the code size of the test suite and application under test by 78% while maintaining the overall size of the JVM.
Metabotropic glutamate receptor type 1 in taste tissue

l-Glutamate confers cognitive discrimination for umami taste (delicious or savory) and dietary information to the brain through the activation of G protein-coupled receptors in specialized taste receptor cells of the tongue. The taste heterologous receptor T1R1 plus T1R3 is not sufficient to detect umami taste in mice. The lack of T1R3 diminished but did not abolish nerve and behavioral responses in null mice that still contained umami-sensitive taste receptor cells. The remnant umami responses in T1R3 knockout mice indicate that there are also T1R3 independent receptors. Metabotropic glutamate receptor 1 (mGluR1), which is widely expressed throughout the central nervous system and regulates synaptic signaling, is another l-glutamate receptor candidate. It is found within taste buds, although the amount of l-glutamate in the perisynaptic region is in the order of micromol/L, whereas free dietary l-glutamate is in the mmol/L range. We reexamined the expression of one mGluR1 variant with a lower affinity for l-glutamate that is found in fungiform and circumvallate papillae. This taste mGluR1 receptor responds in vitro to the concentration of l-glutamate usually found in foodstuffs.
Future Missions Strategy‐Implementation Study

The Space Physics Division of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Office of Space Science and Applications will sponsor a study in 1990 to develop strategies and their implementation for future missions into the first decade of the 21st century. This Strategy-Implementation Study has been chartered by the Space Physics Subcommittee of the Space Science and Applications Advisory Committee. The chairs for this study and this subcommittee are, respectively, Kenneth Fox and George L. Siscoe. The study includes two Division-wide workshops preceded by several disciplinary workshops (Cosmic Ray/Heliospheric, Ionospheric-/Mesospheric/Thermospheric, Magnetospheric, and Solar). The first Division-wide workshop will be held in Baltimore, Md. during the week of January 24–26, 1990. The second workshop is also planned for the Baltimore/Washington, D.C. area during June 18–22, 1990. The entire space physics scientific community may participate in these and related activities. However, to assign responsibility and guarantee continuity, there will be 65 designated attendees distributed uniformly among the disciplines of the Space Physics Division. The space physics community is therefore encouraged to bring forward its concepts and suggestions to this Workshop through these appropriate Panel members. The ultimate purpose of this Study and its Workshops and other deliberations is to deliver a plan for future missions to the Space Physics Subcommittee and the Space Science and Applications Advisory Committee.
Sequential radiation of unrelated organisms: the gall fly Eurosta solidaginis and the tumbling flower beetle Mordellistena convicta.

Host shifts and the formation of insect-host races are likely common processes in the speciation of herbivorous insects. The interactions of goldenrods Solidago (Compositae), the gall fly Eurosta solidaginis (Diptera: Tephritidae) and the beetle Mordellistena convicta (Coleoptera: Mordellidae) provide behavioural, ecological and genetic evidence of host races that may represent incipient species forming via sympatric speciation. We summarize evidence for Eurosta host races and show that M. convicta has radiated from goldenrod stems to Eurosta galls to form host-part races and, having exploited the galler’s host shift, has begun to differentiate into host races within galls. Thus, host-race formation has occurred in two interacting, but unrelated organisms representing two trophic levels, resulting in ‘sequential radiation’ (escalation of biodiversity up the trophic system). Distributions of host races and their behavioural isolating mechanisms suggest sympatric differentiation. Such differentiation suggests host-race formation and subsequent speciation may be an important source of biodiversity.
Older Voters and the 2008 Election

Purpose: In the 2008 presidential election, a majority of older persons voted for John McCain, the loser. The purposes of this report are to help illuminate why older voters were the only age-group that gave a majority to McCain and to delineate some ongoing issues in the analysis of older persons ’ voting behavior. Methods: Analysis was undertaken by mining raw data from the 2008 Edison – Mitofsky national Election Day exit poll, as well as compilations from that poll that were published by various media that fi nance it. Results: Republican leanings of the Eisenhower birth cohort that is presently among those aged 65 years and older were a factor, whereas the immediately succeeding younger cohorts did not manifest the same partisan predilection. Positive self-identifi cation with the 72-year -old McCain by voters aged 65 – 74 years seems to have been another factor, although there was no indication of such age identifi cation among those aged 60 – 64 years and 75 years and older. Race may have been a factor, although all groups of White voters aged 30 years and older gave McCain a substantial majority, whereas the youngest cohort of Whites, aged 18 – 29 years, favored Obama. Implications: In the study of age-group voting behavior, ongoing attention is needed to cohort and period effects, as well as candidates ’ contrasting individual characteristics — in addition to possible effects of campaign issues.
Deterministic replay of distributed Java applications

Execution behavior of a Java application can be nondeterministic due to concurrent threads of execution, thread scheduling, and variable network delays. This nondeterminism in Java makes the understanding and debugging of multi-threaded distributed Java applications a difficult and a laborious process. It is well accepted that providing deterministic replay of application execution is a key step towards programmer productivity and program under-standing. Towards this goal, we developed a replay framework based on logical thread schedules and logical intervals. An application of this framework was previously published in the context of a system called Deja Vu that provides deterministic replay of multi-threaded Java programs on a single Java Virtual Machine (JVM). In contrast, this paper focuses on distributed Deja Vu that provides deterministic replay of distributed Java applications running on multiple JVMs. We describe the issues and present the design, implementation and preliminary performance results of distributed Deja Vu that supports both multi-threaded and distributed Java applications.
When does partner devaluation predict emotional distress? Prospective moderating effects of reassurance-seeking and self-esteem

Coyne's (1976b) interpersonal theory of depression asserts that devaluation and rejection by relationship partners may exacerbate depressive symptoms. We tested this assertion empirically and investigated two theoretically based moderators of this effect: reassurance-seeking and self-esteem level. Dating women (N= 134) completed measures of depression, reassurance-seeking, and self-esteem at Time 1 and a measure of depression at Time 2 six weeks later. Male partners completed a measure of devaluation of the women. Partner devaluation was not associated with increased emotional distress for women across the entire sample. However, significant moderating effects of both reassurance-seeking and self-esteem level were found. Partner devaluation predicted increased emotional distress among women who reported high levels of reassurance-seeking and among women who reported low levels of self-esteem. Results are discussed in terms of convergence with Coyne's theory.
Vibrio parahaemolyticus ExsE is requisite for initial adhesion and subsequent type III secretion system 1-dependent autophagy in HeLa cells.

Vibrio parahaemolyticus pandemic serotype O3 : K6 causes acute gastroenteritis, wound infections and septicaemia in humans. This organism encodes two type III secretion systems (T3SS1 and T3SS2); host-cell cytotoxicity has been attributed to T3SS1. Synthesis and secretion of T3SS1 proteins is positively regulated by ExsA, which is presumptively regulated by the ExsCDE pathway, similar to Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Herein we deleted the putative exsE from V. parahaemolyticus and found constitutive expression of the T3SS1 in broth culture as expected. More importantly, however, in a cell culture model, the ΔexsE strain was unable to induce cytotoxicity, as measured by release of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), or autophagy, as measured by LC3 conversion. This is markedly different from P. aeruginosa, where deletion of exsE has no effect on host-cell cytolysis. Swarming and cytoadhesion were reduced for the deletion mutant and could be recovered along with T3SS1-induced HeLa cell cytotoxicity by in cis expression of exsE in the ΔexsE strain. Loss of adhesion and swarming motility was associated with the loss of flagella biogenesis in the exsE-deficient strain. Mouse mortality was unaffected by the deletion of exsE compared with a wild-type control, suggesting that additional adhesins are important for intoxication in vivo. Based on these data, we conclude that ExsE contributes to the negative regulation of T3SS1 and, in addition, contributes to regulation of an adherence phenotype that is requisite for translocation of effector proteins into HeLa cells.
A planar approach for manufacturing cardiac stents: design, fabrication, and mechanical evaluation

A new approach that uses planar batch manufacturing technologies is presented for the design and fabrication of coronary artery stents. Stent samples with different wall patterns have been fabricated from 50-/spl mu/m-thick stainless steel foil using microelectrodischarge machining. Stents have been expanded to tubular shapes by using angioplasty balloons, both inside mock arteries and without external confinement (i.e., free-standing). Free-standing stents exhibit diameter variations of </spl plusmn/4%, almost zero radial recoil after deflation of the balloon, and longitudinal shrinkage of <3% upon expansion. A variation that uses breakable links to provide additional customization in electrical and mechanical properties is also presented. Loading tests reveal that the radial stiffness of some patterns is comparable to that of commercially available stents with greater wall thickness, while bending compliance, at 0.02 m/N for a 4-mm-long section of the stent, is also favorably large.
Synthesis of precursors to ethylene glycol from formaldehyde and methyl formate catalyzed by heteropoly acids

The production of ethylene glycol from methanol and its derivatives, such as formaldehyde, is potentially attractive, since the carbon needed for such a process can be derived from synthesis gas, a cheaper carbon source than petroleum-derived ethylene. This study reports an investigation of formaldehyde carbonylation using methyl formate as the source of CO. Silicotungstic acid and other heteropoly acids were used as the catalyst. Methyl glycolate and methyl methoxyacetate, both precursors to ethylene glycol, were formed along with dimethoxymethane and dimethyl ether, the primary byproducts. The effects of formaldehyde source, reaction temperature, time, and catalyst were investigated. Methoxymethanol, paraformaldehyde, 1,3,5-trioxane, and dimethoxymethane were examined as sources of formaldehyde. The highest yields of methyl glycolate and methyl methoxyacetate were obtained using 1,3,5-trioxane as the source of formaldehyde. Release of carbon monoxide from methyl formate was found to be slow and limited the rate of carbonylation. Of the heteropoly acids investigated, silicotungstic acid produced the highest yields of methyl glycolate and methyl methoxyacetate, whereas methanesulfonic acid did not produce these products at similar acid loading. The difference in the effectiveness of heteropoly acids and methanesulfonic acid is ascribed to the role of the anion of the heteropoly acid, a soft base, in stabilizing the reactive intermediates involved in the carbonylation of formaldehyde.