cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The occurrence and subcellular localization of 3α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase in adult rat brain

Abstract The subcellular localization of 3α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, the dependency of the rate of reaction on time, concentration of protein, cofactor requirements and the substrate stereospecificity were investigated in the adult rat brain. The in vitro conversion of 3-keto-5β-cholanoic-24-14C acid to lithocholic acid was shown to occur in the cytosol without added cofactors. Incubation of 14C labeled 3α,7α-dihydroxy-5β-cholanoic and 3α,12α-dihydroxy-5β-cholanoic acids with adult rat brain cell-free preparations resulted in the production of less polar metabolites identified as 3-keto-7α-hydroxy-5β-cholanoic and 3-keto-12α-hydroxy-5β-cholanoic acids by TLC, GLC combined with a radioactive monitoring detection system and by cocrystallization to constant specific activity.
Wind Diesel System SIMULATION:A Screening Level Model

This paper describes a screening level simulation model for wind/diesel systems. It is intended for use to give a quick overview of the possible appropriateness of a wind/diesel system and indicate whether more detailed analysis would be of use. The model was developed for use on personal computers and to trade complexity for ease of operation. The wind/diesel system modeled may include: 1) Wind regime, 2) One or more wind turbines, 3) System electrical load 4) One or more diesel generators, 5) Dump load, 6) Short term storage, and 7) System controller. The model does not consider storage explicitly, but does distinguish between the no storage and minimal storage (power smoothing) systems. This work is based on the more detailed simulation models previously developed at the University of Massachusetts, but uses probabilistic methods rather than time series data inputs. As such it requires only mean and standard deviation of wind speed and load for each month or season. The model functions by assuming that...
The moral rhetoric of Franz Theremin

Reacting against eighteenth century rhetorical trends, Franz Theremin developed a unique theory of rhetoric that maintained the dominance of logical appeal and linked moral imperatives with persuasion.
Hydrate Composition from Seismic Data: An Inverse Procedure

Hydrate existence conditions and the associated thermal gradients are examined using equations of state for mixes of gases. Three examples are developed to illustrate the resolution possible in determining the composition of a hydrate and the required range of thermal gradient using seismic information concerning the depth and thickness of a hydrate-bearing body. The examples use shallow (70m), medium (250m) and deep (600m) water as archetypical conditions. In general, it is shown that one cannot determine a unique composition for the hydrate due to incomplete knowledge of parameters in the hydrate existence equations of state, including the lack of knowledge concerning salinity and sedimentary lithological effects on parameters in the equations of state, and also due to such parameters being massively influenced by the types and mixing fractions of gases that compose the hydrate. What is shown is that it is possible to determine the cumulative probability that a hydrate has greater than a given fraction ...
Vaasudevassarvam: A Journey into the Mystery of the Indian Subcontinent

A pilgrimage to an Indian ashram leaves breath-taking memories of beauty, love and spirituality of the people, as well as profound, yet subtle experience of a message from the Bhagavad Gita: “All this is God.”
Conserved variation: identifying patterns of stability and variability in BCR and TCR V genes with different diversity and richness metrics

The immune system can detect most invading pathogens. The potential for detection of pathogens is dependent on the somatic diversity of the immune repertoires. While it is known that this somatic diversity is carefully generated, it is unclear how the diversity is distributed in the different genes encoding receptors of immune cells. Utilizing different metrics for richness and diversity at the level of small sequence fragments, we present here an analysis of the entire known human germline repertoire as represented by the sequences from the ImMunoGeneTics database of immune receptors. We have developed a fragment sequence quantification analysis to track variation of repertoires with different degrees of precision. Somatic diversity has previously been functionally characterized mostly by division of the V gene sequences into the more conserved and invariant framework (FR) of the receptor and more varied complementarity determining regions (CDR), that interact with the antigen. We find that CDR and FR can be explicitly identified with our sequence fragment diversity quantification technique. In terms of diversity, CDR and FR are especially distinct in B cell V genes. T cell V genes show less of the CDR/FR periodicity but are more diverse overall. Our analysis further shows that there are other areas of diversity outside the CDR and FR that are found widely dispersed in T cell receptor V genes and more tightly focused in FR1 and FR3 in the B cell receptor V genes. The diversity we observe is not dependent on allelic differences nor is this diversity segregated by individual V gene families. We would thus expect that each individual exhibit a diversity equivalent to that of the entire potential repertoire.
Drosophila Dpp signaling is mediated by the punt gene product: A dual ligand-binding type II receptor of the TGFβ receptor family

Signaling by TGF beta-related factors requires ligand-induced association between type I and type II transmembrane serine/threonine kinases. In Drosophila, the saxophone (sax) and thick veins (tkv) genes encode type I receptors that mediate signaling by decapentaplegic (dpp), a member of the bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) subgroup of TGF beta-type factors. In this report, we demonstrate that the Drosophila punt gene encodes atr-II, a previously described type II receptor that on its own is able to bind activin but not BMP2, a vertebrate ortholog of dpp. Mutations in punt produce phenotypes similar to those exhibited by tkv, sax, and dpp mutants. Furthermore, punt will bind BMP2 in concert with tkv or sax, forming complexes with these receptors. We suggest that punt functions as a type II receptors for dpp and propose that BMP signaling in vertebrates may also involve sharing of type II receptors by diverse ligands.
Selected pesticide residues and metabolites in urine from a survey of the U.S. general population.

Residues of toxic chemicals in human tissues and fluids can be important indicators of exposure. Urine collected from a subsample of the second National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey was analyzed for organochlorine, organophos‐phorus, and chlorophenoxy pesticides or their metabolites. Urine concentration was also measured. The most frequently occurring residue in urine was penta‐chlorophenol (PCP), found in quantifiable concentrations in 71.6% of the general population with an estimated geometric mean level of 6.3 ng/ml. Percent quantifiable levels of PCP were found to be highest among males. Quantifiable concentrations of 3,5,6‐trichloro‐2‐pyridinol (5.8%), 2,4,5‐trichlorophenol (3.4%), para‐nitrophenol (2.4%), dicamba (1.4%), malathion dicarboxylic acid (0.5%), malathion alpha‐monocarboxylic acid (1.1%), and 2,4‐D (0.3%) were found, but at much lower frequencies. No quantifiable levels of 2,4,5‐T or silvex were found. Preliminary analyses showed an apparent relationship between residue concent...
Distinguishing between protein dynamics and dye photophysics in single-molecule FRET experiments.

Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET) efficiency distributions in single-molecule experiments contain both structural and dynamical information. Extraction of this information from these distributions requires a careful analysis of contributions from dye photophysics. To investigate how mechanisms other than FRET affect the distributions obtained by counting donor and acceptor photons, we have measured single-molecule fluorescence trajectories of a small α/β protein, i.e., protein GB1, undergoing two-state, folding/unfolding transitions. Alexa 488 donor and Alexa 594 acceptor dyes were attached to cysteines at positions 10 and 57 to yield two isomers—donor10/acceptor57 and donor57/acceptor10—which could not be separated in the purification. The protein was immobilized via binding of a histidine tag added to a linker sequence at the N-terminus to cupric ions embedded in a polyethylene-glycol–coated glass surface. The distribution of FRET efficiencies assembled from the trajectories is complex with widths for the individual peaks in large excess of that caused by shot noise. Most of this complexity can be explained by two interfering photophysical effects—a photoinduced red shift of the donor dye and differences in the quantum yield of the acceptor dye for the two isomers resulting from differences in quenching rate by the cupric ion. Measurements of steady-state polarization, calculation of the donor-acceptor cross-correlation function from photon trajectories, and comparison of the single molecule and ensemble kinetics all indicate that conformational distributions and dynamics do not contribute to the complexity.
Identification of a faint X-ray source with the W Ursae Majoris star VW Cephei

The NRL instrument aboard the HEAO 1 satellite has detected a faint X-ray source, which has been identified tentatively with the contact binary star (W UMa variable) VW Cephei. Its luminosity is between 3 x 10 to the 30th and 4 x 10 to the 31st ergs/sec (0.1-10 keV), and the results suggest some variation of the X-ray flux with phase.
Prognostic value of p53 and proliferating cell nuclear antigen expression in endometrial carcinoma

Abstract The degree of expression of p53 and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) was measured in archival samples from 221 patients managed surgically for endometrial carcinoma between 1979 and 1983. With use of primary antibodies to the p53 protein (DO7) and PCNA (PC10), immunoperoxidase nuclear staining of paraffin-embedded tissue was performed. The computerized CAS200 Image Analysis System was used to determine the percentage of nuclear area stained. There was no evidence to conclude that progression-free survival differed with respect to PCNA expression. In contrast, intense p53 expression (66% or more nuclear area stained) was significantly associated with compromised progression-free survival both in the analysis of all stages ( P P P P
Studies on the hemolysin of Vibrio cholerae.

Hemolysis by Vibrio cholerae has been the subject of a number of investigations because of its possible significance in differentiating this species from the less pathogenic vibrios, such as the El Tor vibrio, and nonpathogenic water vibrios. The consensus of opinion is that V. cholerae does not produce a soluble hemolysin which would liberate hemoglobin from a suspension of erythrocytes in the absence of bacterial cells (van Logheim, 1913; Gardner and Venkatraman, 1935; and Read et al 1942). Van Logheim (1913) used the term "hemodigestion" to explain his failure in obtaining a soluble hemolysin in a broth culture of V. cholerae which showed hemolysis on a blood agar plate. By hemodigestion is meant that the organism digested the hemoglobin liberated from the erythrocytes. Read et al (1942) reported that the El Tor vibrio produced a soluble hemolysin which was heat labile and, upon injection into an animal, induced production of an antibody which specifically neutralized this hemolysin. The method commonly used to demonstrate the hemolysin production by the vibrios is that of Greig (1914) which requires the addition of a whole broth culture of the organism to a suspension of goat or sheep erythrocytes. The El Tor vibrio readily produced hemolysin with this technique while the true V. cholerae were nonhemolytic (Gardner and Venkatraman, 1935). The reliability of this test for the differentiation of
Nonparametric harmonic regression for estuarine water quality data

Periodicity is omnipresent in environmental time series data. For modeling estuarine water quality variables, harmonic regression analysis has long been the standard for dealing with periodicity. Generalized additive models (GAMs) allow more flexibility in the response function. They permit parametric, semiparametric, and nonparametric regression functions of the predictor variables. We compare harmonic regression, GAMs with cubic regression splines, and GAMs with cyclic regression splines in simulations and using water quality data collected from the National Estuarine Reasearch Reserve System (NERRS). While the classical harmonic regression model works well for clean, near-sinusoidal data, the GAMs are competitive and are very promising for more complex data. The generalized additive models are also more adaptive and require less-intervention. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Molecular biology of the voltage-gated sodium channel

Abstract The integral membrane protein composing the voltage-sensitive sodium channel is a bagel-like structure (Fig. 1) with a central pore that is highly selective for sodium ions. When the electric field across a cell's membrane becomes depolarized, the pore of the channel opens to allow sodium ions to flow down their electrochemical gradient into the cell 1 . Voltage-gating, a common feature of all voltage-activated channels, is an essential functional property that is only now being understood in terms of the structural features of the protein.
Blog, Chat, Edit, Text, or Tweet? Using Online Tools to Advance Adult Civic Engagement

This chapter reviews some of the online tools civic organizations have used to engage adults successfully in deliberation and action around public issues. The chapter offers examples of different tools and describes strengths and weaknesses of various technological features.
Preliminary Physiologically Based Pharmacokinetic Model for Cocaine in the Rat: Model Development and Scale-Up to Humans

A physiologically based multicompartmental model has been developed to describe the concentration-time course of cocaine in plasma and tissues in the rat. The compartments included in the model were brain, heart, gut, liver, muscle, fat, venous blood, arterial blood, and a mass-balance compartment. Drug delivery to the tissues was assumed to be flow limited. The model incorporated a nonsaturable binding site for cocaine in the liver. Elimination occurred via both blood and hepatic elimination. The model was validated using independently derived data. The model was scaled to humans and accurately predicted the cocaine levels following intranasal and inhalation administration. However, a poor fit was observed following intravenous administration. Future models incorporating non-constant blood flow and pharmacodynamics need to be developed.
PEOPLE CAN BE TOO PERFECT: EFFECTS OF SUBJECTS' AND TARGETS' ATTRACTIVENESS ON INTERPERSONAL ATTRACTION

This study provided an explanation of selections of others to meet based on composites of qualities inputed to the others. Women, consensually identified as representative of one of three levels of attractiveness, made attraction responses to female targets consensually identified as representative of five levels of attractiveness. Attraction responses were attributions of personality traits and the selection of one target person to meet. Socially desirable attributions increased and the attribution of psychological disturbance decreased with targets' increasing attractiveness. The attribution of negative or egocentric qualities increased with targets' increasing attractiveness, except for targets of moderately high attractiveness, who were described as significantly less egocentric than targets of average and very high attractiveness. Targets of moderately high attractiveness were the overwhelming favorites for interaction. All results were uninfluenced by subjects' attractiveness. The results were discu...
Synthesis of farinomalein

Abstract Farinomalein, a recently isolated maleimide from Paecilomyces farinosus, was synthesized in two steps from a readily available γ-hydroxybutenolide.
A Holistic Theoretical Model for Examining Welfare Reform: Quality of Life

Policy makers, public administrators, the media, and others are celebrating the “success” of the latest version of welfare reform, codified into law by the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996. Most often, success is defined in terms of declining case loads or some other economic measure—a practice that does not provide a true sense of the impact of policy changes such as welfare reform. Assessing the human impact of policy change requires more than evaluating economic outcomes; it requires knowing the resources of beneficiaries of social services and their conditions of life from various perspectives. Thus, we must strive for greater understanding about the sociocultural aspects of people’s lives that create the whole person—aspects such as health, family and friendship networks, housing situations, public and private support service and program use, conditions of work, and so forth. This is how we come to understand one’s quality of life. The present research creates a conceptual model of quality of life and illustrates the model using data from a follow–up study of former welfare recipients in a county in northern Virginia. Evaluation activities that are premised on a quality–of–life model will help policy actors understand the impact of policies and how public institutions can be managed strategically within their very complex contexts, especially in an era of welfare reform.
The complete decision set of the generalized symmetrical fuzzy linear programming problem

Abstract The generalized Symmetrical Fuzzy Linear Programming (SFLP) problem is defined in this paper as involving both fuzzy and nonfuzzy constraints of which fuzzy constraints are represented by linear and nonlinear membership functions. Fuzzy intervals are proposed to represent fuzzy equality constraints. The general form of fuzzy constraints is proposed. By defining the membership function μ D as an explicit function of min Z rather than an explicit function of the solution set x , the complete solution set and its existence criterion are studied. The improvement of objective values based on the obtained complete solution set is also discussed. A truck fleet problem presented in the literature is cited to explain the proposed method and to prove the correctness of the solution.
Conjugated Polymer-Mediated Polymorphism of a High Performance, Small-Molecule Organic Semiconductor with Tuned Intermolecular Interactions, Enhanced Long-Range Order, and Charge Transport

We use 6,13-bis(triisopropylsilylethynyl)pentacene as a model small molecule organic semiconductor and two conjugated polymer additives to demonstrate conjugated polymer-mediated polymorphism of a small molecule organic semiconductor for the first time. The conjugated polymer additives, used with a slow solution crystallization approach, yield crystal structures that are not accessible by nonconjugated polymer additives and impart excellent long-range order. In both of the small molecule semiconductor/conjugated polymer blends studied here, previously unreported polymorphs of a small molecule semiconductor have been identified which also leads to improved charge transport in the absence of external alignment. These results open up a new exciting avenue to manipulate unit cell structure, long-range order, and charge transport of high performance, solution-processed, small molecule organic semiconductors.
Laser-induced fluorescence measurements of nitric oxide in laminar C2H6/O2/N2 flames at high pressure

Quantitative measurements of nitric oxide in C2H6/O2/N2 flames at 1-9 atm were successfully carried out using laser-induced fluorescence. The location of maximum NO concentration is found to shift towards leaner equivalence ratios with increasing pressure. Details of the experimental apparatus and measurement procedure are described.
Discovering a new world of lab management

Managing computer labs on any campus can be exhausting and time-consuming. However, it has been the experience of the Louisiana State University Office of Computing Services Labs Management Group that the strategic task of running a large network of public access computer labs and general access computer classrooms becomes much smoother when efficient and effective management tools are put to use. This paper details the steps that OCS Labs Management took to create a web-based solution with the goal of streamlining the many routine lab-related procedures. The OCS Lab Management Database consists of several components that are employed in the management of over 10 public access labs and 7 general access computer classrooms, totaling more than 800 PC's and 65 student workers on the LSU campus. Head counts, student worker progress reports, documentation solutions, site evaluations, and student worker training, such as streaming video tutorials are some of the features included in the web-based solution. The database also provides lab management with the capability of tracking PC hardware and software problems as well as ordering of parts and maintenance, and wireless PDA integration enables lab management to easily access the database while visiting locations across campus. Lab management, student workers, faculty and students all benefit from this innovative web-based lab management tool.
Hypercholesterolemia blunts NO donor-induced late preconditioning against myocardial infarction in conscious rabbits.

Although NO donors have been shown to confer late preconditioning (PC) against myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury in healthy rabbits, it is unknown whether concurrent systemic disorders affect NO donor-induced cardioprotection. Since many patients with coronary artery disease have hypercholesterolemia (HC), we examined the effect of this condition on late PC induced by the NO donor diethylenetriamine/nitric oxide (DETA/NO). Chronically instrumented rabbits were fed a normal diet (normocholesterolemia, NC) or a diet enriched with 1% cholesterol (HC) for 4 weeks. Plasma cholesterol levels were significantly elevated and the arterial pressure response to the endothelium-dependent vasodilator bradykinin was blunted in cholesterol diet-fed rabbits. Conscious rabbits underwent a 30-minute coronary occlusion followed by 3 days of reperfusion. When NC rabbits were pretreated with DETA/NO (0.1 mg/kg, i.v. × 4, group II, n = 7) 24 hours before the 30-minute occlusion, infarct size was reduced by 52% (29.7 ± 3.4% versus 62.4 ± 4.0% of the region at risk in NC controls [group I, n = 5], P < 0.05), indicating that DETA/NO induced a late PC effect against myocardial infarction. In contrast, when HC rabbits were pretreated with the same dose of DETA/NO (group IV, n = 6), infarct size was not significantly reduced (61.0 ± 5.7% versus 68.1 ± 4.5% of the region at risk in HC [group III, n = 5], P = NS), suggesting that DETA/NO failed to induce a delayed cardioprotective effect. These data demonstrate, for the first time, that HC blunts NO donor-induced late PC against myocardial infarction, implying that the inhibitory effects of HC on ischemia-induced and NO donor-induced late PC are caused by disruption of biochemical pathways distal to the generation of NO that triggers these adaptations.
Investigation of passive scalar mixing in a confined rectangular wake using simultaneous PIV and PLIF

Abstract A combined particle image velocimetry (PIV) and planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF) system was employed to investigate the turbulent mixing in a confined liquid-phase rectangular-wake flow with a Reynolds number based on hydraulic diameter of 37,500 and a Schmidt number of 1250. The simultaneous velocity and concentration field data were analyzed for flow statistics such as turbulent fluxes, turbulent viscosity and diffusivity, and turbulent Schimdt number. The streamwise and transverse turbulent fluxes were found to be of the same magnitude. The turbulent flux vector was not aligned with the mean concentration gradient. The turbulent Schimdt number was about 0.8. The spatial correlations of turbulent fluxes and concentration fluctuations were evaluated. In the R u ′ ϕ ′ correlation field, there were a positive and a negative vertically oriented elliptical correlation region, which were symmetric around the basis point. The R v ′ ϕ ′ correlation region was a horizontally oriented ellipse with negative values of the correlation coefficient. The correlation field of R ϕ ′ ϕ ′ was also an ellipse with a horizontal major axis. The behavior of large-scale structures in both the velocity and concentration field was studied using linear stochastic estimation with a defined event of concentration fluctuation. Vortex streets were observed in the estimated velocity fields. The streamwise growth of the structure size increased linearly initially but then grew more slowly.
A fast-track for invasion: invasive plants promote the performance of an invasive herbivore

With the greater frequency of biological invasions worldwide there is an increased likelihood that exotic species will interact with each other, and such interactions could enhance one another’s invasion potential. Although direct and indirect interactions between exotic species have been well documented for plant-herbivore interactions, the majority of studies have focused on a single interaction and on plant rather than herbivore performance. In this study we investigated whether invasive exotic plants could contribute to the invasion of California by an exotic generalist herbivore (Epiphyas postvittana). We tested this expectation in the greenhouse by monitoring the performance of larval and pupal stages of E. postvittana on six pairs of congeneric invasive and native plants. Larval survivorship and pupal weight of E. postvittana were both greater on the invasive species, and larval development time was shorter on the invasive plant species for two of the plant genera. Our results suggest that prior invasion of exotic plants could function as a catalyst for the subsequent invasion of an exotic insect herbivore, at least in the case where they have shared some history, thereby accelerating the invasion process and expansion of its novel geographic range.
Technique for assessment of leukocyte adherence to human umbilical vein endothelial cell monolayers

The interaction between endothelial cells and immuno/inflammatory cells plays an important role in the pathogenesis of vascular diseases. Inflammatory cells also activate endothelial cells and release both proliferative and cytotoxic mediators. In order to examine the interaction between leukocytes and endothelial cells and the effect of various drugs, we established the methodology for isolating and culturing the endothelial cells from human umbilical vein. Endothelial cells were harvested by using 0.1% collagenase within 48 hr of collecting the cord. Cells were grown to confluency in 96-well plates in Medium 199 containing 20% fetal calf serum, endothelial cell growth supplement, heparin, and antibiotics. Using this method, we obtained a confluent layer of the cells in all the 96 wells within 48 hr. We then examined the effect of peptides, endothelin-1, substance P, and neurokinin-A on the adherence of human blood neutrophils (purity and viability > 98%) to endothelial monolayers. All the peptides enhanced (p < 0.05) the adherence of neutrophils to endothelial cells in a time-dependent manner. This method of endothelial cell culturing is reliable, reproducible, and effective in evaluating the role of various mediators and drugs on the adherence of various white blood cells to endothelium.
Inter- and intra-ethnic differences for female breast carcinoma incidence in the continental United States and in the state of Hawaii.

Background Ethnic diversity is well-documented for female breast carcinoma incidence in the continental US but is not so well-established in the state of Hawaii.
Effect of Hyperoxia on Cortical Neuronal Nuclear Function and Programmed Cell Death Mechanisms

There is growing concern over detrimental neurologic effects to human newborns caused by increased inspired oxygen concentrations. We hypothesize that hyperoxia (FiO2 > 0.95) results in increased high-affinity Ca2+-ATPase activity, Ca2+-influx, and proapoptotic protein expression in cortical neuronal nuclei of newborn piglets. Neuronal cerebral energy metabolism was documented by determining ATP and phosphocreatine levels. Neuronal nuclear conjugated dienes and fluorescent compounds were measured as indices of lipid peroxidation. High-affinity Ca2+-ATPase activity and ATP-dependent Ca2+-influx were determined to document neuronal nuclear membrane function. Hyperoxia resulted in increases in lipid peroxidation, high-affinity Ca2+-ATPase activity, ATP-dependent Ca2+-influx, and Bax/Bcl-2 ratio in the cortical neuronal nuclei of newborn piglets. We conclude that hyperoxia results in modification of neuronal nuclear membrane function leading to increased nuclear Ca2+-influx, and propose that hyperoxia-induced increases in intranuclear Ca2+ activates the Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase pathway, triggering increased CREB protein-mediated apoptotic protein expression in hyperoxic neurons.
Role Of The Bureau Of Radiological Health In Assessment Of Risks From Clinical Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Procedures

The 1976 Medical Device Amendments to the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act provide for the classification of a medical device intended for human use into one of three regulatory classes based on the extent of control necessary to ensure safety and effectiveness: Class I, General Controls; Class II, Performance Standards; Class III, Premarket Approval. Class III devices are those for which there is insufficient information available to ensure safety and effectiveness through General Controls and Performance Standards alone. New devices such as Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Imaging systems fall under Class III because they were developed after the date of the law's enactment (28 May 1976). Investigational studies involving human subjects undertaken to develop safety and effectiveness data for a post-enactment Class III device come under the Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) Regulation (21 CFR 812). This regulation distinguishes between investigations of devices that pose a significant risk to the human subject and those that do not. A significant risk investigation "presents a potential for serious risk to the health, safety, or welfare of a subject." Procedures for obtaining an IDE differ if the device does or does not pose a significant risk. The sponsor of a clinical trial, and ultimately the Institutional Review Board (IRB), have the primary responsibility to determine whether a certain clinical use of the investigational device represents a significant risk to the subject of the investigation. A finding of significant risk does not mean that a device is too hazardous for clinical studies, but it does mean that a formal application for an IDE must be made to and approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) before a clinical trial can begin. If the device is deemed not to pose a significant risk, unless otherwise notified by FDA, the sponsor is not required to submit an IDE application to FDA. Instead, the sponsor and investigators must satisfy only certain abbreviated requirements including maintenance of certain records and reports. In addition, the sponsors must maintain IRB approval throughout the investigation, label the device in accordance with the IDE regulation, and ensure that the investigators obtain and document informed consent for each subject under their care.© (1982) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Milk- and solid-feeding practices and daycare attendance are associated with differences in bacterial diversity, predominant communities, and metabolic and immune function of the infant gut microbiome

The development of the infant intestinal microbiome in response to dietary and other exposures may shape long-term metabolic and immune function. We examined differences in the community structure and function of the intestinal microbiome between four feeding groups, exclusively breastfed infants before introduction of solid foods (EBF), non-exclusively breastfed infants before introduction of solid foods (non-EBF), EBF infants after introduction of solid foods (EBF+S), and non-EBF infants after introduction of solid foods (non-EBF+S), and tested whether out-of-home daycare attendance was associated with differences in relative abundance of gut bacteria. Bacterial 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing was performed on 49 stool samples collected longitudinally from a cohort of 9 infants (5 male, 4 female). PICRUSt metabolic inference analysis was used to identify metabolic impacts of feeding practices on the infant gut microbiome. Sequencing data identified significant differences across groups defined by feeding and daycare attendance. Non-EBF and daycare-attending infants had higher diversity and species richness than EBF and non-daycare attending infants. The gut microbiome of EBF infants showed increased proportions of Bifidobacterium and lower abundance of Bacteroidetes and Clostridiales than non-EBF infants. PICRUSt analysis indicated that introduction of solid foods had a marginal impact on the microbiome of EBF infants (24 enzymes overrepresented in EBF+S infants). In contrast, over 200 bacterial gene categories were overrepresented in non-EBF+S compared to non-EBF infants including several bacterial methyl-accepting chemotaxis proteins (MCP) involved in signal transduction. The identified differences between EBF and non-EBF infants suggest that breast milk may provide the gut microbiome with a greater plasticity (despite having a lower phylogenetic diversity) that eases the transition into solid foods.
Selective and Mutational Patterns Associated With Gene Expression in Humans: Influences on Synonymous Composition and Intron Presence

We report the results of a comprehensive study of the influence of gene expression on synonymous codons, amino acid composition, and intron presence and size in human protein-coding genes. First, in addition to a strong effect of isochores, we have detected the influence of transcription-associated mutational biases (TAMB) on gene composition. Genes expressed in different tissues show diverse degrees of TAMB, with genes expressed in testis showing the greatest influence. Second, the study of tissues with no evidence of TAMB reveals a consistent set of optimal synonymous codons favored in highly expressed genes. This result exposes the consequences of natural selection on synonymous composition to increase efficiency of translation in the human lineage. Third, overall amino acid composition of proteins closely resembles tRNA abundance but there is no difference in amino acid composition in differentially expressed genes. Fourth, there is a negative relationship between expression and CDS length. Significantly, this is observed only among genes with introns, suggesting that the cause for this relationship in humans cannot be associated only with costs of amino acid biosynthesis. Fifth, we show that broadly and highly expressed genes have more, although shorter, introns. The selective advantage for having more introns in highly expressed genes is likely counterbalanced by containment of transcriptional costs and a minimum exon size for proper splicing.
Asymptotic analysis of the non-linear behavior of long anisotropic tubes

Abstract An asymptotically correct beam model is obtained for a long, thin-walled, circular tube with circumferentially uniform stiffness (CUS) and made of generally anisotropic materials. By virtue of its special geometry certain small parameters cause unusual non-linear phenomena, such as the Brazier effect, to be exhibited. The model is constructed without ad hoc approximations from 3D elasticity by deriving its strain energy functional in terms of generalized 1D strains corresponding to extension, bending, and torsion. Large displacement and rotation are allowed but strain is assumed to be small. Closed-form expressions are provided for the 3D non-linear warping and stress fields, the 1D non-linear stiffness matrix and the bending moment–curvature relationship. In bending, failure could be caused by limit-moment instability, local buckling or material failure of a ply. A procedure to determine the failure load is provided based on the non-linear response, neglecting micro-mechanical failure modes, post-failure behavior, and hygrothermal effects. Asymptotic considerations lead to the neglect of local shell interlaminar and transverse shear stresses for the thin-walled configuration. Results of the theory are illustrated for a few symmetric, antisymmetric angle-ply and unsymmetric layups and show that some previously published theories are not asymptotically correct.
Design of stepped impedance transformers

Abstract The exact solutions of the design of stepped impedance transformers presented up to now have been tedious and subject to computational error. We present here an exact synthesis procedure which requires less effort than other exact procedures. In addition, two recurrence formulae are given for determining the characteristic impedances of each section. The coefficients so obtained can be compared to eliminate computational errors. We also present a graphical design procedure which is sufficiently accurate for many purposes and which has the advantages of speed and easy use.
Privacy-preserving algorithms for distributed mining of frequent itemsets

Abstract Standard algorithms for association rule mining are based on identification of frequent itemsets . In this paper, we study how to maintain privacy in distributed mining of frequent itemsets. That is, we study how two (or more) parties can find frequent itemsets in a distributed database without revealing each party’s portion of the data to the other. The existing solution for vertically partitioned data leaks a significant amount of information, while the existing solution for horizontally partitioned data only works for three parties or more. In this paper, we design algorithms for both vertically and horizontally partitioned data, with cryptographically strong privacy. We give two algorithms for vertically partitioned data; one of them reveals only the support count and the other reveals nothing. Both of them have computational overheads linear in the number of transactions. Our algorithm for horizontally partitioned data works for two parties and above and is more efficient than the existing solution.
State of the Art Survey of Reference Sources in the Fine Arts and Crafts

Art reference publishing has not been quite as voluminous this year as last year, but there is some evidence of greater selectivity and organization in the tools produced during the period of this survey. The continued publication of the Repertoire International de la Litterature de l'Art (RILA Abstracts), now complete through the 1977 volume, is helping to fill some of the vast gaps which previously existed in current bibliographical coverage of modern art and contemporary art historical research on an international basis. Retrospective bibliographical coverage is slowly but surely being filled in by the subject, country, and period bibliographies on which many scholars and several publishers have been concentrating in the past few years. Some excellent examples of these may be found in three established series of continuing value: the “Art and Architecture Information Guide Series” from Gale Research Company, “Art and Architecture Bibliographies,” published by Hennessey & Ingalls, and selected titles from the “Garland Reference Library of the Humanities.” In addition, there are outstanding titles to be found in some bibliographical series with broader subject bases, such as the “Information Resources Series” from ABC‐Clio.
Biomimetic Strategy for Nanoparticle Sliding on DNA Tracks

Many vital biological processes rely on the fast searching of DNA by proteins with an average scanning rate of about 10 microseconds per base pair. The underlying mechanism involves the ability of the protein to first bind nonspecifically and then to move along DNA with “facilitated diffusion” involving four processes: sliding, hopping, jumping, and intersegmental transfer. In order to fully explain sliding dynamics of proteins along DNA an atomic representation of the system is needed. Studying the dynamics of the nonspecific binding and facilitated search mechanisms on DNA strands in atomic detail will not only provide an understanding of how one of the most important cellular regulatory processes work, but it will also open new venues in biomimetic applications. We focus on a biomimetic approach by which we learn the rules of protein sliding on DNA to be implemented in designing nanoparticles with the ability to slide on DNA as a means to perform directional transport for cellular delivery. Our models for proteins are poly(amido)amine (PAMAM) dendrimers, highly charged functional nanoparticles with significant promise as “artificial proteins” for targeted delivery of drugs and genetic material into cells. These dendrimers have similar composition to known DNA-binding protein, and their size, charge, and surface properties can be easily controlled synthetically. Our preliminary simulations with third generation (G3) PAMAM dendrimers suggest the possibility of following a helical path along the dna phosphate backbone provided that the dendrimer charge distribution is optimized. In this respect, dendrimers can imitate the search mechanism of some sliding proteins that maintain a constant contact with the dna backbone during their nonspecific target search mode such as Msh2-Msh6, T7 RNAP and hOgg1.
A comparison of static and dynamic correlational methods in the study of organizations

Abstract Most of our existing knowledge of the behavior of complex organizations has stemmed from the use of static correlational methods. Measurements of a sample of organizations or subparts of organizations are taken on two or more variables, and the resulting scores are correlated with one another. In the present investigation the results obtained with this procedure were compared with two dynamic methods, one involving a simple correlation between changes on two or more variables and the second involving the correlation between changes corrected for regression toward the mean. Data on twenty variables were obtained from questionnaires and from company records for twenty-six geographically separated units of a large package delivery organization. The results show relatively little agreement between static correlations and those obtained by either of the dynamic methods. However, static correlations were more highly related to expert predictions of causal relations than were the newer methods. Further use of dynamic methods would seem to be warranted in situations in which different amounts or directions of change have occurred in independent variables while other variables have remained constant.
A hepatologist's perspective on the management of coagulation disorders before liver tranplantation

I ntact liver function is essential to maintain normal hemostatic mechanisms. Many of the proteins required for proper coagulation are synthesized by hepatocytes, including prothrombin (II); fibrinogen (I); factors V, VII, VIII, IX, X, XI, XII, and XIII; antithrombin III; plasminogen; a2 antiplasmin; protein C; and protein S.1-5 Traditionally, liver-derived coagulation factors have been divided into those whose final function is either dependent or independent of vitamin K. The vitamin K– dependent factors are II, VII, IX, X, protein C, and protein S (Table 1). Thus the liver is responsible for production of both procoagulant and anticoagulant proteins integral to normal hemostasis. The effect of liver disease on coagulation is complex; not only is production of coagulation factors diminished, but portal hypertension and hypersplenism cause entrapment of platelets in the spleen and thrombocytopenia. Because liver disease alters all pathways in the body’s protective coagulation and anticoagulation cascades, patients with advanced disease can experience severe bleeding or even thrombotic complications. Death from liver disease commonly results from severe gastrointestinal bleeding or bleeding into vital organs or structures. Management of coagulopathy is complicated by other features of chronic liver disease, particularly portal hypertension and malnutrition.5 Although correction of coagulopathy with fresh-frozen plasma and vitamin K is central to treatment of cirrhotic patients with variceal bleeding, it is essential also to treat the underlying portal hypertension. The latter may be effectively controlled by pharmacotherapy, decompressive portal-systemic shunt surgery, or transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunting (TIPS). Although it is often ignored, provision of appropriate nutritional support (enteral feedings or total parenteral nutrition [TPN]) may also improve the general clinical state of the patient and aid in management of bleeding risk. Liver transplantation cures the coagulopathy of liver disease and is the final therapeutic maneuver for eligible patients. The goal of this article is to briefly introduce the reader to the various concepts noted above. I highlight the most common coagulation abnormalities encountered in the treatment of patients with end-stage disease and provide treatment guidelines. Rarer coagulation problems are described to familiarize the reader with the general and specific abnormalities that may be encountered.
Computed Effects of Rotor-Induced Swirl on Brush Seal Performance—Part 1: Leakage Analysis

This paper presents a numerical study of the effects of rotor induced swirl velocity on the performance of brush seals. Such effects have been studied experimentally by Ferguson (1988), but this paper is apparently the first to obtain an enhanced understanding from the detailed flowfield distributions. The analysis involves the solution of the full Navier-Stokes equations in a two-dimensional, idealized configuration using a strongly conservative finite volume method developed by the authors in conjunction with the QUICK differencing scheme. The present computations have demonstrated excellent agreement with measurements for the similar flow across tube banks. An enhanced understanding of decreasing leakage with increasing shaft speed was obtained in terms of the various flow features. Specifically, the cause and effect relationship of certain interactions between the axial and tangential flows was identified. Computer-drawn pathlines show how increased leakage resistance results from large rotor-induced lateral motion of leakage fluid particles. In addition, a first-order streamwise periodic boundary condition treatment which facilitates numerical convergence has been proposed for essentially any flow which is streamwise periodic in two orthogonal directions.