cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
On simulating seed foraging by red harvester ants

Following guidelines found in the writings of biologist D. Gordon, we discuss our efforts to simulate the seed foraging behavior of the red harvester ant species P. barbatus. What is significant is modeling the transition of ants idle in the nest to forager status based on the rate of return of successful foragers. We layout the assumptions, simplifications and policies used in our model and formulate the necessary parameters. We present examples of visualizations obtained from a sample run and summary statistics. We simulate several days' worth of foraging and examine the sensitivity of the model to the rate parameter. We identify open questions and knowledge gaps that make further validation of the model difficult.
Antifertility Activity of N-Protected Glycine Activated Esters

A series of N-protected glycine activated esters was found to have antifertility activity in mice when administered intravaginally. The N-carbobenzoxyglycine vinyl ester and N-carbobenzoxyglyeine 1,2-dibromoethyl ester analogs possessed the best activity in inhibiting pregnancy but were much less active when administered intraperitoneal'y. The acrosin enzymatic activity of sperm also was inhibited by these N-protected glycine activated esters, as measured by N-α-benzoyl-L-arginine ethyl ester and azocasein hydrolysis. The ability to inhibit N-α-benzoyl-L-arginine ethyl ester hydrolysis, a trypsin-like activity, appeared to have a positive correlation with antifertility activity when the agents were administered intravaginally.
Extensive homology exists between Marek disease herpesvirus and its vaccine virus, herpesvirus of turkeys

Marek disease is a lymphomatous disease of chickens caused by infection of a herpesvirus, Marek disease virus (MDV). Marek disease is the only neoplastic disease for which a successful vaccine has been developed. The vaccine virus, herpesvirus of turkeys (HVT), is non-oncogenic in chickens. Despite the strong antigenic relationship between these viruses, previous studies showed that the two viral DNAs share little or no homology. Using less stringent hybridization conditions and methods that greatly improve the reassociation kinetics, we have reexamined the sequence homology between MDV and HVT DNA. We report here that HVT and MDV are far more closely related than previously reported. The homology between these two viral DNAs ranges between 70% and 80% at the nucleotide level and appears to extend over 90-95% of the respective genomes. Under the low stringency conditions used, MDV DNA fails to cross-hybridize with DNA from feline rhinotracheitis virus, an antigenically unrelated herpesvirus with a G-C content identical to that of MDV and HVT.
Chest tube management after pulmonary resection.

Abstract This article has provided a detailed description of the entire decision-making process of chest tube management. Although these protocols were derived from prospective randomized trials, further studies are needed.
Working memory following improvements in articulation rate in children with cerebral palsy

It has been postulated that rehearsal rate is the primary determinant of working memory capacity for verbal material (Baddeley et al., 1975). A previous study of normal control children and children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy (SDCP) suggested that covert rather than overt rehearsal rate determines working memory capacity (White et al., 1994). In the current study, a subset of SDCP children who received a surgical treatment to relieve spasticity were retested on measures of articulation rate and memory span. A subset of control children from the original study were also retested. The SDCP group showed improvements in articulation rate at follow-up, though memory span did not change and was again equivalent to that of controls. These findings indicate that increases in articulation rate are not necessarily accompanied by improvements in memory span, and provide additional evidence that working memory capacity may be determined by covert rather than overt articulatory rehearsal.
Improved acidolytic deprotection conditions for the Fmoc-based solid-phase synthesis of thioxo peptides

Abstract The acid-mediated cleavage of a synthetic thioxo peptide was monitored using deprotection cocktails with varying concentrations of TFA. Thioxo peptides are acid labile, undergoing cleavage at the amide linkage immediately following the thioamide linkage in the sequence. This acid lability makes Fmoc-based synthesis the method of choice for thioxo peptide preparation. The extent of cleavage increases with increased TFA concentration and longer reaction time. Data presented herein indicate that deprotection protocols involving low TFA concentration (ca. 80%) and short reaction times (ca. 2 h) minimize the losses due to acidolytic cleavage.
Multiple beam splitter for single photons

We propose a method using ``light storage'' and fractional stimulated Raman adiabatic passage (F-STIRAP) to get entangled multiple Fock states from a single photon. A light storage technique is used to store the quantum information of a single-photon pulse in atoms. F-STIRAP pulses then split the stored coherence, such that reading pulses retrieve the quantum information from this new coherence. Since each reading pulse only retrieves part of the total coherence, we can obtain entangled multiple Fock states with arbitrary relative amplitude. This method to create entanglement is versatile for obtaining frequency, time, and∕or spatial entanglement. Indeed, we obtain a multiple beam splitter with easily adjustable parameters.
Conflicting motives in evaluations of sequences

Prior research involving choices among sequences differing in trend has typically documented a preference for improving sequences. However, when we investigated sequence preferences using allocation and pricing tasks we found no evidence for a preference for improving sequences. We propose that different measurement procedures highlight or suppress varied considerations that drive preferences toward present consumption, future consumption or temporal neutrality. We discuss our results in the broader context of constructed preferences and convergent validity.
Market Selection and Welfare in a Multi-asset Economy

We analyze the performance of irrational investors, who mistake expected returns of assets, in a multi-asset economy. Under general conditions, irrational investors are severely punished compared with rational investors, in that their fractions of consumption and wealth decrease quickly. Further, the welfare cost of such underperformance is often high. Our results contrast with previous studies of single-asset economies, which find modest underperformance by irrational investors. In a calibration, we find that an irrational investor, who mistakes expected returns by 20%, loses almost 95% of his wealth in about 25 years. The welfare cost of this underperformance is significant, about 40% of the total wealth in the economy.
GDNF and insulin cooperate to enhance the proliferation and differentiation of enteric crest‐derived cells

Previously we have shown that glial derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) stimulates modest increases in the proliferation of avian enteric crest-derived cells and similar increases in the phosphorylation of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) downstream substrate Akt (Akt-P). In the present study we tested whether GDNF-independent increases in PI3K activation would be sufficient to support proliferation. We found that insulin induces a large increase in the phosphorylation of Akt and can initiate DNA synthesis in avian enteric crest-derived cells, but is unable to maintain proliferation over time in culture, measured by BrdU incorporation. GDNF can also initiate DNA synthesis, but it too is unable to maintain BrdU incorporation in cultured enteric crest-derived cells. Sustained incorporation of BrdU after 16-48 h in culture is shown to be dependent on a combination of GDNF and insulin. Using a phospho-specific antibody, we found Akt-P levels to be similar in the proliferating (BrdU incorporation maintained from 16-48 h in culture) and nonproliferating populations, suggesting that Akt-P levels were not solely controlling the extent of BrdU incorporation. A minimum level of PI3K activation, however, is required, as shown by the dose-dependent reduction in proliferation with the PI3K inhibitor LY-294002. We conclude that the integrity of the PI3K pathway is essential for enteric crest-derived cell proliferation, but that the absolute levels of Akt-P do not determine the extent of proliferation. The enhanced proliferation in cultures containing both GDNF and insulin suggests that other pathways are involved, including the possibility that PI3K downstream effectors other than Akt are important in the regulation of avian enteric crest-derived cell proliferation.
Behavioral avoidance of injured conspecific and predatory chemical stimuli by larvae of the aquatic caddisfly Hesperophylax occidentalis

Prey animals often encounter situations that hinder their ability to conduct normal fitness-enhancing behaviors. Mating and foraging are frequently interrupted by predator vigilance and avoidance, and antipredator behavior. Many caddisfly larvae build protective cases that are carried with them throughout the aquatic life cycle. However, they are still vulnerable to predation, yet it is unknown the extent caddisflies use chemical cues for predator recognition and avoidance. We exposed larval caddisfly Hesperophylax occidentalis (Banks, 1908) to predatory, conspecific, and heterospecific chemical cues to determine if caddisfly larvae can use chemical stimuli alone for predator recognition and avoidance. Exposure to predator and injured conspecific chemicals elicited significant decreases in activity, while exposure to injured and uninjured heterospecific chemicals yielded no significant change in activity. The extended latency to move following exposure to predator kairomones indicates larval caddisflies u...
The solvent polarity dependent conformational equilibrium of the carboxylic ionophore narasin: a proton NMR study.

Abstract Two dimensional homonuclear ( 1 H- 1 H) chemical shift correlation, double resonance and nuclear Overhauser effect difference spectroscopy were used to determine spectral parameters of narasin acid in different solvents approximating the range of polarities encountered within a biological membrane. The observed chemical shift and coupling constant changes were consistent with a polarity mediated shift between two conformational states, with the major conformational adjustments occurring in two specific backbone regions of the molecule previously described as “hinges” (1,2). Evidence suggests that the conformational equilibrium is not only mediated by solvent polarity but may in part be determined by the intrinsic propensity of narasin to form inclusion complexes with H + .
Meeting with the Muj

(2001). Meeting with the Muj. Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists: Vol. 57, No. 1, pp. 42-50.
Increased adrenal sensitivity to angiotensin II in idiopathic hyperaldosteronism

Plasma aldosterone increases briskly during upright posture in patients with idiopathic hyperaldosteronism, despite only small increases in PRA and presumably small increases in angiotensin II. To examine the postulate that small increments in angiotensin II mediate these brisk increases in aldosterone, we infused graded doses of angiotensin II into normal subjects and patients with idiopathic hyperaldosteronism and compared the changes in levels of plasma aldosterone in the two groups. Supplemental sodium and dexamethasone were given before the infusion to minimize the influence of endogenous angiotensin II and ACTH. In response to the infusion of angiotensin II, increases in the levels of plasma aldosterone of patients with idiopathic hyperaldosteronism were significantly greater than those of normal subjects. In addition, levels of plasma aldosterone increased at a lower rate of infusion of angiotensin II in patients than in normal subjects. It is concluded that patients with idiopathic hyperaldosteronism have increased adrenal sensitivity to angiotensin II. This increased sensitivity may explain the brisk increases in aldosterone that occur during upright posture in these patients.
Fresnel-Transform Representation of Holograms and Hologram Classification*

The transmittance of a hologram is described in terms of Fresnel transformation. This description facilitates the establishment of requirements for the hologram-recording material and it leads naturally to a classification of holograms made from plane transmitting objects illuminated by a point source. Four subtypes are singled out: the Fresnel-transform hologram, geometrical shadowgram, quasi-Fourier-transform hologram, and Fourier-transform hologram. The type of hologram produced depends on the spatial-frequency content and over-all dimension of the object. Carrier-frequency and film requirements vary with the type of hologram. Experimental arrangements with and without lenses are briefly described.
Intermittence and modulation of mesoscale variability

We studied both the fast and slow modulation of mesoscale variability in the western Kuroshio Extension region (along track 119) by analyzing 4-year TOPEX/Poseidon altimetry data. Bulk of the mesoscale variability lies near the axis of the Kuroshio Extension and the western boundary current along the east coast of Japan. It is found that both the intensity and spreading of mesoscale variability in the frequency band has significant, both abrupt and slow, variations. The slow modulation may be mainly caused by low-frequency variation in the background mean flow, while the abrupt change is primarily due to strong nonlinear processes.
Electroluminescent lamp-based phase fluorometer and oxygen sensor.

Abstract We have tested 454-nm violet-emitting solid state electroluminescent lamps (ELLs) as inexpensive intensity-modulated excitation light sources for phase fluorometric oxygen sensors. Compared with blue-emitting silicon carbide LEDs, planar surface ELLs can be produced in various shapes and in large sizes. Accordingly, the overall optical output power emitted by ELLs is much higher than that of blue LEDs. By arranging a large-size ELL close to a large-size fluorescent chemical sensor, we obtained a large number of fluorescence photons allowing for the use of a pin photodiode instead of a photomultiplier tube as the detector. For a sinusoidal driving voltage at a frequency f , the ELL output light is modulated at 2 f and at harmonics of 2 f . Because of this nonlinear modulation characteristic, we used a square wave driving signal, resulting in a pulsed light output at a repetition rate twice the square wave frequency. The shortest light pulses obtained had a FWHM close to about 1 μs. This means that the violet ELLs used in our tests provide modulation frequencies at twice the square wave driving frequency and at all harmonics thereof up to about 1 MHz. This would allow the use of fluorescent chemical sensors with decay times as short as 30 ns, assuming that a phase shift of 10° is adequate for the application. Due to the high ELL driving voltage, effective shielding is required to avoid electromagnetic interference between the modulated light source and the photodetector. Depending on the driving frequency and voltage applied, the ELLs showed a decrease in the optical output power to 50 or even 10% during the first 100 h of operation.
Application of ultrasonication in transesterification processes for biodiesel production

In biodiesel production, adequate mixing is required to create sufficient contact between the vegetable oil or animal fat and alcohol, especially at the beginning of the reaction. Application of ultrasonication provides sufficient mixing and energy so that the transesterification can proceed at a faster rate due to two effects. First, ultrasonic cavitation and microbubble formation, which are caused by the ultrasonic energy introduced by the sonotrode, greatly improve the interfacial contact between the immiscible methanol and plant oil/animal fat mixture, thus increasing the reaction rate. Second, the formation and bursting of microbubbles caused by ultrasonic cavitation intensifies the local energy transfer and energizes the reactant molecules, thus enhancing the overall reaction rate. The other possible beneficial aspect of ultrasonication may be ultrasonic energy-induced free radical formation, which initiates chain reactions, as has been observed in other organic systems, although it is not fully und...
Blogs and RSS: Powerful Information Management Tools

Purpose – An introduction to blogs and RSS.Design/methodology/approach – Describes what blogs and RSS are and what they can do Findings Blogs and RSS are a convenient and effective way to keep themselves informed, to share thoughts and ideas with each other, and to communicate with their patrons.Originality/value – This paper is useful for information management professionals who seek greater understanding of blogs and RSS implementations in libraries.
Identification of strong modifications in cation selectivity in an Arabidopsis inward rectifying potassium channel by mutant selection in yeast

The Arabidopsis thaliana cDNA, KAT1, encodes a hyperpolarization-activated K+ channel. In the present study, we utilized a combination of random site-directed mutagenesis, genetic screening in a potassium uptake-deficient yeast strain, and electrophysiological analysis in Xenopus oocytes to identify strong modifications in cation selectivity of the inward rectifying K+ channel KAT1. Threonine at position 256 was replaced by 11 other amino acid residues. Six of these mutated KAT1 cDNAs complemented a K+ uptake-deficient yeast strain at low concentrations of potassium. Among these, two mutants (T256D and T256G) showed a sensitivity of yeast growth toward high ammonium concentrations and a dramatic increase in current amplitudes of rubidium and ammonium ions relative to K+ by 39-72-fold. These single site mutations gave rise to Rb+- and NH4+-selective channels with Rb+ and NH4+ currents that were approximately 10-13-fold greater in amplitude than K+ currents, whereas the NH4+ to K+ current amplitude ratio of wild type KAT1 was 0.28. This strong conversion in cation specificity without loss of general selectivity exceeds those reported for other mutations in the pore domain of voltage-dependent K+ channels. Yeast growth was greatly impaired by sodium in two other mutants at this site (T256E and T256Q), which were blocked by millimolar sodium (K = 1.1 mM for T256E), although the wild type channel was not blocked by 110 mM sodium. Interestingly, the ability of yeast to grow in the presence of toxic cations correlated to biophysical properties of KAT1 mutants, illustrating the potential for qualitative K+ channel mutant selection in yeast. These data suggest that the size of the side chain of the amino acid at position 256 in KAT1 is important for enabling cation permeation and that this site plays a crucial role in determining the cation selectivity of hyperpolarization-activated potassium channels.
Power budget analysis of image-plane storage in spectral hole-burning materials

Abstract We analyze the power requirements of a volumetric storage system based on hole-burning materials. We consider an image-plane architecture that uses ultra-fine wavelength addressing. We perform an optimization study in which hole-depth, material thickness, and spot size are selected to minimize the system power budget. We find that a data rate of 10 Gbps and a latency of 10 μs can be achieved in a read-once system based on Eu–YSO with a total power budget of only 23 mW. The same material system designed to tolerate 1000 read cycles would require only a factor of 15 increase in power.
Amie Siegel's Recursive GDR Documentary DDR/DDR: In and Beyond the Wake of Friedrich Kittler

On the surface, Amie Siegel's 2008 documentary DDR/DDR focuses on Stasi victims and perpetrators, psychoanalysis in East Germany, Stasi training videos, DEFA westerns, and East German Native American hobbyists. Though never mentioning Friedrich Kittler explicitly, Siegel examines themes of media studies in Kittler's wake. In particular, her film encounters recursions in its exploration of surveillance media and features the technique of recursion in its own making. Employing the same technology the Stasi used, Siegel reflects on herself in the place of the surveillant and also puts herself in front of the camera, in the position of the observed. Exercising multiple role reversals, she takes on the role of the Stasi workers she interviews and puts herself on the psychoanalyst's couch, to name two examples. Contextualizing the film in recent discussions on recursion in media studies and cultural studies, this article discusses how the film utilizes recursion, but also questions it and challenges its boundar...
Overhead and overlooked

Operations management conventionally divides processes into either manufacturing or service. An important third category of process is overlooked by that classification: the overhead process. In particular, the overhead process that is not tied to a product is especially overlooked by operations management research. Nevertheless, companies are awash in such processes. This paper identifies and classifies such processes and asserts that they are susceptible to the same kinds of improvement that can be made to manufacturing and service processes.
ORIGINS OF SOLANUM LASIOCARPUM AND S. REPANDUM

Solanum candidum of tropical America is very similar to S. lasiocarpum of southeastern Asia and S. sessiliflorum, a wild and domesticated plant of the Amazon basin, is very similar to S. repandum, a weed and domesticated plant of Oceania. Artificial hybrids between S. candidum and S. lasiocarpum are fertile, and it is postulated that S. lasiocarpum resulted from a Spanish
Fampridine-SR in multiple sclerosis: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, dose-ranging study.

Objective To determine the safety of sustained-release 4-aminopyridine in subjects with mutiple sclerosis (MS) and to examine dose-related efficacy up to 40 mg twice daily.Method Multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, study. Following a 4-week baseline peroid, subjects were randomly assigned to receive Fampridine-SR (n=25, doses from 10 to 40 mg twice daily, increasing in 5 mg increments weekly) or placebo (n=11). A battery of assessments was performed weekly, including the MS Functional Composite (MSFC), fatigue questionnaires, and lower extremity manual muscle testing.Results The most common adverse events were dizziness, insomnia, paresthesia, asthenia, nausea, headache, and tremor. Five subjects were discontinued from Fampridine-SR because of adverse events at doses greater than 25 mg, and these included convulsions in two subjects at doses of 30 and 35 mg twice daily. Improvement were seen in lower extremity muscle strength (prospective analysis) and walking speed (post-hoc analys...
Development, characterization and transferability of microsatellite markers for the plant genus Phlox (Polemoniaceae)

In order to study diversification and microevolution in Phlox, we developed nine polymorphic microsatellite loci. In 20 individuals of Phlox pilosa from a single population, the average number of alleles per locus was 10.0 ± 5.1, and average observed and expected heterozygosities were 0.611 ± 0.234 and 0.769 ± 0.170, respectively. Most of these markers amplified successfully in 11 additional species of Phlox, representing a broad diversity of the genus, and some also amplified in more distantly related members of the Polemoniaceae. These microsatellite markers will be valuable for investigation of evolutionary processes in this important study system.
Anal stimulating electrodes in electromyography

The Continaid pelvic floor stimulating electrode is useful in reception of electromyographic signals, a use for which the device was not originally conceived. I believe there is money to be saved and some clinical problems can be avoided when this plug is substituted for some others now in clinical use.
Sleep Habits May Undermine Well-Being Through the Stressor Appraisal Process

The current study examined poor sleep hygiene as a behavioral factor that may undermine psychological and social well-being. Though the connection between sleep and well-being is well documented, the mechanism by which sleep hygiene may affect well-being is currently unknown. Using the transactional model of stress as a framework, we tested a multiple mediation model (N = 307) in which sleep hygiene predicts greater psychological and social well-being through one’s perceptions of primary and secondary appraisals. Results indicated mediation effects for both models; hassle appraisals and psychological strain fully mediated the relationship between sleep hygiene and well-being. These results suggest that well-being may be affected by sleep through the cognitive appraisal process.
Consistency of performance on eyedness tasks

Two forms of eye lateralization, called here dominance and preference, were investigated by giving participants multiple trials at each task dispersed over different days. Questionnaire data were also collected. It was found that: (1) a large percentage of persons cannot tell which eye they would use at eyedness tasks; (2) that over one-third of all participants give inconsistent results (some trials use right eye, other trials the left) on the dominance task and about one-sixth are inconsistent on the preference task; (3) that a typical inconsistency profile for dominance is unlike that for preference; and (4) that dominance seems to drive preference. The appropriateness of a binomial model for individual eyedness data and reasons for low correlations between tasks are also discussed.
Recycling of the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Is Mediated by a Novel Form of the Clathrin Adaptor Protein Eps15

Levels of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) at the cell surface are tightly regulated by a complex endocytic machinery. Following internalization, EGFR is either recycled back to the cell surface or transported to the late endosome/lysosome for degradation. Currently, the molecular machinery that regulates this sorting pathway is only partially defined. Eps15 (EGFR pathway substrate 15) is an endocytic adaptor protein that is well known to support clathrin-mediated internalization of EGFR at the plasma membrane. Using RT-PCR, we have identified a novel short form of Eps15 (Eps15S) from rat liver that lacks the 111 C-terminal amino acids present in the traditional Eps15 form. The goal of this study was to define the functional role of the novel Eps15S form in EGFR trafficking. Overexpression of a mutant form of Eps15S (Eps15S ΔEH2/EH3) did not block EGFR internalization but reduced its recycling to the cell surface. After knockdown of all Eps15 forms, re-expression of Eps15S significantly reduced EGFR degradation while promoting recycling back to the cell surface. In contrast, re-expression of Eps15 did not potentiate receptor recycling. Furthermore, overexpression of the mutant Eps15S substantially reduced cell proliferation, linking EGFR recycling to downstream mitogenic effects. Finally, we found that Eps15S is localized to the Rab11-positive recycling endosome that is disrupted in cells expressing the Eps15S mutant, leading to an accumulation of the EGFR in early endosomes. These findings suggest that distinct forms of Eps15 direct EGFR to either the late endosome/lysosome for degradation (Eps15) or to the recycling endosome for transit back to the cell surface (Eps15S).
Software Engineering for Space Exploration

Software engineering offers tools and techniques that improve the odds spacecraft will survive long missions, contributing to their resilience to new environmental challenges and to their adaptability to updated mission requirements.
Bupropion and paroxetine differentially influence cardiovascular and neuroendocrine responses to stress in depressed patients.

Abstract Background: There exists a need to identify safe and effective treatments for depression in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). Methods: Using a cross-sectional design, 17 depressed patients being treated with bupropion (200–450 mg/day) were compared with 17 depressed patients being treated with paroxetine (10–50 mg/day) and with a group of 15 unmedicated, non-depressed controls for cardiovascular, neuroendocrine and heart rate variability (HRV) measures at rest and in response to mental and physical stressors. Results: Regardless of treatment, both treated groups exhibited blunted plasma cortisol, plasma epinephrine, systolic blood pressure, cardiac output, and pre-ejection period responses to mental stressors relative to controls. Bupropion treated individuals exhibited greater total peripheral resistance (TPR) increases than either the paroxetine or control groups, and greater plasma norepinephrine (NE) increases to mental stressors than the paroxetine group. The bupropion group also displayed reduced HRV at rest relative to the controls and during orthostatic challenge relative to both the control and paroxetine groups. Limitations: Despite the fact that the treated groups were well matched for depression and other psychiatric histories, lack of randomization into treatment arms may be associated with a selection bias in the two treated groups. Conclusions: Although both pharmacological treatments were associated with a blunting of some cardiovascular and neuroendocrine responses to stress relative to controls, which may be reflective of their therapeutic mechanisms of action, the results of our study also suggest that bupropion is associated with a more detrimental autonomic profile than paroxetine, as reflected in increased TPR and NE, and reduced HRV. The results of this study may have implications for the pharmacological treatment of depression in CHD patients.
The pathophysiology of pemphigus.

In pemphigus foliaceus (PF), anti-desmoglein (Dsg) 1 antibodies cause blisters due to loss of keratinocyte cell adhesion in the superficial epidermis of humans and neonatal mice. The blisters do not usually involve the deep epidermis even though the anti-Dsg 1 antibody binds throughout the entire epidermis. We have hypothesized ‘desmoglein compensation’ to explain this pathology. According to this hypothesis Dsg 3, which is only present in the deep epidermis, can compensate for antibody-induced loss of function of Dsg 1 in that area, but there is no Dsg 3 to compensate in the superficial epidermis where the blister occurs. We have provided evidence for this ‘desmoglein compensation hypothesis’ in PF with the neonatal mouse model of pemphigus. In normal neonatal mice, like in adult humans, PF IgG causes blisters due to loss of cell adhesion in the superficial epidermis only. The deep epidermis does not blister, and neither do mucous membranes. As shown in Fig. 1 this can be explained because Dsg 3 is present in the deep epidermis and throughout the mucous membranes where it can compensate for the loss of function of Dsg 1 due to the PF antibodies. If desmoglein compensation is the correct explanation of this pattern of blistering, then the absence of Dsg 3 should result in more severe blistering of neonatal mice injected with PF IgG. We tested this idea with the use of Dsg 3 knockout mice [1]. When Dsg 3 −/− neonates were injected with PF IgG they developed more severe gross blistering than normal littermates, and blistering in the mucous membranes. Histology indicated that the blisters were no longer only in the superficial epidermis, but also deep in the epidermis [2]. These data are consistent with the idea that Dsg 3 normally compensates for antibody-induced loss of function of Dsg 1. To directly prove this hypothesis, we produced transgenic mice that express Dsg 3 driven by the involucrin promoter [3]. Involucrin is normally expressed in the superficial epidermis, therefore, this promoter would be expected to cause ectopic superficial expression of the Dsg 3 transgene (Figure 1). We genetically engineered the Dsg 3 cDNA to express a FLAG polypeptide on its carboxy-terminus so that we could detect the transgene with an anti-FLAG antibody. Immunofluorescence of neonatal transgenic epidermis for the FLAG epitope showed that the transgenic Dsg 3 is expressed in the superficial epidermis. Antibodies to Dsg 3 showed it was present E-mail address: jrstan@mail.med.upenn.edu (J.R. Stanley).
On Semigroups of Intermediate Growth

Abstract We prove that intermediate growth of finitely generated (f.g.) semigroups can be arbitrarily large. Namely, for every monotone non-decreasing mapping f : N → R + such that f(m) = o(c m ) for any c > 1, we construct a 2-generated semigroup whose growth is larger than the growth of f, but smaller than exponential.
Lack of effector cell function in chronic lymphocytic leukemia, a B-cell malignancy, and the Sézary syndrome, a T-cell malignancy.

Abstract In vitro reactivity of peripheral blood lymphocytes was examined from 13 patients with CLL and four patients with the Sezary syndrome. Lymphocyte proliferative responses to nonspecific mitogenic stimuli were generally depressed compared to normal controls. In vitro proliferative responses to specific antigenic stimuli were even more depressed. Lymphocyte effector functions which were independent of cellular division were also profoundly abnormal. Peripheral blood lymphocytes from both Sezary patients and CLL patients were incapable of mediating significant cytotoxicity toward 51 Cr-labeled CRBC targets in either an antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity or a mitogen-induced cellular cytotoxicity model of nonspecific cytotoxicity. Similarly, cells from these patients were unable to produce normal quantities of lymphocyte-derived chemotactic factor when activated with either nonspecific mitogens or specific antigens. Thus malignant T cells and malignant B cells are incapable of performing many in vitro functions subserved by a broad range of normal lymphocytes.
A distributed near real-time billing environment

This paper describes an architecture for a near-real-time billing system for use in a next-generation communications environment. The specifications of the architecture called for an open system that could scale from environments supporting a few thousand customers to those supporting hundreds of millions while maintaining the reliability and flexibility of adding new services required by modern communications service providers. The architecture was designed using a distributed processing environment incorporating lightweight hierarchical focused trading and a lightweight transactional engine. The architecture is described; following the description are the results of a simulation built to model performance.
Lower and Upper Bounds for Misclassification Probability Based on Renyi's Information

Fano's inequality has proven to be one important result in Shannon's information theory having found applications in numerous proofs of convergence. It also provides us with a lower bound on the symbol error probability in a communication channel, in terms of Shannon's definitions of entropy and mutual information. This result is also significant in that it suggests insights on how the classification performance is influenced by the amount of information transferred through the classifier. We have previously extended Fano's lower bound on the probability of error to a family of lower and upper bounds based on Renyi's definitions of entropy and mutual information. These new bounds however, despite their theoretical appeal, were practically incomputable. In this paper, we present some modifications to these bounds that will allow us to utilize them in practical situations. The significance of these new bounds is threefold: Illustrating a theoretical use of Renyi's definition of information, extending Fano's result to include an upper bound for probability of classification error, and providing insights on how the information transfer through a classifier affects its performance. The performance of the modified bounds is investigated in various numerical examples, including applications to digital communication channels that are designed to point out the major conclusions.
Administration of Recombinant Bovine Somatotropin to Dairy Cows for Four Consecutive Lactations

Effects of long-term administration of recombinant bovine somatotropin (bST) to dairy cows on complete lactational performance [60 (+/- 3) to 284 (+/- 3) d in milk (DIM)] were studied for four consecutive lactations. Beginning on d 60 (+/- 3) postpartum, Holstein cows received biweekly injections (500 mg) of bST (n = 39) or a placebo (control; n = 39) during the first lactation of the study. Cows either continued on the same treatment (n = 26) or were switched to the opposite treatment (n = 29) during the second lactation. Cows that changed treatments were injected for only 16 wk during the second lactation. Six cows per treatment completed four consecutive lactations. Treatment with bST during the first lactation did not have a residual effect on milk yields during the second lactation. Injections of bST during the second lactation increased milk yield 6.5 kg/d from 60 (+/- 3) to 172 DIM. For the four lactations, cows receiving bST yielded 3.7 kg/d (14%) more milk and gained 52 kg (37%) more body weight than did controls. Pretreatment (from 0 to 56 DIM) milk yields in yr 2, 3, and 4 were not affected by previous bST treatment. Milk yield, efficiency of feed utilization, and body weights were enhanced in cows injected with bST for four consecutive lactations. Previous bST treatment did not diminish milk yields in subsequent lactations.
Irradiation-induced defect clustering and amorphization in silicon carbide

Previous computer simulations of multiple 10 keV Si cascades in 3C-SiC demonstrated that many damage-state properties exhibit relatively smooth, but noticeably different, dose dependencies. A more recent analysis of these damage-state properties, which includes additional data at low and intermediate doses, reveals more complex relationships between system energy, swelling, energy per defect, relative disorder, elastic modulus, and elastic constant, C11. These relationships provide evidence for the onset of both defect clustering and solid-state amorphization, which appear to be driven by local energy and elastic instabilities from the accumulation of defects. The results provide guidance on experimental approaches to reveal the onset of these processes.
Pattern-based tactical planning

Our research demonstrates the utility of incorporating pattern recognition with machine learning in adversarial domains. We use induction to recognize cognitive behavioral patterns of an adversary and use those patterns for tactical planning in the adversarial domain. Results of our methodology for the application domain of chess are presented.
Monoamine oxidase activity in different density gradient fractions of human platelets.

Monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity measured in human platelets is reportedly altered by such drugs as epinephrine, lithium carbonate, and imipramine, and also reduced in a number of clinical disorders. To evaluate whether MAO activity might differ in platelet supopulations, density gradient centrifugation with arabino-galactan was used to prepare four platelet fractions that differed in weight and volume. MAO activity in the lightest and smallest platelet subpopulation was approximately one-half that in the heaviest and largest subpopulation. Because platelet weight and size are thought to be related to platelet age, it is possible that some drug effects on platelet MAO activity might represent changes in platelet turnover. Factors other than platelet turnover rates may contribute to individual differences in platelet MAO activity, however, since one group of individuals with markedly reduced platelet MAO activity exhibited no shift in the proportion of lighter versus heavier platelets nor in the relative amount of MAO activity in each density gradient subfraction.
Shedding Light on the Shadow-Side of Reflection in Service-Learning

Developmental and cultural factors may inadvertently play a contributing role in the discomfort that occurs during service-learning experiences. Ironically, reflection exercises may actually exacerbate the emotional and cognitive dissonance that occurs in these experiences. Both students and faculty require an understanding of what it means to “squirm and learn” in these circumstances as well as reflection strategies that allow students to process what is characterized as the “shadow-side” of reflection. This essay recounts one professor’s own experiences with this challenge and provides insight into the developmental and cultural aspects of the shadow-side of reflection concluding with a description of reflection strategies for consideration.
An interactive sequencing aid for printing presses

Abstract An interactive computer sequencing aid was developed which combines the optimizing capability of the travelling salesman algorithm with human interaction to form a basis of comparing and evaluating alternative production sequences, thereby serving as an assist to the scheduling of printing presses. The sequencing aid underwent an in-plant tryout by a printing firm in Ottawa, and proved to be a viable and cost-reducing sequencing aid.
Evidence that protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) is involved in DNA–nuclear matrix anchoring

DNA–nuclear matrix (NM) anchoring plays a critical role in the organization of DNA within the nucleus and in functional access to DNA for transcription, replication, and DNA repair. The cellular response to oxidative stress involves both gene expression and DNA repair. We, therefore, determined if changes in the oxidative–reductive environment can affect DNA–NM anchoring. The present study used two approaches to study the effect of the reducing agent DTT on DNA–NM anchoring. First, the relative stringency of the DNA–NM attachment was determined by measuring the ability of NM attached DNA loops to undergo supercoiling changes. Second, the effects of DTT on the association of nuclear proteins with DNA were determined by cisplatin crosslinking. When nucleoids (nuclear matrices with attached DNA loops) were prepared from HeLa cells with 1 mM dithiothreitol (DTT), supercoiled DNA loops unwound more efficiently compared with control in the presence of increasing propidium iodide (PI) concentrations. In addition, the rewinding of DNA supercoils in nucleoids treated with DTT was inhibited. Both effects on DNA supercoiling ability were reversed by diamide suggesting that they are dependent on the oxidation state of the protein thiols. When DTT treated nucleoids were isolated from γ-irradiated cells, the inhibition of DNA supercoil rewinding was equal to the sum of the inhibition due to DTT and γ-rays alone. Nucleoids isolated from heat-shocked cells with DTT, showed no inhibition of DNA rewinding, except a small inhibition at high PI concentrations. Nuclear DNA in DTT-treated nuclei was digested faster by DNase I than in untreated nuclei. These results suggest that DTT is altering DNA–NM anchoring by affecting the protein component(s) of the anchoring complex. Extracting NM with increasing concentrations of DTT did not solubilize any protein to a significant extent until measurable NM disintegration occurred. Therefore, we determined if 1 mM DTT affected the ability of 1 mM cisplatin to crosslink proteins to DNA. Isolated nuclei were treated with 1 mM DTT for 30 min or left untreated prior to crosslinking with 1 mM cisplatin for 2 h at 4°C. The ability of capsulation to crosslink DNA to proteins per se, did not appear to be affected by 1 mM DTT because relative amounts of at least four proteins, 69, 60, 40, and 35 kDa, were crosslinked to DNA to the same extent in DTT-treated and untreated nuclei. However, protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) crosslinked to DNA in untreated nuclei, but did not crosslink DNA in nuclei that were treated with 1 mM DTT; 1 mM DTT did not affect the intranuclear localization of PDI. Thus, DTT appears to alter the conformation of PDI, as suggested by the DTT-induced change in DNA association, but not its NM association. These results also imply that DNA–NM anchoring involves the redox state of protein sulfhydryl groups. J. Cell. Biochem. 85: 689–702, 2002. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Inclusion of Persistent Organic Pollutants in Humification Processes: Direct Chemical Incorporation of Phenanthrene via Oxidative Coupling

The participation of phenanthrene in phenol-coupling reactions mediated by horseradish peroxidase was investigated. Aqueous-phase concentrations of phenanthrene were observed to decrease dramatically with phenol as a result of the formation of precipitated products, suggesting a potential means for simultaneous treatment of phenolic contaminants and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) using peroxidase-mediated oxidative coupling processes. The studies reveal that phenanthrene removal from the aqueous phase occurs by a combination of sorption by and chemical bonding to precipitated reaction products. In that the oxidative coupling reactions of phenolics comprise an important step in the initiation of humification processes, the results obtained provide insights to potential roles that natural humification may play in the sorption, sequestration, and environmental fate of PAHs and other organic xenobiotics of similar nature.
Virtual reality and the vestibular apparatus

The defining feature of a virtual reality system is the sensation of presence. There are two main sensory systems that perceive motion: the visual and the vestibular. Their characteristics are described in the paper. Issues discussed include: visual stabilization; adaptation of vestibular reflexes; simulator sickness and sickness in virtual environments; and vestibular adaptation.
75 DEVELOPMENTAL DIFFERENCES IN CARDIAC FUNCTION IN HUMAN NEONATES

There are limited data on cardiac function in premature infants. Computer-determined instantaneous velocities of the left ventricular (LV) minor axis provide estimates of systolic and diastolic function. We determined the LV Maximal Velocity of Shortening(MVS) and Maximal Velocity of Lengthening(MVL) for 32 neonates of various gestational ages(GA) within the first three days of life. Infants with Congenital Heart Disease. Patent Ductus Arteriosus(PDA), asphxia, or sepsis were excluded from the study, x±S.D. were: Conclusions 1)The data indicate developmental differences in systolic and diastolic cardiac function and support experimental evidence for differences in contractility and compliance in the immature heart. 2)These parameters may prove useful in studying the effects of hemodynamic loads such as a PDA on cardiac function in the critically ill premature infant.
Electrical and optical properties of ceramic–polymer nanocomposite coatings

Transparent, conductive composite coatings were fabricated from suspensions of poly(vinyl acetate-acrylic) (PVAc-co-acrylic) copolymer latices (50–600 nm) and nanosized antimony-doped tin oxide (ATO) particles (∼15 nm). The suspensions were deposited as coatings onto poly(ethylene terephthalate) substrates and dried at 50 °C. Microstructure studies using field emission scanning electron microscopy and tapping-mode atomic force microscopy (TMAFM) indicated that the latex particles coalesced during drying and forced the ATO particles to segregate into the boundaries between the latex particles. Low phase contrast was observed with TMAFM; this result was consistent with the presence of PVAc-co-acrylic in the ATO-rich phase of the composite. The conductivity of the composite coatings followed a percolation power-law equation, with the percolation threshold between 0.05 and 0.075 volume fractions of ATO and the critical conductivity exponent ranging from 1.34 to 2.32. The highest direct-current conductivity of the composite coatings was around 10−2 S/cm. The optical transmittance and scattering behavior of the coatings were also investigated. Compared with the PVAc-co-acrylic coating, the composite coatings had lower transparency because of the Rayleigh scattering. The transparency of the composite coatings was improved by a reduction in the coating thickness. The best transparency for the coatings with a direct-current conductivity of approximately 10−2 S/cm was around 85% at a wavelength of 600 nm. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 41: 1744–1761, 2003