cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Testimony of John C. Coates IV Before the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Securities, Insurance and Investment on Proposed Corporate Governance Reforms

The financial crisis has generated a renewed interest in financial regulation as well as corporate governance more generally, among both academics and lawmakers. A large number of bills have been introduced in the Congress to address one or more aspects of corporate governance, including most prominently the Shareholder Bill of Rights Act of 2009 (S. 1074), introduced by New York’s Senator Charles Schumer. The following testimony of Prof. Coates takes up three broad themes: (1) the need for corporate governance of financial institutions to differ from that of other companies, (2) the general weakness of academic and scientific evidence on corporate governance topics, and (3) the general need for carefully considered moderate reforms that can be revised as evidence develops over time. The testimony reviews the state of the evidence on specific, current policy proposals, including “say on pay,” splitting the chair and CEO roles, staggered boards, and proxy access.
Expression and purification of functionally active ferrous iron transporter FeoB from Klebsiella pneumoniae.

Abstract The acquisition of ferrous iron (Fe 2+ ) is an important virulence factor utilized by several hospital-acquired (nosocomial) pathogens such as Klebsiella pneumoniae to establish infection within human hosts. Virtually all bacteria use the ferrous iron transport system (Feo) to acquire ferrous iron from their environments, which are often biological niches that stabilize Fe 2+ relative to Fe 3+ . However, the details of this process remain poorly understood, likely owing to the few expression and purification systems capable of supplying sufficient quantities of the chief component of the Feo system, the integral membrane GTPase FeoB. This bottleneck has undoubtedly hampered efforts to understand this system in order to target it for therapeutic intervention. In this study, we describe the expression, solubilization, and purification of the Fe 2+ transporter from K. pneumoniae , Kp FeoB. We show that this protein may be heterologously overexpressed in Escherichia coli as the host organism. After testing several different commercially-available detergents, we have developed a solubilization and purification protocol that produces milligram quantities of Kp FeoB with sufficient purity for enzymatic and biophysical analyses. Importantly, we demonstrate that Kp FeoB displays robust GTP hydrolysis activity ( k cat GTP of ∼10 −1 s −1 ) in the absence of any additional stimulatory factors. Our findings suggest that K. pneumoniae may be capable of using its Feo system to drive Fe 2+ import in an active manner.
U.S. Depository Librarians in Reality and Myth: A Framework for a Future Government Information Program.

Abstract How do the librarians in the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) plan to perform a role in the electronic environment? Depository librarians must meet the challenge of changing how they think about government information libraries and their mission in order to provide citizen access services in an electronic environment. The new mission is to connect the user with information at the time of need, to instruct citizens in gaining access to government information, and to develop networking applications and programs that will help to put valuable content in the information infrastructure. If the FDLP and depository libraries are to prepare to perform that role, librarians need to take stock of their technological environment, deal with the political realities, and be critical of FDLP ideals that have taken on mythological proportions. A framework for the future of the FDLP can be built if depository librarians take advantage of the new communication technology. Depository librarians can use this technology to develop partnerships and networks of depository libraries, government agencies, commercial publishers, organizations of information professionals, and citizens. In turn, depository librarians could form the virtual associations needed to develop new dissemination programs; create user interface software; consolidate lobbying efforts to develop a nationwide electronic information policy; and provide community information networks with national links. Finally, communications technology could enable depository librarians to form a consortium of depository libraries to manage a government information dissemination library program.
Possible bioremediation of arsenic toxicity by isolating indigenous bacteria from the middle Gangetic plain of Bihar, India

Abstract In middle Gangetic plain, high arsenic concentration is present in water, which causes a significant health risk. Total 48 morphologically distinct arsenite resistant bacteria were isolated from middle Gangetic plain. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of arsenite varied widely in the range 1–15 mM of the isolates. On the basis of their MIC, two isolates, AK1 ( KY569423 ) and AK9 ( KY569424 ) were selected. The analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence of selected isolates revealed that they are belong to the genus Pseudomonas . The AgNO 3 test based microplate method revealed that isolates, AK1 and AK9, have potential in transformation of arsenic species. Further, the presence of aoxR, aoxB and aoxC genes in the both isolated strain AK1 and AK9 was confirmed, which play an important role in arsenic bioremediation by arsenite oxidation. Isolated strains also showed heavy metal resistance against Cr(IV), Ni(II), Co(II), Pb(II), Cu(II), Hg(II), Ag(I) and Cd(II).
Characterization of vasoactive intestinal peptide receptors in rabbit ciliary processes.

Purpose To demonstrate a potential role for vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) in the regulation of ciliary process function, VIP receptors on rabbit ciliary process membranes were identified and characterized in biochemical and immunochemical studies. Methods Membranes were isolated from rabbit ciliary processes, and VIP receptors were characterized by competition binding, affinity cross-linking, and N-glycanase digestion. A site-specific polyclonal antibody directed against the NH2-terminal end of the deduced sequence of the recently cloned rat VIP receptor was generated and used to identify the VIP receptor by immunoblot analysis. Results Membranes isolated from rabbit ciliary processes exhibited a high-affinity VIP binding site (KD approximately 1 nM). Secretin and glucagon, which possess considerable primary sequence homology with VIP, were ineffective in inhibiting 125I-VIP binding to ciliary process membranes. In conjunction with the chemical cross-linking agent disuccinimidyl suberate, 125I-VIP specifically labeled a 63-kd protein in membranes from ciliary processes. This apparent size was confirmed by immunoblot analysis of ciliary body membranes using a site-specific polyclonal antibody that recognizes residues 92 to 104 of the rat VIP receptor. Digestion of the affinity-labeled receptor with N-glycanase generated an N-linked oligosaccharide free core protein of -50 kd. Conclusions These findings demonstrate the presence of specific VIP receptors in rabbit ciliary processes. The differences in ligand specificity and structure of the ciliary process VIP receptor, compared to VIP receptors on peripheral tissues, suggest either a specific role(s) for VIP that may be unique to the anterior segment or the existence of VIP receptor isoforms.
Myc and Control of Tumor Neovascularization

The hallmark of Burkitt’s and some other non-Hodgkin lymphomas and leukemias is the (8;14) translocation that subjects the c-myc proto-oncogene to the control of a heavy chain gene enhancer (Dalla-Favera et al. 1982; Taub et al. 1982). Additionally, double minute chromosomes (dmin) containing amplified copies of the c-Myc gene are commonly detected in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) (Storlazzi et al. 2004). In parallel, rearrangements and amplifications of the c-MYC locus are hallmarks of many solid neoplasms. For example, the LINE-1 element insertion leads to MYC rearrangement in the case of breast carcinoma (Morse et al. 1988) and up to 50% of breast carcinomas show a gain in copy number of the 8q24 band containing MYC (Ioannidis et al. 2003). Another Myc family member, MYCN, is amplified in neuroblastoma cell lines (Kohl et al. 1983) and primary tumors, where it correlates with advance disease stage (Brodeur et al. 1984). Yet, despite the wealth of data implicating Myc in the pathogenesis of cancer, its exact contribution to neoplastic traits is not completely understood. Much recent evidence points towards the involvement of Myc in cell-extrinsic processes, such as angiogenesis.
The Jamesian Condom

Exploration of the motives for the conservative reflexes of the Jameses after the death of Henry James.
Correction to: Medical treatment of dystonia.

Following publication of the original article [1], the authors reported that the videos referred to in their article were not accessible to readers.
Plant Parasitic Nematodes in Alaska

Alaska has the smallest agricultural base of the 50 states, but has been making serious efforts in recent years to expand it. Even so, Alaska imports more than 95% of its food needs. Nurturing local crop production requires an accurate assessment of actual and potential pests and pathogens, including nematodes. The few surveys conducted in Alaska have shown that the plant parasitic nematode fauna is diverse, with most of the same genera found in other states. No nematode species has yet been shown to significantly affect crop production. However, rapid climate warming in Alaska will result in conditions more favorable for the introduction of significant nematode pests, such as Meloidogyne chitwoodi (Columbia root-knot nematode), Globodera pallida (pale potato cyst nematode), M. hapla (northern root-knot nematode) and Ditylenchus destructor (potato rot nematode) on potato and Heterodera avenae (oat cyst nematode) on barley and oats. A program of sampling and evaluation for nematode pests should be implemented as the Alaskan climate moderates and crop production increases.
Crevice corrosion and environmentally assisted cracking of high-strength duplex stainless steels in simulated concrete pore solutions

Abstract This paper presents a study of crevice corrosion and environmentally assisted cracking (EAC) mechanisms in UNS S32205 and S32304 which were cold drawn to tensile strengths of approximately 1300 MPa. The study utilized a combination of electrochemical methods and slow strain rate testing to evaluate EAC susceptibility. UNS S32205 was not susceptible to crevice corrosion in stranded geometries at Cl− concentrations up to 1.0 M in alkaline and carbonated simulated concrete pore solutions. UNS S32304 did exhibit a reduction in corrosion resistance when tested in a stranded geometry. UNS S32205 and S32304 were not susceptible to stress corrosion cracking at Cl− concentrations up to 0.5 M in alkaline and carbonated solutions but were susceptible to hydrogen embrittlement with cathodic overprotection.
Type of job, personal factors, and disease status are important contextual factors when measuring worker productivity in people with arthritis: a Delphi study.

Purpose: Arthritis is associated with lost wages, work disability, and decreased productivity. There is a lack of knowledge regarding contextual factors that influence worker productivity to inform...
Chemical Bonding in the Ternary Transition Metal Bismuthides Ti4TBi2 with T = Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, and Ni

The electronic structure and chemical bonding in the ternary transition metal bismuthides Ti{sub 4}TBi{sub 2} (T = Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, and Ni) is investigated by approximate MO calculations of the extended Hueckel tight-binding type. These intermetallic compounds crystallize in a layer structure, repeating sequence T-Ti/Bi-T-Ti/Bi, stacking along c; the late transition metals form linear chains with short T-T bonds. Other important structural elements are face-sharing chains of Ti{sub 4}Bi{sub 2} octahedra and Bi channels. The decrease of the T-T bond lengths from Cr to Ni is more pronounced than expected from the decrease of the metallic radii alone. The analysis of the electronic structure indicates that this behavior arises from the titanium-titanium and titanium-bismuth interlayer interactions. Diminution of the titanium-titanium interlayer distances as one goes from Ti{sub 4}CrBi{sub 2} to Ti{sub 4}NiBi{sub 2} is due to Ti(d)-Ti(d) bonding, which increases with increasing electron filling of the titanium d levels. The titanium-bismuth interactions remain strong along this series, as can also be seen by the constant intralayer/titanium-bismuth distances. A distinguishing feature of the title compounds is the channels formed by bismuth atoms. These channels are filled by Bi-centered, essentially unhybridized 6p orbitals forming a 2D net stacking along c andmore » interacting with each other, stronger in the c direction than perpendicular to it. The possibility of intercalating electrophilic species into these electron-filled voids is also investigated.« less
The prophylactic and therapeutic activity of a broadly active ribonucleoside analog in a murine model of intranasal venezuelan equine encephalitis virus infection

Abstract The New World alphaviruses Venezuelan, Eastern, and Western equine encephalitis viruses (VEEV, EEEV and WEEV, respectively) commonly cause a febrile disease that can progress to meningoencephalitis, resulting in significant morbidity and mortality. To address the need for a therapeutic agent for the treatment of Alphavirus infections, we identified and pursued preclinical characterization of a ribonucleoside analog EIDD-1931 (β-D-N4-hydroxycytidine, NHC), which has shown broad activity against alphaviruses in vitro and has a very high genetic barrier for development of resistance. To be truly effective as a therapeutic agent for VEEV infection a drug must penetrate the blood brain barrier and arrest virus replication in the brain. High plasma levels of EIDD-1931 are rapidly achieved in mice after oral dosing. Once in the plasma EIDD-1931 is efficiently distributed into organs, including brain, where it is rapidly converted to its active 5′-triphosphate. EIDD-1931 showed a good safety profile in mice after 7-day repeated dosing with up to 1000 mg/kg/day doses. In mouse model studies, EIDD-1931 was 90–100% effective in protecting mice against lethal intranasal infection when therapeutic treatment was started as late as 24 h post-infection, and partial protection was achieved when treatment was delayed for 48 h post-infection. These results support further preclinical development of EIDD-1931 as a potential anti-alphavirus drug.
An Origami Continuum Robot Capable of Precise Motion Through Torsionally Stiff Body and Smooth Inverse Kinematics

Continuum robot arms, with their hyper-redundant continuously deformable bodies, show great promise in applications deemed impossible for traditional rigid robot arms with discrete links and joints, such as navigating tight corners without getting stuck. However, existing continuum robots suffer from excessive twisting when subjected to offset loading, even resulting from their own body weight, which reduces their dexterity and precision. In this work, we present a continuum manipulator that is capable of providing passive torsional stiffness through an origami-inspired modular design, remedying the non-controllable twist typically present in continuum robots. Our proposed origami continuum module is ∼73 times stronger in torsion compared with similar-size continuum modules made out of silicone rubber, while being 50% lighter, and capable of 125% change in length. Building on these physical capabilities, we present an optimization-based method to solve for the inverse kinematics of our multi-segment origami continuum manipulator that ensures smooth motion to follow desired end-effector paths, minimizing vibrations of the long and slender body. Further, taking advantage of the length-change capabilities of our origami manipulator, we devise and evaluate grow-to-shape algorithms to plan for full-body robot insertion motions that follow tortuous paths. Lastly, we showcase various applications of our proposed continuum robot for pick-and-place, inspection/exploration, and robotic art. Our study presents a highly capable continuum robot for safe manipulation and structure inspection applications, with potential for real-world deployment.
WHAT DO YOU WEIGH? POPULAR FEMINISM AND BODY POSITIVITY AS MEDIATEDDISEMBODIMENT

This study analyzes the Instagram page, @i_weigh, and its relation to body positivity discourses. Drawing on a visual discourse analysis of 300 Instagram posts from the @i_weigh account, this study suggests that body positivity movements may be increasingly disembodied in a self-representational era hallmarked by popular feminism. On 16 March 2018, actress and activist Jameela Jamil posted a photo to Instagram, obscuring her body with textual identifiers like “great friends” and “I laugh every day.” This post marked the launch of the Instagram account @i_weigh. This page, founded and maintained by Jamil, posts submissions from Instagram users answering the call to “weigh” themselves beyond the corporeal. This movement, now millions in reach, signals a departure from the conventions of body positivity. Rather than discovering empowerment through the body, @i_weigh encourages its participants to publicly privilege external relationships, social identities, and economic opportunities in an effort to look past the body. @i_weigh discursively constructs a mediated disembodiment, characterized by its liminal visual representation and categorization of the self through narratives of resilience and strength, claiming marginalized identities, and extra-self connection. The interaction of liminality and mediated disembodiment is reflective of self-representation in an age of popular feminism, placing the responsibility back on women for their own empowerment and production of selfhood while ignoring the socio-cultural frameworks that create a need for empowerment in the first place.
Economic Agency and Audit Committees: Responsibilities and Membership Composition

Committees, commissions, and regulatory authorities in the US, the UK, Canada and Australia have identified the corporate audit committee as a key component of effective corporate government. Categorizations of the responsibilities frequently assigned audit committees have been prepared by professional groups and by Wolnizer. However, evidence linking assigned responsibilities to the experience backgrounds of audit committee members has not previously been provided. Statements in international accounting firm publications indicate that to function effectively some audit committee members should have backgrounds in financial reporting, accounting, or auditing. The current study uses data that are publicly available to investors and others to document assigned committee responsibilities and the membership backgrounds of the audit committees of large US multinational enterprises. It provides competing explanations of the proportion of audit committee members with instrumental experience (i.e. technical skills to relate to accounting, auditing and control issues). The results indicate that the backgrounds of the chief executive officer and the audit committee chair help to explain the proportion of members with instrumental experience, while the breadth and technicality of assigned responsibilities, multinational and domestic complexity, leverage, and asset structure do not. Because these results appear to be inconsistent with the agency costs paradigm that has guided much of published research on monitoring and controls, suggestions for future research to clarify the relation between assigned audit committees responsibilities and membership background are provided.
Acute effects of inhaled menthol on cognitive effects of intravenous nicotine among young adult cigarette smokers

Abstract Basic science studies indicate that menthol can enhance the cognitive effects of nicotine to increase nicotine dependence; however, the effect of menthol and nicotine on cognitive functioning among humans has been understudied. This double-blind, placebo-controlled study examined the dose-dependent effects of inhaled menthol flavoring and intravenous nicotine on cognitive task performance. Twenty menthol (MS) and 18 non-menthol (NMS) cigarette preferring, young-adult smokers (21% female; 7.9% Hispanic, 44.7% Non-Hispanic/White, 47.4% Non-Hispanic/Black) completed three sessions with randomized order of menthol flavoring (between-sessions: 0.0%/tobacco control, 0.5%/low, 3.2%/high) and intravenous nicotine (within-session: 0.0 mg/saline control, 0.25 mg/low, 0.5 mg/high). After each administration, participants completed three cognitive tasks: Continuous Performance Task (CPT), Mathematical Processing Task (MPT), and Stroop Task. Mixed effects models were used to examine interactive effects of cigarette type preference and menthol and nicotine doses. MS vs. NMS had decreased accuracy on CPT and MPT and efficiency during Stroop. No significant effects of cigarette type preference by menthol or nicotine were found for any task. Significant effects of nicotine by menthol were found during Stroop, where participants had greater accuracy for high nicotine compared to saline during the low menthol session. Significant effects of menthol by timepoint were seen during Stroop, where participants improved across timepoints during the low menthol session. Findings did not support significant effects of inhaled menthol, alone or with nicotine, on cognitive performance. Further research clarifying the impact of varying menthol and nicotine levels in nicotine products may help to elucidate menthol’s role in smoking sustainment.
Transition of culturally and linguistically diverse youth with disabilities: Challenges and opportunities

Youth with disabilities who come from culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) backgrounds have markedly poorer adult life transition outcomes compared to White youth with disabilities. This article explores the literature on transition outcomes of youth with disabilities who are White, Hispanic, and African American and argues that high numbers of CLD youth with disabilities are likely to be on the caseloads of transition services personnel now and in the future. Statistics from the U.S Census bureau are cited to substantiate this argument. Transition literature discussing challenges faced by CLD families and youth with disabilities is reviewed, along with practical and useful suggestions on how to engage in more culturally responsive transition assessment, planning, and educational programming with this unique population.
Population Size and Genetic Drift in Fitness Sharing

Sharing methods promote the formation and maintenance of stable subpopulations or niches in genetic algorithms. This paper derives, for various models of sharing, lower bounds on the population size required to maintain, with probability γ, a fixed number of desired niches. It also derives expressions for the expected time to disappearance of a desired niche, and relates disappearance time to population size. Models are presented of sharing under selection, and sharing under both selection and crossover. Some models assume that all niches are equivalent with respect to fitness. Others allow niches to differ with respect to fitness. Models of selection are applicable to GAs with sharing in which crossover is insignificantly disruptive. All models are applicable to GAs with sharing that incorporate low levels of mutation. GAs with sharing are run on seven test problems in optimization and classification, using population sizes derived from the models.
Towards interpreting models to orchestrate IaaS multi-cloud infrastructures

One challenge to the cloud computing paradigm is the task complexity associated with designing and managing multi-cloud solutions based on operational objectives. Heterogeneous vendor interfaces and a lack of standardization compounds this complexity and may eventually lead to vendor lock-in. In this article we present a model driven approach to allowing network administrators to intuitively describe and rapidly realize non-trivial IaaS behavior in realtime. We have developed iCloudML, an interpreted domain-specific modeling language and its interpreter as tooling support for the domain.
Stress concentrations due to sliding grain boundaries in creeping alloys

The most dominant singular stress distributions caused by grain-boundary sliding accommodated by power-law creep have been determined at hard grain-boundary particles and at triple grain junctions, where cavitation and eventual creep cracking are frequently observed. Finite element computations have been used to connect these local stresses to the far-field stresses. These finite element analyses incorporate a specially formulated power-type singularity element, a new method of simulating periodicity and symmetry boundary conditions, a scheme for automatic variable step selection for stable time integration, and a method to bypass the influence of incompressibility. The deviatoric stresses obtained from the finite element results show very good agreement with the dominant singularity solutions, and provide accurate estimates of the generalized stress intensity factors. 22 references, 14 figures, 1 table.
The fate of the chromaffin granule during catecholamine release from the adrenal medulla. I. Unchanged efflux of phospholipid and cholesterol.

Abstract Bovine adrenal glands were perfused in vitro or in situ with Locke's solution and were stimulated with acetylcholine (ACh). Catecholamine efflux rose sharply in response to acetylcholine but there was no change in the efflux of phospholipids or cholesterol, substances that are known to be present in the membranes of the chromaffin granules. The results support the view that the membranes of the chromaffin granules remain in the cell during catecholamine extrusion.
Composition of a specific intercellular agglutination factor.

Abstract The sexual agglutination factor released from Hansenula wingei type 5 haploid yeast cells by subtilisin digestion is a glycoprotein with a molecular weight of about 9.6 x 105, which is composed of 85% carbohydrate, 10% protein, and 5% phosphate. The protein part contains 55% serine and 6 to 8% threonine. About 85% of these 2 residues is destroyed on treatment of 5-agglutinin with alkali under conditions which cause β elimination, and 90% of the carbohydrate attached to the agglutinin is released as oligosaccharides composed entirely of mannose which vary in size from 1 to 15 sugar units in length. Thus, the 5-agglutinin is an unusual glycoprotein in which almost two-thirds of the protein is composed of hydroxy amino acids, and of these about 85% are substituted by mannose or mannooligosaccharides. As a result, half of the amino acid residues in the protein carry carbohydrate substituents. The ability of 5-agglutinin to agglutinate 21 cells is destroyed by digestion with pronase or with a bacterial exo-α-mannanase. Thus, both the protein and carbohydrate components contribute to the recognition and binding activities of the factor.
Gravimetric microanalysis of beryllium silicate rocks

The micro determination of P2O5, Al, Fe, Be, and Mg have been investigated to determine their applicability to a system of separation. In the case of magnesium and beryllium new methods of determination were worked out. A plan of separation of these ions has been suggested. The conclusions set forth in this paper are based on experimental data secured through numerous determinations. These determinations involved about one hundred macro and over three hundred micro weighings. The authors are at present continuing the work of carrying out a complete separation of all ions listed above.
Panel Discussions on Total Solar Irradiance Variations and the Maunder Minimum

For more than a decade, total solar irradiance has been monitored from several satellites, namely the Nimbus-7, Solar Maximum Mission (SMM), the NASA ERBS, NOAA9 and NOAA1O, EURECA, and the Upper Atmospheric Research Satellite (UARS) (e.g. Willson and Hudson, 1991; Hoyt et al., 1992; Mecherikunnel et al., 1988; Romero et al., 1994). These observations have revealed variations in total irradiance ranging from minutes to the 11-year solar cycle (Figure 1, from Frohlich 1994). The very small, rapid irradiance fluctuations are due to solar oscillations (Woodard and Hudson, 1983; Frohlich, 1992). The short-term variations (from days to months) are directly related to the evolution of active regions via the combined effect of dark sunspots and bright faculae (Chapman, 1987). The most important discovery of irradiance observations is the 0.1% peak-to-peak variation in total solar irradiance over the solax cycle (Willson and Hudson, 1991). This solar-cycle-related variation of total irradiance is attributed to the changing emission of bright magnetic elements, including faculae and the magnetic network (Foukal and Lean 1988). This solar cycle variability may also be related to changes in the photospheric temperature; however it is not clear as yet whether this change can be linked to the bright network component (Kuhn et al., 1988).
A comparative study of synchronous reluctance machine performance with different pole numbers for automotive applications

This paper presents a comparative study on the effects of the number of poles on the synchronous reluctance machine's magnetic and mechanical performances for automotive applications. In automotive applications the design limitations i.e., proper size, maximum speed, torque envelope, and converter rating make the design sensitive to magnetic and geometric parameters such as the number of poles. Low torque ripple requirement for traction motors leads to the number of poles higher than two. From a rotor geometry point of view the number of poles higher than six would not be feasible in today's compact traction motors. Two different motor alternatives using 4 and 6 poles have been designed using a sizing methodology. In this work, machines equipped with transversally laminated anisotropie rotors. Magnetic and mechanical performances of the machines are analyzed and compared with regards to the design requirements. Finally, the proper design alternative will be addressed for automotive applications.
Genes and Membranes

It is now generally accepted that the composition of biological membranes is under genetic control. For each membrane protein, each enzyme involved in the biosynthesis of membrane lipids, and each enzyme that modifies either proteins or lipids (e. g., by adding carbohydrate residues to make glycoproteins or glycolipids), there must be a structural gene whose nucleotide sequence specifies the appropriate amino acid sequence. In addition, there are assumed to be regulatory genes which govern the rates at which the various proteins are made. The purpose of this chapter is to survey the ways in which genetic studies can contribute to our understanding of membrane structure and function. Successive sections of the chapter will discuss the criteria for establishing that differences in membrane properties are genetically determined, the kinds of information that can come from biochemical and physiological studies on membrane mutants, and the information that can be gained by genetic analysis.
Reactive ion etching-induced damage in InAlAs/InGaAs heterostructures

Due to the advances in lithography and dry processing technologies it is now possible to fabricate devices with lateral dimensions in the nanometer range. Dry processes such as reactive ion etching (RIE) or chemically assisted ion beam etching (CAIBE), are generally required to provide the etch anisotropy needed to define such small structures. Unfortunately, the energetic ions in these ion beam processes introduce crystal damage which results in deterioration of electronic and optoelectronic properties of the semiconductor material. In order to exploit the full potential of the dry processes it is very important to characterize and understand the process-induced damage. This is particularly true in III-V semiconductor structures, where thermal annealing is often ineffective for restoring crystalline order. At present, the mechanism of damage introduction during dry etch processes is not clearly understood. The damage extends well beyond the calculated projected ion ranges. In addition, in RIE the energy and the flux of ions bombarding the etched wafer can only be controlled indirectly by adjusting the rf power, the pressure etc. Unless special techniques are used to measure the ion energy distribution, only the maximum possible ion energy is known from the value of the self-bias voltage. Also, in most situations the nature of the ions, their fluxes or the ion/neutral ratio are unknown. This lack of information further complicates the prediction of the extent of damage. Thus, the significance of characterization of dry etch induced damage in the fabrication of devices cannot be overemphasized. In this paper, we report the study of RIE-induced damage in the InAlAs/InGaAs material system which has great potential for applications in microwave devices and long-wavelength optical communications due to its excellent transport properties. >
Helium atmospheric pressure plasma jets touching dielectric and metal surfaces

Atmospheric pressure plasma jets (APPJs) are being investigated in the context plasma medicine and biotechnology applications, and surface functionalization. The composition of the surface being treated ranges from plastics, liquids, and biological tissue, to metals. The dielectric constant of these materials ranges from as low as 1.5 for plastics to near 80 for liquids, and essentially infinite for metals. The electrical properties of the surface are not independent variables as the permittivity of the material being treated has an effect on the dynamics of the incident APPJ. In this paper, results are discussed from a computational investigation of the interaction of an APPJ incident onto materials of varying permittivity, and their impact on the discharge dynamics of the plasma jet. The computer model used in this investigation solves Poisson's equation, transport equations for charged and neutral species, the electron energy equation, and the Navier-Stokes equations for the neutral gas flow. The APPJ ...
An evaluation of the targets and timetables of proposed Australian emissions reduction policies

This paper evaluates Australia's proposed emissions reduction policies in terms of the implied rates of decarbonization of the Australian economy for a range of proposed emissions reduction targets. The paper uses the Kaya Identity to structure the evaluation, employing both a bottom-up approach (based on projections of future Australian population, economic growth, and technology) as well as a top-down approach (deriving implied rates of decarbonization consistent with the targets and various rates of economic growth). Both approaches indicate that the Australian economy would have to achieve annual rates of decarbonization of 3.8–5.9% to meet a 2020 target of reducing emissions by 5%, 15% or 25% below 2000 levels, and about 5% to meet a 2050 target of a 60% reduction below 2000 levels. The paper argues that proposed Australian carbon policy proposals present emissions reduction targets that will be all but impossible to meet without creative approaches to accounting as they would require a level of effort equivalent to the deployment of dozens of new nuclear power plants or thousands of new solar thermal plants within the next decade.
Marital bargaining in the demand for life insurance: evidence from the Health and Retirement Study

A vast literature explores life insurance from the perspective of a single individual. This paper considers an alternative approach by developing and testing a theoretical model for term life insurance demand by married households over age 50. Allowing for joint, cooperative decision making between spouses, empirical findings show that increasing the relative bargaining power of husbands results in reductions in the size of the insurance policies covering the lives of husbands in a manner consistent with theory. The intuition is that households reallocate resources to states of nature that husbands place greater weight by reducing the amount spent on purchasing insurance covering the lives of husbands. In contrast, marital bargaining power generally has a substantially smaller effect in the demand for life insurance covering the lives of wives. However, when bargaining power is shifted towards husbands, life insurance coverage increases among the subsample of wives who provide a large proportion of total household income and are more likely to require protection against lost future income in the event of death.
A Hybrid RANS/LES Approach for Predicting Jet Noise

Hybrid acoustic prediction methods have an important advantage over the current Reynolds averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) based methods in that they only involve modeling of the relatively universal subscale motion and not the configuration dependent larger scale turbulence. Unfortunately, they are unable to account for the high frequency sound generated by the turbulence in the initial mixing layers. This paper introduces an alternative approach that directly calculates the sound from a hybrid RANS/LES flow model (which can resolve the steep gradients in the initial mixing layers near the nozzle lip) and adopts modeling techniques similar to those used in current RANS based noise prediction methods to determine the unknown sources in the equations for the remaining unresolved components of the sound field. The resulting prediction method would then be intermediate between the current noise prediction codes and previously proposed hybrid noise prediction methods.
Rail gun performance and plasma characteristics due to wall ablation

The experiment of Bauer et al. is analyzed by considering wall ablation and viscous drag in the plasma. Plasma characteristics are evaluated through a simple fluid-mechanical analysis considering only wall ablation. By equating the energy dissipated in the plasma with the radiation heat loss, the average properties of the plasma are determined as a function of time.
Biosynthesis of pyrimidines by various organs of the chick during embryogenesis.

Extract: Activities of two enzymes of the de novo pyrimidinc biosynthetic pathway, aspartate transcarbamylase and dihydro-orotase, and one enzyme of the salvage pathway, uridine kinase, were assayed in the liver, heart, brain, and intestine during embryogensesis of the chick, to assess the relatio of these pathways to celluar proliferation and organ growth. As the period of embryogenesis ended, the increment of cellular prolifertation, as determined by changes in amount of DNA, of liver, brain, and heart decreased, while that of intestine remained relatively constant. The most elevated activities for both enzymes of the de novo pathway were observed in the earliest stages of development, decreasing thereafter with age. These two enzymatic activities changed sychronously in each of the tissues studied. In each organ, the highest activities of the de novo pyrimidine biosynthetic enzymatic patterns during development paralleled the overall growth rates of different organs. The activity of uriding kinase increased throughout embryonic development in the organs investigated, in contrast to the activities of the enzymes of the pathway of de novo Pyrimidine biosynthesis. Speculation: The de novo pyrimidine pathway might be the prime source of pyrimidines at early stages of development when macromolecules must be assembled from simple precursors. As the embryo grows, the use of available preformed material would be a more efficent means for synthesis of nucleotides.
Diplopia and ptosis following injection of local anesthesia without hyaluronidase.

In a university ophthalmology department, a cluster of postoperative diplopia and ptosis cases occurred in the initial 3 months after hyaluronidase (Wydase®) became unavailable for use with injection anesthesia. These cases suggest that hyaluronidase, when used with injection anesthesia, may protect extraocular muscles and nerves from the toxic effects of local anesthetic agents. The spreading action of hyaluronidase facilitates uniform diffusion of anesthetic agents. This prevents elevated extracellular tissue pressure, a cause of ischemic damage to extraocular muscles or nerves. Hyaluronidase may also prevent focal accumulations and concentrations of local anesthetic agents, which at high enough levels may cause myotoxic or neurotoxic damage, fibrosis, and contracture of extraocular muscles or nerves.
Comment for identification and estimation of nonlinear models using two samples with nonclassical measurement errors, by Carroll, Chen and Hu

This is a very interesting paper that develops nonparametric identification results and and semiparametric estimators for a nonparametric and semiparametric nonclassical measurement error model using a combination of a primary data set and an auxiliary data set. Their estimator not only achieves the semiparametric efficiency bound when the conditional regression model is correctly specified parametrically, but also performs well in finite sample simulation designs. In their paper, an application of their method to studying the relation between the amount of beta-carotene from food and the latent true daily long-term intake of beta-carotene using two data sets from the Eating at America's Table Study (EATS) and the Observing Protein and Energy Nutrition study shows that ignoring measurement errors in the EATS data set leads to substantial attenuation bias in the regression coefficient.
A GIS-based index for relating landscape characteristics to potential nitrogen leaching to wetlands

We developed a spatially-explicit, quantitative Nitrogen Leaching Index to assess the potential for non-point source subsurface nitrogen pollution to wetlands. The index was based on the leaching potential of the watershed soils, the amount of nitrogen available for leaching, and the spatial position of nitrogen sources in the watershed. A raster or cell-based geographic information system (GIS) was used to estimate the necessary data inputs for calculating the index, such as soil hydrologic group, land use/soil type combination, groundwater residence time, and location of septic systems. The Total and Average Watershed Nitrogen Leaching Index (TWNLI and AWNLI) were calculated by summing and averaging, respectively, individual cell contributions over a watershed. Analysis of nine wetland watersheds in central New York state, USA, with mixed forest and agricultural land uses illustrated the use of the index for identifying and ranking wetlands with potential nitrogen pollution. Results showed that the spatial characteristics of a watershed potentially can effect subsurface nitrogen delivery to groundwater-dominated wetlands. The use of an index based on watershed soils, topography, and land use may be useful for assessing potential nitrogen pollution to wetlands at a regional scale.
Effects of Exogenous Nerve Growth Factor upon Sympathetic Sprouting into the Hippocampal Formation

Following septal denervation of the hippocampal formation, sympathetic fibers from a transplanted superior cervical ganglion will innervate hippocampal tissue in a topographically restricted manner. Previously, we have shown a strong correlation between the regions innervated by the sprouting sympathetic axons and the distribution of NGF immunoreactivity in the hippocampal formation, suggesting that a restricted availability of NGF trophic support may regulate the topography of innervation by the NGF-sensitive sympathetic fibers. It was possible, however, that other molecular cues were responsible for restricting neurite outgrowth to selected hippocampal regions. In the current investigation, this idea was explored by experimentally altering the distribution of hippocampal NGF using a continuous intraparenchymal infusion device. Our results indicate that some hippocampal regions, not innervated by sympathetic fibers in control animals, do become occupied when the necessary trophic factor is provided, suggesting that these regions already contained an appropriate substratum for sympathetic neurite outgrowth but lacked the necessary trophic stimulus. Other regions, however, did not become innervated even though infused NGF was verifiably present in them. Together, these findings propose that a spatial restriction of NGF may be a crucial molecular mechanism for controlling the distribution of sprouting NGF-sensitive sympathetic fibers but that other endogenous signals may regulate NGF's ability to stimulate local terminal sprouting. The data are also consistent with the idea that a limited availability of endogenous NGF is regulating both the density of sympathetic innervation into the hippocampal formation and the extent of neuronal survival within the transplanted ganglion.
Outcome study of cholecystectomy during pregnancy.

Abstract Background: Several anecdotal papers suggest that laparoscopic cholecystectomy can be done safely in pregnant patients, but few patients are reported and other patients such as those who underwent laparoscopic appendectomy are often included. A larger series would help clarify the situation. Methods: The Connecticut Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy Registry and data from the Connecticut Hospital Association (CHA) were combined to search for all cholecystectomies performed in pregnant patients from 1992 through 1996. Information on outcomes for both mother and infant was obtained through the cooperation of most of the CHA hospitals. Results: Complete data were available for 46 patients, 20 laparoscopic and 26 open cases. The groups were comparable in all demographic respects except for the timing of cholecystectomy, which was performed at a mean of 18.4 ± 6.7 weeks (range 9 to 32) of gestation for the laparoscopic and 24.8 ± 4.7 weeks (range 14 to 35) for the open patients (P = 0.01). A maternal-fetal mortality due to intra-abdominal hemorrhage occurred in the laparoscopic group 2 weeks postoperatively. In the open group, a fetal demise occurred at 21 weeks gestation, 5 weeks postcholecystectomy. The open patients experienced 8 episodes of premature contractions compared with one one such event in the laparoscopic group (P = 0.057). Conclusions: This represents the largest reported series of laparoscopic cholecystectomy in pregnant patients. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy does not lead to increased numbers of fetal complications. Premature uterine contractions tend to occur more frequently after open cholecystectomy and when the procedure is performed later in gestation.
Cyclophilin D Interacts with Bcl2 and Exerts an Anti-apoptotic Effect

Cyclophilin D (CypD) is a mitochondrial immunophilin and a key positive regulator of the mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT). Several reports have shown that CypD is overexpressed in various tumors, where it has an anti-apoptotic effect. Because the MPT is a cell death-inducing phenomenon, we hypothesized that the anti-apoptotic effect of CypD is independent of the MPT but is due to its interaction with some key apoptosis regulator, such as Bcl2. Our data indicate that CypD indeed interacts with Bcl2 as confirmed with co-immunoprecipitation, pulldown, and mammalian two-hybrid assays. A cyclophilin D inhibitor, cyclosporine A, disrupts the CypD-Bcl2 interaction. CypD enhances the limiting effect of Bcl2 on the tBid-induced release of cytochrome c from mitochondria, which is not mediated via the MPT. Gain- and loss-of-function experiments confirm that CypD has a limiting effect on cytochrome c release from mitochondria and that such an effect of CypD is cyclosporine A- and Bcl2-dependent. On a cellular level, overexpression or knockdown of CypD respectively decreases or increases cytochrome c release from mitochondria and overall cell sensitivity to apoptosis progressing via the "intrinsic" pathway. Therefore, we here describe a novel function of CypD as a Bcl2 collaborator and an inhibitor of cytochrome c release from mitochondria independent of the MPT. This function of CypD may explain the anti-apoptotic effect of this protein observed in various cancer cells. The fact that some tumors overexpress CypD suggests that this may be an additional mechanism of suppression of apoptosis in cancer.