cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Structures, Vibrational Frequency Shifts and Photodissociation Dynamics of ArnHF van der Waals Clusters

Our theoretical work on the equilibrium structures, HF vibrational frequency shifts and the photodissociation of HF in ArnHF clusters with n = 1 − 14, 54, is reviewed. The main objective of these studies has been to reveal how the frequency shift and the photofragmentation dynamics of the solute HF molecule evolve in the course of formation and closing of the first solvent (Arn) shell, at n = 12 and, in the case of photodissociation, upon addition of the complete second solvent layer, for n = 54. All spectroscopic and dynamical properties of ArnHF clusters that we have studied exhibit strong dependence on the cluster size and isomeric structure.
A DEVOTIONAL THEORY OF LAW: EPISTEMOLOGY AND MORAL PURPOSE IN EARLY ISLAMIC JURISPRUDENCE

The question of the sources of legal normativity continues to haunt legal theorists to this day. While it is largely uncontroversial that modern legal systems claim to produce normative propositions, whether or not there are independent reasons to obey the law remains a contested issue. Those views, as varied as they may be, appear to largely agree that the law is a social phenomenon of definite ontological presence. In this article, I argue, through an analysis of the theories of three prominent ninth- to eleventh-century Muslim jurists, that early Muslim theories of lawmaking did not incorporate any ontologically coherent concept of law. Rather, lawmaking was understood as the case-by-case formulation of legal opinions by individual jurists who were presumed to be driven by the same moral drive, and therefore occupy the same moral order, as all subjects of law. In spite of this ad hoc epistemological view, Islamic jurisprudence conceived of legal pronouncements as fully normative. The normativity of those unstructured ad hoc individual pronouncements, I maintain, is the result of the centrality of moral purpose to early Muslim theories of law. It was the presumption of a common moral drive that gave the legal system structural coherence and allowed the advancement of those pronouncements as normative claims. Whereas recent historical and anthropological work shows that moral motivation was central to the manner in which sharīʿa operated as a system of social regulation, this article argues, along the same lines, that the pietistic drive was both conceptually and structurally indispensable for the normative coherence of early Islamic jurisprudence.
Elements of Physical Oceanography

This chapter discusses the most important elements of physical oceanography in terms of the various oceanic responses to atmospheric and astronomical forcing – as mediated by earth rotation, including surface, and internal gravity waves; inertial motion and hurricane-driven storm surge. We include an outline of the history of wind-generated surface waves: generation to dissipation on the beaches. The roles of turbulence-derived oceanic friction in Ekman dynamics/upwelling-downwelling are outlined. There is a discussion of the elements of practical tidal sea level prediction. There is a review of the central role of geostrophic flow in wind- and thermohaline-driven circulations on ocean basin as well as continental shelf scales.
The effect of operating conditions on the residence time distribution and axial dispersion coefficient of a cohesive powder in a rotary kiln

Abstract While continuous rotary calcination is a widely used thermal treatment in large-scale catalyst manufacturing, the process's heat and mass transfer mechanisms remain a challenge to characterize and to predict. Thus, the goal of this research is to improve fundamental understanding of rotary calcination to aid in the creation of a scientific methodology for process design and scale-up. For successful calcination to occur, the residence time of the particles must exceed the time required for heating and calcination at a set temperature. The optimal residence time therefore depends on both of these competing time scales, each of which is function of feed material properties, kiln geometry and kiln operating conditions. For uniform treatment of the feed, the particles must also exhibit low axial dispersion. In this work, the residence time distribution and axial dispersion coefficient for a dry cohesive fluid cracking catalyst powder were measured in a pilot plant kiln using a tracer study developed by Danckwerts. Results were successfully matched to the Taylor fit of the axial dispersion model and the Sullivan prediction for mean residence time. It was found that an increase in feed rate, kiln incline and rotary speed decreased mean residence time and overall axial dispersion. Such results have been established previously for free-flowing material like millimeter-sized extrudates, but have not been previously reported for the cohesive powders such as the one used in our work. As in free-flowing material, the axial dispersion coefficient was found to vary with kiln conditions. The values of the axial dispersion coefficients were lower for the powder than for free-flowing material, showing a dependency of axial dispersion on material properties as well as bulk flow behavior.
Unraveling the Dynamics of the Human Vaginal Microbiome.

Four Lactobacillus species, namely L. crispatus , L. iners, L. gasseri, and L. jensenii, commonly dominate the vaginal communities of most reproductive-age women. It is unclear why these particular species, and not others, are so prevalent. Historically, estrogen-induced glycogen production by the vaginal epithelium has been proffered as being key to supporting the proliferation of vaginal lactobacilli. However, the 'fly in the ointment' (that has been largely ignored) is that the species of Lactobacillus commonly found in the human vagina cannot directly metabolize glycogen. It would appear that this riddle has been solved as studies have demonstrated that vaginal lactobacilli can metabolize the products of glycogen depolymerization by α-amylase, and fortunately, amylase activity is found in vaginal secretions. These amylases are presumed to be host-derived, but we suggest that other bacterial populations in vaginal communities could also be sources of amylase in addition to (or instead of) the host. Here we briefly review what is known about human vaginal bacterial communities and discuss how glycogen-derived resources and resource competition might shape the composition and structure of these communities.
A Miniaturized Linear Wire Ion Trap with Electron Ionization and Single Photon Ionization Sources

A linear wire ion trap (LWIT) with both electron ionization (EI) and single photon ionization (SPI) sources was built. The SPI was provided by a vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) lamp with the ability to softly ionize organic compounds. The VUV lamp was driven by a pulse amplifier, which was controlled by a pulse generator, to avoid the detection of photons during ion detection. Sample gas was introduced through a leak valve, and the pressure in the system is shown to affect the signal-to-noise ratio and resolving power. Under optimized conditions, the limit of detection (LOD) for benzene was 80 ppbv using SPI, better than the LOD using EI (137 ppbv). System performance was demonstrated by distinguishing compounds in different classes from gasoline.
CdiA Effectors Use Modular Receptor-Binding Domains To Recognize Target Bacteria.

Contact-dependent growth inhibition (CDI) systems encode CdiA effectors, which bind to specific receptors on neighboring bacteria and deliver C-terminal toxin domains to suppress target cell growth. Two classes of CdiA effectors that bind distinct cell surface receptors have been identified, but the molecular basis of receptor specificity is not understood. Alignment of BamA-specific CdiAEC93 from Escherichia coli EC93 and OmpC-specific CdiAEC536 from E. coli 536 suggests that the receptor-binding domain resides within a central region that varies between the two effectors. In support of this hypothesis, we find that CdiAEC93 fragments containing residues Arg1358 to Phe1646 bind specifically to purified BamA. Moreover, chimeric CdiAEC93 that carries the corresponding sequence from CdiAEC536 is endowed with OmpC-binding activity, demonstrating that this region dictates receptor specificity. A survey of E. coli CdiA proteins reveals two additional effector classes, which presumably recognize distinct receptors. Using a genetic approach, we identify the outer membrane nucleoside transporter Tsx as the receptor for a third class of CdiA effectors. Thus, CDI systems exploit multiple outer membrane proteins to identify and engage target cells. These results underscore the modularity of CdiA proteins and suggest that novel effectors can be constructed through genetic recombination to interchange different receptor-binding domains and toxic payloads.IMPORTANCE CdiB/CdiA two-partner secretion proteins mediate interbacterial competition through the delivery of polymorphic toxin domains. This process, known as contact-dependent growth inhibition (CDI), requires stable interactions between the CdiA effector protein and specific receptors on the surface of target bacteria. Here, we localize the receptor-binding domain to the central region of E. coli CdiA. Receptor-binding domains vary between CdiA proteins, and E. coli strains collectively encode at least four distinct effector classes. Further, we show that receptor specificity can be altered by exchanging receptor-binding regions, demonstrating the modularity of this domain. We propose that novel CdiA effectors are naturally generated through genetic recombination to interchange different receptor-binding domains and toxin payloads.
Tuberculosis diagnostic networks: Moving beyond the laboratory to end tuberculosis in Africa.

Tuberculosis is a curable disease when diagnosed early and treated with an appropriate drug regimen, yet 750 000 Africans die unnecessarily every year from tuberculosis. We know that when a person with tuberculosis is treated in Africa, 81% will be cured – and even those infected with HIV are cured most of the time. Tragically, less than half of all Africans with tuberculosis are diagnosed and started on treatment. This vastly low tuberculosis case detection contributes to unacceptably high rates of death from tuberculosis in Africa. Deaths attributed to tuberculosis, among both HIV-negative and HIV-positive people in Africa, are higher than any region in the world – more than twice the global rate among HIV-negative people, and five times higher among people with HIV. The need for more accurate, faster technologies to diagnose tuberculosis in sub- Saharan Africa is more urgent than ever before. In 2015, 2.7 million Africans fell ill with tuberculosis (30% of whom were infected with HIV); however, only 48% sought and received a diagnosis and were reported to national tuberculosis programmes. Consequently, over 1.4 million people were undiagnosed and likely transmitted tuberculosis to their families and communities for weeks and months, until their probable death. Of these undiagnosed cases, more than 80 000 have multidrug resistant tuberculosis. Although undiagnosed tuberculosis is a small proportion of the overall missing cases, increasing prevalence of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis will eventually diminish Africa’s current successes toward stopping the tuberculosis epidemic.
Seasonal Periodicity of Fall Armyworm, (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in the Caribbean Basin and Northward to Canada

Sex pheromone traps were used to monitor the seasonal periodicity of the fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith), moth over a 2-year period at eight locations from French Guiana northwar...
Use of dictation as a tool to decrease documentation errors in electronic health records.

ABSTRACTBackground: Use of Electronic Health Records is increasing. Copy-and-paste function is frequently used with higher rates of documentation errors. Studies to determine the nature of such errors are needed.Objectives: Determination of the effect of implementing a dictation system for completing notes on the quality of clinical documentation. We hypothesized that implementation of the dictation system for note writing would decrease the rate of errors in the progress notes as well as decrease the rate of copying and pasting. Design/Methods: A prospective interventional study in inpatient medical service for six months’ duration starting in July 2016. Resident physicians’ charts were reviewed by the attending physician on a daily basis. This study was done in a community based hospital affiliated to a university program. Residents’ physicians included Internal Medicine, Transitional year and Combined Internal Medicine Pediatrics residents. Charts reviewed for hospitalized patients. A total of 54 resid...
Hemorrhagic Papule in a Patient with Lip Carcinoma

An 84-year-old male with a history of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) of the scalp presented with an ulcerating nodule. Low-power microscopic sections yielded an irregular surface epithelial and dermal basaloid neoplasm (Fig. 29.1). Intermediate-power examination showed extensive follicular involvement at all levels of the follicle (Fig. 29.2). High-power examination revealed a two-toned basophilic peripheral layer with central eosinophilic staining (Fig. 29.3).
Ringed by Enemies

Mussolini managed to accumulate scores of enemies. He was moved by grievances against Great Britain over a host of historical setbacks in the colonial realm; he was envious of the USA, the home of the world’s plutocrats and false democracy; and he feared the USSR as the menacing bearer of Communism that rivaled his own creed. Finally, Mussolini was possessed by a love-hate relationship toward his fellow dictator Hitler and ideological ally Germany.
Polycomb Complexes and the Role of Epigenetic Memory in Development

The availability of a many important developmental genes is determined by events that occurred at earlier developmental stages. In such genes, some kind of cellular memory encodes an epigenetic mark that is transmitted through many rounds of cell division and determines whether or how the gene will respond to the presence of activators. Polycomb mechanisms are perhaps the best known example of such epigenetic regulators. Polycomb complexes can bind to Polycomb Response Elements and establish a repressive chromatin state but they also leave an epigenetic mark on the affected genes such that the chromatin state will be recreated in the following cell cycle. Polycomb mechanisms and the nature and propagation of the epigenetic mark during development are reviewed with particular attention to the genetic and molecular evidence available from the fruit fly in which they were first discovered.
Calculation of Mass Transfer in Multiphase Flows

This paper summarizes the results of mass transfer mechanisms under disturbed liquid-gas flow in 10 cm diameter pipe using electrochemical limiting current density and potentiostatic noise technique. The solution used is potassium ferro/ferricyanide dissolve in 1.3 N sodium hydroxide system. Mass transfer coefficients in full pipe flow and slug flow are obtained. The relationship between mass transfer coefficient with full pipe flow velocities and with slug flow Froude numbers are studied. The impact of bubbles in slugs on the mass transfer coefficient is revealed, The impact of flow disturbance, including weld beads and pits, are discussed for both full pipe flow and slug flow.
Investigation of Stadium Performance: Case of NCAA Division I Football Stadiums as Non-Sporting Event Venues

ABSTRACT Traditionally, sport facility performance has been overlooked in the scholarly literature. However, in recent years, as the sport industry has become more revenue-driven, non-game day spor...
Abstract 274: Cd36-mediated Lipid Metabolism Promotes Endothelial Cell Angiogenic Function and Vascular Repair Ina Hindlimb Ischemia Mouse Model

Under physiological conditions, endothelial cells (ECs) play an important role in maintaining vascular integrity by acting as non-thrombogenic and non-inflammatory cells. ECs also mediate vascular ...
Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome: Etiology, Pathogenesis, and Summary on Management:

The acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) has multiple causes and is characterized by acute lung inflammation and increased pulmonary vascular permeability, leading to hypoxemic respiratory failure and bilateral pulmonary radiographic opacities. The acute respiratory distress syndrome is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality, and effective treatment strategies are limited. This review presents the current state of the literature regarding the etiology, pathogenesis, and management strategies for ARDS.
Latino early adolescents' psychological and physiological responses during the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

Objectives Research has documented increased psychological distress among adults during the 2016 U.S. presidential election; however, little is known about how major political events affect adolescents. Despite not actively participating in the election process (e.g., voting), adolescents generally, and Latino youth specifically, may experience a unique stress response during elections, particularly when perceived policy changes center on issues related to their own families' stability and well-being. Methods We examined 42 Latino early adolescents (Mage = 12.50 years, SD = .88; 58% male; 94% immigrant background) living in Arizona and explored their psychological and physiological responses during the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Adolescents self-reported their mood and behaviors for 5 consecutive days across election week (November 6-10, 2016): 2 days before the election, election day, and 2 days after the election. They also completed a saliva sampling protocol at waking and bedtime each day, to capture diurnal cortisol concentrations. Results Multilevel growth models were utilized to examine intraindividual changes in positive affect, negative affect, and diurnal cortisol patterns across election week. Only 2 of the participants reported supporting the winning candidate. Changes in adolescents' stress hormone concentrations were evident; increases in evening cortisol levels and flatter diurnal cortisol slopes emerged across election week. Negative affect, positive affect, and morning cortisol concentrations did not change. Conclusions This study provides preliminary evidence that macrolevel factors, such as the recent presidential election, may relate to adolescents' daily stress physiology. Further research is needed to better understand adolescents' responses to sociopolitical change. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).
Increased prevalence of autonomic dysfunction due to postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome in patients with eosinophilic gastrointestinal disorders.

Background and aims Eosinophilic gastrointestinal disorders (EGIDs) have been linked with atopic conditions, connective tissue disorders, and autoimmunity, but the association between EGIDs and autonomic dysfunction has not been extensively described. We aimed to assess this association and determine the prevalence of autonomic dysfunction in our EGID population. Methods In this retrospective cohort study, we analyzed adult patients in the University of North Carolina Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EoE)/EGID database who also had a diagnosis of comorbid autonomic dysfunction (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome [POTS] or gastroparesis). The electronic medical record was abstracted and disease characteristics summarized. Results We identified seven patients who had EGID and autonomic dysfunction. All had POTS and were Caucasian, and five (71%) were female; 2 also had gastroparesis. Onset of autonomic symptoms coincided with onset of EGID symptoms in 3 patients (43%) or with an acute EGID flare in 3. In no cases did successful control of EGID lead to improvement of autonomic symptoms. Two subjects (29%) had comorbid Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and mast cell activation syndrome. The prevalence of POTS in EGID patients was 7/560 (1.25%), compared to an estimated 0.17% prevalence of POTS in the general population. Conclusions The prevalence of autonomic dysfunction was 5-10-fold higher in EGID than expected in the general population, suggesting an association between the two conditions, though the underlying mechanism is unclear. Providers should consider comorbid autonomic dysfunction in patients with EGID, particularly when symptoms persist despite treatment.
College Sports and Institutional Values in Competition: Leadership Challenges

College Sports and Institutional Values in Competition interrogates the relationship between athletics and higher education, exploring how college athletics departments reflect many characteristics of their institutions and are also susceptible to the same challenges in delivering on their mission. Chapters cover the historical contexts and background of campus athletics, issues and institutional tensions over market pressures, the spectacle of college athletics and how this spectacle influences athlete experiences, and the ways in which leaders are navigating these issues. Through stories of higher education that focus on the ways athletic departments leverage their institutional values, this book encourages readers to examine the purpose, mission, and academic values of their institutions, and to evaluate the role of their athletic programs, to improve outcomes and experiences on campus for students and student-athletes alike.
Admission Factor V Predicts Transplant-Free Survival in Acute Liver Failure

Traditional laboratory markers are insensitive in distinguishing between patients with acute liver failure (ALF) who will require urgent liver transplantation (LT) from those who will recover spontaneously, particularly within 24 h of presentation. Coagulation factor-V (FV) may improve the accuracy of outcome prediction in ALF due to its predominant synthesis in the liver and short half-life in plasma. Patients enrolled in the ALF Study Group Registry from a single site had FV determined within 24 h of presentation (Derivation-Cohort). Area under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUROC) dichotomized by ALF etiology [acetaminophen (APAP) or non-APAP] were constructed to evaluate the diagnostic performance of FV for transplant-free-survival (TFS). Multivariate logistic regression modeling was performed using FV and other clinical variables to predict TFS. Accuracy of FV and multivariable model were performed in a Validation-Cohort from a different site. 90-patients (56% with APAP) were included in the Derivation-Cohort. Median FV was significantly higher in TFS versus those who died/LT (31% vs. 15%, respectively; p = 0.001). When dichotomized by etiology, AUROC for FV was 0.77 for APAP (cutoff, sensitivity, specificity 10.5%, 79%, 69%, respectively) and 0.77 for non-APAP (22%, 85%, 67%, respectively). When the optimal cutoffs for FV in the Derivation-Cohort were applied to the Validation-Cohort (N = 51; 59% with APAP), AUROC for FV was 0.75 for APAP (sensitivity/specificity 81/44) and 0.95 for non-APAP (sensitivity/specificity 90/73). In multivariate analyses, AUROC for FV model was 0.86 in the Derivation-Cohort and 0.90 in the Validation-Cohort. Admission FV may improve selection of patients who are likely to improve without LT.
Influence of 7 days of hindlimb suspension and intermittent weight support on rat muscle mechanical properties

Unloading the rat hindlimb results in a decrease in mass, especially in those muscles that normally have a load-bearing function. The present study was designed to evaluate the effect of intermittent periods of weight support in ameliorating this atrophic response. Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned to either a control (CON), a hindlimb suspended (HS), or a hindlimb suspended plus intermittent weight support (HS-WS) group. HS-WS rats were walked slowly on a treadmill at 0.2 m/s and a 19% incline for 10 min, every 6 h. After 7 d, the in situ mechanical properties of the soleus (Sol) and medial gastrocnemius (MG) were studied. Body weights of HS and HS-WS rats were 9 and 13% lower than CON. The SOl weight relative to body weight was 21 and 9% lower in HS and HS-WS than CON. Maximum tetanic tension relative to muscle mass was significantly lower in HS than CON, whereas HS-WS had values similar to CON. The MG weight relative to body weight was significantly lower in both suspended groups. The maximum tetanic tension relative to muscle weight was significantly elevated in HS-WS compared to CON, suggesting that weight support may have preferentially maintained the contractile protein component of the muscle. Contraction times were 25% faster (p less than 0.05) in the Sol and unchanged in teh MG of HS rats. For each muscle, the fatigue properties were similar in all groups. These data indicate that a low-force, short-duration exercise regime results in a significant functional recovery in the "slow" Sol, whereas the "fast" MG is less affected.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Collaborative Consumption: A cross-cultural comparison between American and Chinese consumers on clothing renting and swapping

Given the limited literature on the cross-cultural comparisons of CC in the textile and apparel industry, this study was designed to empirically identify the motivations and barriers for CC and to compare the intention towards CC through renting and swapping between consumers in the US and in China. A convenience sampling strategy was employed with an online survey for data collection in both the United States and China. The results of multiple t-tests illustrate significant differences between the two samples in consumers’ intentions, utilitarian shopping value, perceived enjoyment, attitude, as well as perceived social risk, performance risk and psychological risk. In addition, a stepwise regression analysis was conducted to test the influences of independent variables on the intention to rent and swap. The statistical results indicated different factors influencing consumers’ intention to rent or swap clothing between the two samples.
DER and Policy: The Recommendation of a Topic

If viable, DER justifies certain individual acts that–by definition–have two effects. Presumably, it would in some fashion (at the very least, redundantly) justify policies concerning the very same acts. By contrast, acts that sometimes have a good effect and sometimes have a bad effect do not have the requisite two effects such that DER can justify them immediately. Yet, a policy concerning numerous such acts would have the requisite good and bad effects. For while any one such act would lack the relevant two effects, a series of such acts and a policy governing such a series would have them. This paper addresses DER’s justification of policies that apply to such acts. It shows that there are certain acts which DER mediately justifies by justifying policies (having the requisite two effects) concerning them. Thus, it recommends the larger topic of DER’s bearing on policy.
Transient Pressure Testing in Geothermal Systems

Geothermal systems are frequently fractured and complex. Although it is possible to make reliable estimates of the heat content of a geothermal system from temperatures measured in wells and by other geochemical and geophysical measurements, it is necessary to characterize the fluid-flow properties of a potential system. A prolific aquifer is a necessary component of a conventional geothermal system because thermal energy is transported by flow of hot water and steam.
Game Theory Models in Finance

Finance is concerned with how the savings of investors are allocated through financial markets and intermediaries to firms, which use them to fund their activities. Finance can be broadly divided into two fields. The first is asset pricing, which is concerned with the decisions of investors. The second is corporate finance, which is concerned with the decisions of firms. Game theory is an essential tool for describing the behavior of investors, financial intermediaries, and corporate managers.
CO Observations of Evolved Giant Stars

The copious mass loss which takes place at late stages of stellar evolution, while a star is on the AGB, causes the formation of a cool extended circumstellar envelope expanding at speeds like 15 km s−1. These envelopes are observed in many molecular lines, which give the stellar velocity, the wind velocity and an estimate of the mass loss rate.
Through the 'Moral Looking-Glass': Adam Smith on Self-Interest and Virtue

Adam Smith produces his clearest argument for the attainment of virtue in commercial society in his Theory of Moral Sentiments. Smith intends to achieve this through a transformation of man's self-love and sympathy into prudence and magnanimity. Sympathy's basis in self-love and Smith's conscious concern throughout his works with the moral ills created by the commercial system he advocates so strongly can be seen as a response to the critique of civil society presented by his contemporaries. Most notably, Smith attempts to elevate the debased amour-propre Rousseau associates with modern life in the Discourse on Inequality. In this article, I examine the metamorphosis of self-love, however, and bring out its primary pitfall- self-deceit caused by vanity. I then argue that Smith's practical remedies for self-deceit only attenuate this problem in certain cases, stratifying ideal moral behavior. Lastly, I conclude that self-deception produces a gradated, rather than unified, virtue that lacks a general solution for corruption.
Studies of the catalytic activities and substrate specificities of Saccharomyces cerevisiae myristoyl-coenzyme A: protein N-myristoyltransferase deletion mutants and human/yeast Nmt chimeras in Escherichia coli and S. cerevisiae.

Abstract Saccharomyces cerevisiae myristoyl-CoA:protein N-myristoyltransferase (Nmt1p) is an essential, 455-residue, monomeric enzyme. Amino- and carboxyl-terminal deletion mutants of Nmt1p were genetically engineered to determine the minimal domain necessary to maintain catalytic activity. Enzyme activity was assessed by (i) sequentially inducing Nmt1p or its mutant derivatives and one of two eukaryotic substrates for the wild type enzyme (S. cerevisiae Gpa1p and rat Go alpha) in Escherichia coli, a bacterium with no endogenous myristoyltransferase activity, and monitoring Nmt-dependent incorporation of exogenous [3H]myristate into the G protein alpha subunits or (ii) an in vitro enzyme assay using lysates prepared from bacteria producing wild type or mutant Nmts. The data indicate that the minimal catalytic domain of Nmt1p is located between Ile59-->Phe96 and Gly451-->Leu455. Analyses of the ability of mutant nmtps to rescue the lethal phenotype of an nmt1 null allele in a haploid strain of yeast grown on rich media, with or without blockade of cellular fatty acid synthetase, suggest that the amino-terminal 59 residues of Nmt1p may play an important noncatalytic role, functioning as a targeting signal so this cytosolic enzyme can access cellular myristoyl-CoA pools generated from activation of exogenous C14:0 by acyl-CoA synthetase(s). Moreover, there appear to be differences in the location or accessibility of myristoyl-CoA pools derived from fatty acid synthetase and acyl-CoA synthetases. The E. coli co-expression system was used to map structural elements that determine differences in the peptide substrate specificities of Nmt1p and the orthologous human Nmt. Rat Go alpha is a substrate for both enzymes, whereas human Gz alpha is a substrate only for human NMT. Studies of a series of chimeric enzymes composed of elements from the amino- or carboxyl-terminal portions of human and yeast Nmts indicate that (i) recognition/utilization of Gz alpha involves elements distributed from the amino-terminal half through the region defined by Leu352-->Lys410 of the 416 residue human enzyme and (ii) formation of a fully functional peptide binding site and a fully functional myristoyl-CoA binding site in either of these enzymes requires contributions from both their amino-terminal and carboxyl-terminal halves.
Hybrid estimation for stochastic piecewise linear systems

We propose a hybrid estimation algorithm based on Bayesian inference approach for stochastic piecewise linear systems. We derive the discrete state (or mode) transition probabilities based on a system of inequalities that describe the probabilistic state space partition of the system. Simulation results are presented to demonstrate the performance of the algorithm.
Graphical Models for Quasi-experimental Designs:

Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-experimental designs like regression discontinuity (RD) designs, instrumental variable (IV) designs, and matching and propensity score (PS) designs are frequently used for inferring causal effects. It is well known that the features of these designs facilitate the identification of a causal estimand and, thus, warrant a causal interpretation of the estimated effect. In this article, we discuss and compare the identifying assumptions of quasi-experiments using causal graphs. The increasing complexity of the causal graphs as one switches from an RCT to RD, IV, or PS designs reveals that the assumptions become stronger as the researcher's control over treatment selection diminishes. We introduce limiting graphs for the RD design and conditional graphs for the latent subgroups of com-pliers, always takers, and never takers of the IV design, and argue that the PS is a collider that offsets confounding bias via collider bias.
Getting Respect Gets No Respect

For years, analysts drawing on social psychology have attacked the practice and theory of deterrence, particularly on decision makers' calculations, perceptions, and communications in deterrence situations (Maxwell 1968; Morgan 1985;Jervis 1989). In Reputation and International Politics, Jonathan Mercer extends this attack to the impact of reputation on credibility, an aspect of the theory hitherto sacrosanct.
An Introduction to Modeling Dynamic Behavior with Time Series Analysis

The need to model dynamic behavior in information systems arises in many contexts, such as characterizing the locality of file access patterns, evaluating the dynamic behavior of scheduling algorithms, and identifying performance problems by their time serial behavior. This paper provides an introduction to time series analysis (a statistical technique), and applies it to analyzing the performance of information systems. The autoregressive, moving average (ARMA) model is discussed in detail, with an emphasis on identifying time series models from measurement data using the autocorrelation and partial autocorrelation functions. The paper concludes with a case study in which time series analysis is used to diagnosis a performance problem in a large computer system.
Pharmaceutical Validation and Process Controls in Drug Development

In drug development, pharmaceutical validation and process controls are important to assure that the drug product can meet standards for the identity, strength, quality, purity, and stability of the drug product. Pharmaceutical validation includes analytical method validation and (manufacturing) process validation. A validated analytical method is often employed for product testing at various critical stages of a manufacturing process to evaluate whether the manufacturing process does what it purports to do. For a validated manufacturing process, the current good manufacturing practice requires that a well-written procedure for process controls be established to monitor the performance of the manufacturing process. In this paper, statistical issues and regulatory requirements for pharmaceutical validation and process controls in drug development are discussed. The concept can be applied to new drugs, new dosage forms, and generic drug development.
Blood Supply to the Spinal Cord: Anatomic and Physiologic Correlations

Although the subject has been studied for many years, the clinician's understanding of the blood supply to the spinal cord is complicated by both confusing nomenclature and conflicting data. This review attempts to clarify prevailing thoughts on the arterial and venous structures in this clinically important area.
Endoscopic ultrasound-guided pancreatic fine-needle aspiration: A review

Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided fine-needle aspiration (FNA) of the pancreas has become an established methor for the diagnosis of pancreatic malignancies. The method requires the use of a linear array echoendoscope and a needle aspiration device. Several devices are available, and they are all designed to work with a linear array echoendoscope. A handle attaches a sheath to the echoendoscope and, through the sheath, a needle is placed through the instrument channel of the echoendoscope. A stylet is used to occlude the lumen of the needle as it passes through the gastrointestinal wall. Cytologic analysis of pancreatic tissue or cyst fluid may be used to make a diagnosis of a variety of pancreatic malignancies. Lesions as small as 5 mm may be aspirated using EUS guidance. A review of the published literature in 804 patients has shown an overall sensitivity of EUS-guided FNA for the diagnosis of pancreatic adenocarcinoma to be 85%. Complications of bleeding, pancreatitis, and perforation occur in less than 1% of cases. In the future, FNA devices will make it possible to obtain more tissue with larger needles.
Extraction of collagenase from the involuting rat uterus.

Abstract Collagenase (EC 3.4.24.3) activity can be measured directly in homogenates of the involuting rat uterus. Latent forms of collagenase are activated by a brief exposure to trypsin; trypsin activity is then blocked with soybean trypsin inhibitor. Homogenizing conditions have been developed that permit 90–95% recovery of the total active and latent collagenase activity in a 6000 × g pellet, where it is presumably bound to its collagen substrate. This insoluble activity can then be extracted by heating to 60°C for 4 main in 0.04 M Tris · HCl buffer, pH 7.5, containing 0.1 M CaCl2. Methods are presented for the estimation of the recovery of collagenase in the extracts; this approximates 65–70% of the total. Small amounts of activity can also be extracted from rat liver and kidney. This extraction procedure should be of use in purifying collagenase without culturing the enzyme-producing tissue and in the direct assay of tissue collagenase activity. The activity extracted from rat uterus has been proven to be collagenase by its characteristic pattern of collagen breakdown products on disc electrophoresis and by the split of tropocollagen at interband 41 as shown by electron microscopy of reconstituted fragments. The activity is inhibited by EDTA, and this inhibition is not reversed by calcium or zinc ions.
A New Control Algorithm for Vehicle Stability Control

A new control algorithm and the adaptation laws required for estimation of unknown vehicle parameters have been developed for vehicle stability control (VSC). This algorithm is based on the Lyapunov Direct Method. A vehicle model with two degrees of freedom (DOF) was used to develop the control algorithm. In developing the equations of motion for this simple model, a new approach for introducing the needed stabilizing forces and moments was developed. In addition, an eight DOF model was developed for control algorithm evaluation. The model includes lateral, longitudinal, yaw, and roll motions of the body plus the rotational DOFs for all of the four wheels. Also included in the model is a transient tire model taking into account the tire lateral relaxation length. Using the validated 8 DOF simulation model, the new control algorithm was evaluated and the results show the advantages of using such an approach for enhancing vehicle stability during emergency steering maneuvers.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Childhood epilepsy and asthma: changes in behavior problems related to gender and change in condition severity.

Summary: Purpose: We conducted a 4-year follow-up study of behavior problems in children with either epilepsy (n = 115) or asthma (n = 105) to identify changes in behavior problems as they were related to gender and change in condition severity. All children were between ages 8 and 13 years and had been diagnosed with their respective conditions for 1 year at entry into the study. Methods: Behavior problems were measured by using the mother's rating on the Child Behavior Checklist. Baseline and follow-up behavior problem scores were examined to see if significant changes occurred over the observation period of the study. To explore change in behavior based on condition severity, each child was placed into “low” and “high” condition severity groups at each time, resulting in four groups: low/low, low/high, high/low, or high/high. There were too few cases in the low/high group to be included in some analyses. Data were analyzed by using analysis of covariance with adjustment for baseline behaviors, age, and age of onset. Results: Within both samples, there was a significant improvement over time for the Total Behavior Problems and Internalizing Problems scores (p 0.006). Improvement in Internalizing Problems was greater for the asthma sample than for the epilepsy sample (p 0.007). Within the epilepsy sample, there was a significant gender-by-change in seizure condition interaction for Total Behavior Problems, Internalizing Problems, and Externalizing Problems. The interaction effect indicated that behavior problems in girls with high seizure severity at both baseline and follow-up became substantially worse over the 4-year period. Conclusions: It was concluded that adolescent girls, particularly those with high-severity epilepsy during the transition to adolescence, merit closer clinical supervision for behavior problems.
Spatio-Temporal in vivo Recording of dCREB2 Dynamics in Drosophila Long-Term Memory Processing

CREB (cAMP response element-binding protein) is an evolutionarily conserved transcription factor, playing key roles in synaptic plasticity, intrinsic excitability and long-term memory (LTM) formation. The Drosophila homologue of mammalian CREB, dCREB2, is also important for LTM. However, the spatio-temporal nature of dCREB2 activity during memory consolidation is poorly understood. Using an in vivo reporter system, we examined dCREB2 activity continuously in specific brain regions during LTM processing. Two brain regions that have been shown to be important for Drosophila LTM are the ellipsoid body (EB) and the mushroom body (MB). We found that dCREB2 reporter activity is persistently elevated in EB R2/R4m neurons, but not neighboring R3/R4d neurons, following LTM-inducing training. In multiple subsets of MB neurons, dCREB2 reporter activity is suppressed immediately following LTM-specific training, and elevated during late windows. In addition, we observed heterogeneous responses across different subsets of neurons in MB αβ lobe during LTM processing. All of these changes suggest that dCREB2 functions in both the EB and MB for LTM formation, and that this activity contributes to the process of systems consolidation.
Altered functional expression of Purkinje cell calcium channels precedes motor dysfunction in tottering mice.

Abstract In tottering mice, a point mutation in the gene encoding P-type (Cav2.1) voltage-gated calcium channels results in ataxia, absence epilepsy, and motor dystonia that appear 3–4 weeks postnatally. The aberrant motor behaviors have been linked to cerebellar dysfunction, and adult Purkinje cells (PCs) of tottering mice exhibit calcium-dependent changes in gene transcription suggestive of altered calcium homeostasis. In an attempt to identify early postnatal events important for the development of the behavioral phenotype, we examined calcium channel expression in cerebellar PCs from postnatal days 6–15 (P6-15). Whole cell recording was combined with selective calcium channel antagonists to allow discrimination of the various voltage-activated calcium channels types; early age-dependent differences between tottering and wild-type PCs were found. Wild-type PCs experienced a steady increase in P current density over this period, resulting in a twofold change by P15. In tottering, by contrast, P current density remained unchanged from P6-8 and was only 25% of the wild-type level by P8. A developmental delay in functional expression was implicated in this early deficit, since ensuing gains over the subsequent week brought tottering P current density close to the wild-type level by P15. At this age, tottering PCs also exhibited a 2.2-fold higher L-type calcium current density than that expressed by wild-type PCs. Increases in N current were apparent at some ages, most strikingly within a subset of tottering PCs at P15. Functional R- and T-type calcium current densities were equivalent to wild-type levels at all ages. We conclude that the tottering mutation brings about selective changes in functional calcium channel expression 1 to 2 weeks prior to the appearance of the behavioral deficits, raising the possibility that they represent an early, primary event along the path to motor dysfunction in tottering.
Effects of diabetes and high fat-high cholesterol diet on plasma lipid levels and on erythrocyte membrane composition.

Erythrocyte membrane composition was studied in rats subjected to experimental hyperlipidemia and/or hyperglycemia by means of 6 weeks of high fat (40% w/w)-high cholesterol (5% w/w)diet with and without 8 weeks of streptozotocin-induced diabetes. High fat-high cholesterol diet lowered plasma glucose levels in control and in diabetic animals. While the atherogenic diet produced only hypercholesterolemia, the same diet fed to diabetic animals produced both hypercholesterolemia and hypertriglyceridemia. The membrane protein content was lower in diabetic rats than in controls, while the cholesterol and phospholipids were higher in diabetic rat erythrocyte membranes. Feeding the atherogenic diet increased membrane lipid levels in only nondiabetic animals. The total carbohydrate content of the membranes was greater in diabetic animals than controls. Difference in relative proportion of individual sugars, e.g., galactose, mannose, glucose, and fucose of the membranes was observed between diabetic and control groups. These observations suggest that rat erythrocyte membrane composition is altered both in hyperglycemic and hyperlipidemic conditions, and may provide a useful model for evaluating lipid carbohydrate abnormalities of membrane structures in diabetes mellitus.
Optical Properties of Thermally Oxidized Silicon

The effect of furnace grown SiO2 layers on the optical properties of p- on p+ (100) Si substrates are investigated. The real part, n, of the complex refractive index n* = n + ik is calculated for radiation measured in the infra-red (IR) region between 3000 and 8000 cm−1 where the extinction coefficient, k, is negligible. The expression for n is obtained using the Fresnel coefficients for a three medium air-oxide-Si model. Strain in the silicon, which affects n, and caused by the stress in the SiO2 layer, increases with oxide thickness. X-ray diffraction (XRD) was used to measure the strain in Si for oxides layers ranging from native to 5124A. The data showed a monotonically increasing normal compressive strain, eN (up to 0.47%) with oxide thickness, however, the corresponding change in n due to strain was not well defined. The effect of strain on the direct optical gap, Ed, at 3.46 eV when determined from results of other investigators by electroreflectance, suggests an average shift in Ed of about 25 meV.