cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Role of Helicobacter pylori in Peptic Ulcer Disease

The pathophysiology of peptic ulcer disease (PUD) is often described as an imbalance between aggressive factors such as acid and pepsin and alterations in the mucosal protective mechanisms. Helicobacter pylori is a gram-negative organism that has been identified as a potential causative agent in the pathogenesis of PUD. The exact mechanism by which it contributes to mucosal damage is unknown. It is thought that the organism may disrupt the protective mucous layer, allowing the underlying epithelium to be injured by gastric acid. Significant evidence indicates that H. pylori is a major etiologic factor in type B gastritis. Data confirming its etiologic role in duodenal ulcer (DU) disease is not conclusive; however, eradication of the organism is associated with a reduction in the recurrence of DU. Optimum therapy to eradicate H. pylori has not been established, although several multidrug regimens have been evaluated. Treatment of H. pylori infection should be reserved for individuals in whom conventional therapy for DU is unsuccessful and those whose ulcers relapse during maintenance therapy.
Evaluation of Kanamycin-Esculin Bile Agar for Isolation and Presumptive Identification of Bacteroides fragilis Group

A kanamycin-esculin bile medium was useful for selective isolation and presumptive identification (24 h) of the Bacteroides fragilis group.
Proline transport by brush-border membrane vesicles of lobster antennal glands

Purified brush-border membrane vesicles (BBMV) of lobster antennal gland labyrinth and bladder were separately formed by a magnesium precipitation technique. L-[3H]proline uptake was stimulated by a transmembrane NaCl gradient [outside (o) greater than inside (i)] to a greater extent in BBMV from labyrinth than those from the bladder. Detailed study of the labyrinth proline-transport processes revealed a specific dependence on NaCl, with negligible stimulatory effects by NaSCN, Na-gluconate, or KCl. A transmembrane proton gradient (o greater than i) was without stimulatory effect on proline transport. A transmembrane potential difference alone, in the presence of equilibrated NaCl and L-[3H]proline, led to net influx of the labeled amino acid, suggesting that the uptake process was electrogenic and capable of bringing about the net transfer of positive charge to the vesicle interior. Although a transmembrane Na gradient alone, in the presence of equilibrated Cl and L-[3H]proline, was able to bring about the net influx of the amino acid, a transmembrane Cl gradient alone under Na- and L-[3H]proline-equilibrated conditions was not, suggesting that only the Na gradient could energize the carrier process through cotransport, while the anion served an essential activating role. Proline influx by these vesicles occurred by the combination of at least one saturable Michaelis-Menten carrier system (apparent Kt = 0.37 mM; apparent JM = 1.19 nmol.mg protein-1.10 s-1) and apparent diffusion (P = 0.33 nmol.mg protein-1.10 s-1.mM-1). Static head analysis of the transport process suggested a cotransport stoichiometry of 2 Na:1 proline with essential activation by Cl ion.
Isolation of Bacteriophages from Group H Streptococci

Abstract Temperate phages were isolated from 5 of the 17 strains of group H streptococci tested.
Making ends meet: How will the elderly manage their finances and post-retirement expenses?

Americans over the age of 50 control over half of the country's discretionary income and 75 per cent of all personal assets. As Americans live longer, the number of mature consumers in the United States is making a marked increase. Recently, researchers have focussed their attention on this market segment, looking at a variety of consumer behaviour issues. As this segment of consumers is becoming increasingly large, academicians and practitioners who study the consumer behaviour of older consumers search for ways to better segment and target this market. The present study adds to the current body of knowledge by investigating the financial services patronage preferences and post-retirement spending plans of this market, focusing on differences between various segments.
Normal cognitive behavior in two distinct congenic lines of transgenic mice hyperexpressing mutant APPSWE

Amyloid deposition appears to be an early and crucial event in Alzheimer's disease (AD). To generate animal models of AD, mice expressing full-length amyloid precursor protein (APP), with mutations linked to FAD, have been created. These animals exhibit abnormalities characteristic of AD, including deposits of beta-amyloid (Abeta), neuritic plaques, and glial responses. In studies of cognition in these animals, there have been several reports of memory disturbances well before the appearance of amyloid deposits. We have developed two distinct lines of transgenic mice (C3-3 and E1-2) that express the "Swedish" variant of APP (APP(SWE)) at levels that are approximately three-fold higher than endogenous mouse APP. Both lines have been backcrossed to C57BL/6J mice for 10 generations. Here, we use longitudinal and cross-sectional studies to evaluate the cognitive performance of our animals, where the concentration of Abeta1-42 in brain increases with aging from low levels (2-10 pmol/g) at 6-14 months of age to relatively high levels (60-100 pmol/g) at 24-26 months, when deposits of Abeta were beginning to form. When 12-month-old mice were tested in tasks that assess reference and working memory, transgenic mice from both lines could not be distinguished from nontransgenic littermates. Further study of 24- to 26-month-old transgenic mice (C3-3 line) found no evidence of memory impairment despite the presence of high levels of human Abeta (60-100 pmol/g). Thus, the expression of APP(SWE) at approximately three-fold over endogenous levels, which is sufficient to induce amyloid deposition at advanced ages, does not significantly erode cognitive performance in aged mice.
Phenytoin-induced alterations in craniofacial gene expression

In utero exposure to the anticonvulsant drug phenytoin has been shown to alter normal embryonic development, leading to a pattern of dysmorphogenesis known as the Fetal Hydantoin Syndrome. This embryopathy is characterized by growth retardation, microcephaly, mental deficiency, and craniofacial malformations, although the precise mechanism(s) by which phenytoin alters normal developmental pathways remains unknown. To better understand the molecular events involved in the pathogenesis of phenytoin-induced congenital defects, alterations in gene expression were examined during critical periods of craniofacial development. Pregnant SWV mice were administered phenytoin (60 mg/kg/day) from gestational day 6.5 until they were sacrificed at selected developmental time points. Tissue from the craniofacial region of control and exposed embryos was isolated, and samples were subjected to in situ transcription, antisense RNA amplification, and hybridization on reverse Northern blots to quantitatively assess expression of 36 candidate genes. Chronic phenytoin exposure significantly altered expression of several genes at distinct times during morphogenesis. Results of these studies show that expression of the retinoic acid receptors (RAR) α, β, and γ were significantly increased by phenytoin exposure. Elevations in gene expression of lamininβ1, and the growth factors IGF-2, TGFα, and TGFβ1, were also demonstrated in the craniofacial region of phenytoin-exposed embryos. As several of these genes are transcriptionally regulated by retinoic-acid-responsive elements in their promoter regions, phenytoin-induced alterations in expression of the RAR isoforms may have severe downstream consequences in the regulation of events necessary for normal craniofacial development. Such alterations occurring coordinately at critical times during craniofacial development may account for the dysmorphogenesis often associated with phenytoin exposure. Teratology 59:23–34, 1999. © 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Ethical aspects of urinary diversion for women with irreparable obstetric fistulas in developing countries

Obstetric fistula formation is a catastrophic complication of prolonged obstructed labor. Obstetric fistulas are common in impoverished countries where access to maternal health care is poor. Although most fistulas can be closed successfully at the time of operation, a small number of women sustain such extensive pelvic injuries that their fistulas are irreparable. Some Western surgeons visiting African countries where fistulas are prevalent have become enthusiastic advocates of performing urinary diversions on these women, transplanting the ureters into the colon. We present a case study of one such woman with an irreparable obstetric fistula and discuss the complex ethical issues involved in considering whether to offer operations of this kind to African fistula victims.
Avoiding the postdoctoral glut: an alternative route to a career in academia.

Dramatic increases in the number of PhDs granted during the last several decades have not been balanced by comparable increases in the number of academic positions, producing a glut of postdoctoral fellows. One major reason for the burgeoning numbers of postdoctoral fellows is a widespread perception that there is no alternative route to a career in academia other than through gaining expertise in bench research. This paper suggests that considerable numbers of postdoctoral fellows who are interested in securing a tenure-track position at a major medical or research university should consider directing their postgraduate training toward teaching. Teaching at universities is becoming a specialized field partly because researchers are unable to keep up with the explosion of information, new instructional theories, methodologies, and technology. Thus, some individuals who are currently in a postdoctoral holding pattern could use those years to increase their teaching competence. Such an “educational” postdoctoral position may offer a faster route to a career in academia as universities continue to recognize the need for teaching specialists. Clin. Anat. 13:453–455, 2000. © 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Complications of endoscopic neurosurgery

Neuroendoscopy is rapidly becoming an essential part of the neurosurgeon's repertoire. Currently, very few studies have identified the complications of this new technique, yet many have warned of the steep learning curve associated with its practice. We have reviewed the last 173 neuroendoscopic procedures performed by one surgeon and identified two distinct groups of complications: those that have clinically significant sequelae and those that cause concern intraoperatively but no overt clinical problems. The 173 procedures were performed on 152 patients. Of these patients, 11 suffered significant complications (7%). Twenty-two of the procedures were complicated by intraoperative problems (13%). The incidence of insignificant complications appeared to decrease with experience, whereas that of the significant ones did not. These complications occurred in association with a wide variety of operations over a 2-year period. We conclude that neuroendoscopy is a relatively safe technique with an overall 7% complication rate and a steep learning curve, and that, with a few simple guidelines, it can be employed by all neurosurgeons for the betterment of their patients.
Cyclicality of hospital admissions and emergency department visits

Methods of cyclic analysis were developed and applied to the data on the number of daily hospital admissions to LAC/USC Medical Center and to the number of patients seen daily on each of the three shifts for the main admitting room area. A seven-day cycle was found in the number of admissions and in the number of patients seen from 4:00 PM to 12 midnight and 12 midnight to 8:00 AM with a high occurring on Monday and Tuesday and a low occurring on Saturday and Sunday. The results have been utilized to adjust staffing and resources to meet changing patient loads.
Hysteresis and calcium set-point for the calcium parathyroid hormone relationship in healthy horses.

Abnormalities in calcium (Ca(2+)) homeostasis are reported in horses with several pathological conditions; however, there is little information on Ca(2+) regulation in horses. The objectives of the present study were to determine the Ca(2+) set-point in healthy horses, to determine whether the Ca(2+)/parathyroid hormone (PTH) response curves were characterized by hysteresis, and to determine if the order of experimentally induced hypocalcemia or hypercalcemia had an effect on PTH secretion. The Ca(2+) set-point and hysteresis were determined in 12 healthy horses by infusing Na(2)EDTA and calcium gluconate. The Ca(2+) set-point was 1.37 +/- 0.05 mmol/L, which is higher than values reported for humans and dogs (1.0-1.2 mmol/L). Hysteresis was present during hypocalcemia and hypercalcemia. Horses in which hypocalcemia was followed by hypercalcemia secreted more PTH (7440 +/- 740 pmol min/L) than horses in which hypercalcemia was followed by hypocalcemia (5990 +/- 570 pmol min/L). This study has demonstrated that the Ca(2+) set-point in the horse is higher than in other domestic animals and man. We have shown that the Ca(2+)/PTH relationship in horses is sigmoidal and displays hysteresis during both hypocalcemia and hypercalcemia, and that extracellular Ca(2+) concentrations may affect the response of the parathyroid gland to hypocalcemia.
Finite-temperature behavior of mass hierarchies in supersymmetric theories

Abstract It is shown that Witten's mechanism for producing a large gauge hierarchy in supersymmetric theories leads to a novel symmetry behavior at finite temperature. The exponentially large expectation value in such models develops at a critical temperature of order of the small (supersymmetry-breaking) scale. The phase transition can proceed without need of vacuum tunnelling. Models based on Witten's mechanism thus require a reexamination of the standard cosmological treatment of grand unified theories.
Moments in the duration of play

Abstract We evaluate moments of the completion time in the classical duration of play problem, equivalent to a symmetric random walk with absorbing endpoints on t-n,h.,n starting from x. We show that the rth cumulant of the absorption time has the form Pr(n2) − Pr(x2) where Pr is a degree r polynomial, and evaluate Pr for r = 1,…,6. Measured in arithmetic operations, our algorithm to compute Pr has amortized cost comparable to the inversion of an r × r matrix. We obtain similar results for unequal initial stakes, and under conditioning on a win by one player. The conditional results settle some open questions due to Beyer.
Lead concentrations and isotopes in corals and water near Bermuda, 1780–2000

Abstract The history of the oceanic anthropogenic lead (Pb) transient in the North Atlantic Ocean for the past 220 yr is documented here from measurements of Pb concentration and isotope ratios from annually-banded corals that grew in coastal seawaters near Bermuda and from seawater samples collected during the last 20 yr of the 20th century. Anthropogenic Pb emissions in this area have been dominated by the industrialization of North America beginning in the 1840s, the introduction of leaded gasoline beginning in the 1920s and its phase-out that began in the mid-1970s. The phase-out of leaded gasoline was largely completed by the late 1990s. Coral Pb concentrations occur at a constant low level of about 5 nmol Pb/mol Ca (~ 15 pmol/kg in seawater) from the late 1700s to ~ 1850. From ~ 1850 to ~ 1900 there is a small increase rising to a plateau at ~ 25 nmol Pb/mol Ca (~ 80 pmol/kg in seawater) in the 1930s until the late 1940s, at which point Pb concentrations rapidly increase to ~ 60 nmol Pb/mol Ca (~ 200 pmol/kg in seawater). In the mid 1970s, Pb began to decline to ~ 25 nmol Pb/Ca (40 pmol/kg in seawater) by the end of the 20th century, comparable to levels occurring in the early 20th century. Pb isotope ratios (Pb I.R.) show maximum 206Pb/207Pb = 1.21 and 208Pb/207Pb = 2.49 in the middle of the 19th century. We conclude that this signal is a reflection of the early dominance of Upper Mississippi Valley Pb ore in the United States, as previously seen in the estuarine sediments of Rhode Island. After 1900, Pb I.R. decrease only slightly until the 1960s when there is a significant local maximum in the 1970s to 206Pb/207Pb = 1.19 and 208Pb/207Pb = 2.45 as low-Pb I.R. sources were phased out in the United States. Then, as US leaded gasoline utilization decreased more rapidly than European Pb gas utilization (which has lower Pb I.R.), western North Atlantic Pb I.R. decreased to 206Pb/207Pb = 1.17 and 208Pb/207Pb = 2.44, their lowest values in the past two centuries.
Beyond Pedestrians: A Hybrid Approach of Tracking Multiple Articulating Humans

We propose a hybrid framework to address the problem of tracking multiple articulated humans from a single camera. Our method incorporates offline learned category-level detector with online learned instance-specific detector as a hybrid system. To deal with humans in large pose articulation, which can not be reliably detected by off-line trained detectors, we propose an online learned instance specific patch-based detector, consisting of layered patch classifiers. With extrapolated track lets by online learned detectors, we use the discriminative color filters learned online to compute the appearance affinity score for further global association. Experimental evaluation on both standard pedestrian datasets and articulated human datasets shows significant improvement compared to state-of-the-art multi-human tracking methods.
Biosynthesis of colitose: Expression, purification, and mechanistic characterization of GDP-4-keto-6-deoxy-D-mannose-3-dehydrase (ColD) and GDP-L-colitose synthase (ColC)

l-Colitose is a 3,6-dideoxyhexose found in the O-antigen of Gram-negative lipopolysaccharides. To study the biosynthesis of this unusual sugar, we have cloned and sequenced the l-colitose biosynthe...
Effect of Molecular Chirality on Racemate Stability: α-Amino Acids with Nonpolar R Groups

A racemate of two opposite and resolvable enantiomers is generally assumed to be more stable than the corresponding conglomerate. Demonstrating this structure−stability relation, however, has proved difficult owing to a sampling bias (data available only for systems whose racemates are stable enough to exist) and a possible kinetic bias (racemates may be easier to crystallize than conglomerates from racemic media). As a new approach to studying the relation, we determined how the relative stability of the conglomerate and the racemate changes with the molecule's degree of chirality in a series of α-amino acids with nonpolar R groups. We found that the excess energy of the conglomerate over the racemate, (EC − ER), increases with the size of the R group, a measure of the molecule's chirality. If valid in general, this relation demonstrates a tendency for chiral molecules to form racemates rather than conglomerates. Because of the entropy effect on crystal stability, however, the excess free energy of the c...
Singlet state symmetries of diphenylacetylene

Abstract Polarized reflection spectra of the (001) face of diphenylacetylene single cyrstals have been measured. Analysis of the corresponding absorption spectra obtained by Krames-Kronig analysis yields the excited state symmetries of five strong bands in the wavelength rage 3000 A to 1300 A.
Nonimprovement of healing of jejunal anastomoses by exogenous amino acids in protein depleted rats

Abstract The healing rate, as measured by bursting strength in 5 days of jejunal anastomoses in protein depleted rats is not improved by a) feeding stock diet rather than protein free diet following surgery or b) infusing a total parenteral nutrition (TPN) solution known to improve the healing rate of jejunal anastomoses in normal rats rather than either a standard TPN solution or 5% glucose.
A novel speed control algorithm for PMSG wind turbines aimed at output power smoothing

This paper presents an idea of utilizing the rotor kinetic energy of the wind turbine to smooth the output power. The mathematical expressions of the idea are developed based on the energy balance of the system. A control algorithm is presented to control the speed of the wind turbine based on the presented method. The control algorithm is applied to a permanent magnet synchronous generator (PMSG) wind turbine to evaluate the performance of the algorithm.
The requirement of low pH for growth of Thiobacillus thiooxidans.

Thiobacillus thiooxidans was grown at constant pH. No growth was obtained above pH 4.3. Sulfur was oxidized over the entire range tested (pH 0.9 to 7.0). This was confirmed by pH shift experiments. Carbon dioxide fixation stopped 30 min after shift from low pH to neutral values. On return to high acidity, the rate of CO2 assimilation increased but not always to the original value. The intracellular binding of glycerol which is passively permeable was also inhibited by raising the pH of the medium. The data suggested that ATP formation may be inhibited at neutral pH. Intracellular ATP pool was reduced by 80% on neutralization of the acid growth medium. These results are compared to recent studies on acid-base transients in T. novellus by Cole and Aleem (1971).
Physiological hypoxia promotes lipid raft and PI3K-dependent activation of MAPK 42/44 in leukemia cells

Physiological hypoxia promotes lipid raft and PI3K-dependent activation of MAPK 42/44 in leukemia cells
The Effect of Neoliberalism on the Fall in the Rate of Profit in Business Cycles

In 1979, Tom Weisskopf found that the crucial late-expansion period of the business cycle, in which the output continues to expand but the profit rate begins to fall, was best explained for his 194...
Planning for human-robot teaming in open worlds

As the number of applications for human-robot teaming continue to rise, there is an increasing need for planning technologies that can guide robots in such teaming scenarios. In this article, we focus on adapting planning technology to Urban Search And Rescue (USAR) with a human-robot team. We start by showing that several aspects of state-of-the-art planning technology, including temporal planning, partial satisfaction planning, and replanning, can be gainfully adapted to this scenario. We then note that human-robot teaming also throws up an additional critical challenge, namely, enabling existing planners, which work under closed-world assumptions, to cope with the open worlds that are characteristic of teaming problems such as USAR. In response, we discuss the notion of conditional goals, and describe how we represent and handle a specific class of them called open world quantified goals. Finally, we describe how the planner, and its open world extensions, are integrated into a robot control architecture, and provide an empirical evaluation over USAR experimental runs to establish the effectiveness of the planning components.
Spur Decay of the Solvated Electron in Picosecond Radiolysis Measured with Time-Correlated Absorption Spectroscopy †

Spur decay kinetics of the hydrated electron following picosecond pulse radiolysis of water have been measured using a time-correlated transient absorption technique with an asynchronous mode-locked laser. The 11 ns time window afforded by this signal-averaging technique is ideal to match up with more conventional transient absorption measurements taken to microsecond time scales. The precise data recorded in this study require a revision downward of the “time zero” solvated electron yield to approximately 4.0 per 100 eV of energy absorbed, to match the best available scavenger product measurements.
Biomimetic Sequestration of CO2 in Carbonate Form: Role of Produced Waters and Other Brines

Abstract The objective of our research is the development of a system resembling a CO 2 scrubber, in which carbonic anhydrase catalyzes the rate of CO 2 hydration for subsequent fixation into stable mineral carbonates. The present focus is on the use of produced waters as one of various possible sources of the counterions for precipitation. Carbonate precipitation has been studied from synthetic brines corresponding to a range of compositions of produced waters from the Permian and San Juan Basins, and promising results have been obtained with carbonic anhydrase. CO 2 sequestration capacities are estimated to be 0.49–1.85×10 3 tonnes CO 2 /year and 1.28–2.80×10 5 tonnes CO 2 /year for the San Juan and Permian Basins, respectively, per cycle, up to ∽3mt CO 2 per year total, based on the volumes of produced waters in 2002.
Development of Responsiveness of Dispersed Rabbit Adrenocortical Cells to Synthetic Adrenocorticotropic Hormone [ACTH-(1-24)] and a-Melanocyte-Stimulating Hormone*

Although there is a considerable body of evidence suggesting increased activity of the fetal and neonatal adrenal in the rabbit, the mechanism responsible for this increased activity has not yet been determined. This report provides data on the function of dispersed fetal, neonatal, and adult rabbit adrenocortical cells in vitro. During the period between 22–29 days gestation, the fetal rabbit adrenal cortex increases its cell number and three features of in vitro activity: basal corticoid production, responsiveness to synthetic ACTH-(1-24), and maximum corticoid secretory capacity. None of these variables is significantly altered during the first 3–5 days of neonatal life or in adult rabbits. At no time was any corticoid response observed to αMSH.
Atmospheric physics. Enlightening water vapour

Water vapour in Earth's upper troposphere acts as a powerful greenhouse gas, hence the interest in monitoring variations in its concentration there. A way to do so may emerge from the finding that global lightning activity is correlated with upper tropospheric levels of water vapour.
Effects of dynamic ion shielding on the stark broadening of spectral lines

Abstract Correlations among the charged particles in a plasma cause a modification of the Holtzmark distribution for the Stark broadening of spectral lines. Due to incomplete ion-ion shielding, the contribution to the electric microfield at a radiating atom, produced by a given ion, depends upon the state of motion of that ion. With the inclusion of this effect, a line shape is obtained which is similar to the shape obtained without this effect, except that it corresponds to a different plasma temperature. Thus if the electron and ion temperatures are the same, and if the Stark line shape is used to determine the plasma temperature, it is demonstrated that the inclusion of dynamic shielding effects will improve the temperature measurement by about 50 per cent. Corrections are obtained as a function of the electron-ion temperature ratio.
Mild and moderate pediatric traumatic brain injury: replace routine repeat head computed tomography with neurologic examination.

BACKGROUND: Opinion is divided on the role of routine repeat head computed tomography (RHCT) for guiding clinical management in pediatric patients with blunt head trauma. We hypothesize that routine RHCT does not lead to change in management in mild and moderate traumatic brain injury (TBI). METHODS: This is a 3-year retrospective study of all patients of age 2 years to 18 years with blunt TBI admitted to our Level 1 trauma center with an abnormal head CT. Indications for RHCT (routine vs. neurologic deterioration) and their findings (progression or improvement) were recorded. Neurosurgical intervention was defined as extraventricular drain placement, craniectomy, or craniotomy. Primary outcome was a change in management after RHCT. RESULTS: A total of 291 pediatric patients were identified; of which 191 patients received an RHCT. Routine RHCT did not lead to neurosurgical intervention in the mild and moderate TBI group. In patients who received RHCT due to neurologic decline (n = 7), radiographic progression was seen on 85% of the patients (n = 6), with subsequent neurosurgical interventions in three patients. Two of these patients had a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score of less than 8 at admission. CONCLUSION: Our study showed that the neurologic examination can be trusted and is reliable in pediatric blunt TBI patients in determining when an RHCT scan is necessary. We recommend that RHCT is required routinely in patients with intracranial hemorrhage with GCS score of 8 or less and in patients with GCS greater than 8 and that RHCT be performed only when there are clinical indications. (J Trauma Acute Care Surg. 2013;75: 550Y554. Copyright * 2013 by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins) LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Diagnostic/therapeutic study, level IV.
Aerial dispersal and host plant selection by neonate Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformis (Lepidoptera: Psychidae)

1. Neonate evergreen bagworms, Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformis (Haworth) (Lepidoptera: Psychidae), disperse by dropping on a strand of silk, termed silking, and ballooning on the wind. Larvae construct silken bags with fragments of plant foliage. This species is highly polyphagous, feeding on more than 125 species of woody plants of 45 families. The larvae commonly infests juniper (Juniperus spp.) and arborvitae (Thuja spp.), but rarely feed on deciduous hosts such as maples. The hypothesis is proposed that polyphagy in T. ephemeraeformis is maintained by variation among larvae in dispersal behaviour, and time constraints on the opportunity to disperse, but patterns of host species preference result from a predisposition for larvae to settle on arborvitae and juniper but disperse from other hosts. 2. Consistent with that hypothesis, laboratory experiments revealed: (a) starved larvae varied in their tendency to disperse from paper leaf models; (b) starved larvae readily silked only during their first day; (c) larvae became increasingly sedentary the longer they were exposed to plant foliage; (d) when provided with several opportunities to silk, larvae became sedentary after exposure to arborvitae foliage, but repeatedly silked after exposure to maple (Acer species) foliage or paper; and (e) larvae were less inclined to silk from foliage of arborvitae than from maple. 3. Field experiments supported the hypothesis by demonstrating that: (a) neonates tended to disperse from maple leaves while larvae older than 1 day tended to settle and remain; and (b) neonates were less likely to disperse from arborvitae and juniper trees than from maples.
Conductive diamond thin-films in electrochemistry

Diamond electrodes offer superb properties for a variety of electrochemical technologies, properties that include: corrosion resistance, low background current, good responsiveness without pretreatment, resistance to fouling, and optical transparency. Electroanalysis, electrocatalysis, spectroelectrochemistry, and bioelectrochemistry are areas of electrochemistry in which diamond thin-films, both microcrystalline and nanocrystalline, are being successfully researched. A brief review is given herein of some of our R&D efforts in each of these areas.
Evidence for the lack of lysosomal involvement in the age-related slowing of protein breakdown in Turbatrix aceti

Abstract Lysosomal proteinase activity increases, whereas the rate of protein degradation decreases in the aged free-living nematode, Turbatrix aceti. The lysosomotropic agents, chloroquine and ammonium chloride have no effect on the rate of protein degradation in either young or old organisms. These findings lend strong support to the idea of a nonlysosomal site of endogeneous protein degradation under basal metabolic conditions.
Chromosomal binding sites of Ultrabithorax homeotic proteins

Drosophila homeotic genes and their vertebrate cognates, the Hox genes, encode homeodomain proteins that are thought to control segment-specific morphogenesis by regulating subordinate target genes. Although expression of many genes is thought to be influenced by homeotic/Hox function, little is known about the genes they directly regulate in the developing embryo. One of the Drosophila homeotic genes is Ultrabithorax (Ubx) that specifies the identity of specific thoracic and abdominal metameres. Towards identifying genes directly regulated by Ubx we have mapped the binding sites of Ubx proteins (UBX) in polytene chromosomes. We found that the UBX isoforms Ia and IVa accumulate in about 100 discrete chromosomal sites. Most, if not all, the sites are the same for the two UBX isoforms. These sites are all euchromatic, include both bands and interbands and are reproducible from chromosome to chromosome. Some of these sites correspond to the locations of known genes that are good candidates, or are known to be, under direct Ubx control.
Event-driven service-oriented simulation framework

Service-oriented architecture (SOA) and event-driven architecture (EDA) have received significant attention recently. This paper presents an event-driven service-oriented simulation framework that combines both features of SOA and EDA and it can be used to evaluate embedded applications. The framework allows events, event generators, and event handlers to be published, discovered, and composed to develop an event-driven system, furthermore these can be seamlessly integrated into the existing SOA framework where publishing, discovery, composition and runtime monitoring are key features. This paper also uses PSML (Process Specification and Modeling Language) [1] to specify events. Finally, this paper uses an embedded system to illustrate the framework.
Topic facet modeling: semantic visual analytics for online discussion forums

In this paper, we propose a novel Topic Facet Model (TFM), a probabilistic topic model that assumes all words in single sentence are generated from one topic facet. The model is applied to automatically extract forum posts semantics for uncovering the content latent structures. We further prototype a visual analytics interface to present online discussion forum semantics. We hypothesize that the semantic modeling through analytics on open online discussion forums can help users examine the post content by viewing the summarized topic facets. Our preliminary results demonstrated that TFM can be a promising method to extract topic specificity from conversational and relatively short texts in online programming discussion forums.
Inhibition of diacylglycerol: CDPcholine cholinephosphotransferase activity by dimethylaminoethylp-clorophenoxyacetate

Cholinephosphotransferase [EC 2.7.8.2] activity of rat liver microsomes, with 1,2-di-0-[3H]acyl glycerol or 1-0-hexadecanoyl [U-14C]ethanediol as substrate, was inhibited byN,N-dimethylaminoethylp-chlorophenoxyacetate (centrophenoxine). Inhibition progressed in a linear fashion with increasing drug levels and was complete at 30 mM concentration. It appears that the microsomal enzyme was largely affected by the drug itself because the hydrolysis products of centrophenoxine, viz.,N,N-dimethylaminoethanol andp-chlorophenoxyacetic acid, were less inhibitory.
E85 and fuel efficiency : An empirical analysis of 2007 EPA test data

It is well known that ethanol has less energy per unit volume than gasoline. Differences in engine design and fuel characteristics affect the efficiency with which the chemical energy in gasoline and ethanol is converted into mechanical energy, so that the change in fuel economy may not be a linear function of energy content. This study analyzes the fuel economy tests performed by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on 2007 model year E85-compliant vehicles and finds that the difference in average fuel economy is not statistically different from the differential in energy content.
Durability and relaxation of sawdust and wheat-straw briquettes as possible fuels for Kenya

Abstract Densification of agricultural residues and wood waste into fuel briquettes can provide a relatively high-quality alternative source of fuel, especially where solid woodfuel resources are scarce. The objective of this study was to determine the possibility of producing durable briquettes from wheat straw and sawdust as fuel for Kenyan households and small-scale industries. These consumers are burning an increasing amount of these materials, which in their raw form are poor quality fuels. Briquette length expansion at specific time intervals was determined over a 1-week period. The moisture content and durability of these briquettes were measured after a storage period of 2 weeks at approximately 20°C and 50% relative humidity. Sawdust and shavings briquettes were the most durable and exhibited the least degree of length expansion. Wheat-straw briquettes were the least durable and expanded most. However, blending straw with sawdust improved this durability considerably. There appears to be a direct relationship between length expansion and the durability rating of the briquettes. All the briquettes had relatively low moisture content. Briquettes can be manufactured without a binder but with poor durability in the case of straw.
Tunable mode and line selection by injection in a TEA CO2 laser.

Tunable mode selection by injection in pulsed CO2 lasers is examined, and both analytical and numerical models are used to compute the required injection power for a variety of experimental cases. These are treated in two categories: mode selection at a desired frequency displacement from the center frequency of a transition line in a dispersive cavity and mode (and line) selection at the center frequency of a selected transition line in a nondispersive cavity. The results point out the potential flexibility of pulsed injection in providing wavelength tunable high-energy single-frequency pulses.
Ultrastructure of carotenoid mutant strain R-26 of Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides

Stained thin-sections and freeze-fractured preparations of the carotenoid-less mutant strain R-26 of Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides grown photosynthetically revealed 2 morphological kinds of intracellular membrane systems- spherical vesicles distributed throughout the cytoplasm and lamellae confined to the periphery of the cell. The lamellar membranes appeared to be large, flattened vesicles.
The death of a clinician-educator.

My colleague-speaker-friend recently announced that he was leaving our division for an in-town private practice job. He would be the third person that month to make such an announcement. I knew he ...
Simulation and Modeling of Aerogels Using Atomistic and Mesoscale Methods

Molecular modeling and simulation are now widely used in many areas of materials science. In this chapter, we consider the application of these techniques to developing a better understanding of the structure and properties of aerogels. Both atomistic simulations and “coarse-grained” models are reviewed, and the challenges and possible solutions facing this field are also discussed. We focus on silica aerogels, as the great majority of simulation work in this area has been directed at understanding these materials.
Predicted cardiovascular risk in HIV-infected patients.

To the Editor,In a recent case–control study, Kim et al. compared the predicted 10-y cardiovascular mortality between HIV-infected and uninfected patients [1]. Applying the Framingham risk score (F...
Netrin Binds Discrete Subdomains of DCC and UNC5 and Mediates Interactions between DCC and Heparin

Netrins are secreted proteins that elicit both attractive and repulsive responses in migrating cells in the central and peripheral nervous systems. Netrins interact with members of two distinct families of transmembrane receptors, represented by DCC (deleted in colorectal cancer) and UNC5. A human netrin fragment (soluble netrin; sNetrin) was purified from an engineered Chinese hamster ovary cell line and used in a pull-down assay to map the interactions between netrin and its receptors. We find that sNetrin binds exclusively to the fifth fibronectin type III repeat of DCC and to each immunoglobulin repeat of UNC5. Both DCC and UNC5 bind to sNetrin with 1:1 stoichiometry in solution, and the minimal receptor fragments behave similarly to larger fragments in cross-linking experiments with purified sNetrin. We find no evidence for formation of a ternary complex between sNetrin and soluble forms of DCC and UNC5. We also find no evidence for an interaction between DCC and heparin and instead demonstrate that a loop on the fifth fibronectin type III repeat of DCC previously implicated in mediating interactions with heparin is important for sNetrin binding. Since netrin binds heparin, our results suggest that interactions between DCC and heparin are probably mediated by netrin.
Effect of phasing of rotation on Delayed stall in flapping flights related to MAVs at Re=10 4

Unsteady aerodynamics of flapping flight at Re=10000 for forward flight with advance ratio, J=0.5, pertaining to the development of micro air vehicles, is analyzed. The effect of phasing of rotation is analyzed using three flapping kinematics advanced, symmetrical and delayed rotation. The flow structures obtained and time variation of lift and thrust are used to evaluate their effects. The power required for flapping and rotation are computed to evaluate the propulsive efficiency. In all the cases simulated, a strong spiral LEV is formed during the downstroke resulting in peak of lift and thrust. A strong spanwise flow from base towards tip is observed in the middle of the vortex. However due to the presence of a tip vortex, a strong negative spanwise flow forms near the tip, which prevents the removal of vorticity from the LEV. Hence the LEV gets unstable during the middle of the downstroke and separates from the wing resulting in a drop in lift. The results show that supination results in LEV formation near the base and the strength of the LEV depends on the flapping velocity. A stronger vortex is formed for advanced rotation and it generates high lift. The delayed rotation affects the thrust production during the translation and results in low propulsive efficiency. In terms of average value of thrust advanced rotation is preferred, while symmetric rotation generates slightly higher average lift than that of advanced rotation.
Reconfigurable hardware for pseudoexhaustive test

The designs of two test pattern generators for pseudoexhaustive testing have been presented. These designs are capable of implementing test sets (recipe cubes) that exhaustively test the segments of a circuit. The application of each test set requires two control bits per circuit input. The test-pattern generators can be reconfigured by simple control circuitry to apply each of the test sets of a pseudoexhaustive test in sequence. The first design, based on multiplexers, uses very little hardware. The second design is a reconfigurable counter. Both of the designs presented can be used with built-in self-test (BIST) and or scan-path testing. In addition to higher fault coverage than single stuck-at testing, the use of these designs can sometimes offer reduced on-chip storage requirements and reduced testing time. >
Mathematics and the Gender Gap: A Meta-Analysis of Recent Studies on Sex Differences in Mathematical Tasks.

This paper is a meta-analysis of studies that have taken place between 1974 and mid-1987 on sex differences in mathematical tasks. The methods used are estimations of (a) parameters for a random effects model and (b) coefficients for a linear regression equation, all based on effect sizes calculated from each study. These results are compared with meta-analyses of the studies on quantitative skill collected by Maccoby and Jacklin. These comparisons, together with ad hoc comparisons of Scholastic Aptitude Test effect sizes over the years, yield two conclusions. First, the average sex difference is very small; a confidence interval for it covers zero, though the interval lies mainly on the side of male advantage. Second, sex differences in performance are decreasing over the years.
Comparison of glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation as energy sources for mammalian sperm motility, using the combination of fluorescence imaging, laser tweezers, and real‐time automated tracking and trapping

The combination of laser tweezers, fluorescent imaging, and real-time automated tracking and trapping (RATTS) can measure sperm swimming speed and swimming force simultaneously with mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP). This approach is used to study the roles of two sources of ATP in sperm motility: oxidative phosphorylation, which occurs in the mitochondria located in the sperm midpiece and glycolysis, which occurs along the length of the sperm tail (flagellum). The relationships between (a) swimming speed and MMP and (b) swimming force and MMP are studied in dog and human sperm. The effects of glucose, oxidative phosphorylation inhibitors and glycolytic inhibitors on human sperm motility are examined. The results indicate that oxidative phosphorylation does contribute some ATP for human sperm motility, but not enough to sustain high motility. The glycolytic pathway is shown to be a primary source of energy for human sperm motility.
ALTERATION OF KAOLINITE TO CANCRINITE AND SODALITE BY SIMULATED HANFORD TANK WASTE AND ITS IMPACT ON CESIUM RETENTION

Caustic nuclear wastes have leaked from tanks at the US Department of Energy’s Hanford site in Washington State (USA) causing hundreds of thousands of gallons of waste fluids to migrate into the underlying sediments. In this study, four simulant tank waste (STW) solutions, which are high in NaOH (1.4 and 2.8 mol/kg), NaNO3 (3.7 mol/kg) and NaAlO2 (0.125 and 0.25 mol/kg), were prepared and reacted with reference kaolinite KGa-1 and KGa-2 at 50 and 80°C for up to 2 months. The structure and morphology of the resulting products were characterized using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The products were also examined for cation exchange and Cs+ sorption as a function of ionic strength and types of cations in the background solutions. Cancrinite and sodalite were the only new minerals observed in all of the conditions tested in this experiment. Two major chemical processes were involved in the reactions: dissolution of kaolinite and precipitation of cancrinite and sodalite. Increasing NaOH concentration and temperature, and decreasing NaAlO2 concentration increased the transformation rate. Both cancrinite and sodalite appeared stable thermodynamically under the experimental conditions. The newly formed feldspathoids were vulnerable to acid attack and pronounced dissolution occurred at pH below 5.5. Cancrinite and sodalite can incorporate NaNO3 ion pairs in their cages or channels. Sodium in cancrinite and sodalite was readily exchangeable by K+, but less easily by Cs+ or Ca2+. The feldspathoid products sorb nearly an order of magnitude more Cs+ than the unaltered kaolinite. The Cs adsorption is reduced by competing cations in the background solutions. At low ionic strength (0.01 M NaNO3 or 0.005 M Ca(NO3)2), Ca2+ was more competitive than Na+. When the concentration of the background solution was increased 10 times, Na+ was more competitive than Ca2+.
Impact of Physiologically Based Pharmacokinetic Modeling and Simulation in Drug Development

Physiologically based pharmacokinetic modeling and simulation can be used to predict the pharmacokinetics of drugs in human populations and to explore the effects of varying physiologic parameters that result from aging, ethnicity, or disease. In addition, the effects of concomitant medications on drug exposure can be investigated; prediction of the magnitude of drug interactions can impact regulatory communications or internal decision-making regarding the requirement for a clinical drug interaction study. Modeling and simulation can also help to inform the design and timings of clinical drug interaction studies, resulting in more efficient use of limited resources and improved planning in addition to promoting mechanistic understanding of observed drug interactions. These approaches have been used in GlaxoSmithKline from drug discovery to registration and have been applied to 41 drugs from a number of therapeutic areas. This report highlights the variety of questions that can be addressed by prospective or retrospective application of modeling and simulation and the impact this can have on clinical drug development (from candidate selection through clinical development to regulatory submissions).