cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of mutations in acetate metabolism on high-cell-density growth of Escherichia coli

To study the role played by acetate metabolism during high-cell-density growth of Escherichia coli cells, we constructed isogenic null mutants of strain W3100 deficient for several genes involved either in acetate metabolism or the transition to stationary phase. We grew these strains under identical fed-batch conditions to the highest cell densities achievable in 8 h using a predictive-plus-feedback-controlled computer algorithm that maintained glucose at a set-point of 0.5 g/l, as previously described. Wild-type strains, as well as mutants lacking the ss subunit of RNA polymerase (rpoS), grew reproducibly to high cell densities (44–50 g/l dry cell weights, DCWs). In contrast, a strain lacking acetate kinase (ackA) failed to reach densities greater than 8 g/l. Strains lacking other acetate metabolism genes (pta, acs, poxB, iclR, and fadR) achieved only medium cell densities (15–21 g/l DCWs). Complementation of either the acs or the ackA mutant restored wild-type high-cell-density growth. On a dry weight basis, poxB and fadR strains produced approximately threefold more acetate than did the wild-type strain. In contrast, the pta, acs, or rpoS strains produced significantly less acetate per cell dry weight than did the wild-type strain. Our results show that acetate metabolism plays a critical role during growth of E. coli cultures to high cell densities. They also demonstrate that cells do not require the ss regulon to grow to high cell densities, at least not under the conditions tested. Journal of Industrial Microbiology & Biotechnology (2000) 24, 421–430.
The succession of ecologiste in North America

Saving the Prairies: The Life Cycle of the Founding School of American Plant Ecology, 1895–1955. By Ronald C. Tobey. University of California Press: 1982. Pp.315. $32.50, £21.25.
Food sovereignty, food security and democratic choice: critical contradictions, difficult conciliations

In recent years, the concept of ‘food sovereignty’ has gained increasing ground among grassroots groups, taking the form of a global movement. But there is no uniform conceptualization of what food sovereignty constitutes. Indeed, the definition has been expanding over time. It has moved from its initial focus on national self-sufficiency in food production (‘the right of nations’) to local self-sufficiency (‘the rights of peoples’). There is also a growing emphasis on the rights of women and other disadvantaged groups, and on consensus building and democratic choice. This paper provides a critique of some of the major tenets of the food sovereignty movement. It recognizes that many developing countries may wish to pursue the goal of self-sufficiency in the context of the global food crises, and that it is important to promote social equality and democratic choice. Taken together, however, there can be serious contradictions between the key features of the food sovereignty vision, such as between the goal...
Drug discrimination by humans compared to nonhumans: current status and future directions

In drug discrimination (DD) procedures, behavior is differentially reinforced depending on the presence or absence of specific drug stimuli. The DD paradigm has been widely adopted by behavioral pharmacologists because of its specificity of stimulus control, concordance with drug action at cellular levels and its use as a preclinical model of subject-rated effects in humans. With the successful extension of DD to humans, a comparison of human and nonhuman DD will help place each in the context of the other. Twenty-eight studies of DD in humans are reviewed, including studies of amphetamine, opioid, benzodiazepine, caffeine, nicotine, marijuana and ethanol discriminative stimuli. Comparison of procedures between studies in humans and nonhumans reveals a common tradition, except the use of instructions appears to facilitate greatly DD acquisition in humans. Findings were qualitatively similar between humans and nonhumans. Potency relationships were quantitatively similar between humans and most, but not all, other species. Areas of human DD needing additional empirical evaluation include the influence of instructions, the effects of training dose and the effects of antagonists. Additionally, antihistamines, barbiturates, nicotine and marijuana are under-represented in human DD.
The relationship between body system-based chronic conditions and dental utilization for Medicaid-enrolled children: a retrospective cohort study

Dental care is the most common unmet health care need for children with chronic conditions. However, anecdotal evidence suggests that not all children with chronic conditions encounter difficulties accessing dental care. The goals of this study are to evaluate dental care use for Medicaid-enrolled children with chronic conditions and to identify the subgroups of children with chronic conditions that are the least likely to use dental care services. This study focused on children with chronic conditions ages 3-14 enrolled in the Iowa Medicaid Program in 2005 and 2006. The independent variables were whether a child had each of the following 10 body system-based chronic conditions (no/yes): hematologic; cardiovascular; craniofacial; diabetes; endocrine; digestive; ear/nose/throat; respiratory; catastrophic neurological; or musculoskeletal. The primary outcome measure was use of any dental care in 2006. Secondary outcomes, also measured in 2006, were use of diagnostic dental care, preventive dental care, routine restorative dental care, and complex restorative dental care. We used Poisson regression models to estimate the relative risk (RR) associated with each of the five outcome measures across the 10 chronic conditions. Across the 10 chronic condition subgroups, unadjusted dental utilization rates ranged from 44.3% (children with catastrophic neurological conditions) to 60.2% (children with musculoskeletal conditions). After adjusting for model covariates, children with catastrophic neurological conditions were significantly less likely to use most types of dental care (RR: 0.48 to 0.73). When there were differences, children with endocrine or craniofacial conditions were less likely to use dental care whereas children with hematologic or digestive conditions were more likely to use dental care. Children with respiratory, musculoskeletal, or ear/nose/throat conditions were more likely to use most types of dental care compared to other children with chronic conditions but without these specific conditions (RR: 1.03 to 1.13; 1.0 to 1.08; 1.02 to 1.12; respectively). There was no difference in use across all types of dental care for children with diabetes or cardiovascular conditions compared to other children with chronic conditions who did not have these particular conditions. Dental utilization is not homogeneous across chronic condition subgroups. Nearly 42% of children in our study did not use any dental care in 2006. These findings support the development of multilevel clinical interventions that target subgroups of Medicaid-enrolled children with chronic conditions that are most likely to have problems accessing dental care.
Temporality in Queer Theory and Continental Philosophy

The connections between the fields of queer theory and continental philosophy are strange and strained: simultaneously difficult and all too easy to ferret out, there is no easy narrative for how the two fields interconnect. Both sides of the relation seem either to disavow or simply repress any relation to the other. For example, despite the impact of Foucault’s History of Sexuality, Volume One on early queer theory, current work in queer of color critique challenges the politics and epistemology of placing this text in such a canonical position, particularly for the adamantly anti-foundational field of queer theory.1 On the other hand, continental philosophy, perhaps in its ongoing beleaguered attempt to form an identity within the analytically dominated discipline of philosophy in the United States,2 seems largely to ignore the growth of queer theory, despite the provocative and invigorating work on some of continental philosophy’s most beloved topics, such as temporality, embodiment, desire, the negative, and radically anti-foundational subjectivity, epistemology, and politics. Setting aside the thorny project of their genealogical connections and disconnections, this essay turns to current trajectories in the field of queer theory, particularly the heated debates about temporality and the future, to indicate how this contemporary scholarship both draws on and exceeds a grounding in continental philosophy.
Four-parameter coincidence study of the 6Li(6Li, α)2α reaction

Abstract The 6 Li( 6 Li, α)2α reaction was studied at E 6 Li = 2.75 MeV. A four-parameter data acquisition system employing two position-sensitive surface-barrier detectors, four pulse-height analysers and a general-purpose computer, provided simultaneous measurement of coincident energy spectra for any pair of angles within the 40° angular intervals subtended by each detector. No statistically correlated component appears in the energy or angle correlations. Regions of the coincidence spectra which correspond to the intense continuum observed in singles spectra, were found to exhibit pronounced structure which varied rapidly with angle. Contributions to these spectra from the decay of high-lying excited states of 8 Be provide limited explanations for the observed structure. Angles and energies which satisfy the kinematic conditions for the zero momentum transfer of a deuteron tend to coincide with the highest coincidence rates in the angular range covered, in accord with a simple direct reaction model. However, no single hypothesis based upon decay of states of 8 Be or a special reaction mechanism accounts for all of the observed structure.
Bayesian Forecasting via Deterministic Model

Rational decision making requires that the total uncertainty about a variate of interest (a predictand) be quantified in terms of a probability distribution, conditional on all available information and knowledge. Suppose the state-of-knowledge is embodied in a deterministic model, which is imperfect and outputs only an estimate of the predictand. Fundamentals are presented of two Bayesian methods for producing a probabilistic forecast via any deterministic model. The Bayesian Processor of Forecast (BPF) quantifies the total uncertainty in terms of a posterior distribution, conditional on model output. The Bayesian Forecasting System (BFS) decomposes the total uncertainty into input uncertainty and model uncertainty, which are characterized independently and then integrated into a predictive distribution. The BFS is compared with Monte Carlo simulation and “ensemble forecasting” technique, none of which can alone produce a probabilistic forecast that quantifies the total uncertainty, but each can serve as a component of the BFS.
Getting nano tattoos right—A checklist of legal and ethical hurdles for an emerging nanomedical technology

Abstract The nano tattoo represents a nascent technology designed to be implanted in the skin to provide continuous and reliable glucose detection for diabetics. Its potential benefits are compelling not only for its ability to prevent diabetic complications and decrease related social costs, but also for its ease of use and relative patient-user comfort. This Note aims to articulate a checklist of fundamental intellectual property, bioethical and system design issues that are appropriately considered in the pre-clinical, pre-commercialization phase of nano tattoo development. Early and regular consideration of these factors can increase the odds of a societally beneficial dissemination of this device by engaging relevant researcher, medical, patient-user and patient-advocate communities concerned with its appropriate application, as well as policymaking communities focused on effectively managing diabetes-related healthcare costs. The checklist of factors includes fundamental issues and is generally applicable to nanomedical inventions. From the Clinical Editor This paper presents a comprehensive list of fundamental intellectual property, bioethical, and system design issues to be considered in the pre-commercialization phase of nanomedicine development, through the specific example of nano tattoo development. Nano tattoo is designed to be implanted in the skin to provide reliable glucose monitoring for diabetics, enabling enhanced prevention of complications and decreased socioeconomic costs.
An algorithm for defining the cardiac cycle using ascending aortic blood flow

Abstract An algorithm for defining events in the cardiac cycle on a beat-by-beat basis is presented. The procedure initially involves defining peak systolic flow from a sequence of equally spaced samples of ascending aortic blood flow. Definition of the onset and end of the ejection phase relies on knowing zero flow in diastole. Several computational methods for determining zero flow are presented. The algorithm has been developed as a FORTRAN program and has been in use for approximately one year.
Methamphetamine Abuse: A Perfect Storm of Complications

Previously restricted primarily to Hawaii and California, methamphetamine abuse has reached epidemic proportions throughout the United States during the past decade, specifically in rural and semirural areas. Particular characteristics of methamphetamine production and use create conditions for a "perfect storm" of medical and social complications. Unlike imported recreational drugs such as heroin and cocaine, methamphetamine can be manufactured locally from commonly available household ingredients according to simple recipes readily available on the Internet. Methamphetamine users and producers are frequently one and the same, resulting in both physical and environmental consequences. Users experience emergent, acute, subacute, and chronic injuries to neurologic, cardiac, pulmonary, dental, and other systems. Producers can sustain life-threatening injuries in the frequent fires and explosions that result when volatile chemicals are combined. Partners and children of producers, as well as unsuspecting first responders to a crisis, are exposed to toxic by-products of methamphetamine manufacture that contaminate the places that serve simultaneously as "lab" and home. From the vantage point of a local emergency department, this article reviews the range of medical and social consequences that radiate from a single hypothetical methamphetamine-associated incident.
Impact of commutative and non-commutative functions on symbolic regression with ACGP

Genetic Programming, as other evolutionary methods, uses selection to drive its search toward better solutions, but its search operators are uninformed and perform uniform search. Constrained GP methodology changes this exploration to pruned non-uniform search, skipping some representation subspaces and giving preferences to others, according to provided heuristics. The heuristics are position-fixed or position-independent and are just preferences on some specific labeling. Adaptable Constrained GP ACGP is a methodology for discovery of such useful heuristics. Both methodologies have previously demonstrated their surprising capabilities using only parent-child and parent-children heuristics. This paper illustrates how the ACGP methodology applies to symbolic regression; demonstrate the power of low-order local heuristics, while also exploring the differences in evolutionary search between commutative and non-commutative functions.
Factor model estimation by using the alpha-EM algorithm

In this paper, we present the alpha-EM algorithm for factor model estimation for given sample covariance. The alpha-EM includes the traditional log-EM as its proper subset. Since we use log-EM for factor analysis, however, it is shown that alpha-EM can also be used on factor analysis and more important the convergence speed of the alpha-EM is much faster than log-EM. It also allows us to choose different alphas to achieve the fastest convergence speed and more accurate factor model estimation.
Observations of inelastic deformation during high-temperature fatigue and failure of a polycrystalline silicon nitride

Abstract The effects of rate-dependent inelastic deformation were observed during tensile static, dynamic, and cyclic fatigue testing of a hot-isotatically pressed, monolithic, polycrystalline silicon nitride in ambient air at temperatures of 1150, 1260 and 1370°C. Constant stresses in static fatigue ranged from 50 to 300 MPa. Stress rates in dynamic fatigue ranged from 10−4 to 101 MPa/s. Waveforms in cyclic fatigue included trapezoid, triangle and sine at a stress ratio, R, of 0.1, frequencies of 0.1 and 10 Hz, and maximum stresses ranging from 75 to 325 MPa. At 1150°C, all fatigue results showed a similar slow crack growth failure mechanism with no separate cyclic fatigue mechanism. However, at 1260 and 1370°C the failure mechanism was multi-faceted. For both temperatures, the failure in static fatigue was dominated by the accumulation of diffusion-controlled creep cavities. In dynamic fatigue, the inelastic deformation exhibited by non-linear stress-strain curves supported the conclusion of failure by slow crack growth alone at high stress rates and by a mixture of slow crack growth and creep damage at low stress rates. Under cyclic loading, ‘enhanced’ times to failure, attributed to viscous rate effects, occurred regardless of waveform or frequency. The stress rate was related to the stress at the onset to non-linearity, σ0, indicating a quasi-endurance limit below which cyclic fatigue had little ‘enhancing’ effect. Creep compliance relations indicated non-linear viscoelastic (or viscoplastic) behavior, leading to speculation on the role of this behavior in producing the ‘enhanced’ cyclic fatigue resistance.
Microdrop analysis of a bead-based immunoassay

The progress to electrochemical detection of a microbead-based immunoassay in small volumes has led to a reduced assay time and lower detection limits. Three electrochemical techniques are described for an immunoassay with detection in a microdrop. The techniques are amperometric detection with a rotating disk electrode (RDE), a microelectrode, and an interdigitated array (IDA) electrode. An enzyme-labeled sandwich immunoassay with mouse IgG as the model analyte is used to demonstrate the three techniques. The microbead assay is carried out in a test tube using a magnet to control bead collection. Once the immunocomplex is formed on the microbead, the beads are transferred to a microdrop where the enzyme, either alkaline phosphatase or β-galactosidase, generates 4-aminophenol (PAP). PAP is oxidized at the electrode with an applied potential of +290 mV vs. Ag/AgCl. For all three techniques, the upper limit of the dynamic range was 1000 ng/ml mouse IgG, and the detection limits were: 50 ng/ml for the RDE, 40 ng/ml for the microelectrode, and 26 ng/ml for the IDA electrode.
Synapse replacement in the striatum of the adult rat following unilateral cortex ablation.

Defining the selective pattern of synapse replacement that occurs in different areas of the damaged brain is essential for predicting the limits of functional compensation that can be achieved after various types of brain injury. Here we describe the time course of dendritic reorganization, spine loss and recovery, and synapse replacement in the striatum following a unilateral cortex ablation. We found that the time course for the transient loss and recovery of dendritic spines on medium spiny I (MSI) neurons, the primary postsynaptic target for corticostriatal axons, paralleled the time course for the removal of degenerating axon terminals from the neuropil and the formation of new synapses on MSI neurons. Reinnervation of the deafferented striatum occurred chiefly by axon terminals that formed asymmetric synapses with dendritic spines of MSI neurons, and the mean density of asymmetric synapses recovered to 86% of the sham-operated rat value by 30 days postlesion. In addition, the synaptic circuitry of the reconstructed striatum was characterized by an increase in the number of multiple synaptic boutons (MSBs), i.e., presynaptic axon terminals that make contact with more than one dendritic spine. Whether the postsynaptic contacts of MSBs are formed with the dendritic spines of the same or a different parent dendrite in the striatum is unknown. Nevertheless, these data suggest that the formation of MSBs is an essential part of the compensatory response to the loss of input from the ipsilateral cortex following the aspiration lesion and may serve to modulate activity-dependent adaptive changes in the reconstructed striatum that can lead to functional recovery.
Joint Production and Energy Modeling of Sustainable Manufacturing Systems: Challenges and Methods

This dissertation proposes a framework for addressing challenges of joint production and energy modeling for manufacturing systems. The knowledge generated is used to improve the technological readiness of manufacturing enterprises for the transition towards sustainable manufacturing in the context of smart electric grids. Detailed research tasks of the framework on the modeling of production, energy efficiency, electricity demand, cost, and demand response decision making have been implemented. Specifically, the dynamics and performance measures of general manufacturing systems with multiple machines and buffers have been modeled. Expressions of electricity energy efficiency and cost have been established based on the electricity pricing profile. Production scheduling problem formulations and the solution technique are discussed. New insights are acquired based on the applications of the established model in system parameter monotonicity analysis, rate plan switching decision making, and demand response scheduling. The findings based on case studies show that with appropriate adjustment of production routines, significant improvement in energy efficiency and substantial savings in energy cost can be achieved without sacrificing production. Appropriate implementation of this research outcome may lead to energy-efficient, electricity-demand-responsive, and cost-effective operations and thus improve the sustainability of modern manufacturing systems. The new knowledge generated can be implemented to discrete manufacturing in various industries such as automotive, electronics, appliances, aerospace, etc.
Kilometer-Scale Rapid Transport of Naphthalene Sulfonate Tracer in the Unsaturated Zone at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory

To investigate possible long-range flow paths through the interbedded basalts and sediments of a 200-m-thick unsaturated zone, we applied a chemical tracer to seasonally filled infiltration ponds on the Snake River Plain in Idaho. This site is near the Subsurface Disposal Area for radioactive and other hazardous waste at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory. Within 4 mo, we detected tracer in one of 13 sampled aquifer wells, and in eight of 11 sampled perched-water wells as far as 1.3 km away. These detections show that (i) low-permeability layers in the unsaturated zone divert some flow horizontally, but do not prevent rapid transport to the aquifer; (ii) horizontal convective transport rates within the unsaturated zone may exceed 14 m d−1, perhaps through essentially saturated basalt fractures, tension cracks, lava tubes, or rubble zones; and (iii) some perched water beneath the Subsurface Disposal Area derives from episodic surface water more than 1 km away. Such rapid and far-reaching flow may be common throughout the Snake River Plain, and possibly occurs in other locations that have a geologically complex unsaturated zone and comparable sources of infiltrating water.
On three dimensions as the preferred dimensionality of space via the Brandenberger-Vafa mechanism

In previous work it was shown that, in accord with the Brandenberger-Vafa mechanism, three is the maximum number of spatial dimensions that can grow large cosmologically from an initial thermal fluctuation. Here we complement that work by considering the possibility of successive fluctuations. Suppose an initial fluctuation causes at least one dimension to grow, and suppose successive fluctuations occur on timescales of order alpha'^{1/2}. If the string coupling is sufficiently large, we show that such fluctuations are likely to push a three-dimensional subspace to large volume where winding modes annihilate. In this setting three is the preferred number of large dimensions. Although encouraging, a more careful study of the dynamics and statistics of fluctuations is needed to assess the likelihood of our assumptions.
The condition number of a randomly perturbed matrix

Let M be an arbitrary n by n matrix. We study the conditionnumber a random perturbation M+Nn of M, where Nn is arandom matrix. It is shown that, under very general conditions on M and Mn, the condition number of M+Nn is polynomial in nwith very high probability. The main novelty here is that we allow Nn to have discrete distribution.
Studies of changes in breathing and blood pressure accompanying a cardiogenic hypertensive chemoreflex compared in conscious and anesthetized dogs.

Abstract Serotonin activates a cardiogenic hypertensive chemoreflex characterized by sudden hypertension. This study in 16 awake and 12 anesthetized dogs was conducted to examine the influence of changes in breathing or heart rate as they may influence the reflex hypertension. In all 28 dogs, either anesthetized or awake, there is a variable but brief initial reflex bradycardia and in all dogs there is transient ventilatory stimulation, but the response in every dog was characterized by hypertension within at most 10 seconds after administering serotonin. Treatment with atropine regularly eliminated the reflex bradycardia and caused the hypertension to appear soon (average of 6 seconds to maximal level). Atropine did not alter the reflex stimulation of breathing. Since atropine eliminated any transient bradycardia (and associated hypotension) but did not prevent reflex changes in breathing, we do not believe that breathing alteration plays any significant hemodynamic role in this reflex.
Intracranial ossifications and microangiopathy at 8 Tesla MRI.

Abstract Clinical evaluation and MR imaging of microangiopathy associated with hypertension is limited. We describe a case that illustrates sensitivity of MRI at 8 Tesla for imaging of microvasculature, iron, calcium deposits and silent white matter lesions (WML). A 60-year-old black hypertensive woman was evaluated for numbness in the face and extremities. MRI at 1.5 Tesla was unrevealing. MRI at 8 Tesla: Axial and sagittal Gradient Echo images were obtained with an 8T/80 cm human scanner and showed: 1) Large areas of signal voids due to ossifications and fat deposits within the falx. 2) Obstructed small vessels in the periventricular regions and distended cortical veins. 3) Numerous small WML, suggestive of mini-infarcts ( Conclusions: MRI at 8 Tesla improves visualization of microangiopathy, ossifications and iron deposits due to enhanced magnetic susceptibility at ultra high magnetic field.
New Leadership at the Federal Reserve

As Chairman of the Federal Reserve for the past 18 years, Alan Greenspan deserves praise for his stewardship of monetary policy. He has guided the Fed and monetary policy in a way that has led to low and stable inflation. But if Greenspan's record clearly deserves praise, he could have done more to move monetary policy into the 21st century and prepare the institution for the future. Greenspan has relied heavily on his personal judgment and has argued repeatedly that the Fed must have extensive flexibility to respond to the economic environment. But if Greenspan's judgment, skill, and luck have served him and the country well, it is dangerous to rely so heavily on the judgment of a single individual. When he departed, he took with him his skill and judgment, as well as his credibility and his personal commitment to low inflation. The Fed he leaves behind has no explicit institutional commitment to long-run price stability. This article argues that by operating with a set of rules and guidelines, or at a minimum clearly stated institutional objectives, the Fed would eliminate much of the second guessing about what it is doing and why, and the associated volatility in markets. More generally, the benefits of more explicit guidelines for monetary policy include: • Increasing public understanding of monetary policy, including what it can and cannot do. • Increasing transparency and accountability. Most organizations have clear goals and we hold their leaders accountable. The Fed is different. The Fed seems to be held accountable for all things economic and thus it is truly accountable for nothing. It never has to explain its actions and what went right or wrong. • Establishing a clear focus for the Fed regarding its goals and objectives. • Creating increased confidence that sound monetary policy will be followed in the future.
Thermal decomposition and Szilard-Chalmers annealing in the solid state☆

Abstract The thermal decomposition and Szilard-Chalmers annealing of NaBrO3 have been studied over a range of temperatures that is very high for the annealing but quite low for the decomposition. It is concluded that the two processes may be intimately related, each throwing light on each other's mechanisms. The possible existence of exchange reactions in the solid state has also been demonstrated.
Influence of prey distribution on the functional response of lizards

We experimentally examined the effect of invertebrate prey distribution on the functional response of a vertebrate predator. We predicted how predator consumption of prey would change with prey distribution using a scale-dependent foraging model. This model predicted that prey consumption rate should decrease as a fixed density of resources becomes more dispersed in space as measured by its fractal dimension. The model incorporates an explicit description of the spatial distribution of prey into classical optimal foraging theory. We tested this prediction with foraging trials involving lizards feeding on grasshoppers in experimental arenas with a single grass species as vegetation cover. We manipulated grasshopper distribution associated with this grass by manipulating the distribution of vegetation in arenas to yield different fractal dimensions. Skinks foraging in arenas with a few large clumps of vegetation (low fractal dimension) captured significantly more prey at all prey densities than skinks foraging in arenas with many small clumps but not necessarily more evenly dispersed (high fractal dimension). These results support the predictions of the spatially dependent foraging model, and show that prey dispersion can strongly modify the predator functional response.
Clestobothrium gibsoni n. sp. (Cestoda: Bothriocephalidae) from the bullseye grenadier Bathygadus macrops Goode & Bean (Macrouridae) in the Gulf of Mexico.

Clestobothrium gibsoni n. sp. is described from the intestine of the bullseye grenadier Bathygadus macrops (Macrouridae) collected in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico. The new species can be distinguished from both C. crassiceps (Rudolphi, 1819), the type-species of the genus, and C. neglectum (Lonnberg, 1893), the second species in the genus, by its unique ovary, which is transversely elongate and tapered on both ends rather than being U-or H-shaped, and by having more testes (60-65 vs 40-50 and 35-45 per proglottid). The new species is also compared to Bothriocephalus acheilognathi Yamaguti, 1934 and B. kivuensis Baer & Fain, 1954, two species with similar scoleces which have previously been assigned to Clestobothrium . The generic diagnosis of Clestobothrium is amended to include species with either anoperculate or operculate eggs. This is the first report of an adult tapeworm from a species of Bathygadus , and the first report of a species of Clestobothrium Luhe, 1899 (Bothriocephalidae) from the Gulf of Mexico.
Studies on the mechanism of action of cyclic AMP in nervous and other tissues.

Summary Thermodynamic studies, involving equilibrium and calorimetric measurements, indicate that cyclic AMP is a high-energy compound. The hydrolysis of the 3′bond of cyclic AMP to 5′AMP releases about 12,000 cal/mole of free-energy. The free-energy change results from a large decrease in enthalpy of the cyclic nucleotide upon its conversion to 5′AMP. Cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinases and cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinases have been shown to be distributed widely in nature. The results support a hypothesis that all of the diverse effects of cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP are mediated through regulation of the activity of protein kinases. The two classes of protein kinase differ in their substrate specificity. Enzymological, cytochemical and electrophysiological evidence is presented in support of the concept that cyclic AMP is intimately associated with the molecular events underlying the process of synaptic transmission in the nervous system.
Microcirculation in the islets of Langerhans of the mouse.

A technique for the study of microcirculation in living islets, using quartz rod and cinephotomicrography, is presented, together with results of a study of insular microcirculation. With this technique, conditions are standard, results are reproducible and the findings are recorded permanently. The pancreas, bathed constantly in Locke-Ringer's solution at 37°C, is lifted with the spleen from the body, supported on the tip of Knisely's hollow-tipped fused quartz rod, and the lobules are separated gently. Circulation in the transilluminated islets, which are pale yellow, spherical or ovoid bodies with a distinctive vascular pattern, is studied with the biobjective, binocular microscope. For cinephotomicrography, the camera is aligned over one eyepiece of the microscope and the film is exposed at 64 frames per second, using a 750 watt projection bulb as light source. Direct anastomoses of insular and acinar capillaries are not observed. Blood flow in the islets of the anesthetized mouse is rapid and constant, under these conditions of observation. Intravenous epinephrine and ephedrine cause temporary interruption of blood flow in the islets, whereas nor-epinephrine slows but does not stop the circulation. Pitressin also causes slowing of insular blood flow. Insulin, glucagon, hydrocortisone, glucose, alloxan and diphenylthiocarbazone have no acute effect upon the insular microcirculation. A possible relation between the circulatory effect and the hyperglycemic effect of epinephrine and ephedrine is suggested.
A network model of multiplicative attentional modulation

Gain modulation of neuronal firing rate has been shown to be important for a large number of computations in the brain including attentional selection. Several models can produce gain modulation. One of the features characterizing attentional modulation is that attentional input in the absence of visual input produces little if any change in the mean firing rate of excitatory neurons in early visual cortex. This has been difficult to understand in computational models of gain modulation. Here we expand a previous network model of multiplicative neuron responses [1] by separating excitatory and inhibitory neuron propulations while keeping the single-neuron models simple. We analyze attentional input and lateral inhibition patterns which best reproduce electrophysiological results. We find that attentional input to excitatory and inhibitory neurons is the same, and, surprisingly, the optimal lateral inhibition connectivity is not Gaussian but needs to have a heavier tail. Addtionally, our model predicts that there is a minimum size of the attentional spotlight above which attentional modulation is multiplicative; below this minimum it becomes additive.
Pharmacological blockade of memory reconsolidation in posttraumatic stress disorder: Three negative psychophysiological studies

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may involve over-consolidated emotional memories of the traumatic event. Reactivation (RP) can return a memory to an unstable state, from which it must be restabilized (reconsolidated) if it is to persist. Pharmacological agents administered while the memory is unstable have been shown to impair reconsolidation. The N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) partial agonist d-cycloserine (DCS) may promote memory destabilization. In the three studies reported here, we investigated whether the β-adrenergic blocker propranolol or the glucocorticoid (GR) antagonist mifepristone, given at the time of traumatic memory reactivation, could reduce PTSD symptoms and physiological responding during subsequent traumatic imagery. Individuals with PTSD were randomized as follows: Study One: propranolol with memory reactivation (n=10) or without reactivation (n=8); Study Two: reactivation mifepristone (n=13), non-reactivation (NRP) mifepristone (n=15), or double placebo (PL) (n=15); Study Three: reactivation mifepristone plus d-cycloserine (n=16), or two placebos (n=15). Subjects underwent memory retrieval by describing their traumatic event. A week later they engaged in script-driven traumatic mental imagery, while heart rate (HR), skin conductance (SC), and facial electromyogram (EMG) responses were measured. There were no significant group differences in physiological responsivity or change in PTSD symptoms in any of the studies. These results do not support successful blockade of reconsolidation of traumatic memories in PTSD.
Routine use of the left internal mammary artery graft in the elderly

Abstract Left internal mammary artery (LIMA) grafts have better long-term patency rates than do saphenous vein grafts and result in improved late survival. The present study was undertaken to assess the results of LIMA grafting in the elderly. From 1980 through 1988, 723 patients 70 years of age or older had isolated coronary artery bypass grafting performed. During the first 5 years, only 11% of the elderly patients received LIMA grafts, whereas 86% having coronary artery bypass grafting since 1985 had LIMA grafts. Since 1986, LIMA use in the elderly has become routine, with 92% of patients receiving internal mammary artery grafts. During the first 5 years, elderly patients had a hospital mortality rate of 9.3%. Since 1985, the hospital mortality rate fell to 5.5%. In addition, the occurrence of major surgical complications was either unchanged or reduced in patients receiving LIMA grafts. Furthermore, late follow-up indicates a significantly improved 4-year survival rate in patients with internal mammary artery grafts compared with those without: 86 ± 0.02% versus 77 ± 0.03% ( p
Biopsy-proven spontaneous regression of a rhabdomyomatous mesenchymal hamartoma.

Rhabdomyomatous mesenchymal hamartoma (RMH) is a rare, benign, congenital tumor of the dermis and subcutaneous tissue comprised of skeletal muscle and adipose and adnexal elements. Although the majority of cases are an incidental finding in otherwise healthy patients, some have been reported in association with other anomalies. We present a full-term boy evaluated on day 2 of life for two lesions located on the midline of the lower back and right buttock that each appeared clinically as an atrophic, pink plaque. Ultrasound of the midline lesion revealed an underlying lipomyelomeningocele with a tethered cord in the spinal canal. Histopathology of the right buttock cutaneous lesion was consistent with a diagnosis of RMH. Surgical excision was performed on the midline intradural lipoma and the lesion on the buttock was monitored clinically. Repeat biopsy of this site at 1 year of age revealed complete spontaneous regression. This case highlights three interesting features: the association with an occult spinal dysraphism lipomyelomeningocele and tethered cord, the clinical presentation of an atrophic plaque as opposed to the more commonly reported raised lesions, and the phenomenon of spontaneous regression of the lesion. Most importantly, this final feature of regression in our patient suggests that, in the absence of symptoms, clinical observation of RMH lesions is warranted for spontaneous regression for 1 to 2 years provided that no functional deficit is noted and that the cutaneous or deeper lesions are not causing a medical problem.
A Method for the Forecasting of the Probability Density Function of Power System Loads

ConventionaL load forecasting involves the prediction of the mean value of the demand of an electric power system. The mean value of a quantity which is subject to uncertainty does not fully characterize that quantity. In this paper, two well known load forecasting methods are generalized to predict the entire probability density function of the load. Note that the proposed technique is not to calculate the probability density of the forecasted load, but, rather, the probability density function of the load itself. From this density function, a wide variety of quantities may be calculated: the mean value; the probability that the load will exceed some threshold; a figure of confidence of the forecast mean; conditional probabilities (under speciaL conditions such as negative generation margin), and conditional expectations. Both methods presented rely on the forecasting of the statistical moments of the demand, and using those moments to calculate the probability density function using the Gram-Charlier series type A.
Pregnancy Intention and Positive Parenting Behaviors Among First-Time Mothers The Importance of Mothers’ Contexts

Mothers and children often experience negative outcomes following unintended pregnancies. The current study examined for whom and under what conditions unintended pregnancy was associated with negative outcomes among a sample of 682 first-time mothers, recruited as part of the Predicting and Preventing Child Neglect in Teen Mothers study. Specifically, maternal demographic characteristics were examined as moderators of the association between pregnancy intention and parenting behaviors when children were 18 months old. Results revealed that unintended pregnancy was associated with fewer positive parenting behaviors; however, both maternal race and education moderated the association. Among mothers who identified as Black or Hispanic, those who intended to get pregnant were less likely to demonstrate positive parenting behaviors, and those with less education tended to demonstrate fewer positive parenting behaviors regardless of pregnancy intention. Implications for research, prevention, and intervention a...
Puig y sus precursores o hacia un nuevo canon (Borges/Puig)

Borges y su obra, siguen constituyendo el canon consciente (e inconsciente) con el que se mide la narrativa argentina contemporanea. En el caso de Manuel Puig, quien se manifestaba tan ajeno a toda tradicion literaria, se impone entonces la pregunta de por que compararlo con Borges. Pregunta pertinente porque, a primera vista, ambos autores y sus obras respectivas, poco o nada tienen en comun. Y es precisamente a partir de esa equivocada observacion inicial, y sobre todo, a partir de la fi liacion Puig-Cortazar instaurada por un sector importante de la critica argentina, que nace este articulo.1 Por ejemplo, Graciela Speranza quien afi rma que, ante “la oposicion BorgesCortazar que organiza la literatura argentina de los ‘60’, Puig –si bien se distancia de ambos– muy bien podria fi liarse en la linea Arlt-Cortazar” (73); o Jose Amicola, que con su grupo de estudio en la Universidad de La Plata ha venido procesando materiales ineditos de Puig a la vez que manuscritos de su obra publicada, en cuyo prologo a la edicion critica de El beso de la mujer arana de la Coleccion Archivos se lee: “La obra de Manuel Puig [...] surge en el momento de mayor prestigio del canon reafi rmado por Borges que dictaminaba mesura para las letras argentinas. Puig viene a quebrar esta ley al internarse en la senda de la experimentacion con el mal gusto” (XXIV). Esta ruptura lo emparenta, a su juicio, con Arlt y Cortazar. En el mismo volumen Jorge Panesi, comentando el articulo de Alberto Giordano “Una literatura fuera de la literatura”,
Voyage to the “Island of Inversion”: 29Na

The low energy level structure of neutron-rich 28,29Na has been investigated through β-delayed γ spectroscopy. The present work, which presents the first detailed spectroscopy of 29Na, clearly demonstrates that for Na isotopes between 28Na (N = 17) and 29Na (N = 18), intruder configurations start dominating the low lying excited states, suggestive of the small N = 20 shell gap.
Exchange interaction in InAs nanocrystal quantum dots

Abstract The near band-gap level structure in high-quality colloidal InAs nanocrystal quantum dots within the very strong confinement regime is investigated. Size-selective photoluminescence excitation and fluorescence line narrowing measurements reveal a size-dependent splitting between the absorbing and the emitting states. The splitting is assigned to the confinement-enhanced electron–hole exchange interaction. The size dependence of the splitting significantly deviates from the idealized 1/ r 3 scaling law for the exchange splitting. A model incorporating a finite barrier which allows for wavefunction leakage is introduced. The model reproduces the observed 1/ r 2 dependence of the splitting and good agreement with the experimental data is obtained. The smaller barriers for embedded InAs dots grown by molecular-beam epitaxy, are predicted to result in smaller exchange splitting as compared with colloidal dots with a similar number of atoms.
Alpha-Synuclein Function and Dysfunction on Cellular Membranes

Alpha-synuclein is a small neuronal protein that is closely associated with the etiology of Parkinson's disease. Mutations in and alterations in expression levels of alpha-synuclein cause autosomal dominant early onset heredity forms of Parkinson's disease, and sporadic Parkinson's disease is defined in part by the presence of Lewy bodies and Lewy neurites that are composed primarily of alpha-synuclein deposited in an aggregated amyloid fibril state. The normal function of alpha-synuclein is poorly understood, and the precise mechanisms by which it leads to toxicity and cell death are also unclear. Although alpha-synuclein is a highly soluble, cytoplasmic protein, it binds to a variety of cellular membranes of different properties and compositions. These interactions are considered critical for at least some normal functions of alpha-synuclein, and may well play critical roles in both the aggregation of the protein and its mechanisms of toxicity. Here we review the known features of alpha-synuclein membrane interactions in the context of both the putative functions of the protein and of its pathological roles in disease.
A mortared finite element method for frictional contact on arbitrary interfaces

This work concerns finite-element algorithms for imposing frictional contact constraints on intra-element, or embedded surfaces. Existing techniques typically rely on the underlying bulk mesh to implicitly partition the surface, a strategy that can give rise to overconstraint. In the present work, we first apply a mortaring algorithm to the modeling of frictional contact conditions on arbitrary interfaces. The algorithm is based upon a projection of the bulk and surface fields onto independent mortar fields at the interface. We examine the advantages of this approach when combined with extended finite-element approximations to the bulk fields. In particular, the method allows for bulk and surface domains to be partitioned separately, as well as enforce nonlinear contact constraints on surfaces that are not explicitly “fitted” to the bulk mesh. Results from several benchmark problems in frictional contact are provided to demonstrate the accuracy and efficacy of the method, as well as the improvement in robustness compared to existing techniques. We also provide an example that illustrates the effectiveness of the approach in high-speed machining simulation.