cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Purification and properties of rat liver acetyl CoA carboxylase protein inhibitor.

Abstract 1. 1. The protein inhibitor which has been found to inactivate rat-liver acetyl CoA carboxylase was further purified to homogeneity as it revealed by gel electrophoresis. 2. 2. The high concentration of bovine serum albumin did not alter the magnitude of enzyme inhibition. 3. 3. The incubation of the enzyme and Mg-ATP at different intervals of time in presence of the inhibitor did not change the magnitude of enzyme inhibition. 4. 4. The protein inhibitor, when passed through an affinity column of ATP-CoA did not bind to the agarose. 5. 5. The present study concludes that inactivation of rat-liver acetyl CoA carboxylase is not attributable to either covalent phosphorylation, to allosteric modulation or to long-chain fatty acid thioester.
Synaptic Weight States in a Locally Competitive Algorithm for Neuromorphic Memristive Hardware

Memristors promise a means for high-density neuromorphic nanoscale architectures that leverage in situ learning algorithms. While traditional learning algorithms commonly assume analog values for synaptic weights, actual physical memristors may have a finite set of achievable states during online learning. In this paper, we simulate a learning algorithm with limitations on both the resolution of its weights and the means of switching between them to explore how these properties affect classification performance. For our experiments, we use the locally competitive algorithm (LCA) by Rozell et al. in conjunction with the MNIST dataset and a set of natural images. We investigate the effects of both linear and non-linear distributions of weight states. Our results show that as long as the weights are distributed roughly close to linear, the algorithm is still effective for classifying digits, while reconstructing images benefits from non-linearity. Further, the resolution required from a device depends on its transition function between states; for transitions akin to round-to-nearest, synaptic weights should have around 16 possible states (4-bit resolution) to obtain optimal results. We find that lowering the threshold required to change states or adding stochasticity to the system can reduce that requirement down to four states (2-bit resolution). The outcomes of our research are relevant for building effective neuromorphic hardware with state-of-the-art memristive devices.
The tree formulas for reversion of power series

Given a field k of characteristic zero and a system of power series F= (F’, . . . , F,) in k[[X,, . . . . X,,]]” of the form Fi =Xj Hi with Hi consisting of terms of degree two and higher, then there is a unique system G=(G,, . . . . G,) such that X,= G;(F’, . . . ,F,) for i= 1, . . . . n. G is called the analytic inverse of F, denoted F-‘. In this paper we are concerned with the problem of decribing G by formula, a process we call ‘reversion’. In [2] it is shown that each Gj is given by a certain summation whose summands are polynomials enumerated by ‘rooted trees’, defined below. However, this is accomplished only under the assumptions that H,, . . . ,H, are homogeneous polynomials of the same degree (so that F gives a polynomial map), and that the hypothesis of the Jacobian Conjecture, i.e. det J(F) = 1, where J(F) denotes the Jacobian matrix of F=(F’, . . . , F,). The goal of this paper is to prove that this formula holds without these additional hypotheses (Main Theorem 1) and to derive from it two related tree formulas (Main Theorems 2 and 3), the latter of which is due to J. Towber and gives each coefficient in G as an expression involving the coefficients of F. As in [2, 51111, these formulas are derived from the AbhyankarGurjar formula for the inverse of F, which will not be proved here.
Water chemistry of the Amazon River

Abstract On the basis of analytical results of seasonal-cycle sampling, the water chemistry data of the Amazon River are presented. Based on these results, a new calculation of 62 ppm for the mean dissolved salts concentration for South American rivers is 11 per cent lower than previous calculations, and a new calculation of 117 ppm for the mean dissolved salts concentration for the rivers of the world is 2.6 per cent lower than previous calculations.
Use of 4‐methylumbelliferyl‐6‐sulpho‐2‐acetamido‐2‐deoxy‐β‐D‐glucopyranoside for prenatal diagnosis of tay‐sachs disease using chorionic villi

Prenatal diagnosis of Tay-Sachs disease was performed using the sulphated substrate 4-methylumbelliferyl-6-sulpho-2-acetamido-2-deoxy-beta-D-glucopyranoside to detect hexosaminidase A in chorionic villi. The presence or absence of hexosaminidase A in villi was detected by both a quantitative enzyme assay, and by a rapid, novel procedure which permitted visual discrimination between normal and affected villi.
Elucidating Ephrin-Induced Intersecting Signaling Pathways in the Nipah Virus G Protein using Machine Learning

The fusion of Nipah viruses with host cells is facilitated by two of their membrane proteins, the attachment protein (G) and the fusion protein (F). G binds to specific ephrin receptors on the host membrane. Ephrin binding changes the configurational density of G that activates F, which, in turn, mediates fusion. To understand how ephrin binding causes G to activate F, we use molecular dynamics in conjunction with machine learning1 and filter out the set of residues in the G head domain whose configurational densities are shifted equivalently by different ephrins, B2, B3, and a double mutant of B2. These three ephrins all trigger viral fusion, but with different potencies. We find that these three ephrins induce statistically equivalent shifts in the configurational densities of about one-quarter of the residues in the G head domain. This surprisingly expansive communal change in G includes most of the residues that have been shown experimentally to be important to F activation. This suggests that this set of residues contain the signaling pathways that connect the G-ephrin interface to the G stalk domain that activates F. The distribution of these residues in the G head domain is consistent with two models of signal transduction: one in which the ephrin-binding signal transduces to the F-activating G stalk domain via changes in the head-stalk interface, and the other in which the signal transduces via changes in the G head domain dimer interface. In general, this study shows how machine learning can be utilized along with molecular simulations to filter out quantitatively conserved patterns in changes in protein structure and dynamics.1) Leighty RE.; Varma S. Quantifying Changes in Intrinsic Molecular Motion Using Support Vector Machines. J Chem. Theor Comput. 2013, 9, 868-875.
Extracting Geometrical Data From CAD STEP Files

Most CAD tools currently do not have advanced capability built in for directly analyzing the feasibility of product assembly during the design stage. As a result, the feasibility of product assembly has to be analyzed using external assembly analysis tools. To integrate external assembly analysis tools with CAD tools, geometrical data from the CAD models must be extracted from CAD files and imported into the assembly analysis tools. To transfer geometrical data between CAD tools and assembly analysis tools, a neutral file format is needed. STEP (standard for the exchange of product model data) is a neutral file format for convenient and reliable data exchange between different design and manufacturing systems. Therefore, STEP is considered as one of the most popular formats for saving designs. As a result, to evaluate designs, extracting geometrical data from CAD-STEP file is important. Comparing with some other currently available methods, first translating STEP file into XML and then using Java DOM to get geometrical information from XML file is much better. This paper explores the process of extracting geometrical data from a CAD-STEP file for assembly sequence planning. A STEPXML translator, Java-XML parser and DTD (document type definition) generator are used on the JDK 1.4 platform. In this project, DOM (document object model) is applied as the API (Application Programming Interface) for XML.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Pre-anaesthetic assessment for ambulatory surgery

Abstract Out-patient pre-anaesthesia assessment needs to keep pace with the growing volume and complexity of the ambulatory surgery population. In order to maintain efficiency and patient safety while minimising delays and cancellations, out-patients are routinely screened pre-operatively with several methods. These include questionnaires, telephone interviews, automated interviews, and evaluation at a pre-anaesthesia assessment clinic. Information gained from the pre-anaesthesia screening is then used to order additional laboratory tests and consultations as necessary. Indiscriminate laboratory screening is expensive and of no proven benefit in the out-patient setting. The pre-anaesthesia assessment provides the opportunity to not only evaluate patients' medical conditions but to also discuss the anaesthetic plan, explain risks, and allay anxiety. Addressing these issues in a systematic manner helps to keep complication rates low while maintaining a high degree of efficiency and patient satisfaction.
LED path recovery in a moving sensor

Abstract Existing Visible Light Communication (VLC) methods can recover each LED's on-off status only after its projection location is identified on each image. Identifying the LED projection is challenging because: 1) Clutter and noise corrupt the measurements; 2) The LED status will be “off” in some frames; 3) The predicted projection location sequence depends on the estimated vehicle state trajectory, which is uncertain. This article presents a new method determining the q most probable data and LED position sequences simultaneously, using Bayesian multiple hypothesis tracking (MHT) techniques by maximizing posterior probabilities. This article focuses on the VLC data and LED position sequence extraction, that includes vehicle state estimation. The MHT based algorithm is demonstrated by the simulation results.
Platelet-activating factor increases prostaglandin E2 release from astrocyte-enriched cortical cell cultures

Abstract The phospholipid mediator platelet-activating factor (PAF) increased the release of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) from astrocyte-enriched cortical cell cultures in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. The nonhydrolyzable PAF analog methylcarbamyl-PAF (mc-PAF), the PAF intermediate lyso-PAF, and arachidonic acid (AA) also produced this effect. In contrast, phosphatidlycholine (PC) and lyso-PC, lipids that are structurally similar to PAF and lyso-PAF, had no effect on PGE2 production, suggesting that PAF-induced PGE2 release is not the consequence of nonspecific phospholipid-induced membrane perturbation. Antagonism of intracellular PAF binding sites completely abolished the ability of mc-PAF and lyso-PAF to mobilize PGE2, and attenuated the AA effect. Antagonism of the G-protein-coupled PAF receptor in plasma membranes had no significant effect on mc-PAF, lyso-PAF or AA-induced PGE2 release. Based on the present findings, we hypothesize that intracellular PAF is a physiologic stimulus of PGE2 production in astrocytes.
Comparison of carbon nanotubes and microbubbles as contrast agents for thermoacoustic imaging by computational studies

Microwave-induced thermoacoustic imaging (TAI) is a promising hybrid modality for breast cancer detection. Reliable diagnosis of breast carcinoma by TAI depends on the contrast in the microwave dielectric properties between the abnormal and surrounding normal tissues. However, the insufficient (merely 10%) endogenous dielectric contrast between the malignant and healthy glandular tissues, from which breast tumors usually originate, greatly challenges the feasibility of TAI in clinical applications, especially for discriminating early-stage breast malignancies.
Construction of a paralytic shellfish toxin analyzer and its application

Abstract A simple and rapid liquid chromatographic-fluorometric analyzer for quantitating paralytic shellfish toxins is described. Its capability and limitations are discussed.
Utilization of potatoes for life support systems in space. IV. Effect of CO2 enrichment.

Potatoes (Solarium tuberosum L.) cvs. Norland and Russet Burbank were grown in solid stands in separate controlled environment rooms at two CO2 levels, 365 μmol mol-1 (ppm) and 1000 μmol mol-1. Rooms were maintained under continuous fluorescent light (450 μmol s-1 m-2 PPF), 16 C and 70% relative humidity. Norland plants were grown for 110 days and Russet Burbank plants for 126 days. CO2 assimilation rates (net photosynthetic rates) of exposed, upper canopy leaves were measured at weekly intervals beginning at 21-days-age for Norland and 28-days-age for Russet Burbank. Elevation of CO2 increased CO2 assimilation rates of Norland leaves by approximately 24%, but decreased rates of Russet Burbank leaves by approximately 12%. Assimilation rates of Norland leaves under the high CO2 decreased as plants matured so that their rates were similar to rates under the low CO2 levels after 70-days-age. Assimilation rates of Russet Burbank leaves under high CO2 remained depressed in comparison to low CO2 plants throughout the period of measurements. Yield data showed only marginal benefits from CO2 enrichment: tuber dry weight increased 2% for Norland and 12% for Russet Burbank, total plant dry weight was increased 6% for Norland and 4% for Russet Burbank. The best productivity obtained in this study (21.9 g tuber dry wt m-2 day-1 from Norland at 1000 μmol mol-1 of CO2) indicates that the dietary energy needs of one human in space could be supplied from 34 m2 of potatoes.
The insect chemoreceptor superfamily in Drosophila pseudoobscura: molecular evolution of ecologically-relevant genes over 25 million years.

The insect chemoreceptor superfamily, consisting of the odorant receptor (Or) and gustatory receptor (Gr) families, exhibits patterns of evolution ranging from highly conserved proteins to lineage-specific gene subfamily expansions when compared across insect suborders and orders. Here their evolution across the timespan of 25 million years is examined which yield orthologous divergences ranging from 5–50%. They also reveal the beginnings of lineage-specific gene subfamilies as multiple duplications of particular gene lineages in either or both Drosophila melanogaster and D. pseudoobscura (Frolova and Astaurov) (Diptera: Drosophilidae). Gene losses and pseudogenes are similarly evident in both lineages, and even in closer comparisons of D. melanogaster with D. yakuba, leaving these species with roughly similar numbers of chemoreceptors despite considerable gene turnover. The large range of divergences and gene duplications provide abundant raw material for studies of structure and function in this novel superfamily, which contains proteins that evolved to bind specific ligands that mediate much of the ecology and mating behavior of insects.
Two Limits of Initial-Value Decadal Predictability in a CGCM

Abstract When the climate system experiences time-dependent external forcing (e.g., from increases in greenhouse gas and aerosol concentrations), there are two inherent limits on the gain in skill of decadal climate predictions that can be attained from initializing with the observed ocean state. One is the classical initial-value predictability limit that is a consequence of the system being chaotic, and the other corresponds to the forecast range at which information from the initial conditions is overcome by the forced response. These limits are not caused by model errors; they correspond to limits on the range of useful forecasts that would exist even if nature behaved exactly as the model behaves. In this paper these two limits are quantified for the Community Climate System Model, version 3 (CCSM3), with several 40-member climate change scenario experiments. Predictability of the upper-300-m ocean temperature, on basin and global scales, is estimated by relative entropy from information theory. Desp...
Contradictions in California’s orientalist landscape: Architecture, history and Spanish-Colonial Revival

Abstract Although Spanish-Colonial Revival architecture and place-names dominates Southern California’s landscape, one also finds examples of simulated Middle Eastern bazaars, references to Ancient Egypt, and the use of iconography from non-European Old World. While the region’s landscape is arguably a product of bricolage and postmodern sensibilities, this article looks at the history of ‘Orientalism’ in Southern California’s built environment. In particular, I am looking at the precedents for this seemingly contradictory use of the ‘Oriental’ in the region. The ‘Oriental’ as a sinfully seductive means of creating spectacle in the built environment is both glorified and demonized in popular discourse. For example, the ‘Oriental’ is celebrated in shopping malls, but demonized culturally and politically. However, it is in this contradiction that we can see how history and ideology has shaped the vernacular landscape. As such, this article will look at early twentieth century examples of the ‘Oriental’ in Spanish-Colonial Revival as a foundation to understand contradictions in the built environment, culture, and racial hierarchies.
Further Studies of the Nutritive Value of Butterfat Fractions

Summary September butterfat (1947) again was fractionated by crystallization from acetone at −5° C., yielding a liquid fraction (II) which allowed rats to grow at a superior rate as compared with butterfat or corn oil, and a solid fraction (I) which gave a significantly slower growth rate.
A Technique for Proving Existence of Solutions

w x x9 t s f t , x t , for t g 0, T , Ž . Ž . Ž . IVP Ž . x 0 s x , Ž . 0 where T g R with T ) 0, x g R, and f : R = R a R. We can associ0 Ž . 4 w x N ate with IVP a sequence of functions x with x : 0, T a R defined n n w x as follows. For each n g N, partition 0, T into n equally sized subintervals, denoting the division points by t , i s 0, 1, 2, . . . , n. Note that n, i t s Tirn. We now define n, i
Inverted left atrial appendage.

![Figure][1] [![Graphic][3] ][3][![Graphic][4] ][4][![Graphic][5] ][5] A 27-year-old female patient with severe mitral regurgitation due to anterior leaflet prolapse underwent elective mitral repair. Polytetrafluoroethylene sutures were used to reconstruct the anterior
Development of an inhalation physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model for 2,2, 4-trimethylpentane (TMP) in male Long-Evans rats using gas uptake experiments

2,2,4-Trimethylpentane (TMP) is a volatile colorless liquid used primarily to increase the octane rating of combustible fuels. TMP is released in the environment through the manufacture, use, and disposal of products associated with the gasoline and petroleum industry. Short-term inhalation exposure to TMP ( 1000 ppm) caused sensory and motor irritations in rats and mice. Like many volatile hydrocarbons, acute exposure to TMP may also be expected to alter neurological functions. To estimate in vivo metabolic kinetics of TMP and to predict its target tissue dosimetry during inhalation exposures, a physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model was developed for the chemical in Long-Evans male rats using closed-chamber gas-uptake experiments. Gas-uptake experiments were conducted in which rats (80–90 days old) were exposed to targeted initial TMP concentrations of 50, 100, 500, and 1000 ppm. The model consisted of compartments for the closed uptake chamber, lung, fat, kidney, liver, brain, and r...
GPIIb/IIIa inhibitor-induced dethrombosis.

GPIIb/IIIa inhibitors have demonstrated clinical benefit in patients with acute coronary syndromes and in those undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention. As opposed to the well documented prevention of platelet aggregation by GPIIb/IIIa inhibitors, we here discuss the less well appreciated reversal of platelet aggregation by, and dethrombotic effects of, GPIIb/IIIa inhibitors. In vivo evidence for GPIIb/IIIa inhibitor-induced dethrombosis includes animal models of arterial thrombosis and human studies (both observational and randomized clinical trials) in the setting of acute myocardial infarction. These human studies demonstrated increased coronary perfusion prior to percutaneous coronary intervention in patients receiving GPIIb/IIIa inhibitors as compared to those patients receiving placebo. Mechanisms of GPIIb/IIIa inhibitor-induced dethrombosis include alterations in thrombus size and structure, reduced capacity for subsequent thrombus growth, inhibition of soluble CD40L release from platelets, and a direct platelet disaggregatory effect that parallels fibrinogen’s interactions with GPIIb/IIIa. In summary, mechanistic studies, animal models, human observational studies and randomized clinical trials all strongly suggest that GPIIb/IIIa inhibitors have a direct dethrombotic effect in addition to their well-described preventative effects on platelet aggregation.
Development of a unique small molecule modulator of CXCR4.

Background Metastasis, the spread and growth of tumor cells to distant organ sites, represents the most devastating attribute and plays a major role in the morbidity and mortality of cancer. Inflammation is crucial for malignant tumor transformation and survival. Thus, blocking inflammation is expected to serve as an effective cancer treatment. Among anti-inflammation therapies, chemokine modulation is now beginning to emerge from the pipeline. CXC chemokine receptor-4 (CXCR4) and its ligand stromal cell-derived factor-1 (CXCL12) interaction and the resulting cell signaling cascade have emerged as highly relevant targets since they play pleiotropic roles in metastatic progression. The unique function of CXCR4 is to promote the homing of tumor cells to their microenvironment at the distant organ sites.
THE ISLAND DILEMMA: LESSONS OF MODERN BIOGEOGRAPHIC STUDIES FOR THE DESIGN OF NATURAL RESERVES

Abstract A system of natural reserves, each surrounded by altered habitat, resembles a system of islands from the point of view of species restricted to natural habitats. Recent advances in island biogeography may provide a detailed basis for understanding what to expect of such a system of reserves. The main conclusions are as follows: The number of species that a reserve can hold at equilibrium is a function of its area and its isolation. Larger reserves, and reserves located close to other reserves, can hold more species. If most of the area of a habitat is destroyed, and a fraction of the area is saved as a reserve, the reserve will initially contain more species than it can hold at equilibrium. The excess will gradually go extinct. The smaller the reserve, the higher will be the extinction rates. Estimates of these extinction rates for bird and mammal species have recently become available in a few cases. Different species require different minimum areas to have a reasonable chance of survival. Some geometric design principles are suggested in order to optimise the function of reserves in saving species.
Progressive changes in haematology and tissue water of sexually mature trout, Salmo gairdneri Richardson during the autumn and winter

Rainbow trout of the Kamploops variety were sampled at intervals from October to the end of March. During this period a decline was noted in red cell count, haematocrit, haemoglobin concentration and plasma osmotic concentration. Increases were seen, however, in mean cellular volume, mean corpuscular haemoglobin, mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration and the water content of liver and dorsal muscle. Sexual differences were found in all values with the exception of mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration and the water content of both tissues. Males always had higher values in those parameters in which sexual differences were noted. All trends, with the exception of male haemoglobin and mean cellular volume and female mean cellular volume and osmotic concentration, were significantly linear. None of the findings in this study could be correlated with temperature or photoperiod. Neither could the declining plasma osmotic concentration be correlated with the rising mean cellular volume or tissue water content. However, correlations were noted between haemoglobin and haematocrit, red cell count and haematocrit and between osmotic concentration and haematocrit. A negative correlation was seen between mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration and mean cellular volume.
A Ramsey theorem for trees

Abstract We prove a Ramsey theorem for trees. The infinite version of this theorem can be stated: if T is a rooted tree of infinite height with each node of T having at least one but finitely many immediate successors, if n is a positive integer, and if the collection of all strongly embedded, height- n subtrees of T is partitioned into finitely many classes, then there must exist a strongly embedded subtree S of T with S having infinite height and with all the strongly embedded, height- n subtrees of S in the same class.
Unisensory and bisensory processing skills of children having misarticulations and normally speaking peers.

The purpose of this investigation was to test the developmental delay hypothesis as a possible explanation for the existence of misarticulations in 7- and 8-year-old children. To accomplish this, 1...
Tyrosine Hydroxylase and DOPA Decarboxylase Activities in the Medial Preoptic Area and Arcuate Nucleus During the Estrous Cycle: Effects of Aging

HPLC and Palkovits' microdissection technique were used to measure activities of two catecholamine-synthesizing enzymes, tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and dopa decarboxylase (DD), in the medial preoptic area (MPA) and arcuate nucleus (AN), both of which are involved in LH regulation. The measurements were made during an 8-h period at 1200, 1400, 1600, 1800, and 2000 h on the days of proestrus and diestrus in young (4-5-month-old) rats. Similar measurements were made at 1400, 1600, 1800, and 2000 h in middle-aged (8-10-month-old) proestrous rats and in 18-22-month-old persistently diestrous rats. For each hour (1200, 1400, etc.), five to seven rats were used. In the young proestrous rats, TH activity in the MPA increased progressively to maximum levels at 1800 h, which is approximately the time when the proestrous surge of LH is known to occur. In contrast, in the young diestrous rats, in which serum LH is known to remain stable, TH activity remained unchanged throughout the afternoon. As in the young proestrous rats, in the middle-aged proestrous rats TH activity reached a peak at 1800 h followed by a precipitous decline at 2000 h. As in the young diestrous rats, in the old persistently diestrous rats no changes in TH activity were observed. The profiles of TH activity in the AN of the four groups were essentially similar to those in the MPA. The cyclic changes in TH activity observed in this study provide a basis for the reported cyclic changes in NE activity, which, in turn, are believed to be responsible for cyclic changes in LH release. The marked deficiency and absence of changes in TH activity in the acyclic old animals corresponded to the reported marked decrease and absence of fluctuations in catecholamine activity in old age. A correlation between DD activities and catecholamine activities was not obvious, most probably due to the large number of compounds that are known to be substrates for this enzyme.
Pharmacology and use of muscle relaxants in infants and children

Succinylcholine is a short-acting depolarizing neuromuscular blocker used to facilitate intubation; pancuronium is a longer-acting, nondepolarizing agent commonly employed to control ventilation in pediatic patients. The neuromuscular block produced by both drugs may be modified by patient age, acid-base and electrolyte status, body temperature, and drugs such as aminoglycoside antibiotics; adjustment in dose or in technique of administration may be required. Cardiovascular side-effects, primarily arrhythmias, are occasionally associated with the use of either agent. In contrast to that of succinylcholine, the paralysis from pancuronium is pharmacologically reversible with the combination of atropine and neostigmine.
Tobacco harm reduction: a call to address the ethical dilemmas.

The 2001 Institute of Medicine report Clearing the Smoke: Assessing the Science Base for Tobacco Harm Reduction has helped to focus attention on the scientific basis for assessing tobacco harm reduction products. As the tobacco research and policy communities tackle the challenges of evaluating harm reduction, there are ethical issues that must also be addressed. There has, however, been very little writing on the ethics of this field. In an effort to spur research into answering these ethical questions, we present two complementary approaches. First we outline three overarching topics in tobacco harm reduction that would particularly lend themselves to study: (a) Is the pursuit of tobacco harm reduction an ethical goal? (b) What are the ethical considerations of tobacco harm reduction vis-a-vis pharmaceutical companies? and (c) What are the ethical considerations for harm reduction vis-a-vis tobacco companies? We then present one possible framework for analyzing the ethical issues that accompany particular tobacco harm reduction strategies. By considering the ethical dilemmas attendant to tobacco harm reduction in a prospective and thoughtful manner, we will be better prepared to handle the challenges that face us individually as researchers and collectively as a tobacco control community.
Pervaporative butanol fermentation by Clostridium acetobutylicum B18

Extractive acetone-butanol-ethanol (ABE) fermentation was carried out successfully using pervaporation and a low-acid-producing Clostridium acetobutylicum B18. A pervaporation module with 0.17 m(2) of surface area was made of silicone membrane of 240 mum thickness. Pervaporation experiments using make-up solutions showed that butanol and acetone fluxes increased linearly with their concentrations in the aqueous phase. Fickian diffusion coefficients were constants for fixed air flow rates, and increased at higher sweep air flow rates. During batch and fed-batch fermentations, pervaporation at an air flow rate of 8 L/min removed butanol and acetone efficiently. Butanol concentration was maintained below 4.5 g/L even though Clostridium acetobutylicum B18 produced butanol steadily. Pervaporation could not remove organic acids efficiently, but organic acids did not accumulate because strain B18 produced little organic acid and recycled added organic acids efficiently. With pervaporation, glucose consumption rate increased compared to without pervaporation, and up to 160 g/L of glucose was consumed during 80 h. Cell growth was not inhibited by possible salt accumulation or oxygen diffusion through the silicone tubing. The culture volume was maintained relatively constant during fed-batch operation because of an offsetting effect of water and product removal by pervaporation and addition of nutrient supplements. (c) 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
The Dynamics of Trade Unionism and National Economic Performance.

I test two theories of the political processes of trade unions. The first argues that wage moderation depends on a centralized labor movement. The second contends that, institutional conditions permitting, unions' coordination of bargaining strategies is sufficient. Coordination is most likely to he achieved when there are small number of unions that do not compete for members, that is, when union monopoly is high. Important empirical anomalies may be resolved by analyzing the effects of union centralization and monopoly separately, rather than combining them into a composite index of corporatism. Reanalyzing comparative data from Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development countries between 1963 and 1985 largely corroborates the hypothesis that monopoly is more important than either centralization or composite indices of corporatism for national economic performance. The conceptual rationale underlying indices of corporatism should be reexamined.
Asking Mom: Formative Research for an HPV Vaccine Campaign Targeting Mothers of Adolescent Girls

Vaccination against the types of human papillomavirus (HPV) that cause about 70% of cervical cancers is approved for use in girls and women between 9 and 26 years of age and recommended routinely in 11-12-year-old girls. This article reports on the systematic theory-based formative research conducted to develop HPV vaccine messages for a campaign targeting racially diverse mothers of nonvaccinated 11-12-year-old girls in rural Southeastern United States. A consortium of 13 county health departments concerned about high rates of cervical cancer in their region relative to state and national averages initiated the campaign. The research examined behavioral determinants for vaccination decisions as well as mothers' reactions to message frames and emotional appeals. On the basis of focus groups and intercept interviews (n = 79), the authors demonstrated how preproduction message research and production message testing were used to develop messages that would motivate mothers of preteen girls. Core emotional truths that emerged were a mother's instinct to protect her daughter from harm and to embrace aspirations for her daughter's future. Mothers also reacted more positively to text about preventing cervical cancer than about preventing HPV, a sexually transmitted disease. Mothers preferred message concepts with photos of minorities and Caucasian mothers and daughters.
Error-prevention scheme with two pairs of qubits

A scheme is presented for protecting one-qubit quantum information against decoherence due to a general environment and local exchange interactions. The scheme operates essentially by distributing information over two pairs of qubits and through error-prevention procedures. In the scheme, quantum information is encoded through a decoherence-free subspace for collective phase errors and exchange errors affecting the qubits in pairs; leakage out of the encoding space due to amplitude damping is reduced by quantum Zeno effect. In addition, how to construct decoherence-free states for n-qubit information against phase and exchange errors is discussed.
Exploring walking path quality as a factor for urban elementary school children's active transport to school.

Background: Path quality has not been well studied as a correlate of active transport to school. We hypothesize that for urban-dwelling children the environment between home and school is at least as important as the environment immediately surrounding their homes and/or schools when exploring walking to school behavior. Methods: Tools from spatial statistics and geographic information systems (GIS) were applied to an assessment of street blocks to create a walking path quality measure based on physical and social disorder (termed “incivilities”) for each child. Path quality was included in a multivariate regression analysis of walking to school status for a sample of 362 children. Results: The odds of walking to school for path quality was 0.88 (95% CI: 0.72−1.07), which although not statistically significant is in the direction supporting our hypothesis. The odds of walking to school for home street block incivility suggests the counter intuitive effect (OR = 1.10, 95% CI: 1.08−1.19). Conclusions: Resul...
Minireview: Organizational Hypothesis: Instances of the Fingerpost

There is now compelling evidence that the ratio of the length of the second digit divided by the length of the fourth digit (2D:4D) is affected by prenatal androgens in humans. This ratio is greater in females than males from fetal life through adulthood, correlates with polymorphism in the androgen receptor gene in men, is feminine in XY androgen insensitivity syndrome, and masculinized in congenital adrenal hyperplasia. Using 2D:4D as a correlate, researchers have found evidence that prenatal androgens affect many sexually differentiated human behaviors, including sexual orientation in women (but not in men), attention deficit disorder, autism, eating disorders, aggression, and risk-taking. In each case, lower 2D:4D, indicative of greater prenatal androgen stimulation, is associated with behavior more commonly displayed by males than females. The correlation between 2D:4D and prenatal androgen stimulation is too imperfect to accurately predict the phenotype of a particular individual, even in terms of s...
Masculine Identity, Ambivalent Sexism, and Attitudes Toward Gender Subtypes

Abstract. We investigated how men’s masculine identification and ambivalent sexism relate to evaluations of male and female subtypes. Masculine identification correlated with positive attitudes toward male and female types that conform to traditional gender norms (i.e., masculine men, feminine women), but negative attitudes toward feminine men. However, masculine identification was not associated with negative evaluations toward other nontraditional male (stay-at-home fathers, feminist men) or with nontraditional female (masculine women, career women, and feminist women) subtypes. By contrast, hostile sexism consistently predicted negative evaluations of nontraditional female and male types, whereas benevolent sexism predicted positive evaluations of traditional female types. We suggest that masculine identification generally promotes favoritism toward traditional male and (like benevolent sexism) traditional female subtypes, rather than (as hostile sexism does) derogation toward nontraditional subtypes.
Soil Water Retention and Conductivity When Vapor Flow Is Important

Models of soil water transport often calculate conductivity K from the water retention curve ~WRC!. Residual water content (u r) has been defined asu where K50. When nonisothermal, coupled vapor and liquid water transport are considered, u r.0 fails because vapor transport often reduces u to near zero. The author's objective was to test a model that used unsaturated K(u) with u dependence typical of u r.0, while a WRC with u r50 was used elsewhere in the model. The system was a closed column of steady state, unsaturated, nonisothermal fine quartz sand with temperature ~T! ranging from 5 to 40°C. Soil parameters were adjusted to simulate replicated experimental data from one initial u condition. The model predicted u and T within the range of the experimental data and reproduced the sharp drying front. It also satisfactorily modeled experiments with several different initial u. Model heat flux predictions averaged 11% more than measured values. Experiments performed with two soil column lengths were not substantially different.
How Informants Answer Questions?: Implications for Reflexivity

The Tourangeau–Rasinski model of the question–answer process can inform how the authors conduct qualitative interviews by improving reflexivity. The authors outline this model and show that it both...
Reply to A. Messori et al, R. Bordonaro et al, and G. Fasola et al.

We read the responses to our cost-effectiveness analysis of the addition of bevacizumab tofirst- and second-line therapy in metastatic colorectal cancer. 1 Messori et al 2 fittingly identify significant differences in pricingmechanismsbetweentheUnitedStatesandItalythatcouldinfluence the cost-effectiveness of a health care intervention. Our study was developed from the perspective of a US payer and was not designed to directly provide information regarding the cost-effectiveness of bevacizumabwithinthehealthcarefinancingsystemsofothercountries.Thus, our results and conclusions should not be extrapolated and applied outside of the health care environment that was considered in the analyses. However, as Messori et al 2 observe, our model provides a useful framework for analysis that could be employed to examine the incremental cost-effectivenessoftheseinterventionswhencomparablehealthcarecost data for other countries are considered. In the United States, as in Italy, paybacks and rebates are used, albeit by different mechanisms. In our study, all medication pricing was based on the Medicare average sales price, which accounts for such paybacks and rebates. The average sales priceprovidesasuitableindicatoroftheactualnetamountofmoneythat changes hands. Aswediscussedinthelimitationsofourstudy, 1 andaswassimilarly
Inhibition of repair of radiation-induced DNA damage by thermal shock in Chinese hamster ovary cells.

SummaryThe effect of exposure to elevated temperatures (41–45°C) on the repair of radiation-induced DNA strand breaks was measured in monolayer cultured Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. Prior exposure of cells to temperatures between 43 and 45°C resulted in significant decreases in the rate of repair of DNA damage. Exposure to 45°C for 15 min slowed the rate of DNA repair to 0·17 of the control repair rate. The To for inactivation of DNA repair was observed to be 34, 13 and 6 min at 43, 44 and 45°C, respectively. Stepdown-heating (45°C for 15 min followed by repair at 41°C) resulted in greater inhibition of DNA repair (0·11 of the control rate) than was observed after acute heating alone. Repair at 41°C was observed to proceed in unheated cells at a faster rate than at 37°C. An Arrhenius analysis of the inactivation kinetics of DNA repair between 43 and 45°C indicated an activation energy of 140 kcal mol−1 of protein for the inhibition of DNA repair. In general, the results were inconsistent with either...
Multiple components are required for sequence recognition of the AP1 site in the gibbon ape leukemia virus enhancer.

Abstract At least two subunits contributed to the formation in vitro of a specific complex binding to the AP1 consensus sequence (TGAGTCA) in the gibbon ape leukemia virus (GALV) enhancer in MLA144 cells. This complex can be dissociated on a monomeric GALV oligonucleotide affinity column. One protein, termed the core protein, was retained on the oligonucleotide affinity column. The second protein flowed through the oligonucleotide affinity column and, when alone, did not bind to DNA; however, when present with the core protein, it bound strongly and very specifically to the GALV sequence. MLA144 cells contained only trace amounts of c-fos and c-jun by immunoblot analysis, suggesting that the proteins specifically binding to the GALV AP1 site were distinct from c-fos and c-jun. In addition to the major complex that recognized the GALV element, MLA144 cells contained a minor complex that is chromatographically different from and antigenically related to c-fos. The factor in the flowthrough complemented a human T-cell nuclear extract (Jurkat cell line), which, when alone, had no assayable complex that specifically bound to the GALV enhancer; this complementation gave rise to a specific complex similar to that seen in MLA144 cells. Together, these results suggest that the GALV enhancer can interact with multicomponent protein complexes in a cell-line-specific manner.
Perspectives on Schizophrenia Over the Lifespan: A Qualitative Study

Longitudinal data suggest heterogeneity in the long-term course of schizophrenia. It is unclear how older adults with schizophrenia perceive changes in their experience of schizophrenia over the lifespan. We interviewed 32 adults aged 50 years and older diagnosed with schizophrenia (mean duration 35 years) about their perceived changes in the symptoms of schizophrenia and functioning over the lifespan. Interview transcripts were analyzed using grounded theory techniques of coding, consensus, co-occurrence, and comparison. The study was conducted by a research partnership involving a multidisciplinary team of academic researchers, community members, and mental health clients engaged in all aspects of study design, interviewing, and analysis and interpretation of data. Results revealed that, in regard to early course of illness, participants experienced confusion about diagnosis, active psychotic symptoms, and withdrawal/losses in social networks. Thereafter, nearly all participants believed that their symptoms had improved, which they attributed to increased skills in self-management of positive symptoms. In contrast to consistency among participants in describing illness course, there was marked heterogeneity in perceptions about functioning. Some participants were in despair about the discrepancy between their current situations and life goals, others were resigned to remain in supported environments, and others working toward functional attainments and optimistic about the future. In conclusion, middle-aged and older adults with schizophrenia believed that their symptoms had improved over their lifespan, yet there was substantial variability among participants in how they perceived their functioning. Functional rehabilitation may need to be tailored to differences in perceptions of capacity for functional improvement.
A new arcing fault modeling and detection technique for navy IPS power system

Smooth and uninterrupted operation in the ship electric power system requires very efficient fault protection schemes for the electrical apparatus and components in the network. Detection and identification of fault therefore become necessary in order to provide protection for the network in events of a fault. This paper presents modeling and detection and identification of arcing fault for the navy IPS system. In this work, single-line-to-ground and 3-phase arcing faults are simulated on the IPS network. This effort is part of the ongoing work in fault detection and location studies in the navy ship to provide adequate control for the overall ship electrical system.
FIM Regularity for Gaussian Semi-Blind MIMO FIR Channel Estimation

We consider the problem of semi-blind (SB) channel estimation for multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) finite impulse response (FIR) channels. We motivate a Fisher information matrix (FIM) based analysis of the semi-blind estimation problem and demonstrate that the semi-blind FIM can be written as the sum of a blind FlM JB and training symbol FTM Jt. We show that the blind FIM JB is rank deficient and establish the minimum number of training symbols necessary to achieve regularity (full-rank) of the FIM for identifiability. We also illustrate that an SB scheme can potentially be very efficient compared to an exclusively training based scheme since it estimates very few un-constrained parameters. It is then demonstrated that the rank deficiency of the FIM for an irreducible MIMO FIR channel arises because of a unitary (rotation) matrix indeterminacy. Based on this analysis a semi-blind algorithm is proposed for MIMO FIR channel estimation
Metabolic Stimulation of Plant Phenolics for Food Preservation and Health

Plant phenolics as secondary metabolites are key to a plant's defense response against biotic and abiotic stresses. These phytochemicals are also increasingly relevant to food preservation and human health in terms of chronic disease management. Phenolic compounds from different food crops with different chemical structures and biological functions have the potential to act as natural antioxidants. Plant-based human foods are rich with these phenolic phytochemicals and can be used effectively for food preservation and bioactive enrichments through metabolic stimulation of key pathways. Phenolic metabolites protect against microbial degradation of plant-based foods during postharvest storage. Phenolics not only provide biotic protection but also help to counter biochemical and physical food deteriorations and to enhance shelf life and nutritional quality. This review summarizes the role of metabolically stimulated plant phenolics in food preservation and their impact on the prevention of oxidative stress–i...
Performance Analysis for Design of a High-Precision Electronic Opto-Mechanical System for Vehicle Delineation Detection on Highway

We have developed a laser photodiode array based detection system that can non-intrusively detect delineations of vehicles on the highway. A patent for this detection system has been recently approved by the U.S. Patent Office. The system is built with low-cost off-the-shelf opto-mechanical components. The error sources from a system design point of view will be analyzed in this paper. Our study indicates that the frequency of pulsed laser diodes, computer sampling rates, deviations in the angle of laser light and imperfectly matched detection points for sensor pairs are the main sources of error in the detection system.Copyright © 2002 by ASME