cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Enkurin is a novel calmodulin and TRPC channel binding protein in sperm.

The TRPC cation channel family has been implicated in receptor- or phospholipase C (PLC)-mediated Ca2+ entry into animal cells. These channels are present in mammalian sperm and are assigned a role in ZP3-evoked Ca2+ influx that drives acrosome reactions. However, the mechanisms controlling channel activity and coupling Ca2+ entry through these channels to cellular responses are not well understood. A yeast two-hybrid screen was carried out to identify TRPC-interacting proteins that would be candidate regulators or effectors. We identified a novel protein, enkurin, that is expressed at high levels in the testis and vomeronasal organ and at lower levels in selected other tissues. Enkurin interacts with several TRPC proteins (TRPC1, TRPC2, TRPC5, but not TRPC3) and colocalizes with these channels in sperm. Three protein–protein interaction domains were identified in enkurin: a C-terminal region is essential for channel interaction; an IQ motif binds the Ca2+ sensor, calmodulin, in a Ca2+-dependent manner; and a proline-rich N-terminal region contains predicted ligand sequences for SH3 domain proteins, including the SH3 domain of the p85 regulatory subunit of 1-phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase. We suggest that enkurin is an adaptor that functions to localize a Ca2+ sensitive signal transduction machinery in sperm to a Ca2+-permeable ion channel.
Performance, cost and emissions of coal-to-liquids (CTLs) plants using low-quality coals under carbon constraints

Abstract Prior studies of coal-to-liquids (CTLs) processes that produce synthetic transportation fuels from coal have focused mainly on designs using bituminous coal with no or limited constraints on carbon emissions. In this study, plant-level techno-economic models are applied to evaluate the performance, emissions and costs of CTL plants using low quality sub-bituminous coal and lignite as feedstock for both a slurry-feed and dry-feed gasification system. The additional cost of carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS) is also studied for two plant configurations—a liquids-only plant and a co-production plant that produces both liquids and electricity. The effect of uncertainty and variability of key parameters on the cost of liquids products is also quantified, as well as the effects of a carbon constraint in the form of a price or tax on plant-level CO2 emissions. For liquids-only plants, net plant efficiency is higher and CO2 emissions and costs are lower when sub-bituminous coal is used. For both coals, performance of plants with a dry-feed gasifier is better compared to plants with slurry-feed gasifiers, but the costs are comparable to each other, with slurry-feed plants having a minor advantage. A major concern for CTL plants is the high level of CO2 emissions, the major greenhouse gas linked to global climate change. However, this study shows that for the liquids-only plant most of the CO2 emissions can be avoided using CCS, with only a small (
Unsteady Laminar Free Convection

The unsteady, laminar, free-convection boundary layer is analyzed with Grashof number considered to be time-dependent through either the uniform wall temperature or the acceleration field. Two geometries are considered; the vertical plate and the horizontal circular cylinder. A set of parameters is derived through which it is possible to describe the unsteady behavior of the boundary layer. These parameters allow solutions of the pertinent differential equations to be expressed in series form and an infinite number of sets of perturbation equations result. Numerical integrations of the first few sets are shown graphically. These results enable one to visualize and to calculate, quite readily, the time-dependent deviations from the quasi-steady- velocity and temperature profiles as well as the deviation in heat transfer.
Metal contents of fertilizers marketed in Iowa

Abstract Contamination of soils with trace metals has become an issue of major concern in recent years. One potential source of metals is commercial fertilizers. In this work, we analyzed 97 samples of solid commercial fertilizers sold in Iowa for 13 trace metals (Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cs, Cu, Li, Mn, Ni, Pb, Rb, Sr, and Zn) and six non‐trace metals (Al, Ca, Fe, K, Mg, and Na). Fertilizers included 24 samples of triple superphosphate (TSP), 23 of monoammonium phosphate (MAP), 25 of diammonium phosphate (DAP), and 25 samples of muriate of potash (MP). The concentrations of Cd, Cr, Mn, Sr, and Zn were greater and more variable than those of Co, Cu, and Ni in all the materials analyzed. The concentrations of Cd in the TSP samples ranged from 6.8 to 47 mg/kg, with a median of 8.1 mg/kg, but they were more uniform in the other fertilizer materials analyzed, with median values of 7.0, 6.7, and 1.6 mg/kg for MAP, DAP, and MP, respectively. The median values of Mn, Sr, and Zn in TSP samples were 288, 554, and 97 mg/kg,...
IN SEARCH OF THE TWIN TOLERATIONS

Abstract U.S. foreign policy should encourage regimes to foster the twin tolerations, permitting full religious practice and limiting religion's control of government. Political theology and differentiation (the degree of separation between church and state)determine why religious actors take particular forms of politics. Religious terrorist groups are more likely to originate in integrationist regimes, where there is low differentiation, where religious moderates are co-opted, and where more traditional believers are denied political participation. Examples include Egypt, Algeria, and the Shah's Iran. Democratization movements within Islam are characterized by a political ideology with an institutional separation between religion and state.
The behavior of cracked cross-ply composite laminates under simple shear loading

An interlaminar shear-stress analysis developed earlier (Tsai et al. 1990, Proc. ASME 1990 Winter Annual Meeting, AMD-Vol. 111, MD-Vol. 22, pp. 9–18. ASME, New York) for a [Φmθn]s bi-directional composite laminate is combined with the Timoshenko beam theory in this work. A cantilever beam of a [0m90n]s cross-ply laminate with a cracked 90° layer is analyzed. Displacements, strains, forces and laminate shear modulus reduction due to matrix cracking in the 90° layer were obtained. The relationship obtained between the shear modulus and transverse crack density is in complete agreement with predictions from a pure shear analysis (Tsai and Daniel 1991, submitted to Int. J. Solids Structures). This proved that simple shear loading can give the correct shear modulus data as pure shear. Experimental results obtained by a simple shear test agree very well with theoretical predictions.
Hope for the Future: Cultural Studies in the Enclave

This article explores the development of cultural studies in the United States as affected in its relationship with the Philosophy of Communication Division of the International Communication Association. It considers both what has been enabled and disabled, with significant implications for the practice of cultural studies now and in the future.
Radioimmunoassay versus counterimmune electrophoresis for measurement of serum prostatic acid phosphatase

Radioimmunoassay (RIA) kits obtained from commercial sources were evaluated and compared with a standard counterimmunoelectrophoretic (CIE) assay for the measurement of prostatic acid phosphatase (PAP) in serum. None of the radioimmunoassays was found to be more sensitive than the CIE assay in detecting elevated serum PAP. Both immunoassays were somewhat more effective clinically in measuring prostatic specific acid phosphatase than an enzyme colorimetric assay. The results obtained by CIE agreed with the results obtained by RIA in 96 per cent of the tests. The number of positive results in patients with confirmed prostate adenocarcinoma increased with disease progression. The low number of positive tests in localized adenocarcinoma (Stages A and B) suggests that neither the CIE nor any RIA procedure is useful for screening unselected populations for adenocarcinoma of the prostate.
Memory Effects for Test-Like-Events during Acquisition of Foreign Language Vocabulary

3 groups of Ss learned a 20-item Turkish-English vocabulary list under the following conditions: Group T was instructed to use a self-test procedure while learning the list and to study the list until they felt they had mastered all of the words. Group S was given the same amount of time to learn the list as was Group T bat studied the list under conditions which made it difficult to use a self-test technique. Group SM studied the list under the same conditions as did Group S but was instructed to study the list to mastery. The results of the experiment suggested that the self-testing technique provided more efficient learning of the list than did the study-alone procedures. The findings were interpreted as providing support for the hypothesis that test-like-events encourage memory search activity during learning, and that this activity leads to more rapid and thorough learning.
GERMS: an epidemiologic simulation tool for studying geographic and social effects on infection transmission

The analysis, surveillance and control of infectious diseases are important functions of public health organizations around the world. This article describes the design and implementation of a simulation toolkit called GERMS (Geographic-Environmental Reinfection Modeling Simulator) that includes several innovations for modeling infectious disease transmission. These tools address several important issues for understanding the epidemiology of sexually transmitted infections. The model accounts for realistic infection transmission systems by explicitly modeling (i) heterogeneous populations of individuals with varying social and geographic characteristics, (ii) complex interactions between individuals to characterize opportunities for transmission, (iii) infection characteristics, such as transmission probabilities and infection duration, and (iv) contact and infection histories. Since public health organizations collect and use information regarding infected individuals, including geographic location and partnership data, the tool is well-equipped to help evaluate the effectiveness of interventions based on that data. We outline design decisions and present the results of initial simulation analysis. We also discuss short-term goals for extending the simulation toolkit to address the specific needs of the Centers for Disease Control.
Learning from India's Nyāya Rhetoric: Debating Analogically through Vāda's Fruitful Dialogue

Over 2,500 years, philosophers in India refined a truth-centered and rhetorically egalitarian method of analogical debate: Nyāya vāda, and its five-part expression, the “Nyāya method.” According to Indian tradition, its practices emerged in the context of inter-scholar debates. However, most historical examples of Indian debate occur in mythical/religious dialogues between teacher and student, and currently Nyāya's scholars focus on theory, neglecting social practice. While Indologists describe the “what” of Nyāya, their bias toward theory leaves its conversational uses unexplored. Comparative rhetoricians describe Indian rhetoric with Greek terminologies as points of reference, and miss Nyāya's theoretical and practical debate tradition. This essay addresses this lack of social context and paucity of representation of Nyāya. It shows how informal debates in ancient literary/historical dialogues presage Nyāya's formulation and traces Nyāya's use in contemporary public examples, illustrating its rhetorical...
ECONOMIC CYCLES, REPRODUCTIVE PATTERNS AND PERINATAL MORTALITY

This study is designed to test the hypothesis that changes in economic activity influence maternal factors associated with low birthweight outcome of pregnancy and, in turn, perinatal mortality. The economic and health indices for the 50 states and Washington, D.C. in the period, 1970 through 1978, are obtained and examined as below. Regression analysis reveals that variations in health indices among the states and Washington, D.C. in 1970, 1974, and 1978 cannot be attributed to the corresponding differences in economic indices (all, p>.05). Net annual changes in health indices from 1970 through 1978 cannot be explained on the basis of net annual differences of economic indices during the same period (all, p>.05). A similar relationship is examined utilizing the net differences of the above indices between the worst economic year, 1974, and two relatively good years, 1970 and 1978. Although the magnitude of the change in economic indices during these two periods is large, the perinatal health indices improved progressively irrespective of the direction or magnitude of the economic change (all, p>.05).
Improving the quality of internal evaluation: The evaluator as consultant-mediator

Abstract Internal evaluation is growing in scope and frequency. Rather than viewing it as a poor approximation to more ideal and controllable circumstances, this paper examines internal evaluation in its own right. Maintaining quality in internal evaluation is not a matter of working harder to apply a methodology of choice amid overwhelming operational constraints and political influences. Quality is maintained by the internal evaluator who, functioning as a consultant-mediator represents with fairness and sensitivity varying issues and multiple perspectives in an effort to promote empathetic and responsible decision making. Doing so requires specific skills for understanding and managing unique organizational contexts. The skills discussed here are: 1. 1. understanding contextual influences; 2. 2. identifying and understanding the perspectives of stakeholders; 3. 3. maximizing credibility and trust; 4. 4. aligning methods with the epistemological orientations of the evaluation audience(s); 5. 5. raising and representing issues to those in authority; 6. 6. educating management on multiple perspectives; and 7. 7. maintaining tolerance for ambiguity and incremental change.
A spray reagent for adenine-containing residues: Detection by fluorescence

Abstract Adenine-containing residues on thin-layer or paper chromatograms, when treated with chloroacetaldehyde at 70–80°C, produce highly fluorescent products which are readily visible at the 0.5-μg level under an ultraviolet lamp. In neutral aqueous solution, they can be detected at concentrations in the range of 10−8 M.
Establishment and maintenance of nuclear position during zoospore formation in allomyces macrogynus: roles of the cytoskeleton

Abstract The involvement of the microtubule (MT) and actin microfilament (MF) cytoskeletons in establishing nuclear positions during zoosporogenesis inAllomyces macrogynuswas assessed using selective cytoskeletal disrupting treatments and documented with light microscopy. These experiments were coupled with low-speed centrifugation studies to determine the degree to which cytoskeletal elements anchor nuclear position. At the onset of zoospore formation, nuclei were positioned only in cortical cytoplasmic regions of the zoosporangia (ZS). Immunofluorescence microscopy revealed that MTs primarily emanated from centrosomal regions into the surrounding cytoplasm at this stage. During delimitation of the cytoplasm into individual uninucleate zoospores, nuclei migrated from cortical regions to become distributed throughout the cytoplasm. Coincident with nuclear migrations, MTs were primarily organized at and emanated from nuclear surfaces, forming extensive perinuclear arrays. Nuclear migrations were suppressed in ZS induced to sporulate in the presence of cytochalasin D, an actin MF inhibiting compound. Disruption of MTs with nocodazole did not block nuclear migrations, although resultant nuclear spacing was irregular. Centrifugation treatments of control and drug-treated ZS demonstrated that nuclear positions were stabilized by perinuclear MT arrays. The results indicate that nuclear motility in ZS ofA. macrogynusis the result of an actin-based system while perinuclear MTs arrays function to establish and fix nuclear position during zoospore formation.
Role of Parent Support and Peer Support in Adolescent Substance Use: A Test of Mediated Effects.

This research tested comparative effects of parent and peer support on adolescent substance use (tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana) with data from 2 assessments of a multiethnic sample of 1,826 adolescents, mean age 12.3 years. Multiple regression analyses indicated that parental support was inversely related to substance use and that peer support was positively related to substance use, as a suppression effect. Structural modeling analyses indicated that effects of support were mediated through pathways involving good self-control, poor self-control, and risk-taking tendency; parent and peer support had different patterns of relations to these mediators. The mediators had pathways to substance use through positive and negative recent events and through peer affiliations. Effects for gender and ethnicity were also noted. Mechanisms of operation for parent and peer support are discussed.
Solid flow in the annular region of a spouted bed

The solid circulation in the annular region of a 0.146 and a 0.292 m ID semicylindrical and cylindrical air spouted beds was investigated for different spouting conditions. Stroboscopic photography, stopwatch and fiber optic methods were used to measure the vertical particle velocities in the annular region. The optical fiber probe enabled the measurement of particle velocities inside the dense annular phase and was validated at the walls. Velocity profiles in half beds were very different from those found in full beds. The work was then limited to full beds. Experimental results show that the solids flow is characterized by a point sink at the nozzle entrance with the solids moving almost in plug flow higher in the bed. There is negligible entrainment of solids along the spout wall and slow, thin wall layers are observed near the walls and spout. The velocity profiles are independent of the total height of the bed. A kinematic model successfully describes the observed velocity field.
Lipid changes during development of Blastocladiella emersonii

Abstract The lipid composition of swimming spores, cysts and five hour germlings was established. Spores utilized triglycerides first, then phospholipids. Upon encystment all glycolipid components decreased, while in germlings the phospholipids, monoglycerides and sterol esters exhibited a marked increase.
Dermal ulcerations and mortalities of estuarine fishes as indicators of environmental problems

Abstract Dermal ulcers appeared in young menhaden Brevoortia tyrannus in 1984. Field sampling showed dermal ulcers in this clupeid and in species of other families of fish from Delaware to Florida. Some mortalities were associated with the lesions. No definitive causative organism or process of lesion development was discovered and the disease was called Ulcer Disease Syndrome (UDS) by some investigators. Because various fungi were found in many of the sores, the disease was termed Ulcerative Mycosis (UM) by others. The epizootic waned around 1989–1990 as did political and scientific interest. Renewed attention, due to outbreaks of ulcers and mortalities of fish attributed to the toxic dinoflagellate Pfiesteria piscicida , revealed that UDS/UM had persisted in many East Coast estuaries. In North Carolina and Chesapeake's Pocomoke River, fish have died and some humans seem to have been affected. River closures resulted. The extent and nature of dinoflagellate and/or fungal involvement in ulcer epizootics of menhaden is under investigation. Unfortunately, ulcerations in other fishes are being largely ignored. Regardless of the principal causative organisms or the detailed processes involved in ulcer initiation and development and associated (?) mortalities, adverse environmental factors seem to have been involved in both epizootics.
The influence of chemistry on B/H loop shape, coercivity and flux-reversal time in ferrites

The factors which influence the shape of the B/H loop, the coercivity, the permeability and the flux-reversal time in ferrimagnetic spinels are considered on two levels; a macroscopic and an atomic level. To minimize consideration of shape-dependent properties, the ferrite components are assumed to be toroids. With the assumption that domain walls are present in the material, coercivity, permeability, flux reversal and the influence of grain-boundary magnetic poles on B/H loop shape are determined in terms of measurable physical parameters of the material. From these relationships it is possible for the design engineer to determine the optimum parameters for a given application. The spinel-like magnetic oxides may, to the first approximation, be considered as ionic lattices. In order to obtain some insight into the control of the macroscopically measurable physical parameters by chemical composition and preparation procedures, as a second approximation the directional character of the ionic orbitals is emphasized to describe the influence of covalent effects on magnetic moment, magnetic exchange, and crystalline anisotropy. These effects are applied theoretically to the cations of particular interest in ferrites. Finally, some properties of several ferrites are displayed graphically to illustrate the importance of processing and chemistry on the magnetic character of ferrospinels.
Induction of intradermal skin reactions in the bovine by fractionated proteins of Hypoderma lineatum

Protein species found in crude extracts of Hypoderma lineatum (Villers) 1st-instar gullet-stage larval homogenates were fractionated by chromatography and further identified by conventional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) and SDS/PAGE techniques. Seven major fractions were resolved by ion exchange chromatography. Conventional PAGE of the crude antigen preparation revealed a minimum of 14 protein species, while SDS/PAGE revealed 3 major protein species. The ability to elicit cutaneous reactivity by isolated proteins was determined by the intradermal skin test. An immediate-type hypersensitivity reaction was elicited in the skin of vaccinated and previously infested animals by the components of the 4 protein fractions tested. Only one protein fraction, fraction 4, elicited an apparent delayed reaction at 48 h in vaccinated and previously infested animals. A non-specific background reaction was elicited in control animals by the fractionated proteins and was most notable between 1- and 4-h post-injection.
Predictors of Institutionalization Among Caregivers of Patients With Alzheimer's Disease

The treatment aim of medical care for home-based patients with Alzheimer's disease is to maximize the functioning level of the patient without jeopardizing quality of life for the caregiver. Most demented elderly live in the community with their families who, until coping becomes ineffective, usually prefer to keep their relatives out of institutions for as long as possible. In the present study, the question of why some families continue to shoulder the burden of care, often beyond healthful limits, while others relinquish care to professionals is examined longitudinally in a sample of 209 caregivers. Using logistic regression techniques, caregiver characteristics and caregiver well-being, rather than patient characteristics, emerge as important predictors of placement decisions. Results suggest that practitioners, in evaluating the family's need for institutionalization, must move beyond duration of illness and current cognitive functioning to aspects of the caregiver support system.
SO3 Formation in H2S Flames

The microstructure of H2 S-O2 flames has been developed in terms of composition and temperature profiles. With the aid of these profiles, rates of formation of SO2 and SO3 are reported and discussed. With the aid of kinetics and thermodynamic data developed for the principal reaction steps, it is shown that a major part of the SO3 -problem may be related to the O-atom oxidation of SO2 in the flame. These fundamental studies of thermochemical reactions provide the basic information needed as the next step in understanding how reactions in flames and on surfaces affect external corrosion and deposits in boiler furnaces.
Misconceptions of probability: An experiment with a small-group, activity-based, model building approach to introductory probability at the college level

The day-by-day observations made by the experimenter during one of the activity-based classes indicate that college students can learn to discover some elementary probability models and formulas for themselves while working on probability experiments in small groups. Furthermore, the effects of sample size upon measures of central tendency and variability can be learned by students working on activities such as those developed for the experimental course in this study. Making guesses for the probability of events and checking guesses with a hand-held calculator seems to help college students to be more cautious about probability estimates, and helps to make them aware about some of their own misconceptions about probability. Small-group problem solving, keeping a log of all class work and activities, and investigating the misuses of statistics all appeared to have a positive effect upon college students' attitudes towards mathematics, as indicated in the questionnaires filled out by the subjects in the experimental sections.
Does Sc1-70 modulate collagen production in systemic sclerosis?

Abstract Sc1-70, an autoantigen in systemic sclerosis, may accelerate collagen gene transcription by virtue of its activity as a topoisomerase I (topo I), a DNA template-modifying enzyme. A survey of sequences corresponding to all or part of the known topo I binding sequence A G A ACTTAGA G A AAA TTT AAA in four fibrillar collagen genes (three of them dermal) and sixteen non-collagen genes showed a striking preponderance of the tetramer 5'-CTTA-3', comprising the core of this binding sequence, at the exon-intron junctions of the fibrillar collagen genes (59% compared with 16% in the control group). In addition, a non-random clustering of three potential topo I binding sites was seen within 350 base-pairs of 5' flanking DNA in the dermal collagen gene α 2 (I), and a fourth site occurred in the promoter region of the α 1 (III) gene. The findings suggest that a selective vulnerability to the action of Sc1-70/topo I is built into the structure of the dermal collagen genes.
Moving out or moving in? Resilience to environmental gentrification in New York City

Dooling [2009. Ecological gentrification: a research agenda exploring justice in the city. International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, 33 (3), 621–639] and Quastel [2009. Political ecologies of gentrification. Urban Geography, 30 (7), 694–725] reveal several ways in which urban sustainability efforts can produce gentrification, resulting in displacement and financial burden for the most vulnerable urban denizens. In the absence of adequate procedural justice measures, their studies suggest that long-time and vulnerable residents are negatively affected by urban sustainability efforts. However, some residents are able to remain in their neighbourhoods, and this study employs a resilience framework to explore what enables residents to resist displacement in three gentrifying neighbourhoods in New York City. Analysis of 42 interviews with residents in Manhattan and Brooklyn uncovers the multiple strategies residents use to adapt to an increasingly expensive urban environment. The case studies detai...
Stereoselective preparations of ribofuranosyl chlorides and ribofuranosyl acetates.Solvent effects and stereoselectivity in the reaction of ribofuranosyl acetates with trimethylallylsilane

Abstract The preparation of pure samples of each anomer of 2,3-O-isopropylidene-5-0-t-butyldimethylsilyl-D-ribofuranosyl chloride and the preparation of each corresponding furanosyl acetate is described. The reaction of these acetates with an allylsilane and zinc bromide is not stereospecific, but shows good stereoselectivity in some solvents.
Inpatient weekend ERCP is associated with a reduction in patient length of stay

OBJECTIVES:Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) performed on the weekend requires significant effort from the endoscopist, nursing staff, and anesthesia services. These factors often result in delaying the procedure until the following Monday. No data exist on whether performing wee
Acquisition by staring focal-plane arrays: pixel geometry effects

Spatial averaging techniques have been used to compare signal acquisition (i.e., detectivity performance) of hexagonally sampled equivalent-area rectangular, hexagonal, and rhombic pixel arrays. In the absence of noise, rhombic focal-plane arrays (FPA5) are found to be associated with a modulation transfer function, which is almost identical to that of the rectangular FPA. However, while detecting noisy signals, the probability density function of the detected signal of the rhombic FPA is found to be smaller than that of hexagonal FPA, but higher than that of the rectangular FPA. At large noise variances, all three staring arrays perform almost the same in acquisition of signal.
On deviations between neoclassical and GFT-based true cost-of-living indexes derived from the same demand function system☆

Abstract Given that a generalized Fechner-Thurstone (GFT) direct utility function and a neoclassical direct utility function yield exactly the same system of demand functions, then for which combinations of (a) regions of the domain of neoclassical parameters and (b) price and total expenditure regimes, do the alternative true cost-of-living indexes (TCLI's) and their sensitivities to changes in casual factors differ significantly? Practical neoclassical alternatives to the GFT-based non-parametric TCLI's are limited to parametric TCLI's based on the class of implicit utility models discussed by Barnett. This paper describes the design and results of a simulation experiment which generated alternative TCLI's under different parameter specifications. Focus of appraisal is on specifications which produced realistic demand elasticities and large deviations between TCLI's.
The sensitivity and specificity of an agglutination test for antibodies to streptococcal extracellular antigens: A quantitative analysis and comparison of the streptozyme test with the anti-streptolysin O and anti-deoxyribonuclease B tests*

As a part of studies of streptococcal infections of the upper respiratory tract, sera from 142 individuals (mean age 11.9 years) with signs and symptoms on tonsillitis or pharyngitis and their family contacts were studied to quantitatively evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of the Streptozyme test. We also compared this agglutination test for streptococcal extracellular antibodies with the antistreptolysin O and antideoxyribonuclease B tests. Using different lots of Streptozyme reagent we found evidence suggesting variation in the strength of the reagent from lot to lot. Evaluation of the group specificity of the Streptozyme test suggests that it may not be specific for antibodies to extracellular products of group A streptococci, since a response to this test was seen in individuals with only non-group A strains isolated from their upper respiratory tracts. In patients with group A streptococci isolated from the upper respiratory tract, the quantitative sensitivity of the antibody response as measured by the Streptozyme test is comparable to, but no greater than, the ASO or anti-DNase B tests. Our analysis of upper limits of normal for the Streptozyme test in the study population indicates that previous recommendations for values for elevated titers are too low, especially for predominantly pediatric populations, so that previous reports of patients demonstrating an antibody response to Streptozyme-measured antibodies may include a significant number of patients with "normal" levels. This study indicates the need for both further documentation of standardization of the reagents used in this agglutination test and additional quantitative studies of the response measured by Streptozyme.
Frequencies of factors in Arnoux-Rauzy sequences

V. Berthe showed that the frequencies of factors in a Sturmian word of slope α, as well as the number of factors with a given frequency, can be expressed in terms of the continued fraction expansion of α. In this paper we describe a multi-dimensional continued fraction process associated with a class of sequences of (block) complexity kn+1 originally introduced by P. Arnoux and G. Rauzy. This vectorial division algorithm yields simultaneous rational approximations of the frequencies of the letters. We extend Berthe’s result to factors of Arnoux-Rauzy sequences by expressing both the frequencies and the number of factors with a given frequency, in terms of the ‘convergents’ obtained from the generalized continued fraction expansion of the frequencies of the letters.
The Female Artist in the Film Version of Jack Kerouac's The Subterraneans

Examining the 1960 film version of Beat writer Jack Kerouac's The Subterraneans, this article explores screenwriter Robert Thom's creation of a female artist for the film, considering the character's challenges to traditional female roles, her reflection of Beat philosophies, as well as her return to those traditions.
Role of Lysine in Catalysing Ester Hydrolysis

IN their criticism of our paper1, Chesbro and Hedrick make some points that are indeed well taken. Their objection to the implication that bond-strength is a function of pH is undoubtedly valid. However, the statement they quote from our paper does not; imply such a functional relationship. Rather, we had in mind the stretching of the N—H bond which may be expected to occur before the bond breaks (more so the more alkaline the environment) and which certainly will allow the proton to function more effectively as an acidic catalyst. It is regretted that for the sake of brevity we were not explicit enough to forestall a mistaken implication.
Abstract 13: Chemical genomics identifies MCL1 repressors and resistance mechanism

Dysregulated apoptotic mechanisms are central to the pathogenesis and maintenance of cancer, and are major barriers to effective treatment. The BCL2 gene family, comprised of both pro- and anti-apoptotic members, controls the intrinsic activation of apoptosis. Amplification of one of the anti-apoptotic members of this pathway, MCL1, constitutes one of the most frequent somatic genetic events in cancer. However, the design of small molecules targeting MCL1 has proven difficult, and the genomic determinants of MCL1 dependence are not well-understood. Furthermore, the contribution of MCL1 regulation in current chemotherapy drug action remains undefined. We therefore developed a chemical genomic approach to identify repressors of MCL1. We measured gene expression levels of all BCL2 family members upon treatment with 2,922 small molecules, including the majority of FDA-approved drugs. We indentified several small molecules inhibiting MCL1 expression, including a few widely used chemotherapy drugs and a natural product triptolide. Those compounds all share similar apoptotic profile when they were tested in panels of cell lines. Genomic profiling indicated that those compounds were global transcriptional repressors (TR). Nevertheless, MCL1 was among the most repressed genes. To further define the contribution of MCL1 repression by those TR compounds, we compared the sensitivity to TRs and MCL1 knockdown. Sensitivity to all TRs correlated with sensitivity to MCL1 knockdown by shRNA; and there is no additive effect of TRs and MCL1 shRNAs. Furthermore, ectopic expression of physiological levels of MCL1 rescued cells from TRs. Triptolide was able to inhibit tumor growth and promote survival in a mouse xenograft model that is sensitive to TR in vitro. Whole genome expression analysis revealed genomic features that correlated with sensitivity to these compounds and to MCL1 shRNAs, and may shed light on biomarker selection when targeting MCL1. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 13. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-13
Mask manufacturing improvement through capability definition and bottleneck line management

In 1989, Intel's internal mask operation limited itself to research and development activities and re-inspection and pellicle application of externally manufactured masks. Recognizing the rising capital cost of mask manufacturing at the leading edge, Intel's Mask Operation management decided to offset some of these costs by manufacturing more masks internally. This was the beginning of the challenge they set to manufacture at least 50% of Intel's mask volume internally, at world class performance levels. The first step in responding to this challenge was the completion of a comprehensive operation capability analysis. A series of bottleneck improvements by focus teams resulted in an average cycle time improvement to less than five days on all product and less than two days on critical products.
Drinking Driving Compliance in Great Britain -- the Role of Law As A Threat and As A Moral Eye-Opener

Abstract Great Britain presents a particular challenge for drinking-driving control. Because of the “beer culture,” there is a tendency for consumers to underestimate the potency of their drinks, and because of the “pub culture,” a very high proportion of drinking is done away from home. An earlier causal analysis of the effects of the 1967 British Road Safety Act revealed strong initial suppression of alcohol-related casualties; however, the effects appeared to deteriorate within a few months. The present review examines the long-term repercussions of the 1967 British Road Safety Act within the context of changes in per capita alcohol consumption, in public attitudes toward drinking drivers, and in levels of law enforcement. Although no direct causal influence could be attributed, there was circumstantial evidence that some combination of legal threat, public education, and moral persuasion led to substantial improvements in drinking-driving compliance among British drivers during the 1970s and 1980s.
Multivariate Survival Analysis (I): Shared Frailty Approaches to Reliability and Dependence Modeling

The latest advances in survival analysis have been centered on multivariate systems. Multivariate survival analysis has two major categories of models: one is multi-state modeling; the other is shared frailty modeling. Multi-state models, although formulated differently in both fields, have been extensively studied in reliability analysis in the context of Markov chain analysis. In contrast, shared frailty modeling seems little known in reliability analysis and computer science. In this article, we focus exclusively on shared frailty modeling. Shared frailty refers to the often-unobserved factors or risks responsible for the common risks dependence between multiple events. It is well recognized as the most effective modeling approach to address common risks dependence and, more recently, the event-related dependence. The only exclusion of dependence modeling for the frailty approach is the common events type, which is best addressed by multi-state modeling. We argue that shared frailty modeling not only is perfectly applicable for engineering reliability, but also is of significant potential in other fields of computer science, such as networking and software reliability and survivability, machine learning, and prognostics and health management (PHM).
Review of skull base surgery approaches: With special reference to pediatric patients

The techniques of skull base surgery attempt to maximize the exposure of a cranial base lesion while using the least amount of brain retraction. Cranial base surgery is not a ‘new’ area of neurosurgical or otolaryngologic interest, but instead represents a resurgence of efforts to treat difficult lesions involving the cranial base. This resurgence of interest and effort is a product of recent advances in microanatomical knowledge of the cranial base, advances in microsurgical technique, improved neurophysiologic monitoring, and improved collaborative relationships between neurosurgery, otolaryngology and plastic surgery. Furthermore, improved neuroanesthetic techniques allow the surgeon to proceed with surgery without undue concern about time, and improved neuroimaging techniques provide the surgeon with detailed knowledge of the three dimensional characteristics of the tumor and surrounding structures [1]. This review will focus on the surgical management of cranial base tumors primarily affecting the pediatric population. Little has been written on the techniques of skull base surgery as they apply to the pediatric population, since cranially-based tumors are a relatively rare occurrence in this patient population. In most instances, however, many of the 'standard' skull base approaches can be applied to the pediatric patient with few modifications, and in our experience, the pediatric patients have tolerated these approaches as well as their adult counterparts.
Drive-reinforcement learning: a self-supervised model for adaptive control

A network of two self-supervised simulated neurons using the drive-reinforcement rule for synaptic modification can learn to balance a pole without experiencing failure. This adaptive controller also responds quickly and automatically to rapidly changing plant parameters. Other aspects of the controller's performance investigated include the controller's response in a noisy environment, the effect of varying the partitioning of the state space of the plant, the effect of increasing the controller's response time, and the consequences of disabling learning at the beginning of a trial and during the progress of a trial. Earlier work with drive-reinforcement learning supports the claim that the theory's neuronal model can account for observed phenomena of classical conditioning; this work constitutes progress toward demonstrating that useful adaptive controllers can be fabricated from networks of classically conditionable elements.
Theory of exchange interactions and chemical trends in diluted magnetic semiconductors.

The electronic structure and magnetic properties of Mn-substituted II-VI diluted magnetic semiconductors are treated theoretically with emphasis on ${\mathrm{Cd}}_{1\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathrm{x}}$${\mathrm{Mn}}_{\mathrm{x}}$Te. The derived electronic structure is based on a combination of ab initio spin-polarized band calculations, a semiempirical tight-binding model containing the relevant experimental input, and consideration of alloying effects. The magnetic properties are calculated using a multisite Anderson Hamiltonian incorporating the derived electronic structure. The derived sp-band--Mn-d and Mn-Mn exchange constants compare as well with experiment as any previous calculations of this kind. The results establish the importance of sp-d hybridization and demonstrate superexchange as the dominant Mn-Mn exchange mechanism. A phenomenological three-level model for superexchange is constructed, which gives results in excellent agreement with the detailed calculations, provides physical insight, and permits exploration of chemical trends in the magnetic behavior for the series ${M}_{1\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}x}^{\mathrm{II}}$${\mathrm{Mn}}_{\mathrm{x}}$${\mathrm{X}}^{\mathrm{VI}}$ (${M}^{\mathrm{II}}$=Cd or Zn; ${X}^{\mathrm{VI}}$=Te, Se, or S). The same model, with minor modification, is found to be applicable to MnO and \ensuremath{\alpha}-MnS, which are insulating and have the rocksalt structure.
Horner's Syndrome with Ipsilateral Accommodative Paresis

In a 12-year-old girl with Horner's syndrome and an ipsilateral accommodative paresis, intravenous administration of edrophonium chloride improved the accommodative defect on several occasions, which suggested a possible relationship to myasthenia gravis. Additional testing of the accommodative paresis revealed some of the characteristics of Adie's syndrome and suggested a relationship to pupil-sparing Adie's syndrome.
Interdiffusion of Cadmium Arachidate in Langmuir-Blodgett Films

The interdiffusion of Cadmium Arachidate (CdA) in Langmuir-Blodgett films has been studied by neutron reflection at the Intense Pulsed Neutron Source of Argonne National Laboratory. One of the samples consisted of a few layers of perhydro H-CdA deposited on a silicon support, overlayered with a few layers of deuterated D-CdA, for a total thickness of ∼300 Angstroms. In a second sample the layers of perhydro-and deuterated- CdA were separated by two monolayers of Hn-octadecene/co-maleic acid copolymer. When heated for 15 minutes at 70°C, well below the disorder temperature [1], approximately 25% of the D-CdA molecules were replaced by H-CdA molecules, although the overall Langmuir-Blodgett film structure is known to remain unchanged [1]. The presence of copolymer layers limited the interdiffusion process to about 5%.
Modeling prograde TiO 2 activity and its significance for Ti‑in‑quartz thermobarometry of pelitic metamorphic rocks

other Si-mobilization events occur during the prograde and retrograde history of metapelites, and assuming TiO2 activities associated with the peak metamorphic paragen- esis may be misleading and result in significant errors in P-T calculations. Abstract Since its calibration, the Ti-in-quartz thermo- barometer has been applied to a wide variety of geologic scenarios. The abundance of quartz in the continental crust and the involvement of silica in metamorphic reactions, deformation, and fluid flux processes make it a particularly powerful tool for constraining the pressure and tempera- ture evolution of rocks, which is essential for developing tectonic models. Being able to quantitatively determine the solubility of Ti in quartz, however, is dependent upon being able to determine the activity of TiO2 in the rock dur- ing quartz growth or re-equilibration. Here we calculate TiO2 chemical potentials of the system relative to that of rutile (as a standard state), projected in P-T space for an average sub-aluminous pelite composition. Titania activi- ties are calculated from these dependent potentials, with resultant activities used to correct for Ti isopleth projec- tion in the Thomas et al. (2010) solubility equation. The modeling results are in good agreement with previous stud- ies that suggest ilmenite-bearing assemblages buffer high TiO2 activities and titanite-bearing assemblages have much lower activities (≥0.5). At elevated temperatures, however, significant deviation from an assumed average pelite activ- ity of 1.0 occurs, where the projected Ti concentration in quartz is up to 400 % different when assuming a dynamic system activity. This is due, in part, to the sequestering of Ti in biotite during heating and the destabilization of Ti- oxides at higher temperatures. With quartz-producing reac- tions, deformation-driven solution-transfer processes and