cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A study of the interaction of acetoacetic decarboxylase with several inhibitors.

Abstract Sodium-2-oxo-propanesulfonate (acetone sulfonate) was found to be a competitive inhibitor of acetoacetate carboxy lyase (acetoacetic decarboxylase, EC 4.1.1.4) the Ki of which was numerically equal to the Km for acetoacetate at all temperatures investigated. Km like Ki in this case is therefore concluded to represent a dissociation constant. ΔH for the dissociation of either acetoacetate or acetone sulfonate from the enzyme was 7.3 kcal per mole. From the variation of Vm with temperature, the apparent enthalpy of activation of the enzymic decarboxylation reaction was found to be 11.4 kcal per mole. Acetylacetone was a potent reversible inhibitor of the enzyme whose association with and dissociation from the sensitive sites were perceptibly slow at room temperature. It exhibited both slope and intercept effects in Lineweaver-Burk (12) analyses, the former effects being greater than the latter. Ki was calculated from the slope effects and K'i from the intercept effects. Investigation of the effects of temperature on Ki and on K'i for acetylacetone revealed that Ki increased uniformly and moderately with temperatures in the range 14.8–64°, whereas K'i showed an abrupt increase with temperature above 45°. At all temperatures above 45°, K'i was effectively infinite, and acetylacetone was therefore competitive. In the case of nitrate inhibition K'i was greater than Ki and, from the effects of temperature on K'i, ΔH was found to be 14.3 kcal per mole, while the corresponding value derived from the variation of Ki with temperature was 18.3 kcal per mole. Mixed inhibition studies with acetylacetone, nitrate, and acetone sulfonate indicated identical sites of action for all three. Borohydride reduction of the enzyme in the presence of acetone sulfonate was performed in a manner which allowed quantitative comparisons to be made. On the basis of its facilitation of borohydride inhibition, a Ki for acetone sulfonate was obtained which was in agreement with that derived from the classical kinetic analysis. Acetylacetone did not support borohydride inhibition of the enzyme; indeed, it strongly protected the enzyme against inhibition by BH4- in the presence of acetone sulfonate. Nitrate exhibited a similar protective effect. From the effects of temperature on the rate of borohydride inhibition of the enzyme, it was inferred that ΔH for the association of BH4- with the sensitive site on the enzyme was -11.5 kcal per mole. Hypotheses are advanced to explain and correlate these observations.
Differential cross sections for dobule photoionoiization ({gamma}, 2e) and double ionization by electron impact (e,3e) of helium and alkaline earth atoms

The authors have calculated fivefold differential cross sections for double photoionization and eightfold differential cross sections for double ionization by electron impact of helium and alkaline earth atoms for energies of the ionized electrons ranging from a few eV up to 100 eV. Calculations have been done in first Born approximation, using well-converged CI wave functions to describe the initial state, and final state wave functions incorporating the correlation factor used by Brauner, Briggs, and Klar. The angular distributions of the ionized electrons will be discussed. The characteristics of these angular distributions will be analyzed in terms of the partial waves that contribute most strongly to the double ionization processes.
In solium Selection for Arabidopsis Transformants Resistant to Kanamycin

The kanamycin resistance encoded by the neomycin phosphotransferase II gene (nptII) of transposon Tn5 is widely used in higher plant genetic transformation. The general process of plant transformation using nptII as a selectable marker gene, however, requires selecting kanamycin-resistant plants or tissues in culture. Even with the recently developed vacuum infiltration method for Arabidopsis transformation, the plant culture steps are not completely eliminated in selection for kanamycin-resistant transformants. The herbicide resistance genes, such as bar, which provides resistance to bialaphos, allow Arabidopsis transformation to become a true non-culture procedure. In this report, we assessed the feasibility of applying kanamycin as a spray in selecting for kanamycin-resistant Arabidopsis transformants grown in soil. We find that kanamycin-resistant transformants were effectively selected by spraying soil-grown Arabidopsis seedlings.
Another Approach to Consilience

Proust Was a Neuroscientist . By Jonah Lehrer . Houghton Mifflin, Boston, 2007. 256 pp. $24, C$32.95. ISBN 9780618620104. Artscience . Creativity in the Post-Google Generation. By David Edwards . Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA, 2008. 203 pp., $19.95, £12.95, €15. ISBN 9780674026254. Many who dream of unifying scientific and humanistic thinking seem to hold a one-sided view of the resulting whole: that the study of topics in the arts and humanities should be informed by science. Lehrer and Edwards offer a range of examples that suggest the benefits from working in the other direction.
The Philosophic Radicals and Colonialism

In 1948, in an address before this association, the late J. B. Brebner spoke of laissez-faire as a “myth,” describing it as a battle cry of the middle classes in their struggle with the landed aristocracy, and noting particularly that the philosophic Radicals—the Benthamites—were proponents not of laissez-faire , as they had been represented to be, but of a new bureaucratic collectivism. It is becoming clear that the reputed mid-Victorian policy of “anti-colonialism” is likewise a myth, as two Cambridge dons argued in an article in 1953, for England continued to extend her empire—both “formal” and “informal”—during the middle years of the nineteenth century. Was the policy which led to the extension of the empire in direct contradiction to the ideas of the men who had revealed the absurdities of the “Old Colonial System” in the bright beam of the new science of political economy and had brought about the repeal of the Corn Laws in 1846 and of the Navigation Acts in 1849? Or is the “anti-colonialism” of Radical doctrine also a myth? I hope to show that Benthamite Radicals, far from being ideological opponents of colonialism, as they are usually depicted, were advocates of positive programs of empire, and, grounding their argument upon the new economic science, constructed and maintained a set of doctrines of which the keystone was the necessity of empire to an industrial England.
I Should but I Won’t: Why Young Children Endorse Norms of Fair Sharing but Do Not Follow Them

Young children endorse fairness norms related to sharing, but often act in contradiction to those norms when given a chance to share. This phenomenon has rarely been explored in the context of a single study. Using a novel approach, the research presented here offers clear evidence of this discrepancy and goes on to examine possible explanations for its diminution with age. In Study 1, 3–8-year-old children readily stated that they themselves should share equally, asserted that others should as well, and predicted that others had shared equally with them. Nevertheless, children failed to engage in equal sharing until ages 7–8. In Study 2, 7–8-year-olds correctly predicted that they would share equally, and 3–6-year-olds correctly predicted that they would favor themselves, ruling out a failure-of-willpower explanation for younger children's behavior. Similarly, a test of inhibitory control in Study 1 also failed to explain the shift with age toward adherence to the endorsed norm. The data suggest that, although 3-year-olds know the norm of equal sharing, the weight that children attach to this norm increases with age when sharing involves a cost to the self.
Metabolism of 2, 6-dimethylnaphthalene in starry flounder (Platichthys stellatus) exposed to naphthalene and p-cresol

Abstract Juvenile starry flounder (Platichthys stellatus) were force-fed naphthalene, p-cresol, or a mixture of naphthalene and p-cresol in daily doses of 0.3–0.4 mg/kg body weight, for 6 consecutive days. On the 8th day, each fish was force-fed a dose of 12–15 mg/kg of 2,6-dimethyl[14C]naphthalene (DMN). Twenty-four hours later, the fish were killed and 14C-labelled metabolites in the bile were isolated and identified by thin-layer chromatography. Most of the biliary metabolites were recovered as conjugates, principally as glurosides and glucuronides. Analyses of the nonconjugated metabolites and metabolites resulting from enzymatic hydrolysis of the conjugates provided identification of four metabolites of DMN: 2,6-dimethyl-3-naphthol; 2,6-dimethyl-3,4-naphthoquinone; trans-3,4-dihydroxy-3,4-dihydro-2,6-dimethylnaphthalene (dihydrodiol); and b-methyl-2-naphthalenemethanol (alcohol). Enzymatic hydrolysis of the glucuronides yielded two metabolites: the alcohol, representing metabolism at a methyl substituent, and the dihydrodiol, representing oxidation of an aromatic ring. Exposure to naphthalene and/or p-cresol led to a significant reduction (P
Neuropsychological perspectives on memory and cognitive decline in normal human aging

Abstract Evidence from both neuropsychological and cognitive research suggest that age-related changes in human memory and cognition are multifaceted. Three domains of cognition—cognitive slowing, working memory, and new learning ability—are reviewed. These domains incur prominent declines during the course of human aging. Based on neuropsychological findings, three aspects of biological aging—general neuronal efficacy, frontal lobe function, medial temporal lobe function—are thought to mediate the three respective domains of cognitive changes. It is suggested that these three and other domains of cognition may decline with age, but which and to what extent deficits arise in older individuals is quite variable.
Naltrexone and nicotine patch in smoking cessation: A preliminary study

This preliminary study evaluated the potential efficacy of 50 mg of the opioid antagonist naltrexone or placebo in combination with nicotine replacement therapy for smoking cessation, in a small sample of 32 smokers using one to one and a half packs of cigarettes per day. Addition of naltrexone resulted in an increase in continuous abstinence rates (9/16 for naltrexone vs. 5/16 for placebo). Naltrexone reduced the likelihood of relapse among participants who smoked during the first week of treatment, reduced desire to smoke, and prevented weight gain following smoking cessation. These preliminary results suggest that naltrexone augmentation of nicotine patch therapy using procedures designed to optimize the concurrent use of these two medications may be beneficial for smoking cessation.
Beneficial effects of combining a type II ATP competitive inhibitor with an allosteric competitive inhibitor of BCR-ABL for the treatment of imatinib-sensitive and imatinib-resistant CML.

Beneficial effects of combining a type II ATP competitive inhibitor with an allosteric competitive inhibitor of BCR-ABL for the treatment of imatinib-sensitive and imatinib-resistant CML
Statistical methods for absorbing Markov-chain models for learning: Estimation and identification

General algorithms for computing the likelihood of any sequence generated by an absorbing Markov-chain are described. These algorithms enable an investigator to compute maximum likelihood estimates of parameters using unconstrained optimization techniques. The problem of parameter identifiability is reformulated into questions concerning the behavior of the likelihood function in the neighborhood of an extremum. An alternative characterization of the concept of identifiability is proposed. A procedure is developed for deciding whether or not this definition is satisfied.
Elastic fibers: Building bridges between cells and their matrix

Extracellular elastic fibers confer resilience and flexibility to tissues. Recent studies have identified a protein, fibulin-5, that connects these fibers to cells and regulates their assembly and organization.
CGUG: in silico proteome and genome parsing tool for the determination of "core" and unique genes in the analysis of genomes up to ca. 1.9 Mb

Viruses and small-genome bacteria (~2 megabases and smaller) comprise a considerable population in the biosphere and are of interest to many researchers. These genomes are now sequenced at an unprecedented rate and require complementary computational tools to analyze. "CoreGenesUniqueGenes" (CGUG) is an in silico genome data mining tool that determines a "core" set of genes from two to five organisms with genomes in this size range. Core and unique genes may reflect similar niches and needs, and may be used in classifying organisms. CGUG is available at http://binf.gmu.edu/geneorder.html as a web-based on-the-fly tool that performs iterative BLASTP analyses using a reference genome and up to four query genomes to provide a table of genes common to these genomes. The result is an in silico display of genomes and their proteomes, allowing for further analysis. CGUG can be used for "genome annotation by homology", as demonstrated with Chlamydophila and Francisella genomes. CGUG is used to reanalyze the ICTV-based classifications of bacteriophages, to reconfirm long-standing relationships and to explore new classifications. These genomes have been problematic in the past, due largely to horizontal gene transfers. CGUG is validated as a tool for reannotating small genome bacteria using more up-to-date annotations by similarity or homology. These serve as an entry point for wet-bench experiments to confirm the functions of these "hypothetical" and "unknown" proteins.
Behavioral Counseling: Rationale and Research

The criteria for judging the success of counseling for any given client must be based on the requests of that client. Counseling consists of whatever ethical activities a counselor undertakes in an effort to help the client engage in those types of behavior which will lead to a resolution of the client's problems. Like all professional persons, the counselor may elect to limit the problems with which he works on the basis of his own interests, competencies, and ethical standards. Evidence is accumulating that a counselor can act effectively to promote career planning, improve test-wiseness, increase social participation, increase deliberating and decision behavior, make test results acceptable, and modify unrealistic decisions. Accomplishment of clients' goals, not adherence to prescribed procedures, should be the mark of a successful counselor.
Environmental Influences on K X-Rays from Highly Stripped Sulfur Ions Teavelng in Solids

As a fast heavy-ion passes through a material medium, it undergoes multiple collisions in which electrons are continuously lost and recaptured by the ion, and as a result, an equilibrium distribution of excited states is quickly established. The high density of electrons in a solid state environment enables these collisional excitation and decay processes to compete with x-ray and Auger decay. As a result, the widths of the x-ray lines exhibit a dependence on electron density due to collisional broadening. In addition, the potential of the ion is modified by the polarization of loosely bound electrons of the medium. In effect, these electrons act to screen the ion potential, thereby causing the core electron binding energies of the ion to decrease. As a result of this "dynamic screening" effect, the x-ray transition energies inside the medium differ from those in vacuum.
Folding and assembly of co-chaperonin heptamer probed by forster resonance energy transfer.

Abstract The ring-shaped heptameric co-chaperonin protein 10 (cpn10) is one of few oligomeric β-sheet proteins that unfold and disassemble reversibly in vitro. Here, we labeled human mitochondrial cpn10 with donor and acceptor dyes to obtain FRET signals. Cpn10 mixed in a 1:1:5 ratio of donor:acceptor:unlabeled monomers form heptamers that are active in an in vitro functional assay. Monomer–monomer affinity, as well as thermal and chemical stability, of the labeled cpn10 is similar to the unlabeled protein, demonstrating that the labels do not perturb the system. Using changes in FRET, we then probed for the first time cpn10 heptamer–monomer assembly/disassembly kinetics. Heptamer dissociation is very slow (1/kdiss ∼ 3 h; 20 °C, pH 7) corresponding to an activation energy of ∼50 kJ/mol. Ring–ring mixing experiments reveal that cpn10 heptamer dissociation is rate limiting; subsequent associations events are faster. Kinetic inertness explains how cpn10 cycles on and off cpn60 as an intact heptamer in vivo.
Empirical Comparison of Selected Item Bias Detection Procedures with Bias Manipulation.

Biased test items were intentionally imbedded within a set of test items, and the resulting instrument was administered to large samples of blacks and whites. Three popular item bias detection procedures were then applied to the data: (1) the three-parameter item characteristic curve procedure, (2) the chi-square method, and (3) the transformed item difficulty approach. The three-parameter item characteristic curve procedure proved most effective at detecting the intentionally biased test items; and the chi-square method was viewed as the best alternative. The transformed item difficulty approach has certain limitations yet represents a practical alternative if sample size, lack of computer facilities, or the like preclude the use of the other two procedures.
Use of the tobacco feedback-insensitive anthranilate synthase gene (ASA2) as a selectable marker for legume hairy root transformation

The feedback-insensitive anthranilate synthase (ASA2) cDNA—isolated from a 5-methyltryptophan (5MT)-resistant tobacco cell line—driven by the CaMV 35S promoter or 606 bp of the native ASA2 promoter, was introduced into the forage legume plant Astragalus sinicus or soybean (Glycine max), using Agrobacterium rhizogenes strains DC-AR2 or K599, respectively. Hairy roots of A. sinicus transformed with 35S-ASA2 but not 606-ASA2 could be directly selected using 20–75 µM 5MT. ASA2 mRNA was expressed in all A. sinicus lines selected with 5MT, but nptII mRNA was expressed only in some lines even though the gene was present. Free tryptophan was increased 8- to 26-fold in A. sinicus and 3- to 6-fold in soybean (selected with kanamycin). An HPLC method was used to measure anthranilate synthase (AS) activity since there was a fluorescent compound or compounds present in the soybean hairy root extracts. The transformed soybean hairy roots contained more feedback-resistant AS activity, showing that there is interaction of the tobacco ASA2 α-subunit with the soybean β-subunit to form an active enzyme. Soybean hairy roots that express ASA2 also exhibit 5MT resistance. These results demonstrate that the tobacco feedback-insensitive ASA2 gene can be used as a selectable marker for transformation of the legume A. sinicus.
FERROELECTRIC PROPERTIES OF ENDOHEDRAL COMPLEXES OF C60 WITH POLAR MOLECULES

The recent wealth of experimental data provides conclusive evidence for encapsulation of atoms, ions, and molecules inside carbon clusters like C60. In this paper, we review ferroelectric properties of endohedral fullerites which are composed of endohedral complexes with polar molecules trapped inside C60 cluster. The derivation of approximate expressions for dipole moments of endohedral complexes is given. Estimation of transition temperatures and dipole moments of endohedral fullerites with LiF, LiCl, NaF, and NaCl as guest molecules are presented.
What to eat now? Shifts in polar bear diet during the ice‐free season in western Hudson Bay

Under current climate trends, spring ice breakup in Hudson Bay is advancing rapidly, leaving polar bears (Ursus maritimus) less time to hunt seals during the spring when they accumulate the majority of their annual fat reserves. For this reason, foods that polar bears consume during the ice-free season may become increasingly important in alleviating nutritional stress from lost seal hunting opportunities. Defining how the terrestrial diet might have changed since the onset of rapid climate change is an important step in understanding how polar bears may be reacting to climate change. We characterized the current terrestrial diet of polar bears in western Hudson Bay by evaluating the contents of passively sampled scat and comparing it to a similar study conducted 40 years ago. While the two terrestrial diets broadly overlap, polar bears currently appear to be exploiting increasingly abundant resources such as caribou (Rangifer tarandus) and snow geese (Chen caerulescens caerulescens) and newly available resources such as eggs. This opportunistic shift is similar to the diet mixing strategy common among other Arctic predators and bear species. We discuss whether the observed diet shift is solely a response to a nutritional stress or is an expression of plastic foraging behavior.
Hydrophilic and antimicrobial low-silica-zeolite LTA and high-silica-zeolite MFI hybrid coatings on aluminum alloys

A hydrophilic and antimicrobial two-layer zeolite composite coating was formed on aluminum alloys. The base layer is a high-silica-zeolite (HSZ) MFI coating formed directly on the aluminum alloy by in situ crystallization. The top layer is a crystalline zeolite hybrid coating of low-silica-zeolite (LSZ) LTA (zeolite A, or ZA) crystals imbedded within a HSZ-MFI matrix and is formed by a seeded growth method. The two-layer composite coatings are demonstrated by using ASTM D 3359B-02 method to have excellent adhesion to the aluminum alloy substrates. The hybrid layer is hydrophilic with contact angles below 5° and when they are silver-ion exchanged the hybrid coating is highly antimicrobial.
A MUD/rate selection tool for cognitive radios in packet based asynchronous Gaussian multiple access channels

Two recent advances in wireless communications are set to provide large gains in the efficient allocation of spectral resources. Multiuser detection (MUD) allows multiple transmitters to be allocated the same frequency band at the same time without spatial separation. In a packet-based standard such as 802.11, this would mean that packets could survive collisions, so the medium access controller (MAC) could orchestrate transmissions to encourage collisions. Similarly, cognitive radios enable communications systems to intelligently adapt to the interference environment. Among many other benefits, cognition can make it possible for communications systems to anticipate problems or opportunities before they arise, thus maximizing the probability of transmission success.
PIXE elemental analysis of South American mummy hair

Abstract Hair samples were obtained from ten mummies of the archaic and formative cultures of the north coast of Chile. Each sample was divided into two portions. One portion was washed in acetone and then water and the second portion remained unwashed. All samples were then prepared by an acid digestion procedure and analyzed by PIXE. The washed and unwashed samples were compared to determine what elements were present in the material on the hair surface. Concentrations of the elements Ca, Ti, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Sr, and Pb are reported. Comparison was made to previously published elemental analyses of mummy hair and modern hair. One sample, which had a reddish hue, was found to contain unusually large quantities of Fe and As. Since the unwashed sample had much higher concentrations of these elements than the washed sample, it is believed that the reddish color originated in a mineral dye applied to the hair.
Ovarian Weight and Responsiveness to Gonadotropin Throughout the Estrous Cycle of Mice

Summary1) The average weight of the right ovary of C57BL/6JAX mice 90 to 120 days old was about the same in mice killed in estrus, early metestrus, and diestrus. The average uterine weight varied according to the stage of the cycle. 2) The average ovarian weight increase after 20 i.u. of equine serum gonadotrophin was the same when the gonadotrophin was administered in estrus, early metestrus, and diestrus. Also the average uterine weight after ovarian stimulation was about the same, regardless of the stage of the cycle in which the stimulus was begun.
Zebra finch sexual differentiation: the aromatization hypothesis revisited.

Zebra finches have emerged as an outstanding model system for the investigation of the mechanisms regulating brain and behavior. Their song system has proven especially useful, as the function of discrete anatomical regions have been identified, and striking parallels exist between the morphology of these regions and the level of their function in males and females. That is, the structures are substantially more developed in males, who sing, compared to females, who do not. These parallels extend from higher (telencephalic) centers to the brainstem motor nucleus that innervates the muscles of the vocal organ. Other dimorphic aspects of reproduction in the zebra finch, such as copulatory behaviors and sexual partner preference, however, are not associated with known sex differences in anatomy. In many species, sex differences in neural and peripheral structures and behavior are regulated by secretions from the gonads, which of course are sexually dimorphic themselves. In birds, sex differences at all of these levels (gonad, brain, and behavior) can be mediated by steroid hormones. However, it is not entirely clear that gonadal secretions normally participate at all of the levels. This paper reviews the evidence relating to the role of gonadal steroids in the sexual differentiation of reproductive behaviors and the central and peripheral structures known to regulate them in zebra finches, with a focus on estradiol, which has been most extensively studied in the masculinization of song system morphology and function. Microsc. Res. Tech. 54:354 -363, 2001. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Cerebral metabolite changes prior to and after antiretroviral therapy in primary HIV infection

Objective: We examined the longitudinal effects of primary HIV infection (PHI) and responses to early antiretroviral therapy (ART) on the brain using high-field magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). Methods: Cerebral metabolites were measured longitudinally with 4T proton MRS and assessed for ART effects in participants with PHI. Levels of glutamate (Glu), N -acetylaspartate (NAA), myo-inositol (MI), and choline-containing metabolites (Cho) were measured relative to creatine + phosphocreatine (Cr) in anterior cingulate, basal ganglia, frontal white matter, and parietal gray matter. Results: Fifty-three participants recruited at median 3.7 months post HIV transmission were followed a median 6.0 months. A total of 23 participants initiated ART during follow-up. Prior to ART, increases per month were observed in Cho/Cr (slope = 0.0012, p = 0.005) and MI/Cr (slope = 0.0041, p = 0.005) in frontal white matter as well as increases in MI/Cr (slope = 0.0041, p p = 0.030) in parietal gray matter. After initiation of ART, prior positive slopes were no longer significantly different from zero, while Glu/Cr in basal ganglia decreased (slope = −0.0038, p = 0.031). Conclusions: Early in HIV infection, increases of Cho/Cr and MI/Cr in treatment-naive participants suggest progressive inflammation and gliosis in the frontal white matter and parietal gray matter, which is attenuated after initiation of ART. Elevated baseline Glu/Cr in basal ganglia may signal excitotoxicity; its subsequent stabilization and downward trajectory with ART may lend further support for early ART initiation.
Distributed H ∞ optimal control of networked uncertain nonlinear Euler-Lagrange systems with switching communication network topologies

This paper is concerned with the design of distributed state synchronization and trajectory tracking control laws for nonlinear Euler-Lagrange (EL) systems in presence of parameter uncertainty and external disturbances with fixed and switching communication network topologies. Specifically, H ∞ optimal control techniques are employed to formally design controllers which address the state synchronization and trajectory tracking of a team of multi-agent nonlinear EL systems while the agents have access to only local information. It is shown that the state synchronization (or consensus) protocol and trajectory tracking controllers can be formally derived by employing our proposed analysis. In addition, we formally show that our proposed distributed state synchronization and tracking control algorithms for EL systems is input-to-state stable (ISS) where the input is taken as parameter uncertainty as well as external disturbances. Our results are obtained for both fixed and switching communication network topologies. Simulation results for attitude control of a network of spacecraft demonstrate the effectiveness and capabilities of our proposed distributed control algorithms.
Phosphor-based fiber optic microprobes for ionizing beam radiation dosimetry

We have designed, fabricated, and characterized a fiberoptic probe composed of terbium-based phosphors for ionizing radiation dosimetry. Fiber optic probes consisting of ~1 mm layer of TbF3 covering the tip embedded in tissue-mimicking phantoms were irradiated with electron beams produced by a medical linear accelerator. Optical spectra of irradiated tips were taken using a fiber spectrometer. The luminescence signal from the phosphors was spectrally separated from the Cerenkov radiation generated in the fiber. In order to obtain the percent depth dose curve, the resultant decomposed spectra corresponding to the emission from the phosphors were considered as a measure of the absorbed dose. The measured depth dose curves using our fiber probes are in agreement with measurements performed by an electron diode, indicating the feasibility of using such fiber probes for ionizing radiation dosimetry.
Research and practice: What are we teaching about personal information management?

This study investigates the status of personal information management (PIM) in the library and information science curriculum. Although there has been increased interest in PIM research over the years, it is unclear how that research has affected pedagogy. Methods include analysis of PIM courses and a survey of researchers to assess their ideas and attitudes about what should be taught.
pNIC: a near-infrared camera for testing focal plane arrays

This paper describes the design and the performance of the Astrophysical Research Consortium prototype near-infrared camera (pNIC) designed to test focal plane arrays both on and off the telescope. Special attention is given to the detector in pNIC, the mechanical and optical designs, the electronics, and the instrument interface. Experiments performed to illustrate the most salient aspects of pNIC are described.
Toward a new theory of punishment

Criteria for a successful theory of punishment include first, that it specify a reasonable limit to punishments in particular cases, and second, that it allow benefits to outweigh costs in a penal institution.
Damage to Chromosomes and DNA of Rhesus Monkey Sperm Following Cryopreservation

Fresh and frozen-thawed rhesus monkey sperm were analyzed for DNA damage using the comet assay and for chromosome damage by cytogenetic analysis after intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) into mouse oocytes. The percentage of fresh sperm with damaged DNA in ejaculated semen was 0 to 2.7% (n = 5). Conventional cryopreservation and storage in liquid nitrogen caused DNA damage in 25.3% to 43.7% of sperm; when sperm were frozen without cryoprotectants, 52.7% to 92.0% of thawed sperm had DNA damage. However, no significant difference in chromosome damage was found between fresh sperm and frozen-thawed sperm when motile sperm were selected for ICSI. The percentage of sperm with abnormal karyotypes ranged from 0 to 8.3%. The most common structural chromosomal abnormalities in fresh motile sperm and frozen-thawed motile sperm were chromosome breaks or fragments. Our findings suggest that genetically competent frozen-thawed macaque sperm can be selected for fertilization by using only motile sperm for ICSI.
Vibration testing and dynamic modeling of automotive shock absorbers

This paper is a continuation of previously presented research work involving the dynamic characterization of automotive shock absorbers. The objective was to develop new testing and analysis methodologies for obtaining equivalent linear stiffness and damping of the shock absorbers for use in CAE- NVH low-to-mid frequency chassis models. It is well known that a hydraulic actuated elastomer test machine is not suitable for testing shocks in the mid-to-high frequency range where the typical road input displacements fall within the noise floor of the hydraulic machine. Hence, initially in this project, an electrodynamic shaker was used for exciting the shock absorbers under displacements less than 0.05 mm up to 500 Hz. Furthermore, instead of the swept sine technique, actual road data were used to excite the shocks. Equivalent linear spring-damper models were developed based on least- squares curve-fitting of the test data. The type of road profile did not influence the stiffness and damping values significantly for the range of amplitudes and frequencies considered. The success of the characterization of shock absorbers on the electrodynamic shaker using non-sinusoidal input has led to the development of a similar methodology to be employed on the hydraulic actuated elastomer test machine.© (2000) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Scientific Applications: An algorithm for identifying the ergodic subchains and transient states of a stochastic matrix

An algorithm for identifying the ergodic subchains and transient states of a stochastic matrix is presented. Applications in Markov renewal programming and in the construction of variable length codes are reviewed, and an updating procedure for dealing with certain sequences of stochastic matrices is discussed. Computation times are investigated experimentally and compared with those of another recently proposed method.
Damage due to fracture of brittle reinforcements in a ductile matrix

Abstract A micromechanical model is developed for brittle particle reinforced metal matrix composites sustaining damage. A composite with uniformly distributed damage is modelled by a three-phase damage cell consisting of a cracked particle in a cylindrical matrix cell embedded in an undamaged composite cylinder. The fraction of broken particles to all particles is taken as the ratio of the broken-particle/matrix cell volume to the whole damage cell volume. Systematic analysis is carried out for aligned spherical and cylindrical particles in an elastic-perfectly plastic matrix subject to tensile loading normal to the plane of particle cracks. The influence of damage evolution paths on the composite stress-strain behavior is investigated. Results are given for the effects of damaged particle percentage, total particle volume fraction and particle shape on the overall composite limit flow behavior. Significant reduction in composite limit flow stress may occur if most of the particles are broken. For composite with spherical reinforcement, the reduction is found to be linearly dependent on the percentage of damaged particles.
Excitation of EMIC waves detected by the Van Allen Probes on 28 April 2013

We report the wave observations, associated plasma measurements, and linear theory testing of electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) waves observed by the Van Allen Probes on 28 April 2013. The waves are detected in their generation regions as three individual events in the two consecutive orbits of the Van Allen Probes-A, but the other spacecraft, B, does not detect any significant EMIC wave activity during the period. Present are three overlapping H+ populations around the plasmapause during the waves. It is found that the difference between the observational EMIC wave growth parameter (Σ h ) and the theoretical EMIC instability threshold (S h ) is significantly raised, on average, to 0.32±0.03, 0.43±0.02, and 0.32±0.02 during the three waves, respectively. Compared to linear theory (Σ h > S h ), they are elevated thresholds for EMIC wave excitation.
Caged compounds: photorelease technology for control of cellular chemistry and physiology

Caged compounds are light-sensitive probes that functionally encapsulate biomolecules in an inactive form. Irradiation liberates the trapped molecule, permitting targeted perturbation of a biological process. Uncaging technology and fluorescence microscopy are 'optically orthogonal': the former allows control, and the latter, observation of cellular function. Used in conjunction with other technologies (for example, patch clamp and/or genetics), the light beam becomes a uniquely powerful tool to stimulate a selected biological target in space or time. Here I describe important examples of widely used caged compounds, their design features and synthesis, as well as practical details of how to use them with living cells.
The interaction of serum albumin with ethanol.

Abstract The reduced viscosity and specific rotation of 1% solutions of bovine serum albumin in aqueous ethanol were obtained at pH's 2, 3, and 4 at low ionic strength, and at high salt concentration at the isoionic point. The data are consistent with increased helical content and the breaking of hydrophobic bonds as a result of adding ethanol at low pH. Similar measurements in low ionic strength phosphate buffer near pH 7 in aqueous ethanol show aggregation occurring at a critical ethanol concentration with the destruction of a sufficient amount of hydrophobic bonding. At the isoionic point and near pH 7, where the protein is in a compact form, the changes in viscosity are much less pronounced than in acid solution where the protein is expandable. The inhibition of aggregation by p-chloromercuribenzoate indicates the importance of sulfhydryl-disulfide interchange in the aggregation process, and the solubility in 10 M urea of a gel obtained at high protein concentration shows that other bonds are also involved in maintaining the aggregate. Spectrophotometric studies of the binding of methyl orange by bovine and human serum albumins in borate buffer, pH 9.2, in aqueous ethanol showed that the binding sites responsible for the specific effect of human albumin on the spectrum of methyl orange may not be separated by ethanol. The results indicate the importance of hydrophobic bonds in maintaining the native structure of albumin, and that ethanol denatures by breaking hydrophobic bonds rather than hydrogen bonds.
Cytosolic free calcium and ATP in synaptosomes after ischemia.

Elevations in cytosolic free calcium ([Ca2+]i) precede electrophysiological alterations due to ischemia in vivo. An in vitro model of these changes would help to elucidate their molecular basis. A model of postdecapitative ischemia was used to study these interactions. Nerve endings (i.e. synaptosomes) were isolated either immediately after decapitation or at various time periods after decapitation. Synaptosomal [Ca2+]i and ATP concentrations were determined during a basal period and following depolarization. K(+)-depolarization produced an initial spike of [Ca2+]i that was followed by a new equilibrium value. Ischemia elevated the basal [Ca2+]i and the new equilibrium [Ca2+]i after KCl but suppressed the [Ca2+]i spike. However, the difference between the basal [Ca2+]i and the new equilibrium [Ca2+]i after K(+)-depolarization did not vary with ischemia. Although ischemia reduced ATP, K(+)-depolarization did not alter ATP concentrations in either the controls or the ischemia group, which suggests that synaptosomal mitochondria can meet an energy demand after ischemia. ATP was inversely related to the basal or the new equilibrium [Ca2+]i following depolarization. These changes in [Ca2+]i may underlie the alterations in neurotransmitter release and cell death following ischemia. This appears to be a useful model in which to study the molecular basis of ischemia induced changes in [Ca2+]i.
Physiological properties of cold resistance adaptation in the fresh-water crayfish Orconectes virilis

Abstract 1. 1. The pattern of O 2 uptake with temperature of measurement in 1, 11 and 21°C acclimated Orconectus virilis was identical in 1°C vs. 11°C crayfish (translation only), but significantly different in 21°C vs. 1°C or 11°C crayfish (translation and rotation). Q 10 determinations confirm these observations. 2. 2. Crayfish acclimated at higher temperatures had higher levels of O 2 consumption between 2 and 26°C (21°C>11°C>1°C), increased blood volumes and decreased intracellular water. 3. 3. The significance of the above observations was discussed with respect to cold resistance adaptation and selective advantages in the external environment.
Local population dynamics of adult butterflies and the conservation status of two closely related species

Abstract Intensive mark-recapture studies have become standard in attempts to elucidate the conservation status of butterfly populations. In order to test the usefulness of this approach, such mark-recapture studies were conducted with two Euphydryas species: E. editha , a highly endangered resident of grasslands on serpentine soils, and E. chalcedona , a ubiquitous resident of widespread coastal chaparral. Detailed statistical analysis of the resulting data revealed few differences between the two species in most adult population parameters that have been measured in previous studies, despite the two species' disparate conservation status. This suggests that standard mark-recapture statistics alone are insufficient to reveal adult population features that distinguish species susceptible to extinction from those that are comparatively more secure. New approaches both to mark-recapture analysis and the study of endangered species in general are needed to generate more useful information concerning the conservation status of invertebrate populations.
The intestinal absorption of dietary folates in health and disease.

Dietary folates exist as pteroylpolyglutamates (PteGlun) that undergo hydrolysis to pteroylmonoglutamate (PteGlu) forms during the process of intestinal absorption. Using the technique of jejunal perfusion of separately labeled folates, our laboratory has demonstrated that hydrolysis of PteGlun occurs on the surface of the jejunum and is a prerequisite for folate absorption. An intestinal brush border pteroylpolyglutamate hydrolase (BB-PPH) has been identified in human and pig jejunum with characteristics that are distinct from those of an intracellular hydrolase (IC-PPH). Functional parallels of BB-PPH with in vivo hydrolysis of PteGlun in human and pig intestine and the clinical responsiveness of BB-PPH to different disease states indicate that this enzyme plays the major physiological role in folate absorption. Folate malabsorption is found in diseases which affect the jejunal mucosa and in response to various drugs. In most of these clinical conditions, folate malabsorption results from suppression of...
Expression microarray analysis reveals alternative splicing of LAMA3 and DST genes in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Purpose Prior studies have demonstrated tumor-specific alternative splicing events in various solid tumor types. The role of alternative splicing in the development and progression of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is unclear. Our study queried exon-level expression to implicate splice variants in HNSCC tumors.
Placental histology in fetuses between 18 and 23 weeks' gestation with abnormal karyotype

Placentas from karyotypically abnormal fetuses (18 to 23 weeks' gestation) were analyzed prospectively at the light microscopic level. Group I consisted of 14 control placentas. Group II consisted of 14 placentas from fetuses with an abnormal karyotype. Secondary and tertiary stem villi counts, small muscular artery counts, and total vessel counts were determined per 100 × field. There were no differences in secondary and tertiary stem villi counts between groups. A significant decrease in small muscular artery counts ( p p
Effect of Back Supports on Back Strength in Patients With Osteoporosis: A Pilot Study

Objective To determine the effect of application of back supports on back strength in subjects with osteoporosis. Design In a prospective, randomized, controlled study, we compared compliance and evaluated changes in back strength in 45 women with osteoporosis who were older than 40 years of age and were randomly assigned to one of three groups: (1) pos­tural exercise only, (2) postural exercise and a conven­tional thoracolumbar support, or (3) postural exercise and a Posture Training Support (PTS) (a weighted kypho-orthosis). Material and Methods Of the 45 study participants, 15 were assigned to a PTS group, 15 to conventional thoracolumbar support, and 15 to no orthosis. All subjects were instructed in basic body mechanics and postural exercises. Back extensor strength, grip strength, and patient's physical activity were measured at baseline and at subsequent 8-week intervals for a 16-week period. Each patient's compliance during the study period was also recorded. Results Compliance was poor among the thoracolumbar group; only 5 of the 15 subjects completed the study ( P %), al though poor compliance in the thoracolumbar group yielded insufficient power to detect a significant difference in this group. No statistically significant difference was found between the improvements in the PTS and control groups, possibly because of the small sample size in this pilot study. One patient who wore the PTS for only 4 hours a day rather than 8 hours had the largest percentage increase in back extensor strength of this group (78%). At 16 weeks, decreases in back strength of more than 5% below the initial measurements were noted in 1 of 11 subjects (9%) who completed the control arm of the study, 2 of 14 (14%) who completed the PTS arm, and 2 of 5 (40 %) who completed the thoracolumbar arm. Conclusion Compliance with use of the PTS was better than that with the thoracolumbar support. Back extensor strength may increase in patients who comply with the PTS and postural exercise program. We caution, however, that this pilot study requires replication in a larger series to determine the clinical and statistical generalizability of these findings to a wider population.
Process Optimization for Multiple Responses Utilizing the Pareto Front Approach

In many optimization situations, there are several responses associated with a product or process that need to be jointly considered. This article presents Pareto front multiple objective optimization as an option to complement other statistical and mat..
A two-dimensional model of the chemical vapor deposition of silicon nitride in a low-pressure hot-wall reactor including multicomponent diffusion

Abstract A multidimensional model has been developed and applied to simulate the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of silicon nitride from silicon tetrafluoride and ammonia in a low-pressure hot-wall reactor. The purpose of this work is to evaluate the effects of gas-phase transport and reactant depletion on the uniformity and rate of deposition of silicon nitride by CVD in order to provide a basis for reactor scaling and process control. Two irreversible surface reactions are used to model the deposition chemistry. Diffusion is shown to be important relative to convection in transporting gas-phase reactants to the surface where the chemical reactions occur. Reactant depletion also has a significant impact on the deposition. Multicomponent diffusion of the five reacting species is studied by solving the Stefan-Maxwell equations; the results are compared with those obtained using the simpler mixture-averaged approximation to multicomponent diffusion.