cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract 2431: Downregulation of PHLPP promotes glycolysis in colon cancer cells

PHLPP belongs to a novel family of Ser/Thr protein phosphatases. Our previous studies have shown that PHLPP can antagonize multiple signaling pathways by negatively regulating signaling molecules such as Akt, S6K, and PKC. Functionally, PHLPP serves as a tumor suppressor to inhibit cell proliferation, promote apoptosis and increase therapeutic sensitivity in colon cancer cells. Here, we further examined the role of PHLPP in regulating metabolic pathways in colon cancer. Control and PHLPP knockdown cells colon cancer cells, as well as wild-type and Phlpp knockout MEF cells, were subjected to bioenergetic phenotype analysis using Seahorse XF96 analyzer. The mitochondrial respiration measurements revealed that decreased PHLPP expression resulted in an increase in oxygen consumption rate (OCR) suggesting enhanced cellular respiration. In addition, PHLPP depletion significantly stimulated glycolysis as indicated by increased extracellular acidification rate (ECAR). Consistently, the rates of glucose consumption and lactate production were significantly increased in PHLPP knockdown cells. Furthermore, the numbers of apoptotic cells were increased in PHLPP knockdown cells compared to control cells when cultured in glucose-free medium, suggesting that loss of PHLPP expression render cells more sensitive to glucose deprivation as they became relied on glycolysis. To begin determining the underlying molecular mechanism, we found that the activity of both Akt and S6K was largely induced in PHLPP-knockdown cancer cells and PHLPP-knockout MEF cells. Since both kinases are known to play important roles in re-programming metabolic networks to favor tumor growth, it is likely that PHLPP inhibits glycolysis by negatively regulating Akt- and S6K-mediated metabolic effects. Taken together, our studies identified PHLPP as a novel regulator of glucose metabolism in colon cancer cells. Downregulation of PHLPP may promote tumorigenesis by providing metabolic advantages in colon cancer Citation Format: Yang-an Wen, Xiaopeng Xiong, Tianyan Gao. Downregulation of PHLPP promotes glycolysis in colon cancer cells. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 2431. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-2431
Ocular proprioception and efference copy in registering visual direction.

Abstract We measured the roles of eye muscle proprioception (“inflow”) and efference copy (“outflow”) in registering eye position. During monocular fixation, pressing on the side of an occluded eye results in a passive rotation, changing the proprioception without affecting oculomotor efference. As we have shown previously, a constant press on the side of the viewing eye induces active resistance to rotation, changing efference because oculomotor innervation compensates for the eyepress; the viewing eye's fixation remains constant. Using these two types of eyepress, both perceived target deviations and pointing biases in an unstructured visual field were measured in 8 subjects under efference copy, proprioception and control (no eyepress) conditions. Eye deviation was measured photoelectrically. Physiological gains of efference copy and proprioception were about5/8 and1/4 respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between perceptual judgement and open-loop pointing. The sum of gains of efference copy and proprioception, about7/8, indicates incomplete registration of eye eccentricity in an unstructured field, and quantitatively accounts for several previously unexplained results in the literature.
UMass/Hughes: description of the CIRCUS system used for MUC-5

The primary goal of our effort is the development of robust and portable language processing capabilities for information extraction applications. The system under evaluation here is based on language processing components that have demonstrated strong performance capabilities in previous evaluations [Lehnert et al. 1992a]. Having demonstrated the general viability of these techniques, we are now concentrating on the practicality of our technology by creating trainable system components to replace hand-coded data and manually-engineered software.
Host -guest interactions involving platinum anticancer agents. DNA binding and cytotoxicity of a β-cyclodextrin-adamantane-Pt(IV) complex

Abstract A Pt(IV) complex, 1-adamantanemethylamine–Pt(IV), 2, a potential prodrug of the Pt(II) anticancer agent cisplatin was synthesized by tethering 1-adamantanemethylamine to oxoplatin using a dicarboxylate linker. The host–guest inclusion complex of 2 with β-cyclodextrin, is less toxic toward neuroblastoma SK-N-SH cells than cisplatin. Reduction of the inclusion complex with ascorbic acid produces a Pt(II) product that binds to and unwinds pBR322 form I DNA in a manner that is similar to that of cisplatin.
Synthesis, characterization, and laser flash photolysis reactivity of a carbonmonoxy heme complex.

We present here the synthesis, characterization, and flash photolysis study of [(F8TPP)FeII(CO)(THF)] (1) {F8TPP = tetrakis(2,6-difluorophenyl)porphyrinate(2−)}. Complex 1 crystallizes from THF/hep...
Similarity vs unitary similarity and perturbation analysis of sign characteristics: Complex and real indefinite inner products

For selfadjoint and unitary matrices with respect to indefinite inner products on finite dimensional complex or real vector spaces, the unitary similarity relation is studied in contrast to the similarity relation. The number of unitary similarity classes in a similarity class of such matrices is identified. It is proved that under sufficiently small perturbations, similarity of selfadjoint or unitary (with respect to an indefinite inner product) matrices implies unitary similarity. Estimates are given for the sizes of perturbation that guarantee this property. Canonical forms and sign characteristics play a key role in the proofs. A perturbation analysis is developed of the sign characteristics in the real case, under sufficiently small structure preserving perturbations of both selfadjoint or unitary matrices and of the indefinite inner product.
Bellevue pouch: Ileocolonic continent urinary reservoir

The technique for the Bellevue Pouch, another continent intestinal reservoir, is described. A large-capacity low-pressure reservoir is created from detubularized ascending colon, cecum, and terminal ileum. Continence is achieved by means of an intussuscepted segment of ileum and a modulating colonic pressure cuff wrapped around it. The operation has been performed on 19 patients, all of whom achieved satisfactory continence. Two patients were converted to free drainage systems at a later date. Average follow-up was twenty-five months.
Advanced Technology Solar Telescope 4.2 m Off-axis Primary Mirror Fabrication

Advanced optical surfacing technologies are applied for the Advanced Technology Solar Telescope 4.2 m off-axis primary mirror fabrication. A newly developed Stressed lap and IR deflectometry system are demonstrated for a highly deterministic manufacturing process.
On analytic potential functions and molecular dynamics for reactions on metal surfaces

We present a method that allows one to obtain reaction energy profiles for dissociation/recombination reactions on metal surfaces. Our method is related to the bond order conservation-Morse potential method of Shustorovich but with the differences that we employ dynamic Morse potentials and our modified bond order conservation law. Our method approximates the energy curves along the reaction coordinates and is applicable to all manner of dissociations (not just symmetric dissociations). We compare the results of our method with ab initio energy curves in the literature, experimental results and the results of the BOC-MP model of Shustorovich. Our model is able to produce reasonable representations of the reaction energy profiles for the decomposition of methane thiol and SH on gold, and, it produces energy profiles that agree with ab initio calculations and the model of Shustorovich. We also present a molecular dynamics simulation of the dissociation of H2 on Ni(111), employing this method for obtaining reactive potential energy functions, and, demonstrate that the reciprocals of the computed reaction times obey Arrhenius kinetics.
Optically based velocity and topographic measurement systems in the nano-scale for developing optical initiation

We have developed a suite of optical diagnostics and analyses for probing the velocity and spatial distribution of ablatively launched metal with nano-scale precision. We utilize a nanosecond laser pulse to launch a thin layer of metal and then use optical and opto-electronic devices to diagnose the velocity and topography. Our Photonic Doppler Velocimeter (PDV) utilizes the heterodyne principle that allows us to track multiple velocity components. We have investigated a number of different methods for analyzing this data to provide increased velocity and temporal resolution. We also discuss the possibilities to extend the sensitivity of the PDV system to provide a compact diagnostic with a broad range of capabilities. Our topographer is based on the Shack-Hartmann interferometer that can resolve the changing shape of the ablated metal surface as it is launched. We compare the experimental data to hydrodynamic simulations to provide a feedback loop to improve our theoretical models. The ultimate goal is to develop a well-understood laser-based firing set for direct optical initiation (DOI) of explosives.
Approaches for Developing Alternatives in Planning

. In the past planners have used various approaches to develop alternative plans for planning studies. These include: rational thought which draws upon the planners' knowledge, experience and judgement; objectives which emphasize specific values such as economic and environmental; technologies which achieve the same objective; public preferences which reflect public values and interests; alternative futures which array a diverse range of possible futures; mathematical models which rapidly evaluate possible alternatives; cost sharing policies which consider a participant's financial interest; Delphi technique utilizing a diversity of professional expertise; the IDEA method which stimulates and evaluates large numbers of alternatives. Most of these approaches have found application on various planning studies.
Stationary domain wall contribution to enhanced ferroelectric susceptibility

In ferroelectrics, the effect of domain wall motion on properties has been widely studied, but non-motional or stationary contributions from the volume of material within the domain wall itself has received less attention. Here we report the measurement of stationary domain wall contributions to permittivity in PbZr(0.2)Ti(0.8)O₃ films. Studies of (001)-, (101)- and (111)-oriented epitaxial films reveal that (111)-oriented films, in which the motional domain wall contributions are frozen out, exhibit permittivity values approximately three times larger than the intrinsic response alone. This discrepancy can only be accounted for by considering a stationary contribution from the domain wall volume of the material that is 6-78 times larger than the bulk response, and is consistent with predictions of the enhancement of susceptibilities within 90° domain walls. This work offers new insights into the microscopic origin of dielectric enhancement and provides a pathway to engineer the dielectric response of materials.
Serum aminotransferase activity and mortality risk in a United States community.

Serum aminotransferase [such as aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT)] is commonly used as an indicator of liver disease. The aim of the study was to determine the degree to which aminotransferase results are associated with increased mortality at the population level. All adult residents of Olmsted County, Minnesota, who had a health care encounter at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, in 1995 were identified and their AST or ALT results extracted from a laboratory database. These subjects were followed forward from January 1995 to April 2006 and their survival determined. To exclude patients with abnormal results because of a terminal illness, deaths within the first 2 years were excluded. The main outcome measure was survival. Standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) were calculated, based on Minnesota White death rates. During 1995, AST was measured at least once in 18,401 community residents, of whom 2,350 (13%) had results greater than the upper limit of normal (ULN). Of 6,823 subjects who had their ALT measured, 911 (13%) had results higher than ULN. Abnormal AST was associated with a significantly increased SMR (1.32 for 1–2× ULN and 1.78 for >2× ULN). SMR was also higher for abnormal ALT (SMR = 1.21 for 1–2× ULN and 1.51 for >2× ULN). In contrast, normal AST or ALT was associated with a risk of death lower than expected (SMR 0.95 for AST, 0.61 for ALT). Conclusion: Serum levels of AST and ALT obtained in a routine medical care setting are associated with future mortality in community residents. (HEPATOLOGY 2008;47:880–887.)
A quantitative model for allosteric control of purine reduction by murine ribonucleotide reductase.

The reduction of purine nucleoside diphosphates by murine ribonucleotide reductase requires catalytic (R1) and free radical-containing (R2) enzyme subunits and deoxynucleoside triphosphate allosteric effectors. A quantitative 16 species model is presented, in which all pertinent equilibrium constants are evaluated, that accounts for the effects of the purine substrates ADP and GDP, the deoxynucleoside triphosphate allosteric effectors dGTP and dTTP, and the dimeric murine R2 subunit on both the quaternary structure of murine R1 subunit and the dependence of holoenzyme (R1(2)R2(2)) activity on substrate and effector concentrations. R1, monomeric in the absence of ligands, dimerizes in the presence of substrate, effectors, or R2(2) because each of these ligands binds R1(2) with higher affinity than R1 monomer. This leads to apparent positive heterotropic cooperativity between substrate and allosteric effector binding that is not observed when binding to the dimeric protein itself is evaluated. Allosteric activation results from an increase in k(cat) for substrate reduction upon binding of the correct effector, rather than from heterotropic cooperativity between effector and substrate. Neither the allosteric site nor the active site displays nucleotide base specificity: dissociation constants for dGTP and dTTP are nearly equivalent and K(m) and k(cat) values for both ADP and GDP are similar. R2(2) binding to R1(2) shows negative heterotropic cooperativity vis-a-vis effectors but positive heterotropic cooperativity vis-a-vis substrates. Binding of allosteric effectors to the holoenzyme shows homotropic cooperativity, suggestive of a conformational change induced by activator binding. This is consistent with kinetic results indicating full dimer activation upon binding a single equivalent of effector per R1(2)R2(2).
National Conversations About the Costs of U.S. Health Care: A Content Analysis of Media Coverage, 1993-2010

This study evaluated 531 newspaper articles and television transcripts to examine how the U.S. media presented the issue of rising health care costs from 1993 to 2010. The prominence of health care...
Sex differences in the distribution and regulation of glucocorticoid receptors in cardiac tissues of rats

We compared the binding of [3H]-dexamethasone in cytosols prepared from atria and ventricles. The effects of steroid treatment and adrenalectomy on receptor concentration were measured in both male and female rats. In male rats the distribution of receptors was similar in atria and ventricles. In contrast, the atria of female rats in all treatment groups had twice the number of receptors as did the ventricles. Adrenalectomy in females resulted in receptor up-regulation, but dexamethasone treatment, which was effective in reducing binding in males and in the ventricles of females, failed to alter atrial binding in females. These results suggest that the atria of female rats may be more responsive than ventricles to the effects of circulating glucocorticoids.
2-D Image of Seismic Attenuation beneath the Deep Seismic Sounding Profile "Quartz," Russia

We present a 2-D image of the upper mantle attenuation using nuclear explosion data from the ultra-long refraction/reflection profile “Quartz.” Our analysis is based on a modified common spectrum technique followed by least-squares inversion for Q and iterative ray tracing in the velocity structure obtained earlier. The resulting attenuation structure corroborates the earlier model for northern Eurasia, as well as our recent estimate based on the analysis of the long-range P n phase, and provides significantly more detail than the existing models. The resulting upper mantle attenuation structure is characterised by Q values ranging from 400 to 1800. Down to the depths of 150–190, and probably 400 km, the attenuation increases horizontally in SE direction, away from the Baltic Shield. Our model exhibits strong 2-D, vertical and horizontal attenuation contrasts. A high-attenuation layer in the depth range of 120–150 to 160–180 km can apparently be associated with the presence of a partial melts within the base of the lithosphere.
Health Related Quality of Life in Patients with Bladder Exstrophy: A Call for Targeted Interventions

Purpose: Research on health related quality of life in patients with bladder exstrophy has demonstrated mixed results compared to population samples. Few studies have had a comparison group with a urological disorder and none correlated body image to health related quality of life. We compared health related quality of life in patients with bladder exstrophy to that in patients with kidney stones and correlated body image to health related quality of life in the bladder exstrophy population.Materials and Methods: Participants included 24 patients with kidney stones and 24 with bladder exstrophy. Patient age was 8 to 25 years. Participants completed the PedsQL (Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory) and the 25-item multiple choice UBIQ (Urological Body Image Questionnaire), which was created for the current study.Results: Compared to patients with kidney stones those with bladder exstrophy indicated significantly higher scores on physical functioning (p = 0.0005) and overall health related quality of life (p...
Accelerating linear projects

Scheduling linear repetitive construction projects, such as highways and pipelines, poses unique challenges due to maintaining crew work continuity. An efficient method is presented, developed to accelerate the delivery of this class of projects so as to meet a specified deadline with least associated cost. The method is simple and ensures crew work continuity. An iterative approach is employed, where, in each iteration, the project schedule is analysed and an activity is identified as the controlling activity. A controlling activity is an activity that if accelerated, would reduce project duration at least additional cost. Upon its identification, the method selects an expediting strategy that would reduce project duration, and the project is rescheduled. Several expediting strategies are considered, including working overtime, double shifts and weekends. The method is implemented in a prototype software that operates in a Windows® environment, providing a user‐friendly graphical interface. It has an ope...
Design of minimum drag bodies in incompressible laminar flow

The problem of modifying the shape of a two-dimensional body to reduce its drag while maintaining its section area (volume per unit span) constant is addressed. Two-dimensional, incompressible, laminar flow governed by the steady-state Navier-Stokes equations is assumed about the body. In this study, a set of “adjoint” equations are solved which permits the calculation of the direction and relative magnitude of change in the body profile that leads to a lower drag. The direct as well as the adjoint set of partial differential equations are obtained for Dirichlet-type far-field conditions. Repeatedly modifying the body shape with each solution to these two sets of equations with the above boundary conditions, would lead to a body with minimum drag, for a specified section area. For such a body the product of “direct” shear and the “adjoint” shear is constant everywhere along the body. Even though viscous terms are retained in the direct and the adjoint equations, far field boundary conditions are obtained ...
Remembrance of things past: Maintaining gene expression patterns with altered chromatin

Eukaryotic organisms have evolved mechanisms to stably preserve the gene expression patterns that determine cell fate. Recent advances have been made in understanding the DNA sequences and protein factors required to propagate gene activation or silencing. These studies suggest that, after gene activity states are selected during development, maintenance protein complexes provide a molecular memory of those states by altering a local domain of chromatin structure.
Sol formation rates in acid catalyzed titanium isopropoxide water reaction in isopropanol

Abstract Acid catalyzed sol-forming reactions of titanium isopropoxide with water in isopropanol solutions were investigated by quasielastic light scattering (QELS) and viscosity measurements. Light scattering was used to determine the dependence of the intensity average mean diameter on time during the sol formation. The rate of increase of the specific viscosity was also determined. The rates of increase of diameter and specific viscosity exhibited similar complex dependencies on the HCl catalyst concentration; a minimum near 10 mM with a second decrease as the HCl concentration approached 100 mM. The dependence of these rates on the concentration of the acid catalyst was qualitatively similar to patterns observed for acid catalyzed sol formation by the reaction of silicon alkoxlides with water. The difference in the rates of increase of the colloid diameter and the specific viscosity was used to estimate the fractal dimension of the colloid during the sol formation. In the range of HCl concentration corresponding to a minimum in diameter growth rate, 5–20 mM for these solutions, the colloid species had fractal dimensions near 2. At acid concentrations increasing and decreasing from this range the fractal dimension increased to approach 3.
A Matrix Cross Ratio Theorem for the Riccati Equation

Abstract The notion of the cross ratio and its invariance under bilinear mappings is an important result of classical complex analysis. The cross ratio has been extended to functions of several complex variables by C. L. Siegel in his study of the symplectic group. We present in this paper a new result for a generalized cross ratio valid for solutions to the matrix Riccati equation. An application of this generalized cross ratio to singular filtering problems allows one to develop a singular perturbation expansion with matrix coefficients for the solution to the corresponding Riccati equation.
Effect of alcohol on cyclical myoelectric activity of the opossum sphincter of Oddi.

Abstract Ethyl alcohol may adversely affect pancreatic function by perturbing sphincter of Oddi (SO) or duodenal motor activity. The aim of this study was to identify the effect of ingested alcohol on the SO, duodenal, and gastric myoelectric activity in conscious opossums. In five adult opossums bipolar stranded stainless-steel wire electrodes were implanted on the SO, gastric antrum, and duodenum. After a 2-week recovery period, each animal underwent eight 8-hr recording sesions while fasted and awake. After two fasting cycles of the migrating myoelectric complex, animals were randomly fed either 10 ml of a 30% ethyl alcohol solution or 10 ml of water via an esophageal tube, and recordings continued for 4–6 hr. During the control state, cyclical myoelectric spike activity was recorded from the SO, gastric antrum, and duodenum with a mean ± SD cycle length of 73.5 ± 15.0 min, 74.3 ± 10.1 min, and 94.8 ± 8.7 min, respectively. With alcohol, SO and duodenal cycle lengths were unchanged while gastric cycle length decreased. However, alcohol effected a significant increase in peak SO spike burst frequency with no corresponding change in gastric or duodenal spike burst frequency. An equivalent volume of water had no influence on sphincter of Oddi myoelectric activity. It is concluded that ingested alcohol induces increased myoelectric activity from the opossum SO, independent of changes in activity of the duodenum or stomach. Since the SO plays a major role in metering bile and pancreatic flow into the duodenum, this may be a factor in alcohol-induced pancreatitis.
Mindful Eating: An Emerging Approach for Healthy Weight Management

Excess weight continues to exact high costs at the individual, national, and global levels. Traditional methods used to reduce excess weight and promote healthy weight regulation have not been over...
Supporting ranking and clustering as generalized order-by and group-by

The Boolean semantics of SQL queries cannot adequately capture the "fuzzy" preferences and "soft" criteria required in non-traditional data retrieval applications. One way to solve this problem is to add a flavor of "information retrieval" into database queries by allowing fuzzy query conditions and flexibly supporting grouping and ranking of the query results within the DBMS engine. While ranking is already supported by all major commercial DBMSs natively, support of flexibly grouping is still very limited (i.e., group-by). In this paper, we propose to generalize group-by to enable flexible grouping (clustering specifically) of the query results. Different from clustering in data mining applications, our focus is on supporting efficient clustering of Boolean results generated at query time. Moreover, we propose to integrate ranking and clustering with Boolean conditions, forming a new type of ClusterRank query to allow structured data retrieval. Such an integration is nontrivial in terms of both semantics and query processing. We investigate various semantics of this type of queries. To process such queries, a straightforward approach is to simply glue the techniques developed for ranking-only and clustering-only together. This approach is costly since both ranking and clustering are treated as blocking post-processing tasks upon Boolean query results by existing techniques. We propose a summary-based evaluation method that utilizes bitmap index to seamlessly integrate Boolean conditions, clustering, and ranking. Experimental study shows that our approach significantly outperforms the straightforward one and maintains high clustering quality.
Gerontological Social Work with Older African American Adults

Abstract The proportion of older adults in the U.S. population is growing. By the year 2050, 21% of all Americans aged 65+ years will be members of minority groups, with African Americans comprising the largest subgroup. Disparities in health status and mortality exist between older African American and Caucasian adults. The charge to gerontolog-ical social work in the new millennium is to develop effective means of reducing racial disparities in health status. This paper presents some of the key health issues facing older African American adults and describes approaches that could be used by gerontological social work practitioners and researchers in helping to close the widening racial gap in health status.
A mixed research study of pedagogical approaches and student learning in doctoral-level mixed research courses

Scant explicit guidance currently exists on how to teach mixed research courses. Thus, the purpose of this mixed research study was to compare and to contrast pedagogical approaches used by instructors in mixed research courses, as well as the learning experiences of students enrolled in a mixed research course. This investigation involved the use of a fully mixed concurrent dominant status design and a mixed sampling design that involved a combination of concurrent, identical, sequential, nested, and multilevel sampling. The teacher participants were eight instructors of mixed research courses from institutions around the United States who were purposively selected via critical case sampling such that they represented first generation instructors of mixed research courses. These participants were interviewed either face-to-face or remotely (e.g., via Skype). The student participants were 48 doctoral students enrolled in one of three sections of a doctoral-level mixed research course taught by one of the teacher participants who provided both quantitative (e.g., number of research methodology courses taken) and qualitative (e.g., mixed methodological dissertation research proposals, reflexive journals) data. Among the numerous findings emerging from the instructor interview data was the emergence of a three-dimensional model for categorizing and organizing pedagogical approaches used in mixed research courses. For the student participants, the number of prior research methodology courses was positively related to the quality of mixed methodological dissertation research proposals. Further, the vast majority of students (91.7%) reported positive course experiences and expressed positive perceptions about mixed research. Implications are discussed.
Viscoelastic properties of blends of “entangled” polymers

The effect of molecular weight distribution on the viscoelastic properties of “entangled” polymers has been examined with blends of narrowly distributed polystyrene and broadly distributed polydimethylsiloxane. It is shown that blending laws established for nonentangled polymers do not apply to high molecular weight systems. The steady-state shear compliance of a blend is examined as a function of its molecular weight and the molecular weight of its components, and an approximation is given for the longtime viscoelastic response of entangled blends.
MANUFACTURE OF COMPOSITE TEST SPECIMENS FOR DELAMINATION STUDIES

This paper describes the process for manufacturing high-quality test specimens for uses in evaluations of interlaminar tensile strength of laminated composites. The chosen specimen configuration is a curved beam which experiences interlaminar tension in the region of greatest curvature when the beam is subjected to 'opening' forces. The manufacturing process uses a lock-mold tooling approach, the principle of which relies upon the difference in coefficients of thermal expansion between the internal rubber mandrel and the surrounding steel female mold. With this method, compaction pressures above those provided by a typical autoclave can be achieved.
Cholinesterase in boll weevils, Anthonomus grandis Boheman—I. Distribution and some properties of the crude enzyme

Abstract 1. 1. Homogenates of adult boll weevils, Anthonomus grandis Boheman, apparently contained only one enzyme that catalyzed hydrolysis of choline esters. 2. 2. The enzyme was primarily associated with the particulate fraction of homogenates and was almost evenly distributed between the abdomen (55 per cent) and the head plus thorax (45 per cent). 3. 3. Based on information obtained from studies of substrate specificity, eserine inhibition, and the influence of substrate concentration, pH and temperature on activity, the enzyme was tentatively classified as an acetylcholinesterase (AChE). 4. 4. In adult weevils of a colony reared in continuous light, the levels of AChE were relatively constant during a 24-hr period; however, when the weevils were reared with a 14L-10D daily photoperiodic regimen, enzyme activity definitely was higher in weevils during the light hours.
Fluctuating asymmetry and the mating system of the Japanese scorpionfly, Panorpa japonica

Abstract Fluctuating asymmetry is defined as small, random deviations from perfect bilateral symmetry in a morphological trait. Although fluctuating asymmetry has been of interest to population and conservation biologists for decades because it is often negatively correlated with heterozygosity, growth, fecundity and survival, fluctuating asymmetry's role in sexual selection has only recently been investigated. In fights for nuptial food items between adult males of the Japanese scorpionfly, Panorpa japonica , under field conditions, fluctuating asymmetry of forewing length is significantly less in winners than in losers. Also, mating males in nature have relatively low fluctuating asymmetry compared with non-mating males. Males that lose competition for nuptial gifts become satellites of males with gifts, and the losers attempt forced copulation but have very low mating success relative to gift-holding males because females prefer to mate with gift-holders and actively avoid satellites. Under semi-natural cage conditions, fluctuating asymmetry and both male mating success and survival are significantly negatively correlated; the same correlation was found in caged females for survival but not for mating success. The fluctuating asymmetry and male body size relationship differs markedly between two populations. In one population, males show the relationship that is often found in studies of fluctuating asymmetry, that is, the largest and smallest individuals have maximum fluctuating asymmetry, and individuals of intermediate size have the least fluctuating asymmetry. In the second population, males of all body sizes show similar variation in fluctuating asymmetry. Inbreeding, parasites and/or physical conditions may play a causal role in variation in fluctuating asymmetry within and between populations of P. japonica .
Instability in radiative C-type shock waves

Radiative C-type shock waves are examined for the instability in the balance between ion-neutral drag and magnetic stresses found within isothermal shock fronts. Steady shock models are constructed in which the molecular gas is heated by ion-neutral friction and cools by rotational transitions of H 2 , and their stability to small perturbations is analysed.
Touching Japanese Popular Culture: From Flows to Contact for Ethnographic Analysis

This essay explores the idea of touch as a means to think about Japanese popular culture in a transnational perspective. In the years since Appadurai coined the idea of ‘scapes’ of flow, we have witnessed a growing interest in phenomena associated with border crossing. As a counterpoint, I consider several examples of Japanese culture that could be seen as ‘transnational flow’, but provide different insights if viewed in terms of touch, encounter, and contact. In particular, I consider a Japanese rapper's dismay at the selection of his album cover as one of the worst of 2010, an American reviewer's distaste at a style of Japanese figurine production, and the integration of contemporary art exhibits in a rural island community in Japan. In each case, the moments and spaces of contact point to a way of understanding cultural influence less via the process of crossing borders than in terms of highlighting locations where cultural difference comes into contact. These examples of ‘touch’ also offer a way of un...
A simple model for Junge's relationship between concentration fluctuations and residence times for tropospheric trace gases

A simple model is advanced to explain Junge’s empirical result relating the residence times oftrace gases in the troposphere to a coefficient of deviation of their concentrations. It is shownthat Junge’s result can be derived from a peculiar definition for the concentration variations inspace, based only on the spatial variation of the mean concentration. Nevertheless, forsufficiently uniform sources and sinks of the gases, the result can be used to estimatetropospheric residence-times of gases, if account is taken for the interval sampled. DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0889.1988.tb00292.x
Simulation of Weatherlike Doppler Spectra and Signals

Abstract A versatile algorithm to generate weatherlike spectra of any desired shape is described, and applications are briefly discussed.
Toward Teacher Education Research That Informs Policy

This article investigates the extent to which researchers are currently engaged in a shared research program that offers systematic evidence of the classroom impact of organized venues (preservice as well as inservice) for teacher professional learning. The article stems from concern about policies rooted in suspicion that teacher education is either ineffective or tangential to improving outcomes for students, as well as earlier findings that far too little teacher education research has been designed to address that suspicion with data (Cochran-Smith & Zeichner, 2005; Yoon, Duncan, Lee, Scarloss, and Shapely, 2007). An analysis of 196 articles published in 2012 in four leading teacher education journals internationally found only 1% to report large-scale mixed-methods studies, only 6% to examine the impact of teacher education on teaching practice and/or student learning, and most of the rest to be conducted within rather than across silos. Three recommendations for strengthening teacher education resea...
A High Throughput Packet-Switching Network with Neural Network Controlled Bypass Queueing and Multiplexing

This paper proposes a high throughput packet switching network with bypass queues based on a MIN. We improve the switch throughput by partitioning the input buffers into disjoint buffer sets and multiplexing several sets of nonblocking packets within a time slot. A neural network model is presented as a controller for packet scheduling and multiplexing in the switch.
Thrust faults and related structures in eastern Cuba

Detailed areal mapping in central Camaguey Province and reconnaissance mapping in northern and eastern Oriente Province, Cuba, have revealed two major structural zones: (1) A zone of intense deformation, including thrust faulting, which lies north of the geographic axis of the island; and (2) a belt of domical mountains bounded on the north by Nipe Bay and the coast, and on the south by the Cauto trough and Guantilnamo basin. In Camaguey, extensive masses of serpentine and overlying tuffs have been complexly folded and overridden from the north by a block, at least 25 miles long, of limestones that form the Sierra de Cubitas and Sierra de Camajan. The overthrust carried a northern fades of Cretaceous and Eocene limestones over a southern fades of tuffaceous rocks of similar age, and had a displacement of at least six miles. In places serpentine was thrust over younger formations, and most of the shearing in the serpentine is attributed to diastrophism. A thrust zone exposed in Loma La Vigia, 15 miles north of Holguin, suggests a similar tectonic history for northern Oriente Province. Chaotic giant breccias that include waterlaid debris indicate that the overthrusts moved across the ancient land surface in both Camaguey and Oriente districts. The folding apparently began in the Cretaceous and culminated in overthrusting during early middle Eocene time. Post-Eocene deformation appears to be limited to warping or doming to maximum angles of about 20 degrees. The zone of domical mountains is somewhat more than 100 miles long from east to west by 25 to 30 miles wide, and comprises three main units: (1) the Sierra de Nipe and (2) Sierra del Cristal domes, principally of serpentine; and (3) the Cuchillas uplift, which includes the Cuchillas de Toar and Sierra de Purlal, composed of serpentine and pre-serpentine rocks. These uplifts are overlapped progressively on all sides by sediments ranging in age from Upper Cretaceous to Oligocene and Miocene, the older beds in places being highly folded. The mountains owe their present relief of 2000 to 4000 feet to the doming of an extensive erosion surface in the late Pliocene or early Pleistocene. The north and east flanks of the Cuchillas uplift extend below sea level, and drowned streams and elevated coral reefs show regional instability since the last major doming.
CA-in-a-box

An enterprise (such as an institute of higher education) wishing to deploy a PKI must choose between several options, all expensive and awkward. It might outsource certification to a third-party company; it might purchase CA software and appliances from a third-party company; it might try to build and maintain its own CA. In the latter two options, the enterprise faces the additional challenge of showing sufficiently safe practices to have its CA certified or cross-certified, for broader inter-operability. This paper presents our research and development effort to address this problem. We use OpenCA to provide the basic functionality; we package it on a Linux installation on a bootable CD; we use the 1.1b TCG trusted platform module (standard on many desktop and laptop machines) to hold the private key; we also use the TPM to add assurance that the key can only be used when the system is correctly configured as the CA. This tool enables an enterprise to operate a CA possessing a degree of physical security and the ability to attest proper configuration to a remote certifier simply by booting a CD in a commodity machine. The code (and CD image) are all open-source, and will be available for free.
Molecular Systematics and Zoogeography of Flowerpiercers in the Diglossa Baritula Complex

AnsTRACT.--Relationships among eight species of flowerpiercers in the genus Diglossa (Thraupidae) are addressed using data from allozymes, mtDNA sequences, and male plumages. Molecular evolution of the mitochondrial cytochrome-b gene in this group parallels what has been reported for other birds. Molecular data reveal high levels of genetic differentiation among the taxa studied. There is concordance of evolution among mtDNA sequences, allozymes, and plumages for the three taxa in the Diglossa baritula superspecies complex. The pattern of phylogeny in the complex suggests that plumbea (highlands of southern Central America) is most closely related to baritula (highlands of northern Central America). Diglossa sittoides (highlands of South America) is the sister taxon to the baritula/plumbea dade. The pattern of phylogeny and genetic distances suggest that divergence of taxa in the baritula superspecies complex occurred as the result of both dispersal and vicariance during the Pleistocene. Received 8 July 1993, accepted 25 May 1994. DIGLO$$A FLOWERPIERCERS are high-elevation species restricted to montane regions in the Neotropics (Vuilleumier 1969, A.O.U. 1983, Isler and Isler 1987). In addition, Diglossa are morphologically and behaviorally one of the more divergent lineages of tanagers (Bock 1985,
Media richness, interactivity and retargeting to mobile devices: a survey

Mobile devices, such as mobile phones, are becoming more ubiquitous and gaining more capabilities, leading to their increasing use as portable media players. However, the great majority of produced visual media is targeted towards devices with larger displays and greater hardware capabilities, making it difficult for these media to be presented on mobile devices. These difficulties will only increase as multimedia becomes more and more interactive, such as with increasingly popular mobile games. In this paper, we survey past methods for retargeting visual media to mobile devices, considering how such methods have been applied to text, still images and video content. We identify a shift from interactive retargeting techniques towards more automated methods as media richness increases. We discuss implications of this trend for the retargeting of 3D games and virtual worlds to mobile devices, particularly the need to focus on the retargeting of experience rather than solely visual content.
Toward a Theory of School Effectiveness and Leadership

ABSTRACT The research on school effectiveness and school improvement lacks theoretical development. The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the construction of a theory of school effectiveness and leadership. The contribution made here is in the form of a typology of school effectiveness. In the early stages of theoretical development, typologies are often useful devices for organizing what is known and for focusing attention on important questions and areas for further exploration. Within the typological framework offered here, school effectiveness is supposed to be a function of three major factors: administrative appropriateness, teacher preparedness and student readiness. While parents and community effects are important, they are assumed to be mediated by these three factors. The most ineffective schools are those in which the administration is inappropriate, the teachers are not prepared to teach and the students are not ready to learn. In the most effective schools, the opposite is the case. ...
Variable Dimension Filter for Maneuvering Target Tracking

A novel approach to tracking a maneuvering target is developed. This approach does not rely on a statistical description of the maneuver as a random process. Instead, the state model for the target is changed by introducing extra state components when a maneuver is detected. The maneuver, modeled as an acceleration, is estimated recursively. The performance of this estimator is shown to be superior to a recent algorithm presented by Chan et al. that handles the maneuver by estimating it as an unknown input. A significant departure from the current practice of comparison of algorithms is made: a recently introduced rigorous statistical methodology is used in the comparison of these estimators.
The Matroid Ramsey Number n (6,6)

A tight upper bound on the number of elements in a connected matroid with fixed rank and largest cocircuit size is given. This upper bound is used to show that a connected matroid with at least thirteen elements contains either a circuit or a cocircuit with at least six elements. In the language of matroid Ramsey numbers, n(6, 6) = 13: this is the largest currently known matroid Ramsey number.
Relationship Between Habitat Structure and the Distribution and Abundance of Paulisentis missouriensis (Acanthocephala) in Creek Chub Semotilus atromaculatus

Paulisentis missouriensis (Acanthocephala) occurs in creek chub Semotilus atromaculatus in 2 drainages, South Fork and Turkey Creek, of the Big Nemaha River system in southeastern Nebraska, U.S.A., but not in 2 other drainages, Muddy Creek and North Fork. The present investigation tested the hypothesis that stream habitat characteristics limit P. missouriensis to the South Fork and Turkey Creek drainages. Habitat characteristics were compared between sites in drainages where the worm occurs and where it is absent, with pools being significantly larger and more closely spaced in drainages with the worm. Within Turkey Creek, where the worm is modestly abundant, metrics describing pool size were significantly correlated with abundance of P. missouriensis. However, this effect was primarily due to the influence of 1 site, and the relationship was not evident when the drainage where the worm is abundant (South Fork) was included; in these analyses, variables describing water chemistry (oxygen concentration and total water hardness) were significantly associated with abundance of P. missouriensis. Characteristics of pool habitats appear to be able to explain the absence of P. missouriensis in the Muddy Creek and North Fork drainages, but these same characteristics are not as closely associated with variation in the abundance of P. missouriensis in the South Fork and Turkey Creek drainages where the worm is found.
MODIS science algorithms and data systems lessons learned

For almost 10 years, standard global products from NASA's Earth Observing System's (EOS) two Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensors are being used world-wide for earth science research and applications. This paper discusses the lessons learned in developing the science algorithms and the data systems needed to produce these high quality data products for the earth sciences community. Strong science team leadership and communication, an evolvable and scalable data system, and central coordination of QA and validation activities enabled the data system to grow by two orders of magnitude from the initial at-launch system to the current system able to reprocess data from both the Terra and Aqua missions in less than a year. Many of the lessons learned from MODIS are already being applied to follow-on missions.