cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Developmental changes in cholesterol 7alpha- and 27-hydroxylases in the piglet.

Hepatic cholesterol 7alpha-hydroxylase (CYP7A) and sterol 27 hydroxylase activities were measured in fetal, newborn, suckling, and weaned piglets from 76 d into gestation to 49 d of age. Hepatic CYP7A activity was not detected in fetal microsomes, but it increased to 6.8 +/- 2.6 pmol/min x mg(-1) protein in suckling piglets at 21 d of age and to 18.2 +/- 2.5 in weaned piglets at 49 d of age. Hepatic CYP7A activity was not different between 49-d-old piglets weaned at 21 d and piglets suckled for 49 d (18.9 +/- 2.6 and 18.2 +/- 2.5 pmol/min x mg protein, respectively). Fasting for 14 h decreased CYP7A activity by 86% in both suckled and weaned piglets. Cholesterol 7alpha-hydroxylase activity remained decreased for at least 5 h after refeeding. Sterol 27-hydroxylase activity was also undetectable near birth, but was detectable by 21 d of age. Postnatally, sterol 27-hydroxylase activity was not influenced by age or suckling and weaning, as was CYP7A. Sterol 27-hydroxylase was decreased by 80% in piglets deprived of feed compared with piglets given free access. In contrast to CYP7A activity, 27-hydroxylase activity returned within 5 h after refeeding to levels observed in piglets given ad libitum access to feed. Similar to CYP7A enzyme activity, hepatic CYP7A mRNA was not detected in newborn piglets, but increased from 2.7 +/- 1.7 pg mRNA/microg RNA in suckling piglets at 21 d to 13.7 +/- 1.2 in 49-d-old piglets weaned at 21 d. As with enzyme activity, feed deprivation decreased CYP7A mRNA to barely detectable levels (< .5 pg/microg RNA), and which remained decreased for at least 5 h following refeeding (.6 +/- .3 and 2.67 +/- .4 pg mRNA/microg RNA for suckled and weaned piglets, respectively). In piglets allowed free access to feed, CYP7A mRNA concentrations were associated positively (P = .001) with enzyme activity. These results suggest that developmental regulation of CYP7A activity is the result of a pretranslational mechanism.
Ricardo Palma ante la Real Academia Española de la Lengua

Ricardo Palma fut d'abord connu pour les travaux qu'il realisa sur les traditions peruviennes. Il s'interessa ensuite a la langue espagnole et a son evolution et consacra une grande part de son energie a etudier les milliers de mots nouveaux qui apparaissaient dans la langue, les estimant dignes de figurer dans le Dictionnaire seulement s'ils etaient reconnus par l'Academie Royale Espagnole. Il fut designe comme correspondant officiel de l'Academie Royale en 1878. L'A. retrace l'histoire de la relation entre Ricardo Palma et l'Academie Royale Espagnole
Welcome to Hazleton! 'Illegal' Immigrants Beware: Local Immigration Ordinances and What the Federal Government Must Do About It

On July 13, 2006, the city of Hazleton made national news as the first municipality in the country to pass ordinances against illegal immigrants. The majority of municipal legislation that passed regulated the employment of undocumented workers. The ordinances resulted from municipal perceptions that the federal government has failed to enact and enforce comprehensive immigration legislation. Thereafter, several states and municipalities across the country passed ordinances against illegal immigration. Since then, the federal courts have been inundated with lawsuits challenging the validity of municipal ordinances. This article delves into the profound impact that municipal ordinances that sanction businesses for employing undocumented workers will have on immigration regulation; and furthers the much-needed discussion on the need for comprehensive immigration reform on a national level by pointing out the dangers of immigration reform when it occurs on a local level. In particular, the article focuses on the constitutionality of ordinances like Hazleton's Illegal Immigration Relief Ordinance. Using the Hazleton employment ordinance as a backdrop for analysis, the article examines the whether the federal immigration employment statute, the Immigration Reform and Control Act, constitutionally preempts Hazleton-like employment ordinances. Through this analysis, the article identifies the need for the federal government's enforcing existing federal immigration laws in a consistent and fair manner. Legal scholarship has long debated the role of state and local authorities in immigration enforcement. While some scholars propose federal exclusivity, other scholars propose a more cooperative federalist model where both governments work together. This article brings a new perspective to existing scholarship through critically analyzing Hazleton's employment ordinance. The article examines the policy implications of the municipal ordinances and argues that the negative policy affects, such as the affect on foreign relations and how as the number of ordinances passed continues to grow, employment discrimination against immigrants - both legal and illegal - will rise sharply, outweighs any potential benefit.Finally, the article posits that federal courts should use the federalism principles as a basis for addressing state and local immigration regulation. Further, it discusses how piecemeal immigration legislation will have an adverse affect on the future implementation and enforcement of existing federal immigration employment law.
Spectral analysis and chemiluminescence imaging of hydrogen addition to hsdi diesel combustion under conventional and low-temperature conditions

Late-injection low-temperature diesel combustion is found to further reduce NOx and soot simultaneously. The combustion phenomena and detail chemical kinetics are studied with high speed spray/combustion images and time-resolved spectroscopy analysis in a rapid compression machine (RCM) with a small bowl combustion chamber. High swirl and high EGR condition can be achieved in the RCM; variable injection pressure and injection timing is supplied by the high-pressure common-rail fuel injection system. Effect of small amount of premix hydrogen gas on diesel combustion is also studied in the RCM. A hydrogen injector is located in the upstream of air inlet for delivery small amount and premixed hydrogen gas into cylinder just before the compression stroke. The ignition delay is studied both from the pressure curves and the chemiluminescence images. High speed color images of spray and combustion show not only the high sooting diesel spray impinging on the chamber wall and interacting with very strong swirling air, but also the color temperature and volume fraction of soot. Hydrogen addition of 10% of energy released for low temperature combustion is shown to further reduced soot concentration, but hydrogen at 15% shows higher soot temperature and concentration. Small amount of hydrogen does not results in increasing peak pressure and fast burning rate because of higher EGR up to 50%. Time resolved spectrum of chemiluminescence from cool flame, premixed combustion, and diffusion flame mainly show the time evolution of OH radicals. With small amount of hydrogen up to 15% of energy released, the OH spectrum is detected easily started from premix combustion period till early of the diffusion combustion period. However, the strong intensity of OH emission is very sensitive to EGR concentration and equivalence ratio due to changes of oxygen concentration. Temperature derivation from rotational spectral lines of OH spectrum is also employed for cases with strong OH emission.
Politics and the Russian Army: Yeltsin and the New Russia, 1992–2000

The Red Army, strangely enough, managed to outlive the Soviet Union itself by a few months as the armed forces of the Commonwealth of Independent States. In May 1992, however, this fiction was abandoned when Russian President Boris Yeltsin decreed the establishment of the Russian armed forces. Unlike in 1917, when there were both continuities and discontinuities from the Imperial to the Soviet period, there was no question that the new Russian army was the direct descendent of the Soviet armed forces and the inheritor of most of its personnel, equipment, institutions, and culture. The Russian military under Yeltsin experienced a period perhaps even more politically tumultuous than the Gorbachev era. In October 1993 the armed forces were once again thrust into the role of political arbiter in the conflict between President Yeltsin and the Supreme Soviet. The Russian army also has been involved in its largest internal war since the civil war in the bloody conflict with Chechnya. These events have strained Russian civil–military relations, as have the continuing economic and social problems faced by the armed forces. The significant difficulties of the Russian state and its army brought about speculation about the possibility of military intervention in politics. In a 1997 poll, sixty-three percent of Russians said that “the threat of military dictatorship” was one of their concerns. Indeed, even Yeltsin himself remarked in his memoirs after retirement that in the early 1990s there was a “real threat of a military putsch.”
Convergence Properties of Spline-Like Cardinal Interpolation Operators Acting on \ell ^p Data

In this article, we provide examples of interpolation and approximation methods for \(\ell ^p\) data. We also show that the resulting interpolants share convergence properties similar to those enjoyed by splines.
Assessing Outcomes of Industrial Hygiene Graduate Education

To ensure that industrial hygiene professionals continue to be prepared for current and future trends, it is important to regularly assess the value of their education. Described here are the results of discussions with employers and a mailed survey of graduates. Comparisons are made with past mailed surveys of both groups. Two sets of discussions were held in late 2005 with employers of industrial hygienists and other health and safety professionals. Twenty-eight participants were asked to discuss current and future needs for professionals in their organization and economic sector, their expectations for knowledge and skills when hiring professionals, methods for finding and hiring, and the importance of ABET accreditation. At the same time, a survey was mailed to 71 industrial hygiene students graduating in the last 15 years. Respondents were asked to rank the value of and their proficiency in 42 competencies. Questions also assessed employment experience, certification, the importance of ABET accreditation, and demographic characteristics. There was a lot of agreement between the two stakeholder groups (employers and graduates) about the most important skill and knowledge areas. Most employers identified communicating effectively and exposure assessment among the most important skills, with designing and initiating research as among the least. Hazard recognition, exposure measurement principles, and personal protective equipment were the most highly ranked knowledge areas. Employers discussed the need for good "business skills" such as teamwork, communication, and project management, and the importance of problem-solving skills. Graduates reported that skills in the areas of recognition, evaluation, and control were most valuable in their first jobs and generally reported high levels of proficiency in these skill areas. There was a similar dichotomy in opinions about accreditation within each stakeholder group. The reputation of the academic program was important when making hiring decisions; accreditation became an important factor only when a program's reputation was not known. Graduates strongly supported ongoing accreditation but did not apply or attend on the basis of accreditation.
Heavy-chain binding protein recognizes aberrant polypeptides translocated in vitro

Immunoglobulin heavy-chain binding protein (BiP, GRP-78) associates tightly in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) with newly synthesized proteins that are incompletely assembled, have mutant structures, or are incorrectly glycosylated. The function of BiP has been suggested to be to prevent secretion of incorrectly folded or incompletely assembled protein, to promote folding or assembly of proteins, or to solubilize protein aggregates within the ER lumen. Here we examine the interaction of BiP with newly synthesized polypeptides in an in vitro protein translation-translocation system. We find that BiP forms tight complexes with nonglycosylated yeast invertase and incorrectly disulphide-bonded prolactin, but does not associate detectably with either glycosylated invertase or correctly disulphide-bonded prolactin. Moreover, BiP associates detectably only with completed chains of prolactin, not with chains undergoing synthesis. We conclude that BiP recognizes and binds with high affinity in vitro to aberrantly folded or aberrantly glycosylated polypeptides, but not to all nascent chains as they are folding.
Thlaspi arvense, a New Host for Alternaria brassicicola.

A leaf spot was observed on cruciferous weeds growing in a cabbage field located in Geneva, NY, on 1 August 1996. The leaf spots on the weeds were dark gray to black in color and varied in size from pinpoints to 1 mm in diameter. The cabbage (Brassica oleracea L. var. capitata L.) was infected with Alternaria brassicicola (Schwein.) Wiltshire, the cause of Alternaria leaf spot. The weeds were identified as Thlaspi arvense L., a winter annual commonly referred to as field pennycress, stinkweed, or fanweed depending on geographic location. Isolations from the diseased weed tissue yielded A. brassicicola (2). The numerous conidia occurred in chains of 10 or more, ranged in size from 14 to 53 μm in length, were 5 to 18 μm wide, contained from 1 to 6 transverse septa with rare longitudinal septa, and were olivaceous in color. An apical beak was absent. On potato dextrose agar (PDA) the colony was dark olive-green to black in color and velvety. Seed was collected from the T. arvense plannts in the spring of 199...
On the connectivity of unit distance graphs

For a number field K ⊆ �, consider the graph G(K d ), whose vertices are elements of K d , with an edge between any two points at (Euclidean) distance 1. We show that G(K 2) is not connected whileG(K d ) is connected ford � 5. We also give necessary and sufficient conditions for the connectedness of G(K 3) and G(K 4).
The Van Hove Diagonality Conditions and the Ionic Configuration Average in the Theory of Liquid Metals

The justification of the ionic configuration average within the limitation of infinite order perturbation theory is considered. The diagonality conditions of Van Hove are shown to result from this average if the momentum matrix elements are appropriately coarse grained. An omission in a previous proof of these conditions is thereby rectified. Finally a comment is made on the generality of the results. Die Rechtfertigung des ionischen Konfigurationsdurchschnitts innerhalb der Beschrankung der Storungstheorie unendlicher Ordnung wird betrachtet. Die Diagonalitatsbedingungen von Van Hove ergeben sich aus diesem Durchschnitt, wenn die Impulsmatrixelemente geeignet behandelt werden. Hierdurch wird berichtigt, was ein fruherer Beweis unterlassen hatte. Schlieslich wird die Allgemeinheit des Resultats festgestellt.
Phosphorus nutrition on mycorrhizal colonization, photosynthesis, growth and nutrient composition of Citrus aurantium

Roots of sour orange (Citrus aurantium L.) seedlings were inoculated with the vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) fungus,Glomus intraradices Schenck and Smith or provided an inoculum filtrate (non-VAM plants) and fertilized with weekly applications of 0.0, 6.25, 25.0 or 100.0 mg P solution per 1200 ml container. Colonization was lower after the first 9 weeks with increased P, but P caused little inhibition of colonization after 26 weeks. Leaft tissue levels of P were higher with VAM colonization and high P fertilization. Photosynthetic rates were correlated with P content in leaf tissue of control plants, but no correlation was observed for VAM infected seedlings. Results suggested that factors in addition to improved P nutrition influence photosynthetic rates of VAM plants.
Phase Equilibrium, Volumetric, and Interfacial Properties of the Ionic Liquid, 1-Hexyl-3-methylimidazolium Bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)amide and 1-Octene

Biphasic systems involving ionic liquids (ILs) form the basis of many applications in extractions and reactions. In this work, the liquid−liquid phase equilibrium, density, molar volume, excess molar volume, and interfacial and surface tensions are measured for saturated and subsaturated mixtures of 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)amide ([HMIm][Tf2N]) and 1-octene at four different temperatures, (10, 25, 50, and 75) °C. Many of the properties of the IL phase change significantly with the increasing concentration of 1-octene. The nonrandom two-liquid (NRTL) activity coefficient model was utilized to model the mutual solubility of two liquids. 1-Octene is fairly soluble in the [HMIm][Tf2N], but the IL solubility in the 1-octene is very small. The excess molar volume for the mixture of ILs and 1-octene is slightly negative for all isotherms and becomes more negative with an increase in temperature. The air−liquid surface tension decreases with increasing 1-octene concentration, and th...
Collegiate Clubs as Partners in Youth Education

Abstract Collegiate dairy science clubs can be important partners in youth education. The student club of The Pennsylvania State University has focused on several events to enhance learning opportunities for young people by working with state breed associations and extension personnel. In cooperation with the Pennsylvania Holstein Association, the Penn State Dairy Science Club conducts a state quiz bowl contest for over 30 teams each year at the Pennsylvania Junior Holstein Convention. This event involves 5 members, who write over 400 new questions, and another 24 members, who serve as moderators and scorekeepers. Over 1000 young people have participated in the Holstein contest over the past 8 yr. The club also conducts quiz bowls for two other junior breed associations. In 1996, the Penn State Dairy Science Club, in cooperation with extension personnel, planned and conducted the first Pennsylvania statewide junior convention for all breeds. Approximately 110 persons attended workshops on milk promotion, nutrition, reproductive physiology, careers, and animal by-products. Club members designed the educational activities, a mock sale, and social events. Corporate sponsors helped defray expenses and present workshops. In other events, Penn State Dairy Science Club students cooperated with a variety of agencies and organizations to offer educational programs for non-farm youth. The enthusiasm and organization provided by undergraduate club members, combined with outside resources and contributions, have resulted in successful interaction and positive learning situations for Pennsylvania youth.
Competitive electrostatic binding of charged ligands to polyelectrolytes: Practical approach using the non-linear Poisson-Boltzmann equation

We have developed a practical analytical treatment of the non-linear Poisson-Boltzmann (P-B) equation to characterize the strong but non-specific binding of charged ligands to DNA and other highly charged macromolecules. These reactions are notable for their strong salt dependence and anti-cooperativity, features which the theory fully explains. We summarize analytical results for concentration profiles and ion binding in various regimes of surface curvature and ionic strength, and show how counterion size and charge distribution may influence competitive binding. We present several practical applications of the formalism, showing how to estimate the ligand concentration needed to effectively compete with a given buffer salt, and how to calculate the amounts of counterion species bound at various distances from the DNA surface under given bulk solution conditions. We cast our results into the form of a Scatchard binding isotherm, showing how the apparent binding constant K(obs) and S = -dlog K (obs )d log[M (+)] can be predicted from the basic theory. Anti-cooperativity arises naturally without steric repulsion, and binding curves can be fitted with K(obs) and effective charge as the only free parameters. We extend the analytical P-B analysis to an arbitrary number of counterion species, and apply the results to fit and predict three-ion competition data.
A turbulence closure model for dilute gas-particle flows

A second order closure scheme is developed for the numerical prediction of isothermal, non-reacting, mono-dispersed, dilute gas-particle turbulent shear flows. The model is based on the two-equation (κ-ϵ) turbulence model developed for calculating the analogous gas-phase flows. Contrary to passive additives in a single phase flow, the particles will affect the turbulence structure of the continuous phase. Thus, the κ-ϵ model has been modified to account for the presence of the dispersed particles. In particular, the particles increase the dissipation rate because of the relative velocity fluctuations between the two phases. New proposals for these added effects based on particle size and loading are added to these equations. The resulting model is used to compute the axisymmetric jet in its developing region. The calculated jet spreading rate, centre-line velocity decay and entrainment rate are all in excellent agreement with published experimental data. Calculated turbulence quantities such as the kinetic energy and mean Reynolds shear stress are greatly reduced from their “clean jet” levels by the presence of the particles in good agreement with the available experimental data. On a mis au point un schema de fermeture de second ordre pour la prevision numerique d'ecoulements de cisaillement en regime turbulent de systemes dilues gaz-particules, isothermes, non reagissantes et mono-dispersees. Le modele est base sur le modele de turbulence κ-ϵ, a deux equations, developpe pour calculer les ecoulements analogues en phase gazeuse. Contrairement aux adjuvants passifs dans un ecoulement monophasique, les particules affectent la structure de la turbulence de la phase continue. Aussi, on a modifie le modele κ-ϵ. pour tenir compte de la presence des particules dispersees. Les particules augmentent particulierement la vitesse de dissipation a cause des fluctuations de la vitesse relative entre les deux phases. On a ajoute a ces equations des elements nouveaux bases sur les dimensions des particules et sur la charge pour tenir compte de ces effets additionnels. Le modele resultant est utilise pour calculer par ordinateur, un jet axisymetrique dans la zone de developpement. La vitesse de deploiement du jet calculee, la diminution de la vitesse sur l'axe et la vitesse d'entrainement se comparent toutes tres bien avec les resultats experimentaux publies dans la litterature. Les quantites calculees relatives a la turbulence, telles que l'energie cinetique et la contrainte de cisaillement de Reynolds moyenne, sont fortement reduites par rapport a leurs valeurs dans le cas de “jets propres” a cause de la presence des particules et ce, en accord avec les resultats experimentaux disponibles.
Radiation Products in Processed Ices Relevant to Edgeworth-Kuiper-Belt Objects

Near the inner edge of the Edgeworth-Kuiper Belt (EKB) are Pluto and Charon, which are known to have N2- and H2O-dominated surface ices, respectively. Such non-polar and polar ices, and perhaps mixtures of them, also may be present on other trans-Neptunian objects. Pluto, Charon, and all EKB objects reside in a weak, but constant UV-photon and energetic ion radiation environment that drives chemical reactions in their surface ices. Effects of photon and ion processing include changes in ice composition, volatility, spectra, and albedo, and these have been studied in a number of laboratories. This paper focuses on ice processing by ion irradiation and is aimed at understanding the volatiles, ions, and residues that may exist on outer solar system objects. We summarize radiation chemical products of N2-rich and H2O-rich ices containing CO or CH4, including possible volatiles such as alcohols, acids, and bases. Less-volatile products that could accumulate on EKB objects are observed to form in the laboratory from acid-base reactions, reactions promoted by warming, or reactions due to radiation processing of a relatively pure ice (e.g., CO → C3O2). New IR spectra are reported for the 1–5 µm region, along with band strengths for the stronger features of carbon suboxide, carbonic acid, the ammonium and cyanate ions, polyoxymethylene, and ethylene glycol. These six materials are possible contributors to EKB surfaces, and will be of interest to observers and future missions.
Viscoelastic properties of mixed dairy gels

Abstract Pure and mixed gels prepared from a whey protein isolate (WPI) and skim milk powder (SMP) by heating to 90°C at pH 4·3–4·6, with or without fat globules, were studied by mechanical testing. The testing involved compression to 20% deformation and oscillatory rheometry (storage and loss moduli, G′ and G″, respectively). Compressive stresses of mixed gels varied between 0·7 and 1·9 kPa. Gels containing WPI reached higher G′ values and had shorter gel-set times than those containing SMP. SMP based gels were more elastic than WPI based gels as revealed by the lower loss tangent ( tan δ = G″ G′ ) values achieved after 17 min (0·18–0·23 versus approx. 0·38, respectively). Addition of fat resulted in higher compressive stresses and shorter gel-set times but did not affect the initial gelation rate. Gels with different viscoelastic and mechanical properties were prepared with varying amounts of WPI, SMP and emulsified fat.
The Diaspora Within: Himalayan Youth, Education-Driven Migration, and Future Aspirations in India

Economic change has driven parents across the Indian Himalayan Region to send their children to major Indian cities for higher education. Himalayan students' urban experience and understanding of t...
Low temperature dry extrusion and high-pressure processing prior to enzyme-assisted aqueous extraction of full fat soybean flakes

Abstract Oil, protein and solid extraction yields obtained during aqueous extraction processing (AEP) of full fat soybean flakes (FFSF), FFSF extruded at a die temperature of 100 °C and FFSF pressurised at 200 and 500 MPa for 15 min at 25 °C, were compared to those obtained during enzyme-assisted aqueous extraction processing (EAEP) using 0.5% of protease Protex 7L. Without enzyme addition, pretreatment of the FFSF with extrusion and 500 MPa increased and decreased, respectively, the oil extraction yield while protein extraction yield was significantly decreased after both treatments. The best treatment in terms of oil and protein recovery was EAEP of extruded flakes with 90% and 82% of oil and protein extraction yield, respectively, and 17% of free oil. Addition of protease during extraction significantly decreased the yield of isolated soy protein (ISP) due to an increased solubility of the proteins at pH 4.5. ISP from extruded EAEP had higher solubility at pH 7.0 and better functionality. The DSC results, combined with the protein extraction yields, showed that a proportion of the proteins became insoluble after extrusion and 500 MPa treatment, while only those extracted from 500 MPa FFSF had a reduced native state.
Ear studies in the premature infant: A statistical description of otoscopic landmarks

Summary Landmarks of 51 visualized ear drums in 32 infants of 1,001 to 1,500 grams birth weight were assessed by otoscopic examination at an average age of 14 days. Certain features considered useful are described and compared with those in term infants previously reported upon. A brilliant source of illumination and small specula were helpful.
WWW.HATE.COM: White Supremacist Discourse on the Internet and the Construction of Whiteness Ideology

The Internet connects people from different parts of the world in a way that no other technological innovation can. Extremists and hate mongrels use the Internet to access a potential audience of millions and to create a breeding ground for hate. In recent years, White supremacist organizations use chat rooms and Internet broadcasts to highlight a “racist double standard” and to promote racist ideologies. The influence of White supremacy is understudied and often ignored in communication studies on Whiteness and race. This study examines White supremacist discourse to show how it frames people of African descent using blatantly racist and offensive stereotypical overgeneralizations that set foundations of Whiteness ideology. I argue that this discourse aids our understanding of the contemporary constructions of both White and Black identities in the contemporary United States by showing how constructions of racist representations are integral to systems of White privilege.
The metabolism of 3H-molting hormone in Calliphora erythrocephala at the mature larval and white puparial stages

Abstract 3H-metabolites extracted from whole insects after injection of 3H-α- or 3H-β-ecdysone were separated by thin layer chromatography and quantified by scintillation counting. Chromatographic peaks in order of polarity are: 3H-α-ecdysone, 3H-β-ecdysone, a metabolite with mobility similar to 26-OH-β-ecdysone, and a group of very polar metabolites which include glucose and sulfate conjugates. 3H-α-ecdysone is irreversibly converted to 3H-β-ecdysone with an apparent K m which greatly exceeds endogenous substrate levels. Therefore saturation by substrate is unlikely to be a rate limiting factor in the synthesis of endogenous β-ecdysone. The conversion is product inhibited with an apparent K I of the same order of magnitude as the maximal concentration of endogenous product. Therefore, product inhibition may be a rate limiting factor in vivo. Hormonal inactivating systems have apparent K m 's which greatly exceed physiological hormone levels, and, in mature larvae, are stimulated by high doses of exogenous β-ecdysone. These features make for a large and elastic capacity for hormonal inactivation in mature larvae. Rates of 3H-molting hormone metabolism decrease when mature larvae form puparia. The activity of the system for converting 3H-α-ecdysone to 3H-β-ecdysone decreases by nearly three-fourths, and the half-life of 3H-β-ecdysone increases from 1.5 to 20 hr. Since endogenous β-ecdysone titer increases at this time, these data suggest that conversion of α- to β-ecdysone does not have, but inactivation may have, an important role in regulating β-ecdysone titer.
Genomic Analyses of Pneumococci from Children with Sickle Cell Disease Expose Host-Specific Bacterial Adaptations and Deficits in Current Interventions

Sickle cell disease (SCD) patients are at high risk of contracting pneumococcal infection. To address this risk, they receive pneumococcal vaccines, and antibiotic prophylaxis and treatment. To assess the impact of SCD and these interventions on pneumococcal genetic architecture, we examined the genomes of more than 300 pneumococcal isolates from SCD patients over 20 years. Modern SCD strains retained invasive capacity but shifted away from the serotypes used in vaccines. These strains had specific genetic changes related to antibiotic resistance, capsule biosynthesis, metabolism, and metal transport. A murine SCD model coupled with Tn-seq mutagenesis identified 60 noncapsular pneumococcal genes under differential selective pressure in SCD, which correlated with aspects of SCD pathophysiology. Further, virulence determinants in the SCD context were distinct from the general population, and protective capacity of potential antigens was lost over time in SCD. This highlights the importance of understanding bacterial pathogenesis in the context of high-risk individuals.
An O(N log N) planar travelling salesman heuristic based on spacefilling curves

N points in a square of area A may be sorted according to their images under a spacefilling mapping to give a tour of length at most [email protected]/NA. If the points are statistically independent under a smooth distribution, with N large, then the tour will be roughly 25% longer than optimum (and a simple enhancement reduces this to 15%). The algorithm is easily coded: a complete BASIC program is included in the appendix. Since the algorithm consists essentially of sorting, points are easily added or removed. Our method may also be used with simple dynamic programming to solve TSP path problems.
The development of a five DOF magnetorheological fluid-based telerobotic haptic system

The overall goal of the research conducted in this paper is to develop next generation force feedback systems by combining novel Magnetorheological (MR) fluid based systems with microstructural analysis and advanced control system design. A novel 5-DOF MR fluid-based robotic arm is designed and prototyped. The 5-DOF system is used to control a remote 5-DOF robot (the slave). Force feedback control is employed to replicate in the master those forces encountered in the slave.
The clinical diagnosis of chronic acalculous cholecystitis.

Abstract Background. Chronic acalculous cholecystitis (CAC), a diagnosis of exclusion, appears to be more common than was previously thought. We correlated the pathology with test results and response to treatment in a prospective study to obtain data for evidence-based management. Methods. The study subjects were patients with chronic biliary symptoms but had normal sonogram results. They were further investigated with esophagogastroduodenoscopy, multidiscipline evaluations, and cholecystokinin-stimulated scintigraphy (CCK-HIDA). They were offered laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) when the symptoms were intransigent, and the main abnormality was a low ejection fraction (EF) as determined by CCK-HIDA. We analyzed the histologic findings of the gallbladder, CCK-HIDA EF, and clinical outcomes during the control period with a concurrent series of LC for calculus from the same surgeons. Results. Of 176 cholecystectomies for biliary pain without stones, 152 had pathologically verified CAC. EF by CCK-HIDA was low in patients with CAC (18%) and low in normal gallbladders (26%). In the same period, 497 patients had cholecystectomies for cholelithiasis. Lasting symptom relief for CAC after LC was not different from that for calculous disease (85% vs 90%). Conclusions. The syndrome consisting of chronic biliary symptoms, stone-free sonograms, low EF in CCK-HIDA, and absence of other pain sources is highly predictive for CAC, which is well treated with LC, with results similar to those for calculous disease. (Surgery 2001;130:578-83.)
The Preterm Prediction Study: the value of serum alkaline phosphatase, alpha-fetoprotein, plasma corticotropin-releasing hormone, and other serum markers for the prediction of spontaneous preterm birth.

Abstract Objective: High levels of a number of analytes are found in maternal blood; alkaline phosphatase,α-fetoprotein, and corticotropin-releasing hormone have been associated with spontaneous preterm birth. We investigated the relationship between 8 potential blood markers and subsequent spontaneous preterm birth in asymptomatic pregnant women. Study design: We performed a nested case control study that involved 127 women who were enrolled in the preterm prediction study and who had a singleton spontaneous preterm birth at Results: Alkaline phosphatase, α-fetoprotein, and corticotropin-releasing hormone, but not other analytes, were significantly elevated in pregnancies that ended in spontaneous preterm birth. For alkaline phosphatase at 24 weeks, the odds ratio for spontaneous preterm birth at Conclusion: Elevated alkaline phosphatase and α-fetoprotein are associated with subsequent spontaneous preterm birth in asymptomatic pregnant women at 24 and 28 weeks. Elevated corticotropin-releasing hormone levels at 28 weeks are associated with spontaneous preterm birth at
In Vitro Particle Size Distributions in Electronic and Conventional Cigarette Aerosols Suggest Comparable Deposition Patterns

Introduction Electronic cigarette users ("vapers") inhale aerosols of water, nicotine, and propylene glycol (PG) or vegetable glycerin (VG). Aerosol particle sizes should affect deposition patterns in vapers and bystanders. Methods Aerosols were generated by a smoking machine and an electronic cigarette filled with 16mg/ml nicotine in aqueous PG or VG solution. A scanning mobility particle sizer (SMPS) counted particles of 10-1,000 nm diameters. A single puff experiment counted particles immediately and after aging 10 and 40 s. A steady-state experiment counted particles emitted from a collection chamber, untreated and after desiccation or organic vapor removal. The International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) human respiratory tract model was used to estimate deposition. Results were compared to similar data from reference cigarettes. Results Puffs generated peak particle counts at (VG) 180 nm and (PG) 120 nm. Steady-state peaks occurred around 400 nm. Organic vapor removal eliminated small particles and reduced the size and number of large particles. Desiccation reduced the total volume of particles by 70% (VG, small PG) to 88% (large PG). The ICRP model predicted 7%-18% alveolar delivery; 9%-19% venous delivery, mostly in the head; and 73%-80% losses by exhalation. Reference cigarettes generated more particles initially, but were otherwise similar; however, in vivo smoke particle deposition is higher than the model predicts. Conclusions Nicotine delivery may depend on vaping technique, particle evolution, and cloud effects. Predicted 10% arterial and 15% venous delivery may describe bystander exposure better than vapers exposure.
Long-term bone regeneration, mineralization and angiogenesis in rat calvarial defects implanted with strong porous bioactive glass (13–93) scaffolds

Abstract There is growing interest in the use of bioactive glass scaffolds for repairing structural bone defects but data on the capacity of the scaffolds to regenerate bone in vivo, particularly over a long-term duration, are limited. In this study, bone regeneration in rat calvarial defects implanted with strong porous scaffolds of silicate 13–93 glass (porosity = 47 ± 1%) was investigated at 12 and 24 weeks post-implantation and compared with previous results from a similar study at 6 weeks. Three groups of implants, composed of as-fabricated scaffolds, scaffolds pretreated in a phosphate solution to convert a thin surface layer (5 μm) to hydroxyapatite (HA) and pretreated scaffolds loaded with bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP2) (1 μg/defect) were used. Bone regeneration, bioactive glass conversion to HA and blood vessel formation in the defects implanted with the three groups of scaffolds were evaluated using histology, histomorphometric analysis and scanning electron microscopy. When compared to the as-fabricated scaffolds, the pretreated scaffolds enhanced bone regeneration at 6 weeks but not at 12 or 24 weeks. In comparison, the BMP2-loaded scaffolds showed a significantly better capacity to regenerate bone at all three implantation times and they were almost completely infiltrated with lamellar bone within 12 weeks. The amount of glass conversion to HA at 24 weeks (30–33%) was not significantly different among the three groups of scaffolds. The area and number of blood vessels in the new bone that infiltrated the BMP2-loaded scaffolds at 6 and 12 weeks postimplantation were significantly greater than those for the as-fabricated and pretreated scaffolds. However, there was no significant difference in blood vessel area and number among the three groups of scaffolds at 24 weeks. The results indicate that these strong porous bioactive glass (13–93) scaffolds loaded with BMP2 are promising candidate implants for structural bone repair.
Ultrahigh resolution absolute Cartesian electronic autocollimator

The development of a compact, ultra-high resolution, electronic autocollimator with excellent readout stability, linearity, and coordinate orthogonality is presented. This optical metrology tool relies on new advances in Cartesian optical encoders based on pattern recognition technology. Readout instabilities characteristic of conventional electronic autocollimators whose lateral effect photodetectors and operational amplifiers exhibit temporal and thermal drifts, are absent in this new technology. An autocollimator with a form factor similar to conventional alignment telescopes has been demonstrated with an angular resolution of 0.02 arcseconds peak-to-peak and less than 0.01 arcseconds rms. Various optical metrology applications for the laboratory and for space flight, including cryostatic ones, are described.
Tumor necrosis factor-alpha-converting enzyme activities and tumor-associated macrophages in breast cancer

The role of the tumor microenvironment especially of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) in the progression and metastatic spread of breast cancer is well established. TAMs have primarily a M2 (wound-healing) phenotype with minimal cytotoxic activities. The mechanisms by which tumor cells influence TAMs to display a pro-tumor phenotype are still debated although the key roles of immunomodulatory cytokines released by tumor cells, including colony-stimulating factor 1, tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and soluble TNF receptors 1/2, soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule 1, soluble interleukin 6 receptor and amphiregulin, have been demonstrated. Importantly, these factors are released through ectodomain shedding by the activities of the tumor necrosis factor-alpha-converting enzyme (TACE/ADAM17). The role of TACE activation leading to autocrine effects on tumor progression has been extensively studied. In contrast, limited information is available on the role of tumor cell TACE activities on TAMs in breast cancer. TACE inhibitors, currently in clinical trials, will certainly affect TAMs and subsequently treatment outcomes based on the substrates it releases. Furthermore, whether targeting a subset of the molecules shed by TACE, specifically those leading to TAMs with altered functions and phenotype, holds greater therapeutic promises than past clinical trials of TACE antagonists’ remains to be determined. Here, the potential roles of TACE ectodomain shedding in the breast tumor microenvironment are reviewed with a focus on the release of tumor-derived immunomodulatory factors shed by TACE that directs TAM phenotypes and functions.
Characterization and quantification of odorous and non-odorous volatile organic compounds near a commercial dairy in California

Abstract Volatile organic compounds emitted from an industrial dairy in Northern California were identified and quantified while simultaneously correlating them to odor. Sampling was performed using sorbent tubes that were then analyzed using thermal-desorption GC/MS with concurrent olfactometry. Using spectral information as well as verification with 110 authentic standards, a total of 35 compounds were identified and quantified, and varied in concentration from 0.08 to 747.76 μg m−3. Compounds included acids, esters, alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, halogenates, amines and hydrocarbons. Few compounds exhibited offensive odors, and those that did were present at low concentrations. Sampling location within the dairy, temperature and relative humidity had no observable effect on the qualitative or quantitative composition of the samples.
Experimental study of the plane of symmetry flow structure upstream of blunt bodies with tip clearance

AbstractFlow field in the plane of symmetry, upstream of circular and square cross-section blunt bodies mounted perpendicular to a flat plate with varying clearance between the obstacle tip and the flat plate, was experimentally studied in a water tunnel for a Reynolds numbers of 1400—3100. Qualitative aspects of the flow were captured using flow visualization. Detailed mapping of the flow field was carried out using planar particle image velocimetry (PIV). The existence of a multiple vortex system with characteristics similar to that of end-wall flows of surface-mounted obstacles with zero gap was noted. For large gap values, a jet-like flow was observed in the flow visualization; however, PIV measurements revealed the presence of the characteristic juncture vortex system even for such a configuration. The primary vortex of the square cylinder was observed to be further upstream as compared with the circular cylinder and moved closer to the cylinder surface with increasing Reynolds number. The vortex sys...
Affirmative Action, Principles of Justice, and the Evolution of Urban Theory

Analysis of interviews with 112 elected officials in 12 American cities indicates that their support for affirmative action is more strongly influenced by the justice principles they hold than by the contextual variables normally emphasized by leading urban paradigms. Allegiance to fair equal opportunity and blocking cumulative inequalities enhances support for affirmative action, whereas allegiance to maximizing aggregate utility and retaining market allocations reduces such support. These results suggest that urban paradigms should include the moral principles of participants as well as variables describing the interests that officials represent and the economic, social, political, and cultural contexts that constrain their decisions.
Diagnosing type errors with class

Type inference engines often give terrible error messages, and the more sophisticated the type system the worse the problem. We show that even with the highly expressive type system implemented by the Glasgow Haskell Compiler (GHC)--including type classes, GADTs, and type families--it is possible to identify the most likely source of the type error, rather than the first source that the inference engine trips over. To determine which are the likely error sources, we apply a simple Bayesian model to a graph representation of the typing constraints; the satisfiability or unsatisfiability of paths within the graph provides evidence for or against possible explanations. While we build on prior work on error diagnosis for simpler type systems, inference in the richer type system of Haskell requires extending the graph with new nodes. The augmentation of the graph creates challenges both for Bayesian reasoning and for ensuring termination. Using a large corpus of Haskell programs, we show that this error localization technique is practical and significantly improves accuracy over the state of the art.
A sixth-order imbedded Runge-Kutta algorithm with continuously variable weights

Abstract Sarafyan's continuous method for approximate solution of initial value problems is extended to the sixth-order case. The approximations obtained are continuous throughout an interval. The main formula is a polynomial of fifth degree in c , 0 c c a valid fifth-order approximation of Runge-Kutta type is obtained for the solution at x = x 0 + ch . At c = 1 the approximation improves to sixth order. Lower order continuous formulas are imbedded, using polynomials of lesser degree, which may be used for error estimation or step-size selection. These formulas are differentiated to give continuous approximations to the first and second derivatives of the solution. The formulas are valid for systems as well as for a single differential equation.