cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The gene for cobalamin-independent methionine synthase is essential in Candida albicans: A potential antifungal target

Methionine synthase catalyzes the transfer of a methyl group from tetrahydrofolate to homocysteine to produce methionine. Although mammalian enzymes are cobalamin-dependent, fungal methionine synthases are cobalamin-independent. The opportunistic pathogen Candida albicans is a diploid and carries two copies of the methionine synthase gene, MET6. Homologous recombination was used to disrupt a single MET6 gene. MET6/met6 knock-outs, deleted with either the URA3 or ARG4 cassette, grew as well as the wild-type strain. However, we were unable to obtain a viable met6/met6 deletion strain, even on media supplemented with exogenous methionine. This suggests that methionine synthase is essential to C. albicans. To explore this further, a C. albicans strain was constructed in which one MET6 locus was deleted and the second placed under a regulatable promoter. The conditional mutant grew well under inducing conditions, even in the absence of methionine. It would not grow under repressing conditions in the absence of methionine, but would grow when the media was supplemented with exogenous methionine. A Western blot showed that a small amount of enzyme was expressed under repressing conditions. Taken together, these data reveal that methionine is necessary for growth of C. albicans, but not sufficient-a minimal level of methionine synthase expression is required, perhaps to limit homocysteine toxicity. Furthermore, these results suggest that cobalamin-independent methionine synthase is a plausible target for the design of antifungal agents.
EFFECT OF "MOOD THAT DAY" ON PHARMACISTS JOB AND CAREER SATISFACTION

We speculated that mood would affect responses to global measures of job and career satisfaction. We randomly selected 692 pharmacists from the Iowa Board of Pharmacy Examiners' mailing list. After two follow-up mailings, 389 questionnaires were received for a usable rate of 56.9%. “Good day” pharmacists were more satisfied with their jobs and careers than “typical day” pharmacists, supporting the contention that global satisfaction indicators reflect affective satisfaction.
Vitamin D Signaling in the Bovine Immune System: A Model for Understanding Human Vitamin D Requirements

The endocrine physiology of vitamin D in cattle has been rigorously investigated and has yielded information on vitamin D requirements, endocrine function in health and disease, general metabolism, and maintenance of calcium homeostasis in cattle. These results are relevant to human vitamin D endocrinology. The current debate regarding vitamin D requirements is centered on the requirements for proper intracrine and paracrine vitamin D signaling. Studies in adult and young cattle can provide valuable insight for understanding vitamin D requirements as they relate to innate and adaptive immune responses during infectious disease. In cattle, toll-like receptor recognition activates intracrine and paracrine vitamin D signaling mechanism in the immune system that regulates innate and adaptive immune responses in the presence of adequate 25-hydroxyvitamin D. Furthermore, experiments with mastitis in dairy cattle have provided in vivo evidence for the intracrine vitamin D signaling mechanism in macrophages as well as vitamin D mediated suppression of infection. Epidemiological evidence indicates that circulating concentrations above 32 ng/mL of 25-hydroxyvitamin D are necessary for optimal vitamin D signaling in the immune system, but experimental evidence is lacking for that value. Experiments in cattle can provide that evidence as circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations can be experimentally manipulated within ranges that are normal for humans and cattle. Additionally, young and adult cattle can be experimentally infected with bacteria and viruses associated with significant diseases in both cattle and humans. Utilizing the bovine model to further delineate the immunomodulatory role of vitamin D will provide potentially valuable insights into the vitamin D requirements of both humans and cattle, especially as they relate to immune response capacity and infectious disease resistance.
Acoustic Reflex Detection Using Wide-Band Acoustic Reflectance, Admittance, and Power Measurements

The measurement of the acoustic reflex threshold is a basic component of the diagnostic audiological test battery that may subject patients to potentially harmful sound pressures. A wide-band acoustic impedance and reflectance system (D. H. Keefe, R. Ling, & J. C. Bulen, 1992) was investigated as a means of obtaining reflex thresholds at a reduced level and as a means of providing a more complete characterization of the reflex than current clinical methods provide. Reflex thresholds obtained by measuring changes in wide-band admittance, reflectance, and power were at least 8 dB lower than those obtained with the standard clinical technique. These reflex-induced changes were accounted for by a simple oscillator model of the middle ear, assuming that the acoustic reflex results in an increase in stiffness. The results support further investigation of reflectance-based measures of the acoustic reflex as a clinical tool and as a means of studying the reflex mechanism.
Rabbit myocardial membrane Ca2+-adenosine triphosphatase activity: Stimulation in vitro by thyroid hormone

The in vitro stimulation of human and rabbit erythrocyte membrane Ca2+-ATPase activity by physiological concentrations of thyroid hormone has recently been described. To extend these observations to a nucleated cell model, Ca2+-ATPase activity in a membrane preparation obtained from rabbit myocardium has been studied. Activity of 5′-nucleotidase in the preparation was increased 26-fold over that of myocardial homogenate, consistent with enrichment by sarcolemma. Mean basal enzyme activity in membranes from nine animals was 20.8 ± 3.3 μmol Pi mg membrane protein−1 90 min−1, approximately 20-fold the activity described in rabbit red cell membranes. Exposure of heart membranes in vitro to l-thyroxine (T4) (10−10m) increased Ca2+-ATPase activity to 29.2 ± 3.8 μmol Pi (P < 0.001). Dose-response studies conducted with T4 showed that maximal stimulatory response was obtained at 10−10m. Hormonal stimulation was comparable for l-T4 and triiodo-l-thyronine (T3) (10−10m). Tetraiodothyroacetic acid was without biological activity, whereas triiodothyroacetic acid and d-T4, each at 10−10m, significantly decreased enzyme activity compared to control (basal) levels. The action of l-T4 on myocardial membrane Ca2+-ATPase activity was inhibited by trifluoperazine (100 μm) and the naphthalenesulfonamide W-7 (50–100 μm), compounds that block actions of calmodulin, the protein activator of membrane-associated Ca2+-ATPase. Radioimmunoassay revealed the presence of calmodulin (1.4 μg mg membrane protein−1) in the myocardial membrane fraction and 0.35 μg mg−1 in cytosol. Myocardial Ca2+-ATPase activity, apparently of sarcolemmal origin, is thus thyroid hormone stimulable. The hormonal responsiveness of this calcium pump-associated enzyme requires calmodulin.
The Intraseasonal Evolution of Angular Momentum in Aquaplanct and Realistic GCMs

Abstract This paper describes the evolution of global angular momentum (GAM) on intraseasonal timescales in data from two general circulation model (GCM) runs: an aquaplanet GCM and a fully “realistic” GCM that includes continents, topography, and observed climatological sea surface temperatures. For both GCMS, the angular momentum budget is quite well balanced. Composites of various quantities are calculated at different lags relative to the maximum GAM and GAM tendency. In both GCMS, this composite analysis shows that the GAM tendency is largest as a precipitation anomaly propagates eastward along the equator. Associated with this precipitation anomaly is a tropical circulation that shows some of the characteristics of the Gill model, particularly in the aquaplanet GCM, and a Rossby wave train that propagates from the Tropics into midlatitudes. It is the anomalous midiatitude surface wind field associated with this Rossby wave train that is primarily responsible for the anomalous friction torques in bot...
Inelastic deformation and dislocation structure of a nickel alloy - Effects of deformation and thermal histories

The inelastic deformation behavior of a nickel-base alloy, B1900 + Hf, has been examined under nonisothermal conditions by performing step temperature tensile tests and thermomechanical cyclic tests. In both cases, the temperature ranges of interest are 538 °C to 760 °C, where the peak strength of γ′occurs, and 760 °C to 982 °C, where static thermal recovery is important. The dislocation structures of the deformed specimens are characterized using transmission electron microscopy and correlated with the macroscopic inelastic behavior. The present results for nonisothermal loading are compared with previous isothermal data to assess the effects of deformation and thermal histories on high-temperature, inelastic deformation behavior and dislocation structures. Relations of dislocation structures and the unified constitutive theories for representing all aspects of inelastic deformation, including plasticity under monotonic and cyclic loading, creep, and stress relaxation, are then discussed.
Phenytoin and dyskinesias: A report of two cases and review of the literature

Dyskinesia is a recognized but uncommon side- effect of treatment with phenytoin. Two additional cases of dyskinesia during treatment with phenytoin are described; both had radiographically documented thalamic infarctions. The reported experience to date with movement disorders induced by phenytoin is reviewed and the clinical features summarized. The available experimental evidence addressing the mechanism underlying this side effect is discussed.
A comment on approximating the x2 distribution in the equiprobable case

In an article appearing in this journal, Smith, et al. (1979) reported that a beta approximation of the X2 distribution in the equiprobable case did not perform well. This brief note points out that they used the wrong moments and range in their approximation. It is suggested that when this problem is cor-rected, a beta approximation performs better than the chi-square or adjusted chi-square when k ≥ 3 and n is not too small.
Writing scalable SIMD programs with ISPC

Modern processors contain many resources for parallel execution. In addition to having multiple cores, processors can also contain vector functional units that are capable of performing a single operation on multiple inputs in parallel. Taking advantage of this vector hardware is essential to obtaining peak performance on a machine, but it is often challenging for programmers to do so.This paper presents a performance study of compiling several benchmarks from the domains of computer graphics, financial modeling, and high-performance computing for different vector instruction sets using the Intel SPMD Program Compiler, an alternative to compiler autovectorization of scalar code or handwriting vector code with intrinsics. ispc is both a language and compiler that produces high quality code for SIMD CPU vector extensions such as Intel Streaming SIMD Extensions (SSE), Intel Advanced Vector Extensions (AVX), or ARM NEON. We present the results of compiling the same ispc source program for various targets. The performance of the resulting ispc versions is compared to that of scalar C++ code, and we also examine the scalability of the benchmarks when targeting wider vector units.
New Host and Geographic Distribution Records for the Fish Leeches Placobdella translucens (Sawyer and Shelley, 1976) and Myzobdella reducta (Meyer, 1940) (Hirudinida)

Abstract The leeches Placobdella translucens (Sawyer and Shelley, 1976) and Myzobdella reducta (Meyer, 1940) are reported from Nebraska, U.S.A. for the first time. Individuals of M. reducta were collected from the caudal fins of 4 green sunfish (Lepomis cyanellus). A single pumpkinseed (Lepomis gibbosus) was infested with 2 individuals of P. translucens, constituting the first report of this species from a host. Placobdella translucens closely resembles Placobdella michiganensis (Sawyer, 1972) and Placobdella phalera (sensu Moore, 1906). In 1906, J. P. Moore established the most widely recognized concept of P. phalera when he “rather doubtfully referred” some material that he collected from Michigan to P. phalera (Graf, 1899). Placobdella phalera (Graf, 1899) was recently declared a junior synonym of Placobdella ornata. Given the similarities among the species, it is likely that at least some individuals previously identified as P. phalera (sensu Moore, 1906) represent P. translucens and/or P. michiganensis.
Neuropathogenesis of Theiler’s Murine Encephalomyelitis Virus Infection, An Animal Model for Multiple Sclerosis

Theiler’s murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV) infection of mice is an experimental model for multiple sclerosis (MS). TMEV induces a biphasic disease in susceptible mouse strains. During the acute phase, 1 week after infection, TMEV causes polioencephalomyelitis characterized by infection and apoptosis of neurons in the gray matter of the brain. During the chronic phase, about 1 month after infection, virus infects glial cells and macrophages, and induces inflammatory demyelination with oligodendrocyte apoptosis and axonal degeneration in the white matter of the spinal cord. Although antibody, CD4+, and CD8+ T cell responses against TMEV capsid proteins play important roles in neuropathogenesis, infectious virus with persistence is necessary to induce demyelination; in general, adoptive transfer of antibody or T cells alone did not induce central nervous system (CNS) disease. The TMEV model can be useful for testing new therapeutic strategies specifically as a viral model for MS. Therapies targeting adhesion molecules, axonal degeneration, and immunosuppression can be beneficial for pure autoimmune CNS demyelinating diseases, such as experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, but could be detrimental in virus-induced demyelinating diseases, such as progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy.
Postsynaptic Complexin Controls AMPA Receptor Exocytosis During LTP

Long-term potentiation (LTP) is a compelling synaptic correlate of learning and memory. LTP induction requires NMDA receptor (NMDAR) activation, which triggers SNARE-dependent exocytosis of AMPA receptors (AMPARs). However, the molecular mechanisms mediating AMPAR exocytosis induced by NMDAR activation remain largely unknown. Here, we show that complexin, a protein that regulates neurotransmitter release via binding to SNARE complexes, is essential for AMPAR exocytosis during LTP but not for the constitutive AMPAR exocytosis that maintains basal synaptic strength. The regulated postsynaptic AMPAR exocytosis during LTP requires binding of complexin to SNARE complexes. In hippocampal neurons, presynaptic complexin acts together with synaptotagmin-1 to mediate neurotransmitter release. However, postsynaptic synaptotagmin-1 is not required for complexin-dependent AMPAR exocytosis during LTP. These results suggest a complexin-dependent molecular mechanism for regulating AMPAR delivery to synapses, a mechanism that is surprisingly similar to presynaptic exocytosis but controlled by regulators other than synaptotagmin-1.
Nicotine induces conditioned place preferences over a large range of doses in rats.

Rationale Conditioned place preference (CPP) procedures provide one measure of potential rewarding effects of abused drugs. Many attempts to induce CPP with nicotine have been unsuccessful.
Ultrastructure and cytochemistry of metabolic DNA in Tipula.

A DNA body is present in the females of the fly Tipula oleracea and is formed in contact with the sex chromosomes in the oogonial interphases. At each oogonial mitosis, the DNA body follows the chromosomes to one anaphase group and is included in one of the telophase nuclei. The body increases appreciably in size during the interphase of meiosis. All oocytes have the body, but only a few nurse cells possess it. The DNA body synthesizes its DNA at a different time than the chromosomes, as is shown by incorporation of tritiated thymidine, and contains 59% of the DNA of the nucleus, as is disclosed by spectrophotometric measurements. At late diplotene the DNA body disintegrates, releasing its DNA into either the nucleus or the cytoplasm. When studied in the electron microscope, the DNA body appears composed of a tight mass of intertwined fibrils. Demonstration that the main mass of the body is composed of DNA is obtained from cytochemical tests which reveal that the DNA body is Feulgen positive, stains green with azure B, incorporates H3-thymidine, and after digestion with DNase is Feulgen negative. The DNA of the body is complexed with histone, like the DNA of the chromosomes, as is revealed by an intense alkaline fast green staining. Electron microscope examination of oocytes reveals that one side of the DNA body is in close contact with the nuclear envelope and that the other side possesses an outer shell composed mainly of particles 150 to 250 A in diameter. Between the outer shell and the chromosomes there is a band of low electron opacity, 4000 to 7000 A thick. In the light microscope, this light band together with the outer shell is Feulgen negative and stains violet with azure B; this is confirmation of the presence of RNA. In the oocytes the nucleoli are found inside the DNA body. These nucleoli have a nucleolonema composed mainly of particles 150 to 250 A. The nucleoli are Feulgen negative, alkaline fast green negative, stain violet with azure B, and do not stain with azure B after RNase digestion, thus confirming their RNA content. The presence of the nucleoli inside the DNA body and of a band of RNA between the body and the chromosomes is indicative of a high RNA synthetic activity. Since the DNA of the body is complexed with histone, as in the chromosomes, and the nucleoli are located inside the body, the simplest interpretation of the DNA body is that it represents hundreds of copies of the operons of the nucleolar organizing region or neighboring regions. The situation found in Tipula has several basic features in common with the polytene chromosomes of other Diptera and with the hundreds of nucleoli present in Triturus oocytes. In all three cases, genes seem to be copied hundreds of times but are kept in different types of packages. A DNA body like the one in Tipula oleracea is found in other species of Diptera and in the Coleoptera. There is no indication, from the present investigation, that the DNA body is in any way associated with a virus.
Integrating climate‐hydrology forecasts and multi‐objective reservoir management for northern California

The Integrated Forecast and Reservoir Management (INFORM) Project was conceived to demonstrate increased water-use efficiency in Northern California water resources operations through (1) the innovative application of climate, hydrologic, and decision science, and (2) reciprocal technology transfer activities between the INFORM scientists and the staff of federal and state agencies with an operational forecast and management mandate in Northern California. Toward achieving this goal, INFORM objectives include implementing a prototype integrated forecast-management system for primary Northern California reservoirs, for individual reservoirs as well as system-wise. Project objectives also include demonstrating the utility of climate and hydrologic forecasts through near-real-time tests of the integrated system with actual data and management input.
Hematopoietic progenitor cell transplantation in breast cancer: current status and future directions.

Breast cancer remains the second leading cause of cancer death despite numerous advances in medical science. In vitro, preclinical, and clinical trials have shown that chemotherapy dose intensity is an important component of therapy. Many clinical trials addressing the use of high-dose chemotherapy and hematopoietic cellular rescue have been conducted over the past decade. Early trials undertaken in heavily pretreated patients who had metastatic disease were associated with high treatment-related mortality rates; good response rates were noted but overall survivals were short. Subsequent technological advances, including the use of recombinant hematopoietic growth factors and peripheral blood progenitor cells as the source of cellular rescue, have dramatically lowered the morbidity and mortality of the procedure, as well as shortened hospital stay and markedly reduced cost. As a result, the high-dose chemotherapy approach has been used earlier in the disease course, both in patients with metastatic diseas...
High-performance liquid chromatography purification of chemically modified RNA aptamers

2'-Fluoro modified RNAs are useful as potential therapeutics and as special substrates for studying RNA function. 2'-Fluoro modified RNAs generally need to be purified after they are prepared either enzymatically or by solid-phase synthesis. Here we introduce a protocol by which 2'-fluoro modified RNAs with 57 and 58 nucleotides can be resolved and purified using ion-pair, reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Because the size of our RNA samples is in the range of many known RNA aptamers of therapeutic values, our protocol should be generally useful.
Fractional-bit and value-location lossless encoding in G.711.0 coder

The paper describes two lossless coding tools employed in the new ITU-T G.711.0 Recommendation: fractional-bit and value-location encoding. Instead of encoding each sample individually as done in G.711, the fractional-bit coding tool identifies the total number of signal levels that exist within an input frame and then combines several samples for joint encoding with fractional-bits per sample. The value-location tool encodes positions of all values within an input frame that differ from a reference value. The method efficiently represents an input frame as a sum of value-location code vectors that are sequentially encoded using Rice, binary, or explicit location encoding. Presented results illustrate how the described coding techniques were adopted for usage within the new ITU-T G.711.0 standard.
Fourphit, an acylating phencyclidine derivative, attenuates cocaine-induced hyperactivity in rats.

Abstract Fourphit (4-isothiocyanato-1-[1-phenylcyclohexyl]piperidine), an acylating phencyclidine derivative that irreversibly inhibits stimulant binding to the dopamine transporter in vitro (Schweri et al., J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. 261:936–942, 1992), was tested in rats for its ability to block the increased locomotor activity caused by cocaine. Administration of Fourphit (20 mg/kg, IV) significantly reduced the hyperactivity caused by challenge with either 15 or 40 mg/kg (−)cocaine·HCl (IP) 24 h later. It also increased the amount of thigmotaxis and decreased the rearing frequency of rats given the higher dose of cocaine. Only negligible effects on behavior were found upon acute administration of the compound by itself, or in response to a saline challenge 24 h later. Activity during the dark cycle immediately following Fourphit administration, however, was moderately depressed. Contrary to the results predicted from its activity in vitro, Fourphit did not inhibit the ex vivo binding of [ 3 H]methylphenidate to stimulant receptors in the striatal tissue of treated rats. These results show that Fourphit can antagonize some behavioral actions of cocaine, but these effects are not likely due to covalent modification of the site on the dopamine transporter recognized by cocaine.
Degradation Mechanisms in SiC Bipolar Junction Transistors

SiC power bipolar junction transistors (BJTs) are believed to have the potential of operating reliably at much higher junction temperatures as compared to SiC MOSFETs. The obstacle for commercialization of SiC BJTs is the presence of degradation in both on-resistance and current gain, first detected by Agarwal et al. The recombination-induced stacking faults (SFs) were a prime suspect but no clear experimental proof was provided. In this paper, for the first time, we provide an experimental evidence of the recombination- induced SFs in SiC BJTs, and correlation with device characteristics.
Pressure Transient Analysis in Piping Systems Including the Effects of Plastic Deformation and Cavitation

Computational methods for analyzing pressure transients in the intermediate heat transport system of a sodium-cooled breeder reactor are being developed at Argonne National Laboratory. Because these systems typically operate at low pressures, thin-walled piping is used. Consequently, the pressure pulses produced by a sodium/water reaction in a steam generator or a pipe break may plastically deform sections of the piping, and rarefaction waves, because of the low operating pressure, may produce cavitation in the system. Both these phenomena have a large effect on the pressure pulses traversing the pipe network and, consequently, on the transient loading on major components. The computer program PTA-1, which includes the effect of plastic deformation of piping, and the computer program PTAC, which includes the effect of cavitation, have previously been validated using available experimental data. A new program, PTA-2, is being developed which combines the capabilities of PTA-1 and PTAC. Comparisons will be shown between PTA-2 predictions and the results of several experiments performed at Stanford Research Institute. In each of these experiments, a pressure pulse caused plastic deformation of a thin-walled pipe, producing a rarefaction wave which then produced a cavitated region in another pipe.
Late Miocene erosion and evolution of topography along the western slope of the Colorado Rockies

In the Colorado Rocky Mountains, the association of high topography and low seismic velocity in the underlying mantle suggests that recent changes in lithospheric buoyancy may have been associated with surface uplift of the range. This paper examines the relationships among late Cenozoic fluvial incision, channel steepness, and mantle velocity domains along the western slope of the northern Colorado Rockies. New 40 Ar/ 39 Ar ages on basalts capping the Tertiary Browns Park Formation range from ca. 11 to 6 Ma and provide markers from which we reconstruct incision along the White, Yampa, and Little Snake rivers. The magnitude of post–10 Ma incision varies systematically from north to south, increasing from ∼500 m along the Little Snake River to ∼1500 m along the Colorado River. Spatial variations in the amount of late Cenozoic incision are matched by metrics of channel steepness; the upper Colorado River and its tributaries (e.g., Gunnison and Dolores rivers) are two to three times steeper than the Yampa and White rivers, and these variations are independent of both discharge and lithologic substrate. The coincidence of steep river profiles with deep incision suggests that the fluvial systems are dynamically adjusting to an external forcing but is not readily explained by a putative increase in erosivity associated with late Cenozoic climate change. Rather, channel steepness correlates with the position of the channels relative to low-velocity mantle. We suggest that the history of late Miocene–present incision and channel adjustment reflects long-wavelength tilting across the western slope of the Rocky Mountains.
Young tracks of hotspots and current plate velocities

SUMMARY Plate motions relative to the hotspots over the past 4 to 7 Myr are investigated with a goal of determining the shortest time interval over which reliable volcanic propagation rates and segment trends can be estimated. The rate and trend uncertainties are objectively determined from the dispersion of volcano age and of volcano location and are used to test the mutual consistency of the trends and rates. Ten hotspot data sets are constructed from overlapping time intervals with various durations and starting times. Our preferred hotspot data set, HS3, consists of two volcanic propagation rates and eleven segment trends from four plates. It averages plate motion over the past ≈5.8 Myr, which is almost twice the length of time (3.2 Myr) over which the NUVEL-1A global set of relative plate angular velocities is estimated. HS3-NUVEL1A, our preferred set of angular velocities of 15 plates relative to the hotspots, was constructed from the HS3 data set while constraining the relative plate angular velocities to consistency with NUVEL-1A. No hotspots are in significant relative motion, but the 95 per cent confidence limit on motion is typically ±20 to ±40 km Myr −1 and ranges up to ±145 km Myr −1 . The uncertainties of the new angular velocities of plates relative to the hotspots are smaller than those of previously published HS2-NUVEL1 (Gripp & Gordon 1990), while being averaged over a shorter and much more uniform time interval. Nine of the fourteen HS2-NUVEL1 angular velocities lie outside the 95 per cent confidence region of the corresponding HS3NUVEL1A angular velocity, while all fourteen of the HS3-NUVEL1A angular velocities lie inside the 95 per cent confidence region of the corresponding HS2-NUVEL1 angular velocity. The HS2-NUVEL1 Pacific Plate angular velocity lies inside the 95 per cent confidence region of the HS3-NUVEL1A Pacific Plate angular velocity, but the 0 to 3 Ma Pacific Plate angular velocity of Wessel & Kroenke (1997) lies far outside the confidence region. We show that the change in trend of the Hawaiian hotspot over the past 2 to 3 Myr has no counterpart on other chains and therefore provides no basis for inferring a change in Pacific Plate motion relative to global hotspots. The current angular velocity of the Pacific Plate can be shown to differ from the average over the past 47 Myr in rate but not in orientation, with the current rotation being about 50 per cent faster (1.06 ± 0.10 deg Myr −1 ) than the average (0.70 deg Myr −1 ) since the 47-Myr-old bend in the Hawaiian‐Emperor chain.
Pandora's groove: analysing the effect of the U-groove ban on PGA Tour golfers' performances and strategies

This study examines how PGA Tour golfers' playing strategies offset a ban on technologically superior golf club grooves and how the strategy changes translated into performance changes. The ban, which was implemented at the beginning of the 2010 season, effectively decreased golfers' abilities to spin the golf ball from all on-course environments and offers a unique opportunity to examine offsetting behaviour in the light of a ban on the type of technology. We compare 2009 and 2010 PGA Tour results in a manner consistent with previous studies of offsetting behaviour and golf club groove construction. Our results suggest that offsetting behaviour mitigated the effects of the technological regulations on golf clubs in an economically and statistically significant way, as golfers' performances improved following the technological ban.
Studies on hemoglobin intermediates: A new method for studying the reaction of Hb4(CO)3 with CO in human, carp, rabbit and opossum hemoglobin☆

Abstract A new method for studying the reaction of the last CO with triligated hemoglobin, Hb4(CO)3, is presented. The method involves double mixing: at the first step oxygen is removed from the species Hb4(CO)3(O2)1; at the second, the species Hb4(CO)3 reacts with CO. The results of double mixing experiments for human hemoglobin, rabbit hemoglobin, carp hemoglobin and opossum hemoglobin are compared with the results of flash photolysis experiments for these hemoglobins. The biphasic reaction time course for carp and opossum hemoglobins was studied as a function of pH and inositol hexaphosphate concentration and is explained on the basis of R ⇌T equilibrium of the triligated species.
Frequency of Cutaneous Reactions on Rechallenge with Nevirapine and Delavirdine

OBJECTIVE:To determine the frequency of cutaneous reactions in a group of HIV-infected adults attending a public hospital HIV clinic who received nevirapine, delavirdine, or both, as well as the consequences of rechallenge with the same or alternative agent.DESIGN:The medical records of patients who had received either or both agents between March 1997 and July 1998 were reviewed, including 69 patients who initially received nevirapine and 20 who initially received delavirdine. Gender, ethnicity, HIV status, and plasma HIV RNA concentrations were analyzed as risk factors for the development of rash.RESULTS:The overall incidence of rash attributed to the initial use of one of these drugs was 37.1%. While rash due to delavirdine occurred more often, the rash due to nevirapine was more severe and resulted in hospitalization more frequently. There was a trend toward a higher frequency of rash in Latinos and possibly in women, but HIV status, CD4+ cell counts, and plasma HIV RNA were not risk factors for the d...
Ferromagnetic and Antiferromagnetic Coupling in Amorphous (Ni 100−c Mn c ) 78 P 14 B 8

The magnetic properties of amorphous alloys (Ni100−cMnc)78P14B8 with 0.7 at.% ≤ c ≤ 20 at.%, have been investigated for temperatures between 1.7°K and 270°K. Samples were prepared by the splat cooling method; the susceptibilities at zero field and the magnetizations in fields up to 70 kOe have been measured. Ni78P14B8 is paramagnetic and Ni-Mn-P-B alloys exhibit different magnetic characteristics depending on the manganese concentration and the temperature range. At “high temperature” T ≥ 30°K the initial susceptibility has a Curie-Weiss behaviour; all the paramagnetic Curie temperatures θ are equal to zero or positive. The low temperature studies show that three concentration regimes can be determined; i) for c ≤ 2 at.%, a dilute alloy behaviour is observed. For higher manganese concentrations the magnetization features show the existence of a mixing of ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic coupling between atoms, ii) For 2 at.% ≪ c ≤ 8 at.% the alloys present spin glass characteristics i.e. a random magnetic coupling occurs between magnetic moments, iii ) For 8 at.% ≪ c ≤ 20 at.% the alloys are mictomagnetic and show a trend toward an antiferromagnetic order; irreversible phenomena are observed. In this paper the experimental results are interpreted and discussed in relation with the spin glass and mictomagnetic models.
A Study of Unidirectionally Aligned Collagen-Silk Composite Fibers and the Application in hdpPSC Neural Differentiation

Tissue engineering that involves matrix-specified differentiation of stem cells provides new approaches for tissue regeneration. In the preliminary study, collagen type I, as an important extracellular matrix (ECM) component, was found able to support cell proliferation and promote neuroectodermal commitment in stem cell differentiation [1] [2]. Other studies also showed aligned matrices can provide guidance for neural cell migration and directional axonal regeneration, which is a promising tissue engineering strategy for neural repair [3]. To create more suitable biological scaffolds, we used electrospinning technique to fabricate well-aligned collagen microfibers mimicking the native ECM. However, fibers made of pure collagen seemed to be too soft and unstable for long-term cell culture. Considering spider silk’s remarkable tensile strength and superior elasticity, we incorporated silk proteins into collagen to enhance mechanical properties of e-spun fibers. In this study, we aim to reveal the role of unidirectionally aligned collagen-silk composite fibers in neural differentiation of human decidua parietalis placental stem cells (hdpPSCs).
Primary genitourinary melanoma presenting as voiding dysfunction

A case of primary malignant melanoma of the urethra in a 67-year-old female is presented. Cystourethroscopy performed during a workup for pelvic organ prolapse revealed a bladder and urethral mass. Initial histologic examination was interpreted as undifferentiated sarcoma; however, after immunohistochemical staining by two separate institutions, malignant melanoma was diagnosed. Being rare, urethral melanoma is often misdiagnosed, and treatment can be delayed. Given its poor prognosis, early diagnosis is essential, and clinicians need to include it in their differential when working up a patient with genitourinary complaint.
Tioga Bentonite (Middle Devonian) of Indiana

The petrography of shale partings in carbonate rocks from eleven cores in the Illinois (Jeffersonville Formation) and Michigan Basins (Detroit River Formation) of Indiana indicates the presence of a K-bentonite which is interpreted as the Tioga Bentonite, an important stratigraphic marker in the middle Devonian rocks throughout the central and eastern United States. The clay mineral composition of the Tioga Bentonite of Indiana is interstratified illite and smectite, usually with admixed kaolinite. This composition stands in striking contrast to the simple illite suite without kaolinite in the normal terrigenous shale partings in the Devonian rocks of Indiana. Euhedral sanidine, high temperature albite, zircon, apatite, and the angularity of quartz grains found associated only with the interstratified clay mineral suite support the volcanic origin of these clay partings.
Granzyme A Induces Caspase-Independent Mitochondrial Damage, a Required First Step for Apoptosis

Granzyme A (GzmA) triggers cell death with apoptotic features by targeting the endoplasmic reticulum-associated SET complex, which contains the GzmA-activated DNase NM23-H1, its inhibitor SET, and Ape1. The SET complex was postulated to translocate to the nucleus in response to oxidative stress and participate in its repair. Because mitochondrial damage is important in apoptosis, we investigated whether GzmA damages mitochondria. GzmA induces a rapid increase in reactive oxygen species and mitochondrial transmembrane potential loss, but does not cleave bid or cause apoptogenic factor release. The mitochondrial effect is direct, does not require cytosol, and is insensitive to bcl-2 and caspase inhibition. SET complex nuclear translocation, which occurs within minutes of peroxide or GzmA treatment, is dependent on superoxide generation since superoxide scavengers block it. Superoxide scavengers also block apoptosis by CTLs expressing GzmA and/or GzmB. Therefore, mitochondrial damage is an essential first step in killer cell granule-mediated pathways of apoptosis.
An integrated approach for fault diagnosis with learning

Abstract This paper presents an integrated approach for diagnostic reasoning that combines the strengths of both shallow reasoning and deep reasoning, and incorporates two different forms of learning into the diagnostic system. This new diagnostic approach should be widely applicable to a range of complex, computer-controlled systems. A case study is presented for a pumping system in a chemical process plant, in which several fault situations are simulated and correctly diagnosed by the diagnostic system and the system learning capability is demonstrated.
Zone sharing: a hot-spots decomposition scheme for data-centric storage in sensor networks

In the resource over-constrained environment of sensor networks, techniques for storing data locally in sensor nodes have been proposed to support efficient processing of ad-hoc queries. These data-centric storage (DCS) techniques differ in the method of mapping events to sensors, but all of them fail to deal with storage hot-spots due to irregular sensors deployments, and(or) data distributions. In this paper, we present Zone Sharing (ZS), a novel distributed scheme for the decomposition of storage hot-spots. We apply ZS to the DIM scheme, which has been shown to be the best among all DCS schemes. ZS locally detects hot-spots and tries to evenly distribute their loads among the sensor nodes in the network. Simulations have shown the efficiency of ZS in decomposing small to moderate sized hot-spots without imposing an additional energy load to the network nodes.
Effect of the data constraint on few-view, fan-beam CT image reconstruction by TV minimization

Application of the total variation (TV) minimization algorithm is applied to image reconstruction in few-view fan-beam computed tomography (CT). In particular, the impact of noise is investigated for different levels of tolerance on the data error. The artifacts due to noise are seen to vary dramatically in spatial frequency as the data error tolerance changes.
Measuring the effectiveness of group work: A review and analysis of process and outcome measures

Abstract This article reviews process and outcome measures related to groups to encourage practitioners to evaluate their group work, aid researchers in identifying reliable and valid measures, and foster collaboration between research and practice.
SnapShot: Hair Follicle Stem Cells

The hair follicle is an outstanding model for dissecting the biology of vertebrate stem cells. This SnapShot illustrates the current understanding of key aspects of hair follicle stem cell development and homeostasis.
Numerical simulation of phase-space flows in the Collisionless Terrella experiment

Non-Maxwellian plasmas confined in a magnetic dipole can become unstable to hot electron interchange (HEI) instability, which saturates nonlinearly exciting drift-resonant fluctuations with complex time-varying frequency spectrum. A fully self-consistent nonlinear model, which includes /spl mu/, J preserving guiding center drift Hamiltonian dynamics of hot electrons, reproduces the frequency sweeping observed experimentally, and suggests spontaneous formation and consequent inward propagation of "phase-space holes"- coherent structures in phase-space, that can cause particle radial transport. We present the results of the numerical simulation showing the time evolution of the phase-space.
Privatizing pastoral lands: economic and normative outcomes in Kenya

Summary This article presents empirical data from household level studies and anthropological field research regarding the economic and normative outcomes of privatization of pastoral land among a Samburu community in Kenya. The privatization of land in Samburu fits neither the optimistic scenario of property rights theorists nor the gloomy forecasts of those who favor communal ownership in pastoral areas. While many households experienced gains from privatization this was due to the particular ways in which the process of land tenure change proceeded and how agriculture was integrated into their pastoral livelihood. Local level norms have emerged that reinforce the value of land ownership for residents and discourage land sales, effectively preserving the pastoral way of life.
Outcomes after inferior vena cava thrombectomy and reconstruction for advanced renal cell carcinoma with tumor thrombus

Background This report details the experience of a multidisciplinary surgical team in the management of stage III and stage IV renal cell carcinoma (RCC) with concomitant inferior vena cava (IVC) tumor thrombus. Methods A retrospective inquiry of our vascular database from 2003 to 2012 identified 55 surgical cases of stage III (n = 40) and stage IV (n = 15) RCC presenting with IVC tumor thrombus. Tumor characteristics and IVC tumor thrombus were evaluated by clinical staging and postoperative pathology staging. Patient demographics and surgical reconstruction are detailed. Cancer-specific outcomes consisted of oncologic surveillance with computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging. A Clavien-Dindo classification of early ( Results According to the Novick classification of IVC tumor thrombus, there were 10 supradiaphragmatic (level IV), 20 intrahepatic (level III), and 25 infrahepatic (level II or I) tumor thrombi. Vena cava reconstruction was completed in 54 patients (98%), with one patient deemed unresectable. Vena cava control required cardiac bypass (n = 10), venovenous bypass (n = 4), or infrahepatic IVC control (n = 40). Reconstruction of the IVC was completed with two prosthetic interposition grafts for one stage IV thrombus and one stage III thrombus; two patch repairs were done for stage III thrombus, and there were 50 primary IVC repairs. All other IVC reconstructions were patent at a mean follow-up of 23 months. A single asymptomatic patient with primary IVC repair had estimated 30% IVC narrowing but no other measurable stenosis as detected by postoperative imaging. Three patients required reoperation (two for surgical site bleeding, one for small bowel fistula). Early surgical complications included Clavien-Dindo grades I (n = 3), II (n = 6), IIIa (n = 2), IIIb (n = 3), and V (n = 2). Regional retroperitoneal or distant recurrent RCC occurred in 26 patients (48%); a single patient demonstrating recurrent IVC tumor thrombus at 8 months required secondary IVC thrombectomy. All patients with tumor invasion of the IVC wall developed recurrent RCC, and no patient survived beyond 5 years. Early mortality was 3.6% (n = 2), with 27 patients (49%) dying within 24 months, resulting in an overall mortality for the cohort of 80% (n = 44) as established on routine regular postoperative surveillance. Conclusions A multidisciplinary approach for the management of advanced RCC and IVC tumor thrombus helps optimize outcomes. Primary IVC repairs are possible in most patients, and IVC patency is good. Recurrent tumor thrombus rates are low; however, RCC tumor recurrence and mortality are high, especially among patients with advanced cancer with IVC wall invasion.
Contribution of sexually transmitted diseases and socioeconomic factors to perinatal mortality in rural Ghana.

The infant mortality rate is higher in sub-Saharan Africa than in other developing regions. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and socioeconomic and obstetric factors with perinatal mortality in rural Ghana. Perinatal mortality data were collected from 154 patient records of the outpatient and inpatient gynecology department of a rural Ghanaian setting in 1997. All women attended the antenatal care unit of the hospital at least once before delivery where they were screened for common STDs including syphilis gonorrhea and trichomoniasis. Patients’ socioeconomic characteristics and previous obstetric complications were recorded. The rate of perinatal mortality at the Holy Family Hospital in the Berekum district of Ghana was 13.7% in 1997 (154 of 1123 documented births). Characteristics of mothers whose infants died in the perinatal period and who had attended antenatal care at least once were as follows: prior obstetric complications 108 patients (70.1%); average age 25 years (range: 16–42 years); average number of previous sexual partners three; prevalence of STDs including gonorrhea trichomoniasis or syphilis 83 patients (53.8%); history of other chronic diseases 13 patients (8.5%); and illiteracy 66 patients (42.8%). The number of previous sexual partners and illiteracy were higher in the STD-positive women. Sexually transmitted diseases and previous obstetric complications seemed to contribute considerably to perinatal mortality in rural Ghana. (authors)