cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Magnetic resonance properties of some lunar material.

Paramagnetic resonance spectra of Apollo 11 fines and rocks were measured at 9 and 35 gigahertz and at 4°, 80°, and 300°K. At both frequencies the material has an intense absorption at g = 2, with a line width of ∼950 gauss. Fe ions with strong exchange interactions produce this resonance. A comparison of the resonance absorption due to Fe 3+ showed that the energy of the crystal field interaction was ∼0.1 per centimeter. Mn 2+ was identified in several samples, and an absorption at g = 1.89 was tentatively attributed to Ti 3+ . The nuclear magnetic resonance spectra of 27 Al had a distribution of asymmetry parameters η ranging from 0.25 to 0.75 and had nuclear quadrupole coupling constants e 2 qQ/h of approximately 3 megahertz.
Chemical proteomics-based drug design: target and antitarget fishing with a catechol-rhodanine privileged scaffold for NAD(P)(H) binding proteins.

Drugs typically exert their desired and undesired biological effects by virtue of binding interactions with protein target(s) and antitarget(s), respectively. Strategies are therefore needed to efficiently manipulate and monitor cross-target binding profiles (e.g., imatinib and isoniazid) as an integrated part of the drug design process. Herein we present such a strategy, which reverses the target → lead rational drug design paradigm. Enabling this approach is a catechol−rhodanine privileged scaffold for dehydrogenases, which is easily tuned for affinity and specificity toward desired targets. This scaffold crosses bacterial (E. coli) cell walls, and proteome-wide studies demonstrate it does indeed bind to and identify NAD(P)(H)-binding proteins that are potential drug targets in Mycobacterium tuberculosis and antitargets (or targets) in human liver. This approach to drug discovery addresses key difficulties earlier in the process by only pursuing targets for which a chemical lead and optimization strateg...
Comment on Couplings of a Pomeranchuk Cut

We examine the asymptotic behavior of an inclusive cross section in the triple-Regge region implied by the existence of a leading $J$-plane branch point. We find a relation between the coupling and the hardness of the discontinuity across the branch cut. In particular, if the discontinuity is soft, the coupling analogous to the triple-Pomeranchuk vertex need not vanish at $t=0$.
The role of residual dislocation arrays in slip induced cavitation, migration and dynamic recrystallization at grain boundaries

Abstract Experiments with bicrystals of nickel were designed to study whether different reactions between dislocations at grain boundaries can lead to different effects. The experiments were carried out at 573 K in low cycle fatigue. The large majority of the bicrystals were Σ9, and a few were Σ21. The results can be broadly classified into two groups. In one the dislocations activated in the adjacent crystals were symmetrical and in the other they were nonsymmetrical. The symmetrical case consisted of two types, screw-screw (S-S) where one the dislocations was of opposite sign, and symmetrical-mixed (M-M) where both had an edge component similarly tilted with respect to the boundary plane. The S-S case left no residuals in the boundary plane and produced no effects at the boundary. The M-M case gave rise to a low energy array of edge residuals in the boundary, which led to onset of dynamic recrystallization, but did not produce cavitation nor boundary migration. In the nonsymmetrical group three cases were examined, screw-mixed (S-M), edge sessile-rigid (ES-R, where edge dislocations with their Burgers vector normal to the boundary plane were activated in only one crystal) and edge glissile-rigid (EG-R, Burgers vector parallel to the boundary plane). The S-M reaction led to heavy cavitation and migration (they were inversely related), while the EG-R reaction produced only migration. The ES-R case gave evidence of all three effects to some degree. In summary nonsymmetrical reactions appeared to promote migration and cavitation, while the symmetrical reactions produced predominantly dynamic recrystallization.
Peritoneal Tuberculosis Mimicking Peritoneal Carcinomatosis

A 67-year-old male presented with fatigue, abdominal pain , and 30-pound weight loss over 3 months. Computerized tomography (CT) abdomen displayed ascites with thickening and enhancement of the peritoneum and mottled nodular appearing as soft tissue consistent with omental caking worrisome for peritoneal carcinomatosis. A paracentesis revealed white blood cell count of 2,500 with 98% lymphocytes and serum ascites albumin gradient of 0.9 g/L. No acid-fast bacilli were seen by microscopic exam and culture was negative. Purified protein derivative skin test (PPD) was negative and CXR did not reveal any infiltrates. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) and colonoscopy were unrevealing. The patient underwent exploratory laparotomy with round ligament and peritoneal biopsies that revealed numerous necrotizing granulomas. Acid-fast bacteria Ziehl-Neelsen stain (AFB) of the biopsy specimen revealed single acid-fast bacilli. Treatment for M. tuberculosis was initiated and final culture revealed that mycobacterium tuberculosis was sensitive to Isoniazid, Rifampin, Ethambutol, and Pyrazinamide. After 6 months of treatment, the ascites and peritoneal carcinomatosis resolved.
Active ultrasound imaging of breast tumors: Forward and inverse scattering methods

Ultrasonic imaging for the detection of breast tumors is an important technique to complement existing x‐ray mammography. The potential advantages of the ultrasound imaging technique stems mainly from the relatively high contrast of acoustic properties between tumors and normal breast tissue. However, this high contrast also increases the difficulty of forming an accurate image because of the increased multiple scattering. To address this issue, we have developed fast forward methods based on a combination of extended Born approximation, conjugate‐ and biconjugate‐gradient methods, and fast Fourier transform; we propose two nonlinear ultrasound imaging algorithms to improve the resolution for the high‐contrast media encountered in ultrasound breast tumor detection. The measured data are simulated with a forward method. The inverse scattering algorithms account for the complicated multiple scattering (diffraction) effects. Numerical results show that our algorithms can accurately model and invert the high‐...
Using semantic fields to model dynamic spatial relations in a robot architecture for natural language instruction of service robots

We present a methodology for enabling service robots to follow natural language commands from non-expert users, with and without user-specified constraints, with a particular focus on spatial language understanding. As part of our approach, we propose a novel extension to the semantic field model of spatial prepositions that enables the representation of dynamic spatial relations involving paths. The design, system modules, and implementation details of our robot software architecture are presented and the relevance of the proposed methodology to interactive instruction and task modification through the addition of constraints is discussed. The paper concludes with an evaluation of our robot software architecture implemented on a simulated mobile robot operating in both a 2D home environment and in real world environment maps to demonstrate the generalizability and usefulness of our approach in real world applications.
Universal conductance fluctuations in the presence of Landau quantization.

We generalize the analytic theory of universal conductance fluctuations to systems with Landau-level quantization. Results are valid to leading order in 1/g (g is conductance) but for arbitrary magnetic field. We show that the field only enters through the diffusion constant and cancels in the variance of g, which hence remains \ensuremath{\sim}(${\mathit{e}}^{2}$/h${)}^{2}$ over the entire range of magnetic fields. However, the correlation range ${\mathit{B}}_{\mathit{c}}$ does vary with field in good agreement with experiments.
Native Land Tenure, Conservation, and Development in a Pseudo-Democracy: Sabah, Malaysia

This article explores the interacting politics of native customary law, conservation, and rural development in Sabah, Malaysia. Drawing on the specific details of native property rights in a rural community and state conservation and agricultural development initiatives, this article delves into the inherent contradictions between the logic of conservation, commercial land development, and native land tenure regimes. Native smallholders in Sabah see their customary land tenure as remnant expressions of local autonomy, which has not been fully experienced since the advent of colonial rule at the end of the 19th century. Conversely, state-driven conservation and development plans, and the ways in which they adversely affect individuals' access to natural resources are viewed by villagers as the quintessential expression of the power of a centralized and undemocratic government. By probing at the intersection of these polarizing practices this article explores the relationship between the Malaysian state and...
Compact Current Source Models for Timing Analysis Under Temperature and Body Bias Variations

State-of-the-art timing tools are built around the use of current source models (CSMs), which have proven to be fast and accurate in enabling the analysis of large circuits. As circuits become increasingly exposed to process and temperature variations, there is a strong need to augment these models to account for thermal effects and for the impact of adaptive body biasing, a compensatory technique that is used to overcome on-chip variations. However, a straightforward extension of CSMs to incorporate timing analysis at multiple body biases and temperatures results in unreasonably large characterization tables for each cell. We propose a new approach to compactly capture body bias and temperature effects within a mainstream CSM framework. Our approach features a table reduction method for compaction of tables and a fast and novel waveform sensitivity method for timing evaluation under any body bias and temperature condition. On a 45-nm technology, we demonstrate high accuracy, with mean errors of under 4% in both slew and delay as compared to HSPICE. We show a speedup of over five orders of magnitude over HSPICE and a speedup of about over conventional CSMs.
Inflation, taxation, and risk taking

Abstract The effects of taxation on the holding of ‘risky’ assets are explored when price level uncertainty means that the alternative asset, money, cannot be regarded as riskless and yieldless. Traditional conclusions are confirmed for the cases of a non-indexed and of a completely indexed tax.
Synthesis and anti-tubercular activity of 3-substituted benzo[b]thiophene-1,1-dioxides

We demonstrated that the 3-substituted benzothiophene-1,1-dioxide class of compounds are effective inhibitors of Mycobacterium tuberculosis growth under aerobic conditions. We examined substitution at the C-3 position of the benzothiophene-1,1-dioxide series systematically to delineate structure–activity relationships influencing potency and cytotoxicity. Compounds were tested for inhibitory activity against virulent M. tuberculosis and eukaryotic cells. The tetrazole substituent was most potent, with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 2.6 µM. However, cytotoxicity was noted with even more potency (Vero cell TC50 = 0.1 µM). Oxadiazoles had good anti-tubercular activity (MICs of 3–8 µM), but imidazoles, thiadiazoles and thiazoles had little activity. Cytotoxicity did not track with anti-tubercular activity, suggesting different targets or mode of action between bacterial and eukaryotic cells. However, we were unable to derive analogs without cytotoxicity; all compounds synthesized were cytotoxic (TC50 of 0.1–5 µM). We conclude that cytotoxicity is a liability in this series precluding it from further development. However, the series has potent anti-tubercular activity and future efforts towards identifying the mode of action could result in the identification of novel drug targets.
PI3K p110α/Akt Signaling Negatively Regulates Secretion of the Intestinal Peptide Neurotensin Through Interference of Granule Transport

Neurotensin (NT), an intestinal peptide secreted from N cells in the small bowel, regulates a variety of physiological functions of the gastrointestinal tract, including secretion, gut motility, and intestinal growth. The class IA phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) family, which comprised of p110 catalytic (α, β and δ) and p85 regulatory subunits, has been implicated in the regulation of hormone secretion from endocrine cells. However, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. In particular, the role of PI3K in intestinal peptide secretion is not known. Here, we show that PI3K catalytic subunit, p110α, negatively regulates NT secretion in vitro and in vivo. We demonstrate that inhibition of p110α, but not p110β, induces NT release in BON, a human endocrine cell line, which expresses NT mRNA and produces NT peptide in a manner analogous to N cells, and QGP-1, a pancreatic endocrine cell line that produces NT peptide. In contrast, overexpression of p110α decreases NT secretion. Consistently, p110α-inhibition increases plasma NT levels in mice. To further delineate the mechanisms contributing to this effect, we demonstrate that inhibition of p110α increases NT granule trafficking by up-regulating α-tubulin acetylation; NT secretion is prevented by overexpression of HDAC6, an α-tubulin deacetylase. Moreover, ras-related protein Rab27A (a small G protein) and kinase D-interacting substrate of 220 kDa (Kidins220), which are associated with NT granules, play a negative and positive role, respectively, in p110α-inhibition-induced NT secretion. Our findings identify the critical role and novel mechanisms for the PI3K signaling pathway in the control of intestinal hormone granule transport and release.
LOCALLY ADVANCED BREAST CANCER

Locally advanced breast cancer (LABC) accounts for 5% to 15% of new breast cancer cases in the United States and for 40% to 60% of new cases in nonindustrialized countries. The diagnosis of LABC includes tumors classified under TNM classification as stage IIB (T3N0), stage III (IIIA and IIIB), and regional stage IV breast cancer (ipsilateral supraclavicular lymph node [LN] metastases), according to the American Joint Committee for Cancer Staging. 1 Based on the TNM system, LABC tumors must be larger than 5 cm (T3) and/or involve the skin or chest wall (T4) with any node (N), stage. Tumors of any tumor (T) category with N2 (matted axillary LN) or N3 (internal mammary LN) are also considered LABC. Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is a particularly aggressive form of LABC that has highly metastatic features, and it is classified as stage IIIB in the TNM system. 42 Inflammatory breast cancer is a clinical-pathological entity characterized by the rapid development (usually within 3 months) of erythema and edema (also known as peau d'orange sign) and breast ridging (palpable striae in erythematous areas). In many cases no definite mass is found by physical examination or mammography. The typical mammographic finding is diffuse skin thickening. Microscopic examination of involved skin may show invasion of lymphatic vessels, although the typical pathologic findings are not needed to make the diagnosis of IBC. Patients with ipsilateral supraclavicular LN metastases (technically stage IV) and no evidence of distant metastases have a similar prognosis to patients with stage IIIB disease and are considered in the LABC category. 9 During the first half of the twentieth century, patients with LABC underwent extensive surgical procedures and aggressive radiotherapy. The radical mastectomy was developed by William Halsted at the Johns Hopkins University for LABC patients. In the 1940s, Haagensen and others 29 revisited the surgical indications for patients with LABC. These authors recognized that patients with extensive skin involvement or fixation to the chest wall (currently classified as T4 lesions) had a high rate of metastases and mortality when treated with surgery alone. For this reason (and not because of technical issues), patients with T4, N3, or regional M1 (stage IIIB/IV) were considered inoperable. Using surgery or radiation therapy (RT) as single-therapy modalities resulted in local control for most patients with LABC. However, more than 80% of patients died of metastatic disease within 5 years of follow-up. The prognosis was particularly poor for patients with IBC treated with local regional therapy only. 36
A simple technique for obtaining the near-infrared spectra of small samples

Near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy normally requires gram quantities of sample. This is not a serious constraint because the technique is generally used where large amounts of the material under investigation are available. However, during the development of NIR methods of analysis it is desirable to obtain reference spectra of pure compounds. If these are available in only small quantities then the large sample requirement of the normal sample cup causes frustration. Special sample cups for small samples have been developed, but the expense of obtaining them can only be justified if they are going to be used regularly—a condition which would not be met in the average NIR laboratory. While in the past our own work had occasionally been constrained by our inability to obtain spectra from small samples, we had not been hampered sufficiently to cause us to obtain a special cell. However, during work on the development of a method of analysis for the glucosinolate content of rapeseed, we became interested in obtaining spectra of pure glucosinolates, which were available to us in quantities ranging from 50 to 300 mg. This note reports a very simple method which enabled satisfactory spectra to be obtained from 100-mg sized samples without any special apparatus.
Essential Role of NF-κB Activation in Silica-Induced Inflammatory Mediator Production in Macrophages

In this report, we demonstrate that NF-kappa B, a ubiquitous transcription factor, plays an essential role in silica-induced inflammatory mediator production in the mouse macrophage cell line RAW 264.7. Compared to the effect of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), silica mediated a stronger activation of NF-kappa B p50/p50 homodimer at early phase of poststimulation. Furthermore, activation of NF-kappa B by silica and LPS appears to be mediated by different signal transduction pathways. Both silica and LPS increased mRNA expression in these cells for cyclooxygenase II, inducible nitric oxide synthase, tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-1 alpha. This expression was attenuated along with the inhibition of NF-kappa B activation.
Inhibition of hepatic inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor function by ethanol and other short chain alcohols

The ability of alcohols to regulate InsP3-receptor activity was examined in permeabilized hepatocytes. Incubation with 30-300 mM ethanol decreased the sensitivity to InsP3 for Ca2+ release, with little effect on the size of the Ca2+ store that could be released with maximal concentrations of InsP3. Ethanol (300 mM) increased the EC50 for InsP3 from a control value of 134.0 +/- 13.5 nM to 220.0 +/- 25.9 nM. Although ethanol also caused a partial depletion of the total pool of stored Ca2+, the ethanol-induced shift in InsP3 sensitivity was not secondary to this alteration in Ca2+ loading. Partial depletion of the Ca2+ stores with low doses of ionomycin and thapsigargin did not cause a shift in InsP3 sensitivity. Furthermore, measurements of InsP3 receptor channel activity using retrograde flux of Mn2+ to quench the fluorescence of Fura-2 within the Ca2+ stores demonstrated that ethanol inhibited InsP3-activated channel activity in the absence of stored Ca2+. Other short chain alcohols (methanol, 1-propanol and 1-butanol) also decreased the efficacy of InsP3 to release Ca2+. Measurements of [3H]-InsP3 binding demonstrated that ethanol decreased the total number of InsP3 binding sites without changing the KD. The effect of ethanol on InsP3 binding was apparent in the presence or absence of Ca2+ and was observed when the cells were pre-incubated with ethanol at either 37 degrees C or 4 degrees C. The initial rate of InsP3-induced Mn2+ quenching of compartmentalized Fura-2 was reduced by ethanol at all doses of InsP3. These data suggest that ethanol decreases the sensitivity of the intracellular Ca2+ store to release by InsP3, by reducing the number of channels that can be activated by InsP3.
Oxymercuration of endo- and exo-dicyclopentadienes

Abstract Both endo- and exo-dicyclopentadienes are found to undergo oxymercuration in water and methanol, without rearrangement of the skeleton, to give exo-cis addition at the 5- and 6-positions. The structures have been proved by the stereospecific reduction of the mercurials with sodium amalgam, followed by hydrogenation to the corresponding saturated alcohols and ethers, which have been synthesized independently. NMR studies of the mercurials and a deuterated ether resulting from the sodium amalgam-deuterium oxide reduction of the methoxy mercuration product of endo-dicyclopentadiene have fixed the geometry of the mercury. Several interesting compounds in this series, which were previously unknown, have been prepared and characterized.
Modeling UT1-UTC and polar motion on-board GPS satellites

Autonomous navigation of GPS satellites requires on-board knowledge of UT1-UTC and polar motion values. This study examines the ability of a fourth-order and fifth-order Fourier series to predict UT1-UTC values over six months based on one or three year BIH tables. Results show that UT1-UTC errors of approximately 40 ms occur over six months when three-year data bases are used. Polar motion contributes another .02 arcsec or 1.3 ms.
Automatic Accurate Live Memory Analysis for Garbage-Collected Languages

This paper describes a general approach for automatic and accurate live heap space and live heap space-bound analyses for high-level languages. The approach is based on program analysis and transformations and is fully automatic. The space-bound analysis produces accurate (tight) upper bounds in the presence of partially known input structures. The analyses have been implemented and experimental results confirm their accuracy.
Artesunate abolishes germinal center B cells and inhibits autoimmune arthritis

The antimalarial drug artemisinin and its derivatives exhibit potent immunosuppressive activity in several autoimmune disease models, however the mechanisms are not well-understood. This study was designed to investigate the therapeutic effects and the underlying mechanisms of the artemisinin analog artesunate using the K/BxN mouse model of rheumatoid arthritis. The well-studied disease mechanisms of K/BxN model allowed us to pinpoint the effect of artesunate on disease. Artesunate treatment prevented arthritis development in young K/BxN mice by inhibiting germinal center (GC) formation and production of autoantibodies. In adult K/BxN mice with established arthritis, artesunate diminished GC B cells in a few days. However, artesunate did not affect the follicular helper T cells (Tfh). In contrast to the spontaneous K/BxN model, artesunate treatment exerted minor influence on K/BxN serum transfer induced arthritis suggesting that artesunate has minimal effect on inflammatory responses downstream of antibody production. Finally, we showed that artesunate preferentially inhibits proliferating GC B cells. These results identify GC B cells as a target of artesunate and provide a new rationale for using artemisinin analogues to treat autoimmune diseases mediated by autoantibodies.
Population-based management of diabetes care

Meeting the needs of patients with chronic illness in usual primary care practice is difficult. Group Health Cooperative of Puget Sound (GHC), an HMO serving about 400 000 people in western Washington state, is using the strategy of population-based management of care to improve care and outcomes for its 13 000 diabetic patients. Population-based care uses guidelines, and epidemiologic data and techniques to plan, organize, deliver and monitor care to specific clinical sub-populations such as diabetics. Under this approach, guidelines for care and the outcomes effected by those guidelines are defined. Current practice is reviewed, problems are identified, and a new intervention plan devised and put into place. Performance and outcomes are monitored and the plan revised accordingly. Population-based care must occur both centrally to provide guidelines, data, new interventions and other system support, but more importantly at the level of the individual medical practice if it is to reach all patients in the population. In this paper, we describe both central and practice-based efforts at GHC to apply population-based care to improving outcomes for diabetic patients.
Strong matching preclusion for augmented cubes

The strong matching preclusion number of a graph is the minimum number of vertices and edges whose deletion results in a graph that has neither perfect matchings nor almost perfect matchings. The concept was introduced by Park and Son. In this paper, we study the strong matching preclusion problem for the augmented cube graphs. As a result, we find smp(AQn) and classify all optimal solutions.
The Living Wage in Baltimore: Impacts and Reflections

Abstract Living wage laws, it has been argued, will unavoidably generate significant fiscal impacts on the affected jurisdictions and negative outcomes in terms of economic development. In Baltimore, to date, the fiscal impacts have been trivial. The paper explores why this might be the case and whether this is a wholly desirable outcome It also examines how the living wage may contribute to economic development in distressed urban areas.
DNA Repair, Genome Stability, and Aging

Aging can be defined as progressive functional decline and increasing mortality over time. Here, we review evidence linking aging to nuclear DNA lesions: DNA damage accumulates with age, and DNA repair defects can cause phenotypes resembling premature aging. We discuss how cellular DNA damage responses may contribute to manifestations of aging. We review Sir2, a factor linking genomic stability, metabolism, and aging. We conclude with a general discussion of the role of mutant mice in aging research and avenues for future investigation.
Genetic influence on phenotypic differentiation in adult hippocampal neurogenesis

Regulation of adult hippocampal neurogenesis has different regulatory levels, including cell proliferation, survival and differentiation. Cell proliferation and survival are differentially influenced by inheritable traits and the genetic background determines which regulatory levels of adult hippocampal neurogenesis are preferentially involved in a neurogenic response to environmental stimuli. We here compared baseline adult neurogenesis in wild-derived strain Mus spretus and three inbred laboratory strains: A/J, C3H/HeJ and DBA/2J. Proliferation of was similar in the four strains, with the extremes being A/J, which had about 2100+/-570 (mean+/-S.D.) labeled newborn cells per dentate gyrus (after 6 days of bromodeoxyuridine injections), and DBA/2J, which had approximately 1400+/-260. C3H/HeJ had approximately 1500+/-600 and M. spretus had 1550+/-270. Survival of new cells after 4 weeks was 19% in A/J and DBA/2J, and 21% in M. spretus, but 37% in C3H/HeJ. Survival in C3H/HeJ was significantly different from DBA/2. Phenotypic analysis revealed that DBA/2J produced significantly fewer new neurons than A/J and C3H/HeJ (47% vs. 63% and 67%) but significantly more new astrocytes than A/J and C3H/HeJ (28% vs. 9% and 11%). In absolute terms there were 370+/-120 new neurons in C3H/HeJ, 250+/-60 in A/J, 130+/-50 in DBA/2J, and 190+/-130 in M. spretus. Our results indicate that regulation of adult hippocampal neurogenesis affects the level of phenotypic differentiation. At the present time it cannot be determined whether this regulation occurs by influencing cell fate decisions or by promoting selective survival.
Photoelectric colorimetry V; applications of the “Sperrschicht” type photoelectric cells

1. The “Sperrschicht” type cells have been investigated with respect to their physical properties and the conditions for precise photometry have been established. 2. In conformity with the findings of previous workers, the short circuit current was found to be proportional to the light intensity. 3. It has been shown that variations in voltage across the light source constitute one of the most important objections to the single cell method of photometry. The requisite voltage constancy is easily determined from a simple exponential law. 4. It has been found that the proper choice of filter, absorption cell thickness, and concentration of the solution will enable one to satisfyBeer’s law and greatly simplify measurements. 5. Photoelectric methods should enable the analyst to avail himself of all the advantages of colorimeter analysis and in addition increase the speed and precision of determinations. Fatigue in the observer is reduced to a minimum.
Plug fate in the copulatory behavior of rats

Normative data on the fate of ejaculatory plugs were collected following a total of 162 ejaculations attained by 18 male rats each given three tests. Sixty-nine percent of the plugs were dislodged, 82% of these after three or fewer intromissions. Males ate a total of 65% of the plugs, whereas females ate none. More than half of the plugs consumed were consumed between the time of dislodging and the next intromission. Plug consumption is a behavioral pattern appropriate for further study.
The Use of Papain and Bromelin in Blood Bank Screening Procedures: An Evaluation and Comparison with Standard Technics

A comparison of 1-cysteine activated papain and bromelin with saline, albumin and anti-human globulin (AHG) technics in the detection of antibodies to red cells indicated that the enzyme technics are more sensitive than saline and albumin technics; are not significantly different from the AHG technic in the detection of anti-D, anti-C and anti-e; are more sensitive in the detection of anti-E, anti-c and immune anti-A; are less sensitive in the detection of anti-Kell, anti-Duffy, anti-M and anti-S—the corresponding antigens of which they alter to prevent a positive AHG reaction. Serum inhibition of papain was prevented by the use of 1% papain up to a dilution of 1:32; enhancement of titers resulted from the use of 0.1% enzyme thereafter. A 15-minute incubation period was found to be optimal. Bromelin solutions were found to be much more stable than papain. It was concluded that although these enzyme technics are simple, economical and satisfactory within the limits applying to any enzyme technic, they are valuable adjuncts only and cannot replace the AHG test in prenatal and pretransfusion antibody screening.
Racial Differences in Atrial Fibrillation Prevalence and Left Atrial Size

Abstract Background Previous studies relying on clinical care data have suggested that atrial fibrillation is less common in African Americans than Caucasians, but the mechanism remains unknown. Clinical care may itself vary by race, potentially affecting the accuracy of atrial fibrillation ascertainment in studies relying on clinical data. We sought to examine racial differences in atrial fibrillation prevalence determined by protocol-driven electrocardiograms (ECGs) obtained in prospective cohort studies and to study racial differences in echocardiographic characteristics. Methods We pooled primary data from 3 cohort studies with atrial fibrillation adjudicated from study protocol ECGs and documentation of potentially important confounders: the Heart and Soul Study (n=1014), the Heart and Estrogen-Progestin Replacement Study (n=2673), and The Osteoporotic Fractures in Men Sleep Study (n=2911). Left atrial anatomic dimensions were compared among races from sinus rhythm echocardiograms in the Heart and Soul Study. Results Of the 6611 participants, 268 (4%) had atrial fibrillation: Caucasians had the highest prevalence (5%), and African Americans had the lowest (1%; P P =.002). Although ventricular and atrial volumes and function were similar in Caucasians and African Americans, Caucasians had a 2 mm larger anterior-posterior left atrial diameter after adjusting for potential confounders (95% confidence interval, 1-3 mm, P Conclusion ECG confirmed atrial fibrillation is more common in Caucasians than in African Americans, which might be related to the larger left atrial diameter observed in Caucasians.
The importance of irrigation water rights: lessons from South Africa and Tunisia

With increasing water scarcity, research on policy options for improved water allocation and governance has become an urgent priority for many developing and developed countries. More and more, the focus is placed on institutional reforms but evaluating institutional alternatives is a challenging task. This paper takes a comparative approach and confronts case study data from Tunisia and South Africa, highlighting the importance of water rights reforms for irrigators. Using contingent valuation methods, the benefits for water users of changes in water rights systems are quantified. In both countries, willingness to pay estimates reveal that, from the farmers9 perspective, significant improvements can be made to current water rights systems. This is valuable information for policy makers to guide institutional reforms.
Dynein: An ancient motor protein involved in multiple modes of transport

Cytoplasmic dynein has long been thought to be responsible for retrograde axonal transport. As the number of cellular roles for this multifunctional protein has expanded, the complexity of its contribution to axonal transport has increased. In this article the increasing evidence for a role for cytoplasmic dynein in anterograde as well as retrograde transport is discussed. The current status of the complex dynein cargo-binding mechanism is evaluated. Finally, recent genetic evidence supporting a role in axonal transport and revealing a role in neurodegenerative conditions is reviewed.
Supply or Demand, Make or Buy Two Simple Frameworks for Thinking About a State-Level Brain Drain Policy

This article lays out two broad criteria for crafting a particular brain drain policy at the state level. The first, which we are calling “supply or demand,” asks whether a state experiencing brain...
The micromechanical environment of intervertebral disc cells: effect of matrix anisotropy and cell geometry predicted by a linear model.

Cells of the intervertebral disc exhibit spatial variations in phenotype and morphology that may be related to differences in their local mechanical environments. In this study. the stresses, strains, and dilatations in and around cells of the intervertebral disc were studied with an analytical model of the cell as a mechanical inclusion embedded in a transversely isotropic matrix. In response to tensile loading of the matrix, the local mechanical environment of the cell differed among the anatomic regions of the disc and was strongly influenced by changes in both matrix anisotropy and parameters of cell geometry. The results of this study suggest that the local cellular mechanical environment may play a role in determining both cell morphology in situ and the inhomogeneous response to mechanical loading observed in cells of the disc.
A Self-Cognizant Dynamic System Approach for Health Management: Lithium-Ion Battery Case Study

Safe and reliable operation of lithium-ion batteries as major energy storage devices is of vital importance, as unexpected battery failures could result in enormous economic and societal losses. Accurate estimation of the state-of-charge (SoC) and state-of-health (SoH) for an operating battery system, as a critical task for battery health management, greatly depends on the validity and generalizability of battery models. Due to the variability and uncertainties involved in battery design, manufacturing, and operation, developing a generally applicable battery physical model is a big challenge. To eliminate the dependency of SoC and SoH estimation on battery physical models, this paper presents a generic self-cognizant dynamic system approach for lithium-ion battery health management, which integrates an artificial neural network (ANN) with a dual extended Kalman filter (DEKF) algorithm. The ANN is trained offline to model the battery terminal voltages to be used by the DEKF. With the trained ANN, the DEKF algorithm is then employed online for SoC and SoH estimation, where voltage outputs from the trained ANN model are used in DEKF state-space equations to replace the battery physical model. Experimental results are used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the developed self-cognizant dynamic system approach for battery health management.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Histone H1 and chromatin higher-order structure

The linker histone H1, or its variants such as H5, have long thought to be involved in promoting the organization of chromatin into a higher-order structure, the 30 nm filament. However, the location of H1 in the filament, its role in filament formation and the structure of the 30 nm filament itself have all been controversial. This article reviews recent results that address these questions.
Linkage mapping in Papio baboons: Conservation of a syntenic group of six markers on human chromosome 1

Abstract We have established multipoint genetic linkage among six loci in baboons ( Papio hamadryas ). Published PCR primers designed to amplify five human microsatellite loci were used to amplify homologous loci in 229 pedigreed baboons. Southern blotting was used to type two RFLPs in a functional gene (antithrombin III) in a subset of those animals. All six loci are known to map to human chromosome 1q, a region of the genome predicted by karyotype studies to be conserved in baboons. Pairwise recombination frequencies and lod scores indicate that the six loci are also linked in baboons. Recombination distances among the loci are similar to those reported for humans. Like humans, the baboons exhibit higher rates of recombination in females than in males. This study demonstrates that (1) microsatellite loci first described and characterized in the human genome can be effectively used for genetic linkage mapping in nonhuman primates, (2) a group of genetic loci known to be linked on human chromosome 1q are also linked in the baboon genome, and (3) sex differences in recombination frequencies among loci on human chromosome 1q are also observed in the genome of this Old World monkey. This constitutes the first reported multipoint linkage map in any nonhuman primate.
Julian of Norwich: Mysticism and Philosophy

Parts of Julian's Showings are examined for their didactic quality, and her work is briefly compared to that of Mechthild and Hildegard. The commentary of Tobin, Chervin and others is alluded to, and it is concluded that Julian is an exemplary teacher.
Atomic relaxation of the BeO (1010) surface

Abstract The atomic relaxation of the nonpolar (1010) surface of BeO has been calculated by minimizing the surface energy within the framework of the ab initio Hartree-Fock method. A six-layer two-dimensionally periodic slab model was used, permitting a full symmetry-conserving relaxation of the two outer layers. The BeO surface bonds show a small rotation angle of about 4 accompanied by a large (about 10%) reduction in surface bond length. Significant contraction of backbonds and a small rotation of second layer bonds are also found. The relaxed BeO (1010) surface is thus predicted to be similar to the ZnO (1010) surface but different from the corresponding surfaces of all other II–VI compounds. Various explanations for this difference are discussed, and evidence from a bond population analysis is presented which suggests that this behavior can be described in terms of partial double bond character in the surface bonds. Since multiple bonding is related to small atomic radii, it would follow that the small radius of the oxygen atom is the ultimate cause of the type of surface relaxation we predict.
X-ray detection of defects and contaminants in the food industry

The ability of X-rays to traverse through matter and reveal hidden contaminants or defects has led to their extensive use in manufacturing industries for quality control inspection. The difficulties inherent in the detection of defects and contaminants in food products have kept the use of X-ray in that industry limited mainly to the packaged foods sector. Nevertheless, the need for non-destructive internal product inspection has motivated a considerable research effort in this field spanning many decades. Improvements in technology, especially more compact and affordable high voltage power sources, high speed computing, and high resolution detector arrays, have made many X-ray detection tasks possible today that were previously unfeasible. These improvements can be expected to continue into the future. The purpose of this article is to give a review of research activity related to the use of X-ray imaging for the detection of defects and contaminants in agricultural commodities and discuss improvements in technology required to improve these detection capabilities.
Crystal structure of enantiomerically pure bis(dimethylbicyclooctylcyclopentadienyl) zirconium dichloride

Abstract The enantiomerically pure C2-symmetrical (DMeBCOCp)2ZrCl2 complex (+)-3 was synthesized from enantiomerically pure (−)-DMeBCOCp ligand (−)-1. Zirconocene (+)-3 was recrystallized from toluene to provide single crystals suitable for X-ray diffraction. The unit cell contained two conformationally similar molecules in the monoclinic space group P21 (#4), a = 7.288(4) A , b = 18.980(2) A , c = 17.612(3) A , β = 91.43(2)°, V = 2436(1) A 3 , Z = 4 . Of the 7247 unique reflections, 5691 observed reflections (3σ or greater) were refined to give a final R = 0.048 and Rw = 0.061. The cyclopentadienyl substituents are arranged in a roughly C2-symmetrical orientation and the cyclopentadienyl carbons are close to a synclinal orientation.
The computer in learning: the ordinary mortal

The student in a computer science class, particularly an advanced class, can put up with many idiosyncrasies in the computer. But he or she is hardly an "ordinary mortal" in terms of computer usage. However, the student of physics, sociology, art, or English, who employs the computer as part of the learning experiences in his class, is certainly an ordinary mortal using computers.
Participation by Women in the 2006 APSA Annual Meeting

This is the 35 th year that I have been monitoring participation by women at our Annual Meeting. These PS reports have documented the ascent of women in our profession. While some are sanguine in believing that women have achieved sufficient advancement and that my annual assessments are no longer necessary, there was a plenary roundtable at the 2006 meeting with a premise that there is still a problem of continuing underrepresentation in the discipline (see Table 1).
Algebraic methods in the theory of lower bounds for Boolean circuit complexity

We use algebraic methods to get lower bounds for complexity of different functions based on constant depth unbounded fan-in circuits with the given set of basic operations. In particular, we prove that depth k circuits with gates NOT, OR and MODp where p is a prime require Exp(O(n1/2k)) gates to calculate MODr functions for any r ≠ pm. This statement contains as special cases Yao's PARITY result [ Ya 85 ] and Razborov's new MAJORITY result [Ra 86] (MODm gate is an oracle which outputs zero, if the number of ones is divisible by m).
Dense Granular Poiseuille Flow

We consider a dense granular shear flow in a two-dimensional system. Granular systems (composed of a large number of macroscopic particles) are far from equilibrium due to inelastic collisions between particles: an external driving is needed to maintain the motion of particles. Theoretical description of driven granular media is especially challenging for dense granular flows. This paper focuses on a gravity-driven dense granular Poiseuille flow in a channel. A special focus here is on the intriguing phenomenon of fluid-solid coexistence: a solid plug in the center of the system, surrounded by fluid layers. To find and analyze various flow regimes, a multi-scale approach is taken. On macro scale, granular hydrodynamics is employed. On micro scale, event-driven molecular dynamics simulations are performed. The entire phase diagram of parameters is explored, in order to determine which flow regime occurs in various regions in the parameter space.
Synthesis of 1-chloro-1-[15N]nitrosocyclohexane, an electrophilic aminating reagent

We have prepared 1-chloro-1-[ 15 N]nitrosocyclohexane, an electrophillic aminating reagent useful for the stereoselective synthesis of α-[ 15 N]amino acids. Treatment of potassium [ 15 N]nitrate with Pb° gave potassium [ 15 N]nitrite, which was converted into the intermediate hydroxylamine disulfonate by treatment with sodium bisulfite and sulfur dioxide. Addition of an excess of cylohexanone followed by heating gave a mixture of the cyclohexanone [ 15 N]oxime and unreacted cyclohexanone which was removed in vacuo. The resulting [ 15 N]oxime was then converted to 1-chloro-1-[ 15 N]nitrosocyclohexane in essentially quantitative yield by treatment with chlorine gas.
Relaxation time in disk galaxy simulations

An initially stationary and stable axisymmetric disk of stars with a mass spectrum of stars is used to determine the collisional relaxation time. The relaxation time as determined from the rate of energy equipartition was found to be 560 rotation periods for stars with 10 times the mean star mass and was 1700 rotation periods for stars with 0.55 times the mean star mass. These times are in general agreement with theoretical predictions for the relaxation time of the two mass groups. The results show that the model used for the large-scale gravitational N-body calculations is indeed 'collisionless.'
FDTD Simulation of Passively Mode-Locked Lasers Using a Dynamic Saturable Absorption Model for Graphene

A nonlinear rate equation is coupled with the FDTD method to incorporate the experimentally measured carrier lifetime and saturation intensity of graphene for modeling 100fs pulse generation. A one-dimensional Bragg cavity is analyzed.
Mutagen formation in the reaction of Maillard browning products, 2-acetylpyrrole and its analogues, with nitrite.

Abstract Three 2-substituted pyrroles (2-acetylpyrrole, pyrrole-2-carboxaldehyde and pyrrole-2-carboxylic acid), which are products of the Maillard browning reaction, were reacted with nitrite in buffer solution (pH 3) at 50°C for 24 hr. The reaction mixtures were extracted with methylene chloride and the extracts were tested for mutagenicity using Salmonella typhimurium strains TA97, TA98, TA100, TA102 and TA104, with and without S-9 metabolic activation. The methylene chloride extract of the 2-acetylpyrrole-nitrite reaction mixture showed strong mutagenicity to all the tester strains, both in the presence and absence of S-9 mix. The reaction product of pyrrole-2-carboxaldehyde with nitrite only gave a weak mutagenic response with strain TA100, while the pyrrole-2-carboxylic acid-nitrite reaction product did not produce a mutagenic response in any of the tester strains. Two mutagenically active fractions, separated by thin-layer chromatography, were found in the reaction of 2-acetylpyrrole with nitrite. The formation of mutagenic products in the latter reaction was found to vary with reaction pH, time and temperature, with nitrite level and with 2-acetylpyrrole concentration.
IBM 2321 data cell drive

Ten years ago IBM announced the 305 and 650 RAMAC Data Processing Systems---systems that heralded the on-line processing concept, wherein business transactions could be economically processed as they occurred. This was made possible largely through the use of the 350/355 Disk Storage Files, whose 5 million stored characters were directly accessible. Since that time, significant advancements have been made in direct-access memory development. These include the double density 350/355, the 1405, the 1301 and the 2302. Pioneering the removability and interchangeability features of direct-access storage media was the 1311 Disk Storage Drive. A further advancement is the 2321 Data Cell Drive.