cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Blood flow distribution within the airway wall.

Altered perfusion of the bronchial mucosal plexus relative to the adventitial plexus may contribute to geometric changes in the airway wall and lumen. We studied bronchial perfusion distribution in...
Original Contribution: On the derivatives of the sigmoid

The sigmoid function is very widely used as a neuron activation function in artificial neural networks, which makes its attributes a matter of some interest. This paper presents some general results on the derivatives of the sigmoid. These results relate the coefficients of various derivatives to standard number sequences from combinatorial theory, and thus provide a standard efficient way of calculating these derivatives. Such derivatives can be used in approximating the effect of input perturbations on the output of single neurons and could also be useful in statistical modeling applications.
On steady-state intercompartmental flows.

The flow between compartments in physical and biological systems is treated as a special case of a more general theory of transitions between any two distinct sets A, Ā. Interest is focused on the flow rate from each set, i.e., the rate at which elements from that set appear in the other; and on the entry rate from each, i.e., the rate at which elements from the set leave to enter the region not part of either set. In particular, the two flow rates are completely determined by means of explicit expressions for their ratio (Theorem I) and difference (Theorem II) in terms of the two entry rates. An application to biological transport problems extends a result of Dantzig and Pace (1) by demonstrating that for a system of channels each narrow enough to effect a “lining-up” of particles, countergradient flows may result, i.e., flows for which the flow rate is greatest from the compartment with the smallest entry rate.
FIRST AND SECOND ORDER LINEAR DYNAMIC EQUATIONS ON TIME SCALES

We consider first and second order linear dynamic equations on a time scale. Such equations contain as special cases differential equations, difference equationsq— difference equations, and others. Important properties of the exponential function for a time scale are presented, and we use them to derive solutions of first and second order linear dyamic equations with constant coefficients. Wronskians are used to study equations with non—constant coefficients. We consider the reduction of order method as well as the method of variation of constants for the nonhomogeneous case. Finally, we use the exponential function to present solutions of the Euler—Cauchy dynamic equation on a time scale.
Thin Film Growth as a Result of Cluster-Surface Collisions: Computational Simulations

Molecular dynamics simulations have been performed to investigate the chemical and structural processes which occur when molecular clusters of acetylene impact a non-rigid, hydrogenterminated diamond (111) surface at incident hyperthermal kinetic energies. The atoms are characterized by a realistic many-body empirical potential for hydrocarbon systems. The goal is to study the initial stages of thin film growth following impact. Important processes observed during the simulations include polymerization of the cluster molecules, and adsorption (tethering) of some polymer chains to the surface in the initial stages of thin film growth. Further simulations will be necessary to fully determine the characteristics of the film.
Spenser's “E. K.” as Edmund Kent (Kenned / of Kent): Kyth (Couth), Kissed, and Kunning‐Conning

VNCOVTHE VNKISTE, Sayude the olde famous Poete Chaucer:… Which prouerbe, myne owne good friend Ma. Haruey, as in that good old Poete it serued well Pandares purpose, for the bolstering of his baudy brocage, so very well taketh place in this our new Poete, who for that he is vncouthe (as said Chaucer) is vnkist, nad vnknown to most men, is regarded but of few. But I dout not, so soone as his name shall come into the knowledgte of men … but that he shall be not onely kiste, but also beloued of all, embraced of the most, and wondred at of the best.
Attaching and effacing of host cells by enteropathogenic Escherichia coli in the absence of detectable tyrosine kinase mediated signal transduction

An unusual mutant of enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC), deficient in its ability to invade host cells, was evaluated. The gene interrupted by the transposon in this mutant was located within a region of the EPEC chromosome devoted to secretion of proteins required for signal transduction. The mutant did not secrete detectable levels of the EspB protein, previously shown to be required for attaching and effacing, and did not induce detectable tyrosine phosphorylation of a 90 kDa host cell protein, previously associated with attaching and effacing and invasion. No quantitative or qualitative defect in the ability of the mutant to induce attaching and effacing effects was observed. Moreover, attaching and effacing by wild-type EPEC was unaffected by high doses of the tyrosine kinase inhibitor genistein. These results indicate that attaching and effacing activity can occur in the absence of detectable EspB secretion and tyrosine kinase mediated signal transduction.
Deoxyribonucleic acid base composition of kappa and Paramecium aurelia, stock 51.

CERTAIN stocks of Paramecium contain cytoplasmic particles called kappa1. Kappa-bearing Paramecia (killers) are capable of killing other Paramecia (sensitives) and are resistant to the toxic agent which they produce1. The killer trait requires both the cytoplasmic particles and the dominant K gene for the maintenance of kappa, and is one of the most extensively studied examples of nucleocytoplasmic relations on a biological level2–5.
Boundaries of CAT(0) groups of the form Γ = G × H

Abstract Boundaries of groups which admit geometric actions on CAT (0) spaces are not yet well-defined because the homeomorphism question of Gromov's has not been answered. This question, as well as the Tits metric question is answered affirmatively for CAT (0) groups of the form G × H where both factors are nonelementary word hyperbolic groups.
Alteration in blood pressures associated with combined alcohol and oral contraceptive use—The lipid research clinics prevalence study☆

Alterations in systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels associated with combined oral contraceptive (OC) and alcohol use were investigated in white women 20-49 years of age from 10 North American Lipid Research Clinics study populations. OC users had systolic pressures 2-3 mm Hg higher than non-users, but no difference was noted for diastolic pressures. Among non-OC users, both systolic and diastolic blood pressures were positively associated with reported alcohol consumption, though participants reporting no alcohol use had blood pressures slightly higher than those reporting minimal intake. The blood pressure correlates of OC's and alcohol appeared to be independent, and systolic pressures levels were over 8 mm Hg higher in those reporting heavier alcohol intake and OC use than among those reporting minimal alcohol intake and no OC use.
Right-sizing the US venture capital industry †

There is reason to believe that the venture capital industry, at least in the USA, will be differently sized and structured in the future. Its investment performance has deteriorated following the dot.com crash. This is attributed to the maturing of its main investment sectors, the emergence of new sectors that are less competitive and a decline in IPOs. In the face of these trends – declining returns and reduced investment opportunities – the venture capital industry needs to downsize, perhaps by as much as half, for it to resume its position as both a credible asset class and a significant force for economic development.
Effect of membrane incorporation of 1-palmitoylcarnitine on surface charge of human erythrocytes.

Abstract 1-Palmitoylcarnitine (1-PC) reduced the electrophoretic mobility of human erythrocytes bathed in low ionic strength solution. Unlike divalent cations which appear to reduce electrophoretic mobility by screening surface negative charge, cationic 1-PC does so by being incorporated into the plasma membrane. Incorporation of 1-PG was assessed directly by measurement of the partition coefficients which are 1.18 × 10 5 and 1.38 × 10 5 in sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles and erythrocyte ghosts, respectively. The hydrophobic nature of the amphiphile interaction with erythrocyte membrane was also evident as an antihemolytic effect at 1-PC concentrations that also reduced electrophoretic mobility. Moreover, the potency and efficacy of acylcarnitines to reduce electrophoretic mobility increased as the acyl chain length increased. 1-PC also reduced the electrophoretic mobility of guinea-pig ventricular myocytes in low ionic strength solution. Estimation of the zeta potential yielded positive shifts of 4mV in myocytes and 5mV on crythrocytes at 1 μM 1-PC. These voltage shifts are essentially the same as those reported for activation and inactivation of sodium and calcium currents in myocytes. Therefore, the surface charge effect of 1-PC depends upon membrane incorporation and underlies the electrophysiological actions of the amphiphile including arrhythmias.
EXCITATION OF LOW-FREQUENCY WAVES IN THE SOLAR WIND BY NEWBORN INTERSTELLAR PICKUP IONS H+ AND He+ AS SEEN BY VOYAGER AT 4.5 AU

We report the observation of a spectral enhancement in the magnetic field fluctuations measured by the MAG instrument on the Voyager 2 spacecraft during 4.5 hr on DOY 7, 1979 at a heliocentric radial position of 4.5?AU. This time period is contained within a solar wind rarefaction when the large-scale interplanetary magnetic field was nearly radial. The frequency range and polarization of the enhanced fluctuations are consistent with waves generated by newly ionized interstellar H+ and He+. We show sunward propagation of the waves via a cross-helicity analysis. We compare the observation with a theoretical model and find reasonable agreement given the model assumptions. This event is the first indication of pickup ion-generated waves seen at Voyager. It is also the first identification of pickup He+ waves by any spacecraft.
Lipophosphoglycan (LPG) and the identification of virulence genes in the protozoan parasite Leishmania

Leishmania exploits several strategies to survive within the phagolysosome of vertebrate macrophages and be transmitted by sand fly vectors. Recent advances in functional genetic analysis provide a new avenue for identifying genes implicated in the infectious cycle of the parasite, such as those necessary for the synthesis and expression of the key surface glycoconjugate, lipophosphoglycan (LPG).
Melibiose carrier of Escherichia coli: use of cysteine mutagenesis to identify the amino acids on the hydrophilic face of transmembrane helix 2

Abstract The melibiose carrier from Escherichia coli is a galactoside-cation symporter. Based on both experimental evidence and hydropathy analysis, 12 transmembrane helices have been assigned to this integral membrane protein. Transmembrane helix 2 contains several charged and polar amino acids that have been shown to be essential for the cation-coupled transport of melibiose. Starting with the cysteine-less melibiose carrier, we have individually substituted cysteine for amino acids 39–66, which includes the proposed transmembrane helix 2. In the resulting derivative carriers, we measured the transport of melibiose, determined the effect of the hydrophilic sulfhydryl reagent, p-chloromercuribenzenesulfonic acid (PCMBS), on transport in intact cells and inside out vesicles, and examined the ability of melibiose to protect the carrier from inactivation by the sulfhydryl reagent. We found a set of seven positions in which the reaction with the sulfhydryl reagent caused partial or complete loss of carrier function measured in intact cells or inside-out vesicles. The presence of melibiose protected five of these positions from reaction with PCMBS. The reaction of two additional positions with PCMBS resulted in the partial loss of transport function only in inside-out vesicles. Melibiose protected these two positions from reaction with the reagent. Together, the PCMBS-sensitive sites and charged residues assigned to helix 2 form a cluster of amino acids that map in three rows with each row comprised of every fourth residue. This is the pattern expected of residues that are part of an α-helical structure and thus the rows are tilted at an angle of 25° to the helical axis. We suggest that these residues line the path of melibiose and its associated cation through the carrier.
Oldest horse brains: more advanced than previously realized

Previous interpretations of early horse brains were based on an incorrectly identified fossil endocast, now believed to be from a condylarth. Newly prepared endocasts of Hyracotherium, the oldest horse and one of the earliest perissodactyls, reveal a relatively larger brain, with a more expanded neocortex, than existed in the condylarth ancestors of perissodactyls. Fifty million years ago, horse brains had suprasylvian, ectolateral, and lateral sulci, but the frontal lobe was undeveloped.
Single-Event Transient Sensitivity of InAlSb/InAs/AlGaSb High Electron Mobility Transistors

Experimental evidence confirming single-event transient generation from ion strikes directly into the drain region of an InAlSb/InAs/AlGaSb high electron mobility transistor is presented. A rectifying drain alloy-buffer layer interface is shown to be responsible for the generation of single-event transients far from the active regions of the device. Charge collection in these depletion-mode devices is maximum at threshold, decreasing in both depletion and accumulation. In depletion, direct recombination of radiation-generated electrons at the drain dominates charge collection. In accumulation, the electric field in the channel strongly influences charge collection. In threshold, both source-to-channel charge injection as well as the electric field in the channel are simultaneously high, resulting in more charge collection than depletion and accumulation.
Involvement of dopamine in the aversive stimulus properties of cocaine in rats.

Abstract Previous studies of cocaine self-administration have demonstrated central dopaminergic involvement in cocaine's positive reinforcing properties. The present study reports the ability of pimozide, a dopamine receptor antagonist, to attenuate a conditioned taste aversion induced by repeated injections of cocaine. Rats placed on a daily water deprivation schedule were subsequently presented with a novel saccharin taste in their drinking fluid immediately followed by administration of four 9 mg/kg injections of cocaine spaced at 20 min intervals. These animals exhibited reduction in saccharin intake on subsequent presentations. Animals pretreated with pimozide 90 min prior to the saccharin-cocaine pairings failed to show this reduction. In a second experiment using an identical procedure, repeated injections of lithium chloride were shown to induce a CTA both in pimozide-pretreated and control animals. The results of these two experiments are consistent with the notion that a functional relationship may exist between neurochemical mechanisms underlying both the aversive (CTA-inducing) and positive reinforcing properties of self-administered drugs such as cocaine.
Analysis of the interaction between an MRI coil and a heterogeneous sample

A theoretical analysis of the interaction between a magnetic resonance imaging radio frequency coil and a heterogeneous sample consisting of two conducting regions separated by a non-conducting membrane is presented. The effect of the capacitive coupling between the two regions is treated. Expressions are obtained for the power dissipation in the sample and the electrical impedance of the coil and an equivalent electrical circuit which models the interaction is presented. The sample power dissipation in this case lacks the usual quadratic dependence on frequency observed with homogeneous samples. Results of the analysis are shown to agree well with observation in an experimental coil-sample system.
Multimodality imaging of Epstein-Barr virus-associated inflammatory pseudotumor-like follicular dendritic cell tumor of the spleen: Case report and literature review

Inflammatory pseudotumors (IPTs) are rare tumors of unknown etiology; however, there is a strong association with the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). EBV-positive IPTs are typically found in the liver and spleen. While many EBV-positive splenic IPTs contain follicular dendritic cell (FDC) proliferations, they are not aggressive such as with conventional FDC tumors. EBV-positive splenic IPTs have been reported with low malignant potential. We present a case with multimodality imaging of an EBV-positive IPT-like tumor with FDC features.
Evidence for and against Relativistic Beaming in Active Galactic Nuclei

THe relativistic-beaming models proposed to explain the unusual properties of radio galaxies and radio quasars are examined, reviewing the results of recent observations. Particular attention is given to bright flat-spectrum core-dominant sources (most of which have been shown to be blazars), the hypothesis that narrow-line radio galaxies as quasars in the sky plane, and some arguments presented against the beaming model. It is concluded that, although there is good evidence for beaming and for viewing-aspect effects on object classification, environmental effects probably also exist, especially in distant narrow-line radio galaxies. The theoretical compatibility of the two phenomena is stressed. 55 refs.
Optical gratings with wavelength and subwavelength structures for optical limiting

We propose a set of novel optical limiters by sandwiching index-matched nonlinear liquid between a glass plate and a relief grating. Strong light beams can change the index of the liquid to induce index mismatch and reactivate grating to diffract, reflect or evanesce most of the output light away to protect eyes or sensor. In this paper, different gratings for the use of optical limiting including diffraction gratings, total-reflection gratings and sub- wavelength gratings are analyzed and compared.
Comparative effectiveness of oral diabetes drug combinations in reducing glycosylated hemoglobin

Aims: To provide evidence on the comparative effectiveness of oral diabetes drug combinations. Methods: We performed a retrospective, observational cohort study of glycosylated hemoglobin change in outpatients newly exposed to dual- or triple-drug oral diabetes treatment. Results: Adjusted response to a second drug added to metformin ranged from 0.85 to 1.21% glycosylated hemoglobin decline. Response to a third drug was smaller (0.53–0.91%). Higher baseline glycosylated hemoglobin was associated with larger response; sulfonylurea effectiveness declined over time; and thiazolidinediones were more effective in obese patients and women. Conclusion: Observational data provide results qualitatively consistent with the limited available randomized data on diabetes drug effectiveness, and extend these findings into common clinical scenarios where randomized data are unavailable. Sex and BMI influence the comparative effectiveness of diabetes drug combinations.
Chunk Versus Point Sampling: Visual Imaging in a Small Insect

The eyes of strepsipteran insects are very unusual among living insects. In their anatomical organization they may form a modern counterpart to the structural plan proposed for the eyes of some trilobites. Externally they differ from the usual “insect plan” by presenting far fewer but much larger lenses. Beneath each lens is its own independent retina. Anatomical and optical measurements indicate that each of these units is image-forming, so that the visual field is subdivided into and represented by “chunks,” unlike the conventional insect compound eye that decomposes the visual image in a pointwise manner. This results in profound changes in the neural centers for vision and implies major evolutionary changes.
The Tragedy of the Commons Revisite

There has developed in the contemporary natural sciences a recognition that there is a subset of problems such as population atomic war and environmental corruption for which there are no technical solutions (1 2). There is also an increasing recognition among contemporary social scientists that there is a subset of problems such as population atomic war environmental corruption and the recovery of a livable urban environment for which there are no current political solutions [(3)]. The thesis of this article is that the common area shared by these two subsets contains most of the critical problems that threaten the very existence of contemporary man. (excerpt)
Online detection of multiple faults in crossbar nano-architectures using dual rail implementations

Crossbar nano-architectures based on self-assembled strucrures are promising alternatives for current CMOS technology, which is facing serious challenges for further down-scaling. However, high permanent and transient failure rates lead to multiple faults during lifetime operation of crossbar nano architectures. In this paper, we propose a concurrent multiple error detection scheme for multistage nano-crossbars based on dual-rail implementations of logic functions. We provide the proofs of detectability of all single faults as well as most classes of multiple faults. As shown by simulation results, unlike traditional methods such as TMR, the proposed scheme is capable of detecting more than 99.85% of multiple (transient and permanent) faults.
Iridium in Mississippi River suspended matter and Gulf of Mexico sediment

The suggestion1 that a meteorite impact at the end of Cretaceous time (the Cretaceous–Tertiary boundary) caused the extinction of many groups of organisms and left an anomalous iridium concentration in sediments has stimulated interest in both the extinctions and in the geochemistry of Ir (refs 2–6). The geochemical behaviour of Ir is not well understood, partly because of the scarcity of concentration data for common rocks, soils and waters. Here we report Ir abundances in Mississippi River suspended matter (MRSM) and Gulf of Mexico (GOM) sediments and suggest that these values may be representative of much of the upper continental crust (that accessible to rock weathering). These data imply that the processes leading to the well known enrichment of iridium in deep-sea sediments7 are similar to those which enrich elements such as Ni and Co.
Gap junctional communication among motor and other neurons shapes patterns of neural activity and synaptic connectivity during development.

We are studying the functional roles of neuronal gap junctional coupling during development, using motor neurons and their synapses with muscle fibers as a model system. At neuromuscular synapses, several studies have shown that the relative pattern of activity among motor inputs competing for innervation of the same target muscle fiber determines how patterns of innervation are sculpted during the first weeks after birth. We asked whether gap junctional coupling among motor neurons modulates the relative timing of motor neuron activity in awake, behaving neonatal mice. We found that the activity of motor neurons innervating the same muscle is temporally correlated perinatally, during the same period that gap junction-mediated electrical and dye coupling are present. In vivo blockade of gap junctions abolished temporal correlations in motor neuron activity, without changing overall motor behavior, motor neuron activity patterns or firing frequency. Together with preliminary studies in mice lacking gap jun...
Expanding the introduction of microfluidics through a problem-based laboratory course to multiple engineering disciplines at five universities

Microfluidics is a multidisciplinary field that deals with the behavior and precise control of microliter and nanoliter volumes of fluids. While microfluidics has transformed many areas of engineering and applied sciences, minimal effort has been directed at transferring microfluidics research to the undergraduate curricula. Addressing this need, the University of Cincinnati has developed an undergraduate laboratory course to introduce students to microfluidics device development that is currently being expanded to four other universities with the assistance of an NSF CCLI Phase II grant (DUE-0814911). This course has been taught at University of Cincinnati four times, the University of Illinois at Chicago three times previously and the University of Utah, Louisiana State University, and North Carolina State University once. This paper will discuss course evaluation and the issues encountered in offering the course at five diverse educational institutions. Some of the issues included course structure (quarters vs. semesters), student background knowledge (engineering majors), and domain expertise level (graduate or undergraduate). The initial success of the pilot program and expansion to other universities is encouraging as course materials are adapted and more engineering students are introduced to advanced multidisciplinary research topics using microfluidics.
The physician's role in injury prevention: beyond the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force report.

Injuries and their prevention have received little attention by the medical community, despite the fact that injuries are the leading cause of premature death. However, much can be done to reduce the number and severity of injuries, and the practicing physician has an important role to play in this process. This report outlines the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force report recommendations for prevention strategies to reduce injuries and then seeks to define a broader role for the physician in preventing injuries that extends beyond the confines of office-based practice. While screening and counseling have proven effectiveness in certain situations, interventions that are passive or automatic in action, such as air bags, have proven to be more effective long-term solutions to reduce both the number and the severity of injuries. The author outlines and provides examples of seven areas where physicians can have a major impact either directly or through implementing effective injury-control strategies. These are: treatment, education, screening, hazard identification, research, advocacy, and policy making. Using all of these approaches, physicians can play a truly effective role in reducing the burden of injuries for their patients.
Pneumolysin: A multifunctional pneumococcal virulence factor

Pneumolysin (PLY) is a multifunctional pneumococcal virulence factor that appears to augment intrapulmonary growth and dissemination during the early pathogenesis of Streptococcus pneumoniae infection. Through its cytotoxicity to respiratory epithelium and endothelium, PLY disrupts pulmonary tissue barriers that serve as mechanical pulmonary defenses, thus facilitating S. pneumoniae growth and dissemination. Through direct inhibitory effects on immune and inflammatory cells and by activating complement, PLY inhibits bacterial clearance from the pulmonary interstitium and the blood. Because PLY stimulates local and systemic immune responses and enhances the immunogenicity of S. pneumoniae polysaccharide (PS), PLY-PS conjugates may form the basis for vaccines that not only induce protective and durable immune responses to pneumococcal PS but also generate neutralizing anti-PLY antibodies that can protect the respiratory mucosa from toxin-induced injury.
Lymphocyte Cyclic AMP Levels Antepartum and Postpartum as an Indirect Assessment of the Immune System During Pregnancy

: The literature dealing with the immunological state of the pregnant woman has been conflicting. The concentrations and activity of a number of hormones and proteins which modify lymphocytic activity have been measured both in vivo and in vitro during pregnancy. Most of the differences between reported studies can be reconciled to technical or experimental variations. In some instances, the purported suppressive effects of embryonic proteins such as HCG have actually been caused by the impurity of the preparation studied. We have attempted to approach the question of whether or not the pregnant woman is immunosuppressed by studying a regulatory material in the lymphocytes. It is known that cAMP is a mirror of lymphocytic activity and that low levels of cAMP may indicate a high degree of reactivity, while high levels are present when lymphocyte reactivity is low. In an initial study, ten women volunteered to have blood drawn in the last trimester and two months postpartum. Cyclic AMP was extracted from lymphocyte-enriched leukocytes and stored until all samples were available from all patients so that the analysis could be made simultaneously. Five samples were obtained from healthy nonpregnant women in the same age range. Postpartum and nonpregnant women were found to have significantly elevated levels of cAMP as compared to the lymphocytes obtained in the third trimester of pregnancy. The experiments were then repeated using seven more patients. The same significant increase in postpartum lymphocyte cAMP concentrations were found. The precise reason(s) for this is not known, but may be due to increased suppressor cell activity.
On minimizing sequences for an integral process with phase constraint

The purpose of this article is to find the conditions which a minimizing sequence for an integral process with a phase constraint obeys. We employ Ekeland's variational principle (Ref. 1) and follow Sumin (Ref. 2) to obtain the conditions satisfied by a minimizing sequence. The conditions derived actually hold, even for certain minimizing sequences that do not necessarily satisfy the imposed constraints. This statement is better understood from our theorem at the end of the paper. However, it is assumed that there are controls such that the imposed constraints are satisfied. We close the article with a discussion of an example.
Separation of prostaglandins on silica gel impregnated glass fiber paper and estimation by transmission densitometry

A silica gel impregnated glass-fiber paper chromatographic method has been developed for the separation and quantitative estimation of prostaglandins. This method is simple, sensitive, rapid and inexpensive. The method is very useful for separation and estimation of prostaglandin E1, E2, F1α F2α and prostaglandin B compound in human amniotic fluids. The method permits analysis with a lower limit of 10−9 mole of prostaglandin.
Kinetics of insulin clearance by the liver in perfused liver-pancreas.

The relationship between hepatic insulin extraction velocity and portal plasma insulin concentration was assessed using in situ perfused liver-pancreas preparations from rats fasted 24 or 48 hours. During hepatic transit of the first phase of glucose-stimulated insulin secretion, hepatic extraction velocities followed first order kinetics for all insulin concentrations observed (< 1 to 17 ng/ml). During the second phase of insulin release, saturation of the insulin removal process occurred at insulin concentrations between 12 and 14 ng/ml. At non-saturating insulin levels, livers from rats fasted 24 hours clear insulin at about 4.0 ml/min corresponding to an extraction ratio of 527%. In contrast, livers of liver-pancreases from 48 hour fasted rats clear insulin at 2.4 ml/min with an extraction ratio of 317%.
Synthesis, Characterization, and Biological Properties of 8-Azido- and 8-Amino-Substituted 2‘,5‘-Oligoadenylates

A series of 8-azido- and 8-amino-substituted 2',5'-oligoadenylatyes was prepared by a uranyl-ion catalyzed polymerization of the corresponding 8-substituted adenosine phosphorimidazolide. Subsequent 5'-dephosphorylation of the resulting 5'-phosphoryl 2',5'-linked oligomers with alkaline phosphatase gave the corresponding core oligomers. The CD spectra indicated that the 8-aminoadenosine analogue of the 2',5'-linked trimer has an anti-orientation as in naturally occurring 2',5'-oligoadenylates, while 8-azido-substituted 2',5'-oligoadenylates have a syn-orientation. The 8-substituted oligomers showed enhanced resistance against digestion by snake venom phosphodiesterase. The 2',5'-linked 8-azidoadenylate trimer and tetramer displayed strong RNase L binding and activating ability, although the corresponding dimer is devoid of such activities. In contrast, very low or no RNase L binding and activating ability were observed in the 8-aminoadenosine analogue of 2',5'-oligoadenylates. Results indicate that the bulkiness and ionic character of the 8-substituting group have significant effects on the ability of these analogues to bind and activate RNase L. Furthermore, the orientation of the glycosidic base in the 2-5A analogues may change from syn to anti during binding to RNase L. The 8-azidoadenosine analogues of 2-5A will be useful tools in the photoaffinity labeling of RNase L, due to their strong RNase L binding ability. In addition, these 8-azidoadenosine compounds may be considered as candidates for experimental therapeutic agents because they have enhanced stability to enzyme degradation while retaining the ability to activate RNase L.
Spatial Variations in the Mechanical Properties and Electrical Properties of Carbon Nanotube Turfs

The mechanical properties of arrays of nominally vertically aligned carbon nanotubes, often referred to as turfs, have been measured using nanoindentation and the electrical properties have been measured using electrical contact resistance (ECR) nanoindentation. The elastic properties do not vary significantly between the top and the bottom of the same carbon nanotube turf. Within a single turf the lateral spatial variation is less than 10% when volumes of µm’s are probed with the indenter, indicating that each turf can be treated mechanically as continuum on this scale. The electrical properties vary significantly within a single turf on the same scale. This suggests that the use of average mechanical properties for a given vertically aligned turf should be suitable for design purposes without the need to account for spatial variation in structure, and variations in mechanical properties on the micrometer scale are not dependent on spatially distinct defects. However, local contact behavior appears to dominate the electrical behavior on this same length scale.
Comparison of three doses of oral ciramadol and placebo for the treatment of moderate to severe postoperative pain.

: Ciramadol, 20, 40, or 60 mg, or a placebo was administered orally, double blind, to patients complaining of moderate (N = 89) or severe (N = 80) postoperative pain to determine the lowest effective dose. The highest dose used for moderate pain, 40 mg, was statistically more effective than placebo as measured by pain intensity differences and pain relief scores. The highest dose used to treat severe pain, 60 mg, was also more effective statistically than placebo and the lower doses of ciramadol at certain points during the 6-hour observation period. Drowsiness was minimal, and side effects were infrequent and mild in intensity. We conclude that 40 mg ciramadol for moderate postoperative pain and 60 mg ciramadol for severe postoperative pain would be the minimal oral doses to compare with standard analgesics in future studies.
The $1 Trillion Wage Deficit

Jobs will be the theme of this election season. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that unemployment will not fall to acceptable levels for years. But how much will be lost in lower or forgone wages? The toll, as calculated by John Schmitt and Dean Baker, is shocking.
Structural features of myelin basic protein mRNAs influence their translational efficiencies.

The myelin basic protein (MBP) gene expresses several alternatively spliced products with the same 5' and 3' untranslated regions (UTRs). It has been reported that its expression may be regulated not only at the transcriptional level but also at the translational level during development. We engineered several MBP mRNA deletion mutants with 5' (-48, -37, -27, -22, and -10) and 3' UTRs of differing lengths and examined the translational efficiencies of these constructs in cell-free systems. The translational efficiencies of the constructs differed significantly over a range of almost 10-fold. A deletion of 11 nucleotides from the 5' end of the natural (i.e., -48) MBP mRNA resulted in an approximate fourfold reduction in translational efficiency. Further truncation of the 5' UTR increased the translational efficiencies of the constructs as has been observed with many RNAs. These results suggest that there may be a positive control element between -48 and -37 nucleotides in the 5' UTR of MBP mRNA. The effects of modifying the lengths of the 5' UTR on the translational efficiency of mRNAs encoding the 21.5-kDa and 14-kDa MBPs were the same, suggesting that the effect observed was not unique to the 21.5-kDa MBP mRNA. Truncating the 3' UTR of four different alternatively spliced MBP mRNAs also altered their translational efficiencies. Thus, the 5' and 3' UTRs of MBP mRNAs appear to influence the translation of these mRNAs, and such factors may be involved in the translational regulation of MBP gene expression.
Progress for Women Faculty in Social Work Academia

The literature on women’s progress in various disciplines in U.S. higher education, including social work academia, has generally concluded that women continue to be discriminated against. This article presents a study of data from 1974 to 2000 to evaluate this claim. I conclude that although women continue to be under-represented on the faculties of U.S. colleges and universities across disciplines, women social work faculty have made great progress. Possible reasons for these findings are considered.
Clearing the RF smog: making 802.11n robust to cross-technology interference

Recent studies show that high-power cross-technology interference is becoming a major problem in today's 802.11 networks. Devices like baby monitors and cordless phones can cause a wireless LAN to lose connectivity. The existing approach for dealing with such high-power interferers makes the 802.11 network switch to a different channel; yet the ISM band is becoming increasingly crowded with diverse technologies, and hence many 802.11 access points may not find an interference-free channel.This paper presents TIMO, a MIMO design that enables 802.11n to communicate in the presence of high-power cross-technology interference. Unlike existing MIMO designs, however, which require all concurrent transmissions to belong to the same technology, TIMO can exploit MIMO capabilities to decode in the presence of a signal from a different technology, hence enabling diverse technologies to share the same frequency band. We implement a prototype of TIMO in GNURadio-USRP2 and show that it enables 802.11n to communicate in the presence of interference from baby monitors, cordless phones, and microwave ovens, transforming scenarios with a complete loss of connectivity to operational networks.
Loss of water transport capacity due to xylem cavitation in roots of two CAM succulents

Loss of axial hydraulic conductance as a result of xylem cavitation was examined for roots of the Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) succulents Agave deserti and Opuntia ficus -indica. Vulnerability to cavitation was not correlated with either root size or vessel diameter. Agave deserti had a mean cavitation pressure of 20.93 6 0.08 MPa by both an airinjection and a centrifugal method compared to 20.70 6 0.02 MPa by the centrifugal method for O. ficus -indica, reflecting the greater tolerance of the former species to low water potentials in its native habitat. Substantial xylem cavitation would occur at a soil water potential of 20.25 MPa, resulting in a predicted 22% loss of conductance for A. deserti and 32% for O. ficus -indica. For an extended drought of 3 mo, further cavitation could cause a 69% loss of conductance for A. deserti and 62% for O. ficus -indica. A model of axial hydraulic flow based upon the cavitation response of these species predicted that water uptake rates are far below the maximum possible, owing to the high root water potentials of these desert succulents. Despite various shoot adaptations to aridity, roots of A. deserti and O. ficus -indica are highly vulnerable to cavitation, which partially limits water uptake in a wet soil but helps reduce water loss to a drying soil.
The US Power Cycle, Expected Utility, and the Probable Future of the FTAA

ABSTRACr. Power cycle theory, which associates future foreign policy role expectations with the level and trend of relative power, will be used to derive propositions about the likely us role in future trade negotiations involving the Free Trade Area for the Americas (FTAA). In power cycle theory, foreign policy role is the "bargaining substance" of statecraft, requiring actor initiative and systemic (other actors') acceptance. Leadership is not hegemony. The concept of "systemism" provides a persuasive justification for the research on micro-micro and micro-macro linkages in power cycle theory. Forecasting negotiation outcomes, the Decision Insights expected utility bargaining model finds support for the hypotheses derived from the known us position on its power cycle, and for the theory's claim that the inertia of role change is greater than that of power.
Establishment of Orientia tsutsugamushi Lc-1 (Rickettsiales: Rickettsiaceae) Infection in ICR Outbred Mice (Rodentia: Muridae) by Needle Challenge

Orientia tsutsugamushi is a pathogen transmitted by Leptotrombidium that causes scrub typhus. To develop an infection mouse model, a mite-derived isolate of O. tsutsugamushi was established from a laboratory-maintained colony of Leptotrombidium chiangraiensis (O. tsutsugamushi Lc-1). This Lc-1 isolate was initially presented to ICR (CD-1) mice by feeding an infected Lc chigger on the ear of a mouse. Once the Lc-1 was adapted to the ICR mice, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to investigate O. tsutsugamushi genomic equivalent copies in tissues and sera. Furthermore, times to onset of the signs of infection are reported in this study. This study provides information useful for future research on this host-pathogen interaction and the associated vaccine efficacy trials.
Databases, data tombs and dust in the wind

Contact: [email protected] As biomedical data accumulates, the need to store, share and organize it grows. Consequently, the number of Internet-accessible databases has been rapidly growing on an annual basis. Bioinformatics regularly publishes descriptions of biomedically relevant databases, Nucleic Acids Research has published an annual database issue since 1996 and now a new open-access journal, Database: The Journal of Biological Databases and Curation, will soon be launched by Oxford University Press in 2009 ( http://www.oxfordjournals.org/our_journals/databa/). Since databases can be made publicly available on the Internet without publication, it is worth considering what factors prioritize publication of database descriptions in a peer-reviewed journal. In general, publication of a database description in a journal advertises it as a valuable resource for scientific research. Implicitly, it is assumed that this resource is publicly available (most likely for free) and will be maintained. However, therein lies the problem: Database papers are simply not of the same nature as regular research articles. Over time, some databases simply become inaccessible, some are created but not maintained or updated, and some databases are never used (Galperin, 2006). Thus, for database creators, reviewers and journal editors, there are several additional considerations to judge, prior to publication, how potentially valuable these new databases may be.
Romantic Encyclopedics and the Lecture Form: Schelling, A.W. Schlegel, A. von Humboldt

This essay addresses the proliferation of Romantic-era lecture series that aspired to encyclopedic scope and subject matter, sketching how the lecture became a privileged vehicle for articulating visions of the interconnection of all knowledge. Along with a brief account of how the Romantic lecture reworked earlier forms of scholarship and meta-scientific summary, this essay explores certain concrete institutional, medial, and formal features of lecture series by Schelling, Schlegel, and Humboldt. These features include the sequential unfolding of the lecture series; the differentiation between “historical” and “living” knowledge; the scene of pedagogical address; and the underpinnings of certain styles of scholarly lecturing in the conceptual apparatus and polemical self-presentation of German idealism.
Comparison of Student Performance Using Web and Paper-Based Homework in College-Level Physics

Homework gives students an opportunity to practice important college-level physics skills. A switch to Web-based homework alters the nature of feedback received, potentially changing the pedagogical benefit. Calculus- and algebra-based introductory physics students enrolled in large paired lecture sections at a public university completed homework of standard end-of-the-chapter exercises using either the Web or paper. Comparison of their performances on regular exams, conceptual exams, quizzes, laboratory, and homework showed no significant differences between groups; other measures were found to be strong predictors of performance. This indicates that the change in medium itself has limited effect on student learning. Ways in which Web-based homework could enable exercises with greater pedagogical value are discussed. 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 40: 1050-1071, 2003 Web-based homework is a rapidly growing educational use of the Internet. At least a hundred thousand U.S. students currently submit their homework for computerized grading over the Web while attending real (nonvirtual) classes, and the practice is also growing rapidly in math, chemistry, and other sciences. 1 In addition to this are students enrolled in on-line courses and those who use on-line practice quizzes and the like. ''Anytime, anywhere'' computerized systems which instantly mark answers right or wrong and then allow errors to be corrected are replacing traditional paper homework handed in during class, graded by the instructor or an assistant, and returned with marks and comments days to weeks later. Homework is an important component of introductory physics instruction at the college level. Introductory algebra- and calculus-based physics courses at the college level put a great emphasis on the ability to solve problems. Specifically, these are word problems requiring students to find a numerical quantity using given information and applying one or more physics formulas. All the widely used textbooks devote significant space to examples of how to solve these types of
Erasmus, Contarini, and the Religious Republic of Letters

1. A new kind of religious life 2. Creating an alternative community: spiritual values and the search for meaning 3. The spiritual quest: reading and writing about God and salvation 4. Necessary relationships: desire for God and each other 5. Defining the ideal: words of praise for fools and bishops, women and martyrs 6. Epilogue.
Modeling and Measuring Privacy Risks in QoS Web Services

The privacy issue for QoS Web services is considered. As more Web services are constructed and deployed, many of our personal needs may be served by more than one service providers regardless of their platforms and implementation technologies. Service selection is performed by comparing the QoS attributes of all candidate services. Releasing private data without due control may raise the risk of allowing potential adversaries to collect, reveal or utilize one's data in undesirable ways. We propose a QoS model that quantifies a user's privacy risk in order to make the service selection process manageable. The privacy risk is derived using the percentage of the private data set to be released, and user-defined context-oriented weights that quantify the potential damage of privacy leaking in a specific context. We have included privacy risk cost as one of the QoS parameters by extending the end-to-end QoS composition algorithms developed previously