cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Conserved sequences in both coding and 5′ flanking regions of mammalian opal suppressor tRNA genes

The rabbit genome encodes an opal suppressor tRNA gene. The coding region is strictly conserved between the rabbit gene and the corresponding gene in the human genome. The rabbit opal suppressor gene contains the consensus sequence in the 3' internal control region but like the human and chicken genes, the rabbit 5' internal control region contains two additional nucleotides. The 5' flanking sequences of the rabbit and the human opal suppressor genes contain extensive regions of homology. A subset of these homologies is also present 5' to the chicken opal suppressor gene. Both the rabbit and the human genomes also encode a pseudogene. That of the rabbit lacks the 3' half of the coding region. Neither pseudogene has homologous regions to the 5' flanking regions of the genes. The presence of 5' homologies flanking only the transcribed genes and not the pseudogenes suggests that these regions may be regulatory control elements specifically involved in the expression of the eukaryotic opal suppressor gene. Moreover the strict conservation of coding sequences indicates functional importance for the opal suppressor tRNA genes.
Carbon and hydrogen isotope effects during the thermocatalytic production of hydrocarbons in laboratory simulation experiments

Abstract The molecular compositions and stable carbon and hydrogen isotope fractionations associated with the production of lower-molecular-weight hydrocarbons by pyrolysis of normal octadecane were determined as a function of time, temperature and catalysis. Chromatographic studies indicated that at the beginning of the pyrolysis of n-octadecane at 500°C, a complex spectrum of hydrocarbons is produced which becomes skewed towards the lowest molecular weight components with increasing time. At 400 and 500°C there are carbon isotope fractionations during methane production of 27.9 and 25.4‰ respectively, with carbon-12 enrichment in the methane. Hydrogen isotope measurements indicate a deuterium depletion in methane of 170‰ at 400C and, depending on how the data are extrapolated, a deuterium depletion of from 140 to 178‰ at 500°C. The liquid nitrogen condensable fraction, consisting primarily of the C2C6 hydrocarbons, shows similar but less pronounced trends in carbon isotope fractionations. The initial methane formed in pyrolysis experiments carried out in the presence of a clay mineral shows little, if any, carbon isotope fractionation. This remarkable behavior is apparently due to a different mechanism of formation, the carbonium ion mechanism induced by the clay mineral rather than the thermal free radical mechanism operable in previous experiments.
Immunological relationships of phospholipase A2 neurotoxins from snake venoms.

Abstract Polyclonal rabbit antisera were raised against ten snake phospholipase A 2 neurotoxins and one snake phospholipase A 2 cytotoxin. Immunological cross-reactivities between these toxins, two other snake phospholipase A 2 enzymes and pancreatic phospholipase A 2 were studied using ELISA technology. All snake phospholipase A 2 neurotoxins fell into two main antigenic classes. One antigenic class was composed of all the elapid toxins tested (textilotoxin, taipoxin, notexin, pseudexin and β-bungarotoxin), the cytotoxic phospholipase A 2 from Naja naja atra and pancreatic phospholipase A 2 . β-Bungarotoxin seemed to be in an immunological subclass of its own compared to the rest of the elapid toxins. The second antigenic class was comprised of crotalid and viperid phospholipase A 2 neurotoxins (crotoxin, concolor toxin, Mojave toxin, vegrandis toxin, ammodytoxin and caudoxin). Our data indicated that the viperid toxins, caudoxin and ammodytoxin, were an immunological subclass apart from the crotalid toxins.
Modeling of the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis in slurry bubble column reactors

Abstract A multicomponent one-dimensional dynamic mathematical model for the reacting slurry systems with a change in gas flow rate due to the chemical reaction is developed. A change in gas flow rate caused by the chemical reaction is modeled using the overall gas mass balance. Thus, all relevant chemical species are included in the model. Linear first-order reaction kinetics is considered. The gas phase is modeled using the two-bubble class hydrodynamic model. The interaction between small and large bubbles is included as the cross-flow. Suspension of liquid and solids is assumed to form a pseudo slurry phase. Back-mixing in all of the three considered phases, small bubbles, large bubbles and slurry, is accounted for using the axial dispersion model (ADM). Energy balance of the slurry phase is also included in the model. The developed general reacting slurry system model is used to simulate the performance of the Fischer–Tropsch (FT) slurry bubble column (SBC) reactor. Performance of the developed ADM based model is compared with the reactor scale models in which the reactor back-mixing is represented using some combination of the two limiting ideal reactor models of, complete stirred or plug flow.
If I Look At The Mass I Will: How Victim Anonymity Leads To Increased Unethical Behavior

Although researchers have demonstrated that the anonymity of victims can shape the prosocial behaviors of decision-makers, no extant research has examined whether victims’ anonymity is associated w...
SCIENTIFIC RESULTS OF OSO-1

Design characteristics, instrumentation and experimental results of the orbiting solar observatory i
Subjective probabilities for earthquake damage and loss

Abstract This paper presents a method for developing consensus probability distributions of damage from subjective probability densities provided by individual experts. The method employs Bayesian statistical theory and incorporates weighting of expert judgements in evaluating the consessus distributions. Earthquake ground motion vs. damage relationships are developed in the form of damage probability matrices using Gaussian quadrature methods. The main advantage of this approach over existing distribution discretization techniques is that no error is introduced in the mean value of the random variable and errors in the variance are reduced significantly with even a small number of value-probability pairs. As a consequence, expected loss estimates obtained by the proposed method contain no error due to discretization. The results from this paper are particularly useful for forecasting damage and losses in geographical areas with large numbers of structures and with a variety of engineering characteristics.
COMPOSITE WEAK BOSONS AT SUPERCOLLIDERS

Following a brief survey of nongauge interactions of composite W and Z from a theoretical viewpoint, we point out some of conspicuous signatures of compositeness at supercolliders, in particular W..gamma.. and Z..gamma.. production through q anti q by interactions of dimension six. In these processes, a suppression factor 1/..lambda../sup 2/ due to compositeness scale ..lambda.. is largely compensated by longitudinal polarizations of W and Z, allowing us to probe up to high values of ..lambda... 10 refs., 3 figs.
Bootstrapping robust regression

The bootstrap principle is justified for. robust M-estimates in regression, (A short proof justifying bootstrapping the empirical process is also given.)
Volcanological perspectives on Long Valley, Mammoth Mountain, and Mono Craters: several contiguous but discrete systems

Abstract The volcanic history of the Long Valley region is examined within a framework of six successive (spatially discrete) foci of silicic magmatism, each driven by locally concentrated basaltic intrusion of the deep crust in response to extensional unloading and decompression melting of the upper mantle. A precaldera dacite field (3.5–2.5 Ma) northwest of the later site of Long Valley and the Glass Mountain locus of >60 high-silica rhyolite vents (2.2–0.79 Ma) northeast of it were spatially and temporally independent magmatic foci, both cold in postcaldera time. Shortly before the 760-ka caldera-forming eruption, the mantle-driven focus of crustal melting shifted ∼20 km westward, abandoning its long-stable position under Glass Mountain and energizing instead the central Long Valley system that released 600 km3 of compositionally zoned rhyolitic Bishop Tuff (760 ka), followed by ∼100 km3 of crystal-poor Early Rhyolite (760–650 ka) on the resurgent dome and later by three separate 5-unit clusters of varied Moat Rhyolites of small volume (527–101 ka). West of the caldera ring-fault zone, a fourth focus started up ∼160 ka, producing a 10×20-km array of at least 35 mafic vents that surround the trachydacite/alkalic rhyodacite Mammoth Mountain dome complex at its core. This young 70-vent system lies west of the structural caldera and (though it may have locally re-energized the western margin of the mushy moribund Long Valley reservoir) represents a thermally and compositionally independent focus. A fifth major discrete focus started up by ∼50 ka, 25–30 km north of Mammoth Mountain, beneath the center of what has become the Mono Craters chain. In the Holocene, this system advanced both north and south, producing ∼30 dike-fed domes of crystal-poor high-silica rhyolite, some as young as 650 years. The nearby chain of mid-to-late Holocene Inyo domes is a fault-influenced zone of mixing where magmas of at least four kinds are confluent. The sixth and youngest focus is at Mono Lake, where basalt, dacite, and low-silica rhyolite unrelated to the Mono Craters magma reservoir have erupted in the interval 14 to 0.25 ka. A compelling inference is that mantle-driven magmatic foci have moved repeatedly, allowing abandoned silicic reservoirs, including the formerly vigorous Long Valley magma chamber, to crystallize. A 100-fold decline of intracaldera eruption rate after 650 ka, lack of crystal-poor rhyolite since 300 ka, limited volumes of moat rhyolite (most of it crystal-rich), absence of postcaldera mafic volcanism inside the structural caldera (or north and south adjacent to it), low thermal gradients inside the caldera, and sourcing of hydrothermal underflow within the western array well outside the ring-fault zone all suggest that the Long Valley magma reservoir is moribund.
Laparoscopic port-site metastases: etiology and prevention.

Abstract Objective The purpose of this article is to summarize current hypotheses for the possible sources of laparoscopic port-site metastasis, to review the results of experimental models that support such hypotheses, and to discuss the potential options for preventing these metastases. Methods We performed a Medline search to identify in vitro and in vivo studies and clinical trials that analyzed port-site metastases associated with laparoscopic surgery. We report the incidence of port-site metastases and causative factors associated with this condition. Results The estimated incidence of port-site metastases in all patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery for malignant disease is approximately 1–2%. Multiple factors are associated with this complication. Among the most common proposed etiologies are the wound implantations caused by the surgical technique and instrumentation; the leakage of insufflation gas through the ports, known as the "chimney effect"; and the impact of pneumoperitoneum on local immune reactions. Several preventive measures, have been suggested, including careful patient selection, lavage of the peritoneal cavity as well as of the port wounds with cytotoxic agents, and modifications of surgical technique. Conclusions Only through the results of well-conducted large multi-institutional prospective randomized trials will we learn not only the true incidence of port-site metastases, but also the potential factors that lead to the occurrence of this complication.
Software for interpreting cardiopulmonary exercise tests

Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) has become an important modality for the evaluation and management of patients with a diverse array of medical problems. However, interpreting these tests is often difficult and time consuming, requiring significant expertise. We created a computer software program (XINT) that assists in CPET interpretation. The program uses an integrative approach as recommended in the Official Statement of the American Thoracic Society/American College of Chest Physicians (ATS/ACCP) on Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing. In this paper we discuss the principles behind the software. We also provide the detailed logic in an accompanying file (Additional File 1). The actual program and the open source code are also available free over the Internet at http://www.xint.org . For convenience, the required download files can also be accessed from this article. To test the clinical usefulness of XINT, we present the computer generated interpretations of the case studies discussed in the ATS/ACCP document in another accompanying file (Additional File 2). We believe the interpretations are consistent with the document's criteria and the interpretations given by the expert panel. Computers have become an integral part of modern life. Peer-reviewed scientific journals are now able to present not just medical concepts and experimental studies, but actual functioning medical interpretive software. This has enormous potential to improve medical diagnoses and patient care. We believe XINT is such a program that will give clinically useful interpretations when used by the medical community at large.
Intelligibility of Clear Speech: Effect of Instruction

Purpose The authors investigated how clear speech instructions influence sentence intelligibility. Method Twelve speakers produced sentences in habitual, clear, hearing impaired, and overenunciate ...
Chromosomal heteromorphism and an apparent translocation detected using a BAC contig spanning the mating type locus of Phytophthora infestans.

Abstract Genetic and physical irregularities associated with the mating type locus of the oomycete, Phytophthora infestans , were revealed by analyzing a contig spanning the locus that was constructed using a bacterial artificial chromosome library. Contigs from both homologs of an A1 strain A / a genotype at mating type locus) had chromosome-specific differences, flanked by regions of similarity. Such heteromorphism was detected within multiple isolates. The mating type locus was narrowed to a 60–70 kb interval by genetic mapping of candidate genes, identified using a cDNA library. During these analyses, an unusual isolate of P. infestans was identified in which the mating type determinant had apparently translocated from its location in typical strains. Comparative mapping of the cDNAs between P. infestans and P. parasitica revealed partial synteny between the species however; substantial rearrangements existed and no cDNA was tightly linked to mating type in P. parasitica. These findings add to previous observations of unusual genetic behavior involving mating type in Phytophthora.
The Concept of Demodulation in Theorem Proving

In many fields of mathematics the richness of the underlying axiom set leads to the establishment of a number of very general equalities. For example, it is easy to prove that in groups (x-1)-1 = x and that in rings -x · - y = x · y. In the presence of such an equality, each new inference made during a proof search by a theorem-proving program may immediately yield a set of very closely related inferences. If, for example, b·a = c is inferred in the presence of (x-1)-1 = x, substitution immediately yields obviously related inferences such as (b-1)-1 · a = c. Retention of many members of each such set of inferences has seriously impeded the effectiveness of automatic theorem proving. Similar to the gain made by discarding instances of inferences already present is that made by discarding instances of repeated application of a given equality. The latter is achieved by use of demodulation. Its definition, evidence of its value, and a related rule of inference are given. In addition a number of concepts are defined the implementation of which reduces both the number and sensitivity to choice of parameters governing the theorem-proving procedures.
Effect of Thalidomide on Brain Oxygenation

Extract: This study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of thalidomide on oxygenation of maternal and fetal brain tissue. Oxygen availability (O2a) was determined Polarographically using acutely and chronically implanted Pt and AgCl electrodes. Partial pressure of oxygen (pO2) was measured polarographically in vitro from blood samples, and blood flow was determined in vivo by the hydrogen diffusion rate method. Thalidomide increased concentrations of O2a in the brain of adult guinea pigs and fetuses by an average of 33 and 200%, respectively. Simultaneously, jugular venous blood pO2 was increased, and arterial-venous (A-V) difference of O2 content, blood flow, and O2 consumption were decreased. Arterial blood pO2, pH and hemoglobin levels, body temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure were not affected by thalidomide. Niacinamide or hydrocortisone administered 30 to 60 min before the injection of thalidomide either decreased or prevented the thalidomide-induced response. Speculation: It is postulated that thalidomide (or its metabolites) decreases cellular oxygen consumption by interfering with intermediary energy metabolism, and that this in turn could lead to developmental anomalies of the organism.
Ecology and democratic governance: toward a deliberative model of environmental politics

Abstract The work of James Bohman can be interpreted as an attempt to synthesize the theories of Jurgen Habermas and John Rawls in a way that reconciles their divergent approaches to deliberative democracy. His abandonment of impartiality in public discourse, his elevation of diversity to the level of a primary deliberative value and his treatment of preferences as (to some extent) cultural givens are problematic, especially from the environmentalists’ point of view. However, his efforts have highlighted several important questions that must be answered before a deliberative model of environmental decision making can emerge.
Benthic nutrient regeneration in South Texas coastal waters

Abstract Because of the variable, unpredictable nature of many potential nutrient sources for coastal phytoplankton primary production needs in the north-western Gulf of Mexico, benthic regeneration was investigated as a more constant source of nutrients to this ecosystem. Water column ammonia profiles taken at several locations on the south Texas inner-shelf in the last seven years showed peak concentrations in bottom waters. Benthic chamber measurements verified the presence of ammonia fluxes at the mud-water interface in south Texas coastal waters. These fluxes were related to benthic faunal activity as measured by sediment metabolism. Laboratory experiments, designed to test the effect of benthic faunal removal on nutrient regeneration, suggested that the fauna play a role in regulating this process. How this regulation may occur is discussed. It was estimated that annual benthic regeneration rates can supply 69% of the nitrogen required to support phytoplankton primary production in these coastal waters.
Antibody-mediated enhancement of the rate, magnitude, and responsiveness of vesicular stomatitis virus induced alpha interferon production.

A majority of adults without evidence of exposure to vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) have serum IgG antibodies that interact with pro-inflammatory TLR7 in the presence of VSV, and enhance several aspects of VSV-induced IFN-α production. Enhancing IgG antibody enables human PBMC to make IFN-α more rapidly and in higher titers in response to a broad range of VSV-concentrations that include those too low to independently stimulate IFN-α production. These antibody-mediated functions compensate for the inherent delay in virus-induced IFN-α production in vitro, and have the potential to improve the in vivo IFN-α response and effectively terminate infection before the occurence of clinically apparent disease. The frequent presence of enhancing antibody in persons without predictable VSV exposure has implications for naturally occurring infections with this and other viruses, and for the use of viruses as vaccine vectors and oncolytic agents. J. Med. Virol. 80:1675–1683, 2008. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Use of text messaging for maternal and infant health: a systematic review of the literature.

Text messaging is an increasingly popular communication tool in health interventions, but has been little studied in maternal and infant health. This literature review evaluates studies of text messaging that may be applied to the promotion of maternal and infant health. Articles from peer-reviewed journals published before June 2012 were included if they were experimental or quasi-experimental studies of behaviors endorsed either by the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the American Pediatrics Association, or the United States Preventive Services Task Force; included reproductive age women (12–50 years) or infants up to 2 years of age; and were available in English. Qualitative studies of text messaging specific to pregnant women were also included. Studies were compared and contrasted by key variables, including: design, time-period, study population, and results. Forty-eight articles were included, 30 of which were randomized controlled trials. Interventions vary greatly in effectiveness and soundness of methodology, but collectively indicate that there is a wide range of preventative behaviors that text message interventions can effectively promote, including smoking cessation, diabetes control, appointment reminders, medication adherence, weight loss, and vaccine uptake. Common methodological issues include not accounting for attention affect and not aligning text message content to measured outcomes. Those interventions that are based on an established theory of behavior change and use motivational as opposed to informational language are more likely to be successful. Building on the growing body of evidence for text message interventions reviewed here, as well as the growing popularity of text messaging as a medium, researchers should be able to use this technology to engage difficult to reach populations.
'So Much the Worse for the Whites': Dialectics of the Haitian Revolution

This article sets out from an analysis of the pioneering work of Susan Buck-Morss to rethink, not only Hegel and Haiti, but broader questions surrounding dialectics and the universal brought to light by the Haitian Revolution. Reading through the lens of C.L.R. James’ The Black Jacobins , I seek to correct a series of ironic silences in her account, re-centering the importance of Toussaint’s successor, Jean-Jacques Dessalines, and underlining the dialectical importance of identitarian struggles in forging the universal. Finally, I offer Frantz Fanon’s reformulation of the Hegelian master-slave dialectic—overlooked in Buck-Morss’ account—as a corrective that allows us to truly rethink progress toward the universal in decolonized dialectical terms.
The Richness of Distributional Cues to Word Boundaries in Speech to Young Children.

This study is a systematic analysis of the information content of a wide range of distributional cues to word boundaries, individually and in combination, in naturally occurring child-directed speech across three languages (English, Polish, and Turkish). The paper presents a series of statistical analyses examining the relative predictive strength of these cues, the overlap in the information about word boundaries they contain, and the variability in their relative strengths and interactions across the languages. We find that the information content of individual distributional cues is not constant across languages, with relative reliability of cues varying across languages and with individual cues providing much less information in Polish and Turkish than in English. However, we also find that when these cues are combined, the cumulative information content of a diverse array of distributional cues provides a significant source of information about word boundaries across all three languages.
Emergency department management of pediatric asthma

For the physician providing acute care for children, knowledge of optimal management of pediatric asthma is essential. Asthma is one of the most common diseases of childhood, with a prevalence rate of 5.4% in the pediatric population, accounting for 17% of pediatric encounters in US emergency departments. Asthma is characterized by bronchial hyperreactivity, airway inflammation, and reversible airway obstruction. New developments in the understanding of the underlying physiology and pharmacologic treatment of pediatric asthma have occurred in recent years. Although inhaled beta-adrenergic agonists remain the initial treatment of choice for acute bronchospasm in asthma, there is increased understanding of the importance of inflammation in the disease process. There is also recognition of the role of cholinergic-mediated airway obstruction. This review focuses on the clinical applications of these concepts in the emergency management of pediatric asthma, the role of newer treatment modalities, and the value of implementing an emergency department management protocol.
Cross-borehole resistivity tomography

Electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) is a method for determining the electrical resistivity distribution in a volume from discrete measurements of current and voltage made within the volume or on its surface. We have developed an ERT algorithm that is an iterative, modified least squares inversion, based on a finite element forward solution of Laplace’s equation. We report the results of tests on this algorithm designed to determine how resistance measurements made from two boreholes may be used to image the resistivity distribution between them. A number of simple but geophysically significant structures are modeled. These include a single isolated block anomaly, two layers, a thin isolated continuous layer, and a vertical band. The main features of most resistivity models were identifiable in the reconstructions. Limited data accuracy and noise were simulated and found to cause a deterioration of the image. However, even with measurements of only one significant figure accuracy, the algorithm converg...
Eustachian tube function: physiology, pathophysiology, and role of allergy in pathogenesis of otitis media

Otitis media may be the result of Eustachian tube dysfunction or inflammation of the middle ear, or both. The Eustachian tube may be either abnormally patent (patulous or semipatulous) or, more commonly, obstructed. Functional obstruction is most likely due to either lack of tubal stiffness or an abnormal active opening mechanism, e.g., inefficient tensor veli palatini muscle. Mechanical obstruction may be secondary to extrinsic causes such as a nasopharyngeal tumor or possibly an adenoid mass. Intrinsic obstruction can result from an upper respiratory tract infection. Even though proof that allergy is causally related to otitis media is lacking, recent studies indicate that the Eustachian tube can become partially obstructed when upper respiratory allergy is present. In addition, there is now some evidence that in a small percentage of children with upper respiratory allergy, the middle ear may be a "shock organ." Future studies are needed to define the role of allergy in the pathophysiology of the Eustachian tube and the pathogenesis of otitis media. Randomized clinical trials will be required to determine the efficacy of the currently popular forms of immunotherapy and allergy control in the prevention of otitis media.
Robotic gastric electrical stimulator placement: technique and literature review

Gastroparesis in a chronic setting is a disorder that results in diminished quality of life. Laparoscopic gastric electrical stimulator (GES) placement is now being performed in patients with medically refractory gastroparesis. During this procedure, a significant amount of suturing is required to anchor the electrodes to the gastric wall. Robotic surgery may provide surgeons with several technical and ergonomic advantages during this procedure, when compared with a standard laparoscopic approach. The aim of this study is to present a case and review the technique and literature for robotic placement of GES. This report demonstrates the safety and feasibility of robotic GES placement.
The Impact of Parsimony Weighting Schemes on Inferred Relationships among Toucans and Neotropical Barbets (Aves: Piciformes)

The development of new schemes for weighting DNA sequence data for phylogenetic analysis continues to outpace the development of consensus on the most appropriate weights. The present study is an exploration of the similarities and differences between results from 22 character weighting schemes when applied to a study of barbet and toucan (traditional avian families Capitonidae and Ramphastidae) phylogenetic relationships. The dataset comprises cytochrome b sequences for representatives of all toucan and Neotropical barbet genera, as well as for several genera of Paleotropical barbets. The 22 weighting schemes produced conflicting patterns of relationship among taxa, often with conflicting patterns each receiving strong bootstrap support. Use of multiple weighting schemes helped to identify the source within the dataset (codon position, transitions, transversions) of the various putative phylogenetic signals. Importantly, some phylogenetic hypotheses were consistently supported despite the wide range of weights employed. The use of phylogenetic frameworks to summarize the results of these multiple analyses proved very informative. Relationships among barbets and toucans inferred from these data support the paraphyly of the traditional Capitonidae. Additionally, these data support paraphyly of Neotropical barbets, but rather than indicating a relationship between Semnornis and toucans, as previously suggested by morphological data, most analyses indicate a basal position of Semnornis within the Neotropical radiation. The cytochrome b data also allow inference of relationships among toucans. Supported hypotheses include Ramphastos as the sister to all other toucans, a close relationship of Baillonius and Pteroglossus with these two genera as the sister group to an (Andigena, Selenidera) clade, and the latter four genera as a sister group to Aulacorhynchus.
Identification of a Protein in Adrenal Particulates that Binds Adrenocorticotropin Specifically and with High Affinity

This paper is concerned with the identification and isolation in cross-linked form of a protein of bovine adrenal cortical particulates that binds the ACTH probe 125I-[Phe2,Nle4,DTBct25]ACTH-(1-25) amide specifically, reversibly, and with high affinity. This protein may well represent the long sought, adenylate cyclase-linked, low affinity ACTH receptor or a portion thereof. Evaluation of the binding data by Scatchard analysis afforded a linear plot corresponding to a dissociation constant of 2.7 X 10(-9) M with a single class of binding sites. Competitive binding studies using nonradioactive ACTH analogs served to establish the specificity of the binding. ACTH-(1-24), was the most active competitor, followed by [Gln5]ACTH-(1-20) amide, [Gln5,Phe9] ACTH-(1-24), and ACTH-(11-20) amide, the weakest binder of the group. These findings correlate well with the ability of the peptides to stimulate cAMP formation in bovine adrenal cortical cells, i.e. ACTH-(1-24) greater than [Gln5]ACTH-1-20) amide greater than [Gln5,Phe9]ACTH-(1-24). ACTH-(11-20) amide is biologically inactive but inhibits ACTH-(1-24)-stimulated adenylate cyclase with a 50% inhibition ratio of 400:1. Nonspecific binding was suppressed by inclusion in the incubates of the protease inhibitors pepstatin, bacitracin, and benzamidine. The binding protein was cross-linked to the radioactive probe with disuccinimidyl suberate with a high cross-linking yield. The cross-linked material was solubilized with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), and the 100,000 X g supernatant was subjected to SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, followed by a autoradiography. The gel showed the presence of a band corresponding to an apparent mol wt of 43,000 (assuming a molecule of ligand bound). This band was absent when cross-linking was performed in the presence of unlabeled ACTH-(1-24). Similar results were obtained when cross-linking was performed with dithiobis (succinimidyl)propionate or ethyleneglycolbis (succinimidyl)succinate. The soluble cross-linked material bound to a column of succinoylavidin Sepharose and could be eluted with guanidinium chloride at pH 1.5. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and autoradiography of the affinity-purified material afforded the same pattern as the unpurified material; however, considerably more radioactivity was present in the high mol wt region of the gels.
Elementary patterns of resemblance

We will study patterns which occur when considering how Σ1-elementary substructures arise within hierarchies of structures. The order in which such patterns evolve will be seen to be independent of the hierarchy of structures provided the hierarchy satisfies some mild conditions. These patterns form the lowest level of what we call patterns of resemblance. They were originally used by the author to verify a conjecture of W. Reinhardt concerning epistemic theories (see Carlson, Arch. Math. Logic 38 (1999) 449–460; Ann. Pure Appl. Logic, to appear), but their relationship to axioms of infinity and usefulness for ordinal analysis were manifest from the beginning. This paper is the first part of a series which provides an introduction to an extensive program including the ordinal analysis of set theories. Future papers will conclude the introduction and establish, among other things, that notations we will derive from the patterns considered here represent the proof-theoretic ordinal of the theory KPl0 or, equivalently, Π11−CA0 (as KPl0 is a conservative extension of Π11−CA0).
Teaching Aircraft Flight Performance in Aeronautical Engineering Using PC-Based Flight Simulation

This paper describes some ways in which PC-based flight simulation can be used to teach aircraft flight performance and flight testing to aeronautical engineering students. Two PC-based flight simulation programs are used here for this purpose: the Jeppesen FS200 PCATD and Microsoft Flight Simulator 98. Examples of student flight test assignments using these programs are given for cruise (straight and level, unaccelerated) flight, climbs, descents (power off glide), and for (level) maneuvering flight. Simulation flight test data from these assignments are presented and compared to theory. It is concluded that PC-based flight simulation can be a valuable tool for illustrating flight performance and flight testing to aeronautical engineering students and can be challenging, interesting and fun for students.
Landform controls on low level moisture convergence and the diurnal cycle of warm season orographic rainfall in the Southern Appalachians

Summary The Advanced Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model was used to simulate two warm season events representative of reverse orographic enhancement of warm season precipitation in the Southern Appalachians under weak (9–12 July, 2012) and strong (12–16 May, 2014) synoptic forcing conditions. Reverse orographic enhancement refers to significant enhancement of rainfall intensity (up to one order of magnitude) at low elevations in the inner mountain valleys, but not in the ridges. This is manifest in significant increases of radar reflectivity observations and associated integral quantities (rain rate) at low levels (within 500 m of the surface), as well as changes in the observed microphysical properties of rainfall (raindrop size distribution). Analysis of high-resolution (1.25 km × 1.25 km) WRF simulations shows that the model captures the march of observed rainfall, though not the timing in the case of strong synoptic forcing. For each event, the results show that the space–time variability of rainfall in the inner region is strongly coupled to the development and persistence of organized within-valley low-level moisture convergence that is a necessary precursor to valley fog and low level cloud formation. Microphysical interactions among precipitation from propagating storm systems, and local low-level clouds and fog promote coalescence efficiency through the seeder-feeder mechanism leading to significant enhancement of rainfall intensity near the ground as shown by Wilson and Barros (2014). The simulations support the hypothesis that ridge–valley precipitation gradients, and in particular the reverse orographic enhancement effects in inner mountain valleys, are linked to horizontal heterogeneity in the vertical structure of low level clouds and precipitation promoted through landform controls on moisture convergence.
Fast Food Consumption and Academic Growth in Late Childhood

Objective. The objective of this study is to examine the associations between fast food consumption and the academic growth of 8544 fifth-grade children in reading, math, and science. Method. This study uses direct assessments of academic achievement and child-reported fast food consumption from a nationally representative sample of kindergartners followed through eighth grade. Results. More than two thirds of the sample reported some fast food consumption; 20% reported consuming at least 4 fast food meals in the prior week. Fast food consumption during fifth grade predicted lower levels of academic achievement in all 3 subjects in eighth grade, even when fifth grade academic scores and numerous potential confounding variables, including socioeconomic indicators, physical activity, and TV watching, were controlled for in the models. Conclusion. These results provide initial evidence that high levels of fast food consumption are predictive of slower growth in academic skills in a nationally representative ...
An Assessment of Perceptual Acuity in Fiji: A Cross-Cultural Study With Indians and Fijians:

110 Indian and 83 Fijian Ss of ages 15 through 20 were administered Gough and McGurk's 30-item visual Perceptual Acuity Test (PAT). In accord with prior findings in French, Italian, Swiss, and American applications, scores correlated sign ficantly with age (r =. 26); in addition, mean weighted scores increased for each older subsample by age. Insignificant differences in performance were observed between Fijian and Indian Ss, and between two small subsamples of delinquents and nondelinquents matched for age. Sex was related to performance, with men attaining higher scores. PAT performance was essentially unrelated to school achievement, and to ability as measured by Raven's Matrices. It may be concluded that the PAT is a promising device for cross-cultural study of age gradients in the development of perceptual acuity.
Prolactin receptors are found on heterogeneous subpopulations of rat splenocytes

An increasingly large body of evidence implicates PRL as an immunoregulatory molecule. While most of the data relate to PRL levels and immunocompetence in vivo, we have shown that PRL is mitogenic for splenocytes from ovariectomized rats and rats in certain other hormonal states. This finding suggests that these lymphocytes express PRL receptors. Here, we wished to determine whether all or only a subset of splenocytes were PRL receptor positive. By using polyclonal as well as monoclonal antibodies to PRL receptor, we determined that as many as 20% of the primary splenocytes expressed PRL receptors. In a culture of Nb2 cells, a PRL receptor-positive lymphoid line, as many as 70% were PRL receptor positive. Dual labeling for lymphoid-specific antigen surface markers and PRL receptor indicated that about one third of the PRL receptor-positive splenocytes were kappa-light chain-positive B-cells, while the others stained with antibodies to T-cell markers, CD4 or CD8. These data confirm that lymphocytes express PRL receptors and show for the first time that PRL receptor-positive lymphocytes are a heterogenous subset of total primary splenocytes. These cells may be the target for PRL-mediated immunoregulation.
Black Mayors and Police Policies

This study examines the impact of black mayors on police department policies of interest to black citizens in 105 municipal governments in the United States. The correlates of community-oriented policing, minority recruitment, black representation among sworn officers, citizen controls over department policies, and departmental responses to public disorder incidents are examined, and the presence of a black mayor during the time frame in question is found to be associated with both black representation among sworn officers and adoption of citizen controls over the department. The implications of these findings for the study of black mayoral influence are explored.
ERRβ: A potent inhibitor of Nrf2 transcriptional activity

Abstract The orphan nuclear receptor, estrogen-related receptor beta (ERRβ), shares a high degree of amino acid identity with estrogen receptor alpha (ERα). Although ERRβ has been shown to be critical in embryo development, little is known about its functions and target genes. Here we report that the newly identified and most common human ortholog of ERRβ—short-form hERRβ (SFhERRβ) potently represses the transcriptional activity of NF-E2 Related Factor 2 (Nrf2) on antioxidant response element (ARE)-mediated gene expression. Nrf2 is a main regulator of the expression of phase II detoxifying enzymes and antioxidant proteins in the cellular protection against oxidative stress. SFhERRβ is the most potent inhibitor of Nrf2 transcriptional activity among the three ERR family members, ERRα, ERRβ and ERRγ. Additional analyses revealed that SFhERRβ repressed Nrf2 activity likely through physical interaction in a complex with Nrf2, not by competing for the ARE DNA-binding sites, nor by decreasing Nrf2 protein concentration. By confocal immunofluorescence microscopy, SFhERRβ alters the subcellular localization of Nrf2. Analyses using SFhERRβ deletion mutants showed that SFhERRβ interacts with Nrf2 through multiple sites. Our findings suggest that ERRβ plays a novel functional role in the Nrf2-ARE pathway. By acting as a repressor of Nrf2, ERRβ may be useful as a therapeutic target in cancer chemoprevention studies.
Regulation of lactate production at the onset of ischaemia is independent of mitochondrial NADH/NAD+: insights from in silico studies

Ischaemia decreases mitochondrial NADH oxidation, activates glycolysis, increases the NADH/NAD+ ratio, and causes lactate production. The mechanisms that regulate anaerobic glycolysis and the NADH/NAD+ ratio during ischaemia are unclear. Although continuous measurements of metabolic fluxes and NADH/NAD+ in cytosol and mitochondria are not possible in vivo with current experimental techniques, computational models can be used to predict these variables by simulations with in silico experiments. Such predictions were obtained using a mathematical model of cellular metabolism in perfused myocardium. This model, which distinguishes cytosolic and mitochondrial domains, incorporates key metabolic species and processes associated with energy transfer. Simulation of metabolic responses to mild, moderate and severe ischaemia in large animals showed that mitochondrial NADH/NAD+ was rapidly reset to higher values in proportion to the reduced O2 delivery and myocardial oxygen consumption . Cytosolic NADH/NAD+, however, showed a biphasic response, with a sharp initial increase that was due to activation of glycogen breakdown and glycolysis, and corresponded with lactate production. Whereas the rate of glycolysis and the malate-aspartate shuttle had a significant effect on the cytosolic NADH/NAD+, their effects on the mitochondrial NADH/NAD+ were minimal. In summary, model simulations of the metabolic response to ischaemia showed that mitochondrial NADH/NAD+ is primarily determined by O2 consumption, while cytosolic NADH/NAD+ is largely a function of glycolytic flux during the initial phase, and is determined by mitochondrial NADH/NAD+ and the malate-aspartate shuttle during the steady state.
Quantification of degradation in nonceramic housing materials by laser ablation

A laser irradiation technique has been explored to quantify visible as well as invisible degradation of housing materials used for nonceramic insulators. Nonceramic insulators that were removed from service and new samples of the housing that were subjected to accelerated testing in the laboratory have been evaluated. The method uses a constant power laser source for delivering the same energy to the test specimen. The proposed method is fairly quick and could be looked upon as an additional method for characterizing aging of nonceramic insulators. It has been shown that this method provides a better characterization of aging than is obtained from Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy. The housing materials evaluated include silicone rubber, ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber and cycloaliphatic epoxy resin.
Learning From Physics Instruction.

Forty high school students participated in a study to investigate learning and remembering from physics instruction. At pretest, students received aptitude tests, an alternate form of achievement test (counterbalanced) and a word association (WA) test. Then the 40 students were divided into instruction (N = 28) and control (N = 12) groups. The control group received all subsequent tests but no instruction. The instruction group received physics instruction over five 2-hour sessions. At the end of each session, the WA test was administered; the alternate form of the achievement test was administered at the end of the last session. The instruction and control groups did not differ significantly in achievement at pretest. The instruction group showed a significant gain from pre- to posttest; no such gain was found for the control group. The instruction and control groups did not differ on the number of responses generated on the WA test at pretesting. The number of responses given by students in the instruction group increased significantly from test 1 (pretest) to test 6 (posttest). For the control group, the number of responses increased initially and then leveled out well below the instruction group data. When WA test responses were tallied for “constrained” responses (i.e., tallying only those concepts found in equations defining the stimulus word), the number of constrained responses increased consistently for the instruction group. For the control group, constrained responses showed an initial increase and then leveled out well below instruction group data. Finally, the aptitude, achievement, and WA data were intercorrelated. This analysis suggests that for students who perform well in solving problems at the end of instruction, the physics concepts became meaningful soon after they were introduced. Subsequently, these students were able to consolidate, in memory, the meaning of the concepts and the interrelations among these concepts in the form of equations. Students not able to solve problems at the end of instruction seemed to be completing the process of acquiring the meaning of the concepts.