cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Completely ES Cell-Derived Mice Produced by Tetraploid Complementation Using Inner Cell Mass (ICM) Deficient Blastocysts

Tetraploid complementation is often used to produce mice from embryonic stem cells (ESCs) by injection of diploid (2n) ESCs into tetraploid (4n) blastocysts (ESC-derived mice). This method has also been adapted to mouse cloning and the derivation of mice from induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells. However, the underlying mechanism(s) of the tetraploid complementation remains largely unclear. Whether this approach can give rise to completely ES cell-derived mice is an open question, and has not yet been unambiguously proven. Here, we show that mouse tetraploid blastocysts can be classified into two groups, according to the presence or absence of an inner cell mass (ICM). We designate these as type a (presence of ICM at blastocyst stage) or type b (absence of ICM). ESC lines were readily derived from type a blastocysts, suggesting that these embryos retain a pluripotent epiblast compartment; whereas the type b blastocysts possessed very low potential to give rise to ESC lines, suggesting that they had lost the pluripotent epiblast. When the type a blastocysts were used for tetraploid complementation, some of the resulting mice were found to be 2n/4n chimeric; whereas when type b blastocysts were used as hosts, the resulting mice are all completely ES cell-derived, with the newborn pups displaying a high frequency of abdominal hernias. Our results demonstrate that completely ES cell-derived mice can be produced using ICM-deficient 4n blastocysts, and provide evidence that the exclusion of tetraploid cells from the fetus in 2n/4n chimeras can largely be attributed to the formation of ICM-deficient blastocysts.
Musical Creativity: The Stream of Consciousness in Composition, Improvisation, and Education

This article explores the stream of consciousness as a primary source for the ideas from which music is created. Improvisation and composition are presented as behaviors which deserve attention at ...
Plasma zinc levels in premature infants receiving parenteral nutrition.

Plasma zinc levels in premature infants receiving parenteral nutrition without supplementation of trace elements were evaluated. The mean - SE for plasma zinc concentration prior to the start of parenteral nutrition was 53±6 μm/dl. During the first two weeks of parenteral nutrition the levels remained low, but did not change significantly. Howerver, from day 14 through day 32 there was a statistically significant ( P
Impact of date stamping on patient safety measurement in patients undergoing CABG: experience with the AHRQ Patient Safety Indicators.

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Patient Safety Indicators (PSIs) provide information on hospital risk-adjusted rates for potentially preventable adverse events. Although designed to work with routine administrative data, it is unknown whether the PSIs can accurately distinguish between complications and pre-existing conditions. The objective of this study is to examine whether the AHRQ PSIs accurately measure hospital complication rates, using the data with present-on-admission (POA) codes to distinguish between complications and pre-existing conditions Retrospective cohort study of patients undergoing isolated CABG surgery in California conducted using the 1998–2000 California State Inpatient Database. We calculated the positive predictive value of selected AHRQ PSIs using information from the POA as the gold standard, and the intra-class correlation coefficient to assess the level of agreement between the hospital risk-adjusted PSI rates with and without the information contained in the POA modifier. The false positive error rate, defined as one minus the positive predictive value, was greater than or equal to 20% for four of the eight PSIs examined: decubitus ulcer, failure-to-rescue, postoperative physiologic and metabolic derangement, and postoperative pulmonary embolism or deep venous thrombosis. Pairwise comparison of the hospital risk-adjusted PSI rates, with and without POA information, demonstrated almost perfect agreement for five of the eight PSI's. For decubitus ulcer, failure-to-rescue, and postoperative pulmonary embolism or DVT, the intraclass-correlation coefficient ranged between 0.63 to 0.79. For some of the AHRQ Patient Safety Indicators, there are significant differences in the risk-adjusted rates of adverse events depending on whether the POA indicator is used to distinguish between pre-existing conditions and complications. The use of the POA indicator will increase the accuracy of the AHRQ PSIs as measures of adverse outcomes.
Staged circuit switching for network computers

Staged circuit switching (SCS) is a message-switching technique that combines a new protocol with new communication hardware. Protocol and hardware are designed specifically for networks that are intended to function as integrated, general-purpose MIMD machines, i.e. for "network computers". The SCS protocol is a form of circuit switching that degrades automatically into packet switching when unavailable output lines make further extension of a partial circuit impossible. The SCS hardware uses a front-end crossbar switch to multipex some small number of communication channels among all of a given node's incident links. Together, hardware and protocol represent an attempt to convert spare bandwidth into lower network delays. They also allow experimentation with networks that reconfigure themselves dynamically in response to measured traffic patterns. We compare SCS to packet switching, circuit switching and the "virtual cut-through" protocol of Kermani and Kleinrock, and discuss an SCS implementation designed for the SBN network computer.
Characteristics of shocks in the solar corona, as inferred from radio, optical, and theoretical investigations

Solar radio bursts of spectral type II provide one of the chief diagnostics for the propagation of shocks through the solar corona. Radio data on the shocks are compared with computer models for propagation of fast-mode MHD shocks through the solar corona. Data on coronal shocks and high-velocity ejecta from solar flares are then discussed in terms of a general model consisting of three main velocity regimes.
Normal brain volume measurements using multispectral MRI segmentation

The performance of a supervised k-nearest neighbor (kNN) classifier and a semisupervised fuzzy c-means (SFCM) clustering segmentation method are evaluated for reproducible measurement of the volumes of normal brain tissues and cerebrospinal fluid. The stability of the two segmentation methods is evaluated for (a) operator selection of training data, (b) reproducibility during repeat imaging sessions to determine any variations in the sensor performance over time, (c) variations in the measured volumes between different subjects, and (d) variability with different imaging parameters. The variations were found to be dependent on the type of measured tissue and the operator performing the segmentations. The variability during repeat imaging sessions for the SFCM method was < 3%. The absolute volumes of the brain matter and cerebrospinal fluid between subjects varied quite large, ranging from 9% to 13%. The intraobserver and interobserver reproducibility for SFCM were < 4% for the soft tissues and 6% for cerebrospinal fluid. The corresponding results for the kNN segmentation method were higher compared to the SFCM method.
Actin-ADF/cofilin rod formation in Caenorhabditis elegans muscle requires a putative F-actin binding site of ADF/cofilin at the C-terminus

Under a number of stress or pathological conditions, actin and actin depolymerizing factor (ADF)/cofilin form rod-like structures that contain abnormal bundles of actin filaments that are heavily decorated with ADF/cofilin. However, the mechanism of actin rod formation and the physiological role of actin rods are not clearly understood. Here, we report that overexpression of green fluorescent protein-fused UNC-60B, a muscle-specific ADF/cofilin isoform, in Caenorhabditis elegans body wall muscle induces formation of rod-like structures. The rods contained GFP-UNC-60B, actin-interacting protein 1 (AIP1), and actin, but not other major actin-associated proteins, thus resembling actin-ADF/cofilin rods found in other organisms. However, depletion or overexpression of AIP1 did not affect formation of the actin-GFP-UNC-60B rods, suggesting that AIP1 does not play a significant role in the rod assembly. Truncation of the C-terminal tail, a putative F-actin binding site, of UNC-60B abolished induction of the rod formation, strongly suggesting that stable association of UNC-60B with F-actin, which is mediated by its C-terminus, is required for inducing actin-ADF/cofilin rods. This study suggests that C. elegans can be a new model to study functions of actin-ADF/cofilin rods.
From cells to embryos to rooted plantlets in a mist bioreactor

A mist bioreactor using a disposable bag as culture chamber was used to propagate carrot embryogenic cells into rooted plantlets. The best operating configuration was akin to a vertical hanging garden using 50–90 μm nylon mesh for explant attachment. Cells spray inoculated into the reactor were 51.2 % viable. Misting cycle and aeration conditions were studied and showed that under the same hourly volumetric nutrient feed and 0 VVM, embryo development in the reactor was best using a 0.3 min on/2.7 min off misting cycle, yielding about 23 % post heart stage embryos. Compared to 0 VVM, 3 % CO2 enrichment improved embryo development in reactor culture. Spray inoculated cells also attached to several vertically hung poly-l-lysine coated strips and then developed in situ into embryos. Cell attachment was significantly improved when they were suspended in salt-free sucrose solution during spray inoculation. Almost 90 % of the originally attached cells remained on the nylon mesh 24 h later after spraying with B5 medium in the mist reactor. Strip grown embryos had the same post heart stage ratio but shorter overall length compared to those developed on a horizontal platform. Young plantlets developed uniformly up and down the hanging strips and did not detach after 3 weeks of culture suggesting this technology may prove useful for improving micropropagation.
Conformational analysis of glycosaminoglycans. I. Charge distributions, torsional potentials, and steric maps

Abstract An initial study of the charge distributions and torsional potentials for (1→4)-linked disaccharides, and a steric energy-map for (1→4)-linked disaccharides is reported for six acidic glycosaminoglycans. The charge distributions have been computed by the CNDO quantum-mechanical procedure, together with a molecular-decomposition technique. The intrinsic torsional potential has been computed by using CNDO energies and empirical potential-energies. The intrinsic torsional potential is two-dimensional. The general steric-map for a (1→4)-linked disaccharide will be useful for simplifying future conformational analyses of glycosaminoglycans. Wherever possible, comparisons between theory and experiment are presented or cited.
The mechanical and morphological properties of 6 year-old cranial bone

Abstract Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity for children in the United States. The unavailability of pediatric cadavers makes it difficult to study and characterize the mechanical behavior of the pediatric skull. Computer based finite element modeling could provide valuable insights, but the utility of these models depends upon the accuracy of cranial material property inputs. In this study, 47 samples from one six year-old human cranium were tested to failure via four point bending to study the effects of strain rate and the structure of skull bone on modulus of elasticity and failure properties for both cranial bone and suture. The results show that strain rate does not have a statistically meaningful effect on the mechanical properties of the six year-old skull over the range of strain rates studied (average low rate of 0.045 s−1, average medium rate of 0.44 s−1, and an average high rate of 2.2 s−1), but that these properties do depend on the growth patterns and morphology of the skull. The thickness of the bone was found to vary with structure. The bending stiffness (per unit width) for tri-layer bone (12.32±5.18 Nm2/m) was significantly higher than that of cortical bone and sutures (5.58±1.46 Nm2/m and 3.70±1.88 Nm2/m respectively). The modulus of elasticity was 9.87±1.24 GPa for cranial cortical bone and 1.10±0.53 GPa for sutures. The effective elastic modulus of tri-layer bone was 3.69±0.92 GPa. Accurate models of the pediatric skull should account for the differences amongst these three distinct tissues in the six year-old skull.
Unsupervised Learning of Multiple Motifs in Biopolymers Using Expectation Maximization

The MEME algorithm extends the expectation maximization (EM) algorithm for identifying motifs in unaligned biopolymer sequences. The aim of MEME is to discover new motifs in a set of biopolymer sequences where little or nothing is known in advance about any motifs that may be present. MEME innovations expand the range of problems which can be solved using EM and increase the chance of finding good solutions. First, subsequences which actually occur in the biopolymer sequences are used as starting points for the EM algorithm to increase the probability of finding globally optimal motifs. Second, the assumption that each sequence contains exactly one occurrence of the shared motif is removed. This allows multiple appearances of a motif to occur in any sequence and permits the algorithm to ignore sequences with no appearance of the shared motif, increasing its resistance to noisy data. Third, a method for probabilistically erasing shared motifs after they are found is incorporated so that several distinct motifs can be found in the same set of sequences, both when different motifs appear in different sequences and when a single sequence may contain multiple motifs. Experiments show that MEME can discover both the CRP and LexA binding sites from a set of sequences which contain one or both sites, and that MEME can discover both the −10 and −35 promoter regions in a set of E. coli sequences.
SEX DIFFERENCES IN SEVERITY OF SUICIDAL BEHAVIOR IN AN IRANIAN SAMPLE

A nonsignificant tendency was found for 48 females in Iran to make more serious suicide attempts using opium than did 152 males.
Multi-product steady-state isotopic transient kinetic analysis of CO hydrogenation over supported molybdenum carbide

Isotopic transient analysis of steady state of CO hydrogenation catalyzed by alumina-supported Mo2C nanoclusters was performed at 573 K, 1.2 bar syngas with H2/CO = 1. An isotope switch from 12CO to 13CO during the steady-state reaction produced a rapid transient associated with CO hydrogenation and a very slow transient associated with turnover of ineffective catalytic sites or exchange of carbidic carbon with reaction intermediates. Although the intrinsic turnover frequency for hydrocarbon formation was similar to that observed on late transition metals, the coverage of reaction intermediates on the Mo2C clusters was very low (≪1%), which accounts for the overall low activity of Mo2C. Promotion of Mo2C with Rb2CO3 lowered the coverage of intermediates even further, but increased the selectivity toward alcohols. Very strong interaction of the alcohols with the promoter suggests that Rb may form alkoxides at reaction conditions.
A simple ‘free 3H-ligand’ assay for rapid screening of hybridoma monoclonal antibodies against neurotransmitter analogs and anti-idiotype antibodies

Effective, rapid screening of hybridoma supernatants for monoclonal antibodies against the dopaminergic antagonists pimozide and haloperidol, and the serotonergic antagonist ketanserin was performed using a 'free 3H-ligand' assay. Anti-mouse Ig-coated microtiter plates were incubated with hybridoma supernatants prior to incubation with excess 3H-ligand. After removal of free 3H-ligand, bound 3H-ligand was eluted with acid for liquid scintillation counting. With minor modification, the assay can be used to screen hybridomas for anti-anti-ligand (anti-idiotypic) antibodies.
Myometrial expression of mRNA encoding epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) throughout the menstrual cycle.

PROBLEM: To investigate the quantitative changes in expression of EGFR mRNA in the myometrium throughout the menstrual cycle. METHOD: Myometrium was collected at hysterectomy from 27 women with a history of regular cycles. Total RNA (20 μg) was isolated and analyzed by Northern blot using a human EGF-R specific 32P-labeled cDNA probe. The hybridization signals were quantified by densitometry, standardized, and reported in densitometry signal units (DSU). Endometrial specimens from the same uteri were simultaneously evaluated for histologic dating of menstrual cycle day. EGFR gene expression in endometrium was previously reported. Statistical significance of the differences in myometrial gene expression between menstrual phases was evaluated by student's t test. RESULTS: EGFR mRNA was expressed in all myometrial tissues tested. Levels were higher in the late proliferative phase than in all other phases (P < .05). Women over 40 years old had lower proliferative phase expression than younger women. CONCLUSION: This data suggests that myometrial EGFR mRNA expression varies in association with the histologic phases of the normal menstrual cycle, and may be affected by aging, even when cycles occur at regular intervals.
Unexpected Results of Some Simple Exercises in Equilibrium Melting Based on Experimentally Determined Partition Coefficients

If temperature and composition dependencies of partitioning are taken into account in modeling equilibrium processes, unexpected chemical trends are derived. Failure to consider variations in partition coefficients with temperature and composition in modeling equilibrium melting or crystallization processes leads to wildly erroneous results. Because of changes in partition coefficients with temperature and composition, incompatible elements can exhibit apparently compatible behavior, complex parallel or perpendicular trends can develop from a single process and bulk composition, and trends that appear to require several controlling phases can be explained with only one phase of variable composition. The exercises illustrated here demonstrate that complex trends can be misinterpreted if the variations in partition coefficients are not taken into account, and the “average” phase proportions and compositions controlling an evolutionary trend can be erroneously estimated. Complex trends, such as those in Apol...
Blocking cannabinoid activation of FAK and ERK1/2 compromises synaptic integrity in hippocampus.

Abstract The cannabinoid CB1 receptor allows endocannabinoids to act as intercellular and retrograde messengers in the central nervous system. Endocannabinoid actions have been implicated in both synaptic plasticity and neuroprotection. Here, cannabinergic activation of extracellular signal regulated-kinase (ERK) and focal adhesion kinase (FAK) occurred correspondingly in long-term hippocampal slice cultures. The stable endocannabinoid analogue R-methanandamide activated ERK1/ERK2 subtypes of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) through the upstream activator MAPK kinase (MEK). R-methanandamide also promoted FAK signaling, but in a MEK-independent manner. Both events of ERK and FAK activation were selectively blocked by N-(morpholin-4-yl)-1-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-5-(4-iodophenyl)-4-methyl-1H-pyrazole-3-carboxamide (AM281), a cannabinoid CB1 receptor antagonist, and the blockage was associated with a gradual decline in synaptic markers. Interestingly, the integrin antagonist Gly–Arg–Gly–Asp–Ser–Pro also caused the disruption of R-methanandamide-mediated ERK and FAK responses and upset the integrity of excitatory synapses. These results suggest that the endocannabinoid system supports synaptic maintenance through linkages with MAPK pathways and integrin-related FAK signaling.
Direct regulation of knot gene expression by Ultrabithorax and the evolution of cis-regulatory elements in Drosophila.

The regulation of development by Hox proteins is important in the evolution of animal morphology, but how the regulatory sequences of Hox-regulated target genes function and evolve is unclear. To understand the regulatory organization and evolution of a Hox target gene, we have identified a wing-specific cis-regulatory element controlling the knot gene, which is expressed in the developing Drosophila wing but not the haltere. This regulatory element contains a single binding site that is crucial for activation by the transcription factor Cubitus interruptus (Ci), and a cluster of binding sites for repression by the Hox protein Ultrabithorax (UBX). The negative and positive control regions are physically separable, demonstrating that UBX does not repress by competing for occupancy of Ci-binding sites. Although knot expression is conserved among Drosophila species, this cluster of UBX binding sites is not. We isolated the knot wing cis-regulatory element from D. pseudoobscura , which contains a cluster of UBX-binding sites that is not homologous to the functionally defined D. melanogaster cluster. It is, however, homologous to a second D. melanogaster region containing a cluster of UBX sites that can also function as a repressor element. Thus, the knot regulatory region in D. melanogaster has two apparently functionally redundant blocks of sequences for repression by UBX, both of which are widely separated from activator sequences. This redundancy suggests that the complete evolutionary unit of regulatory control is larger than the minimal experimentally defined control element. The span of regulatory sequences upon which selection acts may, in general, be more expansive and less modular than functional studies of these elements have previously indicated.
Inflation and the demand for money in Israel

Abstract This paper examines the impacts of rational-price expectations and foreign-exchange reform, in addition to adaptive-price expectations, on money-demand in Israel. The regression results are used to determine the upper limit on the amount of seigniorage.
Getting more from the scene for autonomous navigation: UGV Demo III program

In order for an autonomous robot to “appropriately” navigate through a complex environment, it must have an in-depth understanding of the immediate surroundings. Appropriate navigation implies the robot will avoid collision or contact with hazards, will not be falsely rerouted around traversible terrain due to false hazard detections, and will exploit the terrain to maximize its concealment. Appropriate autonomous navigation requires the ability to detect and localize critical features in the environment. Examples of critical environmental features include rocks, trees, ditches, holes, bushes and water. Environmental features have a wide range of characteristics and multiple sensing phenomenologies are required to be able to detect them all. Once the data is acquired from these multiple phenomenologies, a mechanism is required to combine and analyze all of these disparate sources of information into one composite interpretation. In this paper we discuss the Demo III multi-sensor system for autonomous mobility, and the “operator-trained” fusion system called O-NAV (Object NAVigation) that is used to build a labeled three dimensional model of the immediate environment surrounding the robot vehicle so it can appropriately interact with its surroundings.
Clinical Gestalt and the Diagnosis of Pulmonary Embolism: Does Experience Matter?

Study objectives We sought to determine whether the accuracy of pretest assessment of the likelihood of pulmonary embolism (PE) was related to physician experience. We compared the accuracy of the subjective pretest probability assessment made by senior physicians (postgraduate year [PGY]-4+) to that of interns (PGY-1) and residents (PGY-2 and PGY-3) working in the emergency department of a large teaching hospital. Design Prospective observational study. Setting Urban, academic emergency department with an annual census of 48,000 patient visits. Patients Five hundred eighty-three adults evaluated for PE in the emergency department. Interventions Eligible patients had at least one diagnostic test ordered to workup PE. The physician treating the patient was asked whether he or she considered PE the most-likely diagnosis or whether an alternative diagnosis was most likely. This result was compared to the ultimate diagnosis. Physician experience was categorized by the number of years of training since medical school graduation. Measurements and results There was a trend toward increasing accuracy with increasing experience, demonstrated by the frequency of true-positive assessments (17% vs 20% vs 25%), true-negative assessments (89% vs 94% vs 96%), and likelihood ratio (1.49 vs 2.34 vs 3.33), respectively. Conclusions Accurate determination of the pretest probability of PE appears to increase with clinical experience. However, the difference in accuracy between inexperienced and experienced physicians is not sufficiently large to distinguish between the two when determining whether clinical gestalt or a clinical prediction rule should be used to determine the pretest probability of PE.
Bright Light Therapy Protects Women from Circadian Rhythm Desynchronization During Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer

Circadian rhythms (CRs) are commonly disrupted in women undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer (BC). Bright light improves and strengthens CRs in other populations. This randomized controlled study examined the effect of morning administration of bright light therapy on CRs in women undergoing chemotherapy for BC. It was hypothesized that women receiving bright light therapy would exhibit more robust rhythms than women exposed to dim light. Thirty-nine women newly diagnosed with BC and scheduled for chemotherapy were randomized into 2 groups: bright white light (BWL) or dim red light (DRL). Women were instructed to use the light box every morning for 30 min during their first 4 cycles of chemotherapy. Wrist actigraphy was recorded at 5 time points: prior to chemotherapy (baseline), Cycle-1 treatment week (C1TW), Cycle-1 recovery week (C1RW), Cycle-4 treatment week (C4TW), and Cycle-4 recovery week (C4RW). There was a Group × Time interaction at C4TW compared to baseline such that the DRL group showed significant deterioration in the mean of the activity rhythm (mesor) and amplitude, whereas the BWL group exhibited a significant increase in both mesor and amplitude. The DRL group also exhibited significant deterioration in overall rhythm robustness at C1TW, C4TW, and C4RW. Women in the BWL group also showed significant decreases in overall rhythm robustness at C1TW and C4TW, but returned to baseline levels at both recovery weeks. The results suggest that morning administration of bright light may protect women from experiencing CR deterioration during chemotherapy.
A simple and efficient procedure for the oral inoculation of Trichoplusia ni larvae with polyhedrin-negative recombinant baculovirus.

Abstract Current procedures for inoculating lepidopteran larvae with polyhedrin-negative recombinant baculovirus, i.e. intracoelomic injection or coinfection with wild type virus, are laborious and can compromise final yields of recombinant protein. Herein is described a simple and efficient method for oral inoculation. Up to 100% infection was obtained when individual early fifth instar Trichoplusia ni larvae were fed a small piece of a formaldehyde-free insect diet to which 4.2 × 10 5 PFU of a polyhedrin-negative recombinant Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus (AcNPV) containing the gene for β-galactosidase was applied. Infected larvae were identified by assaying hemolymph for β-galactosidase activity. The maximum levels of β-galactosidase detected in these hemolymph samples were identical to those obtained for larvae infected by intracoelomic injection. The dose of polyhedrin-negative recombinant virus recommended for intracoelomic injection of T. ni was efficacious for the oral route of inoculation.
The Shrinking Central City Amidst Growing Suburbs: Case Studies of Ohio´s Inelastic CIties.

Four of Ohio's urban areas have at their centers "inelastic" cities, or cities unable to grow through annexation. In this paper, we discuss the post-World War II development of Cincinnati, Cleveland, Dayton, and Youngstown, Ohio. Their most important common experience has been the loss of central-city population and housing units to the suburbs. Except for Cincinnati, the suburbs of these cities grew between 1970 and 1990 even though the population of the metropolitan area as a whole decreased. Another common experience is the degree to which these cities have been harmed by enhancements to the regional transportation system. The findings suggest that policies explicitly designed to manage further suburban sprawl and promote metropolitan cooperation are needed to maintain the viability of these cities.
Silicon-on-insulator by oxygen ion implantation

Abstract A silicon-on-insulator (SOI) material structure can be produced by the formation of a buried oxide layer beneath the surface of a silicon wafer by the implantation of oxygen ions. The typical fluence required is on the order of 1.3×10 18 cm -2 of molecular oxygen at 300 keV. A 0.5 μm thick oxide layer is formed buried beneath a 0.12 μm thick layer of silicon. The top silicon layer is recrystallized by a high temperature anneal after the implantation. Large scale integrated circuits with excellent performance have been fabricated in epitaxial layers grown on this material.
Olefin Cyclopropanation Catalyzed by Iridium(III) Porphyrin Complexes

Tetratolylporphyrinato (TTP) iridium complexes were shown to be extremely active and robust catalysts for the cyclopropanation of olefins using diazo compounds as carbene sources. Ir(TTP)CH3 (1) catalyzed the cyclopropanation of styrene with ethyl diazoacetate (EDA) at −78 °C and achieved 4.8 × 105 turnovers in three successive reagent additions with no sign of deactivation. High yields and moderate trans selectivities were attained for electron-rich and sterically unhindered substrates. A Hammett ρ+ value of −0.23 was determined by competition experiments with para-substituted styrenes. Furthermore, competitive cyclopropanation of styrene and styrene-d8 with EDA and 1 demonstrated a moderate inverse secondary isotope effect of 0.86 ± 0.03. These data are consistent with a catalytic cycle that proceeds through a metalloporphyrin carbene intermediate. Carbene transfer to olefin substrates appears to be rate limiting, as indicated by kinetic studies. Hexavalent iridium halogenato tetratolylporphyrinato comp...
Peace in the Persian Gulf: The Shi'is Dimension

Since the 1950s, the Persian Gulf has emerged as a major oil producer. The region's significance in satisfying the world's growing appetite for oil is increasing, due to its immense proven reserves. Thus, the stability of the Gulf states has become an important concern to all major global powers. The Gulf War resulted in the liberation of Kuwait but it has not laid down the foundations for a durable peace. A long-term peace requires, among other things, regional co-operation and pluralistic political regimes. This study focuses on the cleavage separating the Shi'is from the Sunnis in three Gulf states: Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Iraq. Shi'ism is examined less as a religious issue than as a socio-economic pphenomenon.
SPC02-3: Doubly-Selective Channel Estimation Using Superimposed Training and Discrete Prolate Spheroidal Basis Models

Channel estimation for single user frequency- selective time-varying channel is considered using superimposed training. The time-varying channel is assumed to be well- described by a basis expansion model using discrete prolate spheroidal sequences (DPS-BEM). A periodic (non-random) training sequence is arithmetically added (superimposed) at a low power to the information sequence at the transmitter before modulation and transmission. A two-step approach is adopted where in the first step we estimate the channel using DPS-BEM and only the first-order statistics of the observations. Using the estimated channel from the first step, a Viterbi detector is used to estimate the information sequence. In the second step a deterministic maximum likelihood (DML) approach is used to iteratively estimate the channel and the information sequences sequentially, based on DPS-BEM. Illustrative computer simulation examples are presented where a frequency-selective channel is randomly generated with different Doppler spreads via Jakes' model. Simulations show that the proposed approaches are competitive with time-multiplexed training without incurring data-rate loss.
Thermally Stimulated Depolarization Current

Thermally stimulated discharge or thermally stimulated polarization and depolarization current is becoming a valuable technique in discerning transitions having a small relaxation strength. Polymer liquid crystals (PLCs) are a group of such materials. This article provides a review of the different experimental techniques associated with the technique and their application to PLCs. Experimental results for thermotropic longitudinal PLCs are presented.
Markovian Statistical Data Analysis of Single-Event Upsets Triggered by High Intensity Neutrons

This paper analyzes data from a single-event upset experiment conducted at the Los Alamos National Laboratory. Statistical tools, based on well-known X2 hypothesis testing theory, are used to determine if sequences of upsets can be modeled as a homogeneous Markov chain of a specific order. The experiment consisted of radiating a new experimental flight control computer (FCC) with a high intensity neutron beam while the FCC controlled a simulation of a Boeing 737. The analyzed data is a sequence of states that indicates when the FCC is under an upset condition
Traduire la religiosité amérindienne

Cet article rend compte de l’episteme religieux des peuples amerindiens du Nord du Canada en relativisant les concepts les plus fondamentaux de religions plus recentes, telles que le judaisme, le bouddhisme, le christianisme et l’islam. Cette relativisation est effectuee en contrastant leur conception dualiste du monde avec celle des religions monistes grecque et romaine anciennes. Ce premier examen permet de constater qu’une religion peut parfaitement proner la non-existence d’un paradis en dehors de l’ici-bas. En comparant ensuite les religions anciennes de la Grece et de Rome et celles des aborigenes australiens, l’article revele qu’une conception moniste du monde peut a son tour se concevoir sans l’existence de Dieu, ni meme des dieux, demi-dieux et deesses des anciens Grecs. A ce terme, l’article s’ouvre sur une analyse des notions les plus fondamentales de l’episteme religieux des Athapaskan tutchone du Territoire du Yukon —religion qui, comme celle des Australiens ne reconnait d’autre monde que l’ici-bas, et aucun dieux ou deesses et encore moins Dieu. Y sont discutees les notions Tutchone d’ombre-âme, de souffle et de yindi’ (intellect), ainsi que leur interaction dans la nature et a travers les reves — avec les zhaak (puissances, chants guerisseurs) des animaux et de certains phenomenes naturels. La relativite des conceptions religieuses deistes en ressort de facon eclatante.
Modeling growth and senescence in physical performance among the ache of eastern paraguay

This article seeks to partially fill a paucity of available data on physical performance in hunter-gatherer societies. Quantitative data are presented on various physical performance measures conducted on the Ache of eastern Paraguay, hunter-gatherers up to the 1970s and now part-time foragers and horticulturists. The performance battery was conducted on most individuals over 10 years of age, allowing for cross-sectional examination of growth and senescence patterns across the lifespan for both sexes. These measures tend to display steep ascents and peak in the early 20s with slight declines thereafter with age for males, whereas females demonstrate peaks in performance earlier in life, with lower or no senescence rates thereafter. The result is a convergence in physical performance between men and women at later ages. We suggest that the female physiology faces reproductive constraints to performance early in life but shifts allocation to increased work output later in life during the long human postmenopausal stage. In contrast, the male physiology maximizes work output in early adult life. These schedules of physical performance are contrasted with schedules of food production ability, which tend to occur later in life, and therefore imply that skill rather than strength alone is an important component of the human foraging niche.
Differential contributions of serotonin receptors to the behavioral effects of indoleamine hallucinogens in mice

Psilocin (4-hydroxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine) is a hallucinogen that acts as an agonist at 5-HT1A, 5-HT2A, and 5-HT2C receptors. Psilocin is the active metabolite of psilocybin, a hallucinogen that i...
Sex expression, skewed sex ratios, and microhabitat distribution in the dioecious desert moss Syntrichia caninervis (Pottiaceae)

The moss Syntrichia caninervis is the dominant soil bryophyte in a blackbrush (Coleogyne ramosissima) community in the southern Nevada Mojave Desert, with a mean cover of 6.3%. A survey of the 10-ha study site revealed an expressed ramet sex ratio of 14 / :1 ? (N 5 890), with 85% of ramets not expressing sex over their life span, and an expressed population sex ratio of 40/ :2 ? :1 /? (female : male : mixed-sex, N 5 89), with 52% of populations not expressing sex. A greater incidence of sex expression was associated with shaded microsites, higher soil moisture content, and taller ramets. Shaded microsites had higher surface soil moisture levels than exposed microsites. In the exposed microhabitat, surface soil moisture was positively correlated with ramet height but not with sex expression. Male ramets and populations were restricted to shaded microhabitats, whereas female ramets and populations were found in both shaded and exposed microhabitats, suggesting gender specialization. The rarity of mature sporophytes, found in 0% of the ramets sampled and in only 3% of the populations, is probably due to the rarity of mixed-sex populations. We hypothesize that mixed-sex populations are rare because of factors relating to male rarity and that the differential cost of sex expression reduces the clonal growth capacity of male individuals.
Influence of Administration Route on Drug Delivery to a Target Organ

Mathematical relationships describing the delivery of drug to a target organ after intra-arterial, intravenous, and oral administration are presented. This discussion clearly demonstrates that administration into a blood vessel leading to the target organ often is superior to intravenous administration. However, this superiority is not clear from traditional plasma concentration monitoring data.
Exposure to Degrading Versus Nondegrading Music Lyrics and Sexual Behavior Among Youth

Background Early sexual activity is a significant problem in the United States. A recent survey suggested that most sexually experienced teens wish they had waited longer to have intercourse; other data indicate that unplanned pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases are more common among those who begin sexual activity earlier. Popular music may contribute to early sex. Music is an integral part of teens' lives. The average youth listens to music 1.5 to 2.5 hours per day. Sexual themes are common in much of this music and range from romantic and playful to degrading and hostile. Although a previous longitudinal study has linked music video consumption and sexual risk behavior, no previous study has tested longitudinal associations between the content of music lyrics and subsequent changes in sexual experience, such as intercourse initiation, nor has any study explored whether exposure to different kinds of portrayals of sex has different effects. Design and participants We conducted a national longitudinal telephone survey of 1461 adolescents. Participants were interviewed at baseline (T1), when they were 12 to 17 years old, and again 1 and 3 years later (T2 and T3). At all of the interviews, participants reported their sexual experience and responded to measures of more than a dozen factors known to be associated with adolescent sexual initiation. A total of 1242 participants reported on their sexual behavior at all 3 time points; a subsample of 938 were identified as virgins before music exposure for certain analyses. Participants also indicated how frequently they listened to each of more than a dozen musical artists representing a variety of musical genres. Data on listening habits were combined with results of an analysis of the sexual content of each artist's songs to create measures of exposure to 2 kinds of sexual content: degrading and nondegrading. Outcome measures We measured initiation of intercourse and advancement in noncoital sexual activity level over a 2-year period. Results Multivariate regression analyses indicated that youth who listened to more degrading sexual content at T2 were more likely to subsequently initiate intercourse and to progress to more advanced levels of noncoital sexual activity, even after controlling for 18 respondent characteristics that might otherwise explain these relationships. In contrast, exposure to nondegrading sexual content was unrelated to changes in participants' sexual behavior. Conclusion Listening to music with degrading sexual lyrics is related to advances in a range of sexual activities among adolescents, whereas this does not seem to be true of other sexual lyrics. This result is consistent with sexual-script theory and suggests that cultural messages about expected sexual behavior among males and females may underlie the effect. Reducing the amount of degrading sexual content in popular music or reducing young people's exposure to music with this type of content could help delay the onset of sexual behavior.
A three-dimensional convective dynamo solution with rotating and finitely conducting inner core and mantle

We present the first three-dimensional (3D), time-dependent, self-consistent numerical solution of the magneto- hydrodynamic (MHD) equations that describe thermal convection and magnetic field generation in a rapidly rotating spherical fluid shell with a solid conducting inner core. This solution, which serves as a crude analog for the geodynamo, is a self-sustaining supercritical dynamo that has maintained a magnetic field for three magnetic diffusion times, roughly 40 000 years. Fluid velocity in the outer core reaches a maximum of 0.4 cm s-1, and at times the magnetic field can be as large as 560 gauss. Magnetic energy is usually about 4000 times greater than the kinetic energy of the convection that maintains it. Viscous and magnetic coupling to both the inner core below and the mantle above cause time-dependent variations in their respective rotation rates; the inner core usually rotates faster than the mantle and decadal variations in the length of the day of the mantle are similar to those observed for the Earth. The pattern and amplitude of the radial magnetic field at the core-mantle boundary (CMB) and its secular variation are also similar to the Earth's. The maximum amplitudes of the longitudinally averaged temperature gradient, shear flow, helicity, and magnetic field oscillate between the northern and southern hemispheres on a time scale of a few thousand years. However, only once in many attempts does the field succeed in reversing its polarity because the field in the inner core, which has the opposite polarity to the field in most of the outer core, usually does not have enough time to reverse before the field in the outer core changes again. One successful magnetic field reversal occurs near the end of our simulation.
Noise-based logic: Binary, multi-valued, or fuzzy, with optional superposition of logic states

Article history: A new type of deterministic (non-probabilistic) computer logic system inspired by the stochasticity of brain signals is shown. The distinct values are represented by independent stochastic processes: independent voltage (or current) noises. The orthogonality of these processes provides a natural way to construct binary or multi-valued logic circuitry with arbitrary number N of logic values by using analog circuitry. Moreover, the logic values on a single wire can be made a (weighted) superposition of the N distinct logic values. Fuzzy logic is also naturally represented by a two-component superposition within the binary case (N = 2). Error propagation and accumulation are suppressed. Other relevant advantages are reduced energy dissipation and leakage current problems, and robustness against circuit noise and background noises such as 1/ f , Johnson, shot and crosstalk noise. Variability problems are also non-existent because the logic value is an AC signal. A similar logic system can be built with orthogonal sinusoidal signals (different frequency or orthogonal phase) however that has an extra 1/N type slowdown compared to the noise-based logic system with increasing number of N furthermore it is less robust against time delay effects than the noise-based counterpart. © 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Prolonged Consumption of Potato-Based Diets by Infants and Small Children

A previous short-term study demonstrated that infants and chil dren could consume diets in which 75% of energy and all protein was provided by the white potato. Nitrogen balance was inferior to casein control at this level of protein intake. Potato intake was limited by the bulk of the diets and the poor digestibility of carbohydrates. In the present study 10 children were offered diets containing 50%, 75% and 84.2% of total energy as potato (Solanum Tu- berosum ssp. andigena) during a period of 3 months. Casein was added to the 50 and 75% diets to complete 8% of energy as protein (N x 6.25). Acceptability, tolerance, digestibility and growth of the children were analyzed. The 84.2% potato studies were aborted shortly after the beginning because of the exces sively large volume. Acceptability and tolerance to the 50% potato diets were excellent but with the 75% potato diets were noted to decrease during the last days of the studies. Six of the eight children who completed the studies showed satisfactory weight gain and catch-up growth while maintaining normal serum albumin concentrations. In one other, weight gain was adequate but did not achieve catch-up growth, and in the youngest child weight gain and linear growth were inadequate. Metabolic balances did not show improvement or de terioration of digestibility throughout the study. Infants can consume up to 50-75% of energy and as much as 80% of their nitrogen requirements as potato if the remaining energy and nitrogen is provided by a non-bulky, easily diges tible food. J. Nutr. Ill: 1430-1436, 1981.