cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Maximum Likelihood Estimates of the Parameters of the Cauchy Distribution for Samples of Size 3 and 4

Abstract Expressions are given for the joint maximum likelihood estimates of the location and scale parameters of a Cauchy distribution based on samples of size 3 and 4.
Is there a relationship between election outcomes and perceptions of personal economic well-being? A test using post-election economic expectations

Abstract Do individuals believe that an election victory by their favored candidate will improve their personal economic well-being? Previous work has either adopted an approach that is not well suited to determining this relationship, or ignored this question to focus on perceptions of macroeconomic conditions. In this paper we adopt a new approach that allows us to determine the relationship individuals perceive between elections and personal economic welfare, examining the relationship between vote choice, the election outcome, and post-election expectations for personal economic well-being. We find that economic individualism plays an important role in shaping the relationship individuals perceive between election outcomes and their personal economic well-being. Individuals who reject economic individualism do perceive a relationship, with those viewing an election outcome as favorable more optimistic in their expectations for personal economic well-being than those who view the election outcome as unfavorable. Conversely, election outcomes do not influence the expectations of economic individualists.
Abstract 4860: Chemopreventive effects of α-santalol on ultraviolet B induced skin tumorigenesis by modulating cell cycle regulators.

Proceedings: AACR 104th Annual Meeting 2013; Apr 6-10, 2013; Washington, DC Previous studies from our laboratory have shown chemopreventive effects of 5% α-santalol, a sequiterpene isolated from the sandalwood oil in ultraviolet-B induced skin tumor multiplicity in SKH-1 hairless mice. However, this dosage did not have significant effect on tumor incidence. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of α-santalol (10%, w/v in acetone) on UVB-induced skin tumor incidence in SKH-1 hairless mouse model and to identify the molecular targets in α-santalol mediated protection. Tumor initiation and promotion were carried out by UVB radiation (30 mJ/cm2/day for 5 days a week up to 30 week) that is in the range of human exposure to sunlight that can cause skin cancer. Topical treatment of mice with α-santalol causes a significant reduction in tumor multiplicity, tumor volume and tumor incidence, and also delayed tumor development. Histopathological analysis of hematoxylin-eosin stained skin sections showed that α-santalol pretreatment strongly inhibited UVB-induced epidermal hyperplasia and total thickness of the epidermis. The proliferation potential of skin and tumor tissue sections from UVB-induced carcinogenesis protocol was evaluated by immunohistochemical expression of proliferation marker PCNA. Both intensity of brown staining as well as the number of positively stained nuclei were reduced in skin tumors and adjacent skin tissues from α-santalol treated group when compared to control group. Western blot analysis of skin lysates showed that α-santalol decreases the level of different cyclin-dependent kinases and associated cyclins, Cdc25 phosphatases (Cdc25B and Cdc25C) together with an up-regulation of CDK inhibitor Cip1/p21. However, the level of Kip1/p27 and p53 did not show a significant difference. Our data suggested that α-santalol (10%, topical) is a safer and promising skin cancer chemopreventive agent through targeting different cell cycle regulators. (This work is supported by a Translational Cancer Center Research Grant, funded by the State of South Dakota). Citation Format: Sreevidya Santha, Chandradhar Dwivedi. Chemopreventive effects of α-santalol on ultraviolet B induced skin tumorigenesis by modulating cell cycle regulators. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4860. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-4860
Effect of image size on the color appearance of image reproductions using colorimetrically calibrated LCD and DLP displays

— Archiving images of cultural heritage based on spectral imaging techniques is an active research area in imaging science. Original and reproduced art are usually viewed under quite different viewing conditions. One of the interesting differences in viewing condition is size difference. This leads to different surrounds and adaptation states. In order to investigate the effect of size in color perception of rendered images, a visual experiment was conducted using a colorimetrically characterized digital projector and LCD. An image was rendered and projected on the screen. The same image was processed using various algorithms followed by rendering for the LCD. These LCD rendered images, by definition, were considerably smaller than the projected image. Using a paired-comparison method, the effect of image size was investigated using a colorimetric image of Georges Seurat's, “Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte — 1884.” The image rendered for an LCD with a linear increase in lightness resulted in a closer match to the image projected on screen than an original colorimetrically rendered image and was perceived as a more accurate reproduction than the majority of algorithms tested.
Multiple motions of the spectrin-actin complex in the saturation transfer EPR time domain

Abstract The motions of the spin-labeled spectrin-actin complex from human erythrocyte membranes, both in the intact membrane, and as extracted by low ionic strength buffer, were studied by saturation transfer electron paramagnetic resonance techniques at observational frequencies of 9 and 35 GHz. The results suggest the existence of multiple classes or rates of motion within the complex. The three principal motional components appear to have correlation times, τ, ≲ 10−9 sec, 10−7 to 10−6 sec, and ∼ 10−3 sec, and are classified as fast, slow, and very slow motions, respectively. The proportion of fast component is quite sensitive to pH over the range pH 6 to 8, and moderately sensitive to temperature over the range 0 to 34°C; at pH 8 and 20°C it comprises about 10% of the total spectral intensity. The relative proportions of slow and very slow components appear moderately sensitive to temperature, but virtually independent of pH over the range 6 to 8.
Evaluation of 4H-SiC Carbon Face Gate Oxide Reliability

The gate oxide reliability and channel mobility of carbon face (000-1) 4H Silicon Carbide (SiC) MOSFETs are investigated. Several gate oxidation processes including dry oxygen, pyrogenic steam, and nitrided oxides were investigated utilizing MOS capacitors for time dependent dielectric breakdown (TDDB), dielectric field strength, and MOSFETs for inversion layer mobility measurements. The results show the C-face can achieve reliability similar to the Si-face, however this is highly dependent on the gate oxide process. The reliability is inversely related to the field effect mobility where other research groups report that pyrogenic steam yields the highest electron mobility while this work shows it has weakest oxide in terms of dielectric strength and shortest time to failure.
Estimating the number of release sites and probability of firing within the nerve terminal by statistical analysis of synaptic charge.

Investigating the function of individual synapses is essential to understanding the mechanisms that influence the efficacy of chemical synaptic transmission. The known simplicity of the synaptic structure at the crayfish neuromuscular junction (NMJ) and its quantal nature of release allows an assessment of discrete synapses within the motor nerve terminals. Our goal in this article is to investigate the effect of the stimulation frequency on the number of active release sites (n) and the probability of release (p) at those active sites. Because methods based on direct counts often provide unstable joint estimates of (n) and (p), we base our analysis on mixture modeling. In particular, the mixture modeling approach is used to estimate (n) and (p) for stimulation frequencies of 1 Hz, 2 Hz, and 3 Hz. Our results indicate that as the stimulation frequency increases, new sites are recruited (thus increasing n) and the probability of release (p) increases.
The influence of environmental temperature on in vivo limestone solubilization, feed passage rate, and gastrointestinal pH in laying hens

Abstract Several studies were conducted to determine whether suppression of in vivo limestone solubilization was partially responsible for the reduction of shell quality under conditions of high environmental temperatures. In Experiment 1, excreta from hyperthermic and thermoneutral hens fed three levels of Ca (3.5, 4.3, and 5.2%) at two cycling environmental temperatures (averaging 28.3 and 26.1 C) were analyzed for percentage in vivo limestone solubilization. Hens in Experiment 2 received diets containing 3.9% Ca at 32.8 and 18.3 C. Rate of feed passage and gastrointestinal pH were also measured in Experiment 2. Experiment 3 evaluated the influence of temperature (22.2 and 30.0 C) and feed consumption on percentage limestone solubilization when Ca intake was held constant. In vivo limestone solubilization was influenced by Ca level in Experiment 1, but not by temperature. Hyperthermic hens solubilized a higher percentage of limestone than thermoneutral hens in Experiment 2, but it was concluded that this was due to a difference in Ca consumption and not due to temperature directly. When Ca intake was held constant in Experiment 3, there was no difference in limestone solubilization at the temperatures tested. Rate of feed passage was 16.6% slower in the hyperthermic hens. Crop, proventriculus, and upper small intestine pH were similar at each temperature, but gizzard pH was significantly lower in the hyperthermic hens. It was concluded that the high environmental temperatures used in the present studies did not suppress in vivo limestone solubilization.
Synthesis, characterization and crystal structure of (cis-P,P′-diphenyl-1,4-diphospha-cyclohexane)molybdenum(0)tetracarbonyl

Abstract The preparation of the novel (cis-P,P′-diphenyl-1,4-diphospha-cyclohexane)molybdenum(0)tetracarbonyl complex is described. The spectral data and X-ray structure of the title complex are reported. The results of the crystallographic work show a distorted octahedral complex around the metal center, the first of its kind reported for the P,P′-diphenyl-1,4-diphospha-cyclohexane ligand.
Physical, kinetic and spectrophotometric studies of a NAD(P)-dependent benzaldehyde dehydrogenase from Pseudomonas putida ATCC 12633.

Abstract The mandelate pathway of Pseudomonas putida ATCC 12633 comprises five enzymes and catalyzes the conversion of R - and S -mandelamide to benzoic acid which subsequently enters the β-ketoadipate pathway. Although the first four enzymes have been extensively characterized the terminal enzyme, a NAD(P) + -dependent benzaldehyde dehydrogenase (BADH), remains largely undescribed. Here we report that BADH is a dimer in solution, and that DTT is necessary both to maintain the activity of BADH and to prevent oligimerization of the enzyme. Site-directed mutagenesis confirms that Cys249 is the catalytic cysteine and identifies Cys140 as the cysteine likely to be involved in inter-monomer disulfide formation. BADH can utilize a range of aromatic substrates and will also operate efficiently with cyclohexanal as well as medium-chain aliphatic aldehydes. The log V and log V / K pH-rate profiles for benzaldehyde with either NAD + or NADP + as the coenzyme are both bell-shaped. The p K a values on the ascending limb range from 6.2 to 7.1 while those on the descending limb range from 9.6 to 9.9. A spectrophotometric approach was used to show that the p K a of Cys249 was 8.4, i.e., Cys249 is not responsible for the p K a s observed in the pH-rate profiles.
Distribution of Pulsar Duty Cycles

WE define a pulsar duty cycle, in the usual way, as the ratio of pulse width to the period of repetition of the pulse (Table 1). On the basis of some extremely simple physical assumptions we compute a histogram for distribution of pulsar duty cycles, and the distribution fits the observations reasonably well as shown in Fig. 1.
A spatial view of intra-urban migration search behavior

Abstract The search behavior of intra-urban migrants was examined using spatial analysis techniques to determine if distinct patterns of distance, direction and sectoral bias are present in the search patterns of households seeking new residences. Map transformation and standard ellipse analysis indicated that little sectoral bias was present with regard to the CBD, but some directional and distance bias was evident. The similarity in the size of the search space and the nearness of the new residence to the center of the search space suggested that the migrants did follow a systematic search procedure while looking for a new home.
Quaternary Fourier stratigraphy: Orbital templates and Milankovitch anomalies

A simple template-generating algorithm using summer insolation at 65°N as input provides a timeseries for the last 2 million years that can be compared directly with the oxygen isotope record in deep-sea sediments. Discrepancies between template and record are diminished by representing both series as Fourier expansions, and importing the power spectrum of the record to the template, without changing phase. The remaining differences between the hybrid template and the record contain messages about time spans of unusual behavior of the system. The most striking anomalies in the Quaternary are the unusually cold period following the mid-Pleistocene climate shift at 900 ka (Stage 22) and much of Stage 11 near 400 ka, representing excess warming. The present interglacial also is too warm, compared with expectations. Anomalies are thought to be the result of stabilization of unusually cold periods (by albedo feedback) and unusually warm periods (by carbon dioxide feedback). It is proposed that there is a connection between surplus ice buildup (after the mid-Pleistocene climate shifi at 900 ka) on marine shelves and subsequent extra-large transgressions, which stabilize warm periods by shallow-water carbonate production (coral reef hypothesis).
Genetic estimate of cellular autarky

Huit mutants recessifs viables de l'Arabidopsis, une plante superieure, traites par rayons X en heterozygotie ont produit des secteurs somatiques distincts. Il semble aussi que la majorite des mutations viables sont des produits de genes limites aux cellulles.
Atmospheric effects on the hard component of cosmic radiation near sea level

Abstract Atmospheric effects on the hard component of cosmic radiation were studied at Lincoln. Nebraska (51° N geomagnetic latitude; 350 m altitude) with narrow- and wide-angle Geiger-counter telescopes (20 cm Pb absorber). Intensity measurements were made from 1 Sept, 1953 through 16 Feb. 1956, and linear regression analyses were carried out for several possible combinations of atmospheric variables and the cosmic-ray intensity. A detailed comparison is made of the results obtained from triple-regression calculations based upon the 50 mb, 100 mb and 200 mb Duperier models and the Olbert model. It is found that the 50 mb Duperier model is superior to all others tested, but the extent to which the intensity can be corrected by statistical methods is limited at present by the accuracy of the radiosonde data. Experimental results are in good general agreement with those of other investigators and agree well with the theoretical predictions of Trefall with regard to the temperature effect. They are in poor agreement with the predictions of Trefall on the barometric effect, however, and do not substantiate the theoretical conclusions of Olbert . The smoothing of the intensity curves seems to be practically indifferent to the terms employed in the regression equation if it involves three or more atmospheric variables.
The Amplitron as a High Power, Efficient, RF Power Source for Long Pulse, High Resolution Linear Accelerators

An economical systems approach directed toward the generation of long pulse, high average rf power for linear accelerators can be achieved via the use of the Amplitron, an efficient crossed-field amplifier of high phase stability, in conjunction with a newly developed Machlett switch tube. A 3 Gc Amplitron to provide 3 mw peak power (150 kW average power) at 50 /g=m/s pulse lengths is described. A cold secondary emission cathode of platinum is employed which enables a tube life of 10,000 hours to be guaranteed. Operating at a low anode voltage of 54 kV, the Amplitron is compatible with the ML-8549 super power switch tube; a hard tube modulator is thus employed. A single triode will switch a minimum of 10 Amplitrons. Not only is the cost of capital equipment drastically reduced by this unique, highly efficient combination of Amplitron-switch tube, but in addition, with grid control a fine adjustment on output power relative to the monitored beam energy can be made to achieve exceptionally high energy resolution in the beam.
Calorimetry of heterogeneous systems: H+ binding to TiO2 in NaCl

A simultaneous calorimetric and potentiometric technique has been developed for measuring the thermodynamics of proton binding to mineral oxides in the presence of a supporting electrolyte. Modifications made to a commercial titration calorimeter to add a combination pH electrode and maintain an inert atmosphere in the calorimeter reaction vessel are described. A procedure to calibrate potentiometric measurements in heterogeneous systems to correct for the suspension effect on pH is given. The enthalpy change for proton dissociation from TiO2 in aqueous suspension as a function of pH is reported for 0.01, 0.1, and 0.5 M NaCl. The enthalpy change for proton dissociation is endothermic, ranging from 10.5 ± 3.8 to 45.0 ± 3.8 kJ mol−1 over the pH range from 4 to 10.
Effects of N-acetylcysteine and 2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid on lead induced oxidative stress in rat lenses

Lead (Pb) is known to disrupt the pro-oxidant/anti-oxidant balance of tissues which leads to biochemical and physiological dysfunction. The present study investigated the effects of exposure on the redox status of the lenses of Fisher 344 rats and examined whether antioxidant or chelator administration reversed these changes. Animals were given 5 weeks of 2000 ppm Pb exposure followed by 1 week of either antioxidant, chelator or distilled water administration. Glutathione (GSH) and cysteine (CYS) levels decreased in the Pb-exposed group. N-acetylcysteine or 2,3-dimercaptopsuccinic acid (Succimer) supplementation following Pb intoxication resulted in increases in the GSH and CYS levels. Protein bound glutathione (PSSG) and cysteine (PSSC) increased following Pb exposure. In the Succimer-treated animals, the PSSG decreased significantly. The glutathione disulfide (GSSG) levels remained unchanged. Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, a major lipid peroxidation byproduct, increased following Pb exposure and decreased following Succimer treatment. Our results suggest that antioxidant supplementation, as well as chelation, following Pb exposure may enhance the reductive status of lenses.
Lipoprotein Metabolism in Normal and Uremic Patients

Abnormalities in circulating lipoprotein concentrations are a characteristic finding both in patients with uremia and in patients undergoing dialysis. These patients tend to have elevated triglyceride (TG) concentrations and low concentrations of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. Elevations of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) are not usually observed unless the patients have undergone renal transplantation and are receiving therapy with immune suppressive medications. Hypertriglyceridemia and low HDL may be the consequence of decreased actions of lipoprotein lipase (LPL), the endothelial cell-bound enzyme that degrades circulating lipoprotein triglyceride. A poorly characterized circulating inhibitor to this enzyme is found in uremic plasma. Preliminary data suggest that high-flux dialysis with polysulfone (PS) membranes improves the lipoprotein abnormalities and decreases circulating LPL inhibitors. Whether such therapy will alter the incidence of coronary morbidity and mortality in patients with end-stage renal failure remains to be tested.
Corrections to the usual x-ray scattering factors in rare gases: Experiment and theory

The ratio of the total x-ray scattering from Ne to that from He has been determined for photon energies in the range 4--15 keV at scattering angles of 45 and 90 degrees (corresponding to momentum transfers ranging from 0.90 to 5.69 a.u.). An arrangement of two gas cells in series was employed, allowing simultaneous measurements on both gases at the same scattering angle, which eliminates possible errors due to fluctuating beam intensity. Pairs of measurements corresponding to the same momentum transfer (at momentum transfers of 1.67 and 3.08 a.u.) but to different energies, provide a direct test of the corrections to the (momentum-transfer-dependent) form-factor incoherent-scattering-factor theory. These corrections include the anomalous {dot p} A contributions, which are found to be important. We also consider corrections to the usual approximations made within the inelastic A{sup 2} theory (the incoherent-scattering factor, using closure approximation, and the impulse approximation, assuming free-particle kinematics with a given momentum distribution). In these cases an incoherent-scattering-factor treatment is generally adequate, while anomalous scattering factor corrections to form factors are needed for elastic scattering.
Isospin dependence of collective flow

Nuclear collective flow in heavy-ion collisions at intermediate energies has been studied in an isospin-dependent transport model. It is found that both the sign and strength of collective flow are significantly affected by the isospin asymmetry of the colliding system. The predicted dependence of the balance energy, defined by the incident energy at which the collective flow disappears, on the isospin asymmetry is compared with recent experiments at NSCL/MSU.
In Defense of Religion: The 2013 H. Paul Douglass Lecture

Originally presented as a lecture—with copious illustrations accompanying an abbreviated text—this article argues that the concept of “religion” retains its theoretical value despite claims that religion has been eclipsed by “spirituality.” Presupposing that both religion and spirituality are valuable concepts in themselves, the article begins by reviewing critical literature that examines recent claims on behalf of spirituality and the spiritual. The article then presents case studies based on three recent monographs to illustrate the continued viability of the concept of religion.
Surgical Pearl: Curettage before cutaneous surgery to identify an unidentifiable biopsy site

From the Department of Dermatology, Mayo Clinic Jacksonville. Reprint requests: Michael E. Lutz, MD, Department of Dermatology, Mayo Clinic, Department of Dermatology, Jacksonville, FL 32224. E-mail: lutz.michael@mayo.edu. J Am Acad Dermatol 2002;46:591-2. Copyright © 2002 by the American Academy of Dermatology, Inc. 0190-9622/2002/$35.00 + 0 16/74/118541 doi:10.1067/mjd.2002.118541 U nidentifiable shave biopsy sites are not uncommonly encountered by the dermatologic surgeon at the time the patient returns for definitive surgery. Although this may suggest a “biopsy cure” to the patient, it is often not the case and further surgical intervention is warranted. Curettage as a means of identifying the site is often helpful. The use of curettage before Mohs micrographic surgery is well established in the literature. It aids in defining the subclinical extension of the tumor, especially with nodular, cystic, and superficial basal cell carcinomas. A recent study1 concluded that preoperative curettage decreases the frequency of positive margins in the management of basal cell carcinomas but not of squamous cell carcinomas. Although this indication for curettage is well established, curettage as a means to identify a biopsy site has not been well documented. A single notation was made by Robins and Sarnoff2 discussing the curette test when attempting to identify a biopsy site. Often at the time of surgical consultation, the patient may present with either a difficult to visualize or imperceptible biopsy site. This is commonly the case when they have extensive actinic changes and blotchy dyspigmentation or have waited a prolonged time for surgery after the initial shave biopsy. Consequently, they are reluctant to undergo further treatment when the site is “well-healed” and no longer easily visualized. Attempts are made to identify the biopsy site by rubbing the areas with alcohol swabs, searching the chart for accurate mapping of the biopsy site, and asking the patient or accompanying family members for the exact location. When
Cultivating Ethos through the Body

The paper lays the groundwork for understanding Heidegger's original ethics in the context of embodiment. I draw upon Merleau-Ponty's account of the flesh to develop a new ontology of embodiment as the basis for ethics. This ontology is formulated by integrating three unique accounts of the embodiment, namely, Merleau-Ponty's phenomenology, Yuasa Yasuo's Eastern-based phenomenology of the body, and the emerging science of Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI). In each of these accounts of embodiment, the flesh is revealed as simultaneously consisting of presence and absence, incarnation and transcendence, being and consciousness. As a result, the Heideggerian approach to ethics, which is based upon the relationship we have with being, can be realized on many levels of embodiment. This makes the cultivation of a holistic ethos more feasible. Such an ethos overcomes the shortcomings in Heidegger's ethics and, in particular, those revealed by Levinas, Levin, Krell, and Caputo.
Threats to the sustainability of the outsourced call center industry in the Philippines: implications for language policy

This study overviews current threats to the sustainability of the outsourced call center industry in the Philippines and discusses implications for macro and micro language policies given the use of English in this cross-cultural interactional context. This study also summarizes the present state of outsourced call centers in the Philippines, and describes the Philippine advantage in outsourcing as well as English education programs that affect the employment of Filipino professionals in U.S.-owned call centers. A brief qualitative analysis of excerpts of service transactions is provided to illustrate common communication problems potentially impacting the quality of service transactions in outsourced call centers. It is argued that the use of English by Filipino agents, together with the prevailing U.S. perceptions of outsourcing and the dynamics of cross-cultural interactions, largely influence the success or failure of service encounters. The findings here point to the need for more detailed analysis of communication in this context, which will help improve the quality of service in Philippine call centers and better define the language-based needs of Filipino professionals in serving their U.S. customers.
Jacobian transformed and detailed balance approximations for photon induced scattering

Abstract Photon emission and scattering are enhanced by the number of photons in the final state, and the photon transport equation reflects this in scattering–emission kernels and source terms. This is often a complication in both theoretical and numerical analyzes, requiring approximations and assumptions about background and material temperatures, incident and exiting photon energies, local thermodynamic equilibrium, plus other related aspects of photon scattering and emission. We review earlier schemes parameterizing photon scattering–emission processes, and suggest two alternative schemes. One links the product of photon and electron distributions in the final state to the product in the initial state by Jacobian transformation of kinematical variables (energy and angle), and the other links integrands of scattering kernels in a detailed balance requirement for overall (integrated) induced effects. Compton and inverse Compton differential scattering cross sections are detailed in appropriate limits, numerical integrations are performed over the induced scattering kernel, and for tabulation induced scattering terms are incorporated into effective cross sections for comparisons and numerical estimates. Relativistic electron distributions are assumed for calculations. Both Wien and Planckian distributions are contrasted for impact on induced scattering as LTE limit points. We find that both transformed and balanced approximations suggest larger induced scattering effects at high photon energies and low electron temperatures, and smaller effects in the opposite limits, compared to previous analyzes, with 10–20% increases in effective cross sections. We also note that both approximations can be simply implemented within existing transport modules or opacity processors as an additional term in the effective scattering cross section. Applications and comparisons include effective cross sections, kernel approximations, and impacts on radiative transport solutions in 1D geometry. The additional computing time for processing opacities (cross sections) within these approximations is negligible as induced terms are merely added (multipliers) to cross sections at the end of the processing cycle.
Genome-Wide Evolutionary Conservation of N-Glycosylation Sites

Although posttranslational protein modifications are generally thought to perform important cellular functions, recent studies showed that a large fraction of phosphorylation sites are not evolutionarily conserved. Whether the same is true for other protein modifications, such as N-glycosylation is an open question. N-glycosylation is a form of cotranslational and posttranslational modification that occurs by enzymatic addition of a polysaccharide, or glycan, to an asparagine (N) residue of a protein. Examining a large set of experimentally determined mouse N-glycosylation sites, we find that the evolutionary rate of glycosylated asparagines is significantly lower than that of nonglycosylated asparagines of the same proteins. We further confirm that the conservation of glycosylated asparagines is accompanied by the conservation of the canonical motif sequence for glycosylation, suggesting that the above substitution rate difference is related to glycosylation. Interestingly, when solvent accessibility is considered, the substitution rate disparity between glycosylated and nonglycosylated asparagines is highly significant at solvent accessible sites but not at solvent inaccessible sites. Thus, although the solvent inaccessible glycosylation sites were experimentally identified, they are unlikely to be genuine or physiologically important. For solvent accessible asparagines, our analysis reveals a widespread and strong functional constraint on glycosylation, unlike what has been observed for phosphorylation sites in most studies, including our own analysis. Because the majority of N-glycosylation occurs at solvent accessible sites, our results show an overall functional importance for N-glycosylation.
Specific binding of victorin and calcium: evidence for calcium binding as a mediator of victorin activity

Abstract Victorin, the host-specific pathotoxin from the pathogen, Helminthosporium victoriae , is known to dramatically alter the structure and permeability of the plasma membrane of susceptible tissue and it has been reported that these effects are similar to symptoms associated with calcium deficiency. When a mixture of 45 Ca 2+ and victorin is desalted on a Sephadex G-15 column, victorin and 45 Ca 2+ elute together. This indicates that victorin binds 45 Ca 2+ and provides a method of obtaining radioactive victorin. 45 Ca 2+ -labeled victorin prepared in this manner is found to bind reversibly to pelletable particles from homogenates of susceptible and resistant oat coleoptiles. Both victorin and Ca 2+ interfere with this binding, while 3-indoleacetic acid, an auxin reported to bind to the plasma membrane, does not. In addition, victorin does not influence the binding of 14 C-labeled 3-indoleacetic acid to pelletable particles from homogenates of susceptible or resistant oat coleoptiles. Calcium specifically binds to pelletable particles from homogenates of susceptible and resistant oat coleoptiles. Scatchard plots of Ca 2+ binding data indicate at least two different classes of calcium binding site. The K m (2 × 10 −6 m ) and the total number of binding sites (5 × 10 −9 mol/mg protein) for the high affinity binding site in susceptible tissue differ significantly ( P ⩽0·01) from the K m (0·68 × 10 −6 m ) and number (2 × 10 −9 mol/mg protein) of binding sites in resistant tissue. Furthermore, resistant tissue was found to contain more calcium, both bound and free, than susceptible tissue. These data suggest that the selective effects of victorin may be caused by a victorin-induced deficiency of calcium in susceptible but not in resistant tissue.
Synthesis of β-D-arabinofuranosyl-1-monophosphoryl polyprenols: Examination of their function as mycobacterial arabinosyl transferase donors

A convenient synthetic strategy has been developed to produce libraries of beta-D-arabinofuranosyl-monophosphorylpolyprenol. Those containing C50 and C55 polyprenols were the most active as donors for the cell-free synthesis of the arabinans of mycobacterial cell walls.
Applied Tests of Design Skills—Part 1: Divergent Thinking

A number of cognitive skills relevant to conceptual design were identified previously. They include divergent thinking (DT), visual thinking (VT), spatial reasoning (SR), qualitative reasoning (QR), and problem formulation (PF). A battery of standardized tests is being developed for these design skills. This paper focuses only on the divergent thinking test. This particular test has been given to over 500 engineering students and a smaller number of practicing engineers. It is designed to evaluate four direct measures (fluency, flexibility, originality, and quality) and four indirect measures (abstractability, afixability, detailability, and decomplexability). The eight questions on the test overlap in some measures and the responses can be used to evaluate several measures independently (e.g., fluency and originality can be evaluated separately from the same idea set). The data on the twenty-three measured variables were factor analyzed using both exploratory and confirmatory procedures. A four-factor solution with correlated (oblique) factors was deemed the best available solution after examining solutions with more factors. The indirect measures did not appear to correlate strongly either among themselves or with the other direct measures. The four-factor structure was then taken into a confirmatory factor analytic procedure that adjusted for the missing data. It was found to provide a reasonable fit. Estimated correlations among the four factors (F) ranged from a high of 0.32 for F1 and F2 to a low of 0.06 for F3 and F4. All factor loadings were statistically significant. [DOI: 10.1115/1.4005594]
Modelling self-design of the aquatic community in a newly created freshwater wetland

A dynamic simulation model was constructed to predict the natural development of a fish community in a recently constructed, freshwater marsh in the midwestern USA, and to determine which forces are significant in shaping the self-design trajectory of the fish community. The model allowed immigration of five species of fishes from a nearby river into the constructed wetland system and allowed them to interact with each other as well as with the other biotic components of the wetland. Imported fishes included Micropterus salmoides, Lepomis macrochirus, Lepomis cyanellus, Cyprinus carpio and Ameirus natalis. These species were chosen because each is common in the nearby river and because each possesses physiological characteristics allowing survival in typical marsh conditions. Each species population was divided into three distinct ontogenetic stages and were graduated into the next ontogenetic stage as the normal consequence of growth. Modelled interactions included intra and interspecific competition; predation; feeding; reproduction; fish effects on system abiotic components (e.g., bioturbation) and mortality. The fish community underwent several major changes in structure during the first 4 years of its simulated existence, before establishing a stable structure. Under environmental conditions prevailing in the system, the fish community always evolved toward a stable state with a high-biomass population dominated by Cyprinus carpio and a smaller population of Ameirus natalis. If the effects of suboptimal environmental conditions were removed, then the system always evolved toward a low-biomass state consisting entirely of Micropterus salmoides. The role of chance was also tested and resulted in significant short term modifications to the community structure; however, these changes decreased in magnitude and were insufficient to prevent attainment of either of the two alternate steady states. These results indicate that the fish community in wetlands has a strong self-design trajectory, tending toward almost complete dominance by Cyprinus carpio unless typical wetland environmental conditions were significantly ameliorated.
Stochastic model for boundary detection

Abstract A Markov model is presented for the joint distribution of grey levels and boundary labels in digital images, and perceived as embodying prior expectations about boundary behaviour. The detected boundaries correspond to a local maximum in the conditional distribution over all possible boundary interpretations given the observed intensity image; this is obtained by a highly parallel Monte Carlo algorithm called ‘stochastic relaxation’.
Bis(triphenyl­silyl)selenide

Bis(triphenyl­silyl)selenide, [(C6H5)3Si]2Se or C36H30SeSi2, exists in the solid state as monomeric angular mol­ecules. Si—Se—Si angles of 111.56 (3) and 109.45 (3)° are found in the two independent mol­ecules.
Remarks on boundary conditions for scalar scattering

Abstract The question is discussed whether potential scattering problems can be treated as boundary value problems associated with differential equations, as is sometimes suggested in the literature. We show that, except in some very special cases, this is not possible. The values of the wave function and its normal derivative on the boundary of a finite-range potential cannot be prescribed arbitrarily but are implicit in the integral equation of potential scattering. We derive two coupled singular integral equations for the boundary values for the case when the scattering potential is homogeneous.
A Tree Based Router Search Engine Architecture with Single Port Memories

Pipelined forwarding engines are used in core routers to meet speed demands. Tree-based searches are pipelined across a number of stages to achieve high throughput, but this results in unevenly distributed memory. To address this imbalance, conventional approaches use either complex dynamic memory allocation schemes or over-provision each of the pipeline stages. This paper describes the microarchitecture of a novel network search processor which provides both high execution throughput and balanced memory distribution by dividing the tree into subtrees and allocating each subtree separately, allowing searches to begin at any pipeline stage. The architecture is validated by implementing and simulating state of the art solutions for IPv4 lookup, VPN forwarding and packet classification. The new pipeline scheme and memory allocator can provide searches with a memory allocation efficiency that is within 1% of non-pipelined schemes.
An improved bounding-based method for multiarea probabilistic production costing

This paper presents an improved bounding-based procedure for estimating expected production costs for a multi-area power system. The method uses a state-space characterization of equipment outages and loads, combined with linear optimization methods, standard load duration curve-based production costing techniques, and clustering analysis. The method defines upper and lower bounds to the true expected cost, and tightens those bounds by partitioning the outage and load spaces. Methods for constructing outage and load partitions are compared and applied to large multi-area power systems. Application issues, such as marginal cost estimation and the effect of transmission outages, are also addressed.
A late Pliocene to middle Pleistocene pluvial lake in Fish Lake Valley, Nevada and California

The question of whether a pluvial lake existed in Fish Lake Valley, Nevada and California, has been debated for more than 100 yr. New stratigraphic evidence indicates that a lake did exist in this valley at intervals during late Pliocene to middle Pleistocene time. This lake may have drained northward, or it may have been periodically contiguous with a pluvial lake to the north in Columbus Salt Marsh. Proof of the existence of this lake, informally named Pluvial Lake Rennie, is derived from three principal outcrops of shallow-water deposits, two outcrops of deep-water deposits, and several drilling logs. The deposits contain beds of silicic tephra, which provide age control. On the basis of thickness, grain size, major-oxide chemistry of glass shards, and paleomagnetism, three of the shallow-water deposits, including deltaic(?), beach, and siliceous hot-spring sediments, consist mainly of Bishop ash derived from the 0.77 Ma eruption of the Long Valley caldera. A fourth shallow-water deposit(?) is associated with ∼1 Ma Glass Mountain tephra beds. The exposed deep-water deposits consist of green claystone, siltstone, and fine-grained sandstone containing tephra derived from the eruptions of the ∼2.1 Ma tuff of Taylor Canyon and the ∼2.0 Ma Huckleberry Ridge Tuff. The drilling logs record numerous thick beds of clay and sandy clay inferred to be deep-water lacustrine deposits. Pluvial Lake Rennie fluctuated in size and depth beginning prior to 2 Ma and continuing until sometime alter 0.77 Ma. At about 0.77 Ma, the lake had a highstand at an elevation of ∼1,460 m, covered an area of 400-500 km2, and had a maximum depth of ∼250 m. The lake level dropped just after the eruption of the Bishop ash, but the lake may have persisted at a lower level until ∼0.5 Ma. No large, long-lived lake existed in Fish Lake Valley in late Pleistocene time, probably due to the increasing rain-shadow effect caused by the relative uplift of the White Mountains and Sierra Nevada in the Pleistocene. These results indicate that the late middle to late Pleistocene history of Pluvial Lake Rennie is similar to that of Lake Tecopa but is quite different from those of Lake Lahontan and Searles Lake.
Excipient-drug interactions in parenteral formulations

Excipients are added to parenteral formulations to enhance or maintain active ingredient solubility (solubilizers) and/or stability (buffers, antioxidants, chelating agents, cryo- and lyoprotectants). Excipients also are important in parenteral formulations to assure safety (antimicrobial preservatives), minimize pain and irritation upon injection (tonicity agents), and control or prolong drug delivery (polymers). These are all examples of positive or synergistic interactions between excipients and drugs. However, excipients may also produce negative effects such as loss of drug solubility, activity, and/or stability. This review article will highlight documented interactions, both synergistic and antagonistic, between excipients and drugs in parenteral formulations. The reader will gain better understanding and appreciation of the implications of adding formulation ingredients to parenteral drug products.
Current and evolving approaches to individualizing estrogen receptor-based therapy for menopausal women

Context: Adding progestogens to estrogens changes the risk profile of hormonal therapy for menopausal women, and recent data support the need for progestogen-free options. Several current and evolving approaches to managing estrogen deficiency allow for progestogen omission. We review the mechanisms of estrogen activity and provide an overview of emerging and available estrogen receptor (ER)–based therapies. Evidence Acquisition: PubMed was searched for relevant English-language articles using keywords pertaining to estrogen deficiency, menopause, hormone therapy, and estrogen-only therapy. Pivotal or recent randomized controlled trials, large observational studies, comprehensive meta-analyses, and established therapeutic guidelines were compiled. Evidence Synthesis: Advances in our understanding of ER pharmacology have led to therapies designed to optimize ER activity, including selective ER modulators (SERMs) and tissue-selective estrogen complexes (TSECs). Each estrogen, SERM, and TSEC exhibits a uniqu...
Pediatric Orbital and Periocular Infections

Orbital and periorbital infections are the most common causes of acute orbital inflammation in children. Despite the widespread availability of neuroimaging and advances in antibiotic therapy, these conditions may still result in significant morbidity and mortality. The conditions of orbital cellulitis and preseptal cellulitis may present with similar patterns of eyelid edema and erythema but are two distinct anatomic disease processes with different etiologies. Both conditions have a peak incidence in childhood.
Genetic algorithm-based optimization for cognitive radio networks

Genetic algorithms are well suited for optimization problems involving large search spaces. In this paper, we present several approaches designed to enhance the convergence time and/or improve the performance results of genetic algorithm-based search engine for cognitive radio networks, including techniques such as population adaptation, variable quantization, variable adaptation, and multi-objective genetic algorithms (MOGA). Note that the time required for a genetic algorithm to reach a decent solution substantially increases with system complexity, and thus techniques are needed that will help facilitate achieving adequate results over a short period of time.
Calculating the 3d-pose of rigid-objects using active appearance models

This paper presents two different algorithms for object tracking and pose estimation. Both methods are based on an appearance model technique called Active Appearance Model (AAM). The key idea of the first method is to utilize two instances of the AAM to track landmark points in a stereo pair of images and perform 3D reconstruction of the landmarks followed by 3 D pose estimation. The second method, the AAM matching algorithm is an extension of the original AAM that incorporates the full 6 DOF pose parameters as part of the minimization parameters. This extension allows for the estimation of the 3D pose of any object, without any restriction on its geometry. We compare both algorithms with a previously developed algorithm using a geometric-based approach [14]. The results show that the accuracy in pose estimation of our new appearance-based methods is better than using the geometric-based approach. Moreover, since appearance-based methods do not require customized feature extractions, the new methods present a more flexible alternative, especially in situations where extracting features is not simple due to cluttered background, complex and irregular features, etc.