cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Phosphoglycerate Kinase 2 (PGK2) Is Essential for Sperm Function and Male Fertility in Mice

Phosphoglycerate kinase 2 (PGK2), an isozyme that catalyzes the first ATP-generating step in the glycolytic pathway, is encoded by an autosomal retrogene that is expressed only during spermatogenesis. It replaces the ubiquitously expressed phosphoglycerate kinase 1 (PGK1) isozyme following repression of Pgk1 transcription by meiotic sex chromosome inactivation during meiotic prophase and by postmeiotic sex chromatin during spermiogenesis. The targeted disruption of Pgk2 by homologous recombination eliminates PGK activity in sperm and severely impairs male fertility, but does not block spermatogenesis. Mating behavior, reproductive organ weights (testis, excurrent ducts, and seminal vesicles), testis histology, sperm counts, and sperm ultrastructure were indistinguishable between Pgk2(-/-) and wild-type mice. However, sperm motility and ATP levels were markedly reduced in males lacking PGK2. These defects in sperm function were slightly less severe than observed in males lacking glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, spermatogenic (GAPDHS), the isozyme that catalyzes the step preceding PGK2 in the sperm glycolytic pathway. Unlike Gapdhs(-/-) males, the Pgk2(-/-) males also sired occasional pups. Alternative pathways that bypass the PGK step of glycolysis exist. We determined that one of these bypass enzymes, acylphosphatase, is active in mouse sperm, perhaps contributing to phenotypic differences between mice lacking GAPDHS or PGK2. This study determined that PGK2 is not required for the completion of spermatogenesis, but is essential for sperm motility and male fertility. In addition to confirming the importance of the glycolytic pathway for sperm function, distinctive phenotypic characteristics of Pgk2(-/-) mice may provide further insights into the regulation of sperm metabolism.
Biostatistical Considerations of the Use of Genomic DNA Reference in Microarrays

Using genomic DNA as common reference in microarray experiments has recently been tested by different laboratories (2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 20, 24-26). While some reported that experimental results of microarrays using genomic DNA reference conformed nicely to those obtained by cDNA: cDNA co-hybridization method, others acquired poor results. We hypothesized that these conflicting reports could be resolved by biostatistical analyses. To test it, microarray experiments were performed in a gamma-proteobacterium Shewanella oneidensis. Pair-wise comparison of three experimental conditions was obtained either by direct cDNA: cDNA co-hybridization, or by indirect calculation through a Shewanella genomic DNA reference. Several major biostatistical techniques were exploited to reduce the amount of inconsistency between both methods and the results were assessed. We discovered that imposing the constraint of minimal number of replicates, logarithmic transformation and random error analyses significantly improved the data quality. These findings could potentially serve as guidelines for microarray data analysis using genomic DNA as reference.
Ecological Restoration Restored

Conceptual and methodological changes in ecology have the potential to alter significantly the way we view the world. A result of embracing a dynamic model ('the flux of nature', and 'disturbance regimes') has been to make ecological restoration projects a viable alternative, whereas under 'equilibrium ecology' (climax communities/nature-knows-best) restoration was considered destructive interference. The logic of sustainability strategies within the context of dynamic forces promises a greater compatibility with anthropogenic activity. Unhappily, environmental restoration turns out to be paradoxical under the current identification of wilderness with wildness where wildness is, at least, a necessary condition for the possession of natural value. The solution to the paradox is to separate wilderness from wildness both conceptually and ontologically by enlarging the domain of wildness to include certain human activities.
Unions, Norms, and the Rise in U.S. Wage Inequality

From 1973 to 2007, private sector union membership in the United States declined from 34 to 8 percent for men and from 16 to 6 percent for women. During this period, inequality in hourly wages increased by over 40 percent. We report a decomposition, relating rising inequality to the union wage distribution’s shrinking weight. We argue that unions helped institutionalize norms of equity, reducing the dispersion of nonunion wages in highly unionized regions and industries. Accounting for unions’ effect on union and nonunion wages suggests that the decline of organized labor explains a fifth to a third of the growth in inequality—an effect comparable to the growing stratification of wages by education.
The Role of the Courts in the Social Construction of Religious Freedom in Central and Eastern Europe

This article takes a social-constructionist view of the role played by judicial systems in selected Central and East European nations, formerly dominated by the Soviet Union, in defining the meaning of religious freedom. The focus is on the role of national courts, including constitutional courts, and especially the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) in this process, with particular attention being paid to the interaction of these separate court systems in defining religious freedom in the various nations. The function of possible ‘pilot judgments’ of the ECtHR in this process is examined. An overall assessment of the role of judicial systems offers a mixed, but somewhat optimistic, view of the role being played by the court systems in the region which seems to support the idea that the ‘judicialization of politics’—addressed by scholars in other branches of law—is also occurring in the area of religious freedom.
High‐Quartz Solid Solution Phases from Thermally Crystallized Glasses of Compositions Li2O2,MgO).Al2O3,nSiO2

Thermally crystallized glasses of compositions (Li2,O2, MgO).Al2O3.nSiO2 were studied by X-ray powder diffraction methods. High-quartz solid solution phases developed at relatively low temperatures and, for n 3.5, transformed at higher temperatures to keatite solid solution phases. Associated phases, if present, were Mg spinel and/or cordierite, or a few other trace phases. The a crystallographic axis (a0) of high-quartz solid solutions decreased with increase of MgO and/or SiO2. The c crystallographic axis (c0) decreased with increasing MgO; it also decreased with increasing SiO2, but only when MgO content was low. X-ray diffraction photographs of single crystals of high-quartz solid solutions of compositions LiaO.Al2O3.nSiO3 demonstrated that the maintenance of a basic high-quartz structure is the basis of the solid solution relation. Three modifications of the high-quartz structure were recognized in the Li2O-Al2O3−SiO3 system. These modifications were based on the occurrence and positions of superlattice reflections. The high-quartz solid solution from Li2O Al2O3−2SiO2, showing streaky reflections in its precession photographs, suggested a defective structure. The term “high-quartz solid solution,” with or without additional prefixes specifying the compositional series and modification, was considered the preferred nomenclature for these solid solution phases.
Characterization of sputter-deposited 316L stainless steel films

Sputter-deposited 316L stainless steel films deposited on various substrates were characterized using transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffractometry. The deposits were found to be fine-grained and the phases present in the films depended on the nature of the substrate. Films of various thicknesses deposited on microscope slides or oxidized stainless steel substrates contained a mixture of two phases: a body centre cubic (b c c) and a modified hexagonal e-phase. The hexagonal phase appeared to be an ordered phase, as suggested by the aO value of the structure, which is twice that for the e-martensite found in many deformed stainless steels. These films were hard and brittle, as indicated by microhardness measurements. Films deposited on oxide-free austenitic stainless steel substrates, on the other hand, were mostly b c c and exhibited a dominant 〈2 00〉 texture. These films were softer and less brittle than those deposited on oxidized substrates. In situ high-temperature X-ray diffractometry revealed that the e-phase transformed to b c c when the films were annealed at 773 K. On annealing at 873 K, the b c c phase transformed to face centre cubic, which remained stable on cooling to room temperature. These results agree with published data which suggest stability of the b c c phase up to 840 K. Some discrepancies from earlier published reports are discussed in the light of the present results.
Tissue-specific DNase I hypersensitive sites in a foreign globin gene in transgenic mice

We have investigated the DNase I hypersensitivity of a hybrid mouse/human beta-globin gene in erythroid and non-erythroid cells of transgenic mice, to examine the relationship between the chromatin structure and the expression of an exogenous gene. The hybrid globin gene was previously shown to be expressed specifically in erythroid cells in some transgenic lines. The maximal level of hybrid globin mRNA accumulation was a few percent of the endogenous level, and we show here that this results from a low rate of transcription. In erythroid cells from two transgenic lines in which the hybrid gene is expressed, we detect a set of DNase I hypersensitive sites whose locations are indistinguishable from those in endogenous beta-globin genes. The hybrid globin gene contains no DNase I hypersensitive sites in transgenic mouse brain cells. Thus, the tissue-specific expression of the exogenous globin gene is reflected in, and perhaps mediated by, tissue-specific changes in chromatin structure.
Virtual teams in and out of synchronicity

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide an understanding of process improvement team member perceptions regarding the effectiveness of asynchronous e‐collaboration.Design/methodology/approach – A field‐based, two‐phase canonical action research study was conducted at two different sites. Data were obtained from observations and interviews of all team members. Media synchronicity theory was utilized to hypothesize the interplay of media capabilities, task communication processes, and team functions.Findings – Eight primarily virtual teams solved complex problems and provided feedback on the effectiveness of various communications media. The results support media synchronicity theory.Research limitations/implications – Media synchronicity theory provides an alternative explanation for studies both supporting and contradicting media richness theory. The teams in this study were newly formed. Further investigation of established teams and other contexts is warranted.Practical implications – For comp...
Crystallization sequence and microstructure evolution of Synroc samples crystallized from CaZrTi2O7 melts

Abstract Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and analytical electron microscopy (AEM) studies have been conducted on samples crystallized from melts with a composition of zirconolite {(Ca 0.9 Gd 0.1 )Zr(Ti 1.9 Al 0.1 ) 2 O 7 }. The formation of a whole suite of Synroc phases (zirconia, ZrTiO 4 , zirconolite, perovskite and rutile) has been observed. In the CaZrTi 2 O 7 system, the formation of these phases follows the crystallization sequence of Ti-bearing zirconia → ZrTiO 4 phase → Zr-rich zirconolite → Zr-poor zirconolite → rutile / perovskite . This sequence is induced by a fractional crystallization process, in which Zr-rich phases tend to crystallize first, resulting in continuous depletion of Zr in melt. Consistent with this melt compositional evolution, the Zr content in the zirconolite decreases from the area next to the ZrTiO 4 phase to areas next to rutile or perovskite. High-resolution TEM images show that there are no glassy phases at the grain boundary between zirconolite and perovskite. The fractional crystallization-induced textural heterogeneity may have a significant impact on the incorporation of radionuclides into crystalline phases and the resistance of radionuclides to leaching processes. Exsolution lamellae and multiple twinning resulting from the phase transition from tetragonal zirconia to monoclinic zirconia may decrease durability of the Synroc. Fast cooling of the melt may produce more zirconolite phase and relatively uniform texture. In general, however, a Synroc prepared by melting is less uniform in texture than that prepared by a sol–gel method.
A review of simple, non-invasive means of assessing peripheral arterial disease and implications for medical management.

AbstractAtherosclerotic peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is highly prevalent in the elderly and subjects with atherosclerotic risk factors such as smoking, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia. Importantly, PAD is rarely an isolated condition, but rather a manifestation of systemic atherosclerosis. Hence, there is often coexisting disease in the coronary and cerebral arteries and, consequently, an increased risk of myocardial infarction and stroke.Intermittent claudication is the classic symptom of PAD, yet up to 50% of patients are asymptomatic. Despite the availability of reliable, non-invasive screening tests, PAD is largely underdiagnosed and undertreated, mostly due to the paucity of symptoms and underutilization of screening tools. The ankle-brachial index (ABI), a simple, rapid, and inexpensive diagnostic tool, holds much prognostic value for PAD diagnosis and is ideal for implementation in the primary care physician’s office. The early detection of PAD with ABI screening and subseq...
Acetaminophen Poisoning in Infancy

• Acetaminophen is widely used in children of all ages, and overdosage from this medication is common. Although severe hepatotoxicity from overdosage occurs in adults, acetaminophen seems to have a wide margin of safety in younger children. This has been ascribed to altered pharmacokinetics in this age group. We report two cases in which severe acetaminopheninduced hepatotoxicity occurred in two infants. Neither infant reportedly received potentially toxic dosages, by history, but toxic drug levels were present in both. (Am J Dis Child1983;137:386-387)
The pluripotency factor LIN28 marks undifferentiated spermatogonia in mouse

Background Life-long production of spermatozoa depends on spermatogonial stem cells. Spermatogonial stem cells exist among the most primitive population of germ cells – undifferentiated spermatogonia. Transplantation experiments have demonstrated the functional heterogeneity of undifferentiated spermatogonia. Although the undifferentiated spermatogonia can be topographically divided into As (single), Apr (paired), and Aal (aligned) spermatogonia, subdivision of this primitive cell population using cytological markers would greatly facilitate characterization of their functions.
Nonlinear surface impedance for YBa2Cu3O7-x thin films: Measurements and a coupled-grain model.

We present measurements of the surface impedance as a function of frequency (1--17 GHz), temperature (4.2--91 K), and peak rf magnetic field (0${\mathit{H}}_{\mathrm{rf}}$500 Oe) for high-quality epitaxial ${\mathrm{YBa}}_{2}$${\mathrm{Cu}}_{3}$${\mathrm{O}}_{7\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathit{x}}$ thin films using a stripline-resonator technique. The lowest surface resistance at 1.5 GHz was 15 \ensuremath{\mu}\ensuremath{\Omega} at 77 K and 3 \ensuremath{\mu}\ensuremath{\Omega} at 4.3 K. The results for the low- and intermediate-field regions (${\mathit{H}}_{\mathrm{rf}}$50 Oe at 77 K) are explained by a coupled-grain model, which treats the film as a network of superconducting grains connected by grain boundaries acting as resistively shunted Josephson junctions. Quantitative agreement has been obtained between the model and the measurements. The effective junction critical current density, grain size, and shunt resistance are used in the model to characterize the films. The high-field region may be explained by flux penetration into the grains but is not modeled in detail here.
Marginalization from Within: Expanding Co-cultural Theory Through the Experience of the Afro Punk

Co-cultural theory serves as an analytical framework that looks at culture as an uneven site of communicative relations. One of its central assumptions is that societies are structured in hierarchi...
Micropropagation of Field-Grown Perennial Teosinte from Node Culture

Propagation of perennial diploid teosinte, Zea diploperennis Iltis, Doebley and Guzman (2n = 2x = 20), and tetraploid teosinte, Z. perennis (Hitchc.) Reeves and Magelsdorf (2n = 4x = 40), is limited by seed availability. For plants grown in the field, a photoperiod response delays flowering until fall, and seeds may not reach maturity. The objective of this study was to develop an in vitro micropropagation protocol for field grown teosinte. Shoot proliferation was induced from nodes split longitudinally and plated on Murashige and Skoog's (MS) medium supplemented with 5 μM 6-benzyl amino purine and 3% (w/v) sucrose. Both species possess a single axillary bud that generated multiple plants on division. Rooting of shoots was achieved in half-strength MS medium with and without the addition of 0.4 μM indole-3-butyric acid and 2% (w/v) sucrose. Nodes and younger branches of the tetraploid generated significantly more plants than those of the diploid.
Lead extraction from aluminum.

The lead content of various aluminum samples was determined. The amount of lead was found to be in the range from 28-45 ppm. The leaching of lead from aluminum products by 5% acetic acid was negligible at room temperature, but up to 2 mg/liter was leached at 85°C. Although no significant health hazard exists in the usage of aluminum in contact with food items, it is recommended that aluminum containers be condi tioned by several extractions with dilute acetic acid at higher temperatures.
A framework for estimating security coverage for cloud service insurance

The paper presented a cloud security insurance framework for estimating coverage for different cloud services. For the cloud security insurance, the question of differential security coverage is relevant as the cost of deploying special protection, detection and response tools varies and requires efficient coverage estimation. Accordingly, this work uses an intelligent search and optimization method for determining a combination of tools (from a knowledgebase of security products--considering their features, effectiveness and consumer/vulnerability reports in mitigating risks) in providing multi-level defense for cloud services. General Terms: Measurements, Security, Algorithms.
CULTURAL ANIMAL GEOGRAPHY: AN INVITING FIELD OF RESEARCH

(1960). CULTURAL ANIMAL GEOGRAPHY: AN INVITING FIELD OF RESEARCH. The Professional Geographer: Vol. 12, No. 5, pp. 12-14.
Turing machines with restricted memory access

Multitape Turing machines which can use their storage tapes only as counters or as pushdown stores are investigated. The memory access restrictions are produced by regarding the machines as small computers (as in the formalism of Wang) and by restricting the instruction repertoires. Relationships are given linking machines which only accept or reject inputs and machines which emit output sequences as a function of their input. It is shown that without restrictions on computing time or amount of tape used that only six distinct classes of sets of strings (languages) are produced by the above memory access restrictions.
Semantic facilitation across sensory modalities in the processing of individual words and sentences.

The effect of semantic priming upon lexical decisions made for words in isolation (Experiment 1) and during sentence comprehension (Experiment 2) was investigated using a cross-modal lexical decision task. In Experiment 1, subjects made lexical decisions to both auditory and visual stimuli. Processing auditorily presented words facilitated subsequent lexical decisions on semantically related visual words. In Experiment 2, subjects comprehended auditorily presented sentences while simultaneously making lexical decisions for visually presented stimuli. Lexical decisions were facilitated when a visual word appeared immediately following a related word in the sentential material. Lexical decisions were also facilitated when the visual word appeared three syllables following closure of the clause containing the related material. Arguments are made for autonomy of semantic priming during sentence comprehension.
Nonlinear optical response in high-Tc superconducting microparticle composites

We use a Ginzburg-Landau Phenomenological model to calculate the nonlinear optical response from superconducting microparticles embedded in a transparent dielectric material. Specifically, we predict a strong frequency dependence of the nonlinear optical susceptibility and a nonlinear change in the transmission coefficient in the JR to microwave region. Also, we predict a field-intensity--dependent renormalization of the transition temperature and third harmonic generation in the JR to microwave regime below the transition temperature.© (1990) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
The Influence of Context on the Auditory Comprehension of Paragraphs by Aphasic Subjects

Subjects were exposed to two sets of paragraphs that probed their auditory comprehension abilities under various prestimulation conditions. In Experiment 1, aphasic and control subjects listened to four paragraphs. Each paragraph was preceded by a control condition (no antecedent) or one of the following contextual antecedents: picture, verbal, or picture and verbal combined. Prestimulation with a picture alone was detrimental, but prestimulation with a picture used in combination with a verbal context appeared to be of value. In Experiment 2, subjects heard four paragraphs that were less cohesive than those in Experiment 1. Only verbal and control conditions were contrasted. The provision of prior verbal contexts facilitated the auditory comprehension of the paragraphs.
Prediction of mineral liberation characteristics of comminuted particles of high grade ores

Abstract In mineral processing, the liberation of valuable mineral is of key importance in achieving high recoveries from downstream separation processes such as froth flotation and gravity concentration. To quantify mineral liberation, information on ore texture of the parent rock as well as properties of comminuted particles is essential. These properties have been quantified by statistical measures such as the proximity function and covariance function, which were extracted from SEM images of parent rock and particle polished sections, using convenient and efficient image analysis techniques based on Labview™ software. To quantify fully liberated particles, a phase specific line segment function has been introduced and evaluated by placing random line segments on the image. It was also found that the ore texture assumptions made by Barbery are not valid for the high grade sulphide ore tested and the general applicability of these assumptions is therefore questionable. Using the measured information above, predictive liberation models to quantify volumetric grade distribution of particles in 1D and 3D have been developed based on Barbery’s work. Results show that the grade distributions of composite particles predicted from the proposed 1D model is closest to measured data than those of Barbery’s 1D model. The predictions using the proposed 3D model are similar to those predicted from Barbery’s model and are considered more realistic as the model does not rely on assumed ore texture but on measurements made on the parent rock and particle sections.
Vitreous Loss Rates in Extracapsular Cataract Surgery by Residents

Vitreous loss is a serious complication of cataract surgery. It has been suggested that high rates of vitreous loss may be an inevitable consequence when residents are learning extracapsular cataract extraction (ECCE). The authors retrospectively analyzed all (n = 936) cataract operations done by second- and third-year residents in a single Veterans Administration hospital from 1982 through 1988. Between 1982 and 1985, the incidence of vitreous loss was 10.3%. In 1985, a new program of resident surgical education was introduced, and the incidence from 1985 through 1988 declined to 3.2% (P less than 0.001). Statistical analysis confirms that this decrease cannot be attributed to any individual surgeon, class of residents, or year of surgery. The authors believe that an educational program including practice surgery, graded responsibility, and experienced assistance may be responsible in part for dramatically reducing the rate of this serious complication during surgery done by the beginning resident.
Adapting a Navier-Stokes solver for three parallel machines

This paper presents the results of parallelizing a three-dimensional Navier-Stokes solver on a 32K-processor Thinking Machines CM-2, a 128-node Intel iPSC/860, and an 8-processor CRAY Y-MP. The main objective of this work is to study the performance of the flow solver, INS3D-LU code, on two distributed-memory machines, a massively parallel SIMD machine (CM-2) and a moderately parallel MIMD machine (iPSC/860), and compare it with its performance on a shared-memory MIMD machine with a small number of processors (Y-MP). The code is based on a Lower-Upper Symmetric-Gauss-Seidel implicit scheme for the pseudocompressibility formulation of the three-dimensional incompressible Navier-Stokes equations. The code was rewritten in CMFORTRAN with shift operations and run on the CM-2 using the slicewise model. The code was also rewritten with distributed data and Intel message-passing calls and run on the iPSC/860. The timing results for two grid sizes are presented and analyzed using both 32-bit and 64-bit arithmetic. Also, the impact of communication and load balancing on the performance of the code is outlined. The results show that reasonable performance can be achieved on these parallel machines. However, the CRAY Y-MP outperforms the CM-2 and iPSC/860 for this particular algorithm.
A self-adaptive treemap-based technique for visualizing hierarchical data in 3D

In this paper, we present a novel adaptive visualization technique where the constituting polygons dynamically change their geometry and other visual attributes depending on user interaction. These changes take place with the objective of conveying required level of detail to the user through each view. Our proposed technique is successfully applied to build a treemap-based but 3D visualization of hierarchical data, a widely used information structure. This new visualization exploits its adaptive nature to address issues like cluttered display, imperceptible hierarchy, lack of smooth zoom-in and out technique which are common in tree visualization. We also present an algorithm which utilizes the flexibility of our proposed technique to deal with occlusion, a problem inherent in any 3D information visualization. On one hand, our work establishes adaptive visualization as a means of displaying tree-structured data in 3D. On the other, it promotes the technique as a potential candidate for being employed to visualize other information structures also.
Soft-tissue response to total hip surface replacement.

Tissue reaction to prosthesis wear debris and its relationship to prosthetic loosening was investigated. Eighteen dogs underwent hip surface replacement; 6 animals accounted for 6 control and 6 carbon hips, and 13 experimental animals accounted for 13 implanted carbon and 13 cobalt-chromium-molybdenum (CoCrMo) prostheses. Both kinds of prostheses articulated against a high-density polyethylene acetabular component. One year after implantation, tissue response to the prostheses was evaluated according to a semiquantitative method, and a total tissue score indicating the degree of tissue response was obtained. The total tissue score was then compared with the normalized final vertical ground reaction force (GRF) for each hip in the animals with bilateral hip replacements. Compared with the controls, significantly greater tissue response was seen in both kinds of prosthetic hips (p = .001). No statistically significant difference in the tissue response of the two types of hip prostheses was noted, although the tissue response score of the CoCrMo demonstrated a trend toward more severe reaction than the carbon. No statistical difference in tissue reaction was noted for loosened components as compared with tightly fixed components. Amount of wear debris was the best predictor of component loosening. Gait analysis demonstrated a statistically significant negative correlation between GRF and total tissue score (p = .036), and between GRF and wear debris score (p = .034). The results of this study suggest that GRF may predict the amount of wear debris in the tissues surrounding a total hip surface arthroplasty, and that severity of pain is related to the degree of tissue response.
Using the Virtual Cell Simulation Environment for Extracting Quantitative Parameters from Live Cell Fluorescence Imaging Data

Rapid advances in fluorescence probe and imaging technologies now provide easily accessible tools for biologists to perform highly detailed analysis of molecular interactions in living cells. However it can be difficult to extract accurate parameters from these experiments because of the complex interplay of diffusion-reaction events with the morphology of the cell. As a result, only a small fraction of the available spatiotemporal information is utilized, and in many cases analysis remains at a qualitative level. The Virtual Cell (VCell, http://vcell.org) simulation environment is uniquely suited to analyzing these types of fluorescence imaging experiments because it is designed to solve reaction-diffusion equations within any given geometry [1]
The wound in the poem: Apollinaire's Pablo Picasso'

Cet hommage a Picasso constitue un calligramme inverse que le poete a construit autour de quatres blancs figurant les motifs familiers du peintre (guitare, violon, arlequin...). L'A. etudie la mise en jeu intertextuelle du langage pictural et litteraire, et la metaphore alchimique de la creation artistique dans cet espace poetique de la blessure
Procedure for freeze-drying molecules adsorbed to mica flakes

The quick-freeze, deep-etch, rotary-replication technique is useful for visualizing cells and cell fractions but does not work with suspensions of macromolecules. These inevitably clump or collapse during deep-etching, presumably due to surface tension forces that develop during their transfer from ice to vacuum. Previous protocols have attempted to overcome such forces by attaching macromolecules to freshly cleaved mica before drying and replication. I describe here an adaptation of this procedure to the deep-etch technique as otherwise practiced. My innovation is to mix the molecules with an aqueous suspension of tiny flakes of mica and then to quick-freeze and freeze-fracture the suspension exactly as if one were dealing with cells. The fracture inevitably strikes the surfaces of many mica flakes and thereby cleaves the adsorbed macromolecules cleanly enough to reveal interesting substructure within them. The subsequent step of deep-etching exposes large expanses of unfractured mica and thus reveals intact macromolecules. These macromolecules are not obscured by salt deposits, even if they were frozen in hypertonic solutions, apparently because the fracturing step removes nearly all of the overlying electrolyte. Moreover, these macromolecules are minimally freeze-dried (since exposure is sufficient after only 3 min of etching at -102 degrees C) so they retain their three-dimensional topology. I show that molluscan hemocyanin is a good internal standard for this new technique. It is available commercially in stable solutions, mixes well with all sizes of macromolecules, and consists of particles that display distinct five-start surface helices, which have been measured carefully in the past and which possess a known handedness, useful for determining the orientation of micrographs when examining the various helical patterns possessed by most types of extended macromolecules. The fractured hemocyanin particles also display characteristic internal structures, which permit determination of the elevation of the "molecular cleavage" described above. Finally, molluscan hemocyanin is delicate enough to reflect bad freezing or poor replication, if these steps become a problem. A survey of several macromolecules is presented, including soluble enzymes, antibodies, filamentous proteins and nucleoproteins. These images, for the most part, correspond to those previously obtained by negative staining. New details of their structures are noted, and the images are used to illustrate both the advantages and drawbacks of the new procedure.
Supreme Court IP Update

Several cases involving intellectual property were argued before the US Supreme Court in early 2014, and decisions have just been released. The Web extra at http://youtu.be/Ppi0tzRnLQU is an audio recording in which author Brian M. Gaff provides an audio recording of the Computing and the Law column, he discusses how several cases involving intellectual property were argued before the US Supreme Court in early 2014, and decisions on some have just been released.
Planning the Next Generation of Arctic Ecosystem Experiments

Climate Change Experiments in High-Latitude Ecosystems; Fairbanks, Alaska, 13-14 October 2010; A 2-day climate change workshop was held at the International Arctic Research Center, University of Alaska Fairbanks. The workshop, sponsored by Biological and Environmental Research, Office of Science, U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), was attended by 45 subject matter experts from universities, DOE national laboratories, and other federal and nongovernmental organizations. The workshop sought to engage the Arctic science community in planning for a proposed Next-Generation Ecosystem Experiments (NGEE-Arctic) project in Alaska (http:// ngee.ornl.gov/). The goal of this activity is to provide data, theory, and models to improve representations of high-latitude terrestrial processes in Earth system models. In particular, there is a need to better understand the processes by which warming may drive increased plant productivity and atmospheric carbon uptake and storage in biomass and soils, as well as those processes that may drive an increase in the release of methane (CH{sub 4}) and carbon dioxide (CO{sub 2}) through microbial decomposition of soil carbon stored in thawing permafrost. This understanding is required to quantify the important feedback mechanisms that define the role of terrestrial processes in regional and global climate.
Water Quality at a Sludge Entrenchment Sitea

Surface-water and ground-water quality were evaluated at a site before and for four years after the area was used for entrenchment of sewage sludge. The soils in the area are sandy and are underlain by a clay barrier. Depth of the water table which in most instances is above the clay barrier is from 1.0 to 13.0 m. Water samples taken from monitoring wells, two drainage tiles located along the perimeter of the sludge trenches, a catchment pond and a nearby stream were analyzed for NO3-N, NH4-N, and CI. Increases in Cl concentrations were detected in shallow wells within the trench site perimeter 12 months after sludge entrenchment. Chloride levels peaked approximately 18 months after entrenchment and levels declined but not to background levels four years after entrenchment. Nitrate levels increased in shallow wells located within or near the trench site perimeter at 18 months after entrenchment and peaked at 30 months. Decreases in NO3-N occurred thereafter but had not reached background levels in some wells. Ammonium increases were also detected in wells recording Cl and NO3-N increases but NH4-N increases were inconsistent. Increases in Cl and NO3-N levels were recorded in wells potentially below the trench area, but these levels were less than those recorded for wells within the trench site perimeter. The data from this study indicate that contamination of ground water by leachate from sludge trenches was within the trench site perimeter with a lesser degree of contamination recorded in wells below the trench site. The drainage tiles and clay barrier may have had a significant effect on the resulting ground-water data, and caution is advised in extrapolating these results to other locations.
Carbenicillin and gentamicin: Pharmacologic studies in patients with cystic fibrosis and pseudomonas pulmonary infections

Fourteen treatment courses with carbenicillin, 100 to 600 mg. per kilogram every 4 hours, gentamicin, 4–5 mg. per kilogram per day, or a combination of these drugs were given to patients with cystic fibrosis, who had extensive pulmonary disease and Pseudomonas aeruginosa colonization, to determine the penetration of these antibiotics into sputum, to attempt to eradicate pseudomonas organisms from sputum, and to observe the clinical effects of such intensive chemotherapy. The mean minimum inhibiting concentration (MIC) of carbenicillin for 27 pseudomonas strains was 85.6 μg per milliliter. The mean peak serum level of carbenicillin at 600 mg. per kilogram every 4 hours was 2,176 μg per milliliter at 15 minutes; the mean peak sputum level was 78 μg per milliliter at 60 minutes. Peak serum levels at 100 to 400 mg. per kilogram every 4 hours ranged from 248 to 464 μg per milliliter with sputum peaks of 0 to 18.4 μg per milliliter. Sputum concentrations of carbenicillin and gentamicin, alone or in combination, were inadequate to eradicate pseudomonas organisms. There was no objective evidence of improvement as a result of chemotherapy in this small group of patients.
Molecular pathogenesis of spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy

Studies of the molecular pathogenesis of spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy, as well as of the other polyglutamine repeat diseases, has led to an understanding of the role of protein accumulation in disease pathogenesis. Aggregation of the expanded repeat androgen receptor (AR), rather than playing a pathogenic role, likely reflects the insoluble nature of the misfolded AR. Proteolytic processing of the expanded AR at various stages of its metabolism may contribute to cellular toxicity through the enhancement of AR insolubility, and potentially through the disruption of normal proteolytic degradation processes. The finding that molecular chaperones not only promote solubility, but also enhance the degradation of expanded polyglutamines as well, make them promising targets for therapeutic development. Understanding the role of ligand binding in expanded AR metabolism may provide additional avenues of therapeutic manipulation as well.
Dynamic price optimization models for managing time-of-day electricity usage

We present a day-ahead price-optimization based approach for an electric utility to proactively manage the intra-day residential electricity load profile, using dynamic-pricing incentives within a smart grid framework. A novel aspect of our approach is the ability to predict the customer response to price incentives that are designed to induce shifts in the electricity usage from the peak to the off-peak time periods of the daily residential load cycle. A Multinomial Logit (MNL) consumer-choice model is used for estimating the magnitudes of these intra-day hourly loads. The resulting nonlinear optimization problem for the specified profit and capacity-utilization objectives is solved using a series of transformations, which include the reformulation-linearization technique (RLT), to obtain a Mixed-Integer Programming (MIP) model. Using a piecewise-linear cost structure for satisfying electricity demand, we subsequently derive a set of valid inequalities to effectively tighten the underlying relaxation of this MIP. The proposed optimization methodology can also incorporate various regulatory and customer bill-protection constraints. Our model calibration and computational analysis using a real-world data set indicates that the proposed predictive-control methodology can be incorporated into a practical decision support tool to manage the time-of-day electricity demand in order to achieve the desired objectives.
Digital fuzzy logic controller: design and implementation

In this paper, various aspects of digital fuzzy logic controller (FLC) design and implementation are discussed, Classic and improved models of the single-input single-output (SISO), multiple-input single-output (MISC), and multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) FLCs are analyzed in terms of hardware cost and performance. A set of universal parameters to characterize any hardware realization of digital FLCs is defined. The comparative study of classic and alternative MIMO FLCs is presented as a generalization of other controller configurations. A processing element for the parallel FLC architecture realizing improved inferencing of MIMO system is designed, characterized, and tested. Finally, as a case feasibility study, a direct data stream architecture for complete digital fuzzy controller is shown as an improved solution for high-speed, cost-effective, real-time control applications.
Pharmacy Students’ Application of Knowledge From the Classroom to Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experiences

Objective. To determine whether and how pharmacy students used knowledge learned in the classroom during their introductory pharmacy practice experiences (IPPEs) in community and hospital settings. Design. To reinforce course concepts and make connections between coursework and practice, students documented examples of how knowledge from first-year courses was used in IPPEs. Assessment. Data submitted were categorized by classroom-based pharmacy course, including the frequency with which each course was cited. For community practice experiences, most student examples of knowledge application related to the self-care therapeutics course, pharmacy practice laboratory course, and dose form/compounding laboratory courses. Hospital IPPE examples were most frequently based on the pharmaceutical calculations course, physiology/pathophysiology course, medicinal chemistry course, and pharmacy practice laboratory course. Conclusion. All prior classroom-based pharmacy courses were cited by students as being useful during IPPEs, although some were more frequently cited than others. This activity provided useful programmatic assessment data.
Formability Enhancement in Titanium Tube-Flaring by Manipulating the Deformation Path

The tube flaring process has been traditionally used to expand one end of the tube without changing its main cross-sectional area. This simple process typically forms the product with a single punch along a unique deformation path. To delay failure and enhance formability, a two-step flaring process can be used. For example, if a significant elliptical flared shape is attempted in a one step process, a tearing failure would occur on the major elliptical axis. However if a two-step process with a mildly elliptical punch, followed by the final elliptical punch was used, the desired elliptical shape can be achieved. In this paper the effects of the punch geometry and forming depth of the first step on the deformation paths were numerically analyzed. By changing the deformation path, failure can be delayed so that higher formability is achieved. The numerical simulations were validated by comparison with experimental results.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Effects of Pressure, Temperature, Adsorbent Surface, and Mobile Phase Composition on the Supercritical Fluid Chromatographic Fractionation of Monodisperse Polystyrenes

No significant differences have been found in the separation behavior of oligomers of monodisperse polystyrene samples when using n-pentane as the mobile phase and a phenyl or an n-octadecyl bonded stationary phase. For low-molecular weight polystyrenes used in this study, there was no evidence of steric exclusion effects when using non-derivatized silica. In all cases, the addition of either isopropanol or cyclohexane as a moderator was found to produce more nearly complete elution of the polystyrene oligomers from the stationary phases. Concentrations of isopropanol above 5% v/v caused no further change while increasingly higher percentages of cyclohexane caused capacity ratios of higher molecular weight species to decrease. Finally, non-linear pressure programming was found to produce more nearly regular elution of an oligomeric series while linear downward temperature programming was found to produce irregular elution behavior near the critical temperature. 14 figures, 2 tables.
Effect of prostaglandin F2α on subclinical endometritis and fertility in dairy cows

The objectives were to determine the effects of PGF(2alpha) treatment on the prevalence of subclinical endometritis (SCE) and fertility of dairy cows. A total of 406 Holstein cows (167 primiparous and 239 multiparous) from 5 herds were used. Uterine lavage for diagnosis of SCE, PGF(2alpha) treatment, evaluation of body condition scores (BCS), and collection of blood samples for estrous cyclicity determination were performed at 21, 35, and 49 d in milk (DIM). Polymorphonuclear cells (PMN) were quantified and thresholds for diagnosing SCE were selected by receiver operating characteristics analysis. Cows classified as having SCE at 35 DIM (>or=6.5% PMN) and 49 DIM (>or=4.0% PMN) had increased time to pregnancy; however, cows classified as having SCE at 21 DIM (>or=8.5% PMN) did not. Median days to pregnancy were delayed by 30 (151 vs. 121 d) and 40 (169 vs. 129) d for cows classified as having SCE at 35 and 49 DIM, respectively. Treatment with PGF(2alpha) did not affect the prevalence of SCE either at 35 (37.9 vs. 38.4%) or at 49 DIM (34.0 vs. 40.4%). Treatment with PGF(2alpha) did not affect time to first insemination (AI; median 76 DIM for cows treated with PGF(2alpha); 79 DIM for control. Nonetheless, PGF(2alpha) treatment increased pregnancy to first AI in all the cows (35.5 vs. 24.1%) and hazard ratio (HR) of pregnancy in cows with BCS <or=2.5 when all of the cows were evaluated (HR = 1.5; 95% confidence interval; CI = 1.1 to 2.0) and when only cows without SCE were evaluated (HR = 1.8; 95% CI = 1.2 to 2.7). Treatment with PGF(2alpha) did not affect the hazard of pregnancy in cows with SCE at 49 DIM (HR = 0.9; 95% CI = 0.6 to 1.3). In these farms, treatment with PGF(2alpha) did not affect SCE or time to first insemination, but did increase first-service pregnancy per AI and decreased time to pregnancy in cows with low BCS.
Probucol ameliorates renal and metabolic sequelae of primary CoQ deficiency in Pdss2 mutant mice.

Therapy of mitochondrial respiratory chain diseases is complicated by limited understanding of cellular mechanisms that cause the widely variable clinical findings. Here, we show that focal segmental glomerulopathy-like kidney disease in Pdss2 mutant animals with primary coenzyme Q (CoQ) deficiency is significantly ameliorated by oral treatment with probucol (1% w/w). Preventative effects in missense mutant mice are similar whether fed probucol from weaning or for 3 weeks prior to typical nephritis onset. Furthermore, treating symptomatic animals for 2 weeks with probucol significantly reduces albuminuria. Probucol has a more pronounced health benefit than high-dose CoQ(10) supplementation and uniquely restores CoQ(9) content in mutant kidney. Probucol substantially mitigates transcriptional alterations across many intermediary metabolic domains, including peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) pathway signaling. Probucol's beneficial effects on the renal and metabolic manifestations of Pdss2 disease occur despite modest induction of oxidant stress and appear independent of its hypolipidemic effects. Rather, decreased CoQ(9) content and altered PPAR pathway signaling appear, respectively, to orchestrate the glomerular and global metabolic consequences of primary CoQ deficiency, which are both preventable and treatable with oral probucol therapy.