cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mildly Acidic pH Triggers an Irreversible Conformational Change in the Fusion Domain of Herpes Simplex Virus 1 Glycoprotein B and Inactivation of Viral Entry

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) entry into a subset of cells requires endocytosis and endosomal low pH. Preexposure of isolated virions to mildly acidic pH of 5 to 6 partially inactivates HSV infectivity in an irreversible manner. Acid inactivation is a hallmark of viruses that enter via low-pH pathways; this occurs by pretriggering conformational changes essential for fusion. The target and mechanism(s) of low-pH inactivation of HSV are unclear. Here, low-pH-treated HSV-1 was defective in fusion activity and yet retained normal levels of attachment to cell surface heparan sulfate and binding to nectin-1 receptor. Low-pH-triggered conformational changes in gB reported to date are reversible, despite irreversible low-pH inactivation. gB conformational changes and their reversibility were measured by antigenic analysis with a panel of monoclonal antibodies and by detecting changes in oligomeric conformation. Three-hour treatment of HSV-1 virions with pH 5 or multiple sequential treatments at pH 5 followed by neutral pH caused an irreversible >2.5 log infectivity reduction. While changes in several gB antigenic sites were reversible, alteration of the H126 epitope was irreversible. gB oligomeric conformational change remained reversible under all conditions tested. Altogether, our results reveal that oligomeric alterations and fusion domain changes represent distinct conformational changes in gB, and the latter correlates with irreversible low-pH inactivation of HSV. We propose that conformational change in the gB fusion domain is important for activation of membrane fusion during viral entry and that in the absence of a host target membrane, this change results in irreversible inactivation of virions.IMPORTANCE HSV-1 is an important pathogen with a high seroprevalence throughout the human population. HSV infects cells via multiple pathways, including a low-pH route into epithelial cells, the primary portal into the host. HSV is inactivated by low-pH preexposure, and gB, a class III fusion protein, undergoes reversible conformational changes in response to low-pH exposure. Here, we show that low-pH inactivation of HSV is irreversible and due to a defect in virion fusion activity. We identified an irreversible change in the fusion domain of gB following multiple sequential low-pH exposures or following prolonged low-pH treatment. This change appears to be separable from the alteration in gB quaternary structure. Together, the results are consistent with a model by which low pH can have an activating or inactivating effect on HSV depending on the presence of a target membrane.
CHAPTER 60 – Lipid-Mediated Localization of Signaling Proteins

In the study of signal transduction, much of the effort in the past has focused on identifying the protein players and how they interact with one another. However, the last decade has led to a greater appreciation of the role that lipids play as second messengers, in protein localization, and in the organization of cellular membranes. Extracellular signals elicit responses by binding to receptors at the cell surface and activating signal transducers localized at the inner leaflet of the plasma membrane. Signals propagate to intracellular effectors, resulting in changes in enzyme activity, ion channel gating, or protein-protein interactions. The components of a signaling pathway must be oriented spatially and temporally to execute the appropriate response to an extracellular cue. Many effectors are constitutively present at the membrane, but others must be recruited from the cytoplasm in response to signals. Lipids participate in the localization or recruitment of signaling proteins to cellular membranes through several mechanisms. First, lipids covalently modify proteins, thereby increasing their hydrophobicity and affinity for membranes. Second, lipids anchor proteins to membranes by serving as ligands for protein domains. Third, lipids form domains rich in sphingolipids and cholesterol that may organize signal transduction complexes at the plasma membrane.
Deconstructing deficit perspectives on minority youth: a longitudinal analysis of South Korean adolescents’ Korean and English proficiency

Drawing on ecological perspectives, this study examined the foundational assumption behind the negative stereotypes that surround children of mixed parentage in South Korea; namely, that their alle...
Production Planning, Oligopoly and Supply Chains

In this chapter we develop models that describe how prices, production rates and distribution activities evolve over time and influence one another for three output market structures: 1. perfect competition 2. monopoly, and 3. oligopoly. In particular, we apply the material from previous chapters to the modeling and computation of production, distribution, and supply chain decisions made by firms operating within the three competitive environments mentioned above. Throughout this chapter our perspective is deterministic, and the dynamic games considered are open loop in nature with perfect initial information.We begin with aspatial models and move to models with explicit network path flows. We shall deal exclusively with finite terminal times and see that policies near the terminal time are of great importance to the lifetime profitability of firms. One of our goals will be to study how policies on inventory remaining at the terminal time as will as the value of such residual inventories when liquidated can influence operations throughout a firm’s history.
Thermodynamic Properties of Sulfur Hexafluoride

We present new vapor phase speed-of-sound data u(P, T), new Burnett density–pressure–temperature data ρ(P, T), and a few vapor pressure measurements for sulfur hexafluoride (SF6). The speed-of-sound data spanned the temperature range 230 K≤T≤460 K and reached maximum pressures that were the lesser of 1.5 MPa or 80% of the vapor pressure of SF6. The Burnett ρ(P, T) data were obtained on isochores spanning the density range 137 mol·m−3≤ρ≤4380 mol·m−3 and the temperature range 283 K≤T≤393 K. (The corresponding pressure range is 0.3 MPa≤P≤9.0 MPa.) The u(P, T) data below 1.5 MPa were correlated using a model hard-core, Lennard–Jones intermolecular potential for the second and third virial coefficients and a polynomial for the perfect gas heat capacity. The resulting equation of state has very high accuracy at low densities; it is useful for calibrating mass flow controllers and may be extrapolated to 1000 K. The new u(P, T) data and the new ρ(P, T) data were simultaneously correlated with a virial equation of state containing four terms with the temperature dependences of model square-well potentials. This correlation extends nearly to the critical density and may help resolve contradictions among data sets from the literature.
Hello darkness my old friend: preferences for darkness vary by neuroticism and co-occur with negative affect .

Metaphors frequently link negative affect with darkness and associations of this type have been established in several experimental paradigms. Given the ubiquity and strength of these associations, people who prefer dark to light may be more prone to negative emotional experiences and symptoms. A five study investigation (total N = 605) couches these ideas in a new theoretical framework and then examines them. Across studies, 1 in 4 people preferred the perceptual concept of dark over the perceptual concept of light. These dark-preferring people scored higher in neuroticism (Studies 1 and 2) and experienced greater depressive feelings in daily life (Study 3). Moreover, dark preferences shared a robust relationship with depressive symptoms (Study 4) as well as generalised anxiety symptoms (Study 5). The results provide novel insights into negative affectivity and extend conceptual metaphor theory in a way that is capable of making individual difference predictions.
Fiber Puts Lactobacillus to SLEep.

Few studies have analyzed how diet-induced changes in the microbiota influence lupus. In this issue of Cell Host & Microbe, Zegarra-Ruiz et al. (2019) find that translocation of Lactobacillus reuteri from the gut to systemic organs worsens lupus. However, diets with resistant starch restrict L. reuteri growth and ameliorate disease.
Does enhanced nutrient availability increase volatile emissions in cranberry

ABSTRACTNutrient availability impacts plant indirect defenses, such as emissions of herbivore-induced plant volatiles (HIPVs) that attract natural enemies of herbivores. However, the effects are va...
Reservoir Models for Input into Flow Simulators

Reservoir characterization is defined as the construction of realistic three-dimensional images of petrophysical properties to be used to predict reservoir performance. A key element in constructing reservoir models is modeling the high and low permeabilities. In the past, these images have been prepared by several different methods including (1) the layered reservoir method, (2) the continuous pay method, and (3) the facies method (Fig. 1). In the layered reservoir method, the reservoir is divided into pay zones using correlations based on gamma ray logs, and the net feet of porosity (net pay maps) or the porositytimes-oil-saturation (SoPhiH maps) isopached for each layer. The layers commonly lump several petrophysical rock types, and the average petrophysical values do not characterize the flow properties of the reservoir.
Conditions for stable operation of solid oxide electrolysis cells: oxygen electrode effects

Solid oxide electrolysis cells (SOECs) convert renewable electricity to fuels with efficiency substantially higher than other electrolysis technologies. However, questions remain regarding degradation mechanisms that limit SOEC long-term stability. One of the key degradation mechanisms is oxygen electrode delamination; although prior studies have improved the understanding of this mechanism, it is still difficult to predict how degradation depends on SOEC materials and operating conditions, i.e., temperature, voltage, and current density. Here we present a study aimed at developing a quantitative understanding of oxygen electrode delamination. Experimentally, a life test study of symmetric and full cells with yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) electrolytes and Gd-doped ceria (GDC) barrier layers was done with three different perovskite oxygen electrode materials. Fracture was observed at the perovskite–GDC interface above a critical current density and below a critical operating temperature. A theory is presented that combines a calculation of the effective oxygen pressure across the electrolyte with an estimation of the pressure required for fracture. Fracture is correctly predicted for a critical oxygen partial pressure of ∼7200 atm and an associated electrode overpotential of ∼0.2 V, occurring at the electrode/GDC interface because of the relatively low perovskite fracture toughness. Damage at the GDC/YSZ interface was also observed in some cases and explained by a peak in the oxygen pressure at this interface.
Prognostic evaluation of Interleukin 17A and Myeloid Derived Suppressor Cells in Colorectal cancer patients.

The current study was focused on patients with Colorectal Cancer between the ages of (26–82years). The objective of this study to determine the IL-17 level and CD33 expression status in patients with Colorectal Cancer. A total 60 of (40 patients and 20 control groups) were collected from Gastroenterology and Liver diseases teaching hospital from March 2018 to the end of May 2018 Iraq. The results show Median IL-17 was significantly higher in study group than in control group (p less than 0.001), 12.13 (9.73) pg/ml versus 0.41 (0.67) pg/ml, and Median CD33 was significantly higher in study group than in control group (p less than 0.001), 73.00 (5.0) % versus 4.50 (3.75) %.
A Special Case of Fermat’s Conjecture

Algebraic number theory is essentially the study of number fields, which are the finite extensions of the field ℚ, of rational numbers. Such fields can be useful in solving problems which at first appear to involve only rational numbers. Consider, for example, this problem: Find all primitive Pythagorean triples: i.e., integer solutions of x2 + y2 = z2 having no common factor.
Transcript decay mediated by RNase III in Borrelia burgdorferi.

Abstract The causative agent of Lyme disease, Borrelia burgdorferi, requires shifts in gene expression to undergo its natural enzootic cycle between tick and vertebrate hosts. mRNA decay mechanisms play significant roles in governing gene expression in other bacteria, but are not yet characterized in B. burgdorferi. RNase III is an important enzyme in processing ribosomal RNA, but it also plays a role in mRNA decay in many bacteria. We compared RNA decay profiles and steady-state abundances of transcripts in wild-type Borrelia burgdorferi strain B31 and in an RNase III null (rnc−) mutant. Transcripts encoding RNA polymerase subunits (rpoA and rpoS), ribosomal proteins (rpsD, rpsK, rpsM, rplQ, and rpsO), a nuclease (pnp), a flagellar protein (flaB), and a translational regulator (bpuR) decayed more rapidly in the wild-type strain than in the slow growing rnc− mutant indicating that RNA turnover is mediated by RNase III in the bacterium that causes Lyme disease. Additionally, in wild type bacteria, RNA decay rates of rpoS, rpoN, ospA, ospC, bpuR and dbpA transcripts are only modestly affected by changes in the osmolarity.
In response to indices of physiological strain for firefighters of the Australian Defence Forces

We read “Indices of physiological strain for firefighters of the Australian Defence Forces” by Hunt et al. (2019) with great enthusiasm. Secondary to the increasing global temperatures observed ove...
Challenges in Recognizing Spontaneous and Intentionally Expressed Reactions to Positive and Negative Images

This paper presents a preliminary exploration of the challenges of automatically recognizing positive and negative facial expressions in both spontaneous and intentionally expressed conditions. Instead of recognizing iconic basic emotion states, which we have found to be less common in typical human computer interaction, we instead attempted to recognize only positive versus negative states. Our hypothesis was that this would prove more accurate if participants intentionally expressed their feelings. Our study consisted of analyzing video from seven participants, each participating in two sessions. Participants were asked to view 20 images, 10 positive and 10 negative, selected from the OASIS image data set. In the first session participants were instructed to react normally, while in the second session they were asked to intentionally express the emotion they felt when looking at each image. We extracted facial action coding units (AUs) from the recorded video and found that on average, intentionally expressed emotions generated 33% more AU intensity across action units associated with both negative emotions (AU1, AU2, AU4 and AU5) and 117% more intensity for AUs associated with positive emotions (AU6 and AU12). We also show that wide variation exists both in average participant responses across images and in individual reactions to images and that simply taking a ration of our identified action units is not sufficient to determine if a response is positive or negative even in the intentionally expressed case.
Pathways of persuasion

Abstract While economic theories of persuasion emphasize the role of self-interest, others emphasize other-regard. To study these pathways, we introduce a simple experimental framework where sellers use free-form conversation to convince buyers to raise their valuations for objects. We find sellers more frequently target buyers' self-interest, and changes in self-interest explain more variation in persuasion overall. Additionally, sellers' gains along one pathway come at a considerable cost along the other. However, when sellers target other-regard, they are at their most persuasive.
On an algorithm for solving Fredholm integrals of the first kind

In this paper we use an iterative algorithm for solving Fredholm equations of the first kind. The basic algorithm and convergence properties are known under certain conditions, but we provide a simpler convergence proof without requiring the restrictive conditions that have previously been needed. Several examples of independent interest are given, including mixing density estimation and a first passage time density function involving Brownian motion. We also develop the basic algorithm to include functions which are not necessarily non-negative and, again, present illustrations.
Perpetuating Inequalities: The Role of Political Distraction in Education Policy:

The 2021 Politics of Education Yearbook brings together scholars from diverse theoretical orientations—including policy studies, critical trans politics, and Critical Race Theory—to explore the pol...
The Role for Metyrosine in the Treatment of Patients With Pheochromocytoma and Paraganglioma.

Context Treatment of pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma (PPGL) requires preintervention titration of alpha- and beta-adrenergic blockade, but patients may still be at risk for complications from catecholamine excess. Metyrosine decreases catecholamine production, making it an attractive therapeutic adjunct for select patients. Evidence acquisition A systematic literature review was performed (Ovid Medline and Scopus databases) on December 17, 2019, including studies with humans and original data. Studies with 10 or more patients on metyrosine for PPGL were included. Studies were screened for overlapping populations, and the most comprehensive study was included. The references of included studies were reviewed for additional data. Patient data from our institution between 2000 and 2015 were also reviewed. Evidence synthesis Metyrosine is well tolerated when used for a short course and can improve intraoperative outcomes in PPGL. Metyrosine should be considered when a difficult PPGL resection is expected (eg, pericardiac paraganglioma, abdominal paraganglioma with great vessel involvement), a large release of catecholamines is anticipated (eg, ablative therapy, chemotherapy), or when standard alpha- and beta-adrenergic blockade are not tolerated or cannot adequately control hypertension. Side effects are generally mild and self-limited, with sedation in a majority of patients. Extrapyramidal side effects are rare but can limit use of metyrosine. Because of its expense and limited availability, metyrosine use should be carefully planned and timed in relation to surgery. Conclusions Metyrosine is a safe addition to traditional alpha- and beta-adrenergic blockade and should be considered in those patients with PPGL at high risk for acute release of catecholamines.
Using bottom trawls to monitor subsurface water clarity in marine ecosystems

Abstract Biophysical processes that affect subsurface water clarity play a key role in ecosystem function. However, subsurface water clarity is poorly monitored in marine ecosystems because doing so requires in-situ sampling that is logistically difficult to conduct and sustain. Novel solutions are thus needed to improve monitoring of subsurface water clarity. To that end, we developed a sampling method and data processing algorithm that enable the use of bottom trawl fishing gear as a platform for conducting subsurface water clarity monitoring using trawl-mounted irradiance sensors without disruption to fishing operations. The algorithm applies quality control checks to irradiance measurements and calculates the downwelling diffuse attenuation coefficient, Kd, and optical depth, ζ– apparent optical properties (AOPs) that characterize the rate of decrease in downwelling irradiance and relative irradiance transmission to depth, respectively. We applied our algorithm to irradiance measurements, obtained using bottom-trawl-mounted archival tags equipped with a photodiode collected during NOAA’s Alaska Fisheries Science Center annual summer bottom trawl surveys of the eastern Bering Sea continental shelf from 2004 to 2018. We validated our AOPs by quantitatively comparing surface-weighted Kd from tags to the multi-sensor Kd(490) product from the Ocean Colour Climate Change Initiative project (OC-CCI) and qualitatively evaluating whether tag Kd was consistent with patterns of subsurface chlorophyll-a concentrations predicted by a coupled regional physical-biological model (Bering10K-BESTNPZ). We additionally examined patterns and trends in water clarity in the eastern Bering Sea. Key findings are: 1) water clarity decreased significantly from 2004 to 2018; 2) a recurrent, pycnocline-associated, maximum in Kd occurred over much of the northwestern shelf, putatively due to a subsurface chlorophyll maximum; and 3) a turbid bottom layer (nepheloid layer) was present over a large portion of the eastern Bering Sea shelf. Our study demonstrates that bottom trawls can provide a useful platform for monitoring water clarity, especially when trawling is conducted as part of a systematic stock assessment survey.
Crowdsourced privacy-preserved feature tagging of short home videos for machine learning ASD detection.

Standard medical diagnosis of mental health conditions requires licensed experts who are increasingly outnumbered by those at risk, limiting reach. We test the hypothesis that a trustworthy crowd of non-experts can efficiently annotate behavioral features needed for accurate machine learning detection of the common childhood developmental disorder Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) for children under 8 years old. We implement a novel process for identifying and certifying a trustworthy distributed workforce for video feature extraction, selecting a workforce of 102 workers from a pool of 1,107. Two previously validated ASD logistic regression classifiers, evaluated against parent-reported diagnoses, were used to assess the accuracy of the trusted crowd’s ratings of unstructured home videos. A representative balanced sample (N = 50 videos) of videos were evaluated with and without face box and pitch shift privacy alterations, with AUROC and AUPRC scores > 0.98. With both privacy-preserving modifications, sensitivity is preserved (96.0%) while maintaining specificity (80.0%) and accuracy (88.0%) at levels comparable to prior classification methods without alterations. We find that machine learning classification from features extracted by a certified nonexpert crowd achieves high performance for ASD detection from natural home videos of the child at risk and maintains high sensitivity when privacy-preserving mechanisms are applied. These results suggest that privacy-safeguarded crowdsourced analysis of short home videos can help enable rapid and mobile machine-learning detection of developmental delays in children.
Naruto v. Slater: One Small Step for a Monkey, One Giant Lawsuit for Animal-Kind

When David Slater left his camera unattended in Indonesia, little did he realize the enormous legal battle that would result from that simple act. With a single snap, a “curious male crested black macaque” named Naruto not only captured an iconic photograph, but also managed to jumpstart a legal campaign to assert animals’ rights to sue in federal court and protect their interests in their created works. If successful, the lawsuit would have been the first legal declaration that an animal owned property. Naruto’s case raised intriguing legal questions and stole the public’s attention. The lawsuit, Naruto v. Slater, even took first place for the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform’s survey of the “Top Ten Most Ridiculous Lawsuits of 2015.” The case has been called “curious,” a “stunt,” and simply “absurd.” But this case, dealing with who owned the resulting “Monkey Selfies” and who could sue to protect those rights, raised intriguing questions about standing for nonhuman entities. It also raised novel questions regarding authorship under the Copyright Act and how creativity is protected in the United States. This Article will explore the intriguing and unique case of the “Monkey Selfies” and its implications in a variety of legal spheres. In Part II, this Article will examine the standing doctrine in general, as well as the legal status of animal standing prior to the Naruto case. In Part III, this Article will turn to consider the facts and circumstances leading up to the Naruto case, the proceedings in the district court, and the subsequent appeal and opinion. Part III will also analyze the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals’ criticism of the binding precedent from the case Cetacean Community v. Bush. In Part IV, this Article will consider the legal consequences of the Naruto opinion: the split within the Ninth Circuit, the implications for animal standing in the future, and the impact of Naruto on other nonhuman entities, including the case’s effect on the Copyright Act specifically.
From evidence to new high-entropy alloys

A data-driven approach uses pieces of evidence from existing alloy databases to effectively recommend high-entropy alloys candidates.
Mosaic: Modeling Safety Index in Crowd by Detecting Face Masks against COVID-19 and Beyond

In addition to rapid vaccination, predicting possible trajectories of the COVID-19 pandemic is critical to health-care-related policy decisions and infrastructure planning. Growing evidence shows that face masks and social distancing can considerably reduce the spread of respiratory viruses like COVID-19. However, the current pandemic trajectory predictions take overly simplified policy input rather than actual observations of face masks and social distancing practices in a crowd. Thus, it is crucial to monitor and understand the extent of masking practices and assess the safety level in a scalable manner. This paper proposes a novel face masking detection system for Modeling Safety Index in Crowd (Mosaic), a Machine Learning (ML)-based approach for detecting masking in a crowd by building new dense mode crowd mask datasets. Mosaic detects, counts, and classifies the crowd's masking condition and calculates spatiotemporal Safety Index (SI) values for each community instead of detecting individual masking cases. SI data can be shared or published to calculate the area-based SI maps (as opt-in data) for assisting effective policy decisions and relief plans against COVID-19. The experimental results show that Mosaic detects various conditions and types of masking states and calculates SI values of a crowd effectively. This paper proposes a novel face masking detection system for Modeling Safety Index in Crowd (Mosaic), a Machine Learning (ML)-based approach for detecting masking in a crowd by building new dense mode crowd mask datasets. Mosaic detects, counts, and classifies the crowd's masking condition and calculates spatiotemporal Safety Index (SI) values for each community instead of detecting individual masking cases. SI data can be shared or published to calculate the area-based SI maps (as opt-in data) for assisting effective policy decisions and relief plans against COVID-19. The experimental results show that Mosaic detects various conditions and types of masking states and calculates SI values of a crowd effectively.
Resolving the Deceptive Isoform and Complex Selectivity of HDAC1/2 Inhibitors

SummaryThe histone deacetylase paralogs HDAC1/2/3 and their corepressor complexes serve as epigenetic master regulators of chromatin function. Over the past decades, HDACs have been widely pursued as pharmacological targets and considerable efforts have been invested in the development of small molecule drugs. Specifically, ortho-aminoanilide derived inhibitors, including CI-994 and Cpd-60, stand out with their attractive selectivity profiles and have been used extensively as tools to delineate the biological roles of specific HDAC isoforms and complexes. Here, we apply a suite of activity-independent strategies to investigate how dynamic processes that regulate HDAC complexes govern the isoform and complex selectivity of HDAC inhibitors. Importantly, we find that overreliance on static and simplified biochemical activity assays has confounded the determination of the biological selectivity of these inhibitors. Our data urge a comprehensive reinterpretation of numerous studies utilizing these tool compounds for the interrogation of epigenetic and other cellular processes.
Developmental pathways of motor dysfunction

Recent evidence has revealed unique patterns of behavioral development after prenatal insult similar to those outlined in studies of adult metabolic dysfunction after prenatal malnutrition. The hallmark features of this Developmental Pathway include a prenatal insult to the nervous system (environmental or genetic) followed by a period of Silent Vulnerability, where no or few functional deficits are observed, and finally emergence of later dysfunction. Possible mechanisms leading to later dysfunction from prenatal insult may include secondary or cascade effects due to the timing of prenatal insults relative to later developing structures in the brain. Methods best employed to study the mechanisms of these pathways are microgenetic and longitudinal designs that include behavioral assessment during the prenatal period of development, and animal models such as the guinea pig.
A little engine that could: domestic private companies and Vietnams pressing need for wage employment

Vietnam's young private sector is growing fast. Crucial to this growth has been a policy environment that increasingly recognizes the importance of private entrepreneurship-particularly its potential to help address the country¹s pressing need for significantly increased wage employment creation. Expanding the benefits of private sector growth beyond urban centers out into the rural areas where most Vietnamese live-and where poverty and underemployment are heaviest-will require significantly increased information flows on what is working and what is not. This paper presents an objective picture of Vietnam's emerging private sector, two years after initial implementation of the country's much praised Enterprise Law. The country's private companies are significantly better off than they were just a couple years earlier, when regional economic recession and stagnation on domestic policy reforms had brought development of the formal private sector to a near standstill. At the same time, the sector's small base means that its impressive rates of job creation still fall far short of matching the booming growth of the overall work force. Information for this paper is based on data collected from Vietnam's General Office of Statistics, a small number of individual company case studies, and a national firm-level survey designed and implemented by the authors. Research for the paper revealed significant gaps in available private sector data and flaws in current data gathering methodologies-calling into question the ability of policy makers and advisors to understand rapid, ongoing economic developments and make appropriate and timely policy decisions. The authors hope that this paper can serve as a starting point and an impetus for more targeted research aimed at identifying and addressing specific obstacles to sustainable and broad based job and wealth creation.
Toward Self-Integrating Software Applications for Supply Chain Management

Each paper in this special issue deals with a particular aspect of supply chain management. Nevertheless, they all point to a common need for meaningful and timely information exchange across the supply chain. The Internet and the existing Web technologies have made the exchange of information essentially free and instantaneous. On the other hand, determining the meaning of that information, which we call integration, is still very costly. Millions of dollars and hundreds of man-years have been spent developing and coding interface specifications and software applications to achieve this integration. While this approach has been successful in the past, it is not a viable approach for the future in which the Semantic Web is becoming an important business strategy. In this paper, we discuss a new approach, called self-integration in which software applications are imbedded in an environment that allows them to integrate automatically. We first provide some background information on integration and then focus on our research on semantic querying, semantic mapping, and semantic inferencing.
On the Mixed Valence Behavior and Cooperative 3D Ordering of a Series of Tris-Oxalato Ferrates: Bu4N{M FeIII(ox)3}(M═MnII(A),FeII(B), CoII(C), NiII(D) and φ4P{FeIIFeIII(ox)3}(E): New Ferrimagnets

Abstract A combination of a.c. susceptometry and Fe57 Mossbauer spectroscopy measurements confirm valence trapped 3D-ferrimagnetically ordered ground states for the title compounds save (A) that orders antiferromagnetically with a very broad maximum in X′m centered at - 50K. Their ground state magnetic behavior is contrasted with the previously demonstrated ferromagnetism of Bu4N{FeIICrIII(ox3} and φ4P{MnIICrIII(ox3)}.
THE EFFECTS OF EXPORTS, PUBLIC DEBT, AND DEVELOPMENT ON INCOME INEQUALITY

Classical economics and most modernization theorists hold that a curvilinear relationship exist between income inequality and development level. In this article that relationship is tested. In addi...
Cognitive resources during sentence processing in Alzheimer's disease.

This study assessed sentence comprehension in Alzheimer's disease (AD) while minimizing executive resource demands. AD patients (n=17) and healthy elderly control subjects (n=17) were asked to detect a word in a sentence. Unbeknownst to subjects, the target word at times followed an incorrect grammatical or semantic agreement. Control subjects took significantly longer to respond to a target word when it immediately followed an agreement violation compared to a coherent agreement, a difference that was not evident when the target word followed the agreement by several syllables. AD patients did not demonstrate a discrepancy between a violation and a coherent agreement in the immediate vicinity of the agreement, but demonstrated a significant delay in their response to a target word when it followed an agreement violation – particularly a violation of a grammatical agreement – by several syllables. Analyses of individual patient performance profiles revealed the pattern of delayed sensitivity to agreements in a majority of AD patients. Correlation and regression analyses associated AD patients’ sensitivity to agreement violations over an abnormally delayed time course with a measure of inhibitory control, although weaker associations were also evident with measures of planning and short-term memory. We hypothesize that difficulty understanding grammatically complex sentences in AD is related to slowed information processing speed that restricts the timely construction of a sentence's structure and limits inhibition of canonical sentence interpretations such as first-noun-is-subject.
Predicting relationships between psychological constructs and genetic characters: An analysis of changing genetic influences on activity in mice

Psychological constructs involving genetic characters can be of two types. The first type involves behavioral characters in which a score in a given direction should consistently confer a selective advantage on an organism across environments and age. Behavioral measurements taken in different situations should show low additive genetic correlations but similar patterns of directional dominance. A composite score summed across many measures representing the construct should show a high proportion of nonadditive genetic variance. Type 2 constructs involve behavior patterns in which high scores confer a selective advantage in some circumstances and a disadvantage in others. Behaviors representing such constructs should be characterized by high additive genetic correlations, suggesting a common set of genes influencing the behaviors at different ages or in different environments. The direction of nonadditive genetic effects should differ in accordance with optimal behavior levels in each test situation. Activity levels of housemice are shown to fit the model of a type 2 construct. Most measures used in human behavior genetics probably also reflect type 2 constructs.
The determination of the masses of Magellanic Cloud planetary nebulae using [O II] doublet ratio electron densities

Spectrophotometric data, including [O II] 3726, 3729 A doublet ratios, are presented for 32 planetary nebulae (PN) in the Magellanic Clouds. It is argued that the electron densities derived from these ratios provide a much better diagnostic for the determination of nebular masses than previously assumed. The 32 PN are classified as either Type I or else as optically thick or optically thin in the hydrogen Lyman continuum. The optically thick PN are found to all have electron densities greater than 6000 cm –3 , while the optically thin PN all have electron densities below 5000 cm –3. The optically thin PN show a range of only a factor of 2.0 in their derived masses, and have a mean ionized mass of 0.27±0.06M⊙⁠. The absolute Hβ fluxes of the optically thick nebulae show a range of only a factor of 1.8. The application of these results to Galactic PN would yield distances which are generally larger than those previously estimated. A method of distance determination is proposed for optically thin PN that uses integrated nebular [O II] electron densities rather than angular diameters.
Effect of seawater intrusion on formation of bromine-containing trihalomethanes and haloacetic acids during chlorination

Abstract This study quantified the formation and speciation of halogenated organic disinfection byproducts (DBPs) during chlorination as a function of seawater intrusion by spiking fresh groundwater with 0.1% to 2% seawater by volume. The four chlorine- and bromine-containing trihalomethanes (THM4) and the nine chlorine- and bromine-containing haloacetic acids (HAA9) were the DBPs investigated. The bromide concentration increased from 38 μg L− 1 in fresh groundwater to 974 μg L− 1 in 2% seawater, and upon chlorination the concentration of THM4 increased from 43 to 206 μg L− 1 and the concentration of HAA9 increased from 39 to 75 μg L− 1. At 0.4% seawater and higher the THM4 concentration exceeded the U.S. EPA maximum contaminant level of 80 μg L− 1. Although the mass concentration of HAA9 increased by nearly a factor of 2 over the seawater range of 0% to 2%, the mass concentration of the five regulated HAAs (i.e., HAA5) remained approximately constant. This is because HAA5 excludes four bromine-containing species. The increase in mass concentrations of THM4 and HAA9 with increasing seawater intrusion was the result of an increased molar formation of DBP species and a shift from chlorinated species to brominated species.
Normal central retinal function and structure preserved in retinitis pigmentosa.

PURPOSE To determine whether normal function and structure, as recently found in forms of Usher syndrome, also occur in a population of patients with nonsyndromic retinitis pigmentosa (RP). METHODS Patients with simplex, multiplex, or autosomal recessive RP (n = 238; ages 9-82 years) were studied with static chromatic perimetry. A subset was evaluated with optical coherence tomography (OCT). Co-localized visual sensitivity and photoreceptor nuclear layer thickness were measured across the central retina to establish the relationship of function and structure. Comparisons were made to patients with Usher syndrome (n = 83, ages 10-69 years). RESULTS Cross-sectional psychophysical data identified patients with RP who had normal rod- and cone-mediated function in the central retina. There were two other patterns with greater dysfunction, and longitudinal data confirmed that progression can occur from normal rod and cone function to cone-only central islands. The retinal extent of normal laminar architecture by OCT corresponded to the extent of normal visual function in patients with RP. Central retinal preservation of normal function and structure did not show a relationship with age or retained peripheral function. Usher syndrome results were like those in nonsyndromic RP. CONCLUSIONS Regional disease variation is a well-known finding in RP. Unexpected was the observation that patients with presumed recessive RP can have regions with functionally and structurally normal retina. Such patients will require special consideration in future clinical trials of either focal or systemic treatment. Whether there is a common molecular mechanism shared by forms of RP with normal regions of retina warrants further study.
Formyl-d aromatic aldehydes

A simple exchange reaction for preparation of aldehydes labeled with deuterium at the formyl carbon is described. It can be successfully accomplished with several aromatic aldehydes, a catalytic or stoichiometric amount of either potassium cyanide or a thiazolium salt, a weak Lewis base, and deuterium oxide as the deuterium source.
UTILIZATION OF C14O2 FOR THE FORMATION OF SOME AMINO ACIDS IN THREE INVERTEBRATES.

Abstract 1. 1. Three invertebrate organisms: the oyster ( Crassostrea virginica ), the land snail ( Otala lactea ) and a brackish water clam ( Rangia cuneata ), were investigated for their ability to incorporated carbon dioxide into the carbon chain of amino acids. 2. 2. C 14 O 2 was effectively incorporated into alanine, aspartate and glutamate by all three organisms although at different rates. 3. 3. Pyruvate-2-C 14 was also incorporated into the same three amino acids. Aspartate-U-C 14 gave rise to labeled glutamate and glutamate-U-C 14 gave rise to labeled aspartate indicating full operation of the citric acid cycle. 4. 4. Transminases linked with the citric acid cycle were measured. The activities of these enzymes can easily account for rapid deamination and reamination of the three amino acids and their corresponding keto acids respectively.
The group algebra of the infinite symmetric group

The rational group algebra of the infinite symmetric group is studied using Young diagrams. Maximal and prime ideals are characterized and the maximal condition on ideals is proved.
Catalase-like activity of chicken egg white: A reconsideration

Abstract Purified chicken ovalbumin was examined by gel filtration and starchgel electrophoresis. Samples were assayed spectrophotometrically for catalase prior to electrophoresis and chemically using the KI-H2O2 technique after electrophoresis. Electrophoretic preparations were also assayed for the presence of ferric ion. Catalase was not found, but catalase-like activity associated with ovalbumin was observed. This activity is presumably an artifact but is not due to the presence of ferric ion, which was restricted to the ovotransferrin region of the electrophoretic pattern.
Multimodal segmentation of optic disc and cup from stereo fundus and SD-OCT images

Glaucoma is one of the major causes of blindness worldwide. One important structural parameter for the diagnosis and management of glaucoma is the cup-to-disc ratio (CDR), which tends to become larger as glaucoma progresses. While approaches exist for segmenting the optic disc and cup within fundus photographs, and more recently, within spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) volumes, no approaches have been reported for the simultaneous segmentation of these structures within both modalities combined. In this work, a multimodal pixel-classification approach for the segmentation of the optic disc and cup within fundus photographs and SD-OCT volumes is presented. In particular, after segmentation of other important structures (such as the retinal layers and retinal blood vessels) and fundus-to-SD-OCT image registration, features are extracted from both modalities and a k-nearest-neighbor classification approach is used to classify each pixel as cup, rim, or background. The approach is evaluated on 70 multimodal image pairs from 35 subjects in a leave-10%-out fashion (by subject). A significant improvement in classification accuracy is obtained using the multimodal approach over that obtained from the corresponding unimodal approach (97.8% versus 95.2%; p < 0:05; paired t-test).
The Restrainer Removed: A Truly Alarming Thought (2 Thess 2:1-12)

While many of the apocalyptic images in 2 Thessalonians have puzzled readers, it is question of the identities of "the lawless one" in 2:8 and "the retrainer" in 2:6 that has occasioned the most debate. The author of the letter is apparently building upon and assuming earlier discussions that the modern reader cannot re-create. However, this article argues that by placing these terms in the context of biblical prophecy, esp. Isa. 14:12-20 and Hab. 2:3, it becomes likely that "the lawless one" is Satan or a representative thereof and that "the restrainer" is God. This reading further suggests that a complex apocalyptic narrative underlies these texts.
Contemporary Urban Japan: A Sociology of Consumption

Preface. Acknowledgements. 1. Approaching Japan through the Study of Consumption. 2. Consumption and Urban Cultures in the Japanese City. 3. The Context of Desire. 4. Shopping and the Social Self. 5. Gender, Class and the Internationalization of Consumption. 6. Consuming Bodies: Media and the Construction and Representation of the Body. 7. Sites and Sights: The Consuming Eye and the Arts of the Imagination in Japanese Tourism. 8. Theorizing Consumption in Urban Japan. References. Index.
Sterol metabolism XV. Rearrangement of cholesterol 20α-hydroperoxide by bovine adrenal cortex mitochondrial cytochrome P-450 preparations

Abstract Cholesterol 20α-hydroperoxide was converted by bovine adrenal cortex mitochondrial cytochrome P-450 preparations at pH 8 to 20α, 21-dihydroxycholesterol and 20α, 22R-dihydroxycholesterol. The rearrangement reaction previously followed by gas chromatography was followed spectrally by means of induced difference spectra. Cholesterol-20α-hydroperoxide did not give an induced difference spectrum with cytochrome P-450 nor did 20α, 22R-dihydroxycholesterol, but the product 20α, 21-dihydroxycholesterol gave a strong Type II induced difference spectrum, thus permitting direct observation of the rearrangement of cholesterol 20α-hydroperoxide to 20α, 21-dihydroxycholesterol. A spectral dissociation constant Ks could be derived from the spectral binding data for 20α, 21-dihydroxycholesterol. These results are discussed in light of our suggestion that cholesterol 20α-hydroperoxide may be an intermediate in the biosynthesis of pregnenolone from cholesterol.
GFR and the concentration of urine in the absence of vasopressin. Berliner-Davidson re-explored.

Robert W. Berliner made many important contributions to our understanding of the urinary concentrating mechanism. Among these, one must number his demonstration that urine can be rendered hyperosmotic to plasma even when vasopressin is absent, as well as his definition of the role of the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in the concentrating process [1, 2]—points that had also been suggested by several other investigators [reviewed in 3, 4]. In postulating how urine might be concentrated without vasopressin purely by changes occurring within the kidney [1], Dr. Berliner expressed the essence of a message, which we still tend to overlook today, namely, that "…although it is commonly stated that the function of ADH is to cause the excretion of a hypertonic urine, its more important function might be better defined as preventing the excretion of a dilute urine." The availability of the Brattleboro rat, which has an inherited deficiency for synthesizing vasopressin [5], made it possible to further explore the mechanisms by which urine can be concentrated in the apparent absence of the hormone. We here review these experiments, paying special attention to the role of GFR in the process.