cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Alterations in macromolecular synthesis and cellular growth in mouse embryo fibroblasts infected with Friend leukemia virus.

The rate of DNA synthesis in secondary mouse embryo fibroblast (MEF-2) cultures was increased following infection with Friend leukemai virus (FLV) as compared to control cultures which were untreated or exposed to heat-denatured virus. A peak was reached between 24 and 48 h after infection. Radioautographic studies revealed that the infected cultures had a higher percentage of cells which incorporated tritiated thymidine into their nuclei as compared to controls. This increase was apparently independent of the ability of the cells to divide, since it was also observed in infected stationary cultures. The rates of cellular RNA and protein synthesis did not appear to be affected by FLV infection. The time required for the cell population to double was one-third shorter in FLV-infected cultures as compared to controls. The shortening of the generation time was found to be due to a decrease in the time required for the cells to traverse the G1 and S phases of the cell cycle. In addition, after 72 h of growth, the infected cultures reached greater population densities than did either of the controls. Alterations de la Synthese Macromoleculaire et de la Croissance Cellulaire dans les Fibroblastes D'Embryon de Souris Infectes par le Virus de la Leucemie de Friend Les auteurs ont constate que, par comparaison avec les cultures temoins non traitees ou exposees a un virus denature par la chaleur, le taux de synthese de l'ADN dans les cultures secondaires de fibroblastes d'embryon de souris (MEF-2) s'est accru apres infection par le virus de la leucemie de Friend (FLV). Un pic a ete atteint 24 a 48 h apres l'infection. L'autoradiographie a revele que les cultures infectees contenaient un pourcentage plus eleve de cellules incorporant la thymidine tritiee a leur noyau que les cultures temoins. Cet accroissement ne semblait pas dependre de l'aptitude des cellules a se diviser, puisqu'on l'a aussi observe dans les cultures stationnaires infectees. Le taux de synthese des proteines et de l'ARN cellulaires ne semble pas affecte par l'infection due au FLV. Le temps necessaire a la population cellulaire pour doubler etait plus court d'un tiers dans les cultures infectees par le FLV que chez les temoins. On a constate que le raccourcissement du temps de generation est dǔ au fait que les cellules mettent moins longtemps a traverser les phases G1 et S du cycle cellulaire. En outre, apres 72 heures de croissance, les densites de population etaient plus grandes dans les cultures infectees que chez les temoins.
Analysis of Some Quadrilateral Nonconforming Elements for Incompressible Elasticity

In this work, some nonconforming elements on arbitrary quadrilateral meshes in solving incompressible elastic equations are analyzed. A uniform optimal convergence rate is established at the incompressible limit $\nu = 0.5$ for both displacement and stresses (or pressure in the case of incompressible flow).
Bovine rhinitis viruses are common in U.S. cattle with bovine respiratory disease.

Bovine rhinitis viruses (BRV) are established etiological agents of bovine respiratory disease complex however little research into their epidemiology and ecology has been published for several decades. In the U.S., only bovine rhinitis A virus 1 (BRAV1) has been identified while bovine rhinitis A virus 2 (BRAV2) and bovine rhinitis B virus (BRBV) were previously only identified in England and Japan, respectively. Metagenomic sequencing of a nasal swab from a bovine respiratory disease (BRD) diagnostic submission from Kansas identified contigs with approximately 90% nucleotide similarity to BRAV2 and BRBV. A combination of de novo and templated assemblies using reference genomes yielded near complete BRAV2 and BRBV genomes. The near complete genome of bovine rhinitis A virus 1 (BRAV1) was also determined from a historical isolate to enable further molecular epidemiological studies. A 5’-nuclease reverse transcription PCR assay targeting the 3D polymerase gene was designed and used to screen 204 archived BRD clinical specimens. Thirteen (6.4%) were positive. Metagenomic sequencing of six positive samples identified mixed BRAV1/BRAV2, BRAV1/BRBV and BRAV2/BRBV infections for five samples. One sample showed infection only with BRAV1. Seroprevalence studies using a cell culture adapted BRBV found immunofluorescence assay-reactive antibodies were common in the herds analyzed. Altogether, these results demonstrate that BRV infections are common in cattle with respiratory disease and that BRAV1, BRAV2 and BRBV co-circulate in U.S. cattle and have high similarity to viruses isolated more than 30 years ago from diverse locations.
Mechanical properties of single-phase and nano-composite metals and ceramics

Abstract Nanocrystalline (n−) Fe, n-TiO2 and a binary n-composite TiO2/ T2Y2O7 were prepared by the inert gas condensation method. For pure nanocrystalline Fe, indentation creep was measured over the temperature range 20°C – 200°C. The creep rate showed nearly logarithmic behavior in time, but increasing strongly with temperature. The ceramic samples were creep tested under uniaxial compression. The results of both indentation creep and uniaxial creep tests are explained by a Coble creep model with strain dependent activation enthalpy.
DESIGNING AND IMPLEMENTING A CAPSTONE GERONTOLOGY SEMINAR: SYNTHESIS AND ACTION

This paper focuses on the design and implementation of Gerontology: Synthesis and Action, the capstone seminar for the undergraduate and graduate certificate in gerontology program at Marylhurst University, a small, private liberal arts university in the Portland, Oregon metropolitan area. The institutional and programmatic context in which this course is located is discussed along with the collaborative, adult-centered learning principles upon which it is predicated. Included are rich descriptions of the week-by-week unfolding of the course, as well as examples of the multifaceted learning projects that organized the ongoing spiral of review, synthesis, and enactment of our current gerontological understanding.
On generalized Ho¨der inequality

inequality may apply to general, paired non-Euclidean norms. We restrict the discussion to finite dimensional spaces. A theorem is established for such generalized Holder inequality together with its sharpness condition. The new sharpness condition involves the gradient of the norm function. The previous inequalities of this type and their associated sharpness conditions become special cases of this new inequality which is a fundamental primal-dual relation of two spaces defined by paired norms on their respective elements. Given an arbitrarily defined primal norm in one space, a method is presented for constructing the dual norm in the other. The generalized Holder inequality is the basis for many known minimax (duality) theorems in applied fields. Particular examples of this duality are found in mathematical models of plastic behavior. Inequalities appear frequently in algebra, geometry and analysis. This form of mathematical statements is so prevalent that it is difficult to state their relevance and applications exhaustively. Inequalities are used to demarcate numbers, vectors, matrices and functions, e.g. to be positive definite; to define sets, norm measures, convexity of sets and functions; to compare and bound functions with another function just to name a few. There are books devoted exclusively to inequalities [ 11. A class of inequalities concerning inner products of vectors and functions can be grouped into two frequently encountered ones in literature although one is a special case of the other. The Schwarz inequality applies to the Euclidean and Hilbert spaces [2]. The Holder inequality extends the concept to certain non-Euclidean and non-Hilbert spaces associated with a specific family of norm measures defined by Minkowski [3]. We shall restrict our discussion to finite dimensional spaces. A further extension of the Holder inequality is presented in this paper for general paired non-Euclidean spaces. The familiar Schwarz inequality for the Euclidean space R” can be stated for the inner product
Design and development of a new class of piezoelectric actuators for force improvement

Piezoelectric actuators are useful for smart structure applications because they are light weight, compact and fast compared to other types of actuators. The two most common configurations, bimorph and stack, have significant limitations on the available force and deflection, respectively, which can be produced. This paper describes a new class of piezoelectric bimorph actuators that supply larger force than the traditional straight cantilever beam bimorph design. These actuators, called C-blocks because of their half circle shape, can produce approximately five times the force of the traditional design with only a slight decrease in the deflection. In addition, they can be combined in series or in parallel like building blocks to form larger actuators that provide improved deflection and/or force capabilities. This paper presents a mathematical model that provides an approach to designing and predicting the force performance of a C-block architecture. This paper also summarizes a set of manufacturing techniques developed to fabricate C-block architectures from polymeric piezoelectric material Polyvinylidene Fluoride (PVdF). These techniques were used to manufacture prototypes used in a Force-Voltage experiment that was performed to measure force performance. The results from these experiments confirm the mathematical model is accurate and the force performance of a C-block architecture is substantially increased in comparison to the force generated from a traditional straight beam bimorph.© (1995) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
A locally computed suboptimal control strategy for a class of interconnected systems

In this paper, a locally computed suboptimal control strategy for a class of interconnected systems is introduced. First, optimal statefeedback control equations are derived for a finite-horizon quadratic cost. Then, the control for each subsystem is separated into two portions. The first portion stabilizes the isolated subsystem, and the second portion corresponds to the interactions. To achieve a locally calculable control, an approximation to the optimal control equations is introduced, and two iterative suboptimal control algorithms are developed. In the first algorithm, the initial conditions of subsystems are assumed to be known; in the second algorithm, this information is replaced by statistical distributions. The orders of errors in the iterations of the algorithm and in the suboptimality are given in terms of interconnections. An example with comparisons is also included to show the performance of the approach.
Intravenous Immunoglobulin as Adjunctive Treatment for Streptococcal Toxic Shock Syndrome Associated with Necrotizing Fasciitis: Case Report and Review

Streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS) is caused by infection with a toxicogenic strain of Streptococcus pyogenes. Clinical manifestations may be those of a mild illness, characterized by malaise, fever, and muscle pain, to severe sepsis and multisystem organ failure. The syndrome may be associated with several invasive infections including necrotizing fasciitis. Treatment is primarily surgical debridement of infected tissue with supportive care, antibiotics, and hemodynamic monitoring. Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) is reported to have beneficial effects in the management of STSS associated with necrotizing fasciitis. The agent was successful in conjunction with surgical excision and antibiotics in a patient with necrotizing fasciitis, toxic shock, and multisystem organ failure. On the basis of this experience and a thorough literature review, we concur that IVIG may be a useful adjunct in the treatment of STSS associated with necrotizing fasciitis.
Protective immunity induced by DNA vaccination of channel catfish with early and late transcripts of the channel catfish herpesvirus (IHV-1)

Seven full-length transcripts encoding four early and three late genes of the channel catfish virus (CCV), ictalurid herpesvirus I (IHV-1), have been cloned following rt-PCR amplification and DNA sequencing. Transcripts were selected based on their predicted association with membrane structures, identification as an envelope glycoprotein, or as a viral capsid protein. The transcripts derived from ORF 6, ORF 7, ORF 8a, ORF 10, ORF 51, ORF 53, and ORF 59 were all shown to be complete and unspliced. Each of the seven ORFs was cloned into a vaccine expression vector designed to support high levels of expression of the inserted sequence in catfish tissues. Solutions of DNA containing one each of the seven CCV ORFs, vector alone or PBS were injected intramuscularly into 4-8 cm catfish. Four to 6 weeks after injection each experimental group was challenged with one LD(50) of CCV. Single injections of DNA expression constructs containing ORF 59, encoding the envelope glycoprotein, or ORF 6, encoding a presumptive membrane protein, were found to elicit the strongest resistance to challenge compared to uninjected, PBS injected or vector injected groups. Even more effective was a combination vaccine pair in which both ORF 59 and ORF 6 expression constructs were injected. Other ORFs did not provide consistent protection to challenge above that observed in control fish. Both percent survival and kinetics of cumulative deaths were improved using the combination DNA vaccine encoding ORF 6 and ORF 59. Both ORF 6 and ORF 59 were able to elicit virus neutralizing antibodies capable of an anamnestic response on viral challenge. We believe this evidence provides adequate proof of principle for the use of DNA vaccines in channel catfish and the effectiveness of the resistance to viral infection they elicit.
Virtual Learning Tool — Course management software

Virtual Learning Tool (VLT) is an advanced server based course management software developed by the College of Engineering and Computer Science (CECS) at the University of Michigan-Dearborn. It allows faculty members with very little web authoring skills to improve on-campus courses and to assist web-based distance learning education programs offered by CECS. VLT is available at no cost to educational institutions.
a Methodology for the Construction of Attitude Measuring Instruments

To the average layman, the distinction between opinion and attitude is artificial at best, and is neither consistent nor logically defensible. For many purposes one need not distinguish between the two. However, when assessing opinion and attitude the disparity becomes quite evident. Opinion surveys are characteristically concerned with replies to specific questions which need not be related. The responses are kept separately as opposed to being combined into a total score. Attitude scales, on the other hand, typically yield a total score indicating both a direction and intensity of an individual's feelings, thoughts, and predispositions to act toward a given concept. Further, in the construction of an attitude scale, the different statements are designed to measure a single attitude or unidimensional variable. The Likert method of constructing attitude measuring instruments requires a large number of judges to indicate their own attitudes by responding to statements thought to pertain to an attitude in question. Five possible responses are provided for each item. The procedure for construction of a Thurstone type scale utilizes the Law of Categorical Judgment as a basis. Statements are obtained and analyzed for the various categories and in final form, the attitude scale is presented to the respondent who indicates statements with which he agrees or disagrees.
Role of reptation in the rate of crystallization of polyethylene fractions from the melt

Abstract The theory of polymer crystallization with chain folding is extended to include the effect of reptation in the melt on the rates of crystallization G I and G II in regimes I and II. The result is that the pre-exponential factors for G I and G II contain a factor 1 n , Where n is the number of monomer units in the pendant chain being reeled onto the substrate by the force of crystallization; n is proportional to the molecular weight. The predicted fall in growth rate with increasing molecular weight is found experimentally in nine polyethylene fractions M z =2.65 × 10 4 to M z =2.04 × 10 5 , corresponding to n z =1.90 × 10 3 to 1.45 × 10 4 . The data on these fractions are analysed to find the reptation or ‘reeling’ rate r and the substrate completion rate g . The values g nuc ∼0.5/ n z cm s −1 and r nuc ∼21/ n z cm s −1 at 400K are obtained from the data in conjunction with nucleation theory adapted to account for reptation assuming a substantial degree of regular folding. These results are consistent with a melting point in the range of ∼142° to ∼145°C. (The analysis using T ° m (∞)=145°C gives values of such quantities as σ σ e and α that are quite similar to those deduced in earlier studies.) An estimate of g (denoted g expt ) that is independent of the molecular details of nucleation theory gives g expt ∼0.4/ n z cm s −1 and r ∼17/ n z cm s −1 at 400K. Calculations of the reptation rate from r 1,2 = (force of crystallization ÷ friction coefficient for reptation in melt), where the friction coefficient is determined from diffusion data on polyethylene melts, leads to r 1,2 ∼17/ n z to 34/n z cm s −1 at at 400K, or g 1,2 ∼0.4/ n z to 0.8/n z cm s −1 . The conclusion is that the reptation rate characteristic of the melt is fast enough to allow a significant degree of adjacent re-entry or ‘regular’ folding during substrate completion at the temperature cited, and that the substrate completion process is governed jointly by the activation energy for reptation Q∗ D and the work of chain folding q . The nucleation theory and the friction coefficient theory approaches are compared, and the formulations found to be essentially equivalent; the ‘reeling’ rate r is found to be proportional to ( 1 n )A 0 (Δf)v 0 exp [− (Q∗ D +q) RT ] , where v 0 is a frequency factor, and A 0 ( Δf ) is the force of crystallization on the pendant chain. The data analysis on the fractions confirms the detailed applicability of regime theory. The growth rate theory presented allows the possibility that the growth front may be microfaceted in regime I.
Xeroderma Pigmentosum: Variants with Normal Dna Repair and Normal Sensitivity to Ultraviolet Light

The subjects are three patients with distinct symptoms of xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) in which the cultured fibroblasts are different from those usually found in this disease. Ordinarily, XP fibroblasts are extremely sensitive to ultraviolet (UV) light and perform reduced amounts of repair replication during the repair of damage to DNA. Cells from the three new variants of XP are indistinguishable from normal cells: their sensitivity to UV light is normal and they perform normal amounts of repair replication. Because of this normal sensitivity, it is unlikely that a defect in any DNA repair mechanism is present in these cases; in microorganisms defects in repair are invariably associated with increased sensitivity. These results imply that a minority of those cases which are clinically diagnosed as XP constitute a biochemically distinct condition, and possible relationships previously inferred between DNA repair and carcinogenesis must be cautiously evaluated. Cells from parents (heterozygotes) of an XP patient with reduced DNA repair also show reduced DNA repair when they are subjected to high doses of UV light which presumably exceed the repair capacity of the partial (heterozygous) repair defect.
A novel minimally invasive technique for spinal cord untethering.

Objective Minimally invasive surgical techniques have been described for the treatment of spinal pathology. Tethered cord syndrome is an under-diagnosed condition of abnormally rigid fixation of the spinal cord that results in spinal cord tension leading to ischemia. It can be the cause of incontinence, scoliosis, and chronic back and leg pain. In situations of spinal cord tether owing to fatty filum or tight filum terminale, the symptoms can be relieved by sectioning of the filum. We present a novel, minimally invasive technique for surgical untethering of the spinal cord by filum sectioning. The pathophysiology of tethered spinal cord and the advantages of minimally invasive surgical management of this entity are discussed. Methods Three patients (ages 14, 35, and 46 yr) presented with long-standing leg and back pain and neuroradiological features of tethered cord syndrome and thickened, fatty filum terminale. Two patients presented with scoliosis and, upon further history, had subclinical incontinence; one of these patients had abnormal urodynamic studies. Results All three patients underwent a minimally invasive approach to the L4/L5 level using the X-tube (Medtronic, Inc., Memphis, TN). A laminotomy was performed and the dura exposed. The dura was then opened and intradural microdissection delivered the fatty filum into the durotomy. Electrical stimulation was performed while the lower extremities and the anal sphincter were monitored for electromyographic activity. After acquisition of positive controls, the filum was identified by the lack of sphincter and lower extremity electromyographic responses and was then cauterized and cut. Dura was repaired with the use of endoscopic instrumentation. All patients had significant improvement of their leg and back pain, and one patient had resolution of the abnormal urodynamics. Conclusion Tethered spinal cords can be safely and effectively untethered using minimally invasive surgery. This technique provides the advantage of reduced soft tissue injury, less postoperative pain, minimal blood loss, a smaller incision, and a shorter hospitalization. The minimal amount of tissue injury generated by this technique may also provide the added advantage of reduced scar formation and risk of retethering.
Robustness and Performance Optimization of Engine Bearing System Using Computer Model and Surrogate Noise

Designing an internal combustion engine involves compromising among multiple performance metrics and targets with multiple control and noise factors. The main challenges are in determining the critical performance metrics, finding the optimal compromise between these metrics, and correctly represent the most important control and noise factors through CAE modeling and optimization. This paper presents a methodology for practical application of robustness and performance optimization using a CAE model. The key element of the methodology is a concept of surrogate noise. With this concept, the multiple noise factors affecting the system performance are represented through a limited number of noise factors for CAE modeling. The other part of the methodology is to substitute complicated and computationally time intensive CAE modeling with a cheap-to-compute Gaussian Kriging model through Optimal Sampling and Design of Experiment. The final part of the methodology is performing multi-criteria robustness and performance optimization as well as performance and robustness confirmation of the optimal design point. The proposed methodology has been applied to a practical problem of designing the IC engine main bearing system. The results of the analysis have provided practical recommendations and directions to drive the main bearing system design. In this paper, the methodology is demonstrated through the presentation of a simplified form of this investigation.© 2004 ASME
Angiotensin II Type 2 Receptor Signaling Attenuates Aortic Aneurysm in Mice Through ERK Antagonism

Angiotensin II (AngII) mediates progression of aortic aneurysm, but the relative contribution of its type 1 (AT1) and type 2 (AT2) receptors remains unknown. We show that loss of AT2 expression accelerates the aberrant growth and rupture of the aorta in a mouse model of Marfan syndrome (MFS). The selective AT1 receptor blocker (ARB) losartan abrogated aneurysm progression in the mice; full protection required intact AT2 signaling. The angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEi) enalapril, which limits signaling through both receptors, was less effective. Both drugs attenuated canonical transforming growth factor–β (TGFβ) signaling in the aorta, but losartan uniquely inhibited TGFβ-mediated activation of extracellular signal–regulated kinase (ERK), by allowing continued signaling through AT2. These data highlight the protective nature of AT2 signaling and potentially inform the choice of therapies in MFS and related disorders.
An Isonema-like flagellate (Protozoa: Mastigophora) infection in larval geoduck clams, Panope abrupta.

Abstract Cultured geoduck clam ( Panope abrupta ) larvae were naturally infected with an Isonema -like flagellate. Free-swimming larval clams were initially infected by flagellates that penetrated the mantle and proliferated within the coelom. Larvae with heavy infections accumulated on the tank bottoms and ultimately died. The protozoan was identified as an Isonema -like flagellate based primarily on the presence of a distinctive ingestion apparatus composed of a microtubule complex, the presence of large, peripherally oriented mitochondria with sparse cristae, subplasmalemmal microtubules, the lack of a pellicle, short flagella, and pronounced metaboly. This is the first report of an invasive, pathogenic Isonema and the first report of a protozoan disease of a larval bivalve mollusc.
Karaoke for quads: a new application of an old recreation with potential therapeutic benefits for people with disabilities

Purpose : Karaoke is a recreational activity whereby individuals sing into a microphone along with the melodies and lyrics provided both visually and auditorily by a machine. Methods : The potential therapeutic benefits of karaoke are explored in terms of increased respiratory strength, endurance, control, and capacity, as well as emotional and physical release for people with disabilities. Results : Although many individuals with disabilities could benefit from this activity, it is likely to be particularly beneficial to people with compromised respiratory systems, such as persons with high-level quadriplegia (tetraplegia). Conclusion : This article examines theoretical considerations and proposes a research agenda. Empirical research would be valuable to confirm the potential benefits of karaoke for people with disabilities.
On c-Bhaskar Rao designs

Abstract We use the theory of balanced incomplete block designs to construct c-Bhaskar Rao designs, also known as generalized balanced matrices, whose rows have constant inner product c. We construct families of c-BRDs with k=3 and c⩾−1 and establish several necessary conditions for the existence of c-BRDs. We also prove that necessary conditions are sufficient for the existence of 1-BRD (v,3,λ), (−1) -BRD(v,3,3), and 2t-BRD(v,3,6t+12s).
Use of a sequential extraction technique to determine the MWD of bulk UHMWPE

The molecular weight distribution (MWD) of bulk ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) was determined by an increasing temperature sequential extraction technique. Using decahydronapthalene (decalin) as the solvent, 5 g samples of UHMWPE were fractionated stepwise from room temperature to 190°C in 10°C increments. Results via high temperature capillary viscometry show that intrinsic viscosity ([η]) ranges from 12.0 to 37.0 dL/g or that the viscosity average molecular weight (Mv) ranges from approximately 1.6 to 7.4 × 106. When the integral distribution is plotted against Mv on logarithmic probability graph paper, a straight line (i.e., a Wesslau distribution) results. Although the present methodology is tedious, many previous problems which have led to degradation are overcome by this technique.
Effects of common radioiodination procedures on the binding of glycoproteins to immobilized lectins

Representative glycoproteins including fetuin, protein A, ovalbumin, alpha 1 acid glycoprotein, and the major glycoprotein of equine infectious anemia virus were labelled with 125I by the chloramine-T or Bolton-Hunter procedure and their binding to immobilized Con A or lentil lectin compared to untreated samples of each glycoprotein. Glycoprotein modification was no greater than one substituted residue per protein molecule. Yet the radioiodinated glycoproteins typically displayed only 0-50% of the lectin binding observed with untreated samples. These results indicate that lectin glycoprotein binding can be markedly altered by minor modifications in protein structure.
Cocaine concentrations in fetal C57BL/6 mouse brain relative to maternal brain and plasma

Abstract Cocaine concentrations in maternal plasma and brain and fetal brain of mice were evaluated as a model for fetal brain exposure during maternal cocaine use. On days 12–18 of gestation, mice (C57BL/6; N = 5–7/group) received SC cocaine-HCl: 20 or 40 mg/kg. Maternal plasma and brain (accumbens and caudate nuclei removed), and fetal brain were collected at 0.5, 1, and 2 h following the last injection. Analysis was by GC-MS. Brain cocaine levels in the dams declined from 9.6 to 3.4 and 20.9 to 12.5 mg/g during the 0.5–1-h period after the low and high doses, respectively, and were 7.5–14.3 times greater than plasma levels. The corresponding fetal brain concentrations changed from 1.6 to 1.3 and 2.9 to 3.4 mg/g. By 2 h, brain cocaine concentrations in dams declined to approximately 10% of their 0.5-h values, with a slower drug decay occurring in fetal brain. Maternal plasma cocaine concentrations correlated with those of maternal brain (r = 0.94, p
Multiple steady states of Methylomonas mucosa for continuous production of polysaccharides

Abstract Polymer production by Methylomonas mucosa was studied at both stable and open-loop unstable (stabilized by a control loop) steady states in continuous cultures. At a feed C : N ratio of 20, at the same dilution rates the polysaccharide yields at open-loop unstable steady states over a range of dilution rates are uniformly higher by 40% while the cell mass yields are lower by 50% than those at stable steady states. The consistency of this result at different dilution rates and C : N ratios has been established. These results suggest a continuous production of polysaccharide at higher yields by purposely operating the continuous bioreactor at open-loop unstable steady state with a stabilizing control loop. Alternatively a fed-batch operation with a programmed feed of methanol could be used.
Naturalism and the Mental

One project which many contemporary philosophers take to be of cardinal importance is the development of a satisfactory naturalistic theory of the mind. Without such a theory, it is feared, the mental will remain forever enigmatic-or, more radically, if the natural world is taken to be all that there is, the deeply ingrained conception we have of ourselves as undergoing and acting on mental states will be threatened. Notwithstanding the widespread agreement that a naturalistic theory of the mind is needed, there is considerable disagreement about precisely what sorts of items in nature mental states are most plausibly taken to be. One straightforward proposal for naturalizing the mental is that it be identified, at both token and type levels, with the physical. However, the suggestion that mental state types are identical with physical state types is generally regarded as untenable. Instead the most popular view today is that mental states are functional states. It is primarily over how this view is to be spelled out further and how the intentional aspects of mental states are to be naturalistically captured that debate of late has centered. My aim in this paper is to undermine the currently popular philosophical project of naturalizing the mental via some sort of type reduction or analysis. This is not because I think that the mind is some eldritch, nonnatural entity whose workings are beyond our understanding. On the contrary, it seems to me evident that the mind has a place in the natural world. Where many philosophers have gone wrong, I maintain, is in believing that psychological naturalism is defensible only if it can be shown either that mental state types have non-mental scientific essences or that our psychological concepts are susceptible to exhaustive, or partial, reductive philosophical analysis. The belief that psychological naturalism requires appropriate type level reductions or analyses is, I might add, fast becoming a dogma in the philosophy of mind. And whether or not it is true that we should let sleeping dogmas lie, this is, I suggest, one dogma that is very much in need of disturbing. The structure of the paper is as follows: I begin by laying out what I take to be the three major brands of fully reductive philosophical naturalism with respect to the mental. After explaining why I am opposed to these views, I turn to a fourth brand of naturalism that is conceptually driven but only partially reductive. This view is also one that I reject. I then go on to develop and defend a naturalistic approach to the mental which is in keeping with our ordinary, pre-theoretical conception of naturalism and which has the effect of rendering all four of the repu-
Beach Processes and Sedimentation, Second Edition

Anyone who has ever ventured to a beach has without a doubt watched in wonder, if not awe, what waves, tides, and currents may produce—or destroy—over timescales ranging from minutes to millennia. The second edition of Beach Processes and Sedimentation clearly and succinctly explains the physical processes responsible for shaping our coastlines. The material is presented at a level suitable for advanced undergraduates with backgrounds in physical science and beginning graduate students in any marine science discipline, including those interested in coastal management or policy. It will also serve as a valuable reference for those who have left their student years behind and for whatever reason find themselves in need of a reintroduction to beach dynamics.
Psychometric characteristics of a quality of communication questionnaire assessing communication about end-of-life care.

The importance of good clinician–patient communication to quality end-of-life care has been well documented yet there are no validated measures that allow patients to assess the quality of this communication. Using a sample of hospice patients (n = 83) and patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (n = 113), we evaluated the psychometric characteristics of a 13-item patient-centered, patient-report questionnaire about the quality of end-of-life communication (QOC). Our purpose was to explore the measurement structure of the QOC items to ascertain if the items represent unitary or multidimensional constructs and to describe the construct validity of the QOC score(s). Analyses included: principal component analyses to identify scales, internal consistency analyses to demonstrate reliability, and correlational and group comparisons to support construct validity. Findings support the construction of two scales: a six-item "general communication skills" scale and a seven-item, "communication a...
Fatigue and creep of high-performance fibers: Deformation mechanics and failure criteria

This paper shows the longitudinal failure of the high-performance fiber having structural extended chain conformation follows a failure criterion based on critical strain. There is a universal critical strain at which fibers fail under fatigue and creep loading as well as under tensile loading. It is speculated that the failure of these high performance fibers is dominated by shear deformation for different loading conditions. The fiber develops permanent deformation under fatigue or creep. The permanent deformation is determined by the applied loading condition and the time of the loading. Two material constants are derived to characterize the fiber deformation under loading and thus the material resistance to external loading: the creep strength and creep strength index for creep loading and the fatigue strength and fatigue strength index for fatigue loading, respectively.
CENIZERO TREE (LEGUMINOSAE: PITHECELLOBIUM SAMAN) DELAYED FRUIT DEVELOPMENT IN COSTA RICAN DECIDUOUS FORESTS

Pithecellobium saman (Leguminosae: cenizero) is one of several species of Costa Rican deciduous forest large trees that flower at the end of the dry season and then bear dormant tiny fruits through the following rainy season, to then abruptly enlarge and mature them during the first third of the next year's dry season. I postulate that this pattern of fruit development in P. saman minimizes the duration of exposure of immature seeds to parrot and insect seed predators, increases the tree's flexibility in the use of photosynthates accumulated for later fruit maturation, increases resource storage costs, and decreases the photosynthetic contribution that fruit and immature seeds can make to the parent tree's resource budget. These consequences imply that the fruiting phenology of P. saman, like that of other trees, is evolutionarily deter­ mined by its interactions with the habitat as well as by internal physiological factors. IN THE LOWLAND DECIDUOUS FORESTS of the Pacific coastal plain of Costa Rica there are numerous species of trees with fruits that ma­ ture as long as 8-12 months after the tree flow­ ers. Some of these trees produce nearly full­ sized green (immature) fruits within 1-2 months after flowering (e.g., Hymenaea courbaril, Hemiangium excelsum, Crescentia alata, Sa­ pranthus palanga). In such species it is very difficult to distinguish between: 1) long fruit development times that are caused by neces­ sarily slow developmental processes; and 2) long development times as physiological be­ havior that is adaptive in generating a ripe fruit crop at an appropriate point that is long after the best time for flowering in the seasonal cycle. In other words, do these trees 'require' 8-12 months to mature fruit or do they 'use' 8-12 months to mature their fruits? In striking con­ trast are those species of trees that produce minute fruits after flowering and then keep them tiny and dormant for the ~ 1 0 months (through­ out the rainy season), and then quite rapidly deVelop them into mature fruits in the dry sea­ son (e.g., Pithecellobium saman, Guazuma ul­ mifolia (Janzen, 1982a), Enterolobium cyclo­ carpum (Janzen, 1982b), Cassia grandis (Janzen, 1971, 1977a». It is clear that in such a delayed fruit maturation pattern the tree is 'using' 8-12 months to mature its fruits rather
Thermo-optical parameters measured in ytterbium-doped potassium gadolinium tungstate

Oriented absorption and fluorescence spectra, refractive indices, thermal expansion, and thermal conductivities are reported for the anisotropic laser material ytterbium-doped potassium gadolinium tungstate, Yb3+:KGd(WO4)2. Measurements of negative values for dn/dT lead to the report of several useful athermal orientations for laser propagation.
Inhibitor strategies to control coleopteran pests

Abstract Enzyme inhibitors from plants are promising candidates for new biocontrol agents but are limited by the inherent compensatory responses to plant inhibitors by insects. We found that inhibitors targeting multiple proteinase classes were necessary to reduce cereal damage by the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum. We proposed that the multiple inhibitor approach was required for efficacy because T. castaneum larvae were able to compensate when fed individual proteinase inhibitors. To investigate the adaptive response, increasing levels of inhibitors that target cysteine and/or serine proteinases were fed to T. castaneum larvae, and the properties of digestive proteinases were examined in vitro. Under normal dietary conditions, T. castaneum larvae primarily used cysteine proteinases to digest food, with minor contributions from serine proteinases. When larvae were fed cysteine proteinase inhibitors, they responded with a dramatic shift from cysteine to serine proteinase-based digestion. A combination of cysteine and serine proteinase inhibitors in the diet prevented such a shift of dietary enzymes, resulting in a significant reduction in growth and increased mortality. These data suggest that by studying the complex of digestive proteinases in a target pest, combinations of proteinase inhibitors can be identified that overcome the adaptive response to inhibitors, thus providing a more effective control of insect pests by inhibitors.
Longitudinal Associations of Alcohol Involvement with Subjective Well-Being in Adolescence and Prediction to Alcohol Problems in Early Adulthood

Adolescent alcohol involvement is associated with numerous negative outcomes, but also appears to have positive correlates, including subjective well-being. Additional research is needed to understand these paradoxical findings. The current study examines alcohol use, adverse alcohol-related (and other substance-related) consequences, and subjective well being in adolescence, and prediction to problem alcohol use in early adulthood. Participants in this longitudinal study, which extended from age 11 to age 21, were 208 rural teens (109 girls) and their families. Covariates included early substance use, early conduct problems, early depressed mood, gender, and parent educational attainment. Structural equation modeling showed that subjective well-being at age 16 positively predicted increased alcohol use at age 18. Alcohol use was not a significant predictor of subjective well-being; however, alcohol use at age 18 positively predicted alcohol problems at age 21, even while controlling for earlier adverse consequences and other predictors. Results help to further elucidate both the negative and positive correlates of underage drinking, and support the value of delaying alcohol initiation.
Malabsorptive Maldigestive Disorder with Concurrent Salmonella in a 3-Year-Old Quarter Horse

History A 3-year-old Quarter Horse mare used for pleasure riding (340 kg) was treated 2 weeks before presentation for a small hind limb laceration by the local veterinarian. The mare was given a tetanus antitoxin booster, and hydrotherapy of the limb was initiated. No antibiotics or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) were prescribed or administered. The mare was pastured with one other gelding (no signs of illness) and fed 3 lb (1.4 kg) of 13% sweet feed twice daily. The mare was returned to the local veterinarian 1 day before referral for a history of anorexia of several days. Blood work demonstrated hypoproteinemia characterized by hypoalbuminemia. The horse was referred at this time for diagnostic evaluation. No fecal production had been observed for 2 days before referral. The horse had a current negative Coggin’s test, had been wormed 2 weeks previously, and, with the exception of the tetanus toxoid booster, had not received any vaccinations during the previous year.
Institutional arrangements for managing the great lakes of the world: Results of a workshop on implementing the watershed approach

The conceptual framework for lake management has evolved at an accelerating rate in recent years to include the basic principles of a watershed approach: (i) citizen and stakeholder involvement is important throughout the planning and management process; (ii) the geographic focus for management activities includes the lake and its entire watershed; and (iii) mechanisms need to be in place to promote cooperation among different government jurisdictions and organizations in the watershed. Creating effective institutional arrangements for implementing this watershed approach in lake regions is perhaps the most challenging and important issue facing the world’s lakes. LakeNet organized a workshop at the 8th International Conference on the Conservation and Management of Lakes in May 1999. This article is a synthesis of the results of the workshop and the eight case reports prepared by the workshop participants published in this special issue. Seven major threats to lakes were identified: (i) accelerated eutrophication; (ii) invasive species; (iii) toxic contamination; (iv) overfishing; (v) water diversion, (vi) acidification; and (vii) climate change. Institutions and institutional arrangements for addressing these issues and for implementing a watershed approach are just beginning to emerge on lakes around the world. All of the institutions described in the case reports were established or formalized during the 1980s and 1990s. The legal mechanisms creating these institutions range from cooperative agreements among jurisdictions for purposes of policy and planning to national laws and international treaties with full regulatory powers. The knowledge base, political will and financial resources for these activities were very small in comparison with the complexity of the task at hand.
STUDIES ON THE MECHANISM OF ACTION OF IONIZING RADIATIONS : VI. THE OXIDATION OF THIOLS BY IONIZING RADIATIONS

Thiol compounds, such as glutathione, 2,3-dimercaptopropanol (BAL), propane-1,3-dithiol, and N-phenylaminopropanedithiol, were readily oxidized by x-rays, beta rays, and gamma rays. The ionic yield for this oxidation was about the same, 3 at pH 7, on irradiation with x-rays and with beta rays; it was 23 per cent less on irradiation with gamma rays. The ionic yield varied with the hydrogen ion concentration, increasing as the pH value increased. There was no reduction of oxidized glutathione on irradiation with dosages of x-rays and gamma rays which produced oxidation of the reduced compound. In the absence of oxygen, the oxidation of thiols by ionizing radiations was only 33 per cent of that obtained in the presence of dissolved oxygen. When the thiol solutions were irradiated in the presence of dissolved oxygen, catalase protected them from oxidation by 17 to 27 per cent.
Hydration effects of Ni2+ binding to synthetic polynucleotides with regularly alternating purine–pyrimidine sequences

High precision ultrasonic and densimetric techniques have been used to study the interaction of Ni 2+ ions with right-handed poly[d(G-C)]·poly[d(G-C)], poly[d(A-C)]·poly[d(G-T)] and poly[d(A-T)]·poly[d(A-T)] in 5 mM CsCl, 0.2 mM HEPES, pH 7.5 at 20°C. From these measurements the changes in the apparent molar volume and the apparent molar adiabatic compressibility due to the interaction have been obtained. The volume effects of the binding, calculated per mole of Ni 2+ ions, range from 11.7 to 23.9 cm 3 mol –1 and the compressibility effects range from 19.3 × 10 –4 to 43.1 × 10 –4 cm 3 mol –1 bar –1 . These data are interpreted in terms of dehydration of the polynucleotides and Ni 2+ ions, i.e. the release of water molecules from the hydration shells of the molecules. An increase in G+C content gives an increase in volume and compressibility effects, indicating a rise in the extent of dehydration. The dehydration effects of Ni 2+ binding to poly[d(GC)]·poly[d(G-C)] are approximately twice those of poly[d(A-T)]·poly[d(A-T)]. The volume and compressibility effects of Ni 2+ –EDTA complex formation have also been measured and used as a model system for quantitative estimation. These values revealed that Ni 2+ ions can coordinate two atomic groups of poly[d(G-C)]·poly[d(G-C)], while in the case of the Ni 2+ –poly[d(A-T)]·poly[d(A-T)] complex volume and compressibility effects correspond to one direct or two indirect (through water) contacts.
Boredom: Where the Future Isn't

This article examines the experience and meaning of boredom in modern society. Boredom is understood as an experience of a lack of momentum or flow in a person's life. Boredom is conceptualized as an interactional phenomenon that is inextricably connected to social rhythm. The communication of boredom is examined with respect to its consequences in self and motive presentation. The article also describes those features of contemporary American life that appear to facilitate the experience and communication of boredom.