cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Unlinked strands as a topological constraint on chromosomal DNA, plasmid integration, and DNA repair

It is proposed that circular chromosomal DNA must be constrained such that the two strands are topologically unlinked. This structure can be replicated without strand breakage (nicking) by locally acting enzymes. The recently discovered form V DNA satisfies this topological constraint. The structure is likely to consist of left-handed and right-handed segments of double helix. The constraint of zero linkage has to be preserved by DNA repair, plasmid insertion and by crossing over. The argument presented in this paper is a topological one, following W. F. Pohl, that linkage is a global property that cannot be measured by locally acting enzymes. In contrast to Pohl no argument in favor of a side-by-side structure is presented. A zero linkage constraint would be hereditary and compatible with a multitude of local structures.
PAH sorption mechanism and partitioning behavior in lampblack-impacted soils from former oil-gas plant sites.

This study assessed polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) association and aqueous partitioning in lampblack-impacted field soils from five sites in California that formerly housed oil−gas process operations. Lampblack is the solid residue resulting from the decomposition of crude oil at high temperatures in the gas-making operation and is coated or impregnated with oil gasification byproducts, among which PAHs are the compounds of the greatest regulatory concern. A suite of complementary measurements investigated the character of lampblack particles and PAH location and the associated effects on PAH partitioning between lampblack and water. PAH analyses on both whole samples and density-separated components demonstrated that 81−100% of PAHs in the lampblack-impacted soils was associated with lampblack particles. FTIR, 13C NMR, and SEM analyses showed that oil−gas lampblack solids comprise primarily aromatic carbon with soot-like structures. A free-phase aromatic oil may be present in some of the lampblack...
Relation Between End-Effector Impedance and Joint Friction of Statically-Balanced Mechanisms

Statically-balanced mechanisms have been widely used for passive compensation of gravity loads in many applications including neurological rehabilitation and micro-/reduced-gravity simulation. For these applications, it is desirable that the used mechanism has minimal impedance the interacting human can feel. Impedance of a statically-balanced mechanism is contributed by many factors including the payload on the end-effector and the joint friction. This paper studies the relation between the end-effector impedance and the load-dependent joint friction for statically-balanced mechanisms. In the study a load dependent joint friction force model was developed. With the model, contribution of the end-effector load or payload on the joint friction can be evaluated, from which the end-effector impedance of the mechanism caused by the joint friction can be computed. The study results are applied to the analysis of a reduced-gravity simulator to evaluate the effect of the joint friction on the end-effector impedance of the mechanism. The findings of the study can help the assessment of the dynamic performance and also help the optimal design of statically-balanced mechanisms.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Higher order mode propagation in nonuniform circular ducts

Higher order mode propagation in a nonuniform circular duct without mean flow was investigated. An approximate wave equation is derived on the assumptions that the duct cross section varies slowly and that mode conversion is negligible. Exact closed form solutions are obtained for a particular class of converging-diverging circular duct which referred to as 'circular cosh duct.' Numerical results are presented in terms of the transmission loss for the various duct shapes and frequencies. The results are applicable to multimodal propagation, single mode propagation, and sound radiation from certain types of contoured inlet ducts, or of sound propagation in a converging-diverging duct of somewhat different shape from a cosh duct.
The role of biliary excretion in the hepatotoxicity of furosemide in the mouse

Abstract [ 35 S]Furosemide, administered iv or ip, was shown by autoradiography to accumulate in the intestinal tract, indicating that excretion through the biliary system occurs. Direct measurement of furosemide in bile showed this process to be both dose dependent and saturable, T m = 350 μg/min/kg. Pretreatment with sulfobromophthalein (BSP) increased the hepatic necrosis of furosemide by blocking its biliary excretion. BSP, when equilibrated with serum, did not alter furosemide binding to serum proteins. Furosemide is tightly bound to serum proteins, showing two classes of binding sites, K D = 7.5 × 10 4 and 1.1 × 10 3 . Increases in the total metabolism of furosemide and in the extent of covalent binding of furosemide metabolites to liver proteins in vivo paralleled the increases in hepatic necrosis observed at high doses. It is concluded that biliary excretion of furosemide in the mouse is an important elimination pathway and that, when the biliary excretion is saturated by high doses of furosemide, or partially blocked by BSP, hepatic necrosis occurs.
CONFUCIAN AND RAWLSIAN VIEWS OF JUSTICE: A COMPARISON

Defendant la conception confuceenne de la justice comme doctrine metaphysique et morale contre la theorie politique non-metaphysique de Rawls, l'A. montre que la principale difference entre le confucianisme et le rawlsianisme reside dans la conception de la justice sociale comme justice distributive. Examinant l'opposition entre les vertus intrinseques et les biens instrumentaux, l'harmonie et l'egalite, l'aristocratie ideale et la democratie liberale, l'economie de la propriete privee et la neutralite contractualiste comme autant d'exemples de desaccords entre la pensee orientale et la pensee occidentale, l'A. montre que le confucianisme classique est incompatible avec la democratie liberale de Rawls, mais peut etre compatible avec une autre version de la democratie qui reste a definir
Use of Practice Guidelines by Clinical Dietitians Impacts the Route of Nutrition Support Resulting in Cost Savings

Abstract The impact of intervention by clinical dietitians at a large teaching medical center was studied over a 3 year period. Current nutrition support guidelines recommend the use of enteral nutrition (EN) over parenteral nutrition (PN) therapy when the gut can be used. Dietitians influence the route of nutrition support at this medical center through patient assessment and recommendations, development of adult PN guidelines, and medical staff education including resident training. It was hypothesized that these efforts would result in a reduction in use of PN and increased use of EN. Data on indications/reasons for initiation of nutrition support were collected on TPN patients (excluding neonates) during February-March, 1997 and compared with established ASPEN criteria. Summary data on days of PN and EN and costs in 1995 and 1997 were obtained from pharmacy and relevant departments. In 87% of cases (45 of 52) in the focus review, PN therapy was determined to be appropriate. The most common reason for initiation of PN was an nonfunctional GI tract in catabolic or malnourished patients. Eighty-two per cent of patients (n=43) were malnourished at the time therapy was initiated. PN usage declined 33% from 1995 to 1997 (11,364 days to 7656 days) while EN usage increased 22% (9684 vs. 11,832 days). Based on the total reduction in PN, cost savings in solutions alone total $217,000 annually. If only potential conversion of PN to EN is considered, cost savings total $116,000 annually. Estimated cost savings do not consider other associated costs including complications or initiation costs which are higher in PN patients. Intervention by clinical dietitians has resulted in appropriate nutrition support with a significant potential costs savings to the medical center.
Remarks on some existence theorems for optimal control

First, a remark is made that a growth condition contained in previous papers by Cesari concerning existence theorems for optimal controls can be replaced by a slightly more general condition. In this more general condition, a constantMźź0 is replaced by any functionMź(t)ź0 which is assumed to beL-integrable in every finite interval. Then, the remark is made that the same condition, which is usually required to be satisfied by the functionsf0(t, x, u),f(t, x, u) characterizing the control, can be required to be satisfied only by the admissible pairsx(t),u(t) of the class Ω in which the optimum is being sought. This generalization requires a subtle argument. The new condition parallels now the usual conditions of the type ź|xź|pdtźM, which are required to be satisfied by the admissible pairs of the class Ω.
Pulsed electrochemical detection of alkanolamines separated by multimodal high-performance liquid chromatography

Pulsed electrochemical detection (PED) is applied to alkanolamines separated by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). A multimodal HPLC column with both cation-exchange and reversed-phase retention modes is used with an acidic mobile phase to assure alkanolamines are in their cationic form. Baseline resolution of alkanolamines, including positional isomers, is possible. Detector response for a representative alkanolamine, tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane (Tris), is shown to be linear over a concentration range of more than three decades. The limit of detection for Tris is 20 nM (500 fmol in a 25-μl injection) and the standard deviation of the PED response for 10 μM Tris is better than 0.4%. HPLC-PED is demonstrated to permit the sensitive and precise determination of alkanolamines in a biological sample (blood) and a commercial formulation (shaving gel) with minimal sample preparation.
The end of the Cuban contradiction in U.S. refugee policy

This article describes and analyzes the Clinton Administrations decision to end the almost automatic acceptance of Cubans as political refugees to the US. The decision came after the Balsero Crisis in July 1994 after many people stormed embassies and diplomatic residences in Havana Cuba demanding asylum and complaining about impoverished living conditions. Riots erupted. The May 2 1995 policy ended the indefinite detention of over 28000 Cubans in safe haven camps repealed the Cuban Adjustment Act of 1966 restricted travel to Cuba halted monetary remittances to Cuba equalized the number of annual visas from Cuba and legalized the return of Cubans adrift at sea. The goals were to solve the immediate migration crisis created by Cubans detained at Guantanamo Bay to implement controls of future waves of Cuban asylum seekers and to oppose Castro with economic and political initiatives. The economic embargo during the 1960s 1970s and 1980s devastated the Cuban economy and led to its alliance with the USSR. Each of the four waves of migration was distinctive in composition and reasons for migrating. By the mid-1990s Cuba was no longer a threat Soviet interests in Cuba had declined and the policy was hoped to bring about the collapse of Castro and promotion of democracy. The 1994 resolution ended the contradictory and preferential treatment of Cubans. It also ended the selectivity of the US in admitting those from countries the US was directly opposed to. The permanence of the embargo due to legislation in 1996 is a push factor for mass migrations.
Customized regular channel design in FPGAs

In this paper, we study the problem of customized regular segmentation design in FPGA routing channels. We propose a deterministic algorithm for segmentation design problem in which each interval is assigned to only one segment (1-Segmentation). We solve the problem of maximum number of incremental track assignment of intervals by mincost network flow technique for 1-Segmentation design. The general K-Segmentation design problem can also be solved by some modifications in our algorithm. We have experimented our algorithm on a set of MCNC benchmarks and compared the routability of the segmented channels with the routability of different segmentations in FPGA routing architectures, one used by industrial Xilinx TM 4000 FPGA series. The experimental results show that the routability of the segmentation in general-purpose architecture can be as low as 18.4% while the routability of our proposed customized segmentation can be as high as 91%. This result shows the gap between the general FPGA routing architecture and customized architecture for a given application can be very significant and our method is capable of generating such optimized segmentation with high routability for a given application.
The responses of simultaneously recorded Purkinje cells to the perturbations of the step cycle in the walking ferret: a study using a new analytical method--the real-time postsynaptic response (RTPR).

Abstract Experiments were performed in ambulating decerebrate ferrets to examine the activity of up to 6 simultaneously recorded Purkinje cells oriented sagittaly during unperturbed locomotion using a new analytical technique, the real-time postsynaptic response (RTPR), which permits a trial-by-trial assessment of the action of the recorded neurons on a simulated cerebellar nuclear cell. The data illustrate that the responsiveness of the Purkinje cells located in a specific region of lobules V and VI is most dramatically modulated by the perturbations of the locomotor cycle and that this responsiveness in the perturbed trials is related to the degree of synchrony of the activated climbing fiber inputs to the cells of the set. The data were interpreted as supporting the gain change hypothesis of climbing fiber function.
Current Research in Alternative Investments

In this section, several articles covering a broad range of alternative investments such as hedge funds, commodities, real estate, and private equity are reviewed.
Thermodynamic properties of gold–water nanolayer mixtures using molecular dynamics

The physical behavior of a fluid in contact with solid layers is still not fully understood. The present work focuses on the study and understanding of thermodynamic and structural properties of gold–water nanolayer mixtures using molecular dynamics simulations. Two different systems are considered, where approximately 1,700 water molecules are confined between gold nanolayers with separations of 7.4 and 6.2 nm, respectively. Novelties of the present work are in the use of accurate force fields for modeling the inter- and intra-molecular interactions of the components, and providing comprehensive thermodynamic properties of the mixtures. The results are validated by examination of the pure fluid and pure solid properties. Results indicate that the thermodynamics of the system does not behave as an ideal mixture. The structure of the pure fluid is also analyzed and compared against the structure of the confined fluid in the mixture. Anisotropicity is observed in the fluid structure close to the surface of the nanolayer. Higher ordering and higher flux are detected in the fluid molecules close to the fluid–solid interface. Unusual thermodynamic behavior, anisotropicity, liquid layering, and higher interfacial fluid flux could be just some of the factors leading to the enhanced energy transport observed in mixtures involving at least one nanoscale component, such as nanofluids.
Effects of iron-chelators on ion-channels and HIF-1α in the carotid body

Acute hypoxia instantaneously increases the chemosensory discharge from the carotid body, increasing ventilation mostly by inhibiting the oxygen sensitive ion channels and exciting the mitochondrial functions in the glomus cells. On the other hand, Fe2+-chelation mimics hypoxia by inhibiting the prolyl hydroxylases and the degradation of HIF-1alpha in non-excitable cells. Whether Fe2+-chelation can inhibit the ion channels giving rise to the sensory responses in excitable cells was the question. We characterized the responses to Fe2+-chelators on excitable glomus cells of the rat, and found that they instantaneously blocked the ion-channels, exciting the chemosensory discharge, and later causing a gradual accumulation of HIF-1alpha. Although initiated by the same stimuli, the two effects (on ion channels and cytosolic HIF-1alpha) possibly occurred by two different mechanisms.
Myeloperoxidase of the leucocyte of normal human blood. I. Content and localization.

Abstract The myeloperoxidase content of the normal human leucocyte has been established as greater than 5% of the dry weight, which is contrary to the often quoted value of 1–2%. The conditions for the preparation of a new cellular particulate in which the peroxidase activity is localized is described; it is heavier than mitochondria, and contains at least 10–30 times more peroxidase than the particulate fractions carrying the cytochrome oxidase activity.
Innovations in collaboration in the design of a low mass vehicle

The Institute for Advanced Vehicle Systems at the University of Michigan-Dearborn conducts research on advanced vehicle systems. Its driving project was the design a low mass vehicle (LMV) 30% lighter than the Toyota Echo. Over 35 individual projects were conducted. Technical results and break-through technologies are summarised. The LMV project involved innovative collaboration among faculty researchers, students from three institutions and industry partners. One innovation was researchers working on a common driving project, assuring that individual projects complement each other. Another was utilising the experience and expertise of industry partners. A third was the automotive design studio, teaming engineering and design students with industry professionals to gain hands-on experience in automotive design. One outcome of LMV research was students gaining what the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology calls 'professional skills' – abilities to communicate effectively and be effective team players. Partner companies say they value graduates with these skills.
Effect of drugs and confinement on vasomotion in the conscious rat.

Abstract Vasomotion in the microvessels of the unanesthetized rat was quantified by recording frequency of closing (cessation of flow) in capillaries and the ratio of time open to time closed. Anesthesia and drugs which block the sympathetic nervous system significantly decreased frequency and increased the ratio. Confinement of rats for two weeks significantly reduced the responsiveness of the microcirculation of these drugs. It is postulated that prolonged reduction in sensory input in confinement reduces neurogenic control of the microvessels by the autonomic nervous system.
Anemia and thrombocytopenia: diagnosis from the blood smear

![Figure][1] A 74-year-old nonsplenectomized male who had cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma of the scalp with locoregional metastases presented to the emergency room for altered mental status. He had completed metastasectomy and chemoradiation 2 months earlier. Imaging studies revealed no
Ready for prime time: Network series devoted to working women in the 1980s

The recent ascendancy of several female producers in male-dominated Hollywood has refocused attention on the portrayal of women on television. This paper addresses trends in network series featuring working female leads during the 1980s, assessing the influence of economic factors (e.g., producer, network) in shaping these portrayals. Results suggest that the networks offered comparable levels of female-lead series, with CBS maintaining a slight lead, owing to prior successes with the format. The number and professional range of criterion series increased through the 1980s — particularly after 1985 — when competition from other carriers (e.g., cable) intensified. A corollary decline of generalized “mass-audience” fare has freed the networks to pursue the female “18–49” demographic in earnest, with a greater frequency and range of working woman portrayals.
Oxygen photochemistry on Pt(111)

ABSTRACT The 308 nm laser induced photodesorption of physisorbed and chemisorbed O on Pt(1 11) has been examined. Photodesorpuon of physisorbed O occurred with 9 x 1020 n2 cross section, and exhibited a sharp cos3' angular distribution and a structured O translational energy distribution, PI(ET), which extended to ET = 1.2 eV. In contrast, photxlesorpflon of chemisorbed 02 OCCUd with 1.8 x 1O° cm2 cross section, and exhibited a broad cosi aiigular distribution and a 02 P(ET)which extended to only ET =0.8eV. Photodesorption mechanisms involvingphotoexcitation of substrate electrons are discussed. 1. INTRODUCTION The ultraviolet photochemistry of oxygen adsorbed on Pt(1 1 1) leads to a remarkablydiverse range of surface processes. Ultraviolet irradiation of chemisorbed O on Pt(1 1 1) gives riseto non4hermal desorption, fragmentation, and conversion between adsorption states.1 Surfacealigned photoreactions with coadsorbed CO,2 ,3 NO, NH, and H produce oxidized photoproducts.4 Despite extensive investigation it has been difficult to definitively establish theunderlying mechanisms for O photochemistry on Pt(1 1 1). Arc4amp studies by Whites involvingpost-irradiation analysis of surface bound species indicated that O photodissociation andphotodesorption cross sections follow different wavelength and angle of incidence dependencies,suggestive of two different photoexcitation pathways. Photodissociation was observed at  315nm and photxlesorption at ?.  460 nm. A recent arc-lamp investigation of coadsorbed CO and Oon Pt(1 1 1) by Ho used CO and O partial pressures as measures of the O photodissociation andphotodesorption, respectively. Photoreaction between coadsorbed CO and O was assumed tooccur by attack on CO by hot 0 atom photofragment The CO and O photoproduct yields werefound to have identical polarization and wavelength dependencies and could be observed for546 nm. The polarization dependence of the photochemistry was consistent with either amechanism of direct light absorption by adsorbed O with optical transition moment in the surfaceplane, or by a substrate mediated, photoexcited carrier mechanism. The disparity between theO,jPt(1 1 1)5 and CO/O,JPt(1 1 1)4 reports may be due to fundamental changes in the photochemistzyinduced by coadsorbed CO or by the assumption in the latter study that the CO photoproduct yieldwas proportional to the O photofragmentation. In nanosecond laser initiated photoreactionsbetween CO and O on Pt(1 1 1),3,6 and in the arc-lamp studies,2A cross sections measured for the
Efficient indexing structure for scalable processing of spatial alarms

We present the design and implementation of a new indexing technique, Mondrian tree. The Mondrian tree indexing method partitions the entire universe of discourse into spatial alarm monitoring regions and alarm-free regions. This enables us to reduce the number of on-demand alarm-free region computations, significant savings of both server load and client-to-server communication cost. We evaluate the efficiency of the Mondrian tree indexing approach and show that the Mondrian tree offers significant performance enhancements on spatial alarm processing at both the server side and the client side.
Demographic and Injury-Related Moderators of Memory and Achievement Outcome in Pediatric TBI

Critical factors affecting traumatic brain injury (TBI) outcome in children and adolescents are explored with an emphasis on an examination of age at injury as a predictor of memory functioning. Age at injury and other injury-related and demographic predictors (i.e., severity, time postinjury, gender, and socioeconomic status [SES]) of memory and achievement outcome were examined in 65 children and adolescents post-TBI compared to 65 age-matched noninjured controls. Although robust findings have been found for age at injury as a general predictor of outcome, age was not found to be a significant predictor of memory functioning following pediatric TBI. Structural equation modeling suggests that the most parsimonious model of post-TBI outcome contains two causally related latent variables: one defined by gender, SES, injury severity, and age at injury, and one defined by general cognitive functioning.
Methamphetamine-stimulated striatal dopamine release declines rapidly over time following microdialysis probe insertion

Abstract To investigate changes in striatal dopamine release over a series of brief methamphetamine (METH) exposures, METH was pulsed three times at 2-h intervals, with the first exposure occurring 2 h after microdialysis probe insertion. Whether METH was administered directly into the striatum via the microdialysate (20 μM of METH for 10 min), or via peripheral intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection (1 mg/kg METH, i.p.), the dopamine (DA) peak elicited by the third METH exposure was only 50% as large as that elicited by the first exposure, 4 h earlier. This decline in the magnitude of METH-induced DA release probably continued over at least 24 h, since the magnitude of a single peak 26 h after probe implantation was only one-seventh of that at 2 h. This reduction in the response to METH was a function of time post-probe insertion, and not of prior METH exposure. Thus, peak size was the same at 6 h post-implantation in animals which received two prior METH pulses or no prior METH pulses, and in both cases this 6-h peak was substantially lower than that at 2 h post-implantation. Circadian influences were also excluded as a factor, because size of the initial METH-induced DA peak did not vary as a function of time of probe implantation. It is concluded that METH-stimulated striatal DA release declines rapidly over time post-probe insertion. When METH exposures occur repeatedly at short intervals, this decline can mimic, but is not caused by, desensitization or depletion in response to prior METH exposure.
Synthesis and characterization of tyramine-derivatized (1 å 4)-linked α-d-oligogalacturonides

Abstract The reducing end C-1 of (1 → 4)-linked α- d -oligogalacturonides (oligogalacturonides), with degrees of polymerization (dp) 3 and 13, was coupled to tyramine via reductive amination in the presence of sodium cyanoborohydride. These derivatives were purified in milligram quantities and structurally characterized. Tyramination of trigalacturonic acid proceeded to completion. The yield of apparently homogeneous tyraminated trigalacturonic acid after desalting was 35%. Derivatization of tridecagalacturonide with tyramine was incomplete. The tyraminated tridecagalacturonide was purified to apparent homogeneity using semipreparative high-performance anion-exchange chromatography (HPAEC) with a yield of 30%. The structures of the derivatized oligogalacturonides were established by 1H NMR spectroscopy and electrospray mass spectrometry.
Bioavailability of Iron Produced by the Corrosion of Steel in Apples

The bioavailability of iron formed by the corrosion of low-carbon steel (99% Fe) in contact with Red Delicious apples was measured in a rat model using a depletion-repletion experiment. The percentage of ingested iron converted to hemoglobin iron (Conversion Efficiency) was 74, 57, and 56%, respectively, for daily doses of 110, 190, and 285 μg of this iron. (Conversion Efficiency for FeSO4 was 46-50%). When compared with FeSO4= 100, the relative biological value of this iron was found to range from 93–153. Ingestion of one Red Delicious apple that has been exposed to eight large iron nails for 24 hr could provide 10–15 mg iron having good bioavailability.
Development of a laboratory test to characterise the behaviour of free gold for use in a combined flash flotation and gravity concentrator model

Abstract Currently there is no process model which simulates the behaviour of gravity recoverable gold (GRG) in flash flotation unit operation. Once developed, such a flash float model could be incorporated into an existing model for gravity concentration. Together, the integrated gravity recovery-flash float model will provide a tool for predicting the recovery of GRG in a closed milling circuit using both batch centrifugal concentration and flash flotation. In order to design a flash flotation model, a reliable laboratory method to characterise the response of GRG when subjected to flash flotation conditions has been developed. This paper details the evaluation of the effects of various chemical (reagent concentrations, sulfide presence, etc.) and operational (airflow, agitation, etc.) parameters on the overall GRG recovery by lab scale flash flotation. Of the factors evaluated, free gold flotation was found to be most impacted by potassium amyl xanthate (PAX) and copper sulfate reagent levels, as well as agitation speed and sulfide mineral additions.
Review: Inhibition of dipeptidyl peptidase-4 with vildagliptin: a potential new treatment for type 2 diabetes:

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a growing problem in most parts of the world. There is now good evidence that controlling hyperglycaemia can help prevent many of the serious complications associated wi...
Polarizing Radiometer Measurements Of Skylight At South Pole Station, Antarctica

In an effort to develop an index of atmospheric turbidity, measurements of the polarization and intensity of light from the sunlit sky were made at the South Pole station, Antarctica. Preliminary data from these measurements at wavelengths of 0.398 and 0.70 μm taken in the vertical plane through the sun are shown and compared with similar data computed for a pure molecular atmosphere overlying a highly reflecting Lambert type surface. The general features of the measured fields are similar to those of the theoretical model, but some consistent discrepancies exist for both the intensity and degree of polarization. It is suggested that the discrepancies are probably due to the fact that a Lambert type surface is not a good approximation to the actual snow surface which exists at the South Pole.© (1977) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
GM1 Ganglioside treatment after global ischemia protects changes in membrane fatty acids and properties of Na+, K+‐ATPase and Mg2+‐ATPase

An examination was made of the effects of ganglioside GM1 (i.m.) on the losses of membrane fatty acids (palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic, and arachidonic), the plasma membrane enzyme Na+, K+-ATPase, and the mitochondrial membrane enzyme Mg2+-ATPase, associated with global ischemia 24 hr after permanent unilateral occlusion of the carotid artery in Mongolian gerbils. While there was a significant loss of fatty acids in saline controls, no loss was detected in membranes from GM1-injected gerbils. Rather, we found an increase in membrane fatty acid content, indicative of altered turnover. A 38% loss of Na+, K+-ATPase and a 36% loss of mitochondrial Mg2+-ATPase observed in membranes from saline controls was reduced in membranes from GM1-injected animals to losses of 15% and 8% respectively. These effects are further described by analyses of enzyme kinetics (apparent Vmax and apparent Km). After 1 week of storage, the activities of both membrane ATPases from saline controls decreased substantially more than from GM1-injected animals, suggesting that the GM1 membranes were better "preserved." Since there was a minimal loss in protein content after 24 hr of ischemia, these results indicate that systemically injected GM1 may protect structure and function of plama membranes during the acute phases of ischemic injury.
Effects of CO2 exposure and physical aging on the gas permeability of thin 6FDA-based polyimide membranes. Part 1. Without crosslinking

Abstract The changes in permeability of He, O2, N2, CH4 and CO2 through thin films (∼350 nm) of 6FDA-based polyimides with and without DABA units in the chain were monitored as a function of aging time at 35 °C using different methodologies that varied the exposure of these films to CO2. A pulse of CO2 exposure after aging causes the permeability of each gas to increase; the change is greater the larger the probe gas molecule. Continuous exposure to CO2 over 100 h leads to a larger increase in permeability than periodic CO2 exposure over the same period, but the trends are basically similar for the two cases. After a CO2 pulse, the permeability relaxes and approaches the aging response established prior to CO2 exposure. The change in refractive index for CO2 exposed films is consistent with the change in gas permeability in most regards; however, the recovery of refractive index following CO2 exposure is somewhat less than observed by permeability. Periodic exposure to CO2 during aging seems to retard the decline in gas permeability with the effect being greater for larger probe molecules. An increase in CO2/CH4 and O2/N2 selectivities with aging was observed for thin films that were never exposed to CO2 while these selectivities decrease with aging when periodic exposure to CO2 was imposed.
A possible new highly stable fulleride cluster: Li12C60

Abstract Recent electrochemical evidence appears to indicate that in the solid state it is possible to obtain a stable compound of stoichiometry Li12C60. Prompted by these findings we have investigated by ab initio molecular dynamics the possibility that Li12C60 might exist as a stable cluster. Our results show that a structure with Ih symmetry is stable, which also corresponds to a HOMO-LUMO gap of the same order as that of C60. The presence of the Li atoms induces a polarization of the electronic states of the cage, and gives rise to a significant weakening of the double bonds. From a molecular dynamics simulation we compute the frequencies of the optically active vibrational modes.
Evliya çelebi in the Circassian lands: Vampires, tree worshippers, and pseudo-Muslims

Evliya Celebi (1611–c. 1685), the Ottoman traveller (scholar, courtier, raconteur, dervish, musician, and linguist) journeyed the entire empire and beyond over the course of forty years and authored what is considered the largest travel account in history (ten volumes), providing a unique record of his times. This article focuses on his travels in the Circassian lands where he encountered vampire witches, polities with no rulers, vegetarian tribes, and “other jollities”. His travelogue replete with references to their population, settlements, and troops sheds light on the religious, cultural, and linguistic characteristics of the Circassians as well as their incipient Islamisation.
Relationship of ambient temperature to serum prolactin in heifers.

SummaryFour heifers were exposed to 10° and 27° for 5 days after preconditioning to 21° in a controlled environment chamber. Serum prolactin decreased from 13 to 4 ng/ml during the 4-hr interval when ambient temperature was reduced from 21° to 10°. Prolactin increased from 8 to 22 ng/ml during the 3-hr period when ambient temperature was increased from 21° to 27°. During 5 days of chronic exposure to 10°, serum prolactin was 38% lower (P < 0.05) than during a control period at 21°; and while at 27°, heifers had twice the concentration of serum prolactin (P < 0.10) as those at 21°. Injection of 10 μg of thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH) caused serum prolactin to increase within 5 min from 20 to 140 ng/ml in heifers at 27° and from 8 to 70 ng/ml in heifers at 10°. We conclude that ambient temperature influences basal and TRH-stimulated concentrations of serum prolactin in heifers.
Adaptive median filter algorithm to remove impulse noise in x-ray and CT images and speckle in ultrasound images

An adaptive median filter algorithm to remove impulse noise in x-ray images and speckle in ultrasound images is presented. The ordinary median filter tends to distort or lose fine details in an image. Also, a significant amount of the original information in the image is altered. The proposed algorithm considers the local variability over the entire image to ensure that the fine details are preserved and more than 90 percent of the original information is retained. The robustness of the algorithm is demonstrated by applying it to images from different modalities like diagnostic x-ray, CT, portal imaging and ultrasound.
Publisher's Note: “High yield fabrication of multilayer polydimethylsiloxane devices with freestanding micropillar arrays” [Biomicrofluidics 7, 056503 (2013)]

This article was originally published online on 28 October 2013 with “polydimethylsiloxane” misspelled in the title, first line of the abstract, and second line of the Introduction. AIP Publishing apologizes for these errors. All online versions of the article were corrected on 31 October 2013. The title appears correctly above.
Exocytosed Protons Feedback to Suppress the Ca2+ Current in Mammalian Cone Photoreceptors

A proton pump acidifies synaptic vesicles and provides the electrochemical gradient for transmitter uptake. Although external protons can modulate membrane voltage- and ligand-gated conductances, the fate of the protons released when vesicles fuse with the plasma membrane is unclear. In the dark, the glutamate-laden vesicles of cone photoreceptors fuse continuously with the plasma membrane. I now show that vesicular protons feed back to block the nearby calcium channels that mediate release. This local proton-mediated feedback is a novel mechanism through which neurons may regulate the release of transmitter.
Diesel-Ignited Propane Dual Fuel Low Temperature Combustion in a Heavy-Duty Diesel Engine

This paper presents an experimental analysis of diesel-ignited propane dual fuel low temperature combustion (LTC) based on performance, emissions, and in-cylinder combustion data from a modern, heavy-duty diesel engine. The engine used for these experiments was a 12.9-liter, six-cylinder, direct injection heavy-duty diesel engine with electronic unit diesel injection pumps, a variable geometry turbocharger, and cooled exhaust gas recirculation (EGR). The experiments were performed with gaseous propane (the primary fuel) fumigated upstream of the turbocharger and diesel (the pilot fuel) injected directly into the cylinders. Results are presented for a range of diesel injection timings (SOIs) from 10° BTDC to 50° BTDC at a brake mean effective pressure (BMEP) of 5 bar and a constant engine speed of 1500 RPM. The effects of SOI, percent energy substitution (PES) of propane (i.e., replacement of diesel fuel energy with propane), intake boost pressure, and cooled EGR on the dual fuel LTC process were investigated. The approach was to determine the effects of SOI while maximizing the PES of propane. Dual fuel LTC was achieved with very early SOIs (e.g., 50° BTDC) coupled with high propane PES (> 84%), which yielded near-zero NOx (< 0.02 g/kW-hr) and very low smoke emissions (< 0.1 FSN). Increasing the propane PES beyond 84% at the SOI of 50° BTDC yielded a high COV of IMEP due to retarded combustion phasing (CA50). Intake boost pressures were increased and EGR rates were decreased to minimize the COV, allowing higher propane PES (∼ 93%); however, lower fuel conversion efficiencies (FCE) and higher HC and CO emissions were observed.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
De Gustibus Est Disputandum

While rational choice theorists have made great advances in their study of institutions and structures (and how they affect behavior), they have made less progress toward understanding the origins of values. I propose that the emerging field of evolutionary psychology complements rational choice theory by providing a theory of values, and that current explanations of values and preferences, such as learning, norms, and identities, are all compatible with evolutionary psychology, which provides more ultimate explanations for these proximate causes of behavior. The incorporation of evolutionary psychology into rational choice theory can also solve some of the persistent puzzles of rational choice theory: Why do so many players in Prisoner’s Dilemma games make the irrational choice to cooperate? Why do people participate in collective action? Why do people sometimes behave “irrationally” by acting on their emotions? Why does rational choice theory appear to be more applicable to men than to women?
Decision analysis to optimize the outcomes for class II division I orthodontic treatment

Selection of the treatment method of choice in orthodontics is usually a question of the clinician's personal preference and is generally based on subjective criteria. Orthodontic treatment of malocclusions is unlike treatment of a disease and hence terms such as success and failure are relative and undefined. Ideally, both patients and providers should be able to arrive at treatment decisions that have the greatest potential for optimum outcomes at minimal cost and risks. This article applies the method of decision analysis to demonstrate how policy choices between "Done-stage" or "twostage" treatment of Class II Division 1 malocclusions for children between 11 and 14 years old can be based on objective criteria. A decision tree was designed to yield the value of payoffs, or outcomes, at each of the possible terminal nodes, and the probability of each payoff. Both positive (ie, improvement in malocclusion) and negative lie, extraction of teeth and long treatment duration) attributes of outcomes were considered, and numerical values, or "utilities," were assigned to each outcome. For this model, one-stage nonextraction treatment yields the highest probability of maximum benefit. Further applications of decision analysis to resolve clinical uncertainties in orthodontics are discussed.
Video processing for DLP display systems

Texas Instruments' Digital Light Processing TM (DLPTM) technology provides all- digital projection displays that offer superior picture quality in terms of resolution, brightness, contrast, and color fidelity. This paper provides an overview of the digital video processing solutions that have been developed by Texas Instruments for the all-digital display. The video processing solutions include: progressive scan conversion, digital video resampling, picture enhancements, color processing, and gamma processing. The real-time implementation of the digital video processing is also discussed, highlighting the use of the scanline video processor (SVP) and the development of custom ASIC solutions.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Application of Travelling Wave Resonators to Superconducting Linear Accelerators

with the case for arbitrary loss usually presented. The TWR equations are shown to take the identical form, in the absence of a mismatch, as the expressions for the standing wave superconducting accelerator with beam loading. 6 At SLAC a twefoot long TWR test accelerator (project Leapfrog) is currently under construction. A thorough understanding of TWR behavior is necessary for the successful design and operation of such a device. In the following sections of this paper the basic relations describing the behavior of the TWR accelerator are summarized. In the final section some implications of the theory for the Leapfrog accelerator are given. The description of TWR behavior as presented here is necessarily brief. Details of the derivations and a more extensive discussion are given in Ref. 7.
Effects of Barnacle Encrustation on the Swimming Behaviour, Energetics, Morphometry, and Drag Coefficient of the Scallop Chlamys Hastata

Barnacle encrustation negatively in£uenced every aspect of swimming in the scallop Chlamys hastata measured in this study. Scallops swam signi¢cantly longer, travelled further and attained greater elevation once epibiotic barnacles had been removed. Shell morphometry of barnacle-encrusted scallops was similar to shells of unencrusted scallops. Speci¢cally, shell length was positively allometric with shell height and shell mass was negatively allometric. However, adductor muscle mass scaled isometrically to shell height, in contrast to unencrusted scallops. In the laboratory, the drag coe⁄cient (Cd) of barnacle-encrusted scallops decreased after barnacle removal, in contrast to sponge-encrusted scallops in which no decrease in Cd was detected when the sponge was removed from the scallop’s valves. Furthermore, scallops swimming with barnacle encrustation required more energy than did unencrusted scallops. Although there was no signi¢cant diierence in aerobic energy expenditure between swimming barnacle-encrusted and unencrusted scallops, diierences in anaerobic energy expenditure were detected. Speci¢cally, barnacle-encrusted scallops required more arginine phosphate than unencrusted scallops to swim to exhaustion although octopine levels were similar. Thus, barnacle encrustation dramatically decreased a scallop’s ability to swim, partly by increasing the drag coe⁄cient experienced by the scallop and the energy required for swimming.
Attaching Analytic Spaces to an Analytic Space Along a Pseudoconcave Boundary

It is sometimes possible to create new mathematics by relaxing by complication the hypotheses of existing theorems so that the proofs still work. That is what has happened in the present case. The essential ideas and techniques used here are to be found among the papers of Bishop [2, 3, 4], Grattert [5, 6] and Andreotti and Gratjert [2]. We shall freely refer to details within these paners.
Effects of prior hamstring strain injury on strength, flexibility, and running mechanics

Abstract Background Previous studies have shown evidence of residual scar tissue at the musculotendon junction following a hamstring strain injury, which could influence re-injury risk. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether bilateral differences in strength, neuromuscular patterns, and musculotendon kinematics during sprinting are present in individuals with a history of unilateral hamstring injury, and whether such differences are linked to the presence of scar tissue. Methods Eighteen subjects with a previous hamstring injury (> 5 months prior) participated in a magnetic resonance (MR) imaging exam, isokinetic strength testing, and a biomechanical assessment of treadmill sprinting. Bilateral comparisons were made for peak knee flexion torque, angle of peak torque, and the hamstrings:quadriceps strength ratio, as well as muscle activations and peak hamstring stretch during sprinting. MR images were used to measure the volumes of the proximal tendon/aponeurois of the biceps femoris, with asymmetries considered indicative of scar tissue. Findings A significantly enlarged proximal biceps femoris tendon volume was measured on the side of prior injury. However, no significant differences between the previously injured and uninjured limbs were found in strength measures, peak hamstring stretch, or muscle activation patterns. Further, the degree of asymmetry in tendon volume was not correlated to any of the functional measures. Interpretation Injury-induced changes in morphology do not seem discernable from strength measures, running kinematics, or muscle activation patterns. Further research is warranted to ascertain whether residual scarring alters localized musculotendon mechanics in a way that may contribute to the high rates of muscle re-injury that are observed clinically.