cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Population structure and linkage disequilibrium in Lupinus albus L. germplasm and its implication for association mapping

White lupin (Lupinus albus L.) has been around since 300 B.C. and is recognized for its ability to grow on poor soils and application as green manure in addition to seed harvest. The seed has very high levels of protein (33–47 %) and oil (6–13 %). It also has many secondary metabolites that are potentially of nutraceutical value to animals and humans. Despite such a great potential, lupins role in modern agriculture began only in the twentieth century. Although a large collection of Lupinus germplasm accessions is available worldwide, rarely have they been genetically characterized. Additionally, scarce genomic resources in terms of recombinant populations and genome information have been generated for L. albus. With the advancement in association mapping methods, the natural populations have the potential to replace the recombinant populations in gene mapping and marker-trait associations. Therefore, we studied the genetic similarity, population structure and marker-trait association in a USDA germplasm collection for their current and future application in this crop improvement. A total of 122 PI (Plant Inventory) lines were screened with 18 AFLP primer pairs that generated 2,277 fragments. A subset of 892 polymorphic markers with MAF >0.05 (minor allele frequency) were used for association mapping. The cluster analysis failed to group accessions on the basis of their passport information, and a weak structure and low linkage disequilibrium (LD) were observed indicating the usefulness of the collection for association mapping. Moreover, we were also able to identify two markers (a p value of 1.53 × 10−4 and 2.3 × 10−4) that explained 22.69 and 20.5 % of seed weight variation determined using R LR 2 . The implications of lack of geographic clustering, population structure, low LD and the ability of AFLP to map seed weight trait using association mapping and the usefulness of the PI collections in breeding programs are discussed.
Unsteady Euler cascade analysis

The results of an investigation of the rotor-stator interaction phenomena in turbomachines are presented. Numerical study was carried out by solving the unsteady Euler equations in the blade-to-blade direction for a variety of cascade geometries. The problem of uneven rotor and stator blades is addressed by adopting the tilted time domain technique. Computed solutions are presented and discussed for a NACA 0012 type cascade and the first stage fuel turbopump of the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME).
Determination of potassium and magnesium status of soils using different soil extraction procedures in the upper part of mesopotamia (in the Harran plain)

Abstract It is a common belief that most of the Turkish soils are rich in potassium (K) and magnesium (Mg) for crop production and that there is no crop response to fertilization of these nutrients. However, it is currently a common agricultural practice by farmers to use an excess amount of K and, in some instances, Mg fertilizers especially for horticultural cash crops. Two biological (pot and Neubauer experiments) and four chemical extraction methods (0.3 N HCl, 0.5 N HCl, 1 N NH4OAc, and 0.5 N NaHCO3) were employed to measure the amounts of extractable K and Mg in the selected ten soil series of Harran Plain (Fertile Crescent) in the upper part of the Mesopotamia area. Italian grass (Lolium italicum) and barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) were used as test plants in the pot and Neubauer experiments, respectively. The amount of slowly available K extracted using four chemical extraction methods were much higher in two soil series (Ekinyazi and Akcakale) than that of the other soil series. The Akcakale series ...
Interstitial Nd:YAG laser ablation in normal rabbit liver: trial to maximize the size of laser-induced lesions.

In order to apply interstitial laser ablation to relatively small liver tumors in humans, it will be necessary to optimize the irradiation schedule. Nd:YAG laser was applied to normal rabbit liver in vivo at various power and energy outputs, including a protocol in which irradiation was repeated twice, with and without fiber tip advancement during the intermission. Ex vivo and in vivo tissue were also irradiated to determine the effect of perfusion on the lesion size. We obtained the same monotonic relationship between laser settings and lesion size in rabbit liver as we previously reported in rat liver. MR-guided fiber advancement between heating periods increased the transverse diameter of the lesion, and MR monitoring demonstrated this process. Our results suggest that repeated irradiation with brief intermissions, when combined with fiber advancement, may increase the lesion size. © 1992 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
HMG-I(Y) Phosphorylation Status as a Nuclear Target Regulated through Insulin Receptor Substrate-1 and the I4R Motif of the Interleukin-4 Receptor

Abstract Interleukin (IL)-4 is a cytokine that regulates both the growth and differentiation of hematopoietic cells. Its ligand binding specificity and important signal transduction mechanisms are conferred by the IL-4 receptor α chain (IL-4Rα). The I4R is a tyrosine-containing motif within IL-4Rα that is critical for proliferative responses to IL-4. Although the I4R also contributes to gene regulation, nuclear targets directly regulated by this motif have not been described. It is shown here that the tyrosine at position 497 in the I4R is critical for regulation of the phosphorylation status of a set of nuclear proteins that includes HMG-I(Y), small non-histone chromosomal proteins involved in the control of gene expression in hematopoietic cell lines. Moreover, IL-4 is unable to induce HMG-I(Y) phosphorylation in insulin receptor substrate-1-deficient cells, and the inhibitor wortmannin completely blocks IL-4 regulation of HMG-I(Y) phosphorylation status but not activation of an IL-4 Stat protein. Taken together, these data indicate that HMG-I(Y) is a nuclear target whose phosphorylation status is regulated through the I4R motif via insulin receptor substrate proteins, independent of activation of the Stat pathway.
An exact solution to the classical, anisotropic Heisenberg model with long-range Kac interactions

A rigorous derivation is given for the “constant-magnetization” free energy density of the classical, anisotropic Heisenberg model with long-range Kac interactions. The derivation involves bounding arguments similar to those used for a classical fluid by Lebowitz and Penrose. The present work is carried out in a constant-magnetization ensemble. The free energy density is determined exactly under a quadruple-limiting process. The limits involved are a Lebowitz-Penrose type of triple-limiting process, followed by a final limit,x→ 0, wherex is a parameter which represents the range over which each component of the net spin density can vary. Explicit equations of state are determined for the special case of zero short-range interactions plus pure Kac-type long-range interactions.
Prediction of water‐retention of milled pine bark‐sand potting media from laboratory analyses of individual components

Abstract A mathematical equation which estimates water‐retention of synthesized milled pine bark‐sand pottinq media from laboratory analyses of each medium component was formulated and tested. The equation is the weighted sum of water retained by each component at a specified tension level. Media samples were sequentially subjected to 0‐, 10‐, 50‐, and 100‐cm water tension for 72 hours. Regression equations describing measured and estimated water retention at each pressure level increased linearly with increasing volumetric percent bark. The two regression equations corresponding to each tension level were not statistically different indicating that the equation for estimating water retention is reliable with synthesized pine bark‐sand media.
Nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy in a child with optic disk drusen

Optic disk drusen are calcific deposits that form in the optic nerve head secondary to abnormalities in axonal metabolism and degeneration. The clinical course is variable, ranging from stable vision to acute or progressive visual loss. We evaluated a healthy 12-year-old boy with a history of asymptomatic bilateral disk drusen who presented with acute painless unilateral visual loss after hiking to an altitude of 11,000 feet. Findings were consistent with nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy.
EFFECTS OF POLYPHOSPHATES ON CARBONYL VOLATILES OF POULTRY MEAT2

Cooking poultry meat with polyphosphates has been found to decrease the production of carbonyl volatiles. 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine solution was used to trap carbonyl volatiles during oxidative cooking. Gas chromatography and mass spectrometry studies of the regenerated carbonyls indicated that there was no qualitative change in carbonyls obtained from polyphosphate-treated samples as compared to those of controls. The carbonyls in cooked poultry meat were hexane extracted and analyzed as their 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazones. Partition column chromatographic data also showed that there was no qualitative difference in carbonyls of poultry meat cooked with or without polyphosphates. Addition of polyphosphates decreased dicarbonyls, methyl ketones and 2,4-dienals.
Modularity in signaling systems

Modularity is a property by which the behavior of a system does not change upon interconnection. It is crucial for understanding the behavior of a complex system from the behavior of the composing subsystems. Whether modularity holds in biology is an intriguing and largely debated question. In this paper, we discuss this question taking a control system theory view and focusing on signaling systems. In particular, we argue that, despite signaling systems being constituted of structural modules, such as covalent modification cycles, modularity does not hold in general. As in any engineering system, impedance-like effects, called retroactivity, appear at interconnections and alter the behavior of connected modules. We further argue that while signaling systems have evolved sophisticated ways to counter-act retroactivity and enforce modularity, retroactivity may also be exploited to finely control the information processing of signaling pathways. Testable predictions and experimental evidence are discussed with their implications.
Regularization of non-commutative SYM by orbifolds with discrete torsion and SL(2,Bbb Z) duality

We construct a nonperturbative regularization for Euclidean noncommutative supersymmetric Yang-Mills theories with four ( = (2,2)) , eight ( = (4,4)) and sixteen ( = (8,8)) supercharges in two dimensions. The construction relies on orbifolds with discrete torsion, which allows noncommuting space dimensions to be generated dynamically from zero dimensional matrix model in the deconstruction limit. We also nonperturbatively prove that the twisted topological sectors of ordinary supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory are equivalent to a noncommutative field theory on the topologically trivial sector with reduced rank and quantized noncommutativity parameter. The key point of the proof is to reinterpret 't Hooft's twisted boundary condition as an orbifold with discrete torsion by lifting the lattice theory to a zero dimensional matrix theory.
Ground-State and Excited-State C⋮C Stretching Frequencies of Dimetallapolyyne Redox Congeners. Direct Evidence for Metal→Alkynyl π-Back-Bonding

Paramagnetic [K(crypt-222)][Mo2(C⋮CSiMe3)4(PMe3)4] ([K(crypt-222)]1) is prepared by one-electron reduction of Mo2(C⋮CSiMe3)4(PMe3)4 (1) by K(C10H8) in the presence of crypt-222. The ν(C⋮C) frequencies for 1 and [K(crypt-222)]1 in their ground states and δ → δ* electronic excited states are controlled by the occupancy of the δ(M2) and δ*(M2) orbitals, lying in the order 1 (δ2) > 1* (δ1δ*1) > [K(crypt-222)]1 (δ2δ*1) > [K(crypt-222)]1* (δ1δ*2); this order indicates that M→C⋮CSiMe3 π-back-bonding is of increasing importance across this series.
Incidental learning as a function of anticipated task difficulty

Three experiments were conducted to demonstrate the effects of motivational arousal, due to anticipated task difficulty, on retention of familiar and unfamiliar incidental materials. Brehm, Wright, Solomon, Silka, and Greenberg (1983) have provided evidence that motivational arousal in immediate anticipation of a task is a nonmonotonic function of task difficulty, with difficult tasks producing a relatively higher level of motivational arousal than easy or impossible tasks. It was predicted that increased motivational arousal would facilitate retention of incidentally presented familiar materials (presumably more easily retained) and interfere with retention of incidentally presented unfamiliar materials (presumably less easily retained). In Study 1, subjects anticipating either an easy or a difficult task were exposed to familiar and unfamiliar first names. The predicted interaction between task difficulty and familiarity on recall of the first names was reliably supported. In Study 2, an impossible task condition was added. The results indicated that an effective impossible condition had not been created. In a third study designed as a procedural modification of Study 2, the predicted nonmonotonic interaction was found. Theoretical implications are discussed.
Adenine nucleotides as universal stoichiometric metabolic coupling agents.

Summary The adenine nucleotides participate in every extended metabolic sequence, and thus serve as stoichiometric coupling agents linking all of the chemical activities that constitute life. Each metabolic sequence may be assigned an ATP coupling coefficient—the number of molecules of ATP regenerated (or used) when a mole of substrate is degraded or a mole of product formed. The ATP coupling coefficient for any metabolic conversion is an evolved phenotypic characteristic of the organism, and it determines the thermodynamically feasible direction of conversion under physiological conditions. Thus the unidirectionality of metabolic sequences is a direct consequence of the values of their ATP coupling coefficients. Using these coupling coefficients, “prices,” expressed in ATP equivalents, may be assigned to metabolites. Metabolism may thus be viewed as a problem in the allocation of resources. This approach may be pedagogically useful in focusing attention on metabolic interrelation-ships, rather than on individual sequences for their own sakes. It also explains the need for universal kinetic control of metabolic sequences by the energy charge of the adenine nucleotide pool.
The President's Page: Apollo Belvedere [Guest Editorial]

It is five years since the first human beings landed on another planet and then returned to earth. It is almost two years since the last Apollo mission returned to earth from the moon. The excitement of Apollo 11 which reached a large proportion of the population of planet earth is now a quiet, majestic fact in history. The excitement and interest in scientific aspects of all the Apollo missions is active and has grown into an evolving study of our sister planet.
Intelligent pattern recognition and applications on biometrics in interactive learning environment

This talk deals with some fundamental aspects of biometrics and its applications. It basically includes the following: Overview of Biometric Technology and Applications, Importance of Security: A Scenario of Terrorists Attack, What are Biometric Technologies? Biometrics: Analysis vs Synthesis, Analysis: Interactive Pattern Recognition Concept, Importance of Measurement and Ambiguity, How it works: Fingerprint Extraction and Matching, Iris, and Facial Analysis, Authentication Applications, Thermal Imaging: Emotion Recognition. Synthesis in biometrics, Modeling and Simulation, and more Examples and Applications of Biomedical Imaging in Interactive Fuzzy Learning Environment. Finally, some future research directions are discussed.
FISSION STUDIES OF THORIUM, URANIUM, AND PLUTONIUM ISOTOPES WITH (t,pf) REACTIONS.

Experimental results are reported on fission probabilities and fragment angular correlations for ($t, \mathrm{pf}$) reactions on $^{230}\mathrm{Th}$, $^{232}\mathrm{Th}$, $^{234}\mathrm{U}$, $^{236}\mathrm{U}$, $^{238}\mathrm{U}$, $^{238}\mathrm{Pu}$, $^{240}\mathrm{Pu}$, and $^{242}\mathrm{Pu}$ targets. Systematic variations in the experimental results are used to qualitatively discuss properties of the fission barrier and low-lying transition-state spectra for these even-even nuclei.
Religious Values and Healthcare Accommodations: Voices from the American Muslim Community

BACKGROUND Minority populations receive a lower quality healthcare in part due to the inadequate assessment of, and cultural adaptations to meet, their culturally informed healthcare needs. The seven million American Muslims, while ethnically and racially diverse, share religiously informed healthcare values that influence their expectations of healthcare. There is limited empirical research on this community’s preferences for cultural modifications in healthcare delivery.
Essentializing Dilemma and Multiculturalist Pedagogy: An Ethnographic Study of Japanese Children in a U.S. School

This article examines some Japanese children's experiences at a U.S. elementary school, as well as their teachers' pedagogical responses. Two discourses of difference—“individual difference” and “social/cultural difference”—were used in the school in somewhat dichotomous ways, and the combination worked against those children who had difficulty adjusting. A third pedagogic discourse of difference needs to be constructed to aid teachersfacing essentializing dilemmas.
Contemporary approaches to the treatment of tics in Tourette syndrome

Tic disorders are relatively common disorders of childhood. The tics range from mild to severe and show a fluctuating course over time. Moreover, in most cases, the tics tend to decline in number and frequency by early adulthood. Given this range of severity and natural history, tics may not require treatment. When tics are frequent, forceful and cause interference in everyday life, medication is indicated. Several medications have been used in the treatment of tics, but only a few have been carefully studied. This paper reviews the range of medications that have been used in the treatment of tics and provides practical information about clinical management of children and adolescents with tic disorders.
Modulation of insulin-like growth factor I mitogenic signaling in 3T3-L1 preadipocyte differentiation.

Insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) stimulates mitogenesis in proliferating 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. However, IGF-I functions to stimulate differentiation once growth arrest occurs at confluence. Epidermal growth factor (EGF) is also a potent mitogen in these cells, but inhibits differentiation of preadipocytes. We compared mitogenic signaling via the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway in response to IGF-I or EGF in proliferating, growth-arrested, and differentiating 3T3-L1 cells. IGF-I stimulation of MAPK was rapid and maximal in proliferating 3T3-L1 preadipocytes, but decreased greatly in differentiating cells. EGF was more potent than IGF-I in stimulating MAPK activity in 3T3-L1 cells, and activation of MAPK was maintained in differentiating cells. These results suggest an uncoupling of MAPK activation specific to IGF-I-mediated 3T3-L1 preadipocyte differentiation. Studies of proximal signaling revealed Shc phosphorylation and Shc/Grb2 complex formation in IGF-I-treated proliferating, but no...
Pubis Angelical: Where Puig Meets Lacan

Abstract In 17 April 1989, at the 92nd Street Y in New York City, Manuel Puig (1932–1990) gave a public reading from his sixth novel, Eternal Curse on the Reader of These Pages. Following the reading, Puig took questions from the audience; they focused primarily on the still relatively recent film adaptation of his fourth novel, Kiss of the Spider Woman (which, in a few years' time, would be made into a Broadway musical).
Patterns, linesums, and symmetry☆

Abstract Two questions about the existence of structured matrices with given linesums and given zero–nonzero patterns are settled: when is there a symmetric matrix and when is there a skew-symmetric matrix? The solutions use some ideas from prior treatment of the analogous problems without structural constraints, but the current results require new conditions and new methodology.
A randomized trial of extra-amniotic saline infusion versus laminaria for cervical ripening

Objective: To compare extra-amniotic saline infusion versus laminaria for cervical ripening and labor induction. Methods: Patients of at least 34 weeks' gestation with a Bishop score of 3 or less were randomized to either laminaria ripening for 6 hours or more followed by oxytocin induction versus initiation of extra-amniotic saline infusion at the start of oxytocin induction. Indications for induction included 41 weeks' gestation or greater, hypertensive disease, diabetes, oligohydramnios, suspect fetal growth, and nonreassuring fetal testing. Results: There were no significant differences in maternal age, race, parity, gestational age, or indications for induction between the two groups (extra-amniotic saline infusion group, n = 26, laminaria group, n = 26). After only 3 hours of oxytocin induction, patients in the extra-amniotic saline infusion group achieved an identical distribution of Bishop scores compared with the patients in the laminaria group after 6 hours or more of pre-induction ripening as well as 3 hours of oxytocin induction. There were no differences in rates of cesarean delivery (extra-amniotic saline infusion 35%, laminaria 35%), infectious complications, or neonatal outcomes between the two groups. The induction-to-delivery interval (± standard deviation) was significantly shortened with extra-amniotic saline infusion (extra-amniotic saline infusion 12.9 ± 5.7 hours versus laminaria 16.9 ± 7.1 hours, P = .03). In addition, fewer cesarean deliveries were performed for failed inductions (cervix less than 5 cm dilated) in the extra-amniotic saline infusion group (one of 26 versus six of 26, P = .049). Conclusion: Extra-amniotic saline infusion offers potential advantages over the use of laminaria. Extra-amniotic saline infusion saves a significant amount of time both by obviating the need for pre-induction cervical ripening and in shortening the induction-to-delivery interval. Also, fewer patients required cesarean delivery for failed induction of labor with extra-amniotic saline infusion.
Small DNA deletions creating avirulence in Streptococcus pyogenes

The M protein is the antigen on the surface of group A streptococci that allows these bacteria to resist phagocytosis. DNA encoding the M12 protein was cloned into Escherichia coli and used as an isotopically labeled hybridization probe to compare genomic DNA's isolated from M+ and M- isogenic cultures in an effort to elucidate the genetic basis of this variation. DNA's from two spontaneous, independent M- variants contained small (approximately 50 base pairs) deletions which were mapped to identical restriction fragments within or adjacent to the M protein coding sequence. Taken together with the pleiotropic nature of these deletions, this suggests that they define a regulatory switch.
Maximum Likelihood Estimation of Markov-Process Blob Boundaries in Noisy Images

Effective and elegant procedures have recently appeared in the published literature for determining by computer a highly variable blob boundary in a noisy image [1]-[3]. In this paper we point out that if the blob boundary is modeled as a Markov process and the additive noise is modeled as a white Gaussian noise field, then maximization of the joint likelihood of the hypothesized blob boundary and all of the image data results in roughly the same blob boundary determination as does one of the aforementioned deterministic formulations [2]. However, the formulation in this paper provides insights into and optimal parameter values for the functions involved and reveals suboptimalities in some of the formulations appearing in the literature. More generally, we agree that maximization of the joint likelihood of the hypothesized blob boundary and of the entire picture function is a fundamental approach to boundary estimation or the estimation of linear features (roads, rivers, etc.) in images, and provides a powerful mechanism for designing sequential, parallel, or other boundary estimation algorithms. The ripple filter, an advanced form of region growing, is briefly introduced and illustrates one of a number of alternative algorithms for maximizing the likelihood function. Hence, this likelihood maximization approach provides a unified view for seemingly different approaches, such as sequential boundary finding and region growing. Bounds on the accuracy of boundary estimation are readily derived with this formulation and are presented.
Mass transfer from small ascending bubbles

A simple model of a spherical bubble rising through a layer of liquid with mass transfer of part, or all, of its contents is considered. The effects of the changing hydrostatic pressure, the material transfer and of surface tension are accounted for and the various types of behaviour exhibited in a phase plane of size and content.
Remote, semiautomated production of 6-[18F]fluoro-L-dopa for human studies with PET.

Abstract Regioselective radiofluorodemercuration of the 6-mercurio derivative 5 with [ 18 F]acetylhypofluorite afforded, after acidic hydrolysis, 6-[ 18 F]fluoro- l -3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (6-FD, 1 ) with a radiochemical yield of 11% (decay corrected and based on the total amount of [ 18 F]F 2 recovered from the target). 6-FD was obtained with a chemical and radiochemical purity of > 99% and with a level of mercury in the final preparation of less than 20 ppb. Utilization of a remote, semiautomated production system, resulted in the preparation of a sterile, pyrogen-free product suitable for human injection after a synthesis time of 50 min.
Google mystery workshop

This workshop will explore a new Google technology involving documents and programming (not yet unannounced by the paper submission deadline).
MISSING DATA: A CONCEPTUAL REVIEW FOR APPLIED PSYCHOLOGISTS

There has been conspicuously little research concerning missing data problems in the applied psychology literature. Fortunately, other fields have begun to investigate this issue. These include survey research, marketing, statistics, economics, and biometrics. A review of this literature suggests several trends for applied psychologists. For example, listwise deletion of data is often the least accurate technique to deal with missing data. Other methods for estimating missing data scores may be more accurate and preserve more data for investigators to analyze. Further, the literature reveals that the amount of missing data and the reasons for deletion of data impact how investigators should handle the problem. Finally, there is a great need for more investigation of strategies for dealing with missing data, especially when data are missing in nonrandom or systematic patterns.
Inventory grouping for joint replenishment

Abstract In this paper we study the problem of grouping inventory items so as to replenish jointly all the items belonging to the same group. We show that, to minimize the total storage and ordering cost, for such a policy the items belonging to a group must be consecutive in the values of their usage cost rates. Using this property we develop a simple recursion for the grouping problem. We also show, from our computation results, that the composition of such groups is remarkably close to that of the A/B/C type of groups, thereby giving theoretical credence to the simple and much used control system.
Postoperative cognitive function as an outcome of regional anesthesia and analgesia

Background and Objectives: It has been suggested that intraoperative neuraxial (spinal, epidural) anesthesia may decrease postoperative cognitive dysfunction when compared with general anesthesia, but the issue remains controversial. We systematically reviewed the data from published studies to determine the effect of intraoperative neuraxial anesthesia versus general anesthesia on postoperative cognitive dysfunction and delirium. Methods: Studies were identified by searching the PubMed database of the National Library of Medicine (1966 to 2003) for terms related to cognitive dysfunction after surgery. Inclusion criteria were a comparison of intraoperative neuraxial anesthesia versus general anesthesia, and the outcome of postoperative cognitive dysfunction. A total of 196 abstracts were identified, and 24 articles were analyzed. Each article was reviewed, and data were extracted from tables or text or extrapolated from figures as needed. Results: Of the 24 trials obtained, 19 were randomized and 4 were observational (nonrandomized) trials (1 trial was a combination of randomized and observational data). The age of patients studied was typically greater than 60 years, and a wide range of neuropsychometric tests were used to evaluate cognitive function. The majority of trials (23/24 of all trials and 18/19 of randomized trials) did not demonstrate a benefit from neuraxial anesthesia in decreasing the incidence of postoperative cognitive dysfunction. Conclusions: The use of intraoperative neuraxial anesthesia does not appear to decrease the incidence of postoperative cognitive dysfunction when compared with general anesthesia. There are methodologic and study-design issues present in many studies, and further elucidation of the pathophysiology of postoperative cognitive dysfunction may provide a direction for future studies.
Quantification of bacterial lead resistance via activity assays.

The level of microbial resistance to heavy metals is an important issue for the microbial ecology of heavy metal-contaminated habitats. However, assays based upon growth in nutrient media will overestimate the resistance level due to metal ion interactions with inorganic and organic components. The analysis of Pb-resistant bacteria isolated from soils containing up to 38 mmol total Pb.kg−1 indicated that PYT80B medium which did not contain inorganic salts, contained low amounts of organic matter, and was buffered with a molecule that did not interact with metal ions (2-N-morpholinoethanesulfonic acid (MES)) provided the lowest estimates of lead resistance. However, better results were obtained by assaying metabolic activity (aerobic respiration) of resting cells suspended in 10 mM MES. By this criterion, 50% inhibition of Arthrobacter JS7 was found at 37 μM Pb(NO3)2. The effects of Pb+2 concentrations upon respiration of resting cells and growth rate in PYT80B medium were similar. The activity assay also showed that metal resistance was induced to higher levels when Arthrobacter JS7 was grown in the presence of Pb.
Pulmonary Subpleural Arteriolar Diameters during Intestinal Ischemia/Reperfusion

Adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) often occurs in response to sepsis, shock, or ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) of a remote organ and is a frequent cause of mortality in the ICU patient. Pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) increases during ARDS, yet direct observations of the pulmonary microcirculation are needed to characterize the vascular response. The purpose of this study was to quantitate the changes in hemodynamic variables, subpleural arteriolar diameters (AD), and alveolar cross-sectional areas (ACSA) during intestinal I/R-induced lung injury in rats, using a new method of in vivo videomicroscopy. Sprague-Dawley rats were anesthetized and cannulated, and superior mesenteric arteries were looped. A thoracotomy was performed with animals ventilated with air with 1 cm PEEP. Hemodynamic and videomicroscopic data were obtained before and during 45 min of SMA occlusion and after reperfusion, up to 120 min. Maximal vessel dilation was measured using topical 10(-5) M nitroprusside. The ability of vessels to constrict was confirmed by applying topical 10(-6) M endothelin-1. Intestinal I/R produced decreases in arterial pH, mean arterial pressure, and cardiac output. Despite these alterations, subpleural AD remained maximally dilated. Arterioles maintained the ability to constrict as demonstrated by the response to topical endothelin-1. ACSA did not change, indicating a uniform inflation of the lung. Using a unique method of in vivo pulmonary videomicroscopy, we have shown that AD do not change following 120 min of intestinal I/R, despite systemic hemodynamic instability. It appears that pulmonary arteriolar vasoconstriction does not contribute to increased PVR during the early phase of lung injury.
Putative nuclear triiodothyronine receptors in tadpole liver during metamorphic climax.

It has been shown previously that the maximum binding capacity (MBC) of the putative 3,5,3′-triiodothyronine (T3) receptor in red blood cells (RBCs) and tail tissue of Rana catesbeiana tadpoles is increased during development (1,2), and can be stimulated in RBCs by treatment with thyroid hormone (TH) (3). The present study was performed to determine if the MBC of tadpole liver nuclei is also increased during development or following treatment with TH. Because of the relatively high levels of endogenous TH in tadpoles during climax and the slow rate of dissociation of the hormone-receptor complex (4), the use of an in vivo saturation assay employing [125I]T3 was not feasible. Thus, a method was developed for determining MBC by injecting sufficient stable T3 to just saturate the receptors, and then quantifying total nucleus-bound T3 and plasma T3 concentrations by RIA. Non-saturable (NS) binding was determined by injecting tadpoles with 10 nmol T3. Under these conditions, the contribution of the saturable binding sites to total binding was expected to be insignificant. Thus, when total T3 bound to nuclei was plotted against plasma T3 concentration, the NS binding could be represented as a line drawn between the origin and the point designating the nucleus-bound T3 after injection of 10 nmol T3. The quantity of T3 bound to the saturable sites after injection of a lower dose of T3 was then obtained by subtracting from the value for total nucleus-bound T3, the amount of T3 bound to NS sites at the same plasma T3 concentration. Preliminary studies using isotopic techniques in premetamorphic tadpoles indicated: 1) that comparable values for MBC were obtained when data were analyzed by this method and by Scatchard analysis; 2) that saturation of the nuclear receptors was almost complete following injection of 200 pmol T3/tadpole.
Two types of paracrystalline inclusions in the Leydig cell of the Chinese hamster (Cricetulus griseus).

The ultrastructure of two types of paracrystalline inclusions is described, for the first time, in the Leydig cell of the Chinese hamster ( Cricetulus griseus ). The subunit structure of both types of inclusions consists of 5-nm-wide microfilaments differing only in the arrangement and shape of the microfilaments. The electron-dense microfilaments of the type A inclusion are usually in a serrated pattern with an equidistant 5-nm interval separating them. The type B inclusion has pairs of straight microfilaments separated by a 5-nm interval. Other microfilaments course at right angles to the paired units. Both types of inclusions are absent in the newborn, rarely found in the sexually immature, and commonly found in the sexually mature and aged animals. Both inclusions are found in the cytoplasm of Leydig cells, but only the A inclusion is found in the nucleoplasm. Their functional role is not yet determined, but the inclusions are commonly found in Leydig cells whose ultrastructural characteristics indicate normal steroidogenesis.
The Instructional Priority System A Method for Assessing the Educational Environment

The IPS helps to identify and prioritize instructional needs based on the demands of the mainstream instructional environment
Geodesic Binding for Degenerate Character Geometry Using Sparse Voxelization

We propose a fully automatic method for specifying influence weights for closed-form skinning methods, such as linear blend or dual quaternion skinning. Our method is designed to work with production meshes that may contain non-manifold geometry, be non-watertight, have intersecting triangles, or be comprised of multiple connected components. Starting from a character rest pose mesh and skeleton hierarchy, we first voxelize the input geometry. The resulting sparse voxelization is then used to calculate binding weights, based on the geodesic distance between each voxel lying on a skeleton “bone” and all non-exterior voxels. This yields smooth weights at interactive rates, without time-constants, iteration parameters, or costly optimization at bind or pose time. By decoupling weight assignment from distance computation we make it possible to modify weights interactively, at pose time, without additional pre-processing or computation. This allows artists to assess impact of weight selection in the context in which they are used.
Technical note: Safety of high pressure injections through a flow switch stopcock

The safety and efficacy of high-pressure injection through a stopcock was tested using a disposable flow switch model. Multiple catheters, contrast agents, injection rates, and pressure combinations were used. These demonstrated that, after insuring the adequacy of the stopcock connections, there will be no leakage, decrease in injection rate, or increase in required pressure when injecting through the flow switch stopcock even at levels appropriate for aortic and pulmonary arteriography.
On the gearing of methyl groups in hexamethylbenzene

Empirical force field calculations were performed on hexamethylbenzene to elucidate the internal motions of the methyl groups. When the benzene ring is constrained to be planar (as in solid-phase studies), the methyl groups undergo a geared, disrotatory motion. When this constraint is relaxed, results are force field dependent. Calculated barriers are in good agreement with experimentally determined values.
Increased vulnerability of newly forming beta cells to cytokine-induced cell death

Aims/hypothesis Beta cell destruction in type 1 diabetes is apparently mediated by the release of cytokines. We questioned whether cytokine-induced apoptosis preferentially kills replicating beta cells.
A Reconfigureable Passive Solar Test Facility

A 12′ by 24′ passive solar test building has been constructed on the campus of the University of Louisville. The building envelope is comprised of structural insulated panels (SIPs), 12″ thick, (R-value of 45 ft2F/Btu) for the floor and walls and 16″ (R-63) for the roof. The building is divided into two symmetrical rooms with a 12″ SIPs wall separating the rooms. All joints between panels are caulked to reduce infiltration. Each room contains one window (R-9) on the north side wall, and two windows (also R-9) facing south for ventilation and daylighting, but which will also provide some direct gain heating. The south wall of each room features an opening that will accommodate a passive solar heating system so that performance of two systems can be compared side-by-side. The overhang above the south openings is purposely left short to accommodate an awning to provide adjustable shading. The calculated loss coefficient (UA) for each room of the building is 6.07 W/K. Each room is also equipped with a data acquisition system consisting on an SCXI 1600 16 bit digitizer and an SCXI 1102B isolation amplifier with an SCXI 1303 thermocouple module. Pyranometers are placed on the south wall and the clerestory wall to measure insolation on the solar apertures.For initial tests, one room is equipped with an original heat pipe system previously tested in another building, while the other is equipped with a modified heat pipe system. Changes to the modified system include copper absorbers versus aluminum, an adiabatic section constructed of considerably less thermally-conductive DPM rubber than the copper used for the original design, and one of the five condenser sections of the heat pipes is exposed directly to the room air to provide early-morning heating. Experimental results will be compared to simulations with as-built building characteristics and actual weather data. Previous simulations with a load to collector ratio of 10 W/m2K, a defined room comfort temperature range between 65°F to 75°F, and TMY3 weather data for Louisville, KY, showed that the modified heat pipe wall design improves annual solar fraction by 16% relative to the original design.© 2012 ASME
The USA encourages international tourism

Describes how, in response to a weakened market share, the USA sponsored the White House conference on travel and tourism which was held in October 1995. A highly successful event, the conference proposed strategies and tactics which encourage international travel to the USA. Suggests that, on the one hand, this conference points to future increased competition which the USA will exert within the international tourism industry. On the other hand, believes the findings and suggestions of the conference may be useful to the European travel and tourism industry as it forges tactics for its own future growth.
Circular Extinction Imaging: Determination of the Absolute Orientation of Embedded Chromophores in Enantiomorphously Twinned LiKSO4 Crystals

Crystals of lithium potassium sulfate dyed during growth with Chicago sky blue or pyranine were investigated with a recently developed circular extinction imaging microscope originally intended for capturing circular dichroism. The resulting micrographs provide evidence of anomalous circular extinction, an effect that can arise when strong oscillators embedded in an otherwise homogeneous, anisotropic medium are oriented and rotated in the same sense with respect to the eigenmodes of the host. Our images reflect the previously determined twin laws in LiKSO 4 and establish the assignment of the absolute orientation of the dye molecules in the crystal, a supramolecular stereochemical subtlety that we have long struggled with.
Islands in the mind: dynamic subdivisions of association cortex and the emergence of a Darwin Machine

Abstract To model cognitive processing, language construction and ‘intelligence’ at a neurophysiological level using darwinian evolutionary mechanisms requires more than a survival-of-the-fittest principle. Darwinism is about the copying success of patterns, typically DNA strings; here I outline a seconds-to-minutes competition between different spatiotemporal firing patterns in a multifunctional cortical workspace. The proposed mechanism for recall from a passive distributed memory into an active working memory is analogous to genotypes and phenotypes. The evolution of ephemeral working patterns is accelerated by cortical equivalents of the roles played by climate change and lowered sea level in island biogeography. Chimeric islands containing a pastiche of patterns are judged against episodic memories in a way that bears some correspondence to the known organization of human language cortex.
Nations as economic regions

Nations are first of all political regions. Their significance as economic regions derives from the political regulation of economic affairs. Never have such regulations been more pervasive, complex, and economically disruptive than in the 20th century. Politicians seek to extend their power over the subjects whom they govern as well as the power of their nation over other nations. In liberal democratic nations, politicians frequently respond to appeals for protection from economic hardship, thereby courting the favor of those whom they protect. In nations with centrally planned economies, the power of politicians rests on the implementation of ideological doctrines incompatible with open national borders. Politicians of any nation, reluctant to use the military arsenal at their command for fear that an armed conflict may escalate into a nuclear holocaust, may resort to economic warfare instead. All such policies contribute to the economically disruptive nature of national boundaries.
Dynamics of Competitive Adsorption of αs-Casein and β-Casein at Planar Triolein−Water Interface: Evidence for Incompatibility of Mixing in the Interfacial Film

Competitive adsorption of αs-casein and β-casein from a bulk solution mixture to the triolein−water interface has been studied. Although the binding affinity of αs-casein to the triolein−water interface was lower than that of β-casein in single-component systems, in a 1:1 mixture of αs-casein and β-casein in the bulk solution the ratio of interfacial concentrations of αs-casein to β-casein at equilibrium was about 2:1, indicating that αs-casein was preferentially adsorbed to the triolein−water interface. Furthermore, the equilibrium composition of αs-casein and β-casein in the interfacial film at various bulk concentration ratios did not follow a simple Langmuir adsorption model. This deviation from ideal behavior was mainly due to thermodynamic incompatibility of mixing of these caseins in the interfacial region. The value of the incompatibility parameter, X12, for these caseins at the triolein−water interface was much greater than that at the air−water interface. Displacement experiments showed that whi...
Screening and Identification of Depression Among Patients with Coronary Heart Disease and Congestive Heart Failure

Depression occurring concurrently with cardiovascular diseases is associated with poor outcomes. Several review articles have examined the link between established indices of depression and prognosis in individuals with known coronary heart disease (CHD). These studies have demonstrated relatively consistent results and suggest an important connection between cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in patients with depressive symptoms or major depression. This article discusses the current best practices for the screening, identification, and treatment of depression in patients with CHD and coronary heart failure, as well as the financial aspects associated with care management.
Fatigue Life Estimation of the Tail Boom and Vertical Stabilizer of MI-24 Helicopter

The aim of this work was to estimate fatigue life of the Mi-24 helicopter tail boom and vertical stabilizer sheathing. The analysis was based on a numerical model of the helicopter airframe crucial to obtain stress fields under defined loads and to estimate fatigue life. In order to do so, the load spectrum, specific for Polish army helicopters, was obtained by means of strain gauge measurements during a series of experimental flights. Data collected during flights was post-processed to create a characteristic ten hour spectrum that would statistically represent the flight profile for Polish Army Mi-24 helicopters. The third crucial element of the analysis was the safe S-N curve that was created on the basis of 2024-T3 aluminum S-N curve. Two factors were introduced in order to change the curve in a way that would guarantee a higher level of certainty that the outcome is not overrated. As a result of this analysis the total fatigue life was estimated including the list of critical locations in which fatigue damage is prone to occur. These regions are going to be carefully examined during scheduled inspections.
Effect of steric, double-layer, and depletion interactions on the stability of colloids in systems containing a polymer and an electrolyte.

Experiments carried out by Stenkamp et al. [Stenkamp, V. S.; McGuiggan, P.; Berg, J. C. Langmuir 2001, 17, 637.] have shown that polystyrene latexes can be restabilized at sufficiently high electrolyte concentrations in the presence of an amphiphilic block copolymer [poly(ethylene oxide)−poly(propylene oxide)−poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO−PPO−PEO)] At even higher electrolyte concentrations, the systems can again be destabilized. The present paper attempts to explain the restabilization through the dominance of steric interactions and the destabilization through the dominance of depletion interactions. Because of salting out, as the concentration of electrolyte increases, the polymer molecules are increasingly precipitated onto the surface of the latex particles and, at sufficiently high electrolyte concentrations, form, in addition, aggregates. The precipitation onto the latex particles generates steric repulsion, which is responsible for the restabilization, whereas the formation of aggregates generates depl...