cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Kinase Activity of Overexpressed HipA Is Required for Growth Arrest and Multidrug Tolerance in Escherichia coli

Overexpression of the HipA protein of the HipBA toxin/antitoxin module leads to multidrug tolerance in Escherichia coli. HipA is a “toxin” that causes reversible dormancy, whereas HipB is an antitoxin that binds HipA and acts as a transcriptional repressor of the hipBA operon. Comparative sequence analysis shows that HipA is a member of the phosphatidylinositol 3/4-kinase superfamily. The kinase activity of HipA was examined. HipA was autophosphorylated in the presence of ATP in vitro, and the purified protein appeared to carry a single phosphate group on serine 150. Thus, HipA is a serine kinase that is at least partially phosphorylated in vivo. Overexpression of HipA caused inhibition of cell growth and increase in persister formation. Replacing conserved aspartate 309 in the conserved kinase active site or aspartate 332 in the Mg2+-binding site with glutamine produced mutant proteins that lost the ability to stop cellular growth upon overexpression. Replacing serine 150 with alanine yielded a similarly inactive protein. The mutant proteins were then examined for their ability to increase antibiotic tolerance. Cells overexpressing wild-type HipA were highly tolerant to cefotaxime, a cell wall synthesis inhibitor, to ofloxacin, a fluoroquinolone inhibitor of DNA gyrase, and to topoisomerase IV and were almost completely resistant to killing by mitomycin C, which forms DNA adducts. The mutant proteins did not protect cells from cefotaxime or ofloxacin and had an impaired ability to protect from mitomycin C. Taken together, these results suggest that the protein kinase activity of HipA is essential for persister formation.
The effect of carbohydrate availability following exercise on whole-body insulin action.

One bout of exercise enhances insulin-stimulated glucose uptake (insulin action), but the effect is blunted by consumption of carbohydrate-containing food after exercise. The independent roles of e...
Differential Effects of Mitochondrial Heat Shock Protein 60 and Related Molecular Chaperones to Prevent Intracellular β-Amyloid-induced Inhibition of Complex IV and Limit Apoptosis

Defects in mitochondrial oxidative metabolism, in particular decreased activity of cytochrome c oxidase, have been reported in Alzheimer disease tissue and in cultured cells that overexpress amyloid precursor protein. Mitochondrial dysfunction contributes to neurodegeneration in Alzheimer disease partly through formation of reactive oxygen species and the release of sequestered molecules that initiate programmed cell death pathways. The heat shock proteins (HSP) are cytoprotective against a number of stressors, including accumulations of misfolded proteins and reactive oxygen species. We reported on the property of Hsp70 to protect cultured neurons from cell death caused by intraneuronal β-amyloid. Here we demonstrate that Hsp60, Hsp70, and Hsp90 both alone and in combination provide differential protection against intracellular β-amyloid stress through the maintenance of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation and functionality of tricarboxylic acid cycle enzymes. Notably, β-amyloid was found to selectively inhibit complex IV activity, an effect selectively neutralized by Hsp60. The combined effect of HSPs was to reduce the free radical burden, preserve ATP generation, decrease cytochrome c release, and prevent caspase-9 activation, all important mediators of β-amyloid-induced neuronal dysfunction and death.
EXAFS studies of disordered solids

Abstract The availability of intense sources of continuous radiation in the X-ray region has stimulated the development of a technique for structure determination which is particularly suited to studies of local environment in complex systems. The absorption cross section for the photoexcitation of an electron from a deep core state to a continuum state exhibits oscillations as a function of photon energy known as the extended X-ray absorption fine structure, or EXAFS. These oscillations result from the interference between the outgoing photoelectron wavefunction and that portion of it scattered back from neighboring atoms, and therefore contain considerable information about the local environment of the excited atom species. Analysis of the EXAFS can yield not only the distance but also the type and number of the nearest neighbors of the excited atom. The purpose of this paper is to discuss briefly the theoretical background and the practical aspects of EXAFS data analysis. The discussion is then illustrated through application of these techniques to EXAFS studies of arsenic dopants in amorphous silicon and of PdGe metallic glass.
Understanding the Born Radius via Computer Simulations and Theory

The effects of varying the radius of an ion on the Born theory of ionic solvation are examined using molecular dynamics and Monte Carlo simulations and a simple quasi-continuum theory of ionic solvation (Hyun, J.-K.; Babu, C. S.; Ichiye, T. J. Phys. Chem. 1995, 99, 5187), referred to here as the HBI theory. In particular, the relationship in aqueous solution between the effective radius used to calculate the Born solvation free energy, often termed the Born radius, and the radius of the ion is examined. It has been observed empirically that the relationship is approximately linear, giving rise to the Latimer−Pitzer−Slansky (LPS) equation for the Born radius, which is a linear function of the Pauling radius. Here, the radius that gives the same solvation energy calculated for a given ion using the Born expression as that calculated from simulations of that ion in water, referred to as the simulation Born radius, is calculated for ions of different radii. In addition, the radius that gives the same solvatio...
Interactions between extended and localized states in superlattices.

Observation des interactions induites par le champ electrique, entre les etats etendus d'un super-reseau et l'etat localise du puits final. Aux valeurs du champ pour lesquelles l'energie d'un etat etendu est voisine de celle d'un niveau localise, les spectres de photocourant a basse temperature (5K) associes aux transitions interbandes, presentent trois doublets prononces ayant un comportement resonant. Une comparaison des resultats experimentaux avec les solutions numeriques de l'equation de Schrodinger montre que les doublets resultent de l'interaction de l'etat localise avec les trois etats au super-reseau d'energie la plus elevee, centres autour de ses trois derniers puits
Establishment of functional human pituitary tumor cell cultures

Five primary human pituitary tumor cell cultures were initiated from adenoma fragments obtained from patients with prolactin-secreting adenomas and acromegaly. Functional cell cultures were maintained and propagated in monolayer or suspension culture for up to 9 months. Optimal cell viability and growth were achieved using Ham’s F10 medium enriched with 20% fetal bovine serum, although cells from a patient with acromegaly also grew in serum-free, defined, hormone-containing medium. Bromocriptine (100 ng/ml) did not alter the growth curve of replicating cells derived from a patient with acromegaly. These cells initially secreted 5.5 µg human growth hormone/106 cells, and hormone production diminished after 6 wk. Prolactin secretion by cells derived from prolactinomas (0.5 to 1.3 µg/106 cells/24 h) was stimulated by thyrotropin-releasing hormone (10 ng/ml) in two of the cultures. Both dopamine (10 ng/ml) and nickel chloride (1 mM) suppressed PRL secretion. These studies demonstrate that responsive human pituitary tumor cell cultures can be initiated and maintained.
Recognizing computational thinking patterns

End-user game design tools are effective in motivating and exposing students with no prior programming experience to computer science. However, while there is good evidence that these environments are effective motivators, the question remains what do students actually learn? For our purposes, using AgentSheets, we would like to know if students can apply the knowledge obtained from programming games to creating science simulations. Specifically, we want to better understand if students are able to recognize Computational Thinking Patterns (CTP) from their game programming experience. Computational Thinking Patterns are abstract programming patterns that enable agent interactions not only in games but also in science simulations. Students and teachers who participated in a game design summer institute were administered a Computational Thinking Pattern Quiz (CTP Quiz). This quiz tested the participants' ability to recognize and understand patterns in a context removed from game programming. We found that participants, for the most part, were able to understand and recognize the patterns in a variety of contexts
Phosphoinositide 3-Kinase γ Inhibits Cardiac GSK-3 Independently of Akt

Activation of cardiac phosphoinositide 3-kinase α (PI3Kα) by growth factors, such as insulin, or activation of PI3Kγ downstream of heterotrimeric guanine nucleotide–binding protein (G protein)–coupled receptors stimulates the activity of the kinase Akt, which phosphorylates and inhibits glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3). We found that PI3Kγ inhibited GSK-3 independently of the insulin-PI3Kα-Akt axis. Although insulin treatment activated Akt in PI3Kγ knockout mice, phosphorylation of GSK-3 was decreased compared to control mice. GSK-3 is activated when dephosphorylated by the protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A), which is activated when methylated by the PP2A methyltransferase PPMT-1. PI3Kγ knockout mice showed increased activity of PPMT-1 and PP2A and enhanced nuclear export of the GSK-3 substrate NFATc3. GSK-3 inhibits cardiac hypertrophy, and the hearts of PI3Kγ knockout mice were smaller compared to those of wild-type mice. Cardiac overexpression of a catalytically inactive PI3Kγ (PI3Kγ inact ) transgene in PI3Kγ knockout mice reduced the activities of PPMT-1 and PP2A and increased phosphorylation of GSK-3. Furthermore, PI3Kγ knockout mice expressing the PI3Kγ inact transgene had larger hearts than wild-type or PI3Kγ knockout mice. Our studies show that a kinase-independent function of PI3Kγ could directly inhibit GSK-3 function by preventing the PP2A–PPMT-1 interaction and that this inhibition of GSK-3 was independent of Akt.
A Fast, Accurate Deterministic Parser for Chinese

We present a novel classifier-based deterministic parser for Chinese constituency parsing. Our parser computes parse trees from bottom up in one pass, and uses classifiers to make shift-reduce decisions. Trained and evaluated on the standard training and test sets, our best model (using stacked classifiers) runs in linear time and has labeled precision and recall above 88% using gold-standard part-of-speech tags, surpassing the best published results. Our SVM parser is 2-13 times faster than state-of-the-art parsers, while producing more accurate results. Our Maxent and DTree parsers run at speeds 40-270 times faster than state-of-the-art parsers, but with 5-6% losses in accuracy.
Identification of iron cyclam complexes encapsulated inside zeolite Y

The combination of EPR and Mossbauer spectroscopy along with IR, Diffuse Reflectance UV-visible, and XRD techniques proved to be a powerful tool for identifying and characterizing the mol. and electronic structure of various Fe complexes formed inside the supercages of zeolite-Y. Esp. interesting is the identification of encapsulated trans-[(cyclam)Fe(N3)2]+@NaY, as a potent precursor for the synthesis of catalytically active Fe(V) nitrido species. [on SciFinder (R)]
Current concepts in validity and reliability for psychometric instruments: theory and application.

Validity and reliability relate to the interpretation of scores from psychometric instruments (eg, symptom scales, questionnaires, education tests, and observer ratings) used in clinical practice, research, education, and administration. Emerging paradigms replace prior distinctions of face, content, and criterion validity with the unitary concept “construct validity,” the degree to which a score can be interpreted as representing the intended underlying construct. Evidence to support the validity argument is collected from 5 sources: ● Content: do instrument items completely represent the construct? ● Response process: the relationship between the intended construct and the thought processes of subjects or observers ● Internal structure: acceptable reliability and factor structure ● Relations to other variables: correlation with scores from another instrument assessing the same construct
A dynamic model of a switching twistor wire segment

A semi-empirical differential equation for the local dynamic behavior of a twistor wire is combined with demagnetization equations to yield a set of equations that describe, to the first order, the dynamic switching of a twistor wire segment. The dynamic equation expresses M as a function of M , H , and H , contains several adjustable parameters, and has solutions which agree with most of the observed first-order magnetic switching phenomena. When coupled with the demagnetization equations described in an earlier paper, a complete solution of the average M(z,t) , together with the demagnetizing field Hd(z,t) is readily generated by standard numerical methods. A solution so generated appears to be realistic, though experimental verification has not been attempted.
Long Gap Esophageal Atresia and Esophageal Replacement: Moving Toward a Separation?

Abstract Background/Purpose Treatment of long gap esophageal atresia (EA) is still a major challenge. Gastric transposition and colon interposition are the 2 most popular choices for esophageal replacement, but there is general agreement that the child’s own esophagus is the best. The aim of the study was to critically evaluate the feasibility and outcome of primary repair of long gap EA with or without tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF) by direct esophago-esophageal anastomosis as the only technique. Methods Seventy-one neonates with EA+/−TEF were considered. Nineteen cases were classified as long gap (≥3 cm). All infants underwent either primary or shortly delayed repair. In the latter group, a gastrostomy was performed along with an x-ray evaluation of the gap a few days before surgery (mean age, 46.4 days). To avoid disruptive anastomotic force, all infants were kept paralyzed and mechanically ventilated for an additional 6 days after esophageal anastomosis. Before starting feeding, postoperative esophagogram was done on day 7. Endoscopy was done routinely, starting 1 month after surgery; pH monitoring was conventionally performed at 1 year of age or even earlier, should gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) be suspected. Follow-up ranged from 11 months to 7 years. Results In all 19 long gap EA infants an esophago-esophageal anastomosis was performed. Six of them (31%) required an anterior esophageal flap to bridge residual gap. Complications included minor anastomotic leak in 2 cases and anastomotic stricture ( Conclusions Considering heat gap determination remains imprecise, it seems possible to conclude that in a well-established tertiary care level referral center: (1) long gap EA could be treated successfully with primary repair and anastomosis; (2) strictures and GER represent the most frequent postoperative problem, but additional procedures required seem “acceptable” to maintain the patient’s own esophagus and avoid replacement; (3) esophageal substitution in long gap EA should be reserved for cases in which a previous attempt of esophageal reconstruction failed.
On the 1,3-isomerization of nonracemic α-(alkoxy)allylstannanes

BF3·○Et2 promoted 1,3-isomerization of α-(alkoxy)allylstannanes to γ-(alkoxy)allylstannanes has been shown to proceed by an intermolecular anti SE′ process. A pathway involving pentacoordinated stannate intermediates is proposed.
Recent advances in digital halftoning and inverse halftoning methods

Halftoning is the rendition of continuous-tone pictures on displays, paper or other media that are capable of producing only two levels. In digital halftoning, we perform the gray scale to bilevel conversion digitally using software or hardware. In the last three decades, several algorithms have evolved for halftoning. Examples of algorithms include ordered dither, error diffusion, blue noise masks, green noise halftoning, direct binary search (DBS), and dot diffusion. In this paper, we first review some of the algorithms which have a direct bearing on our paper and then describe some of the more recent advances in the field. The dot-diffusion method for digital halftoning has the advantage of pixel-level parallelism unlike the error-diffusion method, which is a popular halftoning method. However, the image quality offered by error diffusion is still regarded as superior to most of the other known methods. We first review error diffusion and dot diffusion, and describe a recent method to improve the image quality of the dot-diffusion algorithm which takes advantage of the Human Visual System (HVS) function. Then, we discuss the inverse halftoning problem.
Strategies for Characterization of Large-Pore Metal-Organic Frameworks by Combined Experimental and Computational Methods

A large-pore IRMOF-16-like material (1) was synthesized solvothermally and evacuated by two solvent removal procedures: the original chloroform (CHCl3) method and a new supercritical carbon dioxide (SCD) method. Using several experimental and geometric characterization tools, including thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), and pore size analysis, we propose that 1 is a mixture of noncatenated IRMOF-16 and the corresponding 2-fold interwoven structure and is partially collapsed during the evacuation, especially some of the larger pores. Adsorption measurements using several gases at 77 and 298 K showed that the new SCD evacuation is superior to the conventional CHCl3 evacuation for increasing the adsorption kinetics as well as the adsorption capacity. This work illustrates a new strategy that combines several experimental methods, geometric calculations, and molecular simulations for the characterization of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), especially those with large pores. Thi...
Effect of deposition parameters on exchange bias studied using Lorentz and high resolution electron microscopy

Current theories for exchange bias (EB) do not satisfactorily predict the EB shift and enhanced coercivity prompting further experimental investigations. In previous studies, the effects of deposition parameters have been studied individually. In this work, the effects of four key parameters have been investigated: (a) type of antiferromagnetic (AFM) material (NiO and NiMn); (b) effect of annealing (No annealing and at 300 /spl deg/C); (c) partial pressure of N/sub 2/ during permalloy (Py) deposition (0% and 7%s of total chamber gas pressure); and (d) presence or absence of Ta buffer layer. A 2/sup n-1/-factorial design of experiments, where n is the number of variables, has been used to optimize the set of experiments. A total of 8 samples (=2/sup 4-1/ samples according to the design of experiments principles) were deposited in a magnetron sputtering chamber in a vacuum of 5 /spl times/ 10-8 Torr. These were later field-cooled in a field of 150 Oe from a temperature of 300 /spl deg/C to induce uniaxial magnetic anisotropy. Vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM) was used to plot the B-H curves of the samples. Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS) was used to confirm the thickness of the deposited bilayers. X-ray diffraction (XRD) /spl theta/-2/spl theta/ scans were used to study the preferred orientation of growth. High-resolution electron microscopy and Lorentz microscopy have been used to correlate the microstructure and the micromagnetic behavior with the deposition parameters.
A Hadamard-multiplexed spectrometer based on an acousto-optic tunable filter

This paper presents a Hadamard-multiplexed spectrometer based on an acousto-optic tunable filter (AOTF). The multifrequency capability of the AOTF enables it to be operated in a multiplexed mode. The AOTF can then be operated at lower power to obtain improved passband characteristics without a reduction in the signal-to-noise ratio as compared to a higher-power, nonmultiplexing instrument. An expandable, PC-based spectrometer has been developed to illustrate this technique. The current implementation provides seven-frequency Hadamard multiplexing and collects the spectra in multiplexed blocks. The AOTF is controlled via IEEE-485 bussed VHF synthesizer modules based on a hybrid DDS/PLL technique. The modular design allows convenient system expansion. The design of and specifications for this instrument are discussed.
Acute exposure of cerebellar granule neurons to ethanol suppresses stress-activated protein kinase-1 and concomitantly induces AP-1.

The current studies were designed to examine the mechanisms of acute effects of ethanol on cerebellar granule neurons (CGNs) during neurodevelopment, with specific reference to activator protein-1 (AP-1). CGNs, isolated from 3-day-old Sprague-Dawley rats and cultured for 3 days, were exposed to 0, 22.5, and 100 mM ethanol for 1 h. Gel shift assays performed on the nuclear protein extracts showed increased AP-1 and heat shock factor-1 (HSF-1) transcriptional activation in response to ethanol. Western blots and RT-PCR showed increased c-JUN and phosphorylated c-JUN (serine 73) protein, as well as c-jun mRNA. Ethanol paradoxically decreased the activity of stress-activated protein kinase-1 (SAPK-1) while increasing p44 and p42 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activity. The protein synthesis-inhibiting and SAPK-1 activity-inducing antibiotic, anisomycin (30 and 500 microM) decreased AP-1 transcriptional activation to 47 and 23% of control values, respectively. The anisomycin effect was enhanced in the presence of 100 mM ethanol. Similarly, cycloheximide decreased ethanol-induced AP-1 transcriptional activation. Pretreatment with the MAPK kinase (MEK) pathway inhibitor PD98059 resulted in decreases in both ethanol-induced and control AP-1 DNA binding. Thus this acute ethanol-induced increased AP-1 transcriptional activation requires protein synthesis and involves MEK-independent increased MAPK phosphorylation, on the one hand, and decreased SAPK-1 activity on the other. The ethanol effect is thus ascribed to the activities of alternate kinase pathways and/or the inhibition of (a) protein phosphatase(s). Exposure of CGNs to ethanol for 24 h resulted in decreased AP-1 DNA binding, an observation that could have consequences for overall neuronal function under chronic exposure conditions.
Analysis of clonal germplasm from five Saccharum species: S. barberi , S. robustum, S. officinarum, S. sinense and S. spontaneum . A study of inter- and intra species relationships using microsatellite markers

In order to study relationships within and among species of the highly complex polyploid genus Saccharum, 30 clones from 5 species (S. barberi, S. officinarum, S. robustum, S. sinense, and S. spontaneum) and 6 cultivated clones were analyzed using 15 sugarcane simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers and two multivariate statistical methods. The origins of two species, S. barberi and S. sinense, are unclear, and it has been hypothesized that they arose from crosses of S. officinarum × S. spontaneum. S. robustum is suggested to be ancestral to S. officinarum, which, when crossed with S. spontaneum, principally comprise the genomes of commercial cultivars. Although our analyses supported S. robustum as being an ancestor of S. officinarum, and show the composition of commercial clones as expected, our results concerning the species S. barberi and S. sinense indicated them to be much less related to the main Saccharum germplasm pool than previous molecular marker investigations, suggesting that introgression from other genera may exist in their ancestry. The differing results of our analysis of S. barberi and S. sinense are likely attributable to more equal and larger numbers of clones studied in each species. Given the extremely high ploidy, the use of only 15 SSR markers enabled clear distinction of Saccharum species and clones, and also identified likely mislabeled accessions. In addition, the replication of DNA extraction, polymerase chain reactions, and fragment electrophoresis increased the robustness of our analysis.
A Dura Revolution and Frontier Agriculture in Northwest Ethiopia, 1898-1920

This article describes the rapid growth and decline of the production of dura (Sorghum vulgare) in the frontier region adjoining the border of northwest Ethiopia, Sudan's Kassala Province, and the southwest frontier of Italian Eritrea between c. 1900 and the 1920s. This short-lived agricultural revolution resulted less from the slow, incremental adaptation of local agriculture than from a conjuncture of events, including the presence of a fertile but depopulated vertisol plain (the Mazega), the rise of a major food market in Eritrea, the availability of archaic forms of labour, the presence of entrepreneurial managers, and the immature state of colonial/imperial interests in the region. The precipitous decline of food production in the region in the early 1920s resulted from the dissolution of this historical conjuncture. The article concludes by suggesting that African history in general and agricultural history in particular has tended to be ‘Whiggish’, emphasizing progressive change at the expense of conjunctural and often short-lived episodes.
Influence of Age-Selective Surveys on the Reliability of Stock Synthesis Assessments

We used Monte Carlo simulations to examine the reliability of assessments following a method of separable catch-at-age analysis (Methot's stock synthesis approach). Our simulations were based on th...
Longitudinal Association Between Endothelial Dysfunction, Inflammation, and Clotting Biomarkers With Subclinical Atherosclerosis in Type 1 Diabetes: An Evaluation of the DCCT/EDIC Cohort

OBJECTIVE There is considerable interest in identifying biomarkers that predict high risk for the development of macrovascular complications in patients with diabetes. Therefore, the longitudinal association between subclinical atherosclerosis as measured by internal carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT) and acute-phase reactants, cytokines/adipokines, thrombosis, and adhesion molecules was examined. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Biomarkers were measured at four time points over 20 years in 886 DCCT/EDIC participants with type 1 diabetes. Four composite scores were created by combining z scores generated from within the data set of individual biomarkers: acute-phase reactants (fibrinogen, C-reactive protein), thrombosis (fibrinogen, active and total plasminogen activator inhibitor [PAI]-1), cytokines/adipokines (tumor necrosis factor receptor-1 and -2, active and total PAI-1, IL-6), and endothelial dysfunction (soluble intracellular adhesion molecule-1, soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, and soluble E-selectin). Internal carotid IMT was measured at EDIC years 1, 6, and 12, with elevated IMT defined at each time point as being in the upper quintile of its distribution. RESULTS Logistic regression models indicate that while individual biomarkers were not predictive of or associated with subclinical atherosclerosis, composite scores of acute-phase reactants (odds ratio [OR] 2.78 [95% CI 1.42, 5.42]), thrombolytic factors (OR 2.83 [95% CI 1.45, 5.52]), and cytokines/adipokines (OR 2.83 [95% CI 1.48, 5.41]) measured at our final time point EDIC years 8–11 were associated with higher levels of atherosclerosis at EDIC year 12, but findings were not consistent at early time points. The endothelial dysfunction score was not appreciably predictive of or associated with subclinical atherosclerosis at any of the time points measured. CONCLUSIONS The pathophysiologic relationship between higher biomarker levels and progression of subclinical atherosclerosis remains unclear.
On the matching of events in distributed brokering systems

The Internet is currently being used to support increasingly complex interactions. The entities, with which applications and services need to interact, span a wide spectrum that includes desktops, PDAs, appliances, and other networked resources. Clients - which abstract users, resources and proxies thereto - within these systems communicate with each other through the exchange of events, which are essentially messages with timestamps. We explore matching, routing and network utilization issues in the context of our research prototype NaradaBrokering, which provides support for centralized, distributed and P2P interactions.
Haem Structure and Function

Haems are the vital catalysts in a large number of biological processes, including oxygen transport, oxygen storage, electron transport and oxygenation. Haem proteins contain an iron complex of porphyrin, usually protoporphyrin IX, and exist in haemoglobin, myoglobin, cytochromes, catalases, peroxidases, oxygenases and oxidases. Keywords: haemoproteins; haemoglobins; cytochromes; catalases; peroxidases
Hybrid Finite Element/Molecular Dynamics Simulations of Shock-Induced Particle/Wall Collisions

Contaminant metal particles of the order of 100-500 microns in diameter in the liquid propellant feed systems of rocket engines are a significant hazard and safety concern. These particles may originate from within the propellant tanks, valves, feed lines, pumps, or the propellant itself. Ignition and combustion of the particles when located within a supercritical oxygen-rich environment, such as would be found in an oxidizer-rich rocket engine system, could release a significant amount of energy. In addition, particle impacts with the walls of the propellant feed systems could sufficiently heat the particles to ignite them or to fracture them into smaller particles that are easier to subsequently ignite. Experiments are currently underway at The Aerospace Corporation to improve the knowledge base for particle-impact ignition. Oxygen pressure, particle size and kinetic energy, and the occurrence of fragmentation upon impact are among the parameters to be studied where impacting particle velocity is induced by the passing of a shock wave [1]. A simulation capability, validated by the experiments, would be of value to predict the risk of possible particle contamination.
Nonrigid Illusory Motion in Depth Induced by Translational Motion of Static Images

A new nonrigid motion illusion is presented based on patterns of aligned nonparallel line segments undergoing apparent motion. The illusory effect can be explained by the mismatch in local orientation segments that signals local rotational motion contradictory to the global translational motion.
Antibacterial Effect of Trans-Cinnamaldehyde on Salmonella Enteritidis and Campylobacter jejuni in Chicken Drinking Water

ABSTRACT Salmonella Enteritidis and Campylobacter jejuni are 2 major foodborne pathogens in the United States, estimated to cause more than 3 million cases of human illness annually. Chickens are the natural hosts of these bacteria, and their drinking water can be a source of S. Enteritidis and C. jejuni, contributing to the colonization of birds. In this study, trans-cinnamaldehyde (TC), a natural, generally recognized as safe ingredient in cinnamon oil was evaluated for its efficacy to inactivate S. Enteritidis and C. jejuni in the drinking water of chickens. Well water containing 0, 0.016, 0.03, and 0.06% TC was inoculated with a 5-strain mixture of S. Enteritidis or C. jejuni (˜6 log10 cells/mL). Water samples containing 1% chicken feces or feed were also included. The samples were incubated at 12.5 or 25°C for 7 d and analyzed for bacterial populations on d 0, 1, 3, 5, and 7. Duplicate samples of treatments and control were included, and the study was replicated 3 times. Trans-cinnamaldehyde at 0.06% inactivated Salmonella completely after 24 h in water with 1% feces at both temperatures. In water containing 1% feed, TC (0.06%) reduced S. Enteritidis to undetectable levels after 3 d at 12.5°C or 7 d at 25°C. Presence of feed or feces in water reduced the antibacterial effect (P 0.001) on the antibacterial property of TC on C. jejuni. Results indicate that TC is effective in killing S. Enteritidis and C. jejuni in chicken drinking water and may decrease the likelihood that water will contribute to colonization of chickens by these pathogens.
Survival of Female Northern Pintails Wintering in the Playa Lakes Region of Northwestern Texas

Abstract The continental population of northern pintails (Anas acuta; hereafter pintails) has declined since the late 1970s, possibly due to poor breeding propensity, low nest success, and low survival rates in response to habitat loss. Survival estimates are unavailable for several winter and migration areas including the Playa Lakes Region (PLR) of northwestern Texas, USA. We investigated winter survival rates, documented periods of mortality, and identified possible causes of mortality for 159 and 168 radiotagged female pintails during 23 October 2002–18 February 2003 and 10 October 2003–18 February 2004, respectively. We located all radiotagged pintails at least once weekly to verify survival status and used-known fate modeling in program MARK to test the influence of capture period, female age class, body mass, and capture location on survival rates. Cumulative survival for the 119-day period in 2002–2003 was 0.925 (95% CI = 86.0–96.3). During 2003–2004, for a 134-day period, survival estimates decli...
Recreating Dead House: The Ouster of Miranda from Our Prisons

Feodor Dostoevsky's Notes From the House of the Dead takes place in the mid-Nineteenth Century in a remote region of Russia and we, as readers tend to comfort ourselves with its temporal and geographical distance. That is, we handle the atrocities, torture, and horror of prison by telling ourselves, at least on an unconscious level, that it all happened way back when, and that Siberia, so many light years away, could almost be another planet. If, however, we are courageous enough to let go of such denial, we likely realize that Dostoevsky has an important message, one which pertains to the here and now and to the prisons in our own backyard.On its broadest level, this Article aims to show how the United States Supreme Court is effectually recreating Dead House through its post-Miranda decisions. Part II begins with Dead House itself, anatomizing the prison environment that conspires to strip Siberian inmates of free will and human dignity. Dostoevsky's prison is hell, comprised of excessive regulation, coercion, and futility. Its inhabitants endure prolonged cognitive dissonance, in which they are lonely but never alone. Compounding that, prisoners are fettered, sometimes chained to a wall, and redundantly lashed in a manner preordained to pulverize body and soul.Part III, shifting from Dostoevsky's Russia to the United States, reviews the rise and fall of free will and human dignity under seminal Due Process Clause and Miranda cases. It summarizes the progressive dismemberment of Miranda, which denigrates the very goals behind its once sacrosanct protections. Part IV, shifting to those cases, which take place inside prison, discusses how the Supreme Court, at least initially, deemed inmates entitled to the remnants of Miranda safeguards. Part V analyzes the more recent decisions, like Maryland v. Shatzer, 130 S.Ct. 1213 (2010) and Howes v. Fields, 132 S.Ct. 1181 (2012), which make Miranda categorically unavailable to prisoners. Through its effectual overruling of Miranda, along with its total ouster of Miranda from our prisons, the Supreme Court has encouraged the replication of the very conditions that define Dead House.Part VI, the Conclusion, essentially revisiting Dostoevsky's thesis, discloses how the effect of the Supreme Court's post-Miranda decisions are not confined to our penal system. Rather, they transmit a message, which imprisons, detriments, and flogs us all.
Raining more than cats and dogs: Looking back at field studies of noncultural animal-bone occurrences

Abstract This paper summarizes the context and results of long-term actualistic field studies of mammal bones at carnivore kills and mass death sites on three continents; it also updates analyses and data from the work. The main topics are variability – such as in bone representation and carnivore effects on bones – and the possible ecological implications of the variability. An important feature of bone rains is their punctuated nature, especially the disproportionate inputs from infrequent mass deaths such as drownings in flood events or drought-caused starvation.
Freud on Religion (Key Thinkers in the Study of Religion), by Marsha Aileen Hewitt, New York: Routledge, 2014, xi + 156 pp., ISBN 978 1 84465 797 1, US$95.99 (hardback); ISBN 978 1 84465 798 8, US$27.95 (paperback)

Interest in what Freud had to say about religion seems to ebb and flow, like the tides. The prominence of pastoral-counseling programs during the 1970s and early 1980s certainly created one high-ti...
Your death might be the worst thing ever to happen to you (but maybe you shouldn’t care)

Deprivationism cannot accommodate the common sense assumption that we should lament our death iff, and to the extent that, it is bad for us. Call this the Nothing Bad, Nothing to Lament Assumption. As such, either this assumption needs to be rejected or deprivationism does. I first argue that the Nothing Bad, Nothing to Lament Assumption is false. I then attempt to figure out which facts our attitudes concerning death should track. I suggest that each person should have two distinct attitudes toward death: one determined by agent’s reasonable expectations about when she will die and one determined by the amount of metaphysically possible good one reasonably believes death precludes.
Appropriateness of Linear Discriminant and Multinomial Classification Analysis in Marketing Research

Buyer usage behavior data are used to compare the relative performance of a linear discriminant analysis and several multinomial classification methods. The potential shortcomings of each of the pr...
Indian Meal Moth Infestation of Farm-Stored Wheat in Kansas

When 66 bins of farmed-stored wheat in central and southcentral Kansas were inspected 4 times during the 1975–76 storage season, 79% were found to be infested by Plodia interpunctella (Hubner) during the summer and fall after harvest. Wooden bins had a higher incidence of infestation, became infested earlier, and had more severe infestations than steel bins. Most of the infested bins had histories of frequent or severe infestations. Heavy infestations occurred in 24% of the bins, primarily in the southeastern portion of the study area where the avg precipitation was higher and where the more severe infestations in prior years were reported.
Application the mice blastocyst transplant technology to detect the hydroxyurea development toxicity

Objective To explore the method of embryos transplant technology in evaluating the development toxicity of hydroxyurea.Method First,C57BL/6J female mice mated with DBA male mice,to get their filial generation.Then,the female hybrid BDF_1,selected as embryo-provider,superovulation and mated with male hybrids,to collect their fertilized ovums.The preimplantation blastocyst were exposed to hydroxyurea in vitro by 20 μg/ml hydroxyurea.After exposure,the treated blastocysts were transferred to the Kunming pseudopregnant surrogate mothers.The morphologic changes of the embryos before birth and the behavioral changes of offspring after birth were determined.The histopathology of the cerebrum of offspring was also observed with electron microscope.Results(1)There were no gross dysmorphogenic effects in the exposed embryos.(2)The exposed offspring showed behavior abnormalities:circumnutation,negative ground tendency,surface righting reflex,delayed cliff avoidance positive days were all more late than control group.The time of suspending was shorter and the mark of 10-day swimming was lower compared with control group.(3)The examination of ultrastructure of electron microscope showed poisonous damage in the exposed offspring cerebrum.Conclusion The blastcyst transplant technology combined with blastocyst in vitro culture is a feasible way to detect the hydroxyurea development toxicity,and in this way the maternal effect can be avoided.
How Myth Became History: Texas Exceptionalism in the Borderlands. By John E. Dean

How Myth Became History: Texas Exceptionalism in the Borderlands. By John E. Dean. (Tucson: University of Arizona Press, 2016. Xii + 233 pp. Notes, bibliography, index. $50.00; hardcover.) The subject of John E. Dean’s How Myth Became History: Texas Exceptionalism in the Borderlands is, as suggested by the title, how the discourses of U.S. manifest destiny, as curated in fictional narratives about the relationship of the United States and Mexico between the Texas Revolt (1836) and the end of the Mexican Revolution (1920), organized U.S. colonial knowledge about Mexicans and U.S. imperial practices towards Mexico well into the twentieth century. The idea that U.S. nationalist mythologies, operating under the sign of “History,” formed a seamless, self-legimating … jmgonzal{at}utexas.edu
The Triage of Injured Patients: Mechanism of Injury, Regardless of Injury Severity, Determines Hospital Destination.

The target rate for trauma undertriage is 70% for both). In conclusion, in contrast to our hypothesis, we found that triage is largely determined by mechanism of injury regardless of injury severity. High rates of undertriage are largely due to the undertriage of fall-related injuries, which occurs in both younger and older adults. Patients injured after MVCs and penetrating trauma victims are brought to trauma centers regardless of injury severity, resulting in high rates of overtriage. These findings suggest an opportunity to improve trauma system performance.
Drinking Status and Effects of School-based Alcohol Prevention Programs in Middle and High School Students: Using the 2015 Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey Data

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine effects of school-based alcohol prevention programs on drinking statuses of adolescents. Methods: The findings of this study was based on the data obtained from the '2015 11th Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey. The number of study subjects were 68,043. Results: It was figured that 35.6% of the study subjects had experienced school-based alcohol prevention programs within the last 12 months. As the students got older, the chances to participate in the programs decreased (p<.01). For both middle and high school students, current drinking rates for the educated was lower than those of the uneducated students(6.6% vs 8.0%; 22.2% vs 25.9%) and it was statistically significant. A similar pattern was found for high-risk drinking rates. Those educated showed lower rates than the uneducated with statistical significance of p<.001. In addition, the educated had lower problem drinking rate than the uneducated for both middle (p<.05) and high school students (p<.001). The results of logistic regression analysis showed that school-based alcohol prevention programs had statistically significant effect on current drinking status of adolescents (p<.05). However, it had significant effect only on high-risk drinking status of high school students (p<.05) and had no effect on problem drinking. Conclusion: This study addressed effectiveness of school-based adolescent alcohol prevention programs and that it is important to develop means to implement school health education.
Liquid xenon for gamma-ray imaging of special nuclear materials

In recent years xenon has risen as a medium for particle detection, exhibiting a number of desirable qualities that make it well-suited for applications such as medical imaging, imaging of nuclear materials, and fundamental physics research. PIXeY (Particle Identification in Xenon at Yale) is a compact, liquid-xenon-based time projection chamber that operates in either single or two-phase (liquid/gas) mode and detects both charge and light signals produced by gamma interactions within the detector. Charge-light anti-correlation techniques can then be used to reconstruct the event with good (2.4% FWHM at 662 keV) energy resolution. Here we report on the design and the current status of the PIXeY experiment and plans for future upgrades, such as the inclusion of multiple optical volumes and single-wire charge readout, which will help achieve the energy and angular resolution necessary for Compton gamma-ray imaging with application to the efficient and rapid detection of special nuclear materials.
Examining heroin use and prescription opioid misuse among adolescents

AbstractBased on data from 2008 thru the 2014 Communities that Care Youth Survey (CCYS), the authors examine change in lifetime use frequencyof heroin and misuse of prescription opiates using a cohort longitudinal model. The cohort were 6th graders in 2008; 8th graders in 2010; 10th graders in 2012 and 12th graders in 2014. Findings indicate a declining numbers of abstainers for both drugs and moderate associations between using both drugs in all 4 grades. Implications for delinquency models are discussed.
Toward the development of a feature-space representation for a complex natural category domain

This article reports data sets aimed at the development of a detailed feature-space representation for a complex natural category domain, namely 30 common subtypes of the categories of igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks. We conducted web searches to develop a library of 12 tokens each of the 30 subtypes, for a total of 360 rock pictures. In one study, subjects provided ratings along a set of 18 hypothesized primary dimensions involving visual characteristics of the rocks. In other studies, subjects provided similarity judgments among pairs of the rock tokens. Analyses are reported to validate the regularity and information value of the dimension ratings. In addition, analyses are reported that derive psychological scaling solutions from the similarity-ratings data and that interrelate the derived dimensions of the scaling solutions with the directly rated dimensions of the rocks. The stimulus set and various forms of ratings data, as well as the psychological scaling solutions, are made available on an online website (https://osf.io/w64fv/) associated with the article. The study provides a fundamental data set that should be of value for a wide variety of research purposes, including: (1) probing the statistical and psychological structure of a complex natural category domain, (2) testing models of similarity judgment, and (3) developing a feature-space representation that can be used in combination with formal models of category learning to predict classification performance in this complex natural category domain.
Designing augmentative and alternative communication applications: the results of focus groups with speech-language pathologists and parents of children with autism spectrum disorder.

AbstractPurpose: The purpose of this study was to gain insight from speech-language pathologists (SLPs) and parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) regarding appealing features of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) applications.Method: Two separate 1-hour focus groups were conducted with 8 SLPs and 5 parents of children with ASD to identify appealing design features of AAC Apps, their benefits and potential concerns. Participants were shown novel interface designs for communication mode, play mode and incentive systems. Participants responded to poll questions and provided benefits and drawbacks of the features as part of structured discussion.Results: SLPs and parents identified a range of appealing features in communication mode (customization, animation and colour-coding) as well as in play mode (games and videos). SLPs preferred interfaces that supported motor planning and instruction while parents preferred those features such as character assistants that would appeal to...