cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Daily respiratory training with large intrathoracic pressures, but not large lung volumes, lowers blood pressure in normotensive adults

Inspiratory muscle training holds promise as a non-pharmacologic treatment that can improve respiratory muscle strength, reduce blood pressure, and improve autonomic balance in hypertensive patients. There is a gap in knowledge regarding the specific respiratory stimulus that gives rise to these favorable outcomes. We implemented five respiratory training protocols that differed in the magnitude and direction of the lung volumes and/or intrathoracic pressures generated by subjects in training. Normotensive adults were randomly assigned to each group and trained daily for 6 weeks. Pre-post and weekly measures of blood pressure showed significant declines in systolic [-8.96 mmHg (95% CI, 7.39-10.53)] and diastolic [-5.25 mmHg (95% CI, 3.67-6.83)] blood pressures for subjects who trained with large positive or negative intrathoracic pressures. Subjects who trained with modest intrathoracic pressures or large lung volumes saw no improvement in blood pressure (P > 0.3). Large intra-thoracic pressures are the specific respiratory stimulus underpinning breathing training related improvements in blood pressure.
Cooperative concurrency for a multicore world

Developing reliable multithreaded software is notoriously difficult, due to the potential for unexpected interference between concurrent threads. Even a familiar construct such as "x++" has unfamiliar semantics in a multithreaded setting, where it must in general be considered a non-atomic read-modify-write sequence, rather than a simple atomic increment. Understanding where thread interference may occur is a critical first step in understanding or validating a multithreaded software system.
Severe edema-proteinuria-hypertension gestosis

Severe edema-proteinuria-hypertension (EPH) gestosis (pre-eclampsia) appears in at least two forms (A and B). The A type is mostly complicated by fits, while the B type is characterized by multiple organ failure. The perinatal mortality rate is especially high in the B group. All gravid women with severe EPH gestosis benefit from blood volume expansion therapy.
Retrofit systems for reconfiguration in civil aviation

This paper outlines a new concept for retrofitting a reconfiguration module to an existing control law. The concept is motivated by the need for low cost, add-on modules that improve air safety in the existing fleet of civil air transport vehicles. A direct adaptive approach that accommodates control surface nonlinearities is adopted, which uses a slowly adapting model of the closed-loop aircraft as the reference model. The motivation,benefits, and components of the architecture are detailed. In addition, the issues of control surface magnitude and rate saturation are addressed. A proof of stability is outlined for input-error adaptation when position and rate saturation are present. using an F/A-18 nonlinear simulator. The primary adaptive component is demonstrated
Environmental Responsibilities Overseas: The National Environmental Policy Act and the Export-Import Bank

The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) serves to regulate the environmental impacts of the activities of federal agencies. One such agency, the Export-Import Bank, aids the growth of United States exports in international markets by funding projects where private banks are unwilling. The courts have been selective in applying NEPA requirements to extraterritorial U.S. activities, but the Ex-Im Bank’s activities fall within the categories created by prior cases. Therefore, the Ex-Im Bank should apply NEPA to the projects it considers for funding.
Factors determining pressure measurement accuracy by intraluminal esophageal manometry.

Measurement accuracy represents an important prob­ lem for all physicians using esophageal pressure determi­ nations for clinical or investigative assessment of esoph­ ageal motor function. Although intraluminal manometry is generally regarded as providing sophisticated quanti­ tative assessment of esophageal motility, the examina­ tion, as currently performed, often yields only semiquan­ titative information. Inaccurate esophageal pressure measurement causes two major problems: (1) measurement artifact, and (2) measurement insensitivity. In some circumstances, ap­ parent differences in esophageal pressure values between subject groups may represent measurement artifact rather than real physiological or pathological differ­ ences. In contrast, measurement insensitivity may ob­ scure real differences in esophageal pressures existing between subject populations, causing such differences to go unrecognized. Clearly, reduction or elimination of measurement inaccuracy is desirable. We believe that the instrumentation and methodology are now available to achieve accurate quantitation of esophageal pressure activity. Esophageal pressure values obtained by manometry are determined by several different factors, including: recording system perform­ ance fidelity, recording technique, scoring method, and conditions existent during manometry. All these factors must be dealt with satisfactorily in order to achieve precise esophageal pressure measurements. Instrumentation In the late nineteenth centrury esophageal pressure studies were first performed by Kronecker and Meltzer 1 using intraluminal balloons. The balloon method under­ went modification,2, a but remained the major technique for recording esophageal motor activity until the early 1950's. Because this cumbersome method featured am­ plitude lag at high frequencies, and sphincter pressure varied with different balloon diameters,4-6 investigators sought other recording methods. In the 1950's Ingelfinger's group in Boston,7, 8 Code
Benchmarking file system benchmarking: it *IS* rocket science

The quality of file system benchmarking has not improved in over a decade of intense research spanning hundreds of publications. Researchers repeatedly use a wide range of poorly designed benchmarks, and in most cases, develop their own ad-hoc benchmarks. Our community lacks a definition of what we want to benchmark in a file system. We propose several dimensions of file system benchmarking and review the wide range of tools and techniques in widespread use. We experimentally show that even the simplest of benchmarks can be fragile, producing performance results spanning orders of magnitude. It is our hope that this paper will spur serious debate in our community, leading to action that can improve how we evaluate our file and storage systems.
Unusual Thyroid Tumors

There are a number of tumors of the thyroid gland that do not fit into the conventional categories of follicular and C-cell derived lesions. These tumors tend to be very rare, and the literature regarding molecular alterations in these lesions is sparse. However, as the pathologist may encounter these tumors rarely in practice, they will be reviewed in this chapter.
Learning and Foraging Behavior

Arguments are presented for the integration of the psychological study of animal learning with the ecological study of foraging behavior. In the first section, several examples from the psychological literature (the matching law, taste-aversion learning, and learning set) are discussed in an attempt to demonstrate how these areas require a more ecological evolutionary approach. Second, current field and laboratory research on foraging behavior is reviewed. We conclude in this section that once ecological foraging research began to concentrate upon the behavior of individual animals, the learning abilities of these animals inevitably became a central issue. Specific methodological and conceptual advantages resulting from the integration of psychology and ecology are discussed in the final section. The chapter concludes with comments on real and perceived obstacles to the occurrence of such interdisciplinary integration in the near future.
Biosynthesis of L-p-hydroxyphenylglycine, a non-proteinogenic amino acid constituent of peptide antibiotics *

Abstract Background: The non-proteinogenic amino acid p -hydroxyphenylglycine is a crucial component of certain peptidic natural products synthesized by a non-ribosomal peptide synthetase mechanism. In particular, for the vancomycin group of antibiotics p -hydroxyphenylglycine plays a structural role in formation of the rigid conformation of the central heptapeptide aglycone in addition to being the site of glycosylation. Initial labeling studies suggested tyrosine was a precursor of p -hydroxyphenylglycine but the specific steps in p -hydroxyphenylglycine biosynthesis remained unknown. Recently, the sequencing of the chloroeremomycin gene cluster from Amycolatopsis orientalis gave new insights into the biosynthetic pathway and allowed for the prediction of a four enzyme pathway leading to L- p -hydroxyphenylglycine from the common metabolite prephenate. Results: We have characterized three of the four proposed enzymes of the L- p -hydroxyphenylglycine biosynthetic pathway. The three enzymes are encoded by open reading frames (ORFs) 21, 22 and 17 (ORF21: [PCZA361.1, O52791, CAA11761]; ORF22: [PCZA361.2, O52792, CAA11762]; ORF17: [PCZA361.25, O52815, CAA11790]), of the chloroeremomycin biosynthetic gene cluster and we show they have p -hydroxymandelate synthase, p -hydroxymandelate oxidase and L- p -hydroxyphenylglycine transaminase activities, respectively. Conclusions: The L- p -hydroxyphenylglycine biosynthetic pathway shown here is proposed to be the paradigm for how this non-proteinogenic amino acid is synthesized by microorganisms incorporating it into peptidic natural products. This conclusion is supported by the finding of homologs for the four L- p -hydroxyphenylpyruvate biosynthetic enzymes in four organisms known to synthesize peptidic natural products that contain p -hydroxyphenylglycine. Three of the enzymes are proposed to function in a cyclic manner in vivo with L-tyrosine being both the amino donor for L- p -hydroxyphenylglycine and a source of p -hydroxyphenylpyruvate, an intermediate in the biosynthetic pathway.
Phosphorus analogs as inhibitors of the beef heart succinic dehydrogenase system

Abstract Inhibition of the beef heart succinic dehydrogenase system by some substrate analogs has been studied in phosphate buffer at 37 ° and pH 7.4. Methylene blue was used as electron acceptor. Methionate, arsonoacetate, 1,2-ethane diphosphonate, and 1,4-butane diphosphonate did not inhibit. Pyrophosphate was a potent inhibitor. Lowering of the pH brought on slight but distinct inhibition by the diphosphonates and enhancement of pyrophosphate inhibition. Inhibition by pyrophosphate, phosphonoacetate, hypophosphate, and methane diphosphonate was consistent with a competitive mechanism. Although the latter three inhibitors were much less potent than pyrophosphate, they did have relative affinities for the enzyme comparable to that of oxalate. Correlation of inhibition results with titration data suggests that specific structural requirements as well as considerations of net charge and distance of charge separation, play a role in maximal competitive inhibition. Much of the data can be interpreted on the basis of a metal present at the substrate binding site.
Inhibition of an ecto-ATP-diphosphohydrolase by azide

Cell surface ATPases (ecto-ATPases or E-ATPases) hydrolyze extracellular ATP and other nucleotides. Regulation of extracellular nucleotide concentration is one of their major proposed functions. Based on enzymatic characterization, the E-ATPases have been divided into two subfamilies, ecto-ATPases and ecto-ATP-diphosphohydrolases (ecto-ATPDases). In the presence of either Mg2+ or Ca2+, ecto-ATPDases, including proteins closely related to CD39, hydrolyze nucleoside diphosphates in addition to nucleoside triphosphates and are inhibited by millimolar concentrations of azide, whereas ecto-ATPases appear to lack these two properties. This report presents the first systematic kinetic study of a purified ecto-ATPDase, the chicken oviduct ecto-ATPDase (Strobel, R.S., Nagy, A.K., Knowles, A.F., Buegel, J. & Rosenberg, M.O. (1996) J. Biol. Chem. 271, 16323-16331), with respect to ATP and ADP, and azide inhibition. Km values for ATP obtained at pH 6.4 and 7.4 are 10-30 times lower than for ADP and the catalytic efficiency is greater with ATP as the substrate. The enzyme also exhibits complicated behavior toward azide. Variable inhibition by azide is observed depending on nucleotide substrate, divalent ion, and pH. Nearly complete inhibition by 5 mm azide is obtained when MgADP is the substrate and when assays are conducted at pH 6-6.4. Azide inhibition diminishes when ATP is the substrate, Ca2+ as the activating ion, and at higher pH. The greater efficacy of azide in inhibiting ADP hydrolysis compared to ATP hydrolysis may be related to the different modes of inhibition with the two nucleotide substrates. While azide decreases both Vmax and Km for ADP, it does not alter the Km for ATP. These results suggest that the apparent affinity of azide for the E.ADP complex is significantly greater than that for the free enzyme or E.ATP. The response of the enzyme to three other inhibitors, fluoride, vanadate, and pyrophosphate, is also dependent on substrate and pH. Taken together, these results are indicative of a discrimination between ADP and ATP by the enzyme. A mechanism of azide inhibition is proposed.
Optimal Rules of Thumb for Consumption and Portfolio Choice

Conventional rules of thumb represent simple, but inefficient, alternatives to dynamic programming solutions. This article seeks an intermediate ground by developing a framework for selecting optimal rules of thumb, where rules of thumb are defined as simple functions of state variables. In the case of portfolio choice, optimal linear age rules lead to only modest welfare losses relative to the dynamic programming solution, while a linear rule based on the ratio of financial wealth to total lifetime resources performs even better. Consumption rules generate larger welfare losses but an effective rule is to consume 70–80% of annuitised lifetime wealth.
THE EFFECT OF MELANOTROPHIN RELEASE INHIBITING FACTOR (MIF) AND CYCLO (LEU-GLY) ON THE TOLERANCE TO MORPHINE-INDUCED ANTINOCICEPTION IN THE RAT: A DOSE-RESPONSE STUDY

1. The effects of melanotrophin release inhibiting factor (MIF) and its cyclic analogue cyclo (Leu-Gly) on tolerance to the analgesic effect of morphine were studied in male Sprague-Dawley rats. 2. Tolerance to morphine was induced by implantation of four morphine pellets (each containing 75 mg of morphine free base) during a 3 day period. 3. Daily subcutaneous administration of MIF and cyclo (Leu-Gly) before and during the morphine pellet implantation inhibited the development of tolerance to morphine analgesia. The minimum daily dose of the peptides required to produce a significant effect was 0.5 mg/kg. 4. The effects of single injections of MIF and cyclo (Leu-Gly) on morphine tolerance revealed that the minimum doses of cyclo (Leu-Gly) and MIF to inhibit morphine tolerance were 4 and 8 mg/kg, respectively. 5. Chronic treatment with morphine resulted in an enhanced hypothermic response to dopamine agonist, apomorphine. The enhancement of this response was blocked by both MIF and cyclo (Leu-Gly) in doses that inhibited morphine tolerance. 6. It is concluded that MIF and cyclo (Leu-Gly) blocked the development of analgesic tolerance as well as dopamine receptor hypersensitivity induced by chronic morphine treatment and the two phenomena may be interrelated.
Coding Properties of Reticulocyte Lysine Transfer RNA's in Hemoglobin Synthesis

Two isoacceptor transfer RNA9s for lysine were found in rabbit reticulocytes. The codon recognition properties of these isoacceptors were studied in hemoglobin synthesis in a cell-free systemn. The two isoacceptors transferred lysine into different sites in hemoglobin, but showed no preference for one chain over the other. Codon cross recognition was less than 4 percent.
In utero hematopoietic cell transplantation—recent progress and the potential for clinical application

In utero hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (IUHCT) is a potential therapeutic alternative to postnatal hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) for congenital hematologic disorders that can be diagnosed early in gestation and can be cured by HSCT. The rationale is to take advantage of normal events during hematopoietic and immunologic ontogeny to facilitate allogeneic hematopoietic engraftment. Although the rationale remains compelling, IUHCT has not yet achieved its clinical potential. This review will discuss recent experimental progress toward overcoming the barriers to allogeneic engraftment and new therapeutic strategies that may hasten clinical application.
Recent Developments In Large Area Scientific CCD Image Sensors

The design and performance of a 1024x1024 pixel charge-coupled device (CCD) imager are described. This device is fabricated utilizing a 3-phase, three-level polysilicon gate process. The chip is thinned and is employed in the back-illumination mode. Detailed measurements including imagery, read noise, full well capacity, charge transfer efficiency, linearity, dark current, spectral response, residual image, and charge collection efficiency are reported.
Expression of essential B cell genes and immunoglobulin isotypes suggests active development and gene recombination during equine gestation.

Many features of the equine immune system develop during fetal life, yet the naive or immature immune state of the neonate renders the foal uniquely susceptible to particular pathogens. RT-PCR and immunohistochemical experiments investigated the progressive expression of developmental B cell markers and immunoglobulins in lymphoid tissues from equine fetus, pre-suckle neonate, foal, and adult horses. Serum IgM, IgG isotype, and IgA concentrations were also quantified in pre-suckle foals and adult horses. The expression of essential B cell genes suggests active development and gene recombination during equine gestation, including immunoglobulin isotype switching. The corresponding production of IgM and IgG proteins is detectable in a limited scale at birth. Although the equine neonate humoral response seems competent, B cell activation factors derived from antigen presenting cells and T cells may control critical developmental regulation and immunoglobulin production during the initial months of life.
A BIJECTIVE PROOF OF THE QUINTUPLE PRODUCT IDENTITY

We give a bijective proof of the quintuple product identity using bijective proofs of Jacobi's triple product identity and Euler's recurrence relation.
Automated composition of motion primitives for multi-robot systems from safe LTL specifications

Author(s): Saha, I; Ramaithitima, R; Kumar, V; Pappas, GJ; Seshia, SA | Abstract: We present a compositional motion planning framework for multi-robot systems based on an encoding to satisfiability modulo theories (SMT). In our framework, the desired behavior of a group of robots is specified using a set of safe linear temporal logic (LTL) properties. Our method relies on a library of motion primitives, each of which corresponds to a controller that ensures a particular trajectory in a given configuration. Using the closed-loop behavior of the robots under the action of different controllers, we formulate the motion planning problem as an SMT solving problem and use an off-the-shelf SMT solver to generate trajectories for the robots. Our approach can also be extended to synthesize optimal cost trajectories where optimality is defined with respect to the available motion primitives. Experimental results show that our framework can efficiently solve complex motion planning problems in the context of multi-robot systems.
Varieties of crossing dependencies: structure dependence and mild context sensitivity

Four different kinds of grammars that can define crossing dependencies in human language are compared here: (i) context sensitive rewrite grammars with rules that depend on context, (ii) matching grammars with constraints that filter the generative structure of the language, (iii) copying grammars which can copy structures of unbounded size, and (iv) generating grammars in which crossing dependencies are generated from a finite lexical basis. Context sensitive rewrite grammars are syntactically, semantically and computationally unattractive. Generating grammars have a collection of nice properties that ensure they define only “mildly context sensitive” languages, and Joshi has proposed that human languages have those properties too. But for certain distinctive kinds of crossing dependencies in human languages, copying or matching analyses predominate. Some results relevant to the viability of mildly context sensitive analyses and some open questions are reviewed.
Baseline predictors of initiation vs. maintenance of regular mammography use among rural women

Abstract Background Predictors of regular mammography screening over many years have not often been examined prospectively. We used data from baseline (1993–1994), first (1996–1997), and second follow-up (2000) interviews with 336 White and 314 African-American rural women in the North Carolina Breast Cancer Screening Program to evaluate baseline factors predictive of regular mammography use over 7 years. Methods We defined regular mammography use as a recent mammogram (past 2 years) at all three interviews. Using binomial and logistic regression models adjusted for age, we examined factors associated with initiation (for women without prior regular use) and maintenance (for women with prior regular use) of mammography. Results Younger age and White race were predictive of initiation of regular mammography use. Physician recommendation was the strongest predictor of both initiation and maintenance of regular mammography use. Positive mammography attitudes and fewer personal barriers were strongly associated with initiation but not with maintenance. Conclusions Increased contact with providers and greater support for screening mammograms by providers could have an important impact on rural women initiating and maintaining regular mammography screening. Special efforts are needed to prompt rural African-American women and those over age 65 to initiate screening, since once they start they are likely to continue.
COMPOSITIONAL VARIATIONS IN LUNAR SPINELS.

TWO principal compositional groups of spinels have so far been recognized in the lunar material, first the compositions that extend from ulvospinel (Fe2TiO4) to chromite (FeCr2O4) and that are described variously as chromian–ulvospinel, titanian–chromite and aluminian–chromite1 and, second, compositions that cluster midway between spinel (MgAl2O4) and hercynite (FeAl2O4). These spinels are slightly enriched in chromium and are termed chromian–pleonasts. Chromian–pleonasts are confined to the Apollo 14 samples (this study) whereas the ulvospinel–chromite series is present in Apollo 11 (ref. 1), 12 (refs. 2–13) and 14 (this study).
Estimating the size of temporal memory for symbolic analysis of time-series data

This paper presents an approach for symbolic analysis of time-series data from a dynamical system perspective that uses Markov modeling of symbol sequences. A key aspect of this approach is the selection of relevant histories or depth of the symbol sequence to capture the evolution of the observed dynamical system in its phase-space. An approach based on the spectral properties of the one-step transition matrix is proposed. A key advantage of this approach compared to the state-of-the-art is that it does not require several passes through the time-series data to search for the optimal model given some metric. The proposed approach makes use of the decay-rate of conditional influence of the current symbol to the n-step future of the dynamical system. Using a bound on this decay rate, the optimal depth can be computed in exactly one pass though the time-series data. The effectiveness of the proposed methodology is demonstrated on a known low-dimensional chaotic system and the efficacy of the approach for anomaly detection is demonstrated.
Assignment for the '70's

W5 ;r HEN William L. Langer addressed us in I957 he deplored the "tendency . . . of historians to become buried in their own conservatism. ... We must be ready, from time to time," he said, "to take flyers into the unknown... ." As our "next assignment" he urged historians to use "the concepts and findings of modern psychology" and psychoanalysis.' Since I957 this assignment has had influence because its author perceived and encouraged a latent possibility in historical thinking. As one of Mr. Langer's many students I wish to borrow his term and suggest an assignment that I am sure is already in the minds of many of us and yet perhaps can be more explicitly formulated and more clearly recognized. This assignment for the '70's is presented within a rather stark framework of three assumptions. I assume first that we have entered an era of
An experimental psychology laboratory system for the Apple II microcomputer

A system for on-line control of experiments is described that uses the Apple II microcomputer and requires no knowledge of programming. This system, APT, is used to construct test files, randomize stimulus order, and conduct experiments. Construction of an experiment is very easy through use of an interactive program. APT provides powerful options for controlling stimulus duration, feedback, and response type. Programs are available to conduct either a sequence of tests without any experimenter present or a single experiment. Over 200 subjects, ranging from 18 to 86 years of age, have completed a battery of cognitive and abilities tests using the system.
Prediction of high speed propeller flow fields using a three-dimensional Euler analysis

To overcome the limitations of classical propeller theory, a computer program, NASPROP-E, was developed which solves for the flow field surrounding a multibladed propeller and axisymmetric nacelle combination using a finite difference method. The governing equations are the three dimensional unsteady Euler equations written in a cylindrical coordinate system. They are marched in time until a steady state solution is obtained. The Euler equations require no special treatment to model the blade work vorticity. The equations are solved using an implicit approximate factorization method. Numerical results are presented which have greatly increased the understanding of high speed propeller flow fields. Numerical results for swirl angle downstream of the propeller and propeller power coefficient are higher than experimental results. The radial variation of coefficient are higher than experimental results. The radial variation of swirl angle, however, is in reasonable agreement with the experimental results. The predicted variation of power coefficient with blade angle agrees very well with data.
California demands textbook revisions

The California state school board decided last month that middle school students should learn more about the theory of evolution than textbook publishers had planned to tell them. The board recently demanded revision of seventh- and eighth-grade science texts, which had been submitted by publishers for use in the state during the next 6 years, largely because of the books' inadequate treatment of evolution.
Elastic properties of two titanium alloys at low temperatures

Abstract Sound velocities and elastic constants were determined semi-continuously for two annealed polycrystalline titanium alloys between 4 and 300 K. Results are given for: longitudinal sound velocity, transverse sound velocity. Young's modulus, shear modulus, bulk modulus, Poisson's ratio, and elastic Debye temperature. A pulse-superposition technique was used.
An Approach for Intersubject Analysis of 3D Brain Images Based on Conformal Geometry

Recent advances in imaging technologies, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) have accelerated brain research in many aspects. In order to better understand the synergy of the many processes involved in normal brain function, integrated modeling and analysis of MRI, PET, and DTI across subjects is highly desirable. The current state-of-art computational tools fall short in offering an analytic approach for intersubject brain registration and analysis. In this paper we present an approach which is based on landmark constrained conformal parameterization of a brain surface from high-resolution structural MRI data to a canonical spherical domain. This model allows natural integration of information from co-registered PET as well as DTI data and lays a foundation for the quantitative analysis of the relationship among diverse datasets across subjects. Consequently, the approach can be extended to provide a software environment able to facilitate detection of abnormal functional brain patterns in patients with neurological disorder.
The regulation of hepatitis C virus (HCV) internal ribosome-entry site-mediated translation by HCV replicons and nonstructural proteins.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV), the global leading cause of chronic liver disease, has a positive-sense, ssRNA genome that encodes a large polyprotein. HCV polyprotein translation is initiated by an internal ribosome-entry site (IRES) located at the 5′ end of the viral genome, in a cap-independent manner, but the regulatory mechanism of this process remains poorly understood. In this study, we characterized the effect of HCV nonstructural proteins on HCV IRES-directed translation in both HCV replicon cells and transiently transfected human liver cells expressing HCV nonstructural proteins. Using bicistronic reporter gene constructs carrying either HCV or other viral IRES sequences, we found that the HCV IRES-mediated translation was specifically upregulated in HCV replicon cells. This enhancement of HCV IRES-mediated translation by the replicon cells was inhibited by treatment with either type I interferon or ribavirin, drugs that perturb HCV genome replication, suggesting that the enhancement is probably due to HCV-encoded protein function(s). Reduced phosphorylation levels of both eIF2α and eIF4E were observed in the replicon cells, which is consistent with our previous findings and indicates that the NS5A nonstructural protein may be involved in the regulatory mechanism(s). Indeed, transient expression of NS5A or NS4B in human liver cells stimulated HCV IRES activity. Interestingly, mutation in the ISDR of NS5A perturbed this stimulation of HCV IRES activity. All these results suggest, for the first time, that HCV nonstructural proteins preferentially stimulate the viral cap-independent, IRES-mediated translation.
Research Note: System for Exposing Chicks to Experimental Intermittent Electric Shock

Abstract A system for imposing mild electric shock on chicks was developed to study effects on health, behavior, and performance. A floor of parallel steel rods was wired so that the chick’s foot or feet completed an electric circuit. Droppings spanning the gap between energized rods and ground rods caused short-circuiting occasionally and temporarily, creating a random-interval/random-duration generator. In one 48-h period, on average, the floor remained electrified for 2.7 ± .19 min (χ ± SD) then off 4.5 ± .64 min. Chicks seemed to habituate to the shock over time. Therefore, in one experiment, the current from one point on a foot to another was increased daily from an estimated 2.9 mA on Day 1 to 8.7 mA on Day 7. When exposed to this electric shock regimen between 10 and 17 days of age, chicks’ weight gain was reduced by 12%, feed intake by 5%, and gain:feed by 8%.
Thermal Decomposition Studies on Ammonium Dinitramide (ADN) and 15N and 2H Isotopomers

The thermal decomposition of ammonium dinitramide (ADN) and potassium dinitramide (KDN) were examined neat and in solution. Isothermal kinetics were measured (160−220 °C) by monitoring dinitramidate loss and were found to be first-order. Ammonium ion loss and gas formation were not good measurements of ADN decomposition since they reflect the fate of the ADN decomposition product ammonium nitrate. Kinetics of decomposition were nearly identical for ADN neat (proteo- and deutero-), ADN in water (1 or 20 wt %), ADN in various pH aqueous buffers, and for aqueous KDN (1 wt % in water or deuterium oxide). The activation energy, calculated for ADN, was about 40 kcal/mol (167 kJ/mol) for neat ADN and 37 kcal/mol (155 kJ/mol) for aqueous solutions of ADN. Decomposition of ADN in aqueous buffers suggested that under the conditions of these studies decomposition of dinitramidate or its parent acid proceeds at about the same rate at pH 3, pH 5, and unbuffered but decreased by about 40% at pH 9. Neat KDN was unique i...
Effect of several dual solvents on the phase separation of poly(4-methyl-1-pentene)

Abstract Phase separation of isotactic poly(4-methyl-1-pentene) (PMP) from various solvents gives polymer masses which can be converted into foams that vary from crumbly powders to well-connected, strong, flexible solids. The composition of the solvent is an important parameter in determining the nature of the separated polymer phase. The influence of solvent (or non-solvent) on the temperature and character of the phase separation event and on the resulting foam structure is addressed in this paper. Thus differing ratios of two poor solvents for PMP, bibenzyl and paraffin, were found to give variable foam structures and surprising phase behaviour. Thermochromism is sometimes observed as the polymer separates.
Between Guantánamo and Montego bay: Cuba, Jamaica, migration and the cold war, 1959–62

The following study explores how people worked, travelled and sought refuge between Jamaica and Cuba during the years immediately following the Cuban Revolution and decolonization in Jamaica. The Cold War redefined the nature of travel between Jamaica and Cuba: the Jamaican community in Cuba gained new significance for the Jamaican government, thousands of Cuban exiles poured into Jamaica, and Jamaican leftists sought adventure and inspiration in Cuba. Simultaneously, the Cold War made any movement between communist Cuba and the recently independent Jamaica a matter of government concern, and the United States actively intervened and set concrete limits on Jamaica's nascent independence and foreign policy. The extent to which the state controlled migration and travel between Jamaica and Cuba demonstrates the scope and limits of the Cold War's power over the Jamaican government and its nationals in this era.
Comparison of pollen and macrofossil based reconstructions of Late Quaternary vegetation in western North America

Abstract In western North America, vegetation reconstructions based on separate palynological and packrat (Neotoma spp.) midden studies can be compared to explore the strengths and weaknesses of each technique. Agreement between interpretations based on the different data appears to decrease with increasing distance from the pollen site. Likely sources of disagreement can be found in both the pollen and plant macrofossil studies. For pollen-based interpretations, these include the association of fossil pollen spectra with modern vegetation types and assumptions regarding the nature of vegetation zonation during the last glacial age. Factors in midden analysis that contribute to disagreement include the restriction of macrofossil data to rocky habitats and its sparse geographic coverage. Along with providing novel tests of palynological reconstructions, balanced comparisons of plant macrofossil and pollen data allow greater understanding of interpretive factors affecting our view of Late Quaternary vegetation.
UPLIFT CAPACITY OF RIGID STEEL PILE GROUPS IN CLAY

ABSTRACT Laboratory model test results for the ultimate uplift capacity of group piles embedded in clay have been presented. The length-to-diameter ratios of the group piles tested under this program have been kept at 12 and 15. The group uplift efficiency varies with the embedment ratio, number of piles in the group, and the center-to-center spacing of the piles. For the present tests, a group efficiency of about 100% is reached at a center-to-center spacing of 6 to 7 pile diameters.
Microwave permeability of Y-type hexaferrites in zero and low fields

Abstract We have investigated the zero field permeability of Y-type Hexaferrites. In this paper, the measured permeability of Ba2MnZnFe12O22 from 0.045 to 10 GHz was theoretically explained in terms of zero magnetic field multi-domain and wall resonances. The basal plane anisotropy field HφA, domain wall thickness δ and length L of the domain wall was estimated from resonance and permeability data. The HφA was also confirmed from the in plane FMR, and shape effects were readily estimated from permeability measurements.
Identification of a siderophore utilization locus in nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae

Haemophilus influenzae has an absolute aerobic growth requirement for either heme, or iron in the presence of protoporphyrin IX. Both iron and heme in the mammalian host are strictly limited in their availability to invading microorganisms. Many bacterial species overcome iron limitation in their environment by the synthesis and secretion of small iron binding molecules termed siderophores, which bind iron and deliver it into the bacterial cell via specific siderophore receptor proteins on the bacterial cell surface. There are currently no reports of siderophore production or utilization by H. influenzae. Comparative genomics revealed a putative four gene operon in the recently sequenced nontypeable H. influenzae strain R2846 that encodes predicted proteins exhibiting significant identity at the amino acid level to proteins involved in the utilization of the siderophore ferrichrome in other bacterial species. No siderophore biosynthesis genes were identified in the R2846 genome. Both comparative genomics and a PCR based analysis identified several additional H. influenzae strains possessing this operon. In growth curve assays strains containing the genes were able to utilize ferrichrome as an iron source. H. influenzae strains lacking the operon were unable to obtain iron from ferrichrome. An insertional mutation in one gene of the operon abrogated the ability of strains to utilize ferrichrome. In addition transcription of genes in the identified operon were repressible by high iron/heme levels in the growth media. We have identified an iron/heme-repressible siderophore utilization locus present in several nontypeable H. influenzae strains. The same strains do not possess genes encoding proteins associated with siderophore synthesis. The siderophore utilization locus may enable the utilization of siderophores produced by other microorganisms in the polymicrobial environmental niche of the human nasopharynx colonized by H. influenzae. This is the first report of siderophore utilization by H. influenzae.
Correction: Global analysis of host response to induction of a latent bacteriophage

After the publication of this work [1], we became aware that the legends for Figures 2, 3 and 4 were not in the correct order.
Community college education through the looking glass of associate degree nursing

Abstract Community colleges, offering associate degree education, have become the major supplier of new graduates across the academic disciplines and professional careers. In nursing, associate degree nursing (ADN) preparation offers the shortest pathway to professional practice. Approximately 60% of nursing students graduate from Community Colleges. A diverse population of traditional and nontraditional students enters the contemporary higher-education system. Lack of appropriate academic preparation affects the students' success and integration into professional practice. The community college leadership must evaluate whether the existing curriculum reflects the contemporary social and student needs.
Cutaneous Aspergillus Ustus in a Lung Transplant Recipient : Emergence of a New Opportunistic Fungal Pathogen

Opportunistic fungal infections remain a significant complication in immunosuppressed patients, especially those having undergone solid-organ transplantation. We report a 39-year-old patient who represents the second case of cutaneous Aspergillus ustus infection in a solid-organ transplant recipient, and the first documented case after lung transplantation. The patient's cutaneous lower extremity aspergillosis responded to a combination of intravenous liposomal amphotericin B, caspofungin and topical terbinafine cream, with a concomitant reduction in immunosuppression. A. ustus is an emerging opportunistic fungal pathogen in transplant recipients.
High pressure phase behavior in systems containing CO2 and heavier compounds with similar vapor pressures

Abstract The separation of the para and ortho isomers of xylene as well as the azeotropic mixture of butyl ether/o-xylene using carbon dioxide at high pressure was investigated. The phase behavior of carbon dioxide and each of these compounds along with the ternary systems; CO2/p-xylene/o-xylene and CO2/butyl ether/o-xylene were experimentally determined. The relative volatilities of p-xylene to o-xylene in the CO2/p-xylene/o-xylene system compared favorably with those obtained in distillation. The results also indicated a substantial shift in the butyl ether/o-xylene azeotrope to higher butyl ether concentrations in the presence of carbon dioxide thus indicating a potential for the separation of these mixtures using carbon dioxide at low temperatures. Thermodynamic models using the Peng—Robinson equation of state were developed and better predictions of the bubble point pressures were obtained when the interaction parameter, δij, was allowed to vary with phase density. This approach results in an analytically solvable quartic equation in volume and gives different δij's for the vapor and liquid phases. In this model, the temperature dependence of the binary interaction parameter is contained within its density dependence and, δij's obtained from fitting VLE data at a single temperature could be used for accurate prediction of equilibrium data at other temperatures. The results of such predictions were better than predictions obtained by fitting the actual data using the conventional VDW-1 mixing rules.
An exploratory assessment of Cuban Treefrog (Osteopilus septentrionalis) tadpoles as predators of native and nonindigenous tadpoles in Florida

The introduction and establishment of nonindigenous species is a significant threat to native biodiversity worldwide (Vitousek et al., 1996; Mack et al., 2000). The adverse ecological impacts of such species on native taxa are generally attributed to several basic mechanisms, perhaps the most obvious of which is the direct predation of native organisms by a nonindigenous species (Simberloff, 1997). In the most extreme cases, predation by nonindigenous species has caused the extinction of native and endemic faunas (e.g., Honegger, 1981; Savidge, 1987; Atkinson, 1989). Although the impacts of nonindigenous predators are not always this severe, they are nonetheless worrisome if native community structure is significantly altered. For these reasons the study of the impacts of potentially injurious invasive predators is an essential component of biodiversity conservation. The nonindigenous Cuban Treefrog, Osteopilus septentrionalis, has been established in mainland Florida, USA since at least 1951 (Schwartz, 1952) and has since spread to occupy much of peninsular Florida where it occurs syntopically with several native anurans (Meshaka, 2001). Anecdotal reports of lo-
Cross-cultural differences in sexual advertising content in a transnational women's magazine

Critics worldwide denounce objectification in advertising and blame media imperialism for disseminating overt, Westernized sexuality. Yet, advertising practitioners believe that sex sells and images can overcome cultural barriers. Few researchers have explored sexuality in advertising across multiple countries or the factors that may contribute to content. We examined the degrees of sexuality in advertising within Cosmopolitan magazine across seven countries (Brazil, China, France, India, South Korea, Thailand, the United States). Even within a transnational Western magazine, degrees of sexuality differ. Presence of Western models, sexual freedom values, and a less authoritarian political culture contribute to greater sexuality in magazine advertising. By considering multiple factors in advertisements within a global magazine, we go beyond description to illuminate differences in the portrayal of women and sexuality cross-culturally.
Expression and processing of small integrin-binding ligand N-linked glycoproteins in mouse odontoblastic cells

Objective Small integrin-binding ligand N-linked glycoproteins (SIBLINGs) are expressed in dentin and believed to control dentinogenesis. Five members of SIBLING family include bone sialoprotein (BSP), osteopontin (OPN), matrix extracellular phosphoglycoprotein (MEPE), dentin matrix protein 1 (DMP1) and dentin sialophosphoprotein (DSPP). These genes are clustered on chromosome 4q in humans and share similar biological features. DSPP and DMP1 are processed into given structural/functional fragments in rat and porcine. It still remains unclear whether these evidences occur in mouse and other SIBLING members are also processed into given fragments from their parent precursors. The aim of this study was to identify expression and processing of the five proteins in two mouse odontoblastic cell lines.
Preparation of n-butyl-2-(2′-triphenylmethyltetrazol-5-yl)phenylborinic acid

Understanding the mechanism of formation of an impurity in the key step of the synthesis of Losartan (1) helped devise a procedure to synthesize the title compound in high yield.
Identification of STRAP, a Novel WD Domain Protein in Transforming Growth Factor-β Signaling *

Abstract Transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) is the prototype of a large family of proteins that regulate a variety of biological processes. The pleiotropic responses to TGF-β are mediated via ligand-induced heteromeric complex formation by type I (TβR-I) and type II (TβR-II) serine-threonine kinase receptors. Several studies have shown that TβR-II acts as a primary receptor, binding TGF-β and phosphorylating TβR-I, whose kinase activity then propagates the signals. Therefore, intracellular proteins that interact with type I receptors are likely to play important roles in TGF-β signaling. We have identified a novel WD domain-containing protein, designated STRAP (serine-threonine kinasereceptor-associated protein), which interacts with TβR-I in a yeast two-hybrid system. STRAP associates with both functional TβR-I and TβR-II in vivo. Overexpression of STRAP leads to inhibition of TGF-β-mediated transcriptional activation. It also shows synergistic inhibition of TGF-β signaling in concert with Smad7, but not with Smad6, as measured by TGF-β-dependent transcriptional reporters. The existence of the STRAP gene from yeast to mammals indicates an evolutionarily conserved function in eukaryotes. The data suggest a potential role for STRAP in TGF-β signal transduction.
Breeding potential of introgressions into upland cotton: genetic effects and heterosis

With 5 tables Abstract As new technology in the textile industry demands higher quality fibres, improving cotton fibre quality has become increasingly important. Twelve cotton lines selected from different breeding programmes with diverse fibre characteristics were used for this study. These lines and their F2 hybrids were grown at the Mississippi State University research farm in three environments. Agronomic and fibre traits were measured and analysed by the additive-dominance genetic model. Significant additive effects were detected for all traits except seed cotton yield and fibre elongation. Dominance effects were significant for all traits. All MD lines and CS-B16 showed positive additive effects for lint percentage (LP), indicating that these lines can be used as general combiners to improve LP. MD90ne was a good general combiner for cotton yield. MD51ne, MD52ne, MD90ne and three derived day-neutral lines were associated with increased additive effects for fibre strength. Some F2 hybrids with positive middle-parent heterosis for both yield and fibre quality were identified. This study revealed that these genetic lines can be used for inbred line and/or hybrid development.