cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Isolation and characterization of gastric microsomal glycoproteins. evidence for a glycosylated β-subunit of the H+/K−-ATPase

Abstract Detergent-solubilization of hog gastric microsomal membrane proteins followed by affinity chromatography using wheat germ agglutinin or Ricinus communis I agglutinin resulted in the isolation of five glycoproteins with the apparent molecular masses on sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gels of (in kDa): 60–80 (two glycoproteins sharing this molecular mass); 125–150; and 190–210. In the nonionic detergent Nonidet P-40 (NP-40), the 94 kDa H+/K+-ATPase was recovered exclusively in the lectin-binding fraction; however, in the cationic detergent dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide, most of the ATPase was recovered in the nonbinding fraction. Detection of glycoproteins either by periodic acid-dansyl hydrazine staining of carbohydrate in polyacrylamide gels or by Western blots probed with lectins indicated that the majority of the ATPase molecules are not glycosylated. In addition, in the absence of microsomal glycoproteins, the NP-40-solubilized ATPase does not bind to a lectin column. Taken together, these results suggest that the recovery of NP-40-solubilized ATPase in the lectin-binding fraction is due to its noncovalent interaction with a gastric microsomal glycoprotein. Immunoprecipitation of the ATPase from NP-40-solubilized microsomal membrane proteins resulted in the co-precipitation of a single 60–80 kDa glycoprotein. Characterization of the 60–80 kDa glycoprotein associated with the ATPase revealed that: it is a transmembrane protein; it has an apparent core molecular mass of 32 kDa; and, it has five asparagine-linked oligosaccharide chains. Given its similarity to the glycosylated β-subunit of the Na+/K+-ATPase, this 60–80 kDa gastric microsomal glycoprotein is suggested to be a β-subunit of the H+/K+-ATPase.
Accurate characterization of random process variations using a robust low-voltage high-sensitivity sensor featuring replica-bias circuit

Accurate and fast measurement and characterization of random threshold voltage (V th ) fluctuations is crucial in process optimization and yield learning, particularly for matching critical transistors such as SRAMs, sense amplifiers, differential amplifiers, etc. Traditional methods in which multiplexed devices under test (DUTs) are characterized using accurate current measurements require extensive data analysis [1–3]. A sense-amplifier based measurement method presented in [4] provides limited statistical data since it can measure the mismatch between only two devices. Recently, a digital array based technique is proposed in [5] with limited sensitivity. Finally, a sub-threshold technique presented in [6] provides high sensitivity but lacks on-chip calibration. This paper presents a low voltage, high sensitivity random process variations sensor utilizing an on-chip calibration circuit for improved accuracy. Moreover, the proposed sensor features a replica bias circuit which compensates global process-voltage-temperature (PVT) variations and maintains sensitivity for robust operation.
Mating strategies of queens in Lasius niger ants—is environment type important?

High relatedness among society members is believed important for the evolution of highly cooperative behaviours, yet queens of many social insects mate with multiple males which reduces nestmate relatedness and imposes also direct costs on queens. While theoretical models have suggested explanations for this puzzling queen behaviour, empirical studies fail to provide consistent answers especially for species with moderate levels of multiple mating. This may result from multiple mating only conferring benefits in some environments, as suggested by recent genetic variance theory and considerations on types of traits, direct costs and benefits. All concur in an expectation of higher levels of multiple mating in more complex or milder environments, and we perform a first, broad test of this idea by comparing mating strategies of queens in Lasius niger ants from northern (harsh, cold stressed) and southern populations (milder, greater bio-complexity). First, we collected new genetic data from Ireland and Southern France and then compared these to data on Swiss and Swedish populations. Queens from northern populations were near exclusively single mated and even at times inbred (in Ireland), whereas southern queens showed high levels of multiple mating, leading to more genetically diverse colonies in the south. Equally, paternity skew was greater in the north, as expected if northern queens only remate when their first mate transfers few sperm. Our findings are consistent with the idea that environment type may affect mating strategies in social insects and calls for an exploration of such effects.
Surgical experience in descending thoracic aneurysmectomy with and without adjuncts to avoid ischemia.

Abstract Over the past twelve years, surgical treatment of descending thoracic aneurysms has been performed in 360 patients. Three different operative strategies were employed during resection to provide distal aortic perfusion by temporary bypass (Group 1, 75 patients) or shunt (Group 2, 22 patients) or to simplify the operative procedure with aortic cross-clamping alone (Group 3, 263 patients). The surgical results were determined primarily by patient-related and disease-related variables. Advanced age (older than 70 years), atherosclerotic cause, and emergency operation significantly increased the risks of early mortality and morbidity. The incidence of death (11.7%), paraplegia (6.5%), or renal failure (6%) was not reduced by the use of adjunctive perfusion, and bleeding complications increased significantly in Groups 1 and 2. Spinal cord injury was increased significantly by emergency operations, cross-clamp times exceeding 30 minutes, and extensive aneurysms ( p p
Effects of implant anchorage on midface prostheses

Abstract Statement of problem. Acquired midface defects may produce functional and psychologic impairments that adversely effects a patient's quality of life. Conventional prostheses may lack adequate retention and stability, diminishing the patient's confidence that the prosthesis will remain in place during routine activities. Purpose. The experience with and patient response to endosseous implants in prosthetic restoration of midface defects is presented in this study. Material and methods. Five patients in age from 36 to 88 years were treated with 19 titanium endosseous root-form implants to provide retention and stability for prostheses. Patients responded to a questionnaire rating overall use, effectiveness, and satisfaction of their prosthesis, before and after the use of implants. Results. All 19 implants were judged to be osseointegrated at abutment connection. Of the 17 implants used prosthetically, 14 (82%) remained osseointegrated and 3 (18%) failed. Analysis of the questionnaire tends to indicate an improvement of the quality of life for the patients with an implant-retained prosthesis. (J Prosthet Dent 1997;78:496-500.)
High human-observer efficiency for forced-localization tasks in correlated noise

We investigate signal-known-exactly (SKE) detection and free localization tasks in correlated noise having a power-law power spectrum. In all cases the target is an additive focal Gaussian "bump" signal. We compare the performance of human observers in psychophysical studies to that of the Bayesian ideal observer for both tasks in the form of the observer efficiency. We find efficiencies that range from 40% to 60% in the SKE detection task, consistent with previous works. Observer efficiency is considerably higher in the free-localization task, ranging from 60% to 80%. Direct estimation of the human-observer spatial-frequency weights shows clear evidence of a shift to higher frequencies with increasing power-law exponent in both tasks. Our results suggest that human observers are performing some sort of limited prewhitening of stimuli in both tasks.
THE ECONOMICS OF INSURING CROPS AGAINST DROUGHT

The necessary conditions for the existence of a financially viable crop insurance scheme against drought are examined. A supply and demand model for crop insurance is developed which identifies the parameters that are critical to the efficiency of such a scheme. The values of these parameters are estimated by using data from the Australian wheat industry. It is found that crop insurance against drought would appear to be unattractive from an efficiency point of view.
Multiple primary cancers of the ororespiratory tract and the cervix.

The case histories of six women with simultaneous primary squamous cell carcinomas of the uterine cervix and the ororespiratory tract are reported. They represent 1.6% of the cervical carcinomas seen in a 4-year period and 22.2% of the total ororespiratory carcinomas in women in a similar period. A review of the literature reveals only infrequent reports of this combination of neoplasms. Etiologic factors appear to be related to environment, being associated with low socioeconomic status, poor hygiene, multiparity and prolonged tobacco usage. The authors suggest that similar combinations of these easily accessible cancers may be detected in populations of comparable economic status.
Photo-assisted electrochemical detection (PAED) following HPLC-UV for the determination of nitro explosives and degradation products

Continuous efforts implemented by government agencies such as the United States Geological Survey (USGS) aim to manage and protect the integrity of the environment's natural resources. RDX is one of the most frequently utilized nitramine explosives for mining, demolition and munitions purposes in the United States (US). The degradation of RDX in natural environments is of particular importance as a result of the accumulation of consequential degradation products in nature. Specifically, RDX has the potential to be degraded by microorganisms resulting in hazardous levels of harmful degradation products in soil and groundwater. The necessity for the detection of these particular degradation products is emphasized as a consequence of their toxicity as these products are recognized as potential mutagens. Photo-assisted electrochemical detection (PAED) following HPLC-UV is used to develop an analytical method qualified for the assessment of RDX and degradation products. The technique offers unique selectivity possessed by the photochemical reactor coupled to EC detection serving to eliminate the need for repetitive analysis using different column technologies. Furthermore, on-line sample pretreatment is developed and optimized specifically for the preparation of samples consisting of RDX and degradation products. Analytical figures of merit determined for all target analytes using on-line SPE-HPLC-UV-PAED revealed detection limits in the sub part per billion range for RDX and degradation product MEDINA. The effectiveness of the method is exemplified in collaborative studies with the USGS in monitoring the degradation of RDX and formation of degradation products once the nitro explosive is subject to anaerobic microorganisms WBC-2.© (2012) COPYRIGHT Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Pulse-field electrophoresis indicates full-length mycoplasma chromosomes range widely in size

Full-size linear chromosomes were prepared from mycoplasmas by using gamma-irradiation to introduce one (on average) double-strand break in their circular chromosomes. Chromosome sizes were estimated by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) from the mobilities of these full-length molecules relative to DNA size references. Sizes estimated for Ureaplasma urealyticum T960 and 16 Mycoplasma species ranged from 684 kbp (M. hominis) to 1315 kbp (M. iowae). Using this sample, we found no correlation between the mobility of the full-size linear chromosomes and their G + C content. Sizes for A. laidlawii and A. hippikon were within the range expected from renaturation kinetics. PFGE size estimates are in good agreement with sizes determined by other methods, including electron microscopy, an ordered clone library, and summation of restriction fragments. Our estimates also agree with those from renaturation kinetics for both the largest and some of the smallest chromosomes, but in the intermediate size range, renaturation kinetics consistently provides lower values than PFGE or electron microscopy. Our PFGE estimates show that mycoplasma chromosomes span a continual range of sizes, with several intermediate values falling between the previously recognized large and small chromosome size clusters.
DWM-TAPESTRI - an energy efficient all-spin cache using domain wall shift based writes

Spin-based memories are promising candidates for future on-chip memories due to their high density, non-volatility, and very low leakage. However, the high energy and latency of write operations in these memories is a major challenge. In this work, we explore a new approach -- shift based write -- that offers a fast and energy-efficient alternative to performing writes in spin-based memories. We propose DWM-TAPESTRI, a new all-spin cache design that utilizes Domain Wall Memory (DWM) with shift based writes at all levels of the cache hierarchy. The proposed write scheme enables DWM to be used, for the first time, in L1 caches and in tag arrays, where the inefficiency of writes in spin memories has traditionally precluded their use. At the circuit level, we propose bit-cell designs utilizing shift-based writes, which are tailored to the differing requirements of different levels in the cache hierarchy. We also propose pre-shifting as an architectural technique to hide the latency of shift operations that is inherent to DWM. We performed a systematic device-circuit-architecture evaluation of the proposed design. Over a wide range of SPEC 2006 benchmarks, DWM-TAPESTRI achieves 8.2X improvement in energy and 4X improvement in area, with virtually identical performance, compared to an iso-capacity SRAM cache. Compared to an iso-capacity STT-MRAM cache, the proposed design achieves around 1.6X improvement in both area and energy under iso-performance conditions.
Lipoproteins in the plasma and hepatic perfusates of the Zucker fatty rat.

The Zucker fatty rat develops marked hyperlipidemia characterized by elevations in all lipoproteins. The compositions of these lipoproteins are altered. The purpose of our study was to determine the hepatic contribution to the alterations seen in plasma. Zucker fatty rats and lean controls were fed ad libitum. Fatties gained more weight than leans. Levels of lipids were determined chemically, and apoproteins A(ApoA)-I and B(ApoB) by radioimmunoassay (RIA). Very low density lipoproteins (VLDL) (d Triglyceride (TG) increased ∼10-fold in fatty plasma, cholesterol (Choi) twofold, and ApoA-I fourfold, but ApoB was ∼40% lower. The VLDL of fatties were larger, TG-enriched, and less dense. Although total VLDL-protein was elevated, the proportion of the VLDL-protein that was ApoB and ARP was low. Therefore, VLDL-protein was enriched with ApoC. ApoB and ApoE contents of VLDL subclasses varied directly with particle density, while ApoC varied inversely. Changes in ApoC subspecies were also noted. For any given VLDL subfraction, fatty VLDL had less ApoB and ApoE and more ApoC than the corresponding VLDL subfraction in the lean controls. Compared with livers of lean, the livers of fatty rats secreted VLDL that were larger, TG-enriched, and less dense. Here, too, VLDL-protein was higher because of relative increases in non-ApoB proteins. ApoB and ApoE content varied directly with particle density in VLDL subfraction of the perfusates, while ApoC varied inversely; for any given VLDL subfraction, fatty VLDL had less ApoE and more ApoC than analogous fractions in lean controls, though levels of ApoB were similar. As in plasma, the distribution of the ApoC subspecies differed in the perfusate VLDL of fatty and lean animals. Thus, the hepatic secretion of altered VLDL could explain many of the changes seen in the VLDL of plasma. However, differences remained between perfusate and plasma VLDL, which may be due to alterations introduced by intravascular catabolism and/or by lipoproteins secreted from the gut. Although plasma ApoA-I levels were fourfold higher in fatty, the hepatic secretion of ApoA-I was similar in the fatty and lean rats. The contribution of the liver to plasma pools of A-I was calculated as 34.8% in lean and 10.7% in fatty. These data are consistent with the concept that the gut, not the liver, is the major contributor to plasma ApoA-I.
Capstone project: an integrated approach to learning

Summary form only given. Before 1997, a final curriculum "Capstone" project was required in three Associate of Applied Science curricula at Wake Tech. During the 1996-1997 academic year, with a grant from the National Science Foundation, the college initiated institution-wide reform by expanding the Capstone project to 24 additional AAS curricula. By the end of the 1997-1998 academic year, 27 AAS curricula will require a Capstone project. Interdisciplinary teams comprised of math, English, and engineering faculty were organized in 1996-97 to revise and develop required courses and a Capstone project that emphasize an integrated, practical, and participatory approach to learning. The Capstone project has allowed English and math faculty to revise courses to develop more effectively the math and communications skills needed in the technical classes and in the workplace. Engineering faculty have revised coursework to integrate math and communication skills needed in the workplace and to emphasize assignments that provide hands-on, problem-based learning experiences that encourage creativity and critical thinking.
A pilot study of the modified Atkins diet for Sturge—Weber syndrome

The modified Atkins diet (MAD) is a dietary treatment for epilepsy which does not restrict fluids or calories. This theoretically makes the MAD safer than the ketogenic diet for children with Sturge-Weber syndrome (SWS). Five children aged 4-18 years with SWS and at least monthly intractable seizures were started prospectively on the MAD for 6 months. All children had urinary ketosis and seizure improvement, including 3 with > 50% seizure reduction.
Using dynamics to recover Euclidian 3-dimensional structure from 2-dimensional perspective projections

In this paper we consider the problem of recovering the 3-dimensional Euclidian structure of a rigid object from multi-frame point correspondence data in a sequence of 2-D images obtained under perspective projection. The main idea is to recast the problem as the identification of an LTI system based on partial data. The main result of the paper shows that, under mild conditions, the lowest order system whose projections interpolate the 2-D data, yields (up to a single scaling constant) the correct 3 dimensional Euclidean coordinates of the points. Finally, we show that the problem of finding this system (and hence the associated 3-D data) can be recast into a rank minimization form that can be efficiently solved using convex relaxations. In contrast, existing approaches to the problem, based on iterative matrix factorizations can recover structure only up to a projective transformation that does not preserve the Euclidian geometry of the object.
ANAPHYLACTIC SHOCK BY AZODYES.

From the experiments presented, it follows that the specific precipitation and the production of anaphylactic shock with certain azodyes, as described previously, is due to these substances themselves and is not dependent upon formation of azoproteins by interaction of the dyes with proteins in the test tube or the animal body. Besides these, some other azodyes which in our tests did not give precipitation with corresponding immune sera were also found, in very small quantities, to induce anaphylactic contraction of the uterus of sensitized guinea pigs.
The interfering effect of human IgG antisperm antibodies on human sperm penetration of zona-free hamster eggs.

: A liquid-phase radioimmunoassay was used to quantitate sperm-associated IgG in a population of patients with unexplained infertility. Plasma IgG antisperm antibody activity was identified in a subpopulation of these patients. Using the human sperm/hamster egg assay, a unique functional test of human sperm penetrating capacity, we identified a subset of these positive patients whose plasma significantly and reproducibly inhibited penetration. This study implies that antigen-antibody reactions may prevent sperm responses that are critical to sperm-egg fusion.
Methodology of siderophores

Siderophores, defined as iron(III) specific transport compounds, are widely distributed in aerobic and facultative anaerobic microbial species. The list of microbes known to form siderophores includes various enteric bacteria; human, animal and plant pathogenic bacteria and fungi; soil microorganisms; Gram positive and negative species, blue green alga (Cyanobacteria) and higher algae; nitrogen fixing bacteria; and many types of fungi including all species of Penicillia, Neurospora, basidiomycetes and certain types of yeast. As natural products, siderophores are classed conveniently as hydroxamates, catechols and “miscellaneous”, the latter possibly structurally related to the phytosiderophores of plants. A variety of standard methods has evolved for detection, enhanced production, isolation, characterization and synthesis of the siderophores. The cloning of the enterobactin and aerobactin systems of Escherichia coli has been reported. A very large number of siderophores remain to be characterized as either known compounds or new products. The opportunities for technical exloitation of the substantial reservoir of basic research knowledge of siderophores abound in fields as diverse as clinical medicine and plant pathology.
An Approach to Optimization of Terminal Rendezvous

The optimal solution is presented to a cooperative game which is described by a common quadratic cost functional subject to linear ordinary differential equation constraints. The optimal feedback controller is constructed for both players when all components of the state vector can be measured. For the case that only some components of the state vector are available, the optimal feedback controller is designed using a dynamic observer. As a specific application, the approach is used in determining the optimal feedback controllers for two satellites which are performing a rendezvous on a circular orbit. Simulation results are presented to illustrate the applicability of the approach.
Characterization of SSR42, a Novel Virulence Factor Regulatory RNA That Contributes to the Pathogenesis of a Staphylococcus aureus USA300 Representative

Staphylococcus aureus is a major human pathogen that is capable of producing an expansive repertoire of cell surface-associated and extracellular virulence factors. Herein we describe an S. aureus regulatory RNA, SSR42, which modulates the expression of approximately 80 mRNA species, including several virulence factors, in S. aureus strains UAMS-1 and USA300 (LAC) during stationary-phase growth. Mutagenesis studies revealed that SSR42 codes for an 891-nucleotide RNA molecule and that the molecule's regulatory effects are mediated by the full-length transcript. Western blotting and functional assays indicated that the regulatory effects of SSR42 correlate with biologically significant changes in corresponding protein abundances. Further, in S. aureus strain LAC, SSR42 is required for wild-type levels of erythrocyte lysis, resistance to human polymorphonuclear leukocyte killing, and pathogenesis in a murine model of skin and soft tissue infection. Taken together, our results indicate that SSR42 is a novel S. aureus regulatory RNA molecule that contributes to the organism's ability to cause disease.
Cartilage-derived morphogenetic proteins. Key regulators in chondrocyte differentiation?

Biological regeneration of tissues can be considered a feasible goal in modern medicine largely because of scientific advances in this past decade. These advances clearly demonstrate that the cellular and molecular events taking place during the formation of tissues in embryogenesis are recapitulated during their repair or regeneration. A striking example of this biological principle is bone remodeling and fracture repair, showing a virtually identical cascade of events as seen in the formation of long bones in development. The potential therapeutic implications in diseases such as osteoporosis and osteoarthrosis, in a number of clinical problems such as delayed unions and avascular necrosis and for a large number of congenital osteochondrodysplasias, have intensified the research efforts in the field of skeletal development. This has resulted in major breakthroughs in the characterization of the molecular signals involved in the formation of the skeleton (Erlebacher et al. 1995). An example of this is th...
Love’s labor lost: emotional agency in a school worker’s story of family advocacy

This study reports on the dilemmas of practice experienced by a parent–school facilitator, Melanie, within a large urban school district. Melanie struggled to reconcile her commitment to families in her school with the demands placed on her by an administrative ideology that viewed families as adversaries. Her attempts to manage the conflicts induced by this situation remained trapped in a polarizing discourse of families as marginalized within an insensitive school system. Using a theoretical framework that intertwines dialogism with the role of emotion in socially just education, I analyze Melanie’s narrative to uncover the ways in which she enacted her ideological commitments while constructing the position of her school administration as indefensible. I deploy such analysis to animate the links between emotional labor within challenging schooling contexts and an equally politicized stance of engagement to accomplish the ends of social justice.
A comparison of capillary electrophoresis using indirect UV absorbance and ICP-MS detection with a self-aspirating nebulizer interface

A comparison of capillary electrophoresis (CE) migration times using standard on-column UV detection and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) is presented for two different CE separations. The first is a separation of five arsenic compounds, four anionic species and one neutral, using reverse polarity in a chromate buffer with an electroosmotic flow modifier. The second CE separation employs normal polarity for the separation of eleven lanthanide cations using a hydroxyisobutyric acid (HIBA) buffer with an indirect UV detection reagent. The CE-ICP-MS interface is based on a tee design which introduces a sheath flow around the CE capillary using a self-aspirating make-up electrolyte with a microconcentric nebulizer (MCN-100). Migration times observed for CE-ICP-MS electropherograms are comparable to migration times acquired with UV detection, and may be adjusted by changes in the make-up liquid level position. The precision of peak areas (<2%) and migration times (<4%) obtained using CE-ICP-MS is comparable to that obtained using online UV absorbance detection. CE-ICP-MS limits of detection are in the low ng ml−1 range for the analytes studied.
“As Regarding Rhythm”: Rhythm in Modern Poetry and Cinema

This essay examines the connection between modern poetry and cinema through their mutual emphasis on rhythm. It argues that rhythm provides both an alternative mode for structuring non-narrative cinemas as well as an explanatory device for how filmmakers in the modernist milieu believe the cinema works.
Kinetics of gas diffusion in mammalian cell culture systems. I. Experimental

It has been demonstrated experimentally that the thickness of fluid overlay in conventional tissue culture systems limits the oxygen available to mammalian cells growing as a submerged monolayer. A rocker culture system is described which circumvents critical problems associated with thin film culture while permitting nearly unlimited access of oxygen to the cell monolayer. Good growth of primary hepatic cells as isolated sheets has been obtained.
Race, Protest, and Public Space: Contextualizing Lefebvre in the U.S. City

Since the early 1990s, Henri Lefebvre's theory of the social production of space has become widely used by Anglophone academics to understand contemporary urban processes in the Western world. This article argues that care must be taken in transporting Lefbevre's theoretical framework from one context to another. When applied in places like U.S. cities, it must be contextualized in relation to significant sociospatial processes, especially race. It is also argued that when the racialized geographies of U.S. cities are taken into account, Lefebvre's work—with its focus on the role representation plays in the production of space—aids our understanding of contemporary urban processes. The article develops this argument through an engagement with the racialized public spaces in and around downtown Lexington, Kentucky. The killing of an African-American teenager by a White police officer and the ensuing violence and commentary, especially two editorial cartoons, provide the opportunity to contextualize Lefebvre's theory. Furthermore, the case allows us to understand the role racialized representations of space play into the construction of urban geographies. The paper concludes by emphasizing the role of the body in Lefebvre's understanding of space and suggests that his twin notions of “the right to the city” and “the right to difference” hold out hope for the grassroots development of antiracist urban public spaces.
Soil-Related Bacterial and Fungal Infections

A variety of classic and emerging soil-related bacterial and fungal pathogens cause serious human disease that frequently presents in primary care settings. Typically, the growth of these microorganisms is favored by particular soil characteristics and may involve complex life cycles including amoebae or animal hosts. Specific evolved virulence factors or the ability to grow in diverse, sometimes harsh, microenvironments may promote pathogenesis. Infection may occur by direct inoculation or ingestion, ingestion of contaminated food, or inhalation. This narrative review describes the usual presentations and environmental sources of soil-related infections. In addition to tetanus, anthrax, and botulism, soil bacteria may cause gastrointestinal, wound, skin, and respiratory tract diseases. The systemic fungi are largely acquired via inhalation from contaminated soil and near-soil environments. These fungal infections are particularly life-threatening in those with compromised immune systems. Questions regarding soil exposure should be included in the history of any patient with syndromes consistent with tetanus, botulism or anthrax, traumatic wounds, recalcitrant skin lesions, gastroenteritis, and nonresponsive, overwhelming, or chronic pneumonia.
Differential Scanning Calorimetry Studies on DNA Gels

The present report is concerned with a study of the enthal-phy and kinetics of the helix-coil transition of DNA by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Although several investigators have reported calorimetric studies on DNA1–4, the DSC experiment provides kinetic as well as thermal information about the system. We have applied the method of Borchardt and Daniels5 to obtain information concerning the order and activation energy of the thermal denaturation of calf thymus DNA over a pH range of 5.4 to 8.2.
Morphology-Property Relationships in EPDM-Polybutadiene Blends

Abstract When mixing EPDM and BR in the Brabender a heterogeneous blend results; the dispersed phase is first sheared into fibrous strands and then broken down into micron sized particles. At low doses of irradiation, the morphology of the blend only has a minor effect on the energy to break, whereas at high doses the Eb may increase by a factor of three as the dispersed particle size is reduced from the 100 micron range. The Eb of the blend is the weight-average of the two pure components at low doses (independent of morphology), but is greater than either pure component at higher doses. Interfacial adhesion may play a key role in determining the mechanical properties in rubbery blends.
Vagal interactions on brain stem neurons receiving input from the proximal stomach in cats

Gastric vagal fibers on the proximal stomach that join the dorsal and ventral vagal trunks were electrically stimulated to localize and evaluate brain stem neuronal interactions in anesthetized cats. The brain stem responses were located in nucleus tractus solitarius in the dorsomedial, caudal region of the medulla oblongata. There was no significant difference in the mean latency of the gastric vagally evoked brain stem response between the dorsal and ventral vagal trunks. The responses consisted of single or multiple spikes with a mean latency of approximately 290 +/- 50 (SD) ms. Forty-one percent, or 168 unitary responses of the 406 total responses recorded, showed convergence of proximal gastric vagal input from both the dorsal and ventral vagal trunks on the same recording site or on the same cell. Of those unitary responses that received convergent proximal gastric vagal input, 95 unitary responses (57%) showed convergence of input to the same area, on different cells at the same recording site during a single trial. Seventy-three single units (43%) received convergent input from proximal gastric vagal afferent fibers in both the dorsal and ventral trunks. Fifty-two, or 71%, of the single unit convergent responses were excitatory in nature, whereas the remaining 29% were inhibitory. These data demonstrated that proximal gastric vagal afferent fibers that join the dorsal and ventral trunks converged on a significant number of single neurons in the brain stem. The convergent response was synaptically secure and exerted an identifiable biasing effect on the response of the brain stem neuron.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Hexatic-to-Disorder Transition in Colloidal Crystals Near Electrodes: Rapid Annealing of Polycrystalline Domains

Colloids are known to form planar, hexagonal closed packed (hcp) crystals near electrodes in response to electrohydrodynamic (EHD) flow. Previous work has established that the EHD velocity increases as the applied ac frequency decreases. Here we report the existence of an order-to-disorder transition at sufficiently low frequencies, despite the increase in the attractive EHD driving force. At large frequencies (~500 Hz), spherical micron-scale particles form hcp crystals; as the frequency is decreased below ~250 Hz, however, the crystalline structure transitions to randomly closed packed (rcp). The transition is reversible and second order with respect to frequency, and independent measurements of the EHD aggregation rate confirm that the EHD driving force is indeed higher at the lower frequencies. We present evidence that the transition is instead caused by an increased particle diffusivity due to increased particle height over the electrode at lower frequencies, and we demonstrate that the hcp-rcp transition facilitates rapid annealing of polycrystalline domains.
Normative and descriptive approaches to organizational ethics post-crisis: A review essay

The last quarter of a century has witnessed three separate waves of ethical crises in organizational contexts. The late 1980s and early 1990s brought the Wall Street and Savings and Loan scandals embodied in controversial figures such as Ivan Boesky, Michael Milliken and Charles Keating and the Keating Five. Just over a decade later, a wave of corporate scandal was embodied by figures such as Enron’s Kenneth Lay and Jeff Skilling, Tyco’s Dennis Koslowski and WorldCom’s Bernie Ebbers. These figures became the public faces of the wider crises in corporate ethics they personified, and served as touchstones for both the policy responses and ethical reflection that followed in their wake. This tendency to rely on the figure of individual villains as emblematic of broader ethical crises was perhaps most famously captured in a montage from the 2005 documentary The Corporation, where a series of talking heads from a wide range of networks all used the same metaphor to describe these villains: ‘bad apples’. The ethical crisis marked by the 2008 onset of the Global Financial Crisis differed significantly from these previous crises. Where ‘bad apples’ metaphor worked well—at least on the surface— with the high-profile villains of the earlier crises, applications of the metaphor were strained at best to capture a new crisis lacking in readily identifiable individual villains (Cheney et al., 2010). In the other crises, the highest-profile bad apples ended up in prison. In this most recent crises, at least in the US, only a few relatively unknown executives ended up being jailed—and even these punishments remained beneath the radar, evidenced by the laments of dissidents such as Occupy Wall
Freedom of Information and the Evidentiary Use of Film in Japan: Law and Sociopolitics in an East Asian Democracy

This study sets forth the post-1945 development and present status of Japanese constitutional and procedural law on court-mass media relations, while analyzing aspects of the interaction between law and sociopolitical thought and behavior. A recent and dramatic illustration of the issues is provided by the Hakata Station Film Case: A Fukuoka court's subpoena (August 29, 1969) for newsfilm taken during a student-police encounter occasioned conflict between Japan's mass media and courts; the dispute was resolved by a film seizure (March 4, 1970) three months after the Supreme Court had upheld the subpoena's constitutionality. The media maintain that Article 21 of the Constitution (freedom of expression) gives them the right to determine when their used or unused television film or still photographs may be employed as court evidence, even in the absence of privileged communications. This and other court cases considered, arising from Japan's perennial demonstrations, illustrate a strong tendency toward in-group unanimity, new problems in news and evidence gathering, and the operation of a non-Western legal system influenced by Japanese, European, and American traditions.
Granular Cell Myoblastoma: Clinicopathologic Study of Forty-two Patients

Granular cell myoblastomas from 42 patients were examined microscopically, and the regional distribution of the 52 lesions is illustrated. The clinical records of the patients in this series showed an average age incidence of 37 years, a greater frequency among Negroes (74%) and in females (67%), and a rather high rate of multicentricity (14%). Only one of the patients had a recurrence following primary excision. None of the lesions underwent a malignant change. The possibility of a viral factor in the pathogenesis of these lesions is briefly discussed.
Timing Matters: Circadian Rhythm in Sepsis, Obstructive Lung Disease, Obstructive Sleep Apnea, and Cancer

Physiological and cellular functions operate in a 24-hour cyclical pattern orchestrated by an endogenous process known as the circadian rhythm. Circadian rhythms represent intrinsic oscillations of biological functions that allow for adaptation to cyclic environmental changes. Key clock genes that affect the persistence and periodicity of circadian rhythms include BMAL1/CLOCK, Period 1, Period 2, and Cryptochrome. Remarkable progress has been made in our understanding of circadian rhythms and their role in common medical conditions. A critical review of the literature supports the association between circadian misalignment and adverse health consequences in sepsis, obstructive lung disease, obstructive sleep apnea, and malignancy. Circadian misalignment plays an important role in these disease processes and can affect disease severity, treatment response, and survivorship. Normal inflammatory response to acute infections, airway resistance, upper airway collapsibility, and mitosis regulation follows a robust circadian pattern. Disruption of normal circadian rhythm at the molecular level affects severity of inflammation in sepsis, contributes to inflammatory responses in obstructive lung diseases, affects apnea length in obstructive sleep apnea, and increases risk for cancer. Chronotherapy is an underused practice of delivering therapy at optimal times to maximize efficacy and minimize toxicity. This approach has been shown to be advantageous in asthma and cancer management. In asthma, appropriate timing of medication administration improves treatment effectiveness. Properly timed chemotherapy may reduce treatment toxicities and maximize efficacy. Future research should focus on circadian rhythm disorders, role of circadian rhythm in other diseases, and modalities to restore and prevent circadian disruption.
Inventory control in the retail sector: case studies of best business practices

Essentially all service and manufacturing organisations, especially within the retail industry, are struggling to find a balance in their inventory strategies that will not only keep the materials on hand to satisfy customer requests, but simultaneously limit the amount of inventory space they use in order to meet these demands. Although the manufacturing industry may have specialty materials that are used, it has proven difficult to be prepared for what design changes the customer might suggests. Many of the same parallels have been experienced by retail managers. This paper will discuss the importance of one of the major strategic decisions in operation management; namely inventory management within the retail environment. The case study looks at the best practices between two Pittsburgh, PA-based retailers, Dick's Sporting Goods and American Eagle and highlights additional strategic decisions, such as supply chain and human resources as particular aspects of inventory management is examined in closer detail and how it relates to the financial well-being of each company.
Telokin expression is mediated by a smooth muscle cell-specific promoter

The carboxy terminus of the smooth muscle myosin light chain kinase (smMLCK) is expressed as an independent protein, telokin. Western and Northern blotting analyses demonstrated that telokin protein and mRNA are expressed at high levels only in adult and embryonic smooth muscle tissues and cells. In vitro transfection assays in A10 smooth muscle cells identified a functional promoter located in an intron in the 3' region of the smMLCK gene that directs the smooth muscle cell-specific transcription of telokin. To test the cell specificity of the telokin promoter in vivo, transgenic mice were generated in which the telokin promoter was used to drive expression of SV40 large T-antigen. Expression of T-antigen in the transgenic mice paralleled that of the endogenous telokin gene. High levels of T-antigen expression were observed in smooth muscle tissues of the digestive, urinary, and reproductive tracts, with lower levels of expression in airway and vascular smooth muscle. Expression was restricted to smooth muscle cells, with no expression detected in any other cell type.
Applied Cognitive Models of Frequency-based Decision Making.

In this paper, we present a cognitive model of frequency-based decision-making applied to the task of landmine detection. The model is implemented in the ACT-R cognitive architecture and is strongly constrained by the cognitive primitives of the architecture. We then generalize the model to another task in the domain of macroeconomic decision-making using the same architecture, pursuing theoretical parsimony. We describe each model's representation requirements, assess their fits to the data, and analyze their performance scaling as a function of task and architectural parameters. Efforts to generalize the landmine detection model to macroeconomic decision making showed that reasonable fits to the macro-economic performance data could be achieved by models based either on procedural knowledge or declarative knowledge. This finding underscores the importance of distinguishing between processing strategies employed to execute tasks. Such detail appears needed to understand the neural foundations of frequency-based decision-making.
Concussions and suicide.

Fralick and colleagues[1][1] report a suicide rate three times the population norm for concussions that occur on weekdays and four times the norm for those that occur on weekends. The conclusion was based on a 20-year longitudinal study that used vital statistics from Canada’s Office of the
Choosing the right antibacterial agent. Is 'newer' always better?

PreviewNew antibacterial agents offer many advantages, such as a broad spectrum of activity and convenient dosing schedules. Although it is tempting to choose the newer antibacterials, in many instances traditional agents remain the best option. How do you decide which course of treatment to follow? In this article, Dr Anderson offers some guidelines for choosing the right antibacterial agent.
The effect of chloroquine on the distribution of newly synthesized and old β-hexosaminidase in fibroblasts

Most of the newly synthesized beta-N-acetyl-d-glucosaminidase (EC 3.2.1.30; beta-hexosaminidase) in normal fibroblast cultures is excreted during 24h incubation with serum-free medium. In this study, this new enzyme only comprises about one-half of the excreted pool as determined by a near total inhibition of [(14)C]leucine incorporation into the excreted enzyme in the presence of cycloheximide, with only a 46% reduction in enzyme activity. These data indicate that nearly equal fractions of new and old enzyme are normally excreted by fibroblasts. Incubation of normal fibroblast cultures with chloroquine (25 mum) for 24h doubled the amount of extracellular beta-hexosaminidase activity from 15% to 37% of total culture activity while reducing the incorporation of [(14)C]leucine into intra- and extracellular enzyme by 66 and 29% of control, respectively. Therefore, it appears that chloroquine inhibited enzyme synthesis while enhancing the excretion of old as well as newly synthesized enzyme. Chloroquine and cycloheximide together reduced the [(14)C]leucine incorporation into intracellular enzyme by more than either agent alone, indicating a combined effect on enzyme synthesis and/or degradation. beta-Hexosaminidase-deficient fibroblasts that contained endocytosed enzyme spontaneously excreted 10% of their enzyme during 24h incubation with serum-free medium and 18% in the presence of mannose 6-phosphate (2 mm). These results indicated that about one-half of the excreted enzyme still possessed its phosphomannosyl recognition residues and actually re-entered the cells. Chloroquine stimulated the excretion of an addition 15% of the total endocytosed enzyme at 48 and 72h after endocytosis. These data suggest that new, old and endocytosed beta-hexosaminidase are all excreted by fibroblasts, that this excretion is enhanced by chloroquine, and that a fraction of the excreted enzyme retains its phosphomannosylated residues needed for re-uptake and transport inside the cells.
Zero-Pole Structure of Nonregular Rational Matrix Functions

We introduce and develop a notion of left zero-pole structure for a possibly nonregular rational matrix function analogous to notions introduced recently for the regular case. We then solve the inverse problem of constructing a rational matrix function with a given left zero-pole structure.
Institutional Transformation and Agricultural Development

Social relations of production in Ethiopia’s agriculture have undergone a radical transformation in the past few years. A series of land reform measures have effectively overthrown an age-old feudal order which kept the peasantry desperately impoverished, preserved primitive cultivation practices and frittered away the surplus in wasteful consumption for the few. Today, all of Ethiopia’s estimated 7.2 million peasants are organized into about 23.5 thousand Peasants Associations, more than 5 million are members of 3679 service co-operatives and about 60 thousand have organized themselves into producers’ co-operatives. The stated objective of the government is to carry this process of transformation to its logical conclusion, that is, to full development of a collective agriculture.