cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Kinetic Isotope Effects and Transition State Structure for Hypoxanthine-Guanine-Xanthine Phosphoribosyltransferase from Plasmodium falciparum.

Plasmodium falciparum parasites are purine auxotrophs that rely exclusively on the salvage of preformed purines from their human hosts to supply the requirement for purine nucleotides. Hypoxanthine-guanine-xanthine phosphoribosyltransferase (HGXPRT) catalyzes the freely reversible Mg2+-dependent conversion of 6-oxopurine bases to their respective nucleotides and inorganic pyrophosphate. The phosphoribosyl group is derived from 5-phospho-α-d-ribosyl 1-pyrophosphate (PRPP). The enzyme from malaria parasites (PfHGXPRT) is essential as hypoxanthine is the major precursor in purine metabolism. We used specific heavy atom labels in PRPP and hypoxanthine to measure primary (1-14C and 9-15N) and secondary (1-3H and 7-15N) intrinsic kinetic isotope effect (KIE) values for PfHGXPRT. Intrinsic isotope effects contain information for understanding enzymatic transition state properties. The transition state of PfHGXPRT was explored by matching KIE values predicted from quantum mechanical calculations to the intrinsic ...
Effect of feed source and pyrolysis conditions on properties and metal sorption by sugarcane biochar

Abstract Sugarcane biomass from different feed sources of sugar mill operation were used in producing biochar at different temperatures (350, 500, 650, and 800 °C) with/out steam activation at 800 °C. Feed sources included fresh cane-trash, fresh bagasse, and old bagasse collected from a pile left outside the plant for several years. Biochar yield and composition were determined and metal sorption capacity evaluated. Pyrolysis more than doubled biochar ash content which was 2 to 3 times higher for fresh cane trash and old bagasse than for fresh bagasse biochars. On the other hand, surface area of fresh bagasse activated biochars (493 m2 g−1) nearly doubled that of the old bagasse (262 m2 g−1), or fresh cane trash (204 m2 g−1) biochars. Cadmium sorption capacity increased upon activation and was an order of magnitude higher for old bagasse biochars than for fresh bagasse or fresh cane trash biochars across production temperatures (ranging from 43.4 mg g−1 to 63.8 mg g−1 compared to 0.35 mg g−1 to 0.47 mg g−1, or 4.35 mg g−1 to 6.29 mg g−1, respectively). Maximum sorption capacity for Cd and Cu was highly correlated with biochar ash content, while that of Pb correlated with biochar surface area and total sulfur content. Cu sorption capacity inversely correlated with O/C ratio and reduced significantly upon acid washing of activated 500 °C old bagasse biochar (from 32.2 mg g−1 to 14.3 mg g−1). Ash content seemed to play a decisive role in metal sorption capacity of sugarcane bagasse biochars. Overall, old sugarcane bagasse feedstock demonstrated best performance in producing biochars of higher metal sorption capacity compared to fresh cane-trash or fresh bagasse.
Lipid Metabolism and Ultrastructure During Spore Germination

The process of spore germination has attracted the attention of research scientists for many years. Spore germination in fungi has been reviewed by DeBary,(1) Duggar,(2) Ferguson,(3) Dodge,(4) Doran,(5) Wolf and Wolf,(6) Hawker,(7) Lilly and Barnett,(8) and Madelin.(9) Germination of spores of the following groups of fungi has also been reviewed: slime molds by Smart,(10) Phycomycetes by Emerson,(11) yeasts by Tites,(12) smuts by Davis(13) and Fischer,(14) rusts by Arthur,(15) Basidiomycetes by Fries(16) and Kneebone,(17) and Aspergillus niger by Yanagita.(18) The information on lipid metabolism in these reviews is limited.
Inmate Mental Health and the Pains of Imprisonment

We use national data on 5,552 inmates and the 214 state prisons in which they reside to examine how prison conditions are associated with mental health symptoms net of individual-level factors. Str...
Low grade serous ovarian carcinoma: identifying variations in practice patterns

Objectives Low grade serous ovarian carcinoma is a rare subtype of ovarian cancer with an indolent and chemorefractory course. As such, treatment strategies among practitioners are not uniformly known. The primary objective of this study was to identify differences in practice patterns among physicians who treat low grade serous carcinoma. Methods Materials A de novo survey was distributed to members of the Society of Gynecologic Oncology. Questions about demographics, management of primary and recurrent disease, and use of consolidation therapy were included. Statistical analyses were performed using χ2 and Fisher’s exact tests. Results 194 gynecologic oncologists completed the survey. Approximately two-thirds of respondents practiced in a university based setting and treated a high volume of ovarian cancers, including low grade serous carcinoma. 82% recommended somatic testing during treatment and 84% routinely sent patients for genetic counseling. Treatment preferences for primary disease varied by debulking status. 48% of practitioners used hormone antagonism as consolidation after primary treatment. Secondary cytoreduction was preferred for patients with platinum sensitive recurrence and a long disease free interval following primary treatment (P Conclusions There was significant variation in the preferred management of low grade serous carcinoma among practitioners. Further efforts to improve knowledge of this disease, identify optimal treatment modalities, and provide guidelines for management should be encouraged.
Energetics of electrochemically mediated amine regeneration process for flue gas CO2 capture

Abstract The electrochemically mediated amine regeneration (EMAR) process presents an alternative route to the conventional thermal regeneration of amines for carbon capture from a flue gas source. In this study, chemical and electrochemical measurements were performed to validate the speciation and activity coefficient models that describe the solution thermodynamics. Electrochemical kinetics and efficiencies were identified and process level energetic calculations were performed using these validated models to understand the effects of various operating parameters on the energy demand for CO2 capture. An isothermal EMAR process requires about 52 kJe/molCO2, and the net energy demand can be reduced to about 37 kJe/molCO2 if waste heat is available at temperatures below 90 °C. The EMAR process is able to desorb CO2 at pressures up to 20 bar with negligible additional energy penalty. These results suggest that the EMAR process is competitive with the conventional thermally regenerated amine processes. Preliminary assessments also indicate the solvent fomulation with NaCl requires less electric energy among other conventional supporting salt candidates (e.g. Na2SO4) for electrolytic processes. Advanced process designs, process optimization, and the identification of improved solvents may offer the potential to further reduce the energy demand for CO2 capture.
SNAP Challenge in the communication classroom

Courses Health Communication, Gender Communication, Communication and Food, Communication and Diversity, Ethnography, Critical/Cultural Studies, or Qualitative MethodsObjectives Explain, assess, an...
Evaluating item response theory linking and model fit for data from PISA 2000–2012

Based on concerns about the item response theory (IRT) linking approach used in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) until 2012 as well as the desire to include new, more compl...
Kinetic Perimetry (in the Plateau Region of the Field) as a Sensitive Indicator of Visual Fatigue or Saturation-Like Defects in Retrobulbar Anomalies

A series of patients with radiation damage has been studied. Retinal vascular changes shown by fluorescein angiography were accompanied by local alterations in the sustained- and transient-like functions. When no retinal manifestations were found, and in all cases where the optic nerve was involved, visual fatigue or saturation-like effects were noted which were revealed as reductions in sensitivity in time. These could be surprisingly subtle. Because of amplification effects, small reductions in sensitivity in time are readily revealed in the plateau region of the central kinetic field. In every instance these effects, once discovered, could be verified using flashing repeat static tests. Comparable results were obtained in all patients tested.
Quantifying the Effect of Component Inertial Properties on System Level Dynamics

Structures are subject to many environments in the lifetime of an assembly, and mechanical environments such as vibration are particularly significant when considering structural integrity. In the early development cycle, mechanical environment test specifications are often derived from assemblies with simplified “mass mock” components. The assumptions for these simplified components generally mimic total mass and center of gravity, but do not always capture moments of inertia. Historically, environments for mass mock components are enveloped and used for future iterations of the true component’s qualification. This work aims to understand and characterize differences in dynamic response due to changes in inertial properties of a component. The FEM of a test structure for this work includes a system level model with true components that will be compared to a FEM with mass mock components. Both versions of the structure will be evaluated based on dynamic response at the component and system levels. The validity and limitations of using mass mock components with approximate inertial properties for deriving environmental specifications will be explored.
Specifying the Determinants of Neighborhood Satisfaction: A Robust Assessment in 24 Metropolitan Areas over Four Time Points

Author(s): Hipp, John R | Abstract: "Using a sample of households nested in census tracts in 24 metropolitan areas over four time points, this study provides a robust test of the determinants of neighborhood satisfaction taking into account the census tract context.n Consistent with social disorganization theory, the presence of racial/ethnic heterogeneity and single parent households consistently reduced neighborhood satisfaction.n Those perceiving more social or physical disorder were considerably less satisfied with the neighborhood, and perceiving more crime showed an accelerating negative effect on satisfaction.n Furthermore, the effect of perceiving crime was exacerbated in tracts with a distressed labor market.n There was consistent evidence that those with more economic investment (homeowners) or social investment (married residents and parents) in the neighborhood are more satisfied.n Whereas a household’s length of residence showed a nonlinear effect of increasing satisfaction over the first five years and decreasing satisfaction beyond that point, general residential stability showed no effect."
Determining the Sources of Primary and Secondary Inoculum and Seasonal Inoculum Dynamics of Fungal Pathogens Causing Fruit Rot of Deciduous Holly

Fruit rot of deciduous holly, caused by species of the genera Alternaria, Colletotrichum, Diaporthe, and Epicoccum, is affecting plant production in Midwestern and Eastern U.S. nurseries. To determ...
Rotational invariance in the design of structures with imbedded acoustic black hole vibration absorbers

The acoustic black hole (ABH) effect, where the wavespeed of a structure is intentionally reduced to near zero by altering its thickness according to a power-law taper, has been utilized on plates and beams to achieve vibration reduction. Several ABH designs have been proposed for uniform beams including the inverted and the double leaf ABH. However, these designs are only applicable for reducing flexural vibration in a single dimension. A rotationally invariant concept is presented where the imbedded ABH is symmetric around the center line of the beam. Various damping configurations are then applied to the rotationally invariant ABH and their respective amounts of vibration reduction are compared. Finally, the challenges of manufacturing such an ABH design will be discussed in the context of three-dimensional printing and additive manufacturing.
Lung function and cardiovascular disease: A link

Abstract The relationship between lung and heart diseases has long been recognized, with necropsy studies demonstrating silent myocardial infarctions or coronary artery calcification in patients with advanced emphysema as the death cause. Improvements in non-invasive techniques and epidemiologic approaches established that lung and cardiovascular diseases frequently coexist in mid and late life. Even among those without diagnosed lung disease, lower than expected forced vital capacity, forced expiratory volume in 1 second, and their ratio each portend greater risk of developing cardiovascular risk factors including hypertension, obesity, and metabolic syndrome, and for incident cardiovascular diseases including left heart failure, atrial fibrillation and stroke. Greater longitudinal declines in these spirometric measures are further associated with cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. While obstructive ventilatory patterns are more common, restrictive ventilatory patterns seem to demonstrate an independent and more robust association with cardiovascular diseases such as heart failure. These subclinical alterations in pulmonary function also relate to subclinical abnormalities of cardiac structure and function. Although the biologic pathways linking pulmonary and cardiovascular dysfunction are not clear, chronic systemic inflammation appears to be one important underlying pathophysiologic link. Despite the growing evidence of lung dysfunction as a cardiovascular risk factor, spirometric evaluation is still underutilized in clinical practice, particularly among cardiac patients, and optimal therapeutic and preventive strategies are still unclear. In this review, we address the current knowledge and controversies regarding the links between lung function and cardiovascular disease.
The use of fecal microbiota transplant in sepsis.

Sepsis is defined as a dysregulated inflammatory response, which ultimately results from a perturbed interaction of both an altered immune system and the biomass and virulence of involved pathogens. This response has been tied to the intestinal microbiota, as the microbiota and its associated metabolites play an essential role in regulating the host immune response to infection. In turn, critical illness as well as necessary health care treatments result in a collapse of the intestinal microbiota diversity and a subsequent loss of health-promoting short chain fatty acids, such as butyrate, leading to the development of a maladaptive pathobiome. These perturbations of the microbiota contribute to the dysregulated immune response and organ failure associated with sepsis. Several case series have reported the ability of fecal microbiota transplant (FMT) to restore the host immune response and aid in recovery of septic patients. Additionally, animal studies have revealed the mechanism of FMT rescue in sepsis is likely related to the ability of FMT to restore butyrate producing bacteria and alter the innate immune response aiding in pathogen clearance. However, several studies have reported lethal complications associated with FMT, including bacteremia. Therefore, FMT in the treatment of sepsis is and should remain investigational until a more detailed mechanism of how FMT restores the host immune response in sepsis is determined, allowing for the development of more fine-tuned microbiota therapies.
Proposed Amendments to the Federal Judicial Misconduct Rules: Comments and Suggestions

In 2008, the Judicial Conference of the United States – the administrative policy-making body of the federal judiciary – approved a revised set of rules for handling complaints of misconduct or disability on the part of federal judges. Moving away from the decentralizing approach of the pre-2008 Illustrative Rules, the new rules were made binding on all of the federal judicial circuits. On September 2, 2014, the Conference’s Committee on Judicial Conduct and Disability (Conduct Committee) issued a set of draft amendments to the Rules. The announcement invited comments on the proposed amendments. This statement was submitted in response to that invitation. The statement is in four parts. Part I provides some background. Part II discusses the policy changes proposed by the Committee. Part III addresses the special problems raised by “high-visibility” complaints. Part IV suggests some additional modest revisions in the Rules and flags issues that warrant the Committee’s attention in the future. Most of the amendments in the published draft involve clarification or emphasis. But I have identified six revisions that do reflect changes of policy from the 2008 Rules. Five of the six reflect sound policy; they will serve to enhance transparency and strengthen procedural regularity. However, one proposed revision – an amendment that would allow tie votes in the Conduct Committee on petitions for review – is unwise. I urge the Committee to reconsider it.Part IV addresses a variety of issues raised by the proposed draft and the Rules as originally adopted. These include: the chief judge’s obligation to “identify” a complaint based on public reports suggesting that a judge may have engaged in misconduct; judicial council authority to impose sanctions on complainants who abuse the process; disqualification of judges from proceedings under the 1980 Act; and making the Rules more user-friendly. The most detailed discussion involves two issues raised by the misconduct complaint against former District Judge Richard Cebull of Montana: judicial-council authority to conclude a proceeding and disclosure of judicial-council orders that have been vacated or modified.
GAMMA-RAY BURST AFTERGLOW SCALING RELATIONS FOR THE FULL BLAST WAVE EVOLUTION

We demonstrate that gamma-ray burst afterglow spectra and light curves can be calculated for arbitrary explosion and radiation parameters by scaling the peak flux and the critical frequencies connecting different spectral regimes. Only one baseline calculation needs to be done for each jet opening angle and observer angle. These calculations are done numerically using high-resolution relativistic hydrodynamical afterglow blast wave simulations which include the two-dimensional dynamical features of expanding and decelerating afterglow blast waves. Any light curve can then be generated by applying scaling relations to the baseline calculations. As a result, it is now possible to fully fit for the shape of the jet break, e.g., at early-time X-ray and optical frequencies. In addition, late-time radio calorimetry can be improved since the general shape of the transition into the Sedov-Taylor regime is now known for arbitrary explosion parameters so the exact moment when the Sedov-Taylor asymptote is reached in the light curve is no longer relevant. When calculating the baselines, we find that the synchrotron critical frequency ν m and the cooling break frequency ν c are strongly affected by the jet break. The ν m temporal slope quickly drops to the steep late-time Sedov-Taylor slope, while the cooling break ν c first steepens and then rises to meet the level of its shallow late-time asymptote.
The complete chloroplast genome of Cymbidium changningense (Orchidaceae).

Cymbidium changningense is an ornamental orchid and endemic specie in China. Here, we report the complete chloroplast (cp) genome sequence and the cp genome features of C. changningense. The cp genome was 155,388 bp in length with a typical quadripartite structure, which was comprised of one large single copy (LSC, 84,522 bp) region and one small single copy (SSC, 20,622 bp) region separated by two inverted repeat (IR, 25,122 bp) regions. The cp genome encoded 132 genes, of which 108 were unique genes (80 protein-coding genes, 24 tRNAs, and four rRNAs). The phylogenetic analysis showed that C. changningense was sister with C. erythraeum.
Bladder incarceration within a displaced pelvic ring nonunion.

Abstract Pelvic ring injuries can be challenging to manage and may have a range of associated injuries. When bladder injuries occur in combination with pelvic ring fractures, a multidisciplinary approach may be required to plan the best course of treatment. Acute entrapment or injury to the urinary bladder after a pelvic fracture is well reported. Here, we present an interesting case of chronic bladder incarceration within a lateral compression pelvic ring injury nonunion after failed nonoperative management of the initial pelvis fracture. Treatment of the nonunion was complicated by an incidental diagnosis of lymphoma.
A Classification of Weather Day Types for Air Traffic Flow Management

Air traffic flow management (TFM) seeks to balance the demand for and the capacity of airspace and airport resources. Weather phenomena are major causes of diminished airport capacity, and an understanding of these phenomena will enhance national-level TFM. Because weather systems follow patterns that are, to some degree, similar to one another, it is reasonable to classify those patterns into types. A case-based reasoning approach could then be used to help traffic managers make associations between today’s predicted weather pattern and past patterns, in conjunction with accompanying TFM solution strategies. This article uses a year of daily weather data, and classifies like days into archetypes or “day types.” Seventeen day types were determined and are described in terms of weather severity in regions of the conterminous United States. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Pattern recognition of amino acid signatures in retinal neurons

Pattern recognition of amino acid signals partitions the cells of the goldfish retina into nine statistically unique biochemical theme classes and permits a first-order chemical mapping of virtually all cellular space. Photoreceptors, bipolar cells, and ganglion cells display a set of unique, nominally glutamatergic type E1, E1+E2, and E4 signatures, respectively. All horizontal cells are assignable to a GABAergic gamma 2 class or a non-GABAergic class with a glutamate-rich E3 signature. The amacrine cell layer is largely a mixture of (1) a taurine-dominated T1 Muller's cell signature and (2) GABAergic gamma 1, glycinergic G1, and dual glycinergic/GABAergic G gamma 1 amacrine cell signatures. Several major conclusions emerge from this work. (1) Glutamatergic, GABAergic, and glycinergic neural signatures and glial signatures account for over 99% of the cellular space in the retina. (2) All known neurons in the goldfish retina are associated with a set of conventional nonpeptide neurotransmitters. (3) Multiple forms of metabolic profiles are associated with a single nominal neurotransmitter category. (4) Glutamate and aspartate contents exhibit overlapping distributions and are not adequate univariate probes for identifying cell classes. (5) Signatures can serve as quantitative measures of cell state.
Innovative design as systematic search

We present a new algorithm, SIE, for designing lumped parameter models from first principles. Like the IBIS system of Williams [1989, 1990], SIE uses a qualitative representation of parameter interactions to guide its search and speed the test for working designs. But SIE's interaction set representation is considerably simpler than IBIS's space of potential and existing interactions. Furthermore, SIE is both complete and systematic - it explores the space of possible designs in an nonredundant manner.
Long Range Wireless Data Acquisition Sensor System for Health Care Applications

In today’s health care environment, it is common to have patient connected to several medical devices simultaneously. These devices can be responsible for monitoring several critical patient parameters such as body temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure. Medical professionals who are in close proximity to these devices get the information provided by various devices and take the necessary action needed such as adjusting the dose of the drug delivered or regulate the breathing. Patient’s life supporting units become totally dependent on medical professionals. Humans are subject to fatigue, miscommunication, distractions, and misinterpretation of the information, and several other factors. These can produce an undesirable patient outcome.
Abstract W P76: Parent Artery Curvature May Help Determine the Effectiveness of Flow Diverter Treatment

Introduction: Flow diverters (FDs) aim to treat intracranial aneurysms by altering intra-aneurysmal hemodynamics. Reports have suggested aneurysm and parent artery shape may affect flow reduction in FD-treatment. The purpose of this study is to gain insight into the way in which aneurysm shape and parent artery curvature influence the ability of FDs to redirect flow. Hypothesis: Aneurysm dome size and parent artery curvature affect FD-induced flow reduction within an aneurysm. Methods: FD models constructed based on the Pipeline Embolization Device with 35% area coverage, 30 um strand diameter, and 4 mm nominal diameter were implemented for hemodynamic simulation analysis. The flow reduction effects were tested using aneurysm models featuring different dome sizes and parent artery curvatures. Aneurysm blood flow was analyzed before and after FD stenting in regions of the aneurysm neck, body, and dome. Results: We found that aneurysms with higher parent artery curvature had increased systole flow volume entering aneurysms before and after stenting, regardless of aneurysm size, with pre-FD volume flow rates for curvatures of 20 and 30 degrees, respectively, 1.54 and 2.40 times those for 10 degree curvature. Furthermore, FD reduced flow less in aneurysms with higher curvature. For parent artery curvatures of 10, 20, and 30 degrees, overall reductions of flow volume entering the aneurysm were 91.1±0.56%, 88.2±1.2%, and 85.5±0.28%, respectively. 97.2% of models had more flow reduction at the aneurysm dome than neck. Figure 1 shows representative, post-FD flow in 10 and 30 degree parent arteries, with a greater volume flow rate in (b) depicted by denser streamlines. Aneurysm dome size was not found to have a significant effect on volume flow rate. Conclusions: We found that artery curvature may have a large influence on FD flow reduction, indicating that FD may be less effective at reducing blood flow entering aneurysms located within higher curvature arteries. ![][1] [1]: /embed/graphic-1.gif
Genomic Signatures of Intracellularity: Evolutionary Patterns and Paces in Bacterial Mutualists and Parasites

This chapter highlights some intriguing patterns of genome change identified from genome-sequencing projects and molecular evolution studies. Trends include striking similarities between intracellular mutualists and parasites that may reflect common pressures of an intracellular lifestyle, as well as key differences that highlight distinct genomic consequences of their host associations. Bacteria form a variety of associations with host cells. At one end of the spectrum, the replication and spread of intracellular parasites impose a fitness cost to hosts. At the other end of the symbiotic spectrum, certain intracellular bacterial groups form exclusively mutualistic associations with hosts. Analysis of partial genome regions indicates that, compared with its Buchnera relatives, the exceptionally small genome of Buchnera associated with the aphid Cinara cedri shows more extensive loss of metabolic than informational functions. Consistent with their infectious lifestyles, obligately intracellular parasites typically encode numerous mechanisms to invade host tissue and cells and to escape the host immune system. To date, genome-wide rate comparisons strongly suggest a consistent, genome-wide rate increase in intracellular species, as expected under the influences of increased mutation and/or genetic drift. The availability of two or more genomes for a particular group offers a window into the evolution of genome architecture, or changes in the order and strand orientation of shared loci. The rapid growth of genomics has elucidated processes that shape wide variation in genome size, gene content, patterns of DNA sequence evolution, and levels of genome fluidity in the bacterial world.
A Narrative Inquiry of Self Advocacy: Rethinking Empowerment from Liberal Sovereignty to Arendtian Spontaneity

Self-advocacy groups, which are run by and for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, follow traditional liberal definitions of empowerment that center on the cognitive capacities of citizens. Empowerment counters threats of powerlessness and paternalism, but it also threatens to exclude people with more profound forms of cognitive impairment from political participation. Moreover, cognitive-centric accounts of empowerment fail to fully capture the kinds of trials and triumphs I witnessed while observing a regional self-advocacy office between 2008 and 2010. Using Hannah Arendt’s concept of action, mainly developed in The Human Condition , I rethink empowerment along Arendt’s three dimensions of politics as spontaneous, plural, and public. I provide a narrative account of one self-advocacy group’s monthly chapter meeting, arguing that their combined public presence successfully combats ableist prejudice, even as it fails to imitate liberal understandings of empowerment. My account thus offers critical disability studies an alternative conception of political subjectivity. KEYWORDS: self-advocates, intellectual disability, grounded theory, subjectivity, politics
Glacially generated overpressure on the New England continental shelf: Integration of full-waveform inversion and overpressure modeling

Localized zones of high-amplitude, discontinuous seismic reflections 100 km off the coast of Massachusetts, USA, have P wave velocities up to 190 m/s lower than those of adjacent sediments of equal depth (250 m below the sea floor). To investigate the origin of these low-velocity zones, we compare the detailed velocity structure across high-amplitude regions to adjacent, undisturbed regions through full-waveform inversion. We relate the full-waveform inversion velocities to effective stress and overpressure with a power law model. This model predicts localized overpressures up to 2.2 MPa associated with the high-amplitude reflections. To help understand the overpressure source, we model overpressure due to erosion, glacial loading, and sedimentation in one dimension. The modeling results show that ice loading from a late Pleistocene glaciation, ice loading from the Last Glacial Maximum, and rapid sedimentation contributed to the overpressure. Localized overpressure, however, is likely the result of focused fluid flow through a high-permeability layer below the region characterized by the high-amplitude reflections. These high overpressures may have also caused localized sediment deformation. Our forward models predict maximum overpressure during the Last Glacial Maximum due to loading by glaciers and rapid sedimentation, but these overpressures are dissipating in the modern, low sedimentation rate environment. This has important implications for our understanding continental shelf morphology, fluid flow, and submarine groundwater discharge off Massachusetts, as we show a mechanism related to Pleistocene ice sheets that may have created regions of anomalously high overpressure.
Degradation of Fumigant Pesticides: 1,3-Dichloropropene, Methyl Isothiocyanate, Chloropicrin, and Methyl Bromide

Fumigant pesticides are frequently used in intensive agriculture to control nematodes, fungi, and weeds. Currently, four registered fumigants are available: 1,3-dichloropropene (1,3-D), methyl isothiocyanate (MITC), chloropicrin (CP), and methyl bromide (MeBr). The use of 1,3-D, MITC, and CP can be expected to increase after MeBr is completely phased out of production in the USA in 2005. In soil, the degradation of 1,3-D, MITC, CP, and MeBr occurs through both chemical and biological mechanisms. Repeated applications of the fumigants MITC and 1,3-D are known to enhance their biodegradation as a result of adapted microorganisms. Preliminary evidence suggests that the microorganisms responsible for enhanced degradation of MITC specifically target the isothiocyanate functional group. In the case of 1,3-D, a number of bacteria have been isolated that are capable of degrading 1,3-D and also using it as a sole C and energy source. Of the two isomers of 1,3-D, degradation of trans -1,3-D was found to be greater than that of cis -1,3-D in enhanced soil. Methyl bromide is mainly degraded chemically in soil by hydrolysis and methylation of nucleophilic sites on soil organic matter. Both degradation reactions occur via S 2 N nucleophilic substitution. Methanotrophic and ammonia-oxidizing bacteria can co-oxidize MeBr during the oxidation of methane and ammonia, respectively. The microbiological degradation of MeBr is apparently catalyzed by methane and ammonia monooxygenase. Chloropicrin can be dehalogenated by Pseudomonas spp., with the major metabolic pathway occurring through three successive reductive dehalogenations to nitromethane.
Experimental Study on the Crash Performance of Aluminum and Steel Rails

Increasing government mandated CAFE standards are forcing the OEMs to aggressively reduce vehicle weight. Aluminum, with a density of about a third of that of steel, has been established as a viable alternative to steel for the construction of the automotive body structure. However, for aluminum sheet metals, there are still lingering concerns about the reliability and robustness of the available joining techniques such as spot-welding, riveting etc. The investigation reported in this paper was aimed at evaluating the relative performance of self-pierced riveted aluminum rails as compared to spot-welded mild steel and high strength steel rails. A series of straight and curved (S-shaped) rails made of aluminum, mild steel, and high strength steel have been tested. Other design parameters considered in this study include sheet metal thickness, rivet/weld location, rivet/weld spacing, adhesives, temperature, and impact speed. As were observed from the tests, axial crush mode dominated the deformation of all straight rails while bending dominated the deformation of the curved rails. Statistical analysis was performed to find the relative importance and effects of each variable on the average crush load, maximum load and energy absorption. For aluminum rails, the thickness of the sheet metal was found to be the primary controlling factor for both straight and S-rails. Other factors i.e. rivet spacing/location, adhesives, temperature and impact speed, had no significant affect on the performance of the rails. For the steel rails, the sheet metal thickness, impact speed, temperature and material properties, were all found to be significant for the crash behavior. It was also found that the aluminum rails have higher specific energy absorption than the steel rails confirming that aluminum as a material is more efficient in absorbing crush energy than steel.Copyright © 2002 by ASME
Handbook of plant cell culture.

Tanggal Ketik: 19930816, rd. nDokumentalis: ju. nmu. nrd. nCatatan Umum: Vol.1: Techniques for propagation and breeding; Vol.2and3:Crop species; Vol.5:ornamental species.
Survival of naphthalene-degrading Pseudomonas putida NCIB 9816-4 in naphthalene-amended soils: toxicity of naphthalene and its metabolites

Survival of naphthalene-degrading Pseudomonas putida NCIB 9816-4 was measured in nonsterile soil samples (coal tar-contaminated and pristine) with and without added crystalline naphthalene over a period of 21 days. A 2–3 log decrease in cfu occurred in the presence, but not absence, of added naphthalene. We used aqueous suspensions of crystalline naphthalene to explore potential mechanisms of its toxicity on the test bacterium under aerobic conditions. Measurements of dissolved naphthalene in medium indicated that uptake by P. putida NCIB 9816-4 maintained naphthalene at concentrations well below saturation. Accumulation of catechol was documented by high-performance liquid chromatography and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry in the presence of 0.5% (w/v) naphthalene crystals. Transient catechol accumulation was highest when cells entered stationary phase. A decrease in catechol concentration correlated with the development of brown color in the medium. Brown pigment accumulation correlated with a decrease in viable cell counts. These results suggested that catechol, related compounds, and their condensation products can accumulate to toxic levels in stationary phase P. putida NCIB 9816-4 cells. We hypothesize that the same mechanism of toxicity may occur under the nutrient-limited conditions expected in soil.
Obstetrical analgesia in private patients

Abstract 1. 1. A series of 312 private cases of labor are reported in which nembutal and scopolamine were used to induce analgesia. Good results were obtained in 82 per cent. Most of the patients failing to respond were in hard labor before analgesia was started and hence the drugs had insufficient time to induce sleep. 2. 2. There were no severe maternal complications in this series. Ten patients were markedly restless and difficult to control. One baby, 0.32 per cent, was stillborn due to a prolapsed cord which was in no way related to analgesia. Six babies were deeply asphyxiated at birth and required the use of a tracheal catheter for resuscitation. Six other babies who showed evidence of asphyxia responded to carbogen inhalations.
Oxygen transport in off-stoichiometric uranium dioxide mediated by defect clustering dynamics

Oxygen transport is central to many properties of oxides such as stoichiometric changes, phase transformation, and ionic conductivity. In this paper, we report a mechanism for oxygen transport in uranium dioxide (UO2) in which the kinetics is mediated by defect clustering dynamics. In particular, the kinetic Monte Carlo method has been used to investigate the kinetics of oxygen transport in UO2 under the condition of creation and annihilation of oxygen vacancies and interstitials as well as oxygen interstitial clustering, with variable off-stoichiometry and temperature conditions. It is found that in hypo-stoichiometric UO2−x, oxygen transport is well described by the vacancy diffusion mechanism while in hyper-stoichiometric UO2+x, oxygen interstitial cluster diffusion contributes significantly to oxygen transport kinetics, particularly at high temperatures and high off-stoichiometry levels. It is also found that di-interstitial clusters and single interstitials play dominant roles in oxygen diffusion while other larger clusters have negligible contributions. However, the formation, coalescence, and dissociation of these larger clusters indirectly affects the overall oxygen diffusion due to their interactions with mono and di-interstitials, thus providing an explanation of the experimental observation of saturation or even drop of oxygen diffusivity at high off-stoichiometry.
An investigation of the viscosity of dry air at elevated pressures and temperatures using a steady‐flow capillary viscosimeter

A steady-flow capillary viscosimeter, using dry air as the test gas, has been demonstrated at 150, 230, 330 and 430° Centigrade and over a pressure range of 35–150 atmospheres. Measured viscosities showed a maximum isothermal increase of about 4%. An extrapolation procedure was used to correct for flow and temperature discrepancies and a modified Hagen-Poiiseuille equation, using variables evaluated at the mean capillary temperature, was applied to those data taken under nonisothermal conditions. The overall assembly and technique are capable of relative viscosity measurements having a standard deviation within 11/2% in the cited ranges. On a donne une demonstration pratique du fonctionnement d'un viscometre capillaire pour ecoulement permanent, en utilisant de l'air comme gaz d'essai que des temperatures de 150, 230, 330 et 430°C et des pressions variant entre 35 et 150 atmospheres. La mesure des viscosites a indique une augmentation isothermique maximum d'environ 4%. On a utilise une methode d'extrapolation pour corriger les differences dans l'ecoulement et les temperatures et appliqque a ces resultats (produits dans des conditions non-isothermiques) une equation de Hagen et Poiseuille modifiee au moyen de variables evaluees a la temperature moyenne de capillarite. On peut, au moyen de l'appareil precite et de la methode decrite, executer des mesures relatives de viscosite dont l'ecart normal n'excede pas 11/2% dans les limites mentionnees.
An improved test for the zeros of a polynomial in a sector

A recently proposed method of determining whether or not the eigenvalues of a matrix lie within a sector of the complex plane is modified, giving both insight and computational advantages.
The OSU1/QUA2/TSD2-encoded putative methyltransferase is a critical modulator of carbon and nitrogen nutrient balance response in Arabidopsis.

The balance between carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) nutrients must be tightly coordinated so that cells can optimize their opportunity for metabolism, growth and development. However, the C and N nutrient balance perception and signaling mechanism remains poorly understood. Here, we report the isolation and characterization of two allelic oversensitive to sugar1 mutants (osu1-1, osu1-2) in Arabidopsis thaliana. Using the cotyledon anthocyanin accumulation and root growth inhibition assays, we show that the osu1 mutants are more sensitive than wild-type to both of the imbalanced C/N conditions, high C/low N and low C/high N. However, under the balanced C/N conditions (low C/low N or high C/high N), the osu1 mutants have similar anthocyanin levels and root lengths as wild-type. Consistently, the genes encoding two MYB transcription factors (MYB75 and MYB90) and an Asn synthetase isoform (ASN1) are strongly up-regulated by the OSU1 mutation in response to high C/low N and low C/high N, respectively. Furthermore, the enhanced sensitivity of osu1-1 to high C/low N with respect to anthocyanin accumulation but not root growth inhibition can be suppressed by co-suppression of MYB75, indicating that MYB75 acts downstream of OSU1 in the high C/low N imbalance response. Map-based cloning reveals that OSU1 encodes a member of a large family of putative methyltransferases and is allelic to the recently reported QUA2/TSD2 locus identified in genetic screens for cell-adhesion-defective mutants. Accumulation of OSU1/QUA2/TSD2 transcript was not regulated by C and N balance, but the OSU1 promoter was slightly more active in the vascular system. Taken together, our results show that the OSU1/QUA2/TSD2-encoded putative methyltransferase is required for normal C/N nutrient balance response in plants.
Saguaro (Carnegiea gigantea, Cactaceae) age-height relationships and growth: the development of a general growth curve

Because the growth rate of saguaros varies across different environments, past studies on saguaro population structure required extensive data collection (often over many decades) followed by site-specific analysis to estimate age at the sampled locale. However, when height-growth data from different populations are compared, the overall shape of the growth curves is similar. In this study, a formula was developed to establish saguaro age-height relationships (using stepwise regression) that can be applied to any saguaro population and only requires a site-specific factor to adjust the curve to the local growth rate. This adjustment factor can be established more efficiently and requires less data than the full analyses required for previous studies. Saguaro National Park East (SNP-E) was used as the baseline factor, set to 1.0. Results yielded a factor of 0.743 for SNP West. When the formula was applied to 10-yr interval data from Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument (OPCNM) in Arizona, USA, this location had a factor of 0.617 (relative to SNP-E). With this formula and relatively little field sampling, the age of any individual saguaro (whether the individual was sampled or not) in any population can be estimated.
Post-myocardial infarction pericarditis

Post-myocardial infarction pericarditis occurs in approximately 5% to 6% of patients who receive thrombolytic agents. It should be suspected in any patient with pleuropericardial pain. A pericardial friction rub may or may not be present. Differentiation of pericarditis from recurrent angina may be difficult, but a careful history and evaluation of serial electrocardiograms can help distinguish the two entities. Dressler’s syndrome, pericarditis that occurs at least 1 week following myocardial infarction, is now exceedingly rare. Most cases of pericarditis have a benign course; however, because pericarditis is associ-ated with larger infarcts, overall long-term mortality rate is increased. Rare complications include hemopericardium, cardiac tamponade, and constrictive pericarditis. Therapy is directed toward relief of pain, which usually responds well to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents (eg, aspirin or ibuprofen).
Subvocal speech and comprehension level as a function of the difficulty level of reading material

Muscle action recordings (electromyograms) were taken from the larynx, chin-lip, and forearm flexor of three groups of S s during the reading of materials judged to be conceptually easy and difficult. A normal group had electromyograms recorded during reading. A feedback group was required to keep laryngeal muscle activity at nonreading relaxation levels during reading through use of an audio signal activated by any increase in muscle action in the larynx. A control group was required to maintain similar relaxation of the forearm flexor by the same feedback apparatus. All S s took examinations on the material read. The laryngeal feedback group did significantly less well on comprehension of the difficult material than the other groups. The mediating effects of speech at a subvocal level in information processing are discussed and a theoretical model developed.
Effects of cyclophosphamide and cortisone on the virus-immune response characteristics of thymocytes and the early reconstitution profiles of P → F1 chimeras

Abstract Thymocytes from normal adult mice that have been treated 1 or 2 days previously with a low dose of cyclophosphamide (30 or 40 mg/kg), hydrocortisone acetate (2.5 mg), or hydrocortisone succinate (5.0 mg) show an enhanced potential to generate vaccinia-immune cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) when stimulated for 6 days in irradiated, virus-infected recipients. However, the capacity of thymocytes (though not of spleen cells) to develop such CTL activity is lost within 8 days of treatment with the depot drug, hydrocortisone acetate. In contrast, thymocytes from mice treated 8 days previously with hydrocortisone succinate show response patterns equivalent to those found for normal adults, with the increased response characteristic of recent corticosteroid treatment being recalled by giving a second dose 2 days prior to sampling. “Cortisone resistance” is thus both a function of the form of drug given, and the time of sampling. A large dose of cyclophosphamide (150 mg/kg) completely eliminates thymocyte responder potential within 2 days of treatment. This protocol, and the administration of 2.5 mg of hydrocortisone acetate (but not hydrocortisone succinate), serves to remove the radiation-resistant host cells which initially (14 days after bone marrow reconstitution) dominate the CTL response patterns of adoptively transferred thymocytes from P1 → (P1 × P2)F1 bone marrow chimeras. A smaller dose of cyclophosphamide (100 mg/kg) delays the emergence of the radiation-resistant host component in both thymus and lymph node, and skews the emerging CTL activity toward the donor.