cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Structural and Functional Characterization of Glutaraldehyde-Polymerized Bovine Hemoglobin and Its Isolated Fractions

Glutaraldehyde-polymerized bovine hemoglobin (PolyHbBv, trade name Oxyglobin), is a non-site-specific modified hemoglobin-based oxygen-carrying solution, developed for use in veterinary medicine. PolyHbBv was fractionated into four distinct tetrameric and multiple polytetrameric forms ranging in molecular mass (87.2−502.3 kDa) using size exclusion chromatography (SEC) and verified by laser light scattering. We evaluated the structural modification occurring in the fractionated mixture of PolyHbBv and assessed the functionality and redox stability of each fraction in relation to the mixture as a whole. Intramolecular cross-linking evaluation as performed by MALDI-MS and SEC under dissociating conditions revealed no-site-specific tetramer stabilization within the fractions; Intermolecular cross-linking was highly correlated with lysine and histidine modification as determined by amino acid composition analysis. While native unmodified hemoglobin, HbBv, PolyHbBv, and PolyHbBv fractions (F1−F4) revealed signi...
Synthesis and SAR of Lehualide B – A Marine-derived Natural Product with Potent Anti-Multiple Myeloma Activity

We report a concise and convergent laboratory synthesis of the rare marine natural product lehualide B that has led to the discovery that (1) this compound has low nanomolar activity against human multiple myeloma cells and (2) the anticancer effects of lehualide B and its analogues are selective (i.e., they are approximately 2-3 orders of magnitude less toxic to human breast cancer cells). Synthetic lehualide B is shown to be an effective inhibitor of complex I of the mitochondrial electron transport chain, with potency similar to that observed for the terrestrial natural products piericidin A1 and rotenone, an observation that led to the discovery that piericidin A1 is also selectively cytotoxic toward human multiple myeloma cells. Interestingly, synthetic derivatives of lehualide B that resemble verticipyrone (an established complex I inhibitor composed of a γ-pyrone and a simple monounsaturated hydrophobic chain) lack the potent antimyeloma activity of the natural product. Finally, the synthesis and evaluation of a collection of lehualide-inspired analogues led to the elucidation of structure-activity relationships for this rare natural product that established important roles for the substituted γ-pyrone headgroup and the skipped polyene side chain.
The Art and Science of Occupation: Nature, Inquiry, and the Aesthetics of Living

This paper sketches a logic for occupation to create a more overt and cohesive basis for the related science. To do so, it recovers John Dewey's conceptualization of occupation from 1899, and it then expands that conceptualization through an analysis of three core dimensions of his later philosophy: empirical naturalism, instrumentalism, and aesthetic theory. The analysis suggests that Dewey's original view of occupation intended to incorporate his view of nature, inquiry, and aesthetics. The synthesis of Dewey's concept of occupation and his broader theoretical vision means (a) occupation is a form of natural and social experience, (b) occupation is a primary means of fostering and structuring processes of inquiry that allows people to practice and hone habits and skills related to later inquiries, and (c) occupation is a good way of having aesthetic experiences and thereby a way of learning to live more meaningfully in the future. Implications of the analysis are discussed, including what the Deweyan lo...
Isolation and sequence analysis of sea urchin (Lytechinus pictus) histone H4 messenger RNA

Histone messenger RNAs isolated from early blastula stage Lytechinus pictus sea urchin embryos have been separated into discrete RNA bands on polyacrylamide gels. The most rapidly migrating of these molecules, the putative histone H4 mRNA, has been digested with T1 ribonuclease to generate oligonucleotides for nucleotide sequence analysis. Many of these sequences are colinear with the highly conserved amino acid sequence of histone H4 protein as determined for both cows and peas. Histone H4 messenger RNA hybridizes in conditions of DNA excess to sea urchin DNA which is repeated approximately 470-fold. Despite this level of repetition the nucleotide sequence of the H4 messenger RNA reflects little evolutionary divergence within the H4 genes of L. pictus as judged by the stoichiometric yield of T1 oligonucleotides and the hybridization and thermal stability of histone H4 mRNA-DNA hybrids.
Gallium(III)-Catalyzed Cycloisomerization Approach to the Diterpenoid Alkaloids: Construction of the Core Structure for the Hetidines and Hetisines†

A versatile core structure has been prepared that should provide a foundation for the syntheses of the hetidine and hetisine type of diterpenoid alkaloids. The synthesis of the caged polycyclic core structure, which features nine contiguous stereocenters, utilizes a Ga(III)-catalyzed cycloisomerization of alkynyl indenes as well as a Michael/aldol sequence to build the bicyclo-[2.2.2] framework.
Developing a scalable modeling architecture for studying survivability technologies

To facilitate interoperability of models in a scalable environment, and provide a relevant virtual environment in which Survivability technologies can be evaluated, the US Army Research Development and Engineering Command (RDECOM) Modeling Architecture for Technology Research and Experimentation (MATREX) Science and Technology Objective (STO) program has initiated the Survivability Thread which will seek to address some of the many technical and programmatic challenges associated with the effort. In coordination with different Thread customers, such as the Survivability branches of various Army labs, a collaborative group has been formed to define the requirements for the simulation environment that would in turn provide them a value-added tool for assessing models and gauge system-level performance relevant to Future Combat Systems (FCS) and the Survivability requirements of other burgeoning programs. An initial set of customer requirements has been generated in coordination with the RDECOM Survivability IPT lead, through the Survivability Technology Area at RDECOM Tank-automotive Research Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC, Warren, MI). The results of this project are aimed at a culminating experiment and demonstration scheduled for September, 2006, which will include a multitude of components from within RDECOM and provide the framework for future experiments to support Survivability research. This paper details the components with which the MATREX Survivability Thread was created and executed, and provides insight into the capabilities currently demanded by the Survivability faculty within RDECOM.
Forest Restoration in Urbanizing Landscapes: Interactions Between Land Uses and Exotic Shrubs

Preventing and controlling exotic plants remains a key challenge in any ecological restoration, and most efforts are currently aimed at local scales. We combined localand landscape-scale approaches to identify factors that were most closely associated with invasion of riparian forests by exotic shrubs (Amur honeysuckle [Lonicera maackii] and Tatarian honeysuckle [L. tatarica]) in Ohio, U.S.A. Twenty sites were selected in mature riparian forests along a rural–urban gradient (<1–47% urban land cover). Within each site, we measured percent cover of Lonicera spp. and native trees and shrubs, percent canopy cover, and facing edge aspect. We then developed 10 a priori models based on local- and landscape-level variables that we hypothesized would influence percent cover of Lonicera spp. within 25 m of the forest edge. To determine which of these models best fit the data, we used an information-theoretic approach and Akaike’s information criterion. Percent cover of Lonicera was best explained by the proportion of urban land cover within 1 km of riparian forests. In particular, percent cover of Lonicera was greater in forests within more urban landscapes than in forests within rural landscapes. Results suggest that surrounding land uses influence invasion by exotic shrubs, and explicit consideration of land uses may improve our ability to predict or limit invasion. Moreover, identifying land uses that increase the risk of invasion may inform restoration efforts.
Geopolitics, Ethics, and the Evangelicals' Commitment to Sudan

When considering the intersection between geographical knowledge and geopolitical practice, emphasis generally falls on the state and the state's self-serving calculations. This paper, instead, foc...
Activation of 5-HT4 receptors inhibits secretion of β-amyloid peptides and increases neuronal survival

Activation of 5-HT4 receptors has been shown to improve memory processes in preclinical cognition models, suggesting potential utility of 5-HT4 agonists for the symptomatic treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Recent studies have shown that 5-HT4 agonists also increase the secretion of the non-amyloidogenic soluble amyloid precursor protein-alpha (sAPPα). In the present study, we demonstrated that a selective 5-HT4 partial agonist, RS67333, inhibited the generation of β-amyloid peptide (Aβ) in primary cortical cultures of Tg2576 transgenic mice expressing human APPK670N/M671L. Furthermore, treatments with RS67333 selectively increased the survival of transgenic neurons in a dose-dependent manner, which was inhibited by 5-HT4 antagonists. These and previous data collectively suggest that the 5-HT4 receptor may be an effective therapeutic target for AD, providing both symptomatic improvements and neuroprotection.
Sound-induced seizures in long-surviving prenatally x-irradiated rats.

Abstract Twelve rats which had been exposed to 250 r of x-radiation in utero, on either the eighteenth or nineteenth day of pregnancy, were tested for their susceptibility to sound-induced seizures at a median age of 21 I 2 months. No significant association between incidence of seizures and prenatal x-irradiation was found. Some indication that x-irradiation in utero enhanced the reactivity of seizure-susceptible animals (whatever the causal factor for such susceptibility might be) was adduced from the findings. Contrary to the findings of others, it was concluded that audiogenic seizure susceptibility cannot be considered either a long-term or a sensitive indicator of the effect of x-irradiation upon the central nervous system.
Chromosomal instability in ataxia telangiectasia

We have examined various aspects of lymphocyte chromosomal instability in three families comprised of five individuals affected with ataxiatelangiectasia (AT), their obligate heterozygous parents, and their unaffected sibs. We found that neither baseline sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs) nor mitomycin-C-induced increments in SCEs showed any significant differences among family members or between AT heterozygotes or homozygotes. Chromosome breakage in first-division metaphases was found to be moderately elevated in three of the five AT homozygotes (range 1-12%); breakage in the six AT obligate heterozygotes was within normal limits (0-4%). Analysis of Giemsa-banded metaphases indicated the presence of a clone bearing a paracentric inversion of chromosome #14 in addition to other chromosome #14 abnormalities in one AT homozygote. The same inversion was also found in this individual's affected sister and his obligate heterozygous father. A discussion regarding the relationship of the specificity of breakage and reunion of bands q12 and q23 on chromosome #14 and the high incidence of malignancy in AT is included.
Minimization of risk and maximization of expected utility in multistage betting games

Abstract Consider the following multistage betting game (MBG) with m alternatives, each of which obtains with probability pi(pi > 0,Σmi=1pi=1, i=1, 2, …, m). Case 1 of the MBG, which is discussed in this paper, requires that on each stage of the game the player allocate all of his capital, denoted by x, x > 0, over the m alternatives, betting the amount yi on alternative i (yi ≧ =0, Σmi=1yi=x). If alternative i obtains on a given stage, the player's new capital for the next stage is yiri, where ri is the return for alternative i, ri > 0. The game is played for N stages, assuming that pi and ri are stationary. It resembles certain sequencial investment processes that have been studied by economists, and generalizes static, two-outcome, gambling experiments conducted by psychologists. Two models for MBG are proposed, both of which have been studied by economists and psychologists in the areas of portfolio selection and decision making behavior under risk, respectively. The first is a minimization of risk model, assuming that the player fixes an expected value and then attempts to minimize the variance of the gamble. The second is an expectation model, assuming maximization of expected utility. Proportional betting policies are presented for both models, assuming in the latter case linear, logarithmic, or power utility functions. Results obtained from five subjects in a computer-controlled MBG experiment show systematic effects of capital size on betting decisions, which are incompatible with any proportional betting policy.
Absence of a relationship between sympathetic neuronal activity and turnover of serum dopamine-beta-hydroxylase.

The effects of pharmacological alteration of adrenergic transmission on the rate of entrance of dopamine-β-hydroxylase (DBH) into the circulation were assessed in rats by an immunological method in which the kinetics of recovery of serum DBH activity were measured after depletion of the enzyme by treatment with anti-rat DBH antiserum. Neither α-receptor blockade with phenoxybenzamine nor ganglionic blockade with clorisondamine altered the rate by which DBH enters the bloodstream although both treatments markedly altered serum catecholamine levels. Prolonged treatment of newborn rats with guanethidine produced a severe peripheral sympathectomy but only a moderate decrease (30%) in serum DBH levels. In the sympathectomized rats, the rate of entrance of DBH into the circulation was significantly reduced whereas the half-life and rate of degradation of the enzyme was unchanged. These results indicate that the major portion of serum DBH does not enter the circulation by means of exocytotic release of the soluble enzyme.
Characterization and Quantification of Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles in Foods

There has been growing concern in recent years about contamination of foods by engineered nanoparticles (NPs) due to their increasing applications in food packaging materials, pesticides, and other products. In this study, we report a systematic approach to detect, characterize, and quantify engineered NPs (i.e., zinc oxide (ZnO) and titanium dioxide (TiO2) NPs) in food products. A series of concentrations of ZnO and TiO2 NPs from 0.05 to 1 wt% were spiked into corn starch, yam starch, and wheat flour. The presence of engineered NPs in foods was detected and measured by scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The average sizes of ZnO and TiO2 NPs were around 38 and 40 nm in diameter, respectively. Most ZnO NPs were in either spherical or rod-like shape, while most TiO2 NPs were in a spherical shape. The concentrations of engineered NPs in food samples were measured by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. Calibration curves were plotted for quantification of NPs in foods (R 2 = 0.984 and 0.995 for ZnO NPs in corn starch and wheat flour, respectively; R 2 = 0.992 and 0.998 for TiO2 NPs in yam starch and wheat flour, respectively). The results of this study could help develop systematic methodologies for detection, characterization, and quantification of NPs in food matrices.
Knowledge of pelvic floor disorders in a population of community-dwelling women

Objective The objective of the study was to investigate baseline knowledge and demographic factors associated with a lack of knowledge about urinary incontinence (UI) and pelvic organ prolapse (POP). Study Design This study was a community-based, cross-sectional survey of 431 racially and socioeconomically diverse women aged 19-98 years. The Prolapse and Incontinence Knowledge Questionnaire was used to assess participants' knowledge. Primary endpoints were the total number of correct responses on the UI and POP scales, respectively. Percentages of individuals answering each item or group of items correctly were explored as secondary outcomes. Results All women lacked knowledge proficiency about UI and POP, although knowledge about UI was slightly greater than knowledge about POP. Overall, 71.2% of subjects lacked UI proficiency ( Conclusion There is a global lack of knowledge about UI and POP among community-dwelling women, with more pronounced knowledge gaps among nonwhite women. UI and POP are chronic medical conditions that should be included in routine screening questions for well-woman care. Further studies are needed to explore how best to educate and improve women's awareness of these prevalent pelvic floor disorders.
Glia maturation factor influences recovery from injury in neonatal rat brains.

Newborn rats were injured with a puncture wound in one cerebral hemisphere. Experimental animals were treated with three i.p. injections of Glia Maturation Factor (GMF) at daily intervals starting from the time of injury, whereas control littermates were treated with equivalent amounts of bovine serum albumin. At 25 days old the size of the cerebral cortex at the plane of injury was measured on representative brain sections. In control rats the injured side was 18% smaller than the normal side whereas in GMF-treated animals the difference was only 1%. The results suggest a possible regulatory role of GMF in promoting tissue recovery from brain damage.
Optimization of protein-based volumetric optical memories and associative processors by using directed evolution

The potential use of proteins in device applications has advanced in large part due to significant advances in the methods and procedures of protein engineering, most notably, directed evolution. Directed evolution has been used to tailor a broad range of enzymatic proteins for pharmaceutical and industrial applications. Thermal stability, chemical stability, and substrate specificity are among the most common phenotypes targeted for optimization. However, in vivo screening systems for photoactive proteins have been slow in development. A high-throughput screening system for the photokinetic optimization of photoactive proteins would promote the development of protein-based field-effect transistors, artificial retinas, spatial light modulators, photovoltaic fuel cells, three-dimensional volumetric memories, and optical holographic processors. This investigation seeks to optimize the photoactive protein bacteriorhodopsin (BR) for volumetric optical and holographic memories. Semi-random mutagenesis and in vitro screening were used to create and analyze nearly 800 mutants spanning the entire length of the bacterio-opsin (bop) gene. To fully realize the potential of BR in optoelectronic environments, future investigations will utilize global mutagenesis and in vivo screening systems. The architecture for a potential in vivo screening system is explored in this study. We demonstrate the ability to measure the formation and decay of the red-shifted O-state within in vivo colonies of Halobacterium salinarum, and discuss the implications of this screening method to directed evolution.
EFFECTS OF REPEATING MICROSTRUCTURES ON PRESSURE DROP IN RECTANGULAR MINICHANNELS

A literature review in laminar incompressible flow in microchannels has shown both early and late transitions from laminar to turbulent flow as well as no deviation from the conventional flow transition of Re=2300. In the present work, air and water flow through rectangular channels with hydraulic diameters ranging from 325µm to 1819µm. Smooth surface conditions are tested to validate the test section, while a repeating roughness is used to show the effects of surface roughness and its orientation on flow characteristics in minichannels. Testing has shown that smooth channels show no deviation, while artificially roughened channels show considerable deviation from the macroscale flow transition of Re=2300.
Awned Carpels of Erodium

SIR JOHN LUBBOCK'S address to the British Association, and Mr. Francis Darwin's paper in the Linnean Transactions, on the hygrometric awns of the achenes of Erodium and other plants, fail to give the honour to the right man. Their references reach some thirteen years back; but if they will look further they will find the late discoveries (including those of Hildebrand and Zimmerman in Pringsheim's Jahrbucher) forestalled as to Erodium by nearly half a century. In the Magazine of Natural History for 1836 is a modest contribution of nearly two pages from Robert Mallet of Capell Street, Dublin, describing and figuring his observations on the achenial awns of Erodium moschatum and Pelargonium peltatum. He finds that the awns of Erodium possess “most wonderful hygrometric sensibility.” The five awns lie in grooves of the carpophore. He gives transverse views of the awns in various conditions of torsion, and of the carpophore (not as well executed as the similar ones of F. Darwin and Hildebrand). He states that aridity causes the awns to twist, and so to extricate themselves from their grooves, and at the same time downy filaments bristle forth from the awns, and the achenes detach themselves and fall to the ground. Here the awns still continue to twist and keep tumbling over, so as to recede from the parent plant. At last by twisting they become like balloons wafted about by every zephyr. But motive power has not ceased with the awn: the slighest hygrometric change produces motion either backwards or forwards in it; and the constant tendency of this motion is to screw the seed into the ground (Mr. Mallet's italics). Such is the shape and great sensibility of the awns, that they may be readily applied to form most delicate hygrometers, for which purpose he had used them. Nearly all of these observations have been rediscovered and confirmed and published in elaborate form by the eminent investigators of our own day.
Neuroanatomy of the visual afferents in the horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus)

The central nervous system of Limulus consists of a circumesophageal ring of fused ganglia and a paired ventral nerve cord. The anterior portion, the protocerebrum, receives sensory inputs including visual information. Three optic nerves, one each from the lateral eye, median ocellus, and ventral eye enter each side of the protocerebrum. The central connections of each optic nerve were determined by staining cut nerve trunks with cobalt chloride. The lateral optic nerve innervates the lamina, medulla, optic tract, ventral central body, and ocellar ganglion. The branching patterns of single axons, probably those of eccentric cells in the lateral eye retina, were observed. Single, large-diameter axons in the lateral optic nerve ramify at seven loci including sites in each of the structures innervated by the lateral optic nerve as a whole. The median optic nerve innervates the ocellar ganglion, central body, optic tract, and medulla. Three types of branching patterns were observed for single, large-diameter fibers in the median optic nerve. One type bypasses the ocellar ganglion and innervates the central body. A second type passes through the ocellar ganglion and optic tract without branching and innervates the posterior medulla. A third type innervates the ocellar ganglion, ventral central body, optic tract, and medulla. The ventral optic nerve is composed of large-diameter axons of ventral photoreceptors. Each axon enters the ganglion cell layer of the medulla and branches over a planar area less than 150 μm in diameter. We also observed that axons from mechanoreceptors on the anterior carapace innervate the posterior neuropil of the medulla, and that about 5% of the neurons in the medullar ganglion cell layer send axons to the ipsilateral circumesophageal connective.
Minimum Energy Tracking Loop with Embedded DC-DC Converter Delivering Voltages down to 250mV in 65nm CMOS

An energy minimization loop, with on-chip energy sensor circuitry, that can dynamically track the minimum energy operating voltage of a digital circuit with changing workload and operating conditions occupies 0.05mm2 in 65nm CMOS. The DC-DC converter that enables this minimum energy operation can deliver load voltages as low as 250mV and achieved an efficiency >80% while delivering load powers of the order of 1 pW and higher from a 1.2V supply
Improvement of Leydig cell function in male adolescents after varicocelectomy.

The incidence of varicoceles in adolescent boys has been reported to range from 5.7% at 10 years of age to 19.3% at age 14 years, with a mean of 16.2% for the whole group of boys aged 10 to i9 years. Oster 1 found no varicoceles before the age of 10 years among 1072 Danish schoolboys. After adolescence, the incidence of varicoceles remains constant. Steeno et al. 2 reported that 81% of school-age adolescents with visible varicoceles already had a decrease in testicular volume, consistency, or both. In fact, a pantesticular defect involving testosterone production and spermatogenesis has been reported ~in adult men with varicoceles. 3 However, there have been no studies of the endocrine function of the testes in male adolescents. We studied the hypothalamicpituitary-testicular axis in five male adolescents, aged 17 to 20 years, with visible varicoceles. The effect of Varicocelectomy on the endocrine function of the testes was also evaluated. METHODS Patients. Our patients were five male adolescents, aged 17 to 20 years, who were seen in the pediatric endocrine clinic for evaluation of testicular function. All these patients had visible left-sided varicoceles, big' enough so that the mass Of tortuous veins impeded examination of the testicle when the patients were in the upright position; the varicoceles were graded as severe. Two of these patients also had right-sided varicoceles graded as moderate, according to the classifica
Differential effects of antisense oligodeoxynucleotides directed against Gzα and Goα on antinociception produced by spinal opioid and α2 adrenergic receptor agonists

The present studies assessed the role of G(zalpha) and G(oalpha) in spinal alpha(2) adrenergic receptor agonist-induced antinociception, as well as in antinociceptive synergism between spinal morphine and clonidine. Mice were pretreated with a single intrathecal (i.t.) injection of artificial cerebrospinal fluid (ACSF), antisense oligodeoxynucleotide(s) (ODN) directed against G(zalpha) or G(oalpha), or nonsense ODN. After 48 h, the antinociceptive effects expressed as per cent maximal possible effect (% MPE) of either i.t. morphine alone, clonidine alone or coadministered morphine plus clonidine, were evaluated in the tail flick test. Antisense ODN to G(zalpha) attenuated clonidine- but not morphine-induced antinociception. The ED(50) (95% confidence interval) value for clonidine in ACSF pretreated mice was 6.3 (4.9-8.1) nmol, and in nonsense ODN pretreated mice, it was 4.2 (2.8-6.3) nmol. However, in the G(zalpha) antisense ODN pretreated mice, the highest dose clonidine tested (50 nmol) produced only 41+/-8.5% MPE. Antisense ODN to G(zalpha) also blocked antinociception produced by i.t. UK14, 304 (alpha(2) adrenergic receptor agonist) and [D-Pen(2), D-Pen(5)] enkephalin (DPDPE) (delta opioid receptor agonist), whereas it failed to attenuate i.t. Tyr-D-Ala-Gly-N-Me-Phe-Gly-ol (DAMGO)- (mu opioid receptor agonist) and U50-488 (kappa opioid receptor agonist) -induced antinociception. Pretreatment with antisense ODN to G(oalpha) attenuated both morphine and clonidine induced antinociception and did not affect synergism between the agonists. These results suggest that spinal G(o)alpha mediates antinociception produced by both clonidine and morphine while G(zalpha) mediates alpha(2) adrenergic and delta opioid receptor mediated antinociception, but not antinociception produced by mu or kappa opioid agonists.
The Genetic Control of Growth and Adult Body Weight in the Domestic Fowl

Abstract THE greatest single genetic contribution to increased efficiency of production of poultry meat has been the improvement in rate of growth and body weight. Although body size and growth rate inheritance have been extensively studied, very little specific information on the genetic control of growth and adult body size is available. A comprehensive review of the subject has been completed by Lerner (1937), while more recent reviews may be found in the books of Hutt (1949) and Jull (1952). In general, the genetic control is said to be quantitative, and the changes that are possible through breeding programs have been estimated. Heritability estimates of body weight at various ages range from 32 to 75% (Jull, 1952). In addition, some genes have been identified which produce marked and deleterious effects on the size of the organism or parts thereof. Examples of such genes which may be mentioned are Creeper (Cutler, 1925) . . .
Arrestant responses of southwestern corn borer larvae to free amino acids: Structure-activity relationships

The leaf-feeding resistance of corn or maizeZea mays L. to the southwestern corn borer, SWCB,Diatraea grandiosella Dyar has been attributed at least in part to decreased protein, increased crude fiber, and increased hemicellulose in the whorls of resistant genotypes. In this study, individual amino acids and sugars were evaluated as arrestants, with the objective of identifying those that gave weak or negative responses. Several structure-activity relationships were identified. Larvae responded to three-carbonn alkyl alpha amino acids more than to two-, four-, five-, and six-carbon compounds. Amino acids with terminal isopropyl functions gave decreased responses relative to theirn-alkyl counterparts. Dicarboxylic acids and their amides gave the lowest responses of all classes of amino acids. The normally occurring basic amino acids were all good arrestants. The guanido [HN:C(NH2)NH-] function was somewhat important to an arrestant response, as was the number of methylenes between the alpha and omega amino functions of diaminon-alkyl amino acids. Hydroxy amino acids were generally good arrestants unless the hydroxyl was located on a ring system. The two sugars present in expressed corn whorl juice, glucose and fructose, gave poor responses. However, two other sugars, mannose and arabinose, whose C-2 hydroxyls are conformationally in the axial position, were strongly arrestant. Formulated amino acid mixtures based on their content in whorl juice were as strong arrestants as whorl juice. However, the relative contributions of amino acids and sugars that are weak arrestants to the resistance of corn to SWCB larvae is uncertain because amino acid analyses did not reveal significantly higher contents of these amino acids in the whorl juices of resistant lines.
Limit formulas for q -exponential functions

Abstract q-Analogues are given for the limit formulas et=limn→∞(1-t/n)-n and et=limn→∞(1+t/n)n. The q-extension of the first identity is applied in proving that the probability of a q-random mapping having no fixed points approaches the reciprocal of a q-analogue of the real number e.
The Observed and Simulated Atmospheric Seasonal Cycle. Part I: Global Wind Field Modes

Abstract The seasonal cycle of the global wind field is documented for both a decadal set of analyses from the National Meteorological Center (NMC) and an extended term integration of a research version of the Community Climate Model developed at the National Center for Atmospheric Research. Composite eigenvector analysis is used to establish the dominant three dimensional coherent structures characteristic of the datasets while gridpoint harmonic analysis provides evidence of the extent to which these structures describe conventional seasonal modes. These quantitative indicators of spatial and temporal variance form a stringent measure of model performance with respect to seasonal variation. The model appears to be far more successful at capturing the annual harmonic contained in the NMC analyses than the semiannual harmonic. This discrepancy may be related to the absence of the requisite tropical forcings due to either inadequate parameterizations of certain physical processes or the lack of interannual...
Identification of Brush Border Myosin-I in Liver and Testis

Brush border myosin-I, or BBMI, constitutes the lateral links that connect in intestinal microvilli the core bundle of actin filaments to the membrane. Although related molecules have been identified in other higher eukaryotic tissues, northern blot analysis has indicated that the distribution of this particular myosin-I isoform is restricted essentially to intestine. Using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction we have identified BBMI in a wide range of tissues including liver and testis. Our results also indicate that in testis the BBMI gene might be alternatively spliced.
Bilirubin-14C turnover studies in normal and mutant Southdown sheep with congenital hyperbilirubinemia.

SummaryBilirubin-14C turnover was studied in normal and mutant Southdown sheep with congenital hyperbilirubinemia. In-tercompartmental rate constants, pool sizes, and transfer rates of unconjugated bilirubin (UCB) were calculated from the plasma bilirubin-14C disappearance curve. The net hepatic uptake per minute of UCB was on the average 1.4% of the mixing pool in mutants as compared with 4.4% in normal sheep. The hepatic uptake defect for UCB in mutant Southdown sheep closely resembles that previously reported in Gilberts'syndrome in man.
Genetic Transformation of an Obligate Anaerobe, P. gingivalis for FMN-Green Fluorescent Protein Expression in Studying Host-Microbe Interaction

The recent introduction of “oxygen-independent” flavin mononucleotide (FMN)-based fluorescent proteins (FbFPs) is of major interest to both eukaryotic and prokaryotic microbial biologists. Accordingly, we demonstrate for the first time that an obligate anaerobe, the successful opportunistic pathogen of the oral cavity, Porphyromonas gingivalis, can be genetically engineered for expression of the non-toxic green FbFP. The resulting transformants are functional for studying dynamic bacterial processes in living host cells. The visualization of the transformed P. gingivalis (PgFbFP) revealed strong fluorescence that reached a maximum emission at 495 nm as determined by fluorescence microscopy and spectrofluorometry. Human primary gingival epithelial cells (GECs) were infected with PgFbFP and the bacterial invasion of host cells was analyzed by a quantitative fluorescence microscopy and antibiotic protection assays. The results showed similar levels of intracellular bacteria for both wild type and PgFbFP strains. In conjunction with organelle specific fluorescent dyes, utilization of the transformed strain provided direct and accurate determination of the live/metabolically active P. gingivalis' trafficking in the GECs over time. Furthermore, the GECs were co-infected with PgFbFP and the ATP-dependent Clp serine protease-deficient mutant (ClpP-) to study the differential fates of the two strains within the same host cells. Quantitative co-localization analyses displayed the intracellular PgFbFP significantly associated with the endoplasmic reticulum network, whereas the majority of ClpP- organisms trafficked into the lysosomes. Hence, we have developed a novel and reliable method to characterize live host cell-microbe interactions and demonstrated the adaptability of FMN-green fluorescent protein for studying persistent host infections induced by obligate anaerobic organisms.
The Cyclopropylmethyl−3-Butenyl Rearrangement on Mo(110): A Radical Clock on a Surface?†

The mechanism for the transformation of adsorbed cyclopropylmethyloxide into its ring-opened form, 3-butenyloxide, on the Mo(110) surface is explored theoretically. An alternative emerges to the radical clock mechanism that involves the cleavage of the C−O bond in the adsorbate as the critical reaction step. The alternative pathway involves the cleavage of a C−C bond in the three-membered ring leading to a diradical, which could transform via a 1,2-H shift to the same reaction product. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations for relevant reaction intermediates in molecular model systems show an energetic preference for the C−C cleavage in the initial step. The barrier of the subsequent 1,2-H shift of the singlet diradical is slightly lower than the barrier for the radical clock rearrangement, rendering the diradical pathway a possible alternative. Adsorbate structures for the reactant and the product were obtained by DFT slab calculations. We carry out a MO analysis of the bonding in the adsorbate, c...
Genetic Analysis of the Shared Role of CLN3 and BCK2 at the G1-S Transition in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The transcription complexes SBF and MBF mediate the G 1 -S transition in the cell cycle of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In late G 1 , SBF and MBF induce a burst of transcription in a number of genes, including G 1 - and S-phase cyclins. Activation of SBF and MBF depends on the G 1 cyclin Cln3 and a largely uncharacterized protein called Bck2. We show here that the induction of SBF/MBF target genes by Bck2 depends partly, but not wholly, on SBF and MBF. Unlike Cln3, Bck2 is capable of inducing its transcriptional targets in the absence of functional Cdc28. Our results revealed promoter-specific mechanisms of regulation by Cln3, Bck2, SBF, and MBF. We isolated high-copy suppressors of the cln3 bck2 growth defect; all of these had the ability to increase CLN2 expression. One of these suppressors was the negative regulator of meiosis RME1. Rme1 induces CLN2 , and we show that it has a haploid-specific role in regulating cell size and pheromone sensitivity. Genetic analysis of the cln3 bck2 defect showed that CLN1, CLN2 , and other SBF/MBF target genes have an essential role in addition to the degradation of Sic1.
Cardiac function, coronary flow and MO2hypertrophy induced by pressure and volume overloading

Myocardial function, flow and O2 consumption were compared in cardiac hypertrophy induced by pressure-loading (P) and by volume overloading (V). Increases in LV-to-body weight ratios in P and V hypertrophied hearts were comparable. Indices of LV function such as cardiac output, stroke volume, stroke work, minute work, peak LV dP/dt, ratio of peak LV dP/dt-to-isovolumic pressure and -to-LVEDP, and Vmax were significantly reduced from normal only in hypertrophy induced by V. Left ventricular coronary flow was reduced from 167.1 +/- 27.2 in normal dogs to 146.2 +/- 17.1 cm3/min-100 g-1 in P hypertrophy, and was reduced further to 82.5 +/- 8.2 cm3/min-100 g-1 in V hypertrophy. Flows decreased similarly in epicardium and endocardium in both hypertrophied hearts. Cardiac O2 extraction in P and V hearts was greater than in control hearts. Myocardial O2 consumption was maintained at control values in P hypertrophy, and decreased by 54 +/- 3% in V hypertrophy. These findings indicate that LV function is impaired at rest in hypertrophy induced by V and is normal in hypertrophy induced by P.
An agent based model for trust and information sharing in networked systems

Vast amounts of information are generated, shared, and processed in tactical networks. In such systems, human cooperation is a crucial component for effective processing of information. However, human behavior is often mediated by social and organizational relationships, i.e. trust between team members and system level characteristics, such as network delays. The impact these different processes have on each other is not well understood. In this paper, we develop an agent based model for information sharing that incorporates trust into decision making. The nodes in our model are decision makers and are primarily responsible for the disambiguation of received information to obtain correct situation awareness as quickly as possible. Additionally, each node must share information with other nodes to enable the network to attain shared situation awareness. In our model, team members make trust evaluations for fellow team members that they cooperate with throughout a task. Most existing trust models concentrate on whether trust exists or not, and do not consider what task for which trust is being used. In contrast, we consider a new model of trust that incorporates two components: trust for competence and trust for throughput. In time constrained environments, both types of trust are crucial to mission success. Furthermore, this model allows us to study the impact of communication delays on overall trust. We also show how these trust values can be converted to labels that control agent's decision making behavior. To test out this proposed model, we use a command and control experiment platform called ELICIT (Experimental Laboratory for Investigating Collaboration, Information-sharing and Trust). We give initial experimental results that show how trust of nodes change in an ELICIT information sharing task for various settings of initial team trust, the biases of the nodes and possible communication channel disturbances.
Forebrain contribution to the induction of a cellular correlate of conditioned taste aversion in the nucleus of the solitary tract.

A conditioned taste aversion (CTA) is a form of classical conditioning in which animals avoid a taste (conditioned stimulus; CS) which has been previously paired with a treatment (unconditioned stimulus; US) that produces transient illness. Recently, a reliable cellular correlate of the behavioral expression of a CTA was identified using c- Fos immunostaining as a marker of neuronal activation. Exposure to a saccharin solution (CS) which had previously been paired with lithium chloride (LiCl; US) induced significant c-Fos-like immunoreactivity (c- FLI) in the intermediate zone of the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS), a response that was quite similar to that displayed following administration of LiCl alone. The present studies employed a variant of the chronic decerebrate rat preparation to explore whether circuitry intrinsic to the brainstem is sufficient for the induction of c-FLI in both as an unconditioned response to the LiCl and as a conditioned response to the saccharin. Using chronic hemidecerebrate rats, which have a unilateral brain transection at the level of the superior colliculus, we found that the unconditioned c-FLI to LiCI was unaltered by the transection, while the conditioned expression of c-FLI to the CS taste was evident only on the side of the NTS which retained neural connections with the forebrain. These findings strongly implicate forebrain input in this cellular correlate of CTA learning and also indicate that the pathways mediating the response to the US (LiCl) and the CS (saccharin) differ.
African Americans in bereavement: grief as a function of ethnicity

Few empirical studies have explored the grieving process among different ethnic groups within the United States, and very little is known about how African Americans and Caucasians may differ in their experience of loss. The purpose of this study was to examine the African-American experience of grief, with particular emphasis on issues of identity change, interpersonal dimensions of the loss, and continuing attachments with the deceased. Participants were 1,581 bereaved college students (940 Caucasians and 641 African Americans) attending classes at a large southern university. Each participant completed the Inventory of Complicated Grief-Revised, the Continuing Bonds Scale, and questions regarding the circumstances surrounding his or her loss. Results revealed that African Americans experienced more frequent bereavement by homicide, maintenance of a stronger continuing bond with the deceased, greater grief for the loss of extended kin beyond the immediate family, and a sense of support in their grief, despite their tendency to talk less with others about the loss or seek professional support for it. Overall, African Americans reported higher levels of complicated grief symptoms than Caucasians, especially when they spent less time speaking to others about their loss experience. Implications of these findings for bereavement support services for African Americans were briefly noted.
Diffusion-Controlled Processes in Microwave-Fired Oxide Ceramics

Processing oxide-based ceramics using microwave heating leads to a number of unexpected results, which can only be interpreted in terms of enhanced diffusion. Enhanced sintering has been observed in alumina and zirconia. Accelerated grain growth in dense, hot-pressed alumina has been demonstrated. Increased diffusion coefficients have been observed for diffusion of oxygen in sapphire. As yet, a satisfactory theory to account for these phenomena has not been developed. This paper reviews the experimental work conducted at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory during the past four years on the processing of oxides in both 2.45 and 28 GHz microwave furnaces.
An efficient ML algorithm for localizing closely-spaced sources by passive sensor array

The authors present a novel scheme called maximum log-likelihood-sum (MLSUM) to simultaneously determine the number of closely spaced sources and their locations by uniform linear sensor arrays. Based on the principle of the maximum likelihood (ML) estimator and a orthogonal-projection decomposition technique, the multivariate log-likelihood maximization problem is transformed into a multistage one-dimensional log-likelihood-sum maximization problem. The global-optimum solution of the ML localization is obtained by simply maximizing the single one-dimensional log-likelihood function. This algorithm is applicable in the case of coherent sources and in the case of incoherent sources. The performance of the MLSUM algorithm is compared to that of MUSIC for several simulation examples. >
Using computer technology: frustrations abound

The automation of libraries is a fairly recent entry to the growing number of areas of applications for computers. Is this an indication that librarians have been resisting advancing technology or could it be that the process of controlling large stores of information is so complex and the hardware, software, and brainware still too limited to cope with this complexity? Might it also be that computer specialists, underestimating the challenges, have evinced little interest in the library problem?
Transient radiation modeling of short-pulse laser detection of tumors in animal model

The objective of this paper is to perform a comprehensive experimental and numerical analysis of the short pulse laser interaction with tissue medium with the goal of tumor / cancer diagnostics. For a short pulse laser source, the shape of the output signal is a function of the optical properties of the medium and hence the scattered temporal optical signal helps in understanding of the medium characteristics. In this paper the scattered reflected optical signals from the tissue medium are modeled using the transient radiative transport equation (RTE) solved by the discrete ordinates technique. In vivo imaging was performed on anaesthetized rats with tumorogenic agents injected inside skin tissues and on anaesthetized mouse with mammary tumors. The numerical results are compared with the experimental data to validate the model and demonstrate the feasibility of the time-resolved technique in detecting tumors in animal model.