cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Porphyrin-Induced Protein Oxidation and Aggregation as a Mechanism of Porphyria-Associated Cell Injury

Genetic porphyrias comprise eight diseases caused by defects in the heme biosynthetic pathway that lead to accumulation of heme precursors. Consequences of porphyria include photosensitivity, liver damage and increased risk of hepatocellular carcinoma, and neurovisceral involvement, including seizures. Fluorescent porphyrins that include protoporphyrin-IX, uroporphyrin and coproporphyrin, are photo-reactive; they absorb light energy and are excited to high-energy singlet and triplet states. Decay of the porphyrin excited to ground state releases energy and generates singlet oxygen. Porphyrin-induced oxidative stress is thought to be the major mechanism of porphyrin-mediated tissue damage. Although this explains the acute photosensitivity in most porphyrias, light-induced porphyrin-mediated oxidative stress does not account for the effect of porphyrins on internal organs. Recent findings demonstrate the unique role of fluorescent porphyrins in causing subcellular compartment-selective protein aggregation. Porphyrin-mediated protein aggregation associates with nuclear deformation, cytoplasmic vacuole formation and endoplasmic reticulum dilation. Porphyrin-triggered proteotoxicity is compounded by inhibition of the proteasome due to aggregation of some of its subunits. The ensuing disruption in proteostasis also manifests in cell cycle arrest coupled with aggregation of cell proliferation-related proteins, including PCNA, cdk4 and cyclin B1. Porphyrins bind to native proteins and, in presence of light and oxygen, oxidize several amino acids, particularly methionine. Noncovalent interaction of oxidized proteins with porphyrins leads to formation of protein aggregates. In internal organs, particularly the liver, light-independent porphyrin-mediated protein aggregation occurs after secondary triggers of oxidative stress. Thus, porphyrin-induced protein aggregation provides a novel mechanism for external and internal tissue damage in porphyrias that involve fluorescent porphyrin accumulation.
Double-Blind Administration of Methylphenidate to Mentally Retarded Children with Attention Deficit Disorder: A Preliminary Study.

Ten children with IQs ranging from 48 to 77 who were living at home and attending special education programs in public schools were involved in an outpatient, double-blind, active drug and placebo cross-over study using methylphenidate. These children were considered to have symptoms of the attention deficit disorder as well as being mentally retarded. Five of the 10 children responded positively to active medication as measured by improvement in the Conners' rating forms for parents and teachers. We concluded that retarded children with high activity levels and attention disorders are positively affected by stimulant medication but that careful and controlled observational and behavioral assessment is required on an individual basis.
Robust Low Power Clock Synchronization for Multi-Die Systems

A novel clock generation and distribution network is proposed for multi-die architectures connected through an active silicon interposer. The proposed clock network generates and distributes a resonant clock through the active silicon interposer between dies, with each die served through resonant local clock trees. The proposed active silicon interposer rotary oscillator array (AI-ROA) serves to establish a unitary clock domain, providing constant phase and magnitude clock sources to the multiple die (i.e. multiple chiplets) in the package. Analysis is performed with multiple ARM CORTEX M0 cores per die of a homogeneous multi-die package architecture. Each M0 core of the multi-die package belongs to the unitary clock domain, designed with AI-ROA to operate at a frequency of 1 GHz. The multiple die are designed in the 28 nm technology node and the active interposer is designed in the 65 nm technology node. SPICE based simulations of post-layout models provides analysis and evaluation of the proposed architecture for performance metrics under process, voltage, and temperature variations. In particular, performance metrics are reported for 1) power consumption in comparison to PLL based architectures designed and synthesized with an industrial tool, 2) robustness against process variations, and 3) clock skew across the cores throughout the multiple die.
Bayesian analysis of spatial generalized linear mixed models with Laplace moving average random fields

Abstract Gaussian random field (GRF) models are widely used in spatial statistics to capture spatially correlated error. Gaussian processes can easily be replaced by the less commonly used Laplace moving averages (LMAs) in spatial generalized linear mixed models (SGLMMs). LMAs are shown to offer improved predictive power when the data exhibits localized spikes in the response. Further, SGLMMs with LMAs are shown to maintain analogous parameter inference and similar computing to Gaussian SGLMMs. A novel discrete space LMA model for irregular lattices is proposed, along with conjugate samplers for LMAs with georeferenced and areal support. A Bayesian analysis of SGLMMs with LMAs and GRFs is conducted over multiple data support and response types.
Biomechanical musculoskeletal models of the cervical spine: A systematic literature review.

Abstract Background As the work load has been shifting from heavy manufacturing to office work, neck disorders are increasing. However, most of the current cervical spine biomechanical models were created to simulate crash situations. Therefore, the biomechanics of cervical spine during daily living and occupational activities remain unknown. In this effort, cervical spine biomechanical models were systematically reviewed based upon different features including approach, biomechanical properties, and validation methods. Methods The objective of this review was to systematically categorize cervical spine models and compare the underlying logic in order to identify voids in the literature. Findings Twenty-two models met our selection criteria and revealed several trends: 1) The multi-body dynamics modeling approach, equipped for simulating impact situations were the most common technique; 2) Straight muscle lines of action, inverse dynamic/optimization muscle force calculation, Hill-type muscle model with only active component were typically used in the majority of neck models; and 3) Several models have attempted to validate their results by comparing their approach with previous studies, but mostly were unable to provide task-specific validation. Interpretation EMG-driven dynamic model for simulating occupational activities, with accurate muscle geometry and force representation, and person- or task-specific validation of the model would be necessary to improve model fidelity.
Accuracy Assessment of National Land Cover Database Shrubland Products on the Sagebrush Steppe Fringe

Abstract Remotely sensed data products depicting physical and ecological attributes of a landscape are becoming invaluable tools in wildlife and rangeland management. However, if such geospatial tools and data layers are to be used in management, their accuracy and appropriateness for such use needs to be vetted and validated. We assessed accuracy of two National Land Cover Database (NLCD) shrubland products for use in western South Dakota—percent sagebrush and sagebrush height—by comparing them to ground-truthed data. Western South Dakota sagebrush communities are an ecotone between sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) and grassland. This ecotone is typified by shorter- and lower-density sagebrush than interior sagebrush steppe ecosystem. This distinction could make it difficult to remotely detect and map sagebrush in this area. We determined NLCD correlations with ground estimates of sagebrush canopy cover (r = 0.17) and sagebrush height (r = 0.40). The NLCD percent sagebrush accurately predicted sagebrush presence ∼73‒76% of the time once resampled to 100-m pixels and 50-m mean values, respectively. Cohen’s kappa values were estimated to determine if the ground-truthed and remoted-sensed data were in agreement when determining sagebrush presence. Kappa values were 0.26 ± 0.06 and 0.28 ± 0.06 for mean values within 50-m and resampled 100-m pixels, respectively, indicating a “fair” level of agreement between the ground-truthed and remote-sensed data types when determining presence of sagebrush. The NLCD data sufficiently described the presence of sagebrush in South Dakota, which is useful for estimating geographic distributions of sagebrush obligate species, species distribution models in which presence or absence of sagebrush is of interest, or mapping the occurrence of sagebrush in South Dakota. Inaccuracies of the NLCD shrubland products in predicting sagebrush height and sagebrush canopy cover may limit their utility as continuous variables in species distribution models, habitat selection, and suitability models or when assessing rangeland quality in South Dakota.
Voluntary taxation and the arts

The arts in the USA receive little federal support relative to other developed nations. Because culture and the arts are often viewed as a nonessential role of government, public officials have proposed eliminating public funding for the arts. We examine support for public arts funding using a real-donation experiment (Eckel and Grossman in Games Econ Behav 16(2):181–191, 1996). Real-donation experiments combine elements of a controlled laboratory experiment with the context of a field experiment. In this “giving to the government” experiment, each participant allocates money between herself and a charitable organization supporting either cancer research, education, or the arts. There are two charities within each function: one is a private organization and the other a government agency. Not only do participants donate significant amounts to support the arts generally, we observe significant donations to a government agency that funds the arts. We find similar donation rates to cancer research and education as Li et al. (J Publ Econ 95(9–10):1190–1201, 2011), which provides a measure of external validity. Participants donate less to the arts than to cancer research or education and consistently give less to government organizations than to private charities. However, observing voluntary taxation to support the arts stands in striking contrast to current public policy. Significant predictors of giving include the perceived importance, efficiency, and trust of the organization, as well as gender. Our evidence suggests that current public funding for the arts may be less than optimal.
Possible apixaban-induced leukocytoclastic vasculitis.

Purpose The development of leukocytoclastic vasculitis (LCV) during apixaban therapy in a female patient being treated for deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is reported. Summary A 74-year-old Caucasian woman weighing 102 kg presented to a walk-in clinic with complaints of mild pain and swelling in her left leg for 2 weeks. She was diagnosed as having left lower-extremity DVT. The direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) apixaban (10 mg twice daily for 7 days, then 5 mg twice daily for 3 months) was prescribed. At 1-week follow-up the patient stated that her DVT symptoms were slowly improving and reported that small areas of red rash had appeared bilaterally on her lower extremities. On day 23 of apixaban therapy, the patient presented to a walk-in clinic with a complaint that the rash had progressively worsened. The rash was diagnosed as LCV by dermatology consult. On day 24 of therapy, apixaban use was discontinued and the patient was initiated on rivaroxaban (20 mg daily) for the remainder of DVT treatment. LCV was found to be progressively improving on day 73, with trace petechiae. Rivaroxaban was used through the end of DVT treatment without further reports of LCV. Conclusion A female patient who developed LCV while taking apixaban for treatment of DVT was successfully transitioned to rivaroxaban therapy, leading to resolution of LCV and successful completion of DVT treatment without recurrence of LCV.
Respiratory Function and Voice: The Role for Airflow Measures.

Summary Objective To clarify the relationship between voice and respiratory function, and to understand the role for airflow measures in the evaluation of voice patients. Methods Literature searches of MEDLINE (Ovid) and Web of Science were performed on April 6, 2020, to include articles written in English that both discussed voice in relation to lower respiratory function and reported evaluation of airflow. Search strategies included the keywords voice, respiratory, airflow, and aerodynamic measures. Data were extracted from articles that met inclusion criteria. Results Twenty studies were included for review. Fourteen (70%) studies evaluated at least 1 spirometric respiratory measure, including Forced Vital Capacity, Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 second, and Forced Expiratory Flow. Other measures assessed included mean flow rate, mean peak airflow, phonatory airflow, inspiratory airflow, expiratory airflow, and phonation quotient. Notably, four studies which included pulmonary function tests (PFTs) as part of voice evaluation discovered previously undiagnosed respiratory disease in their study populations. Conclusion This review confirms that respiratory function contributes significantly to voice and reveals that few studies have explored the role for airflow measures in clarifying this relationship. Including airflow measures such as PFTs in standard voice evaluation may allow recognition of underlying respiratory disease contributing to voice dysfunction. Further research is recommended to establish indications and diagnostic criteria for the use of PFTs in voice patients.
The Generation of Probable Facts from Testimonies in Jurisprudence and Historiography

Historiography and jurisprudence are founded on the epistemology of testimony. They generate knowledge mostly, though not exclusively, from testimonies. Reliance on the epistemology of testimony distinguishes jurisprudence and historiography from the empirical sciences that infer knowledge from sense data, and from mathematics and logic that infer a priori knowledge from reason. This article models how independent multiple coherent testimonies generate probable knowledge in historiography and jurisprudence. Individual testimonies can at most transmit their own reliabilities. Multiple independent testimonies, even unreliable but coherent and independent testimonies, can generate knowledge with higher probability than any of the testimonies. For this reason, historians, detectives, and triers search for coherent, yet independent, testimonies. I discuss in particular the concepts of coherence between testimonies, the independence of testimonies, and their reliability. I argue that all these concepts are best understood as aspects of information flows from events to testimonies. I present a new modular model of the inference of knowledge from testimonies in three stages that fits the best practices of institutionally embedded expert historians, jurists, and detectives, who infer knowledge from multiple testimonies.
Thermal stability and magnetization switching of composite free layer with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy

We present a micromagnetic study of a ferromagnetically exchange-coupled composite free layer design for perpendicular magnetic tunnel junctions. The thermal stability factor and critical switching current density depend on the exchange coupling strength and effective anisotropy ratio between the sublayers of the composite free layer. The energy barrier increases with an increase of the exchange coupling strength until it reaches a plateau in the strong-coupling limit. An optimal exchange coupling strength exists that leads to the minimal critical switching current and a significant improvement of the figure of merit defined as the ratio between the energy barrier and critical switching current. This behavior is obtained for smaller device sizes with uniform reversal and larger sizes with domain wall reversal.
Construction of Knowledge Through Doing: A Brachial Plexus Model from Pipe Cleaners

Medical students often struggle with the complexity of the brachial plexus, so instructions were developed for making a model of the brachial plexus from pipe cleaners following a didactic presentation of the material. Providing students the opportunity to construct the brachial plexus reduced cognitive overload, thus allowing students’ working memory to attend to pertinent information and create mental schema of the structures. This activity allows the students to actively engage with the material and have a model from which to study with minimal cost requirements. The model was initially utilized in the final unit of a stand-alone gross anatomy course, followed closely by both a unit exam and a cumulative standardized exam. The following year, the curriculum was significantly changed so that the activity was presented during the first unit of the course followed closely by the unit exam and the cumulative final exam several months later. Students were surveyed on their opinions of the activity, perceived understanding of the material, and utilization of the model. Results demonstrated that students enjoyed the activity and felt it improved their understanding of the brachial plexus, especially in the second scenario. Students responded positively to the activity and felt that it would make a good study tool. In the second scenario, students also reported using the model to study throughout the semester. These results indicate that this low-cost model was helpful to the students, particularly if they need to study the material over an extended period of time.
Islam and Nazi Germany’s War: by David Motadel, Cambridge MA., and London, Belknap Press, 2017, 500 pp., $29.00 (paperback), ISBN 10: 9780674724600

Islam and Nazi Germany’s War is a fascinating study of the German Nazi engagement with Islam as a religion, and with Muslim communities both inside and outside the German sphere of control. The boo...
Yersinia pseudotuberculosis doxycycline tolerance strategies include modulating expression of genes involved in cell permeability and tRNA modifications

Antibiotic tolerance is typically associated with a phenotypic change within a bacterial population, resulting in a transient decrease in antibiotic susceptibility that can contribute to treatment failure and recurrent infections. Although tolerant cells may emerge prior to treatment, the stress of prolonged antibiotic exposure can also promote tolerance. Here, we sought to determine how Yersinia pseudotuberculosis responds to doxycycline exposure, to then verify if these gene expression changes could promote doxycycline tolerance in culture and in our mouse model of infection. Only four genes were differentially regulated in response to a physiologically-relevant dose of doxycycline: osmB and ompF were upregulated, tusB and cnfy were downregulated; differential expression also occurred during doxycycline treatment in the mouse. ompF, tusB and cnfy were also differentially regulated in response to chloramphenicol, indicating these could be general responses to ribosomal inhibition. cnfy has previously been associated with persistence and was not a major focus here. We found deletion of the OmpF porin resulted in increased antibiotic accumulation, suggesting expression may promote diffusion of doxycycline out of the cell, while OsmB lipoprotein had a minor impact on antibiotic permeability. Overexpression of tusB significantly impaired bacterial survival in culture and in the mouse, suggesting that tRNA modification by TusB, and the resulting impacts on translational machinery, may play an important role in promoting tolerance. We believe this is the first observation of bactericidal activity of doxycycline, which was revealed by reversing tusB downregulation.
Evidence-Based Discussion of Treatment Options for Graves’ Disease

Evidence-based medicine (EBM) involves three principles: (1) more confident decisions result from having better research evidence; (2) the best available evidence for a particular outcome is not informed solely by any single study, but rather by the accumulated evidence of all pertinent studies; and (3) when making decisions, the evidence about the relative benefits and harms of the available options is necessary but not sufficient to make a clinical decision. EBM requires that the patients’ perspectives, beliefs, expectations, goals for life and health, values, preferences, and contexts be considered. There are three effective treatments for GD: thyroidectomy, radioactive iodine, and antithyroid drugs. These options differ in their efficacy, safety, convenience, and costs; none is clearly superior to the others for all patients. Thus, the best option for a patient will depend on ensuring the patients and clinicians make informed decisions consistent with the body of best available evidence and the appropriate application of the last principle by the implementation of shared decision making and decision aids.
Through the eyes of experts: a sociocognitive perspective on the automation of fingerprint work

Prior research on technological frames indicates that many of the difficulties associated with systems implementation stem from differences in the meanings users, managers, and system developers attribute to automation projects. Although the concept of technological frames has been used to explore the bases for intergroup conflict during implementation, it is also a useful device for probing more deeply into the effects complex systems have on users' perceptions of their work and the role-altering effects of new technologies. Drawing upon personal construct theory and job characteristics theory, we adapted the repertory grid technique to explore the technology-in-use frames of a group of occupationally certified fingerprint technicians (FPTs). Our investigation reveals the important role the FPTs' occupationally defined values and norms played in structuring their existing work practices and the tensions produced by organizationally mandated efforts to restructure the logic of their expertise-based hierarchies. These insights illuminate the effects work redesign had on the FPTs' task environment, the process logic that guided specific work practices, and the roles defined by their expertise-based hierarchies, providing a basis for understanding the FPTs' unanticipated reactions to the automation of their work.
Muscle carnitine deficiency

Abstract Two types of lipid storage myopathy have been associated with decreased content of carnitine in muscle. In “muscle carnitine deficiency”, carnitine concentration is normal in serum, but reduced in muscle. In “systemic carnitine deficiency”, apparently due to impaired synthesis of carnitine in the liver, carnitine content is low in both serum and muscle. We studied a woman with a corticosteroid-responsive, probably autosomal recessive, lipid storage myopathy. Carnitine therapy was ineffective and carnitine failed to correct the impaired fatty acid oxidation in muscle homogenates, in contrast to a previous case. Carnitine transport into skeletal muscle was normal. These observations suggest that all cases of “muscle carnitine deficiency” are not the same.
Commuting matrices, and modules over Artinian local rings

Gerstenhaber showed in 1961 that any commuting pair of n x n matrices over a field k generates a k-algebra A of k-dimension \leq n. A well-known example shows that the corresponding statement for 4 matrices is false. The question for 3 matrices is open. Gerstenhaber's result can be looked at as a statement about the relation between the length of a 2-generator finite-dimensional commutative k-algebra A and the lengths of faithful A-modules. Wadsworth generalized this result to a larger class of commutative rings than those generated by two elements over a field. We recover his generalization, using a slightly improved argument. We then explore some examples, raise further questions, and make a bit of progress toward answering some of them. An appendix gives some results on generation and subdirect decompositions of modules over not necessarily commutative Artinian rings, generalizing a special case used in the paper. What I originally thought of as my main result turned out to have been anticipated by Wadsworth, so I probably won't submit this for publication unless I find further strong results to add. However, others may find interesting the observations, partial results, and questions noted, and perhaps make some progress on them.
Effects of Approach Speed at Rural High-Speed Intersections

Speed can increase the risk of injury-producing crashes, especially at intersections where vehicles may be approaching and entering the intersection with high speed differentials. It is known that roundabouts force all drivers to reduce their speed in the intersection; however, speed data in advance of the roundabout approach were not available for roundabouts with high-speed approaches to verify this phenomenon. In this research, a comparative evaluation of the difference in the average approach speeds between rural roundabouts and rural two-way-stop-controlled intersections and between rural roundabouts with and without rumble strips on the intersection approaches was performed. Approach speed data proved that drivers could slow down in advance of roundabouts on rural roadways. The mean speed 100 ft from the yield line of the roundabouts was 2.5 mph lower than the mean speed 100 ft from the stop bar at stop-controlled approaches. Additionally, a comparison of roundabout approaches with and without rumble strips showed mean speeds 4.3 and 3.3 mph lower 100 and 250 ft from the yield line, respectively, for approaches with rumble strips; however, the variation in speeds increased with the introduction of rumble strips.
Hospital buddy: a persistent emotional support companion agent for hospital patients

The hospital experience can be disempowering and disorientating. Patients are deprived of sleep deprivation and exposed to constant noise, frequent interruptions, an unfamiliar environment filled with changing health professionals and ancillary staff, as well as medications often fraught with physical or psychoactive side-effects. These conditions often lead to discomfort and anxiety, and commonly induce delirium (especially in older adults), a neuropsychiatric condition in patients that results in clinically significant cognitive and perceptional problems. Simultaneously, because patients are usually alone in their rooms until a medical intervention is required they often are bored and starved for personal attention.
Are Electronic Conferences a Solution in Search of an Urban Problem

This article briefly reviews initiatives that have attempted to create communities of educators using Web-based, electronic conferencing. The authors critically analyze the advocacy for electronic ...
Effects of injection of anti-luteinizing hormone (LH)-releasing hormone serum and anti-gonadotropin-releasing hormone-associated peptide serum into neonatal rats on LH and follicle-stimulating hormone cells.

Relatively little is known regarding the potential importance of LHRH and of gonadotropin-releasing hormone-associated peptide (GAP) on the postnatal development of gonadotrophs. We investigated the effects of administration of anti (A)-LHRH serum or A-GAP serum to neonatal rats on the development of LH and FSH immunoreactivity in anterior pituitary gland (APG) cells. Serum (sheep non-immune [NSS], sheep A-LHRH, sheep A-LHRH/GAP [which bound LHRH and GAP], rabbit non-immune [NRS], or rabbit A-GAP) was injected s.c. into neonatal female and male rats on Days 1 and 3 or Days 1, 3, 5, and 7 after birth. Pups were killed on Day 5 or 9, two days after the last injection. The percentages of APG cells immunoreactive for LH or FSH increased from Day 1 to Day 5 and did not change between Days 5 and 9 in female pups treated with NSS or NRS. There was a trend for the percentages of LH and FSH cells to increase from Day 1 to Days 5 and 9 in male pups treated with NSS or NRS, but the increases were not statistically significant. In both females and males, treatment with antisera that recognized LHRH reduced the percentage of FSH cells on Day 5 and the percentages of LH and FSH cells on Day 9. Treatment with A-GAP was without effect in both sexes. There were similar percentages of LH and FSH cells in females and a lower percentage of FSH than of LH cells in males in the Day 5 and 9 controls.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Rating Sustainability: Transportation Investments in Urban Corridors as a Case Study

Interest in sustainable "green" practices continues to rise throughout the United States, particularly in relation to green building. Currently, programs such as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and Green Globes assess the ecoefficiency of a variety of building types and communities. The existing rating systems include some aspects of transportation; however, currently there is no program that focuses on transportation investments. In addition, there is little documentation of the development of these rating systems. This research develops a methodology for rating systems and applies the system to transportation investments, specifically urban corridors. Urban transportation corridors serve to illustrate the concepts because of their essential role of providing mobility and interaction between and within communities. The end product, sustainable corridor rating system (SCRS), is intended to alter the behavior of transportation practitioners and induce sustainable transportation practices by defining a methodology for developing green rating systems. In addition, the methodology defined in this research can be applied universally to the development of green rating systems similar to SCRS.
Immunoglobulin-cytokine fusion molecules: the new generation of immunomodulating agents

Advances in the understanding of genetic engineering, protein expression, and Ig function have come together to allow for the rapid synthesis and production of a novel generation of potent immunomodulating reagents. Selective approaches that allow the isolation of desired specificities will be elucidated through meticulous engineering techniques. This, in turn, may eventually result in the fulfillment of the tremendous potential of engineered proteins for therapeutic and diagnostic applications.
In Praise of Eloquent Diversity: Gender and Rhetoric as Public Persuasion

Gender dichotomy feminists have suggested that rhetoric, identified as public persuasion, is a patriarchal practice. This perspective rests on a faulty, essentialist understanding of identity and a failure to appreciate the inherently persuasive character of discourse. Gender diversity is offered as an alternative perspective that envisions gender and identity as mobile, multiple affiliations that are formed through discursive interactions. With such a vision of gender, public persuasion can be understood as a feminist art that enables collective action.
Preventing loss of independence through exercise (PLIÉ): a pilot clinical trial in older adults with dementia.

Background Current dementia medications have small effect sizes, many adverse effects and do not change the disease course. Therefore, it is critically important to study alternative treatment strategies. The goal of this study was to pilot-test a novel, integrative group exercise program for individuals with mild-to-moderate dementia called Preventing Loss of Independence through Exercise (PLIE), which focuses on training procedural memory for basic functional movements (e.g., sit-to-stand) while increasing mindful body awareness and facilitating social connection.
Effects of disc and arm loss on regeneration byMicrophiopholis gracillima (Echinodermata: Ophiuroidea) in nutrient-free seawater

IndividualMicrophiopholis gracillima (Stimpson) were collected in February 1987 from an intertidal mudflat in the North Inlet Estuary near Georgetown, South Carolina, USA, and allowed to regenerate for 10 or 20 d in nutrient-free seawater after having different amounts of disc and/or arm tissue removed. In the absence of external nutrients, the pattern of regeneration was affected by both the quantity and type of tissue lost, and changed over time. Depending upon which tissues were lost,M. gracillima allocated stored materials to disc and/or arm regeneration until a gut and three complete arms were achieved. This “minimal functional configuration” allows the brittlestar to construct its respiration and feeding burrows and digest whatever food it captures. In the absence of external nutrients,M. gracillima slowed the rate of regeneration once this state was reached, subsequently using nutrients for maintenance metabolism only. Brittlestars which suffer frequent sublethal tissue loss in nature have regeneration patterns that result from a complex interplay between time, quantity and quality of tissue lost, available nutrients and risk of future damage or mortality.
Respiratory Biology: They Would Be Giants

A recent study has shown that respiratory structures are disproportionately oversized in larger insects, and that oxygen supply to leg muscles may be physically constrained in the largest modern insects. High oxygen concentrations during the Carboniferous may have alleviated these physical constraints allowing the evolution of gigantic arthropods.
Abundances of new stable particles produced in the early universe

Abstract The standard model of the early universe is used to estimate the present abundances of possible absolutely-stable hadrons or charged leptons more massive than the proton. It is found that experimental limits on their present abundances indicate that no such particles exist with masses below about 16 GeV/c2. Forthcoming experiments could increase this limit to masses up to around 300 GeV/c2.
Short Rational Functions for Toric Algebra and Applications

Abstract We encode the binomials belonging to the toric ideal I A associated with an integral d × n matrix A using a short sum of rational functions as introduced by Barvinok (Math. Operations Research 19 (1994) 769) and Barvinok and Woods (J. Amer. Math. Soc. 16 (2003) 957). Under the assumption that d and n are fixed, this representation allows us to compute a universal Grobner basis and the reduced Grobner basis of the ideal I A , with respect to any term order, in time polynomial in the size of the input. We also derive a polynomial time algorithm for normal form computations which replaces in this new encoding the usual reductions typical of the division algorithm. We describe other applications, such as the computation of Hilbert series of normal semigroup rings, and we indicate applications to enumerative combinatorics, integer programming, and statistics.
TOTAL RADIANCES AND EQUIVALENT WIDTHS OF DOPPLER LINES FOR NONISOTHERMAL PATHS

Abstract An analytical method similar to that used by Simmons (1) on Lorentz lines was applied to the problem of the growth of an isolated Doppler line for the case of nonisothermal paths. The results, given in terms of the total radiance (N) and equivalent width (W) of the line, are: N = ( π ln 2 ) 1 2 γ e ∫ O g(x L ) N ∗ υ (g) d g W = ( π ln 2 ) 1 2 γ e g(x L ) where g = g(x) = ∑ n=O ∞ −1 n x n+1 (n+1)!(n+1) 1 2 is the function obtained by Ludenburg (4) for the isothermal case, γe is an effective spectral line half-width, N∗v( g) is the Planck function of the local temperature in the emitting-absorbing gas, the nondimensional optical depth is defined by dx = (ln2/π) 1 2 [S(X)G(X)dX]/γ e , where S(X) is the local value of the line strength, dX is the in crement of standard optical depth, and G(X) is a function characterizing the temperature dependence of the line width, and the subscript L refers to the total path in the emitting-absorbing gas.
Toward an Appropriate Measure of Uncertainty in a Risk Programming Model

The measure of uncertainty in a risk-programming problem has long posed a dilemma. The use of the variance of realized returns assumes that the distribution of realized returns is the same as the distribution anticipated by the decision maker prior to the start of production. Rejection of this maintained hypothesis requires either direct elicitation of these distributions or construction of another measure from realized data. A mean-squared forecast error is considered an appropriate measure. Optimal solutions to a quadratic risk-programming problem are obtained using this measure and compared to those obtained using traditional measures.
Morphological variability and specializations in bovine extraocular muscle spindles.

Summary Bovine extraocular muscles were examined to determine whether the structure of their muscle spindles was notably different from those commonly encountered in mammalian limb muscles. Extraocular muscle spindles on the whole were shorter, and intrafusal fiber counts/spindle were more variable than in somatic muscles. No pronounced nuclear bags were seen in intrafusal fibers. Based on cross-sectional areas, intrafusal fibers in extraocular muscles could be loosely categorized as small or large types. Small fibers expressed more neonatal/fast myosin heavy chain and less embryonic myosin heavy chain than large fibers. When incubated for myosin ATPase, about 70% of the large fibers and 15% of the small fibers in spindles presented profiles that were characteristic of type I extrafusal fibers, and not of nuclear bag or nuclear chain fibers. The ratio of number of small intrafusal fibers to number of large intrafusal fibers in extraocular spindles was on average greater than the ratio of nuclear chain fibers to nuclear bag fibers that is typical for limb spindles of rodents and cats. Structural modifications at muscle spindle sensory regions, extrafusal-like fibers and intrafusal-like fibers with few equatorial nuclei and many myofibrils, may produce distinct afferent signals that are appropriate for sensorimotor integration in the specialized extraocular muscles.
Survival of Endogenous Human Growth Hormone in Plasma

The half-times for disappearance of endogenous plasma HGH in normal adults were in the range 20–28 min and in 2 acromegalic patients followed during and after hypophysectomy were 21 and 30 min. The rapid turnover of endogenous plasma HGH is consistent with the previous demonstration of rapid changes in the concentration of plasma HGH in response to a variety of physiologic and experimental stimuli.
Degradation of some polyubiquitinated proteins requires an intrinsic proteasomal binding element in the substrates

Lysine 48-linked polyubiquitin chains usually target proteins for 26 S proteasomal degradation; however, this modification is not a warrant for destruction. Here, we found that efficient degradation of a physiological substrate UbcH10 requires not only an exogenous polyubiquitin chain modification but also its unstructured N-terminal region. Interestingly, the unstructured N-terminal region of UbcH10 directly binds the 19 S regulatory complex of the 26 S proteasome, and it mediates the initiation of substrate translocation. To promote ubiquitin- dependent degradation of the folded domains of UbcH10, its N-terminal region can be displaced by exogenous proteasomal binding elements. Moreover, the unstructured N-terminal region can initiate substrate translocation even when UbcH10 is artificially cyclized without a free terminus. Polyubiquitinated circular UbcH10 is completely degraded by the 26 S proteasome. Accordingly, we propose that degradation of some polyubiquitinated proteins requires two binding interactions: a polyubiquitin chain and an intrinsic proteasomal binding element in the substrates (likely an unstructured region); moreover, the intrinsic proteasomal binding element initiates substrate translocation regardless of its location in the substrates.
Invasive fungal infection of the midfacial and orbital complex due to Scedosporium apiospermum and mucormycosis.

o p c i r nvasive fungal disease of the maxillofacial complex is ncommon. Scedosporium apiospermum is an merging fungal pathogen that has occasionally been eported to cause localized soft tissue infection in ormal hosts or, more rarely, invasive or disseminated nfection in immunocompromised patients with a sually rapidly progressive and fatal outcome.1-9 S proificans and S apiospermum are anamorphic forms of seudallescheria boydii and are hyaline filamentous ungi. The management of invasive S apiospermum is omplex secondary to its resistance to multiple antiungal agents, including amphotericin B and fluconzole. Mucormycosis is an uncommon opportunistic nfection that also usually involves immunocomproised patients with a rapidly fulminant course and igh mortality rate.10-12 The genera of Mucorales that re recognized as human pathogens are Absibia, Rhiomucor, Mucor, and Rhizopus, and these are sapro-
Male influence on the duration of reproductive diapause in the large milkweed bug, Oncopeltus fasciatus

. Differences were found in duration of diapause, as measured by days to first oviposition following adult eclosion, between female Oncopeltus fasciatus (Dallas) mated with male O.sandarachatus (Say) (mean =55 days), and those mated with their brothers (mean =99 days). Under the same conditions (LD 11:13 at 23°C), O.sandarachatus pairs showed no delay in reproduction (mean = 12 days). Male O.sandarachatus exhibit greater sexual activity than male O.fasciatus, and it is postulated that this behaviour may play a significant role in determining the length of diapause in the female.
Marrying, Unmarrying, and Poverty Dynamics among Mothers with Children Living at Home

Using the two-way transitions model and a sample of mothers with children living at home who experienced poverty, we examined how the changes in mothers’ marital status relate to the odds of exiting and reentering poverty. The data came from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 Cohort (1979–1998). This study found an asymmetric association between poverty dynamics and becoming unmarried. Becoming unmarried was associated with increased odds of both getting out of poverty and reentering poverty, where the magnitude of the latter is greater than that of the former, when family background, family characteristics, and human capital and employment factors are controlled.
The Metabolizable Energy Content and Feeding Value of Mandioca Meal in Diets for Chicks

Abstract INTRODUCTION MANDIOCA (Manihot utilissima Pohl or Manihot esculenta Crantz) is extensively cultivated and plays an important role in human nutrition in practically all tropical regions of the world. Because of its ease of propagation and the high yields attained, mandioca (Cassava, tapioca, yuca) is receiving more attention as a livestock and poultry feedstuff. Tabayoyong (1935) fed cassava refuse meal to growing chicks for a period of 12 weeks and observed poorer growth when compared to chicks being fed rice bran or a combination of rice bran and cassava refuse meal. McMillan and Dudley (1941) demonstrated that rations containing 20% tapioca meal proved suitable for the rearing of cockerels and pullets. Even higher levels of 40% and 50% produced no discernible harmful effects, but were less satisfactory. Squibb and Wyld (1951) replaced corn in chick rations with a residue obtained when the starch was extracted from peeled yuca roots with hot…
Characterization of SWIR hyperspectral imager with a multispectral polarized scene projector

Recently, the US Army developed a prototype shortwave infrared (SWIR) multispectral polarized scene projector (MPSP) system. This system is capable of projecting single spectral images as well as videos with full polarization content from 850 to 1650 nm with variable spectral bandwidth. The bandwidth can vary between 12 and 100 nm. A multistage liquid crystal tunable filter is used to tune the wavelength of light with desired bandwidth and three reflective 512x512 liquid crystal on silicon (LCoS) spatial light modulators (SLMs) with 37.5 μm pixel pitch are used to project an image with all Stokes parameters. This scene projector is intended to characterize hardware-in-the loop spectral and polarization performance of spectropolarimetric imagers operating in the SWIR region. We used this projector to characterize a SWIR hyperspectral imager with a single polarization based on an acousto-optic tunable filter (AOTF). Here, we will briefly describe the scene projector and the hyperspectral imager, discuss the experimental setup and present the results of our characterization.
Solid-state transformation from self-assembled nanosheets into ordered nanorods.

ZnO nanostructures, with a rich collection of morphologies and spatial organizations useful in a variety of important applications, have been synthesized mainly via solution- and gas-phase approaches. Here we report a simple calcination to convert self-assembled nanosheets of hydrated ZnO, each about 50 nm thick, to ordered ZnO nanorods (∼200 nm in diameter and ∼4 μm in length) on glass substrates or on ZnO microcrystals through a quick calcination at 400 °C in air. This work is among the first using a pure solid-state transformation to convert one ordered precursory nanostructure to another with different morphology and spatial organization. Both the ordered nanorods and the self-assembled nanosheets could be useful in important applications including catalysis, sensing, gas storage, and drug delivery.
Polar stripping of protein subunits from tobacco mosaic virus

Abstract Treatment of tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) at 37° leads to the progressive removal of protein subunits (“stripping”). Electron micrographs show that the protein is not removed from random sites on the rod, but rather from one end, resulting in a progressive shortening of the nucleoprotein rod and uncovering of the ribonucleic acid (RNA) strand. Treatment of partially stripped virus (PSV) with snake venom phosphodiesterase or polynucleotide phosphorylase leads to loss of infectivity at rates paralleling those of TMV RNA when treated similarly. On the other hand, spleen phosphodiesterase does not alter the infectivity of PSV under conditions in which TMV RNA is inactivated. When PSV labeled with C 14 is treated with pancreatic ribonuclease, C 14 -adenosine is released in stoichiometric amounts. It is concluded that the stripping of TMV by SDS occurs through the progressive removal of protein subunits from the 5′-linked end of the viral rod.
Dissecting the clonal origins of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia by single-cell genomics

Many cancers have substantial genomic heterogeneity within a given tumor, and to fully understand that diversity requires the ability to perform single cell analysis. We performed targeted sequencing of a panel of single nucleotide variants (SNVs), deletions, and IgH sequences in 1,479 single tumor cells from six acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients. By accurately segregating groups of cooccurring mutations into distinct clonal populations, we identified codominant clones in the majority of patients. Evaluation of intraclonal mutation patterns identified clone-specific punctuated cytosine mutagenesis events, showed that most structural variants are acquired before SNVs, determined that KRAS mutations occur late in disease development but are not sufficient for clonal dominance, and identified clones within the same patient that are arrested at varied stages in B-cell development. Taken together, these data order the sequence of genetic events that underlie childhood ALL and provide a framework for understanding the development of the disease at single-cell resolution.
Nuclear equation of state from scaling relations for solids

The equation of state of nuclear matter is predicted in analogy with a universal form recently observed to hold for other self-bound systems. This approach was suggested by two findings. First, the spin-isospin--averaged realistic nucleon-nucleon interaction potential is observed to be of the universal form in the region of strong bonding. Secondly, a resulting relation between the cohesive and surface energy is shown to hold for nuclear matter as well as metals and the electron-hole liquid.