cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Rise of Customary Businesses in International Financial Markets: An Introduction to Islamic Finance and the Challenges of International Integration

3 I. WHAT IS ISLAMIC FINANCE? 4 A. History of Islamic Finance: Issues of Muslims’ Political Identity 4 B. Islamic Economics 5 C. Islamic Finance Today 6 D. Product Designing and Efficiency 7 II. THE ORIGIN AND SOURCES OF ISLAMIC FINANCE 8 A. Theoretical Framework of Islamic Finance 8 B. Formation of Legal Authority 9 1. The Quran (Al-Qur’an) 9 2. The Prophetic Traditions (Sunnah) 10 3. Consensus of Juristic Opinions (Ijma’) 10 4. Juristic and Analogical Reasoning (Ijtihad) 11 5. Islamic Law Resembling Common Law 12 C. Schools of Islamic Law (Madhahib): Juristic Reasoning versus Adoption of School 12 III. OTHER FEATURES OF ISLAMIC FINANCE 14 A. Islamic and Legal Opinion (Fatwa) 14 B. Rules on Property, Ownership and Contracts 15 1. Property and Ownership 15 2. Contract and its Conditions 16 IV. PROHIBITIVE INJUNCTIONS: RIBA (USURY OR INTEREST ON MONEY LOANS) AND EXCESSIVE UNCERTAINTY AND AMBIGUITY (GHARAR) 17 A. Introducing Injunctions on Riba 17 1. The Prohibition of Riba: Equitable Considerations and Issue of Time Value 18 2. Riba Today 21 B. Excessive Uncertainty or Ambiguity (Gharar) 23 V. FINANCIAL ENGINEERING IN CONTEMPORARY ISLAMIC FINANCE 23 A. Islamic Banking 24 B. International Banking Operations 24 C. Islamic Investment Funds and Islamic Investment Banking 24 D. Hedging and Derivatives 26 E. Real Estate Investment Trusts 26 F. Classical Contract Forms and Modern Transactions 27 1. Contract One: Profit-Sharing Dormant Partnership (Mudarabah) 27 2. Contract Two: Profit-Risk Sharing Partnership (Musharakah) 27 3. Contract Three: Cost-Plus Financing (Murabaha) 29 4. Contract Four: Leasing (Ijarah) 29 5. Contract Five: Manufacturing Contract (Istisna) 30 6. Contract Six: Absolute Option (Khiyar Al-Shart) 30 7. Contract Seven: Forward Sale (Salam) 30 8. Contract Eight: Islamic Insurance (Takaful) 31 9. Contract Nine: Agency Contract (Wakalah) 31 10. Contract Ten: Third-Party Guarantee (Damanah) 31 11. Contact Eleven: Partial Advance Payment (Urbun) 32 12. Contract Twelve: Islamic Bonds or Debt Securities (Sukuk) 32 VI. FUTURE RESEARCH DIRECTIONS 35 VII. CONCLUSION 36 ENDNOTES 37
Estimation Risk in Mutual Fund Ratings: The Case of Morningstar

In this paper we examine estimation risk in the well-known Morningstar mutual fund star rating system. We show that due to using a system that rates funds regardless of age differences, Morningstar has created a situation where the estimates upon which younger funds ratings are based have significantly higher estimation risk than the estimates upon which the ratings of older funds are based. As a result, investors can be somewhat less confident that the ratings of young funds are truly what they are estimated to be. We illustrate our point by investigating 1281 international equity mutual funds.
For the Protection of Investors and the Public: Why Fannie Mae’s Mortgage-Backed Securities Should Be Subject to the Disclosure Requirements of the Securities Act of 1933

Despite the fact that Fannie Mae’s creation of mortgage-backed securities (MBS) played a major role in causing the 2008 financial crisis, the issue of reforming Fannie Mae’s securitization activities was ignored by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010, Congress’ legislative response to the crisis. Former Secretary of the Treasury Henry Paulson said in a February 5, 2014 interview with the Washington Times, “[i]t perplexes me that nothing has been done." Paulson worries that if nothing is done, any future failure of Fannie Mae — a very real possibility absent reform — will lead to what he calls a financial “horror show,” and that the “ensuing crisis [will be] much bigger than the financial collapse in the wake of the Lehman bankruptcy.” Given the urgency of the matter, it is surprising that post-2008 financial crisis scholarship — much like Congress — has largely ignored the need to reform Fannie Mae. The scholarship that does exist on the topic tends to recommend abolishing Fannie Mae (allowing the private sector to fill the hole). This Article fills a major gap in the scholarly debate. This Article recognizes that Fannie Mae plays an important role in financing home ownership, and accordingly, proposes a solution that will maintain Fannie Mae, but constrain its risk taking in the future. Because as Louis Brandeis famously stated, “sunlight is said to be the best of disinfectants; electric light the most efficient policeman,” this Article proposes that the best way to reduce risk taking at Fannie Mae is to subject its MBS offerings to the disclosure requirements of the Securities Act of 1933. As this Article explains, right now — as was the case in 2008 — Fannie Mae only engages in ad-hoc voluntary disclosure, which is void of substance, and entirely inadequate given the number of investors that purchase its MBS daily.In arguing that Fannie Mae’s MBS should be subject to the disclosure requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Article moves beyond the traditional justification — investor protection — and argues that disclosure can protect the taxpaying public. After all, in 2008, it was the taxpaying public that was called upon to bailout investors in Fannie Mae’s MBS. The bill was $116 billion. While subjecting Fannie Mae to the disclosure requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 to protect the taxpaying public is a novel application of the law, it is not without support. It is supported by the language of the Securities Act itself, which calls in several places for the “protection of the public.”
Metal Homeostasis and Oxidative Stress in Bacillus subtilis

Bacteria have evolved mechanisms to maintain proper concentration of different metal ions, a process known as metal ion homeostasis. Metal-dependent transcription regulators, or metalloregulatory proteins, play major roles in coordinating the expression of metal ion homeostasis genes. Bacillus subtilis has been a model Gram-positive bacterium for studies of metal ion homeostasis for decades. In this article, we review how B. subtilis senses and responds to metal ion deficiency, sufficiency, and excess. Generally, metal deficiency leads to the expression of high-affinity metal uptake systems and mobilization of stored metal ions, and may additionally activate elemental sparing responses to minimize metal ion requirements. Excess metal leads to the expression of sequestration or efflux mechanisms. In B. subtilis, these responses are coordinated at the transcription level by metalloregulatory proteins that sense metal ion status. We discuss in detail how each metal ion is sensed by the cognate regulator and how each regulatory circuit achieves a metal-specific response. Importantly, recent studies suggest an intimate linkage between oxidative stress responses and metal ion homeostasis. In B. subtilis, the peroxide stress regulator (PerR) appears to be a key component linking these two stress responses, as suggested both by the metal-dependent nature of PerR repression and functions of genes regulated by PerR. Keywords: metal ion homeostasis; oxidative stress; metalloregulatory proteins; Fur; PerR; Zur; MntR; iron; manganese
Directions in Clinical Research on NTOS

Neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome (NTOS) is a relatively uncommon condition caused by compression and irritation of the brachial plexus nerve roots. The location of nerve compression may be within the scalene triangle at the level of the first rib or in the subcoracoid space beneath the pectoralis minor muscle tendon. NTOS most frequently occurs in relatively young, active, and otherwise healthy individuals, often in association with previous neck and/or upper extremity injury, and the symptoms may progress to cause substantial disability. Despite several decades of debate regarding proper diagnosis and optimal treatment, NTOS continues to be poorly understood and understudied. Thus, there is a tremendous need and opportunity for productive clinical research related to NTOS, particularly with increased emphasis on evidence-based medicine. In this chapter we outline some of the areas that appear to be most fruitful for investigation, and several strategies by which to help move forward our understanding and management of NTOS.
Mini-AM DIAL system

Summary form only given. We have developed a compact optical remote sensing system prototype for short-range detection of gaseous effluents. The sensor system leverages recent advances in photonics and modulation-based detection technologies to make multiple-wavelength differential-absorption-lidar (DIAL) measurements with low power diode lasers.
Survival Model for Foot and Leg High Rate Axial Impact Injury Data.

Objectives: Understanding how lower extremity injuries from automotive intrusion and underbody blast (UBB) differ is of key importance when determining whether automotive injury criteria can be applied to blast rate scenarios. This article provides a review of existing injury risk analyses and outlines an approach to improve injury prediction for an expanded range of loading rates. This analysis will address issues with existing injury risk functions including inaccuracies due to inertial and potential viscous resistance at higher loading rates.Methods: This survival analysis attempts to minimize these errors by considering injury location statistics and a predictor variable selection process dependent upon failure mechanisms of bone. Distribution of foot/ankle/leg injuries induced by axial impact loading at rates characteristic of UBB as well as automotive intrusion was studied and calcaneus injuries were found to be the most common injury; thus, footplate force was chosen as the main predictor variable ...
Products of cyclooxygenase-2 catalysis regulate postoperative bowel motility.

Laparotomy involving manipulation of the small intestine causes injury, initiating an inflammatory cascade in the small bowel wall, which generates eicosanoids and proinflammatory cytokines. We have shown that ketorolac and salsalate, nonselective cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibitors, ameliorate postoperative small bowel ileus in a rodent model. Others have shown that interleukin-1 receptor antagonism improves postoperative gastric emptying. We examined whether inhibition of the proinflammatory cytokines, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha) and interleukin-1 (IL-1), or selective blockade of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), the COX isoform induced during inflammation, would accelerate postoperative small bowel transit in our model. Duodenostomy tubes were inserted into male Sprague-Dawley rats. One week later, animals were randomized to receive TNF-binding protein (TNF-bp), IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra), or saline (NS) prior to standardized laparotomy. Additional rats were gavaged preoperatively with a selective COX-2 inhibitor (NS-398) or NS. Small intestinal transit was measured as the geometric center (GC) of distribution of (51)CrO(4) at 30 min, 3 h, or 6 h (n = 5-9 rats/group) following laparotomy. Selective inhibition of COX-2 significantly increased postoperative small bowel transit compared to controls (GC 2.9 +/- 0.3 vs 2.2 +/- 0.1 at 30 min, GC 2.9 +/- 0.3 vs 2.5 +/- 0.2 at 3 h, and GC 3.3 +/- 0.3 vs 2.8 +/- 0.2 at 6 h, P < 0.05). In contrast, neither TNF-bp nor IL-1ra altered postoperative small intestinal transit in this model. Use of selective COX-2 inhibitors may accelerate recovery of postoperative bowel dysmotility without the undesirable effects (e.g., gastrointestinal irritation and anti-platelet effect) of nonselective COX inhibitors.
Using the Hough transform for determining the length of a digital straight line segment

A novel method for estimating the length of a digital straight line segment based on the Hough transform is proposed. The algorithm relies on the number of votes the digital straight line segment gives to the cells to which it is spread out. Experimental results, showing that the new method gives more accurate length estimation than a recently published method, are presented.
Radiation Dose to the Brachial Plexus in Head-and-Neck Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy and Its Relationship to Tumor and Nodal Stage

Purpose The purpose of this retrospective study was to determine tumor factors contributing to brachial plexus (BP) dose in head-and-neck cancer (HNC) patients treated with intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) when the BP is routinely contoured as an organ at risk (OAR) for IMRT optimization. Methods and Materials From 2004 to 2011, a total of 114 HNC patients underwent IMRT to a total dose of 69.96 Gy in 33 fractions, with the right and left BP prospectively contoured as separate OARs in 111 patients and the ipsilateral BP contoured in 3 patients (total, 225 BP). Staging category T4 and N2/3 disease were present in 34 (29.8%) and 74 (64.9%) patients, respectively. During IMRT optimization, the intent was to keep the maximum BP dose to ≤60 Gy, but prioritizing tumor coverage over achieving the BP constraints. BP dose parameters were compared with tumor and nodal stage. Results With a median follow-up of 16.2 months, 43 (37.7%) patients had ≥24 months of follow-up with no brachial plexopathy reported. Mean BP volume was 8.2 ± 4.5 cm 3 . Mean BP maximum dose was 58.1 ± 12.2 Gy, and BP mean dose was 42.2 ± 11.3 Gy. The BP maximum dose was ≤60, ≤66, and ≤70 Gy in 122 (54.2%), 185 (82.2%), and 203 (90.2%) BP, respectively. For oropharynx, hypopharynx, and larynx sites, the mean BP maximum dose was 58.4 Gy and 63.4 Gy in T0–3 and T4 disease, respectively ( p = 0.002). Mean BP maximum dose with N0/1 and N2/3 disease was 52.8 Gy and 60.9 Gy, respectively ( p Conclusions In head-and-neck IMRT, dose constraints for the BP are difficult to achieve to ≤60 to 66 Gy with T4 disease of the larynx, hypopharynx, and oropharynx or N2/3 disease. The risk of brachial plexopathy is likely very small in HNC patients undergoing IMRT, although longer follow-up is required.
Kinetic Competition between Elongation Rate and Binding of NELF Controls Promoter-Proximal Pausing

Pausing of RNA polymerase II (Pol II) 20-60 bp downstream of transcription start sites is a major checkpoint during transcription in animal cells. Mechanisms that control pausing are largely unknown. We developed permanganate-ChIP-seq to evaluate the state of Pol II at promoters throughout the Drosophila genome, and a biochemical system that reconstitutes promoter-proximal pausing to define pausing mechanisms. Stable open complexes of Pol II are largely absent from the transcription start sites of most mRNA genes but are present at snRNA genes and the highly transcribed heat shock genes following their induction. The location of the pause is influenced by the timing between when NELF loads onto Pol II and how fast Pol II escapes the promoter region. Our biochemical analysis reveals that the sequence-specific transcription factor, GAF, orchestrates efficient pausing by recruiting NELF to promoters before transcription initiation and by assisting in loading NELF onto Pol II after initiation.
DNA-binding studies with diesel exhaust particle extract

Abstract This study examines whether chemical components from diesel exhaust particulates react with DNA to form covalently bound adducts. Experiments in this report describe the in vitro reaction of purified DNA with a dichloromethane extract of diesel exhaust particulates in the absence or presence of enzyme activation by rat liver microsomes. The reactivity of the particle extract was compared to that of benzo[ a ]pyrene metabolites using low temperature fluorescence techniques which detect small quantities of polycyclic aromatic compounds bound to DNA. Incubation of DNA with the particle extract in the presence of microsomal enzymes produced no detectable fluorescent adducts in contrast to model experiments using benzo[ a ]pyrene. However, addition of the particle extract to incubation mixtures containing benzo[ a ]pyrene markedly decreased formation of benzo[ a ]pyrene-DNA adducts because the particle extract inhibits microsomal enzymes which activate benzo[ a ]pyrene and other polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. In the absence of microsomal enzymes, fluorescent material was detected in DNA exposed to high concentrations of the particle extract, but probably not as a result of covalent binding because the mutagenic activity of the particle extract remained unchanged during prolonged incubation with DNA. This stability is in contrast to the rapid decrease in mutagenic activity of benzo[ a ]pyrene-4,5-oxide during incubation with DNA. Thus, direct mutation of bacteria by the particle extract may require activation by bacterial enzymes as is known to occur with nitroaromatic compounds.
As-spun orientation as an indication of graphitized properties of mesophase-based carbon fiber

A 100% mesophase produced by supercritical fluid extraction was melt-spun into roundshaped fibers. The spinning temperature was allowed to vary while all other spinning conditions were held constant. The as-spun preferred orientation of the graphene basal planes with respect to the fiber axis was found to change as a result of a change in the spinning temperature. As-spun fibers that had developed a high degree of preferred orientation after spinning were found to have a high degree of preferred orientation, low d(0002)-spacing, and large crystallite size after graphitization. Also, as-spun fibers with a high degree of preferred orientation were found to have high modulus and low electrical resistivity after heat treatment. Scanning electron microscopy results indicate that, regardless of spinning temperature, all fiber sets exhibit a radial-folded transverse texture.
Antimony ethylene glycolate and catecholate compounds: Structural characterization of polyesterification catalysts

Antimony compounds are widely used as catalysts for the synthesis of the commercially important polymer poly(ethyleneterephthalate) by polycondensation of bis(hydroxyethyl)terephthalate. The precise nature of the antimony catalysts is, however, unknown. The present study has been conducted with a view to determining the nature of the catalytic species by structurally characterizing antimony ethylene glycolate compounds and related catecholate derivatives, namely [Sb2(OCH2CH2O)3]n, [Sb(OCH2CH2O)(OAc)]n, [pySb(1,2-O2C6H4)]2O, and [pyH][Sb(1,2-O2C6H4)2].
Role of Bacterial OmpA and Host Cytoskeleton in the Invasion of Human Intestinal Epithelial Cells by Enterobacter sakazakii

Enterobacter sakazakii is an emerging pathogen in neonates and infants. Interactions of E. sakazakii with intestinal epithelium could be vital in the pathogenesis of enteric infections and in its systemic dissemination. The present study investigated the interaction of E. sakazakii with human intestinal epithelial (INT407) cells and the role of bacterial outer membrane protein A (OmpA) and host cytoskeleton in these interactions. E. sakazakii invaded INT407 cells with moderate efficiency. An ompA mutant of E. sakazakii was significantly attenuated in its invasiveness, and complementation restored the invasive phenotype significantly. Drugs acting on host cell microfilaments (MF) and microtubules (MT) significantly inhibited bacterial invasion. Localization of both microfilaments (MF) and microtubules (MT) was observed in INT407 cells following E. sakazakii infection. The results suggest that E. sakazakii invasion of INT407 cells involves participation of both MF and MT and bacterial OmpA plays a critical role in invasion.
DISTINCT PHARMACOLOGICAL REGULATION OF EVOKED DOPAMINE EFFLUX IN THE AMYGDALA AND STRIATUM OF THE RAT IN VIVO

The pharmacological regulation of evoked extracellular dopamine was compared in the basolateral amygdaloid nucleus (BAN) and caudate-putamen (CP) of the urethane-anesthetized rat. The effects of drugs, which alter dopamine uptake, release or degradation, were examined. Dopamine efflux was elicited by electrical stimulation of ascending dopamine fibers and was monitored by fast-scan cyclic voltammetry at Nafioncoated, carbon-fiber microelectrodes. Dopamine uptake inhibitors, nomifensine (25 mg/kg) and cocaine (20 mg/kg), and the dopamine receptor antagonist, haloperidol (0.5 mg/kg), robustly increased evoked extracellular dopamine in the CP. In sharp contrast, these drugs were much less effective in the BAN. The relative potencies of the uptake inhibitors varied between the two regions. Nomifensine was more potent than cocaine in the CP, whereas cocaine was more potent that nomifensine in the BAN. The monoamine oxidase inhibitor, pargyline (75 mg/kg), and the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) inhibitor, Ro 40-7592 (40 mg/kg), had small or negligible effects in either region. No electrochemical evidence was found for the formation of 3-methoxytyramine, the dopamine metabolite formed by the action of COMT on released dopamine, on the time scale of the measurements in control or after pharmacological manipulation of the degradative enzymes for dopamine. The conclusions reached are: (1) potent mechanisms for uptake and autoreceptor inhibition of release, which exist in the CP to tightly control the concentration of extracellular dopamine, are considerably weaker in the BAN; (2) the extracellular clearance of evoked dopamine in the BAN and CP is the result of cellular uptake and not degradation; and (3) these results support the view that the pharmacological regulation of extracellular dopamine is regionally distinct in the brain. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma.

Because hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) arises in cirrhotic livers and is often multifocal, transplantation seems to be a rational approach. Early results were poor, but current restrictive selection criteria can yield excellent results. Patients with 1 HCC nodule ≤5 cm in diameter, or 2–3 nodules ≤3cm, receive United Network Organ Sharing priority; nevertheless, dropout from the waiting list is common. Predictors of dropout include multiple tumors and tumors with a diameter >3 cm. Nonsurgical methods are commonly used to prevent tumor progression and thus prevent dropout. Expanding selection criteria results in more patients with HCC being cured at the expense of a higher incidence of recurrence. Molecular/biologic information is beginning to be incorporated into current staging systems in order to better predict HCC recurrence. In considering liver transplantation, the impact of the underlying liver disease is an important consideration; recurrent hepatitis C after transplant lowers patient survival independent of tumor recurrence.
Reflections in Bullough's Pond: Economy and Ecosystem in New England

From the vantage point of a nearby pond in Newton, Massachusetts, Diana Muir reconstructs an intriguing interpretation of New England's natural history and the people who have lived there since pre-Columbian times. Taking a radically new way to show general readers the interrelationships between natural ecology and human economics, Muir weaves together an imaginative and dramatic account of the changes, massive and subtle, that successive generations of humankind and such animals as sheep and beavers have worked on the land.Her compelling narrative takes us to a New England populated by individuals struggling to live off a land not generously endowed by nature. The areas history, she argues, was a string of ecological crises from which the only escape lay in creating radical new solutions to apparently insurmountable problems. Young men and women coming of age in the 1790s faced a bleak future. In a time when farming was virtually the only occupation, a burgeoning population meant that there was not enough land to go around. Worse, such land as there was had been worn out by generations of careless use. With no prospects and no options, men like Eli Whitney and Thomas Blanchard might have resigned themselves to a life of poverty. Instead, they started an industrial revolution, the power of which astonished the world.Reflections in Bullough's Pond is history on a grand scale. Drawing on scholarship in fields ranging from archaeology to zoology, Muir offers an exhilarating tour of Paleolithic megafauna, the population crisis faced by New England natives in the pre-Columbian period, the introduction of indoor plumbing, and the invention of the shoe-peg. At the end, we understandourselves and our world a little better.
Stability of Solid State Reaction Fronts

We analyze the stability of a planar solid-solid interface at which a chemical reaction occurs. Examples include oxidation, nitridation, or silicide formation. Using a continuum model, including a general formula for the stress dependence of the reaction rate, we show that stress effects can render a planar interface dynamically unstable with respect to perturbations of intermediate wavelength.
Shifted-contour auxiliary-field Monte Carlo: circumventing the sign difficulty for electronic-structure calculations

Abstract A converged Monte Carlo approach for electronic-structure calculations of ground and low-lying excited-states is developed. The method, Shifted-Contour Auxiliary-Field Monte Carlo (SCAFMC), is an extension of the Auxiliary-Field Monte Carlo (AFMC) approach, and is based on a shift of the auxiliary-field contour of integration to pass through the (imaginary) stationary point. It eliminates sign difficulties for systems with a strong contribution from the mean field, such as electronic-structure applications. The method is exemplified for ground and excited-states calculations of Ne.
Event-related potential correlates of impaired attention in schizophrenic children

Abstract Electrophysiological correlates of focused attention were studied in 13 schizophrenic and 19 age- and gender-matched children. Subjects performed a version of the Continuous Performance Task (CPT) in which a target was designated as any digit from 0 through 9 occurring on two successive stimulus presentations. Signal digits were surrounded by distractor digits which varied in position, value, and number. Event-related potentials (ERPs) elicited by each stimulus of a target pair were recorded from midline and homologous parietal, temporal, and occipital electrode placements. Schizophrenic children made significantly more errors of omission and commission than normal children. The amplitude and time course of the intertrial CNV was the same for both groups. There was a circumscribed amplitude asymmetry, left smaller than right, for the P1/N1 and P2 measures which was greater in normal than in schizophrenic children. The P3 component was significantly larger to the second stimulus of the target pair than to the first for both groups and larger for the normal than the schizophrenic children to both stimuli.
In Vivo Himar1-Based Transposon Mutagenesis of Francisella tularensis

Francisella tularensis is the intracellular pathogen that causes human tularemia. It is recognized as a potential agent of bioterrorism due to its low infectious dose and multiple routes of entry. We report the development of a Himar1-based random mutagenesis system for F. tularensis (HimarFT). In vivo mutagenesis of F. tularensis live vaccine strain (LVS) with HimarFT occurs at high efficiency. Approximately 12 to 15% of cells transformed with the delivery plasmid result in transposon insertion into the genome. Results from Southern blot analysis of 33 random isolates suggest that single insertions occurred, accompanied by the loss of the plasmid vehicle in most cases. Nucleotide sequence analysis of rescued genomic DNA with HimarFT indicates that the orientation of integration was unbiased and that insertions occurred in open reading frames and intergenic and repetitive regions of the chromosome. To determine the utility of the system, transposon mutagenesis was performed, followed by a screen for growth on Chamberlain's chemically defined medium (CDM) to isolate auxotrophic mutants. Several mutants were isolated that grew on complex but not on the CDM. We genetically complemented two of the mutants for growth on CDM with a newly constructed plasmid containing a nourseothricin resistance marker. In addition, uracil or aromatic amino acid supplementation of CDM supported growth of isolates with insertions in pyrD, carA, or aroE1 supporting the functional assignment of genes within each biosynthetic pathway. A mutant containing an insertion in aroE1 demonstrated delayed replication in macrophages and was restored to the parental growth phenotype when provided with the appropriate plasmid in trans. Our results suggest that a comprehensive library of mutants can be generated in F. tularensis LVS, providing an additional genetic tool to identify virulence determinants required for survival within the host.
Enhanced nodulation of leguminous plant roots by mixed cultures ofAzotobacter vinelandii and rhizobium

Azotobacter vinelandii strains caused the formation of increased numbers of root nodules onGlycine max, Vigna unguiculata andTrifolium repens by their respective rhizobial symbionts. Increased nodulation due to inoculation withA. vinelandii also occurred in field grownG. max. Mutant strains ofA. vinelandii unable to fix nitrogen caused nodulation increases comparable to those caused by nitrogen-fixing strains. This indicates that nitrogen fixation byA. vinelandii was not responsible for the enhanced nodulation. The effect ofA. vinelandii on nodulation was greatest when cells from the mid-exponential phase of growth were applied as inoculants. Non viable cell preparations ofAzotobacter vinelandii were also found to cause an increase in the number of root nodules formed onGlycine max Rhizobium japonicum under greenhouse conditions. The nodulation enhancement activity was influenced by the method chosen to kill theA. vinelandii cells. Heat treatment and treatment with lethal levels of streptomycin destroyed the activity, whereas the activity was unaffected by ultraviolet-light treatment of the cells. Cell-free extracts ofA. vinelandii were found to enhance nodulation. On the other hand, culture supernatants ofA. vinelandii had no effect on nodulation. A split-root experiment suggested that the agent(s) responsible for the increased nodulation was not translocatable throughout the plant. The results suggest a non-excretable protein, produced byA. vinelandii, as a possible mechanism for nodulation enhancement.
Artificial reefs and reef restoration in the Laurentian Great Lakes

Abstract We reviewed the published literature to provide an inventory of Laurentian Great Lakes artificial reef projects and their purposes. We also sought to characterize physical and biological monitoring for artificial reef projects in the Great Lakes and determine the success of artificial reefs in meeting project objectives. We found records of 6 artificial reefs in Lake Erie, 8 in Lake Michigan, 3 in Lakes Huron and Ontario, and 2 in Lake Superior. We found 9 reefs in Great Lakes connecting channels and 6 reefs in Great Lakes tributaries. Objectives of artificial reef creation have included reducing impacts of currents and waves, providing safe harbors, improving sport-fishing opportunities, and enhancing/restoring fish spawning habitats. Most reefs in the lakes themselves were incidental (not created purposely for fish habitat) or built to improve local sport fishing, whereas reefs in tributaries and connecting channels were more frequently built to benefit fish spawning. Levels of assessment of reef performance varied; but long-term monitoring was uncommon as was assessment of physical attributes. Artificial reefs were often successful at attracting recreational species and spawning fish; however, population-level benefits of artificial reefs are unclear. Stressors such as sedimentation and bio-fouling can limit the effectiveness of artificial reefs as spawning enhancement tools. Our investigation underscores the need to develop standard protocols for monitoring the biological and physical attributes of artificial structures. Further, long-term monitoring is needed to assess the benefits of artificial reefs to fish populations and inform future artificial reef projects.
Nonradial Coronal Streamers

The appearance of white light streamers in the outer solar corona is simulated by applying simple extrapolation models to the photospheric magnetic field and taking line-of-sight electron scattering into account. Highly nonradial streamers are obtained when the electrical currents are confined to thin sheets and the photospheric field contains a strong quadrupole (or higher order multipole) component, in addition to the normally dominant dipole. The finite angular resolution of the simulations gives rise to faint, multiple raylike structures or striations, which may mimic the effect of density inhomogeneities in the heliospheric current sheet.
Gel-based optical waveguides with live cell encapsulation and integrated microfluidics

In this Letter, we demonstrate a biocompatible microscale optical device fabricated from agarose hydrogel that allows for encapsulation of cells inside an optical waveguide. This allows for better interaction between the light in the waveguide and biology, since it can interact with the direct optical mode rather than the evanescent field. We characterize the optical properties of the waveguide and further incorporate a microfluidic channel over the optical structure, thus developing an integrated optofluidic system fabricated entirely from agarose gel.
The kinetics of nickel passivation in sulfuric acid, and the effects of plastic deformation on the kinetics of various electrochemical reactions on nickel

Abstract The kinetics of passivation in sulfuric acid of undeformed nickel have been measured by the rotating cyclinder technique at various IR-drop-compensated applied potentials. The passivation efficiency as a function of passivation time has been measured by the rotating ring-disc technique. These results are compared with those obtained on continuously scratched, rotating cylindrical electrodes at passivating potentials, supplemented by measurements at active anodic, and cathodic potentials. It is found that plastic deformation of nickel much enhances the cathodic reduction of hydrogen ion and the anodic dissolution of nickel, but impedes the passivation of nickel and reduces the passivation efficiency. Furthermore, the deformation-produced surface features responsible for these differences have a limited duration controlled by surface diffusion in the cathodic range, and by surface diffusion and preferential dissolution in the anodic range.
448 COMBINED GI ALLERGY AND IMMUNOGLOBULIN DEFICIENCY: ROLE OF CROMOLYN

Ninety-eight infants fulfilled criteria for GI allergy after disaccharide tolerance tests and small bowel biopsy when indicated. Of 62 allergic to cow's milk, 58 developed soy and 24 gluten allergies. Of 10 initially allergic to soy, 10 were later allergic to milk and 7 to gluten. 20 children under 3 developed allergies after gastroenteritis: 20 to milk, 16 to soy and 4 to gluten. Nearly 30% of primary milk and 105 of soy allergic infants and 20% postgastroenteritis allergic infants had low or absent serum IgA (mean 8 mg%). Twelve per cent of milk allergic patients and 5% of those with secondary allergies had serum IgG less than 300 mg%. Two-thirds of the IgA deficient and all but 1 IgG deficient infant had normal levels by 15 months. Oral Cromolyn (DSCG) or placebo was used in a 90 day double blind crossover in 14: 10 responded to drug, 3 to placebo (p<01) and 1 attained tolerance on placebo. Discontinuation of drug resulted in exacerbation by 2 days in 4, by 14-21 days in 5 and 2 have been asymptomatic for 6 months. There were no hepatic, renal or hematologic impairments. Food allergies in infants are frequently multiple and often are associated with immune deficiency. DSCG is an efficacious modality of treatment in children who require severe dietary restrictions.
Application of Fluorescence Spectroscopy to Quantify Shear-Induced Protein Conformation Change

Rapid and robust methods are required to quantify the effect of hydrodynamic shear on protein conformation change. We evaluated such strategies in this work and found that the binding of the fluorescent probe 4,4′-dianilino-1,1′-binaphthyl-5,5′-disulfonic acid (bis-ANS) to hydrophobic pockets in the blood protein von Willebrand factor (VWF) is enhanced upon the application of fluid shear to the isolated protein. Significant structural changes were observed when the protein was sheared at shear rates ≥ 6000/s for ∼3.5 min. The binding of bis-ANS to multimeric VWF, but not dimeric VWF or control protein bovine serum albumin, was enhanced upon fluid shear application. Thus, high-molecular-weight VWF is more susceptible to conformation change upon tensile loading. Although bis-ANS itself did not alter the conformation of VWF, it stabilized protein conformation once it bound the sheared molecule. Bis-ANS binding to VWF was reduced when the sheared protein was allowed to relax before dye addition. Taken together with functional data in the literature, our results suggest that shear-induced conformation changes in VWF reported by bis-ANS correlate well with the normal function of the protein under physiological/pathological fluid flow conditions. Further, this study introduces the fluorescent dye bis-ANS as a tool that may be useful in studies of shear-induced protein conformation change.
Disposition of acetaminophen and indocyanine green in cystic fibrosis-knockout mice

Drug treatment poses a therapeutic challenge in cystic fibrosis (CF) because the disposition of a number of drugs is altered in CF. Enhanced clearance of acetaminophen (APAP) and indocyanine green (ICG) have previously been reported in CF patients. The objective of the current study was to investigate if the CF-knockout mouse model (cftrm1UNC) shows altered pharmacokinetics similar to those seen in CF patients using the 2 model compounds APAP and ICG. Clearance (CL/F) of APAP and renal (CLR) and formation (CLf) clearance of acetaminophen glucuronide (AG) and acetaminophen sulfate (AS) were determined in CF-knockout mice following administration of APAP (50 mg/kg, intraperitoneal). CLR of AS was 19.5 and 12.9 (mL/min per kg) and CLf of AS was 10.4 and 6.7 mL/min per kg for homozygous and heterozygous males, respectively, which was significantly different between groups. CLR of AG was 6.3 and 4.8 mL/min per kg and CLf of AG was 9.6 and 8.9 mL/min per kg for homozygous and heterozygous males, respectively, although not reaching statistical significance. No significant differences were noted in either ClR or CLf of AG and AS in female CF mice. Plasma concentrations of ICG (10 mg/kg, intravenous) were determined over 0 to 15 minutes. Homozygous females showed a higher apparent volume of distribution (96 mL/kg) relative to heterozygous females (72 mL/kg). Similar to CF patients, a trend toward a lower Cmax was noted in homozygous male and female mice. However, contrary to human data, no significant differences in CL of ICG were noted. These results suggest that the CF-knockout mice have potential as a model for studying altered drug disposition in CF patients.
Sequelae of Haemophilus influenzae meningitis

Fourteen children who had had Haemophilus influenzae meningitis more than two years earlier have been compared with their siblings. WISC, Frostig and Bender psychological tests and neurological examination were performed so that subject/sibling differences could be analysed. On neurological examination, subjects overall performed worse than the controls, although no “hard” neurological signs were found. Prolonged fever during the meningitis was associated with poorer results in psychological tests. In the subjects, there was a significant increase in left lateral dominance which may have been due to brain damage by the meningitis. However, most subjects did not differ significantly from their siblings in the tests, suggesting that prompt and adequate treatment of bacterial meningitis can prevent sequelae.
The relationship between the built environment and nonwork travel: A case study of Northern California

Abstract Many studies have found that residents living in suburban neighborhoods drive more and walk less than their counterparts in traditional neighborhoods. This evidence supports the advocacy of smart growth strategies to alter individuals’ travel behavior. However, the observed differences in travel behavior may be more of a residential choice than a travel choice. Applying the seemingly unrelated regression approach to a sample from Northern California, we explored the relationship between the residential environment and nonwork travel frequencies by auto, transit, and walk/bicycle modes, controlling for residential self-selection. We found that residential preferences and travel attitudes (self-selection) significantly influenced tripmaking by all three modes, and also that neighborhood characteristics (the built environment and its perception) retained a separate influence on behavior after controlling for self-selection. Both preferences/attitudes and the built environment itself played a more prominent role in explaining the variation in non-motorized travel than for auto and transit travel. Taken together, our results suggest that if cities use land use policies to offer options to drive less and use transit and non-motorized modes more, many residents will tend to do so.
Prostaglandins F2α synthesis in the hippocampal mossy fiber synaptosomal preparation: II. Effects of receptor activation

Mossy fiber nerve endings were isolated from rat hippocampi and used to determine the effects of receptor activation on the production of prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF2 alpha). Glutamate and its agonists had no effect on PGF2 alpha synthesis. Similarly, acetylcholine, gamma-aminobutyric acid, histamine and purinergic receptor agonists did not affect PGF2 alpha accumulation in this preparation. However, norepinephrine, serotonin and dopamine exerted receptor-mediated stimulations of PGF2 alpha production. The agonist-evoked increases in PGF2 alpha production were attenuated by phospholipase A2 inhibitors, L-type voltage-sensitive Ca2+ blockers and a K+ channel activator, but they were insensitive to tetrodotoxin. In addition, a kappa opioid agonist decreased PGF2 alpha synthesis in unstimulated and depolarized synaptosomes. It appeared, therefore, that certain receptor agonists were able to modulate PGF2 alpha synthesis in the hippocampal mossy fiber synaptosomal preparation.
High-rate Characterization of 304L Stainless Steel at Elevated Temperatures for Recrystallization Investigation

An integrated experimental technique was developed for high-rate mechanical characterization of 304L stainless steel at elevated temperatures by using a modified split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB). A sandwich structure consisting of two platens and the specimen in between was heated before mechanical loading while the bars were maintained at room temperature to eliminate the temperature gradient effect on the wave propagation in the bars. Upon contacting the cold bars, temperature gradients form in the platens, leaving the temperature in specimen constant and uniform. Pulse shaping techniques were employed to maintain constant strain-rate deformation and dynamic stress equilibrium in the specimen. Dynamic compressive stress-strain curves at elevated temperatures for the 304L stainless steel were obtained. To relate recrystallization to impact loading, a momentum trapping system was employed to apply a single loading on the specimen during one dynamic experiment. We also controlled the quenching time to study its effect on recrystallization.
Activation of mTOR signaling by novel fluoromethylene phosphonate analogues of phosphatidic acid

Abstract Phosphonate analogues of phosphatidic acid (PA) were synthesized in which the bridging oxygen was replaced by an α-monofluoromethylene (–CHF–) or α-difluoromethylene (–CF 2 –) moiety using hydrolytic kinetic resolution (HKR) of a racemic epoxide as the key step. Since PA activates signaling in the mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) pathway, these metabolically stabilized PA analogues were evaluated in quiescent HEK 293 cells. Most of these analogues surpassed PA in activating S6 kinase, a downstream target of mTOR signaling. The unnatural (2 R ) analogues were more slightly active than the natural (2 S ) enantiomers for both the mono- and difluoromethylene phosphonates.
Design concepts for an exploding bridge-wire electronic ignition system

An exploding bridge wire (EBW) is a fine wire conductor that is fused and vaporized by the discharge of a discrete package of electric energy in an extremely short time period. It can be used as a localized source of heat. Electrical and mechanical design features of the electronic firing unit used to actuate the various EBW devices on space vehicles are described and advantages of this ignition system over low-voltage squib iginition are pointed out
Opportunities and Obligations for Libraries in a Social Networking Age: A Survey of Web 2.0 and Networking Sites

ABSTRACT This article considers tools for communicating and collaborating among scientists and examines the roles emerging software in terms of how librarians can use it to support the faculty. The current use of Web 2.0 technology by researchers, as well as by librarians, is discussed. An annotated sampling of tools now available is included.
Interactions of norepinephrine with Purkinje cell responses to putative amino acid neurotransmitters applied by microiontophoresis

Abstract In cerebellum, the evoked responses of the Purkinje neuron to both excitatory and inhibitory afferent input are enhanced by local norepinephrine (NE) administration. To determine the nature of this synergistic interaction between NE and the synaptic inputs, Purkinje cell responses to microiontophoretically applied amino acid neurotransmitters were examined before, during, and after NE iontophoresis. NE was found to preferentially augment GABA-induced inhibition, whereas it antagonized inhibition produced by glycine. This enhancement of GABA inhibition was seen at NE doses which caused minimal change in spontaneous activity, and at times after spontaneous discharge returned to control levels following NE application. Dopamine did not facilitate the response to GABA even at doses having direct depressant effects on spontaneous discharge. Glutamate-evoked excitations and subsquent depressions were also augmented during NE administration, relative to the level of background activity. Thus, NE selectively enhanced responses of Purkinje neurons produced by microiontophoretic application of amino acids postulated to be cerebellar neurotransmitters, supporting the hypothesis that NE acts on postsynaptic processes to increase the responsiveness of the Purkinje cell to afferent input. These data also provide evidence supporting the concept that a primary effect of noradrenergic input to cerebellum may be to modulate the action of other transmitters.
Study of three patients with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura exchanged with solvent/detergent-treated plasma: is its decreased protein S activity clinically related to their development of deep venous thromboses?

Solvent/detergent treated plasma (S/DP) has reduced protein S activity (about 0.5 units/mL) as compared with fresh frozen plasma (FFP). When used as replacement fluid for repetitive therapeutic plasma exchange (PEX), e.g., in patients with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP), S/DP could lead to lowered protein S levels and, possibly, risk of hypercoagulable complications. We describe three patients with TTP who had low functional protein S (FPS) levels during PEX for TTP. Each developed one or more deep vein thromboses (DVTs) while receiving 100% S/DP or 50% S/DP and 50% cryosupernatant plasma (CSP) as replacement fluid. FPS levels rose when 100% CSP was substituted for S/DP. Our observations suggest that use of S/DP alone or in 50% combination with CSP as replacement fluid in PEX for TTP may lead to difficulty in maintaining safe FPS levels. Determination of risk of resulting clinically significant thrombotic events requires further study.