cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Organic synthesis and bioassay of novel inhibitors of JH III epoxide hydrolase activity from fifth stadium cabbage loopers, Trichoplusia ni

Abstract A series of novel methyl esters with a quaternary ammonium salt, sulfoxide, amine N -oxide, difluorocyclopropane, fluorohydrin, episulfide or epoxide were prepared from undecylenic acid as potential inhibitors of JH III epoxide hydrolase activity from last stadium, wandering cabbage loopers, Trichoplusia ni . Among the non-epoxides examined, the fluorohydrin and sulfoxide (at 100 μM of inhibitor) demonstrated the highest percent inhibition of the insoluble epoxide hydrolase activity while the quaternary ammonium salt, the difluorocyclopropane, and the sulfoxide demonstrated the highest inhibitory activity against the solubilized JH epoxide hydrolase activity. These differences in inhibition between insoluble and solubilized enzyme were in some cases pronounced. For example, the quaternary amine demonstrated no inhibitory activity toward the insoluble enzyme but inhibited 33% of the solubilized JH epoxide hydrolase activity. The incorporation of a cationic character in the amine N -oxide and ammonium salt produced lower inhibitory activity as compared to the sulfoxide, episulfide, difluorocyclopropane, and fluorohydrin for the insoluble epoxide hydrolase, and activity was similar for the solubilized enzyme. Comparing the most potent non-epoxide to the epoxide inhibitors, the fluorohydrin produced 24% inhibition as compared to 85% for the corresponding epoxide and 42% for the epoxide with a shorter backbone chain length for the insoluble epoxide hydrolase activity. For the solubilized epoxide hydrolase activity, difluorocyclopropane demonstrated 34% inhibition as compared to 21% inhibition for the corresponding epoxide. The difluorocyclopropane appeared to be acting as a competitive inhibitor of JH III epoxide hydrolase activity. The I 50 s were greater than 100 μM for all compounds synthesized for both the soluble and solubilized enzymes; the only exceptions were the C11 and C12 epoxides against the insoluble epoxide hydrolase activity (I 50 s = 0.1 and 0.8 μM, respectively). The importance of JH mimicry in epoxide hydrolase inhibition is discussed.
Anion pathway and potential energy profiles along curvilinear bacterial ClC Cl- pores: electrostatic effects of charged residues.

X-ray structures permit theoretical study of Cl− permeation along bacterial ClC Cl− pores. We determined the lowest energy curvilinear pathway, identified anion-coordinating amino acids, and calculated the electrostatic potential energy profiles. We find that all four bacterial ClC Cl− crystal structures correspond to closed states. E148 and S107 side chains form steric barriers on both sides of the crystal binding site in the StClC wild-type and EcClC wild-type crystals; both the EcClC(E148A) and EcClC(E148Q) mutants are blocked at the S107 site. We studied the effect that mutating the charge of some strongly conserved pore-lining amino acids has on the electrostatic potential energy profiles. When E148 is neutralized, it creates an electrostatic trap, binding the ion near midmembrane. This suggests a possible electrostatic mechanism for controlling anion flow: neutralize E148, displace the side chain of E148 from the pore pathway to relieve the steric barrier, then trap the anion at midmembrane, and finally either deprotonate E148 and block the pore (pore closure) or bring a second Cl− into the pore to promote anion flow (pore conductance). Side-chain displacement may arise by competition for the binding site between the oxygens of E148 and the anion moving down the electrostatic energy gradient. We also find that the charge state of E111 and E113 may electrostatically control anion conductance and occupancy of the binding site within the cytoplasmic pore.
Radiation chemistry of nucleic acids: identification of the major hydroperoxy thymine.

Abstract The major product from γ-radiation of thymine in aerated aqueous solution is shown to be cis -5-hydroxy-6-hydroperoxy-5,6-dihydrothymine by considering its uv, ir, nmr spectral data, the nmr deshielding effect on the OOH proton, and its reduction to cis -thymine glycol. These suggest that the earlier structural assignment [ Cadet and Teoule, Biochem. Biophys. Acta., 238 , 8 (1971) ] was in error. Furthermore, HOOH oxidation of either cis - or trans -thymine glycol in acidic condition gives this hydro-peroxide in yields >90%. This result again directly contradicts that reported in the previous paper. Our present findings are readily explained by considering the chemistry of thymine glycols and the reaction of OH radicals with thymine. Also, contrary to the earlier notion that this peroxide should be unstable, we find that it is sufficiently stable for studying the thymine peroxide interaction with chromosomes, bacterial cells and nucleic acid components.
Relocalization using virtual keyframes for online environment map construction

The acquisition of surround-view panoramas using a single hand-held or head-worn camera relies on robust real-time camera orientation tracking. In absence of robust tracking recovery methods, the complete acquisition process has to be re-started when tracking fails. This paper presents methodology for camera orientation relocalization, using virtual keyframes for online environment map construction. Instead of relying on real keyframes from incoming video, the proposed approach enables camera orientation relocalization by employing virtual keyframes which are distributed strategically within an environment map. We discuss our insights about a suitable number and distribution of virtual keyframes, as suggested by our experiments on virtual keyframe generation and orientation relocalization. After a shading correction step, we relocalize camera orientation in real-time by comparing the current camera frame to virtual keyframes. While expanding the captured environment map, we continue to simultaneously generate virtual keyframes within the completed portion of the map, as descriptors to estimate camera orientation. We implemented our camera orientation relocalizer with the help of a GPU fragment shader for real-time application, and evaluated the speed and accuracy of the proposed approach.
Toxicities of Crude Oils and Oil-dispersant Mixtures to Juvenile Rabbitfish, Siganus rivulatus

Abstract Toxicities were determined for two crude oils, one from the Persian Gulf (Iran) and one from the Sinai Peninsula (Gulf of Suez), to rabbitfish, Siganus rivulatus, an economically important species of teleost from the Red Sea. Also tested for toxicity were ST 5, a chemical oil dispersant, and oil-ST 5 mixtures in the ratio 10:1 vol/vol. Static tests conducted in small (3-liter) jars at 41‰ salinity and 23 C produced LC50 (168 h) values of 0.74 ml/liter for Iranian crude, 14.5 ml/liter for Sinai crude, and 0.010 ml/liter for ST-5; LC50 values for oil-ST 5 mixtures reflected biocidal properties of ST 5 alone. Iranian oil became less toxic with increasing time in seawater over a period of 168 hours; the reverse was observed for Sinai crude. ST 5 exhibited a dramatic reduction in lethality after 2 hours in the assay medium. The most toxic component tested of Iranian crude was the lowest-boiling fraction; with Sinai crude it was the highest-boiling fraction; with ST 5 the volatile surfactant component ...
A Polymerase Chain Reaction-Based Test for Spinal and Bulbar Muscular Atrophy

A novel type of genetic alteration, trinucleotide repeat amplification, is responsible for spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy.
A lower bound for Coulomb energies

Abstract The indirect Coulomb energy for particles of charge e is usually approximated by E ≈ -Ce 2 3 ∫ ϱ(x) 4 3 d (x) , where ϱ(x) is the single-particle charge density. We prove that, for a suitable constant C, this form for E is actually a universal lower bound.
Herbivory and plant tolerance: experimental tests of alternative hypotheses involving non‐substitutable resources

A mechanistic understanding of the highly variable effects of herbivores on plant production in different ecosystems remains a major challenge. To explain these patterns, the compensatory continuum hypothesis (CCH) predicts plants to compensate for defoliation when resources are abundant, whereas the growth rate hypothesis (GRH) makes the opposite claim of high herbivory tolerance under resource-poor conditions. The limiting resource model (LRM) tries to reconcile this dichotomy by incorporating the indirect effects of herbivores on plant resources and predicts that the potential for plant compensation is dependent upon whether, and how, herbivory influences limiting resources. Although extensively evaluated in laboratory monocultures, it remains uncertain whether these models can also explain the response of heterogeneous and multi-species natural plant communities to defoliation. Here we investigate community-wide plant response to defoliation and report data from a field experiment in the arid and primarily water-limited Trans-Himalayan grazing ecosystem in northern India involving clipping, irrigation and nutrient-feedback with herbivore dung. Without nutrient-feedback, plants compensated for defoliation in absence of irrigation but failed to compensate under irrigation. Whereas, in the presence of nutrient-feedback plants compensated for defoliation when irrigated. This divergent pattern is not consistent with the CCH and GRH, and is only partially explained by the LRM. Instead, these pluralistic results are consistent with the hypothesis that herbivory may alter the relative strengths of water and nutrient limitation since irrigation increased root:shoot ratio in absence of fertilization in unclipped plots, but not in the corresponding clipped plots. So, herbivory appears to increase relative strength of nutrient-limitation for plants that otherwise seem to be primarily water-limited. Extending the LRM framework to include herbivore-mediated transitions between water and nutrient-limitation may clarify the underlying mechanisms that modulate herbivory-tolerance under different environmental conditions.
Assessment of an Aural Infrared Sensor for Body Temperature Measurement in Children

A newly marketed device measures body temperature using an ear probe that detects infrared radiation from the tympanic membrane. It is simple to use and gives a reading in 1-2 seconds. Its accuracy was evaluated in a group of children, aged 1 month through 10 years, by comparing it with either rectal (n = 65), or oral (n = 48) temperatures obtained with a standard electronic thermometer, IVAC (San Diego, CA). The average elapsed time between readings was 11 minutes. Overall, 60 rectal and 40 oral temperatures (88.5%) were higher with IVAC than with the aural sensor. The difference ranged from -0.7 degrees C to +2.5 degrees C. The correlations between the infrared ear-probe values and the rectal and oral temperature readings were 0.77 and 0.75, respectively. Because the average reading using the aural sensor was lower than that using the IVAC, the sensitivity of the aural sensor for detecting clinically important levels of fever was low. None of seven patients with a rectal temperature of 39 degrees C or more and only 7 of 27 with a rectal temperature of 38 degrees C or more were identified by the aural sensor as having temperatures above these cutoff levels. Similarly, none of three patients with an oral temperature of 39 degrees C or more and only three of eight with an oral temperature of 38 degrees C or more were identified correctly by the aural sensor. The authors conclude that the aural sensor is unsatisfactory for detecting clinically significant fevers in a pediatric outpatient setting.
Low-Flow/Low-Gradient Aortic Stenosis

Aortic stenosis (AS) is 1 of the most common valve disorders encountered in clinical practice and 1 of the most frequent indications for valve replacement surgery. Decades of research and clinical experience have resulted in the development of guidelines that provide the clinician with an evidence-based approach to the management of patients with valvular disease.1 Nonetheless, there remain patients with AS for whom management decisions are less clearly defined and who continue to pose significant diagnostic and therapeutic dilemmas. Severe AS has been defined as that associated with a valve area 40 mm Hg, and a peak flow velocity >4.0 m/s1. Patients with severe AS have a significant risk of cardiac morbidity and mortality2,3 and have improved symptoms and reduced mortality following aortic valve replacement (AVR).3 Traditionally, the decision to proceed with AVR in patients with AS has been based on the assessment of aortic valve area (AVA) and the presence of associated symptoms. However, as many as 30% of patients who have a calculated AVA in the severe range have other parameters suggesting mild or moderate disease (ie, mean gradient <30 mm Hg).4 These patients with low-flow/low-gradient AS (LF/LGAS) may truly have severe AS with resultant myocardial failure (true AS) or may have more moderate degrees of AS and unrelated myocardial dysfunction (pseudo-AS). In the latter setting, the aortic valve may appear severely stenotic as a result of the flow-dependent nature of the valve area calculation by either invasive or noninvasive techniques,5 and the inability of the myopathic ventricle to generate adequate force to fully open the valve. Distinguishing between these possibilities has important clinical implications in regard to prognosis and management options, as patients with true AS will likely benefit from …
Service Recovery Paradox: Implications from an Experimental Study in a Restaurant Setting

ABSTRACT This study assessed changes in customers' attitudinal and behavioral outcomes after experiencing a service failure and service recovery. This study utilized scenario experimentation, manipulating the three dimensions of justice at two levels each (2 × 2 × 2 between-groups factorial design). The MANOVA test found no recovery paradox effect in the experimental scenarios. Double deviation effect on revisit intention was observed in one scenario (low interactional justice, low procedural justice, and high distributive justice). Recovery efforts produced a slightly higher overall satisfaction and word-of-mouth intention in some scenarios. In most scenarios, customers' post-recovery overall satisfaction and behavioral intentions were not significantly lower than those of pre-failure. The findings indicate that recovery efforts are indispensable, but a service failure and recovery situation should not be considered as an opportunity to impress customers.
Effects of Upper Limb Immobilization on Isometric Muscle Strength, Movement Time, and Triphasic Electromyographic Characteristics

The effects of short-term immobilization on isometric muscle strength, movement time, and triphasic integrated electromyographic characteristics were assessed during a simple ballistic elbow flexion and extension movement. The nondominant upper limbs in six subjects (two female, four male) were immobilized in a plaster cast for 14 days. Testing consisted of isometric muscle strength output of elbow flexors and extensors; movement time; and IEMG output of the agonist, antagonist, and second agonist contractions during the ballistic movements. An analysis of variance revealed a decrease in flexor strength of the casted limb ( p < .05). Movement time was not significantly slowed. Antagonist IEMG amplitude was decreased ( p < .01) during flexion, and agonist IEMG amplitude ( p < .05) and antagonist IEMG amplitude ( p < .05) were diminished during extension of the casted limb. In conclusion, short-term upper limb immobilization affects primarily elbow flexion strength and some IEMG characteristics during a ballistic forearm movement, suggesting an influence on the neuromuscular aspects of the affected muscles.
Individual Decision Making and Investor Welfare

This article analyses and quantifies the costs of suboptimal decision making for an investor with a multi-period horizon. In light of the empirical evidence that investors are too conservative and hold portfolios that are insufficiently diversified, we evaluate the costs of suboptimal equity participation both analytically and using simulation, and also estimate the costs of suboptimal diversification using simulation. We find that suboptimal leverage imposes only modest costs on the investor for reasonable parameter values. While the costs of inadequate diversification can be very high, we find that, because of the higher returns on small firms, an equally weighted portfolio of as few as five randomly chosen firms can provide the same level of expected utility as the value weighted market portfolio. (J.E.L.: G11, G18, G23).
High capacity optical recording channels

Several capacity enhancement techniques that are compatible with the systems requirements of erasable optical recording channels are reviewed. Recent simulation and experimental results on PRML detection, thermal analysis of mark formation, and crosstalk cancellation are presented.
ASP, The Art and Science of Practice: A Very Short Course in Suboptimization

Sometimes being suboptimal is best. Cuts to the unit hypercube, as Balas and Jeroslow discuss [Balas E, Jeroslow R 1972 Canonical cuts on the unit hypercube. SIAM J. Appl. Math. 231:61-69], provide a simple approach to generating alternative optima and or providing a family of suboptimal solutions for one's clients to consider. In this paper, I discuss how to generate useful suboptimal solutions using Balas and Jeroslow's cuts to the unit hypercube and why clients are willing to pay for them.
Refinement of sampling methods for analysis of nutrients in surface waters

Where long-term monitoring data is not available, or the nature of the watershed is changing rapidly, or data is limited, a cost-effective monitoring plan must be developed to ascertain nutrient concentrations in streams, stream nutrient load, and watershed nutrient yield. To accomplish this, nutrient monitoring must occur during baseflow, stormflow, and wetflow conditions. Wetflow refers to flow regimes between stormflow and baseflow. Using a 12-hr sampling interval before, during, and after rainfall events of different intensities allows accurate measurement of nutrient concentrations. These data allow determination of nutrients (ammonia-N, nitrite-nitrate-N, and total phosphorus) correlation with flow. Research on three different-sized watersheds in the Piedmont of west Georgia ranging from about 1 to 6295 km 2 (0.4 to 2430 mi 2 ) (Chattahoochee River at Whitesburg, Georgia) indicate that the best sampling methods are dependent on the size of the watershed, proportions of forest cover and impermeable surface, and intensity of nutrient influx from point sources and nonpoint sources.
Molecular Pathways: Regulation of Metabolism by RB

The discovery of the retinoblastoma (RB-1) gene as a tumor suppressor that is disrupted in a majority of human cancers either via direct or indirect genetic alterations has resulted in increased interest in its functions and downstream effectors. Although the canonical pathway that links this tumor suppressor to human cancers details its interaction with the E2F transcription factors and cell-cycle progression, recent studies have shown an essential role for RB-1 in the suppression of glycolytic and glutaminolytic metabolism. Characterization of the precise metabolic transporters and enzymes suppressed by the RB-E2F axis should enable the identification of small molecule antagonists that have selective and potent antitumor properties.
A simulation analysis of the vari-metric repairable inventory optimization procedure for the U.S. Coast Guard

This paper documents a simulation study undertaken to gain insights into the Vari-Metric multi-echelon repairable inventory optimization method. The method was analyzed in the context of the Coast Guard's fleet of fixed and rotary wing aircraft, for which operational availability is the key performance metric. Failure rates of parts in this system exhibit variance-to-mean ratios higher than one, and we outline a procedure for generating a failure arrival process described by a negative binomial distribution. Previous studies of the Vari-Metric model examined a single repairable part; in this study we analyzed a system comprised of three repairable parts. This allowed us to gain insights into how the Vari-Metric procedure selects part stock levels to attain a desired level of system availability. Further analysis of the simulation model allowed us to examine the efficient frontier for this multi-criteria problem (maximizing spare part availability rates while minimizing the cost of part inventories).
Hydroxyl radical generation in the NADH/microsomal reduction of vanadate.

ESR spin trapping measurements demonstrate generation of hydroxyl (.OH) radical from reduction of vanadate by rat liver microsomes/NADH without exogenous H2O2. Catalase decreases the .OH signal while increasing a vanadium (4+) signal. Addition of superoxide dismutase (SOD) or measurements under an argon atmosphere show decreased .OH radical production. The results suggest that during the one-electron vanadate reduction process by microsomes/NADH, molecular oxygen is reduced to H2O2, which then reacts with vanadium (4+) to generate .OH radical via a Fenton-like mechanism.
Histopathologic correlates of noncalcific chronic pancreatitis by EUS: a prospective tissue characterization study

Background Studies that correlated EUS features of chronic pancreatitis (CP) with histopathology are retrospective and only include patients with severe disease or calcific pancreatitis. Controversies regarding the significance of EUS features of noncalcific CP (NCCP) remain unresolved. Objective To correlate EUS criteria for NCCP with histology from surgical specimens. Design Prospective study. Setting Tertiary referral center. Patients All patients who underwent EUS for pancreaticobiliary indications and subsequent pancreatic surgery. Patients with calcific pancreatitis were excluded. Methods Individual CP features on EUS were carefully documented with relation to different parts of the pancreas. Standard EUS criteria for CP were adopted. All patients underwent surgery within 2 months of EUS. A single pathologist blinded to EUS findings reviewed the specimens and graded fibrosis (total score, 12; ≥6 = unequivocal CP). A quantitative receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed, and Spearman rank correlation coefficients were calculated. Main Outcome Measurements Correlate EUS criteria for NCCP, with histology from surgical specimens. Results Of the 42 patients evaluated, NCCP was diagnosed histologically in 21 patients (50%). None of the patients had CP diagnosis by CT. ROC curve analysis revealed that 4 or more EUS criteria provided the best sensitivity (90.5%), specificity (85.7%), and accuracy (88.1%) for diagnosing NCCP. Parenchymal EUS features that were significantly associated with histopathologic NCCP were foci ( P P P = .04); ductal features that were significantly associated with histopathologic NCCP were dilated ( P P P P = .03). There was a significant correlation between the number of EUS criteria and severity of NCCP on histology (r = 0.85; P Limitations Small number of patients. Conclusions An excellent correlation exists between EUS and histologic findings of NCCP.
Sequence Stratigraphy of the Upper Cretaceous Sego Sandstone Member Reveals Spatio-Temporal Changes in Depositional Processes, Northwest Colorado, U.S.A.

Abstract The Upper Cretaceous Sego Sandstone Member of the Mesaverde Group has been extensively studied in the Book Cliffs area of Utah and Colorado, and has been the focus of stratigraphic reconstruction aimed at developing an understanding of the evolution of the Western Cretaceous Interior Seaway. The Sego Sandstone Member was deposited in a marginal marine, tide-influenced environment of the Cretaceous Seaway. This study documents the sequence stratigraphy of the Sego Sandstone Member in northwestern Colorado, just north of Rangely, and compares and contrasts it with equivalent strata in the Book Cliffs area in Utah. The Sego Sandstone Member in the study area contains three sequences characterized by progradational and aggradational stacking patterns. The stratigraphically lowest sequence consists of a prograding, tide-influenced delta overlain by marine mudstones, which represents a retrogradation and flooding surface. The second sequence is composed of multiple parasequences and consists of an incised valley filled with stacked tidal bars which then pass into a largely aggradational stacking pattern, composed of barrier-island deposits with back-barrier, flood-tidal-delta deposits, and wave-dominated-shoreface deposits. The third sequence is a broad, tide-dominated distributary-mouth system with a sharp, incisional basal contact. The three sequence boundaries documented in northwestern Colorado are consistent with the three main sequence boundaries identified in the Book Cliffs. However, whereas barrier islands and flood-tidal deltas are characteristic of the Sego Sandstone Member in northwestern Colorado, similar deposits are not as prevalent in the Book Cliffs of Utah, suggesting different depositional processes and paleogeography. Tidal and fluvio-deltaic processes are the dominant controls on deposition of the Sego Sandstone Member north of Rangely, Colorado. The transition from a tide-dominated fluvio-deltaic system to a mixed wave–tide-influenced coastline indicates a fundamental change in processes and depositional environment in the upper part of Sequence 2. Such change from a prograding fluvio-deltaic system to a more passive tide-modified coastline is not observed in the Book Cliffs, and may be the result either of large scale transgression or of relocation of the river system through large-scale avulsion, which is not observed in the Book Cliffs. Our study shows significant stratigraphic variability between rocks exposed in the Book Cliffs versus time-equivalent rocks exposed in northwestern Colorado in the Upper Cretaceous, which has implications for the regional basin architecture and stratigraphic correlations.
Professional development of graduate teaching assistants in faculty-like positions: Fostering reflective practices through reflective teaching journals

This study explores the outcomes of reflective journaling among novice Graduate Teaching Assistants during the initial stages of their professional development. It seeks to establish whether there were common concerns addressed in their journals and if different levels of reflection were achieved. By means of content analysis of 177 entries, nine common themes were identified. Among these, "methodology" and "classroom management" were the most prevalent. Three degrees of reflection were used to categorize the entries. Slightly over half of the entries achieved high levels of reflection, whereas 49% of the entries did not. Recommendations for teacher educators and facilitators of the professional development of graduate students are provided.
Excision of a proposed electron transfer pathway in cytochrome c peroxidase and its replacement by a ligand-binding channel

A previously proposed electron transfer (ET) pathway in the heme enzyme cytochrome c peroxidase has been excised from the structure, leaving an open ligand-binding channel in its place. Earlier studies on cavity mutants of this enzyme have revealed structural plasticity in this region of the molecule. Analysis of these structures has allowed the design of a variant in which the specific section of protein backbone representing a previously proposed ET pathway is accurately extracted from the protein. A crystal structure verified the creation of an open channel that overlays the removed segment, extending from the surface of the protein to the heme at the core of the protein. A number of heterocyclic cations were found to bind to the proximal-channel mutant with affinities that can be rationalized based on the structures. It is proposed that small ligands bind more weakly to the proximal-channel mutant than to the W191G cavity due to an increased off rate of the open channel, whereas larger ligands are able to bind to the channel mutant without inducing large conformational changes. The structure of benzimidazole bound to the proximal-channel mutant shows that the ligand accurately overlays the position of the tryptophan radical center that was removed from the wild-type enzyme and displaces four of the eight ordered solvent molecules seen in the empty cavity. Ligand binding also caused a small rearrangement of the redesigned protein loop, perhaps as a result of improved electrostatic interactions with the ligand. The engineered channel offers the potential for introducing synthetic replacements for the removed structure, such as sensitizer-linked substrates. These installed "molecular wires" could be used to rapidly initiate reactions, trap reactive intermediates, or answer unresolved questions about ET pathways.
Oxygen requirements of embryos and larvae of the largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides (Lacépède)

Starting with the second day after fertilization, largemouth bass embryos and larvae became increasingly sensitive to oxygen deficiency until the sixth day of life. On this day few survived exposure to 1 mg O2/l for 3 h at 20°C; many were damaged at 2 mg/1, but not at 2.5. Death was by asphyxiation or by starvation resulting from an apparent inability to close the lower jaw. On the seventh day the larvae became more resistant again, possibly because opercular movement began on that day. At 25°C the effects of reduced oxygen concentration were intensified, and even a concentration of 2.5 mg/1 became lethal in 3 h. At 3 mg O2/l and 20° the normally quiescent yolk-sac larvae became very active and swam vertically to at least 5 or 6 cm above the substrate; 4 and 5 mg/1 had this effect at 23–24°. This behaviour could result in losses by predation and displacement from the nest.
The N-Terminal Penultimate Residue of 20S Proteasome α1 Influences its Nα Acetylation and Protein Levels as Well as Growth Rate and Stress Responses of Haloferax volcanii

Proteasomes are energy-dependent proteolytic machines. We elaborate here on the previously observed Nα acetylation of the initiator methionine of the α1 protein of 20S core particles (CPs) of Haloferax volcanii proteasomes. Quantitative mass spectrometry revealed this was the dominant N-terminal form of α1 in H. volcanii cells. To further examine this, α1 proteins with substitutions in the N-terminal penultimate residue as well as deletion of the CP “gate” formed by the α1 N terminus were examined for their Nα acetylation. Both the “gate” deletion and Q2A substitution completely altered the Nα-acetylation pattern of α1, with the deletion rendering α1 unavailable for Nα acetylation and the Q2A modification apparently enhancing cleavage of α1 by methionine aminopeptidase (MAP), resulting in acetylation of the N-terminal alanine. Cells expressing these two α1 variants were less tolerant of hypoosmotic stress than the wild type and produced CPs with enhanced peptidase activity. Although α1 proteins with Q2D, Q2P, and Q2T substitutions were Nα acetylated in CPs similar to the wild type, cells expressing these variants accumulated unusually high levels of α1 as rings in Nα-acetylated, unmodified, and/or MAP-cleaved forms. More detailed examination of this group revealed that while CP peptidase activity was not impaired, cells expressing these α1 variants displayed higher growth rates and were more tolerant of hypoosmotic and high-temperature stress than the wild type. Overall, these results suggest that Nα acetylation of α1 is important in CP assembly and activity, high levels of α1 rings enhance cell proliferation and stress tolerance, and unregulated opening of the CP “gate” impairs the ability of cells to overcome salt stress.
RF power handling of capacitive RF MEMS devices

RF MEMS switches provide a low-cost, high-performance solution to many RF/microwave applications. In this paper, progress in characterizing capacitive MEMS devices under high RF power is presented. The switches tested demonstrated power handling capabilities of 510 mW for continuous RF power and 4 W for pulsed RF power. In addition, the reliability of these switches was tested at various power levels indicating that under continuous RF power, the lifetime is not affected until the 510 mW power level is reached. Once a power failure is observed, it is completely recoverable by lowering the RF power level below the threshold point. A description of the power failures and their associated operating conditions is presented.
Characterization of sorghum grain and evaluation of sorghum flour in a Chinese egg noodle system

Sorghum is a gluten free grain that has potential to be used as an alternative to wheat flour for the Celiac Sprue market. There are thousands of sorghum lines that have not been characterized for grain, flour or end product quality. The objective of the research was to gain an understanding among grain sorghum quality factors and Chinese egg noodles quality. Four sorghum hybrids were characterized and evaluated for kernel characteristics, proximate analysis, flour composition and end product in a Chinese egg noodle system. Kernel size and weight affected the flour particle size and the amount of starch damage. Flour with fine particle size and high starch damage conferred noodles with high firmness and high tensile strength. Water uptake was highest for flour with smaller particle size (38 mm at 50% volume) and higher starch damage (6.14%). Cooking losses for all samples were below 10%. Starch of particle size <5 mm (C- type) contributed to firmer and higher tensile strength noodles. Water absorption was significantly affected by flour particle size, starch particle size and starch damage. Through control of sorghum grain and flour quality characteristics it is possible to manufacture a Chinese egg noodle with good physical attributes.
Linearly and circularly polarized, planar, electrically small, metamaterial-engineered dipole antennas

Metamaterial-inspired electrically small antennas (ESA) were proposed in [1] and their electrical monopole versions were further developed in [2] and [3]. Measurements of the metamaterial-engineered Z antenna introduced in [2] have been reported [4] and show great consistency between the measurement and the HFSS simulation results. Those results continue to demonstrate that the metamaterial-engineered ESA design methodology is a viable approach. In the Z antenna, the Z structure is a near-field, self-resonant, parasitic (NFRP) element whose resonance frequency is mainly determined by its lumped element inductor and its capacitive top strip. The NFRP Z structure resonance frequency approximately determines the resonance frequency of the Z antenna, i.e, reactance matching is achieved with the Z structure. Resistance matching to, e.g., a 50 Ω source is obtained from the coupling between the NFRP Z element and the directly driven element, its coax-fed monopole.
Reduction of proteinuria after gastric bypass surgery: case presentation and management

Obesity is increasing in prevalence across the United States. The surgical therapy for obesity is effective at reducing weight; however, the benefits to renal function are not well described. We report an obese patient with nonnephrotic-range proteinuria that resolved after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. Evidence suggests that obesity-related renal dysfunction is multifactorial and may be a result of hyperfiltration or increased intra-abdominal pressure. The use of gastric bypass as a permanent solution to obesity may confer a similar benefit to obesity-related renal dysfunction.
HERO: Hybrid Emergency Route-Opening Protocol

This paper presents an ad-hoc vehicular protocol to support the logistics of first responders. First responders often travel several kilometers to reach an area impacted by an accident or other emergency. The street-path between an emergency responder and an operational field often includes densely populated areas with busy vehicular traffic. It is key that emergency vehicles are able to traverse them safely and as quickly as possible. Vehicular communications is essential for supporting this traversal. Traditionally, this communication is accomplished through intense sirens and lights. Our protocol improves upon traditional techniques by forwarding a first responder's current location and estimated path over an ad-hoc vehicular network. Vehicles lying along this path receive packets and take appropriate actions giving way to an emergency vehicle. Our protocol improves over traditional methods in two ways. First, packets propagated over a vehicular network affords a more timely notification withoug congesting the network. In addition, notifications supply vehicles with a first responders GPS location and intended path traversal. These two improvements allow vehicles to safely and efficiently clear pathways long before an emergency vehicle's arrival.
Urban Flood Resilience: A Chronology of Policies to Prevent Flooding in Taipei

Floods caused extensive damage during the 1960s while Taipei was experiencing fast urbanization. In the early 1970s, Taiwan’s central government planned a new town, the Linkou New Town, to move people from Taipei’s area of high risk for flooding. Numerous levees and dikes, flood pumping stations, and gates have been built in Taipei since the 1970s. However, high density development occurred along the flood-prone areas of Taipei’s major rivers after the completion of major flood control facilities in the 1990s. Flash floods, along with the failure of pumping stations along the Keelung River, caused by Typhoon Nari in 2001 flooded downtown Taipei. This research finds that coordination problems between different governmental agencies have resulted in inefficiency and ineffectiveness of flood prevention policies. Additionally, a new method combining non-structural measures, land-use and environmental planning, along with retreat planning in order to reduce risk should be gradually adopted in Taipei. Land-use and environmental planning should play a proactive role in reducing Taipei’s flood risk and damage.
High Frequency Unity Gain Buffer in 90-nm CMOS Technology

A new unity gain buffer architecture is presented for on-chip CMOS mixed signal applications. The proposed two-stage common source active load (CSAL) buffer with source feedback offers improved performance compared to previously published source follower and source-coupled differential-pair-based unity gain buffers. A 90-nm CMOS design (Vdd equals 1.2V) of the buffer has the following performance parameters. With Cin/CL of 10 fF/250 fF, f−3dB is 4.4GHz, low frequency gain is 0.16dB, maximum input range within 2% gain variation is 260mV, total harmonic distortion (THD) is −63.3dB, offset error (input offset minus output offset) is 26mV, and 1.06mW power consumption. The active load, low gain amplifiers eliminate stability issues and any need for compensation capacitors. The architecture facilitates a relatively large input/output voltage swing while keeping transistors operating in the saturation region, making it suitable for submicron technologies with low rail voltages.
Isolation of a Reaginic Antibody Fraction with Properties of γG-Globulin.∗:

Summary1. Serum from untreated timothy sensitive patient (E.F.) was fractionated by Sephadex G-200 gel-filtration and DEAE-cellulose ion-exchange chromatography, and resulted in the isolation of a single fraction with reagin activity. 2. The isolated reagin possesses chromatographic and immunochemi-cal characteristics of γG-globulin.
Weight Changes by the Queen Honey Bee During Swarming

Mated, laying queen honey bees, Apis mellifera L., lose approximately ⅓ of their weight during the process of swarming. Weight loss starts when they lay eggs in queen cups, and is maximal when the new queen cups are capped. The queens regain weight after swarming, and are usually normal within 5 days. Shaking of the queens is apparently not required to bring about weight loss. Queens lost weight when swarming conditions were simulated, probably in response to the pending need for flight.
Natural Rights, Under-Specified Rights, and Bills of Rights

The lawers of antiquity defined justice as "giving to each what is his ius [due, right]": ius suum cuique tribuere. Until or unless someone can rightfully claim "that is owed to me [him, or them]" there is no issue of justice. For any practical purpose, the discourse of rights depends on our ability to recognize with some precision who owes what to whom. Bills and charters of rights typically enumerate things which the government owes to citizens or persons. Since World War Two, domestic and international declarations have emphasized obligations of states to recognize human or natural rights. However, these lists often include "rights" which are rather general and under-specified. Under-specified rights have two deleterious consequences for constitutionally limited governments. First, such "rights" inspire the belief that persons have rights prior to anyone knowing precisely what they are. Second, under-specified rights typically burden courts with the task of discovering on a case by case basis the precise nature of the right under dispute. Since bills or charters of rights aim to limit the government, we might doubt whether this purpose is really achieved when the government must specify the right on an ad hoc basis. These problems are investigated in light of U.S. constitutional history.
Research Progress in Nano-assembly

This article reviews recent research progress in the nano-assembly,such as nanospheres,nanoclus- ter,mesoporous composites and ordered nano-array,etc,summarizes severae good synthetic methods and introduces the prospects for the application of nano-assembly.
Key Points and Countermeasures on the Adjustment of the Chinese Industrial Structure

How to deal with the challenge of the new economy is one arduous task in China as the biggest developing country in the world.The text expounded the key point of the adjustment in China from three aspects including the agriculture、manufacturing industry and service trade by means of optimizing the state-owned assets.The text makes the superficial discussion on the corresponding countermeasures,and the text makes use of the thinking of the industrial globalization to lead the foreign funds to invest reasonably so as to develop the information industry forcefully.
Level Excitation Function Data for Fast Neutron Scattering on Actinide Nuclei Calculated with the Unified Statistical S-Matrix Formalism

Results from analyses of the most recent 232Th, 238U, 240Pu and 242Pu (n,n′) level cross-section data from threshold to 2.5 MeV for inelastic neutron scattering to collective (rotational and guadrupole or octupole vibrational) levels of these deformed actinide nuclei are presented, as calculated with the unified statistical S-matrix formalism using the Bruyeres optical potential and deformation parameters. The computations with the programme “NANCY” allowed for competition from other neutron exit channels, and have been corrected for fission and radiative-capture competition. The treatment took account of strong coupling (with strongly or weakly absorbing channels) in a comprehensive, consistent, cohesive approach that involved an intimate combination of direct interaction and fluctuation contributions to the cross section. The good fits obtained for (n,n′) level excitation functions to quite high lying levels, especially when (n,n′) measured data were combined with results from (n,n′γ) studies, prompt the application of such calculations to cases in which experimental data are unavailable or unobtainable.
Intracoronary L-arginine during reperfusion improves endothelial function and reduces infarct size

We tested the hypothesis that intracoronary administration of L-arginine (L-Arg), the physiological nitric oxide (NO) precursor, during reperfusion would attenuate postischemic damage by L-Arg NO-pathway mechanisms. Open-chest, anesthetized dogs underwent 60 min of left anterior descending coronary arterial (LAD) occlusion followed by 270 min of reperfusion. Dogs received intracoronary 10 mM L-Arg (n = 9 dogs), intracoronary 10 mM D-arginine (D-Arg, n = 7), or saline vehicle (Veh, n = 10) in the LAD during the first 120 min of reperfusion using an extracorporeal system. After 270 min of reperfusion, segmental systolic and diastolic function were comparably impaired in all three groups. Infarct size (triphenyltetrazolium chloride) expressed as a percentage of the area at risk (An/Ar) was significantly (P < 0.05) reduced in the L-Arg group (17.7 +/- 3.2%) compared with the Veh group (34.8 +/- 2.4%); D-Arg reversed this cardioprotection (48.8 +/- 5.2%, P < 0.05 vs. L-Arg, Veh). Cardiac myeloperoxidase activity, an index of neutrophil accumulation (U/100 mg tissue), was significantly (P < 0.05) lower in the necrotic tissue of the L-Arg group (0.88 +/- 0.26) than in the Veh group (2.46 +/- 0.38). Furthermore, responses to endothelium-dependent vasodilators acetylcholine and A23187 in isolated ischemic-reperfused LAD rings were significantly (P < 0.05) greater in the L-Arg group than in the other two groups. We conclude that intracoronary infusion of L-Arg during the early phase of reperfusion reduced neutrophil accumulation and infarct size and the infusion preserved endothelial function, possibly by increasing NO release or production by the endothelium.
Guest Editorial: Functional neurosurgery (part 2)

This month's CME includes the final two articles that review functional neurosurgical topics, i.e. surgery for movement disorders, where deep brain stimulation plays a major role, and surgical management of pain. From these articles, which give an overview of the respective topics, it is clear that neurosurgery forms a central part of the management of patients with common disabilities, such as severe pain and movement disorders that are refractory to medical management. Patients need appropriate referral and a thorough work-up that involves a multidisciplinary team. These complex disorders should not be managed in isolation.
Monomeric Potassium Channels may Exist as Heterogeneous Ensemble before Assembly

For many potassium channels, tetramerization domains in either N- or C-terminal of the pore domain assist in tetramer assembly by increasing local concentrations of monomeric subunits. However, the structure of the pore domain as a monomer before tetramerization is not clear. Recently, thiol-labeling experiments have shown that isolated monomers engineered from the voltage-gated potassium channel Kv1.3 can readily adopt their native fold as they are being synthesized. Mutations at certain critical positions make the p-helix become more solvent-exposed; however, the mechanism by how the p-helix becomes more solvent-exposed is unclear. Here, our MD simulations and NMR measurements to show that the monomeric pore domains of potassium channels are heterogeneous and dynamic. According to the simulations, WT Kv1.2 monomer is unstable in its native-like structure and the 3 helices are very dynamic in the membrane. While the 3 helices separate from each other and form many non-native interactions, all helices retain their helical structure and remain buried in the membrane. Simulations of mutants (W384A/W385A/V387E, V387E, and V388E) also show the separation of all 3 helices, yet the p-helix loses helicity and becomes less stable, leading to higher solvent-exposure of the p-helix. We found that the helicity and membrane burial of the p-helix depends on the locations of the inserted charged groups. When a charged group is introduced to the opposite face of the helix as the native aspartate D381, the p-helix leaves the membrane and loses its helicity but when the mutation is on the same face, the helix goes into the interfacial region and retains its helical nature. In addition, our NMR spectroscopy and hydrogen exchange measurements suggest that the WT monomer of KcsA in lipid bicelles may be highly heterogeneous, but are all buried in the membrane. Together, we suggest that the WT monomers are highly dynamic before tetramerization and the locations of mutations on the p-helix highly dictate its helicity and burial.