cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nuclear magnetic resonance study of the thioltransferase-catalyzed glutathione/glutathione disulfide interchange reaction

The kinetics of the thioltransferase-catalyzed symmetrical glutathione/glutathione disulfide (GSH/GSSG) interchange reaction have been studied by 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Kinetic parameters were determined by analysis of exchange-broadened multiplet patterns and by the inversion-magnetization transfer method using concentrations of GSH, GSSG and pig liver thioltransferase similar to intracellular concentrations. The rate constant for the reaction of GSSG with thioltransferase to form a thioltransferase-glutathione mixed disulfide and GSH was estimated to be > or = 7.1(+/- 0.4).10(5) M-1 s-1. This reaction is proposed to be the first step in the mechanism by which the activity of some proteins is modulated by the thioltransferase-catalyzed formation of protein-glutathione mixed disulfides. The rate constant for the reaction of GSSG with thioltransferase is 4-5 orders of magnitude larger than rate constants for the analogous reaction of the thiolate groups of a variety of small molecules with GSSG. The symmetrical gamma-L-glutamyl-L-cysteine/gamma-L-glutamyl-L-cysteine disulfide (GCSH/GCSSCG), L-cysteinyl-glycine/L-cysteinyl-glycine disulfide (CGSH/CGSSGC) and cysteine/cystine (CSH/CSSC) thiol/disulfide interchange reactions were also studied as models for the GSH/GSSG interchange reaction. The GCSH/GCSSCG interchange reaction was found to be catalyzed by thioltransferase, and the rate constant for the reaction of GCSSCG with thioltransferase was estimated to be > or = 5.7(+/- 1.7).10(4) M-1 s-1. In contrast, the CGSH/CGSSGC and CSH/CSSC interchange reactions were found to be slow on the NMR time-scale for the conditions used in this research, both in the absence and presence of thioltransferase. The results suggest that the gamma-L-glutamyl-L-cysteinyl moiety of GSSG and of GSH-containing mixed disulfides is essential for their recognition by thioltransferase.
Expression of testis-specific histone genes during the development of rat spermatogenic cells in vitro.

We have used two radiolabeled oligonucleotide probes (TH2B and Hlt), Northern blotting, two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, and autoradiography to study the temporal expres- sion of TH2B and Hlt testis-specific histone genes during the development of rat spermatogenic cells in vitro. These studies were carried out to deter- mine whether meiotic prophase spermatocytes, known to synthesize in vivo THBB and Hlt his- tones among other histones, are capable of ex- pressing these testis-specific genes in vitro during an extended period of time. We have found abun- dant TH2B and Hlt mRNA steady state levels as well as newly-synthesized TH2B and Hlt histones after 5 days of coculture. Northern blots reprobed with Hlt-specific oligonucleotide showed that Hlt mRNA remained prominent when TH2B mRNA started to decline after 8-12 days of coculture. Phase-contrast and transmission electron micros- copy studies carried out throughout the course of the experiments demonstrated that the number of viable spermatogonia and meiotic prophase sper- matocytes was relatively constant during 12 days of coculture. Spermatocytes, in a clone-like ar- rangement, remained attached to Sertoli cell surfaces and displayed subcellular features con- sistent with those observed in the intact seminif- erous epithelium. Spermatogonia formed long, branching chains of interconnected cells. Results of this study indicate that spermatogenic cells in coculture with Sertoli cells express testis-specific histone genes for an extended period of time. Tes- tis-specific histone gene expression in vitro should facilitate further studies for understanding the role of these histones in chromatin structure, tran- scription, and genetic recombination during male meiotic prophase.
Immunopathogenesis of Staphylococcus aureus pulmonary infection

Staphylococcus aureus is a common human pathogen highly evolved as both a component of the commensal flora and as a major cause of invasive infection. Severe respiratory infection due to staphylococci has been increasing due to the prevalence of more virulent USA300 CA-MRSA strains in the general population. The ability of S. aureus to adapt to the milieu of the respiratory tract has facilitated its emergence as a respiratory pathogen. Its metabolic versatility, the ability to scavenge iron, coordinate gene expression, and the horizontal acquisition of useful genetic elements have all contributed to its success as a component of the respiratory flora, in hospitalized patients, as a complication of influenza and in normal hosts. The expression of surface adhesins facilitates its persistence in the airways. In addition, the highly sophisticated interactions of the multiple S. aureus virulence factors, particularly the α-hemolysin and protein A, with diverse immune effectors in the lung such as ADAM10, TNFR1, EGFR, immunoglobulin, and complement all contribute to the pathogenesis of staphylococcal pneumonia.
Iliopsoas transfer in the management of established dislocation and refractory progressive subluxation of the hip in cerebral palsy

The authors have reviewed 25 hips in 23 patients with cerebral palsy in which iliopsoas transfer had been performed for established dislocation or refractory progressive subluxation of the hip. The iliopsoas tendon was transferred either postero-laterally or antero-laterally, depending upon the degree of fixed flexion of the hip. An adductor release was performed in all cases and an open reduction when necessary. A painfree stable joint was produced except for one hip in which the iliopsoas tendon had become detached because of sepsis. The loss of flexor power at the hip due to the transfer is thought to be a small price to pay for the relief of pain and spasm and the increase in function.
Early biochemical alterations induced by 2-acetylaminofluorene in rat liver

Abstract 1. 1. Livers from rats fed the carcinogen 2-acetylaminofluorene (AAF) were analyzed at weekly or semiweekly intervals to correlate appearance of enzymatic markers in total liver homogenates with histochemical events accompanying formation of hyperplastic liver nodules. 2. 2. γ-Glutamyltranspeptidase (γ-GT)-positive foci appeared by day 11 and visible nodules were present by days 28–5. Specific activity of homogenate γ-GT increased in parallel to formation of hyperplastic foci and nodules, declined and then rose again to 20-fold that of controls by day 77. 3. 3. Specific activity of ornithine decarboxylase increased in advance of that of γ-GT, to a level of 8-fold above control during the period of formation of hyperplastic foci. 4. 4. An early response was a 2-fold rise in the specific activity of nucleoside diphosphate phosphatase during the first week of carcinogen administration. 5. 5. The specific activity of 5′-nucleotidase, known to increase during liver regeneration, declined as the animals aged and was not increased by the dietary AAF. 6. 6. The enzymatic alterations induced by AAF could not be mimicked by cell proliferation, diet stress or the hepatotoxicity induced by feeding 1.87% 4-acetamidophenol.
A daily periodicity in pituitary gonadotropin in White-crowned Sparrows

Values of pituitary gonadotropic hormone (GTH) were determined throughout a 24 hour period in adult and first-year male White-crowned Sparrows (Zonotrichia leucophrys gambelii), maintained on a photoperiod of 20 hours light, 4 hours darkness. Samples taken every two hours revealed four peaks (Fig. 1) in pituitary GTH (06:00, 12:00–14:00, 18:00, 22:00). During the remaining time, GTH values were at lower levels (the minima approximately 9.0 μg/gland in first-year males and 11.8 μg/gland in adult males). Maximal values in adult males were from 50–125% above minimal levels, and maxima in first-year males reached 50–200% above minimal levels.
High-Field Dynamic Nuclear Polarization for Solid and Solution Biological NMR

Dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) results in a substantial nuclear polarization enhancement through a transfer of the magnetization from electrons to nuclei. Recent years have seen considerable progress in the development of DNP experiments directed towards enhancing sensitivity in biological nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). This review covers the applications, hardware, polarizing agents, and theoretical descriptions that were developed at the Francis Bitter Magnet Laboratory at Massachusetts Institute of Technology for high-field DNP experiments. In frozen dielectrics, the enhanced nuclear polarization developed in the vicinity of the polarizing agent can be efficiently dispersed to the bulk of the sample via 1H spin diffusion. This strategy has been proven effective in polarizing biologically interesting systems, such as nanocrystalline peptides and membrane proteins, without leading to paramagnetic broadening of the NMR signals. Gyrotrons have been used as a source of high-power (5–10 W) microwaves up to 460 GHz as required for the DNP experiments. Other hardware has also been developed allowing in situ microwave irradiation integrated with cryogenic magic-angle-spinning solid-state NMR. Advances in the quantum mechanical treatment are successful in describing the mechanism by which new biradical polarizing agents yield larger enhancements at higher magnetic fields. Finally, pulsed methods and solution experiments should play a prominent role in the future of DNP.
Exploratory Repeated Measures Analysis for Two or More Groups: Review and Update

Abstract In this article, the exploratory analysis of data from a repeated measures design with one repeated factor and one treatment factor is considered. Recent developments in repeated measures analysis are reviewed and incorporated into an overall strategy for the analysis of such data. An example is given to illustrate the techniques.
Molecular adsorption: Analysis of the kinetics of the adsorption experiment at constant pressure with bulk diffusion

Abstract A theoretical analysis of the irreversible adsorption and dissociation of a diatomic gas on the surface of a solid, and the diffusion of the atoms into the substrate is presented. The surface and bulk are treated as separate entities in this analysis. The boundary conditions chosen for the solution of the coupled differential equations are those which correspond to the physical conditions in a “dynamic” adsorption experiment. In analyzing the experimental data for the adsorption of oxygen and nitrogen on titanium, we find that it is nor necessary to invoke diffusion through a compact scale to understand the experimental results.
Origin of Oxygen Reduction Reaction Activity on “Pt3Co” Nanoparticles: Atomically Resolved Chemical Compositions and Structures

Rotating disk electrode measurements of acid-treated “Pt3Co” nanoparticles showed specific oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity (∼0.7 mA/cmPt2 at 0.9 V vs RHE in 0.1 M HClO4 at room temperature), twice that of Pt nanoparticles. Upon annealing at 1000 K in vacuum, the ORR activity at 0.9 V was increased to ∼1.4 mA/cmPt2 (four times that of Pt nanoparticles). High-resolution transmission electron microscopy and aberration-corrected high-angle annular dark-field in the scanning transmission electron microscope was used to reveal surface atomic structure and chemical composition variations of “Pt3Co” nanoparticles on the atomic scale. Such information was then correlated to averaged Pt−Pt distance obtained from synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction data, surface coverage of oxygenated species from cyclic voltammograms, and synchrotron X-ray absorption spectroscopy. It is proposed that ORR activity enhancement of acid-leached “Pt3Co” relative to Pt nanoparticles is attributed to the formation of a percolate...
Information technology in managing global supply chains

As organizations strive to become more competitive in today’s challenging business environment, global supply chain management (GSCM) infused by information technology (IT) is being offered as a paradigm to achieve dramatic improvements in cost and time. This study examines the critical role played by IT to improve GSCM practices. The paper starts by classifying all the IT related articles dealing with GSCM into four research streams. Next, a practical IT framework that organizations can use for achieving a true GSCM is presented. This is followed by examples of corporations that provide IT solutions for GSCM and of corporations that have benefited from using IT in their GSCM efforts. Finally, conclusions and implications for IT‐related issues pertaining to GSCM are suggested.
A Torquoselective 6π Electrocyclization Approach to Reserpine Alkaloids

A highly torquoselective thermal triene 6π electrocyclization controls the relative stereochemistry between the C3 and C18 stereocenters of the dodecahydroindolo[2,3-a]benzo[g]quinolizine skeleton of reserpine-type alkaloids. Employing a tandem cross-coupling/electrocyclization protocol allowed us to form the requisite triene and ensure its subsequent cyclization. A novel low-temperature dibromoketene acetal Claisen rearrangement established the requisite exocyclic dienylbromide precursor for the palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction.
SNAREpins: Minimal Machinery for Membrane Fusion

Recombinant v- and t-SNARE proteins reconstituted into separate lipid bilayer vesicles assemble into SNAREpins-SNARE complexes linking two membranes. This leads to spontaneous fusion of the docked membranes at physiological temperature. Docked unfused intermediates can accumulate at lower temperatures and can fuse when brought to physiological temperature. A supply of unassembled v- and t-SNAREs is needed for these intermediates to form, but not for the fusion that follows. These data imply that SNAREpins are the minimal machinery for cellular membrane fusion.
Temperature-dependent beam-deflection spectroscopy of Ti 3+ -doped sapphire

Time-resolved temperature-dependent beam-deflection spectroscopy has been used to investigate Ti:sapphire. Signals produced by thermal and nonthermal changes in the index of refraction were observed. The temperature behavior of the thermal part of the signal is in agreement with a theoretical model that includes the temperature dependence of the thermal diffusivity D. To our knowledge this is the first time that temperature-dependent beam-deflection spectroscopy has been carried out down to 20 K.
Abstract 3754: DNA methylation in hepatocellular carcinoma

Proceedings: AACR 102nd Annual Meeting 2011‐‐ Apr 2‐6, 2011; Orlando, FL Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third most common cause of cancer death in the world. In the last three decades, HCC incidence has been increasing throughout the western world and research to uncover molecular mechanisms and markers of the disease has expanded. DNA methylation is a relevant molecular alteration in liver carcinogenesis. We carried out a retrospective study of 31 HCC cases to better understand the role of promoter methylation and global methylation changes in association with viral status, smoking exposure and other clinicopathological characteristics of HCC. Levels of DNA methylation were determined by pyrosequencing in DNA extracted from tumor and non-tumor adjacent tissue. We selected a panel of genes previously found to be implicated in epigenetic changes during liver carcinogenesis. The promoter regions of P16, APC, RASSF1A, CHGA and TP73 were investigated and the promoter region of the interspersed repetitive element LINE1 was used as a marker of global DNA methylation. We found statistically significant differences between the levels of DNA methylation in tumor and non-adjacent tumor tissue for P16, APC and TP73. Elevated methylation percentages were found for all markers in tumor tissue when compared to the corresponding non-tumor tissue DNA (P16tumor =35.9% vs. P16normal =4.9%, p 2 = 19.83% vs. CHGAgrade ≤2 = 22.11%, p=0.04). Our results suggest that smoking might affect epigenetic mechanisms involved in liver carcinogenesis, and revealed potentially new prognostic epigenetic markers. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3754. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-3754
Chiral Separations of Selected Pharmaceuticals on Avidin Column

An unexplored commercially available avidin protein column was investigated for chiral separation of selected pharmaceuticals. Mobile phase compositions such as pH, buffer strength, and organic mod...
Fluted formulas and the limits of decidability

In the predicate calculus, variables provide a flexible indexing service which selects the actual arguments to a predicate letter from among possible arguments that precede the predicate letter (in the parse of the formula). In the process of selection, the possible arguments can be permuted, repeated (used more than once), and skipped. If this service is withheld, so that arguments must be the immediately preceding ones, taken in the order in which they occur, the formula is said to be fluted . Quine showed that if a fluted formula contains only homogeneous conjunction (conjoins only subformulas of equal arity), then the satisfiability of the formula is decidable. It remained an open question whether the satisfiability of a fluted formula without this restriction is decidable. This paper answers that question.
Striped Bass: Environmental Risks in Fresh and Salt Water

At the 112th Annual meeting of the American Fisheries Society (AFS) at Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, the society held a 1-day symposium Striped Bass: Environmental Risks in Fresh and Salt Water. This issue of the Transactions contains some of the papers from that symposium. This symposium explored several hypotheses about sources of environmental risks that could cause problems for striped bass populations: (1) habitat squeeze on adults stemming from their thermal and dissolved oxygen requirements; (2) stress from toxic materials; and (3) meteorological controls of living space and food. A nonenvironmental factor, fishing pressure, also was raised as an alternative hypothesis.
Allogeneic IgG combined with dendritic cell stimuli induce antitumour T-cell immunity

Whereas cancers grow within host tissues and evade host immunity through immune-editing and immunosuppression, tumours are rarely transmissible between individuals. Much like transplanted allogeneic organs, allogeneic tumours are reliably rejected by host T cells, even when the tumour and host share the same major histocompatibility complex alleles, the most potent determinants of transplant rejection. How such tumour-eradicating immunity is initiated remains unknown, although elucidating this process could provide the basis for inducing similar responses against naturally arising tumours. Here we find that allogeneic tumour rejection is initiated in mice by naturally occurring tumour-binding IgG antibodies, which enable dendritic cells (DCs) to internalize tumour antigens and subsequently activate tumour-reactive T cells. We exploited this mechanism to treat autologous and autochthonous tumours successfully. Either systemic administration of DCs loaded with allogeneic-IgG-coated tumour cells or intratumoral injection of allogeneic IgG in combination with DC stimuli induced potent T-cell-mediated antitumour immune responses, resulting in tumour eradication in mouse models of melanoma, pancreas, lung and breast cancer. Moreover, this strategy led to eradication of distant tumours and metastases, as well as the injected primary tumours. To assess the clinical relevance of these findings, we studied antibodies and cells from patients with lung cancer. T cells from these patients responded vigorously to autologous tumour antigens after culture with allogeneic-IgG-loaded DCs, recapitulating our findings in mice. These results reveal that tumour-binding allogeneic IgG can induce powerful antitumour immunity that can be exploited for cancer immunotherapy.
Ballet in Western Culture: A History of Its Origins and Evolution

Dance literature is enriched with the publication of this comprehensive presentation of the evolution and development of classical dance. With 'Ballet in Western culture', Carol Lee has distilled and integrated an enormous and diverse amount of historical, biographical, and artistic information with precision and clarity. The fascinating story of ballet is told anew with the insight of one who has spent a lifetime dancing herself. The author illuminates the many periods of dance, each in its historical setting, eloquently linking the ages from antiquity to present. Her colorful treatment of medieval and Renaissance dancing as expressions of society and politics is both informative and factual." -- P. ix. Comprend une bibliographie. Comprend un index. Comprend un glossaire et une chronologie.
Repeated toxic injury of peritoneum: accumulation of toxicity and adaptation to injury

In order to develop new methods for the study of pathogenesis of post-injury fibroplasia, a rat model of chemical peritonitis was explored. Sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) of various concentrations was injected intraperitoneally one or more times using different intervals between doses. Some time later, the surface fibrosis of liver, spleen, omentum and other abdominal organs was evaluated. A dose-response relation at intermediate concentrations and an apparent threshold at low concentrations were observed. Fibroplasia was increased by repeated doses (accumulation) but it was ameliorated compared to the same total amount of chemical given as a single injection (adaptation during repeated dosing). The rapid disappearance of the chemical irritant and the large size and easy accessibility of the peritoneal cavity suggest that this model may be useful in further study of chemical toxicity and fibroplasia in relation to human fibrosing diseases and injuries (trauma, surgery, peritoneal dialysis). The model has the unique feature of evaluating the morphological effects of the toxic injury and secondary functional effects at the same time.
Orion: scaling genomic sequence matching with fine-grained parallelization

Gene sequencing instruments are producing huge volumes of data, straining the capabilities of current database searching algorithms and hindering efforts of researchers analyzing large collections of data to obtain greater insights. In the space of parallel genomic sequence search, most of the popular software packages, like mpiBLAST, use the database segmentation approach, wherein the entire database is sharded and searched on different nodes. However this approach does not scale well with the increasing length of individual query sequences as well as the rapid growth in size of sequence databases. In this paper, we propose a fine-grained parallelism technique, called Orion, that divides the input query into an adaptive number of fragments and shards the database. Our technique achieves higher parallelism (and hence speedup) and load balancing than database sharding alone, while maintaining 100% accuracy. We show that it is 12.3X faster than mpiBLAST for solving a relevant comparative genomics problem.
Waves on vortex cores

Abstract Here we discuss the types of waves which can be supported on compact regions of vorticity. This is a subject first studied by Lord Kelvin for waves propagating along the vortex lines of the Rankine and hollow-core vorticity distributions. Kelvin's major interest was in the stability of vortex rings and the numerous resurgencies in interest have usually been driven by practically important phenomena, e.g., the observations of vortex breakdown and waves on tornado and aircraft vortices in the early 1960's and more recently in technologically and geophysically significant flows and on the quantised vortices of super fluid HeII. The major wave-types of interest are of varicose, helicoidal and fluted form and represent a periodic swelling and contraction, a bending and a “krinkling” of the core, respectively. The first two propagate along and the third around the vortex lines. All have been studied theoretically, experimentally and numerically in the limit of small wave amplitude and their major characteristics are now clear. Of particular interest is the extension of these results to the non-linear regime in which case the two first types are known to exhibit solitary wave or soliton characteristics in certain parameter ranges. It is these non-linear waves which often dominate observations of vortex flows both in nature and in technological applications and which have caused much controversy in the interpretation of results found under complex circumstances of flow and apparatus geometry.
The microstructure of hydrogen sulphide flames

Abstract Flat hydrogen sulphideoxygen flames were probed with the aid of a mass spectrometer and a refined micro-collection and analysis procedure, allowing profiles to be developed for sulphur monoxide, sulphur dioxide and sulphur trioxide formation. Kinetic analysis of the profiles yields a consistent mechanism for the stepwise oxidation of hydrogen sulphide through SO, SO2 and SO3. An unusual formation of SO3 occurs in the pre-flame region as a consequence of SO oxidation. This pre-flame SO3 is rapidly reduced in the flame and subsequently is re-formed in appreciable quantities in the post-flame region as a consequence of the oxygen-atom oxidation of SO2. The data allow estimation of the levels of O, H, OH and SH in the flame, as well as many rate constants. Taking the activation energy from other work, the rate constant for SO3 formation, SO2+O+M⇆SO3+M, is k=2·22×1015exp(−6000/RT)cm6mole−2sec−1
Wear-Rate Uncertainty Analysis

Wear due to relative motion between component surfaces is one of the primary modes of failure for many engineered systems. Unfortunately, it is difficult to accurately predict component life due to wear as reported wear rates generally exhibit large scatter. This paper analyzes a reciprocating tribometer in an attempt to understand the instrument-related sources of the scatter in measured wear rates. To accomplish this, an uncertainty analysis is completed for wear-rate testing of a commercially available virgin polytetrafluoroethylene pin on 347 stainless steel counterface. It is found that, for the conditions selected in this study, the variance in the experimental data can be traced primarily to the experimental apparatus and procedure. Namely, the principal uncertainty sources were found to be associated with the sample mass measurement and volume determination.
Simulating operations in financial service systems

Abstract Modeling the operations of financial service systems is complicated by organizational complexity, a large volume of transactions, and disparities in activity delays that range from a few minutes to several weeks. This paper describes simulation modeling techniques that have been applied in modeling a financial service company. The simulation maintains modularly defined model components and multiple levels of model aggregation in an integrated database. Different views of the system may be extracted from the database according to a user's decision-making requirements and desired view of the system. Experiments with different levels of aggregation show the characteristics of system operations in data-driven service systems and suggest system management strategies.
Cdi1, a human G1 and S phase protein phosphatase that associates with Cdk2

We used the interaction trap, a yeast genetic selection for interacting proteins, to isolate human cyclin-dependent kinase interactor 1 (Cdi1). In yeast, Cdi1 interacts with cyclin-dependent kinases, including human Cdc2, Cdk2, and Cdk3, but not with Ckd4. In HeLa cells, Cdi1 is expressed at the G1 to S transition, and the protein forms stable complexes with Cdk2. Cdi1 bears weak sequence similarity to known tyrosine and dual specificity phosphatases. In vitro, Cdi1 removes phosphate from tyrosine residues in model substrates, but a mutant protein that bears a lesion in the putative active site cysteine does not. Overexpression of wild-type Cdi1 delays progression through the cell cycle in yeast and HeLa cells; delay is dependent on Cdi1 phosphatase activity. These experiments identify Cdi1 as a novel type of protein phosphatase that forms complexes with cyclin-dependent kinases.
Effect of certain physical factors on the in vitro testing of anthelmintics.

Although certain investigators have done much to destroy confidence in the value of in vitro methods of testing anthelmintics by drawing too sweeping conclusions from uncontrolled experiments, these methods are of value and were used successfully by Lamson et al.1 in their studies on the alkyl resorcinols. These studies have resulted in the establishment of hexyl resorcinol as an effective as-caricide of relatively low toxicity. This method of in vitro testing of ascaricides is described elsewhere,2 but there remains for discussion certain physical factors which must be guarded against if reliable results are to be obtained.As Lo Monaco3 has already shown with santonin, an undissolved excess of the drug must be present in the testing solution for the best results, but he makes no mention of the effect of the physical state of the excess. However, a solid excess is far less effective than a liquid excess as will be shown. If certain substances, such as heptyl resorcinol, are allowed to stand for sometime i...
The Goldilocks problem and extended cognition

According to the hypothesis of extended cognition (HEC), parts of the extrabodily world can constitute cognitive operations. I argue that the debate over HEC should be framed as a debate over the location and bounds of cognitive systems. The ''Goldilocks problem'' is how to demarcate these systems in a way that is neither too restrictive nor too permissive. I lay out a view of systems demarcation on which cognitive systems are sets of mechanisms for producing cognitive processes that are bounded by transducers and effectors: structures that turn physical stimuli into representations, and representations into physical effects. I show how the transducer-effector view can stop the problem of uncontrolled cognitive spreading that faces HEC, and illustrate its advantages relative to other views of system individuation. Finally, I argue that demarcating systems by transducers and effectors is not question-begging in the context of a debate over HEC.
L1-norm pre-analysis measures for geodetic networks

Several pre-analysis measures which help to expose the behavior of L1 -norm minimization solutions are described. The pre-analysis measures are primarily based on familiar elements of the linear programming solution to L1-norm minimization, such as slack variables and the reduced-cost vector. By examining certain elements of the linear programming solution in a probabilistic light, it is possible to derive the cumulative distribution function (CDF) associated with univariate L1-norm residuals. Unlike traditional least squares (LS) residual CDFs, it is found that L1-norm residual CDFs fail to follow the normal distribution in general, and instead are characterized by both discrete and continuous (i.e. piecewise) segments. It is also found that an L1 equivalent to LS redundancy numbers exists and that these L1 equivalents are a byproduct of the univariate L1 univariate residual CDF. Probing deeper into the linear programming solution, it is found that certain combinations of observations which are capable of tolerating large-magnitude gross errors can be predicted by comprehensively tabulating the signs of slack variables associated with the L1 residuals. The developed techniques are illustrated on a two-dimensional trilateration network.
Clinical characteristics of 852 patients with subacute thyroiditis before treatment

Objective Subacute thyroiditis (SAT) is a transient inflammatory disease of the thyroid. We evaluated the clinical characteristics based on laboratory and imaging studies in patients with SAT before treatment. Patients We reviewed the medical records of 852 patients (107 men and 745 women) with SAT who visited our thyroid clinic at Kuma Hospital from 1996 through 2004. Results SAT developed most often in female patients aged 40 to 50 years, with significant seasonal clusters during summer to early autumn. While the rates of any virus infections and diseases did not differ from those in the general population, recurrent episodes of SAT at intervals of 13.6±5.6 years accounted for 1.6% of all cases. At the onset of SAT, 28.2% of patients had temperatures greater than 38°C and typical symptoms associated with thyrotoxicosis developed in more than 60% of patients. Before treatment, most of the abnormal laboratory findings associated with thyrotoxicosis, inflammation, and liver dysfunction reached peak levels within 1 week after onset. Ultrasound examination showed that half of the patients with unilateral thyroid pain presented with bilateral hypoechogenic area in the thyroid and the rate of bilateral hypoechogenic area tended to increase 2 months after onset. Conclusion Laboratory studies of thyroid dysfunction and inflammation related to SAT presented peak levels within 1 week after onset.
Dry Matter Yields of Cool-Season Grass Monocultures and Grass–Alfalfa Binary Mixtures

Cultivars used in grass-alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) mixtures for hay production in the semiarid Northern Great Plains have often lacked long-term productivity. This study was conducted to compare dry matter (DM) yields of grass monocultures and grass-alfalfa binary mixtures receiving annual applications of 0 and 50 kg N ha -1 over a 5-yr period. Reliant' and Manska' intermediate wheatgrass [Thino-pyrum intermedium (Host) Barkw. and Dewey], Lincoln' smooth bromegrass (Bromus inermis Leyss.), Nordan' crested wheatgrass [Agropyron desertorum (Fisch.) Schult.], Lodorm' green needlegrass (Stipa viridula Trin.), and Dacotah' switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) were seeded in monoculture and in binary mixtures with Rangelander' alfalfa [Medicago sativa subsp. x varia (Martyn) Arcang.] on a Parshall fine sandy loam (coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid, Pachic Haplustolls) near Mandan, ND. Plant stands of green needlegrass and switchgrass were inadequate, and yields were not measured. Total seasonal DM yields from two cuttings averaged 8.74 and 2.71 Mg ha -1 , respectively, for grass-alfalfa mixtures and grass monocultures at 0 kg N ha -1 . At 50 kg N ha -1 , grass-alfalfa mixtures and grass monocultures averaged 8.72 and 5.04 Mg ha -1 DM yield, respectively. Yields of the grass component of first cut grass-alfalfa mixtures averaged 35% of total yield for intermediate wheatgrass, 33% of total yield for smooth bromegrass, and 30% of total yield for crested wheatgrass in the fifth production year. Cultivars included in this study, except those of green needlegrass and switchgrass, would be suited for use in binary grass-alfalfa mixtures for dryland hay production in the Northern Great Plains.
Application of gas chromatography/mass spectrometry to steroid analysis in equine sports: Problems with enzyme hydrolysis†

In steroid analysis in biological fluids, cleavage of conjugates is an essential step which can be achieved by either enzymatic or chemical hydrolysis. Where conjugation with both glucuronic acid and sulphate occurs, then the use of the enzyme preparation from Helix pomatia, containing both β-glucuronidase and aryl sulphatase activities, would appear to be advantageous. However, it has been shown that the sulphatase enzymes of Helix pomatia do not hydrolyse 17β-sulphates and that other enzymatic activities also present in the preparation can give rise to artefact formation with certain steroids. The artefacts produced from incubation of dehydroisoandrosterone with the enzyme preparation from Helix pomatia have been identified by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) as androst-4-ene-3,17-dione, androsta-4,6-diene-3,17-dioue, androst-4-ene-3,6,17-trione and 6-hydroxyandrost-4-ene-3,17-dione. Incubation of androst-5-ene-3,17-diol produced a similar series of compounds with a 17-hydroxy function. Semi-quantitative GC/MS analysis has been used to determine the extent of these transformations in the presence of increasing amounts of the Helix pomatia preparation. Quantitative conversion in buffer can be obtained but the results from incubation in urine showed a marked modifying effect with minimal artefact formation. The enzyme preparation from Escherichia coli does not yield any artefacts and results are presented for the optimization of its use in the hydrolysis of the glucuronic acid conjugate of 5α-estrane-3β,17α-diol, the major metabolite of nandrolone in the horse.
Correlations between measures of atherosclerosis change using carotid ultrasonography and coronary angiography

Few studies have examined the correlation between change in carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT) and change in coronary artery disease. In the Cholesterol Lowering Atherosclerosis Study, current nonsmoking men with coronary artery disease were randomized to colestipol-niacin or placebo. Among 133 subjects with baseline and on-trial coronary angiography and carotid ultrasonography, colestipol-niacin treatment significantly reduced progression of atherosclerosis by both end point measures (2-year average change in percent diameter stenosis by coronary angiography and rate of change in carotid IMT). Significant correlations between change in common carotid artery IMT and quantitative coronary angiographic measures of change were evident over all coronary artery lesions, and in mild:moderate (B 50% diameter stenosis), but not severe (] 50% diameter stenosis) coronary artery lesions. In mild:moderate lesions, correlations with change in common carotid IMT were: percent diameter stenosis (r0.28, P0.002), minimum lumen diameter (r 0.28, P 0.002), and vessel edge roughness (r0.25, P0.003). While measures obtained by carotid ultrasonography and coronary angiography are correlated, they each assess different aspects of atherosclerosis change. © 2000 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
Staining of oligodendroglia with silver ammino tungstate in unembedded and embedded material.

Specimens of brain or spinal cord fixed in formalin, Cajal's formol-bromide, or Koenig, Groat and Windle's formalin-acacia can be used to stain oligodendrocytes in frozen, in paraffin, or in celloidin sections. The sections are soaked 3-5 min in 0.02% acetic acid, pH 3.4, then rinsed 2-3 sec in 3% H2O2 and transferred to a silver bath prepared as follows: Mix equal parts of 10% AgNO3 and 10% Na2WO4, and dissolve the precipitate with concentrated NH4OH; avoid an excess of ammonia. Silver at room temperature for 15-20 sec, develop in 1% formalin, dehydrate, and mount. For embedded material, prepare a mixture consisting of 1 part of 10% aqueous Aerosol MA and 4 parts of 10% Aerosol OT in 95% alcohol. Add 5 drops of this mixture to each 50 ml of dilute acetic acid and 3% H2O2; 5 drops to each 20 ml of the silver bath.
Between Autobiography and Fiction: Thomas Mann's Die Entstehung des Doktor Faustus: Roman eines Romans

In 1949, two years after the appearance of Doktor Faustus, Thomas Mann published a roughly 150-page account of the novel’s genesis, which he titled: Die Entstehung des Doktor Faustus: Roman eines Romans. On the surface, this text appears to be an autobiographical record of the four years that he spent working on the novel. With the aid of his journals from the period, Mann seeks to reconstruct, “die Geschichte des Faustus, eingebettet wie sie ist in den Drang und Tumult der auseren Ereignisse” (GW 11: 148).1 Such “tumultuous events” include his bouts with various illnesses and the ongoing war in Europe, which he followed closely in the news. Despite the countless autobiographical details provided in the Entstehung, the secondary title that Mann chose, Roman eines Romans, suggests more than just a factual memoir. The implication of this subtitle is that the Entstehung can also be read as a work of literature in its own right and perhaps as a kind of “metanovel”: that is, as a text that reflects not only on the making of its specific predecessor, Doktor Faustus, but also on the transcendental question of the novel as a literary genre. Taking the subtitle, Roman eines Romans, as a cue, the present interpretation of Die Entstehung des Doktor Faustus explores the aesthetic dimension of this so-called “novel,” probing its taxonomic limits and relating it to Mann’s own view of what constitutes modern literature. Mann in effect constructs a thematically coherent work that transcends autobiography and approaches fiction, a work in which he himself functions as both reflected character and reflective narrator. The amount of scholarship devoted to the Entstehung is negligible compared to the critical interest in Doktor Faustus. The fact that Mann’s thematically and stylistically complex Faust epic, which he conceived as no less than “den Roman meiner Epoche” (GW 11: 169), should overshadow the relatively prosaic narrative of its genesis is hardly surprising. In fact, almost all discussions of the Entstehung occur only marginally in analyses of Faustus. The main question put to the former text concerns Mann’s motivation for writing it in the first place. Mann claimed that the impetus behind the book was to give credit to Theodor Adorno, whose
Analysis of Involvement of the RecF Pathway in p44 Recombination in Anaplasma phagocytophilum and in Escherichia coli by Using a Plasmid Carrying the p44 Expression and p44 Donor Loci

Anaplasma phagocytophilum, the etiologic agent of human granulocytic anaplasmosis, has a large paralog cluster (approximate 90 members) that encodes the 44-kDa major outer membrane proteins (P44s). Gene conversion at a single p44 expression locus leads to P44 antigenic variation. Homologs of genes for the RecA-dependent RecF pathway, but not the RecBCD or RecE pathways, of recombination were detected in the A. phagocytophilum genome. In the present study, we examined whether the RecF pathway is involved in p44 gene conversion. The recombination intermediate structure between a donor p44 and the p44 expression locus of A. phagocytophilum was detected in an HL-60 cell culture by Southern blot analysis followed by sequencing the band and in blood samples from infected SCID mice by PCR, followed by sequencing. The sequences were consistent with the RecF pathway recombination: a half-crossover structure, consisting of the donor p44 locus connected to the 3′ conserved region of the recipient p44 in the p44 expression locus in direct orientation. To determine whether the p44 recombination intermediate structure can be generated in a RecF-active Escherichia coli strain, we constructed a double-origin plasmid carrying the p44 expression locus and a donor p44 locus and introduced the plasmid into various E. coli strains. The recombination intermediate was recovered in an E. coli strain with active RecF recombination pathway but not in strains with deficient RecF pathway. Our results support the view that the p44 gene conversion in A. phagocytophilum occurs through the RecF pathway.
Centennial perspectives on China’s 1911 Revolution

Both within and beyond China, contemporary reflections on the end of two millennia of imperial rule in China frequently focus upon the failure of the new republic to form a strong state and an effective parliamentary form of representative government. For many the agenda for political change in China today is traced back to unfulfilled opportunities in the past. This presentation suggests another set of perspectives that asks what political challenges were met in order to create a state ruling almost all the territory of the former empire, a transition unusual if not unique in the world history of empires, and how the manner in which those challenges were met influences the kinds of problems and possibilities China faces a century after the end of the last dynasty.
Crash Rates and Traffic Maneuvers of Younger Drivers

Although the population of younger drivers has decreased over recent decades, their crash rates have increased. Research has associated their higher crash rates with societal influences and youthful behavior. Research was conducted to identify the specific driving maneuvers of which unsuccessful undertaking results in specific types of crashes involving younger drivers. Four types of crashes were identified as the most prominent for young drivers: intersection, rear end, passing, and single vehicle. The analysis was performed by examining the Kentucky crash database for the 1994-1996 period by using the quasi-induced exposure method. The results showed that for all crashes, there is a general trend of decreasing involvement with increasing age, which indicates that these drivers' inexperience is the largest single contributor to their increased crash rates. Of significance is that for all crashes, a dramatic decrease of involvement after the first year of driving between the ages of 16 and 17 is observed. This may be indicative of a steep learning curve in the first years of driving regarding the ability to control a vehicle. Therefore, little can be done to improve this phenomenon. Increasing awareness among young drivers about these issues and their likely crash involvement appears to be the only viable approach. However, preliminary efforts from the graduated license program show that some trends have been reduced, indicating a possible influence on the crash rates of young drivers.
Mitigating the effects of high-head dams on the Columbia River, USA: experience from the trenches

Worldwide, humans have tremendously altered freshwater ecosystems and arguably, construction of dams has had the greatest effect. Maintaining natural ecological processes and developing mitigation strategies that will maintain species while retaining dam benefits is challenging. In the Columbia River, USA, over the last 30 years more than US$7 billion has been spent on efforts to save historically large runs of salmon. These efforts have included improving passage conditions at dams through construction of efficient fish ladders for adult salmon, effective fish passage facilities for downstream migrating juvenile salmon, voluntarily spilling water to decrease the number of downstream migrants that pass through turbines, modifying dam operations to provide more constant flow and providing additional flow from storage reservoirs to create more natural flow through areas inundated by dams. Construction of hatcheries to offset losses in habitat for wild fish has also occurred. Further, for salmon from the Snake River, the largest tributary to the Columbia River, a large percent of juvenile salmon smolts are collected at upstream dams and transported in barges to the lower river to avoid passage through dams, turbines, and reservoirs. Experiences in the Columbia River suggest that the sum of all of these actions may keep salmon stocks from going extinct, but the technological fixes will not likely provide complete mitigation for altered freshwater ecosystems.
CORRELATIONS BETWEEN RECOVERY KINETICS AND SKELETAL MUSCLE GENE EXPRESSION IN SYSTOLIC HEART FAILURE

Results: 70 male patients were studied (31 HF and 39 controls). Both Δmin1VO2 (2.43±2.3 vs. 7.3±5 mlO2•kg-1•min-1; p<0.0001) and Δmin2VO2 (7.8±4 vs. 15.2±7.3 mlO2•kg-1•min-1; p<0.0001) were lower in HF. Genes induced in atrophying muscle negatively correlated with 2-minute recovery kinetics in controls, meanwhile this association was not observed in HF (Table). Genes suppressed in atrophying muscle correlated with recovery kinetics in HF but not controls. Conclusions: Recovery from exercise is associated with divergent programs of skeletal muscle adaptation in the healthy state compared to HF.
The SBW--MATLAB interface

Summary: The SBW--MATLAB Interface allows MATLAB users to take advantage of the wide variety of tools available through SBW, the Systems Biology Workbench (Sauro et al. (2003) OMICS, 7, 355--372). It also enables MATLAB users to themselves create SBW-enabled tools which can be freely distributed. Availability: The software is available for download from the author's web page at http://www.public.kgi.edu/~cwellock/. Source code is available as well; the software is released under an MIT (open-source) license. Contact: [email protected]