cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Infectious causes of chronic disease: from hypothesis to proof.

The initial proof of an infectious organism’s causal link to a chronic disease often meets resistance to acceptance and requires several years of research by various teams of researchers to isolate the organism, develop a reliable clinical test, and document the association of the organism with human disease through clinical studies. Thus, identifying the “best practices” behind successful medical documentation of infectious etiologies of chronic disease will help streamline and, it is hoped, expedite the success of the process. In fact, there is more than passive resistance to studies of possible infectious causes of chronic disease. Infectious diseases are often clinically identified based on characteristic signs of acute infection, although clearly noninfectious diseases can closely mimic the signs of infectious diseases (e.g., allergic drug reactions). Some researchers who have proposed connecting a new infectious agent to a chronic disease have taken the drastic step of testing the final proof of Koch’s postulates on themselves, including inducing ulcers by swallowing Helicobacter pylori or self-inducing (fatal) yellow fever through exposure to infected mosquitoes to test a vector hypothesis. The combination of creative, novel thinking and essential but-not-very-glamorous rigorous diagnostic test development (e.g., assay validation and standards) makes the pursuit of infectious etiologies for chronic diseases an exciting yet challenging pursuit.
The condensation of aldehydes with amides

m-Hydroxybenzaldehyde condenses when heated alone with propionamide, benzamide and phenylacetamide, giving correspondingm-hydroxy-benzylideneamides, which have been described. No condensation product was obtained with acetamide or formamide.
Dual graphs of exceptional divisors

Let p be a singular point of a variety. Consider a resolution where the preimage of p is a simple normal crossing divisor E. The combinatorial structure of E is described by a cell complex D(E), called the dual graph or dual complex of E. It is known that the homotopy type of D(E) depends only on p, not on the resolution chosen. We prove that this homotopy type can be arbitrary. We also describe which homotopy types can be obtained from rational singularities.
Searching for Extrasolar Life with Space Telescopes

Telescopes placed above the earth’s atmosphere could obtain resolved images of planets around nearby stars. Given sufficiently large and accurate mirrors, even planets as small as the earth and as close to the star as the earth is to the sun could be distinguished. With a resolved image, the planets atmosphere could be studied by spectroscopic analysis. If, as on the earth, there are photosynthesizing organisms, then oxygen features would be expected in the spectrum along with those of water and carbon dioxide.
Early history of the Juglandaceae

The major radiation of the Juglandaceae occurred during the early Tertiary as recorded by the proliferation of juglandaceous pollen and the appearance of fruits representing extinct and extant genera of the family. Juglandaceous pollen types of the Paleocene were predominantly triporate and exhibited a greater diversity in patterns of exinous thinning than occurs in the family today. Analyses of in situ pollen from early Tertiary juglandaceous inflorescences confirms the taxonomic value of certain patterns of exinous thinning. Data from co-occurring fruits and pollen indicate that relatively unspecialized, isopolar triporate pollen of the type presently confined to the tribe Engelhardieae also occurred in other tribes of the family during the Paleocene. Pollination has been mostly anemophilous throughout the Tertiary. Both wind and animal fruit-dispersal syndromes were established early in the radiation of the family but a greater diversity of wind-dispersed genera has prevailed.
Conceptual Model for Partnership and Sustainability in Global Health

Although nursing has a long history of service to the global community, the profession lacks a theoretical and empirical base for nurses to frame their global practice. A study using grounded theory methodology to investigate partnership and sustainability for global health led to the development of a conceptual model. Interviews were conducted with 13 global health nurse experts. Themes from the interviews were: components for engagement, mutual goal setting, cultural bridging, collaboration, capacity building, leadership, partnership, ownership, and sustainability. Next, the identified themes were reviewed in the literature in order to evaluate their conceptual relationships. Finally, careful comparison of the interview transcripts and the supporting literature led to the Conceptual Framework for Partnership and Sustainability in Global Health Nursing. The model posits that engagement and partnership must precede any planning and intervention in order to create sustainable interventions. This conceptual framework will offer nurses important guidance for global health nursing practice.
Do you know who I am? Exploring identity and privacy

Identity underpins and shapes privacy. This paper explores some of the points of intersection and issues that emerge in the identity-privacy nexus. Personal identity is at the heart of what it means to be human, and that identity is contextual and shifts subtlely over time. At an applied level, identity-related issues pose practical challenges for government and business in seeking to define and place controls over personal identity. Technology also raises both problems and solutions for personal identity. To what extent can individuals maintain control over their "digital shadow" - or is it just a case of what goes around, sticks around. A growing surveillance society and demands for increased security throw down some of the greatest challenges for privacy and identity management
Advances in Solidification Processing

Melt solidification is the shortest and most viable route to obtain components, starting from the design to the finished products. Hence, a sound knowledge of the solidification of metallic materials is essential for the development of advanced structural metallic components that drive modern technological societies. As a result, there have been innumerable efforts and full conferences dedicated to this important subject [1–6]. In addition, there are various scientific journals fully devoted to investigating the various aspects which give rise to various solidification microstructures [7–9]. [...]
The activity of membrane bound enzymes in muscular dystrophic chicks.

TISSUES from patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy1 (DMD) as well as animals with similar inherited2 or experimentally produced3 disorders have been shown to undergo significant changes in the amount and composition of their membrane lipids. Most pronounced are the increases in cholesterol and sphingomyelin and the decrease in phosphatidyl choline levels. Functional anomalies observed in this disease, such as the impairment in sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium uptake4 or the changes in the ATPase activity of the sarcolemma5, can be related to the lipid disorder.
Modelling and Analysis of Heterarchical Manufacturing Systems Using Discontinuous Differential Equations

Abstract Heterarchical manufacturing systems with distributed arrival time control provide robustness by adapting to disturbances in real time without explicit notification and compensation. Part processing discontinuously couples entities in these systems and makes their behavior highly nonlinear. Discontinuous differential equations that model the dynamics of a multitude of highly distributed part arrival time controllers can be solved using a method due to Filippov, resulting in closed-form equations that characterize system dynamics and convergence. The global performance of the distributed arrival time control is found to compare favorably with dispatching rules currently used in industry.
The Man Who Never Returned From War: Considerations on Trauma Theory and History in Rebecca West’s The Return of the Soldier

This paper aims at analyzing the effects of trauma and history in Rebecca West’s novel The Return of The Soldier (1918) and, more specifically, how men and women got equally affected by trauma in the First War. Chris Baldry returns from the battlegrounds affected by shell-shock disorder and his traumatic amnesia prevents him from recollecting what his life was like before the War. The three women living in his house (his wife, whom he no longer recognizes; Chris’s ex-lover, Margaret, who still loves him, and his cousin, Jenny). In fact, Chris’s debilitated mental health comes as a shock to the three women in his life. The drama lived by these three women grows out of proportion as the psychiatrist, Dr. Anderson, intervenes in favor of recovering his patient’s “complete case of amnesia” and leads a trial-like interrogation of Baldry’s pre-war life. Their confessions generate hostility, but, rather than dividing the group of women, they promote reflection on the frailty and vulnerability of men. In symbolic terms, the house where the three women live represents a kind of “laboratory” from which they observe war and formulate their views of it. Through the complex psychological interplay among the women living under the same roof, war is shown from the “home front.” It may also be said that the three women act as listeners and, in so doing, they may offer considerable help towards Chris’s possible recovery.
Underutilization of Physical and Mental Health Services Prior to Nursing Home Admission

The authors interviewed the families of 420 nursing home admissions to examine the relationship between patients' need for nursing and mental health services and their use of these services prior to nursing home placement. Although the majority of demented and nondemented patients needed help with activities of daily living, and many needed help with behavioral disorders, fewer than one-third of the families of these patients used community nursing and mental health services for these problems. Increased awareness of the potential value of and improved access to these services may postpone or prevent nursing home placement.
On-line mixing during injection and simultaneous curing in liquid composite molding processes

Liquid composite molding (LCM) processes such as resin transfer molding (RTM) and vacuum assisted RTM (VARTM) are used to manufacture high quality and net-shape fiber reinforced composite parts. All LCM processes impregnate fiber preforms packed in a mold cavity with a thermoset resin. After the preform is fully saturated, the injection is discontinued but the resin continues to cure. Once the curing step is complete, the part is de-molded. The resin has to be mixed with a curing agent to cure. Typically, the resin and the curing agent are mixed together in a pressure pot before the injection. This has several disadvantages, such as storage of large amounts of hazardous polymerizing resin, wastage, and cleaning of cured resin from the injection line. This paper proposes the implementation and calibration of an alternative to this technique. The approach is to mix the curing agent with the resin as the resin enters the mold through a separate system featuring two feed-lines. Such a system will enable one to maintain a uniform gel time throughout the part by varying the mixing ratio of resin and the catalyst during the injection. An experimental study of such on-line mixing to obtain simultaneous curing and to reduce the overall curing time is conducted and presented in this paper. Implementation of a control scheme that varies the curing agent during injection and its effect on cure time is benchmarked with the process in which the percentage of curing agent is held constant. The gel time for the fabricated parts was reduced by 20–25% by continuously varying the percentage of curing agent during injection. POLYM. COMPOS., 26:74–83, 2005. © 2004 Society of Plastics Engineers
The effects of aging and oxidative stress on learning behavior in C. elegans

Oxidative stress is associated with age-related declines of biological functions. However, the nervous system is preserved during aging in Caenorhabditis elegans and, thus, it is not well explored whether aging and oxidative stress affect nervous functions. Here we report that age-related decline can be observed in a type of associative-learning behavior, referred to as isothermal tracking. We also report the effects of mutants with altered sensitivity to oxidative stress on learning behavior and motor activity in young adults. The isp-1 and clk-1 mutants are members of the Clk class of mutants and have deficits in the function of the mitochondrial respiratory chain, leading to reduced levels of oxidative stress, increased longevity, delayed rhythmic behaviors and other phenotypes. Both the Clk mutations and pretreatment with a metabolic antioxidant, α-lipoic acid (LA), increased the ability to show isothermal tracking and modestly reduced motor activity. Mutants with increased oxidative stress showed severely impaired learning behavior and modestly reduced motor activity. Therefore, physiological levels of oxidative stress may be too high for learning behavior but, perhaps, not for motor activity. We discuss the relevance of oxidative stress to the aging and evolution of behaviors.
Production of Diamond-Like Carbon Films by Plasma Source Ion Implantation

In addition to being successfully used for ion implantation, the plasma source ion implantation (PSII) technique has been used to produce diamond-like carbon films. Homogeneous, adherent films were obtained on silicon and stainless steel substrates under 2 kV pulse bias voltages and 50 mtorr methane plasma pressure. Chemical composition analysis was made using Auger electron microscopy. Fretting wear tests and scratch tests were performed to study the tribological and adherent properties. Cross sectional TEM samples were prepared. The interfacial microstrucutres and chemical compositions were analyzed using transmission electron microscopy and scanning transmission electron microscopy.
The effect of test variability on the structure–function relationship in early glaucoma

To determine whether the weakness of the structure–function relationship could be produced by test variability alone, without implying underlying dissociation between the true rates of structural and functional change. Perimetric mean deviation (MD), and rim area (RA) and cup volume (CV) from confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscopy, over six visits, were taken from 166 eyes of 92 participants with high-risk ocular hypertension or suspected/early glaucoma in the Portland Progression Project. Models were created of each measure’s variability. A further model predicted the rate of functional change from the rate of structural change. These were used to generate realistic simulated sequences of both functional and structural data with different standard deviations σ between the underlying rates of change. ‘Observed’ structure–function relationships were calculated. An empirical p-value was derived, equaling the proportion of simulated series for which the ‘observed’ structure–function dissociation was greater than that seen in patient data. The correlation between the rates of structural (RA) and functional (MD) change was 0.171, consistent with σ < 0.02 dB/yr. Using CV, the correlation was −0.091, consistent with σ < 0.01 dB/yr. By comparison, the models predicted that the standard deviation of the rate of functional change for a healthy eye due to test variability would be 0.18 dB/yr. Test variability is sufficiently large that realistic patient data can be simulated without requiring a large variability between the underlying rates of structural and functional change. This absence of implied dissociation is a necessary condition for it to be valid to combine structural and functional measures to improve estimates of functional change and/or to reduce perimetric variability.
Hemicellulose-B from commercial pineapple juice underflow

After a series of extractions and separations, hemicellulose B was one of several by-products composed mainly of pulp and usually disposed of from a cannery. The recovery of hemicellulose B was about 10%, dry weight. A water-soluble fraction was prepared free of insect fragments. Further studies were made to compare the effectiveness of enzyme hydrolysis vs acid hydrolysis of hemicellulose B and to elucidate its composition. Results showed Rhozyme HP-150 to be more effective than Pectinol 10M or 1.OM H/sub 2/SO/sub 4/ in hydrolyzing the pineapple hemicellulose B. The hydrolyzate contained pentoses and hexoses approximately in a 1:1 ratio. The sugars were: arabinose 8.5, ribose 11.0, xylose 35.0, mannose 9.2, galactose 23.6, and glucose 12.7% average by weight. The hemicellulose B has potential use as a thickener in syrups and beverages.
Noisy Silencing of Chromatin

Chromatin-based repression is a major mechanism for epigenetically heritable variation. Work in the July 21 issue of Molecular Cell quantitatively examines transcriptional silencing in individual yeast cells, demonstrating locus-specific effects and finding that different silencing mutants exhibit qualitatively distinct single-cell defects.
Lithographically-defined gain apertures within selectively oxidized VCSELs

Summary form only given.Selectively oxidized vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSELs) have demonstrated record performance such as low threshold current/voltage, high efficiency, and high-speed modulation characteristics. Because of the strong index confinement created by buried oxide layers used to define the laser cavity, oxidized VCSELs typically operate in multiple transverse optical modes, whereas single-mode operation is required for many VCSEL applications. One approach to discriminate against higher-order optical modes is to define a small gain region within a larger diameter cavity. We report on high-performance gain-apertured selectively oxidized VCSELs, which exhibit high single-mode operation as high as 3 m with side mode suppression ratios>30 dB.
Nature of methamphetamine-induced rapid and reversible changes in dopamine transporters

Abstract The nature of methamphetamine-induced rapid and transient decreases in dopamine transporter activity was investigated. Regional specificity was demonstrated, since [ 3 H ] dopamine uptake was decreased in synaptosomes prepared from the striatum, but not nucleus accumbens, of methamphetamine-treated rats. Differences among effects on dopamine transporter activity and ligand binding were also observed, since a single methamphetamine administration decreased [ 3 H ] dopamine uptake without altering [ 3 H ] WIN 35428 ( [ 3 H ] (−)-2-β-carbomethoxy-3-β-(4-fluorophenyl)tropane 1,5-naphthalenedisulfonate) binding in synaptosomes prepared 1 h after injection. Moreover, multiple methamphetamine injections caused a greater decrease in [ 3 H ] dopamine uptake than [ 3 H ] WIN 35428 binding in synaptosomes prepared 1 h after dosing. Finally, decreases in [ 3 H ] dopamine uptake, but not [ 3 H ] WIN 35428 binding, were partially reversed 24 h after multiple methamphetamine injections. Western blotting indicated that saline- and methamphetamine-affected dopamine transporters co-migrated on sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) gels at approximately 80 kDa, and that acute, methamphetamine-induced decreases in [ 3 H ] dopamine uptake were not due to loss of dopamine transporter protein. These findings demonstrate heretofore-uncharacterized features of the acute effect of methamphetamine on dopamine transporters.
Quantifying cyanobacterial phycocyanin concentration in turbid productive waters: A quasi-analytical approach

Abstract In this research, we present a novel technique to monitor cyanobacterial bloom using remote sensing measurements. We have used a multi-band quasi analytical algorithm that determines phytoplankton absorption coefficients, a ϕ ( λ ), from above surface remote sensing reflectance, R rs ( λ ). In situ data including remote sensing reflectance, phytoplankton pigment concentration, and absorption coefficients of optically active constituents in the water were collected from highly turbid and productive aquaculture ponds. These shallow ( Ictalurus punctatus aquaculture and had high nitrogen and phosphorus loading rates from manufactured feeds added to ponds to promote rapid fish growth. These practices resulted in high phytoplankton biomass (chlorophyll- a concentrations = 59.4–1376.6 mg m − 3 ) with communities dominated by filamentous, gas-vacuolate cyanobacteria. A novel technique was developed to further decompose the a ϕ to obtain phycocyanin absorption coefficient, a PC , at 620 nm, a primary peak of phycocyanin absorption spectrum. Validation of the model produced mean and median absolute relative errors of 36.2% and 22.0%. Overall, the model performance was higher in the higher range of PC concentration (> 150 μg l − 1 ). Results demonstrate that the new approach will be suitable for quantifying phycocyanin concentration in cyanobacteria dominated turbid productive waters.
Accumulation of 3-Hydroxy-Fatty Acids in the Culture Medium of Long-Chain l-3-Hydroxyacyl CoA Dehydrogenase (LCHAD) and Mitochondrial Trifunctional Protein-Deficient Skin Fibroblasts: Implications for Medium Chain Triglyceride Dietary Treatment of LCHAD Deficiency

Dietary management of long-chain l-3-hydroxyacyl CoA dehydrogenase (LCHAD) deficiency involves a regimen that contains adequate carbohydrate, protein, and essential lipids, and supplementation with medium-chain fatty acids in the form of medium-chain triglycerides, providing energy from fats that bypasses the long-chain metabolic block. This study analyzes the effects of dietary treatment of LCHAD deficiency in an in vitro model. Cultured skin fibroblasts from LCHAD-deficient and normal individuals were grown in media supplemented with physiologic combinations of medium-chain fatty acids octanoate and decanoate, and the long-chain palmitate. Medium was removed from the cells after various incubation times, and assayed for 3-hydroxy-intermediates of fatty acid oxidation. The 3-hydroxy-fatty acids were measured by stable-isotope dilution gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. We found that the addition of medium-chain fatty acids caused a decrease in the accumulation of long-chain fatty acid oxidation intermediates in LCHAD-deficient cells when the cells were incubated in untreated medium, and also when they were incubated in this medium with palmitate added. Medium with decanoate alone was better at achieving this effect than medium with only octanoate added. A 1:3 ratio of octanoate to decanoate worked best over an extended time period in LCHAD-deficient cells in untreated medium, whereas a 1:1 ratio of octanoate to decanoate worked best in the same cells incubated in medium containing palmitate. In all dietary medium-chain triglyceride preparations, the ratio of octanoate was greater than that of decanoate. Our results suggest that a medium-chain triglyceride preparation that is higher in decanoate may be more effective in reducing the accumulation of potentially toxic long-chain 3-hydroxy-fatty acids in LCHAD deficiency.
Raman scattering from Si1-xGex alloy nanowires

We present Raman scattering results on crystalline Si1-xGex nanowires (0 < x < 1) grown by the vapor−liquid−solid growth mechanism using chemical vapor deposition. Typical nanowire diameters and lengths were in the range 80−110 nm and 15−40 μm, respectively. Three strong Raman bands were observed and identified as perturbed Si−Si (∼500 cm-1) modes, perturbed Ge−Ge (∼280 cm-1) modes, and intermediate frequency (∼400 cm-1) modes assigned to Si−Ge clusters. A broad band is observed in the range ∼75−110 cm-1 that is assigned to transverse acoustic modes. The compositional dependence of these Raman bands is similar to what is observed in bulk material and is also found to be in very good agreement with the recently calculated vibrational density of states for Si1-xGex nanoparticles.
Acute Effects of Ethanol on Biosynthesis and Glycosylation of IgGl(k) Antibody Molecules in Cultured P3/X63‐Ag8 Myeloma Cells

Protein synthesis in cultured P3/X63-Ag8 mouse myeloma cells was inhibited by acute exposure to ethanol. However, the synthesis of IgGl antibody, as a percentage of total protein synthesis, increased slightly. Experiments using actinomycin D suggest that the overall inhibition of protein synthesis by ethanol occurs at the translational level. Following an L-[35S]methionine pulse, cultured P3/X63-Ag8 cells contained one light antibody polypeptide and two heavy antibody polypeptides. One of these heavy chains was shown to be the unglycosylated precursor of the other, mature molecule. Only the glycosylated polypeptide is a normal constituent of secreted IgGl antibody. The glycosylation of the immature heavy chains occurred more rapidly during a 1-hr isotopic pulse in cells exposed to ethanol (0.1 v/v % and above), than in unexposed control cells. The observed effects of ethanol on antibody glycosylation may be related to the increased susceptibility of alcoholic patients to infections. Ethanol may also affect the synthesis of other glycoproteins in myeloma cells and other tissues.
The first distribution record of Sciurus pyrrhinus Thomas, 1898 (Rodentia: Sciuridae) from Ecuador

This study presents the first record for Ecuador of Sciurus pyrrhinus . The record is based in an old specimen housed at the American Museum of Natural History. The specimen is compared morphologically with the similar species S. igniventris
Criteria to define anti-idiotypic antibodies carrying the internal image of an antigen

Anti-idiotypic antibodies which carry the internal image of a foreign antigen, i.e. so-called Ab 2 β antibodies, have been successfully used as vaccines to pathogens, as tools to isolate cellular receptors or as reagents in cancer therapy. An attempt is made to establish structural, immunochemical and and functional criteria to define anti-idiotypic antibodies of the Ab 2 β type.
H atom abstraction of D adsorbed on Si(100): dynamical evidence for an Eley-Rideal mechanism

Abstract Kinetic energy distributions are reported for the HD product from the reaction of incident gas phase H atoms with D adsorbed on Si(100). For an incident kinetic energy of nominally 1 eV, the HD product kinetic energy distribution extends up to the nominal available-energy limit and has a mean value of 1.2–1.3 eV, providing dynamic evidence for a direct Eley-Rideal mechanism. For higher incident H atom kinetic energies, the HD product kinetic energy distribution broadens while the mean value remains unchanged, suggesting that energy loss to the substrate becomes more significant and the reaction becomes less Eley-Rideal-like.
Friction characteristics of confined inflatable structures

The availability of high-strength fabrics and progress in the development of large-scale inflatable technology made possible the creation of temporary and quickly deployable structures for protection of underground infrastructure. Inflatable structures are relatively lightweight and portable, and can maintain the required rigidity while in operation. These benefits have prompted the development of inflatable structures for use in confined spaces, such as tunnels and large-diameter pipes to act as barriers for containing flooding with minimal infrastructure modification. This work presents experimental results obtained from the evaluation of frictional characteristics of the fabric material that constitute the structural membrane of confined inflatable structures developed for protection of underground transportation tunnels and other large conduits. Friction tests at coupon level and slippage tests in a reduced-scale inflatable structure were performed in order to evaluate the frictional characteristics of Vectran webbings. Tests at coupon level were performed to determine the friction coefficient for different surface types and conditions. Tests with the reduced-scale inflatable structure contributed to the understanding of the friction characteristics at system level when subjected to different pressurization or depressurization sequences designed to induce slippage. Test results indicate that friction coefficient values at coupon level are about 29 percent higher than values derived from reduced-scale tests.
The effect of humour on children's developing theory of mind

The understanding of false belief in 3–5-year-old children was investigated using a false-belief situation involving humour and characters playfully interacting with one another. The situation also allowed the child to see that one character did not have sufficient information to allow him or her to act correctly and to see the completed action based on that false belief. Children's understanding of belief in humourous false-belief task was compared to their understanding ascertained by a standard false-belief task. When compared to their performance on a standard false-belief task, older children did more often identify the false belief in the humourous situation but younger children had more difficulty with the humourous false-belief tasks. These findings are discussed in terms of the relation between social context as seen in the humourous situation and the emerging understanding of mental states such as beliefs.
Analyses of methadone and other drugs in maternal and neonatal body fluids: use in evaluation of symptoms in a neonate of mother maintained on methadone

A former heroin addict treated with methadone maintenance throughout pregnancy, with rapid dose reduction from 110 mg to 9 mg during the last five weeks pre-partum, was evaluated in late pregnancy, at time of labor and delivery, and post-partum; her child was also evaluated. Using gas and thin-layer chromatography and mass spectroscopy, methadone levels were measured, and other drugs looked for in (1) plasma during late pregnancy, (2) mixed cord blood, (3) amniotic fluid at delivery, (4) maternal plasma and milk post-partum (on 50 mg methadone), (5) neonatal plasma and urine. Low levels of methadone were present in amniotic fluid and neonatal urine but not in mixed cord blood or neonatal plasma. Levels of methadone present in breast milk during moderate dose maintenance were also low. Unexpectedly, pentobarbital was identified in amniotic fluid. Neonatal infection was also diagnosed. Multiple factors may have contributed to symtoms observed in the neonate.
Cloning and characterization of the metC gene from Salmonella typhimurium LT2

The metC gene of Salmonella typhimurium was cloned into the plasmid vectors pACYC184 and pBR322. Genetic and biochemical experiments indicate that the region controlling metC gene expression is present on the cloned fragments. The location of the metC gene was determined by insertional inactivation with transposons Tn5 and mini-Mu. The gene product was identified in a minicell system as a 49-kDa polypeptide. The direction of transcription and translation was determined by correlating the orientation of mini-Mu insertions within the metC gene with the expression of the lacZ gene contained in mini-Mu.
From clinical and research findings on memory to intervention programs.

Abstract Memory remediation for the elderly is in its infancy. This paper reviews the etioloqy of memory problems in the elderly and the current difficulties in evaluating memory complaints and memory functions. Recommendations for comprehensive intervention programs are included.
Numerical algorithms for strong discontinuities in elastic-plastic solids

Abstract In this paper the implementation of second-order Godunov methods for dynamic wave propagation in one-dimensional elastic-plastic solids is investigated. First, the Lagrangian form of the algorithm is reviewed, and then the algorithm is extended to the Eulerian frame of reference. This extension requires additional evolution equations to handle the history of the material along particle paths. Both the Lagrangian and Eulerian versions of the algorithm require appropriately accurate approximations to the solution of Riemann problems, in order to represent the interaction of waves at cell boundaries. Two inexpensive approximations to the solution of the Riemann problem are constructed, and the resulting algorithms are tested against the analytic solution of the Riemann problem for longitudinal motion in an elastic-plastic bar. These approximations to the Riemann problem are shown to work well, even for strong discontinuities. Finally, the numerical experience gained from the simple longitudinal bar problem is used to design an algorithm for strong shocks predicted by a realistic soil model.
Searching the “deep” Web for medical information: Reflections from a healthcare information researcher

As a researcher of medical equipment, my job is to provide informational support to engineers and architects who build healthcare facilities. Because the information requested is technical and specific, it is often times not available by performing searches on the World Wide Web. In order to perform the job and fulfill information requests, it is often necessary to search in deeper levels of the Web. This paper reflects upon the experiences and practices that I have developed which utilize traditional and current technologies.
The construction of a column-shaped, thin-layer ESR spectroelectrochemical cell for use at both ambient and low temperatures in nonaqueous solvents

The construction and utilization of a column-shaped in situ thin-layer ESR spectroelectrochemical cell for both ambient and low temperature operation is reported. The working electrode is a columnshaped expanded platinum sheet of 9.4 × 4.0 mm that is placed in a 0.25 mm thick column-shaped, thin-layer chamber. The solution volume in the thin-layer chamber is 12 μL, and the total solution volume in the cell ranges between 1 and 3 mL. The application of this cell is demonstrated by time-resolved ESR spectra for electrooxidized porphyrins in methylene chloride solutions containing 0.3 M tetrabutylammonium perchlorate. The electrochemical behavior of this cell is also demonstrated by the oxidation of ferrocene under the same solution conditions at temperatures between 23 and −75°C. Well-defined ESR spectra are obtained in as short as 5–10 seconds without data manipulation.
Hit or miss: branch structure affects perch choice, behaviour, distance and accuracy of brown tree snakes bridging gaps

The effects of branch size, shape and orientation on arboreal animals' movement across gaps or their choice of destinations when doing so are poorly understood compared to the well-documented effects of habitat structure on the locomotor behaviours and maximal speeds of animals moving on solid surfaces. Some highly arboreal species of snakes, such as the brown tree snake, Boiga irregularis, cross gaps using either a slow-speed crawling or a high-speed lunging behaviour. We expected that wider destination perches would enhance either the speed or maximal distance crossed while bridging a gap, because reaching and touching larger objects requires less precise motor control. Thus, for B. irregularis, we tested whether branch size and shape affected perch preference, maximal distance and the behaviour used to bridge gaps. The snakes usually preferred wider destination perches, some of which significantly increased both maximal distance and the amount of high-speed lunging, which contributed to maximal distance. Cylinders with pegs that simulated secondary branches enhanced lunging success rate across gaps compared to cylinders without pegs. The use of high-speed lunges revealed trade-offs between the speed and the accuracy of head placement when first contacting the destination perch on the far side of a gap. Thus, the structure of destination perches on the far side of a void can have important consequences for what destination is chosen, the distance of the gap that is crossed and how the void is traversed.
Does the Editor Matter

The article presents an editorial that discusses the value of editors of periodicals. The author details staff changes that are taking place in the editorial offices of the Academy of Management Jo...
Radiometric diameters and albedos of 40 asteroids.

The radiometric method of measuring the albedos and sizes of small airless objects was applied to forty asteroids. The largest asteroids were revealed to be 1 Ceres, 2 Pallas, 4 Vesta, 10 Hygiea, and 511 Davida. The highest albedo belonged to 4 Vesta. The darkest asteroids were 19 Fortuna, 324 Bamberga, and 747 Winchester. A comparison of the derived diameters and albedos with photometrically measured colors reveals three distinct classes of objects. The largest group is those with red color and albedos in the lunar range. The second group, which includes most of the largest objects, is characterized by more neutral color and lower albedo. The third class has one member, 4 Vesta, an object of high albedo and intermediate color. Objects in the first group have surfaces composed presumably of silicate minerals. The second and third groups may be similar in composition to the carbonaceous chondrites and the basaltic achondrite meteorites, respectively.
The Character and Sources of the Anti-Judaism in Bach's Cantata 46

On the east wall of the south balcony in the St. Thomas Church of Leipzig, one of the principal churches where J. S. Bach worked as musical director from 1723 to 1750, there hangs in memory of one Bartholomaeus Helmut a large, anonymous sixteenth-century painting now known by the title Gesetz und Gnade ("law and grace") or Gesetz und Evangelium ("law and gospel").2 The picture presents a powerful series of theologically conventional contrasts of type with antitype. At the far left Moses is shown on his knees at the edge of a precipice receiving stone tablets-the law-from a pair of hands sticking out of a cloud; at the far right,
Retrieval of three-dimensional wind fields from Doppler radar data using an efficient two-step approach

Abstract. In this work, we describe an efficient approach for wind retrieval from dual Doppler radar data. The approach produces a gridded field that not only satisfies the observations, but also satisfies the anelastic mass continuity equation. The method is based on the so-called three-dimensional variational approach to the retrieval of wind fields from radar data. The novelty consists in separating the task into steps that reduce the amount of data processed by the global minimization algorithm, while keeping the most relevant information from the radar observations. The method is flexible enough to incorporate observations from several radars, accommodate complex sampling geometries, and readily include dropsonde or sounding observations in the analysis. We demonstrate the usefulness of our method by analyzing a real case with data collected during the TPARC/TCS-08 field campaign.
Survey of Studies on Alcoholism

The goal of this article is to provide a broad and updated review of the major research studies on alcoholism, and it is intended especially for those who are new to the area or whose work in it is limited. It is primarily an update and extension of the literature review presented by Armor, Polich, and Stambul in their 1978 book Alcoholism and Treatment.
The status of the ethics of in vitro fertilization in 1985

Abstract In many respects in vitro fertilization has been accepted as ethical by the majority of people in the Western world. Controversy now involves the ancillary issues of embryo freezing, embryo adoption, surrogate mothering of in vitro fertilization embryos, donor fathering of in vitro fertilization embryos, and research on embyros. The acceptance of in vitro fertilization as ethical was withheld until in vitro fertilization was demonstrated to be safe and effective under controlled circumstances. A similar approach to the ancillary issues is advocated.
Limiting sets of time-varying passive networks

It is shown that the collection of positive limiting sets of solutions of a (nonlinear time-varying) passive network N is the intersection of those of networks N(0) and N( ), obtained by replacing all resistors of N by short and open circuits, respectively. Or, alternatively, it is the same as the collection of positive limiting sets of solutions of a linear constant network, obtained by replacing the resistors of N by linear constant ones.
Noninvasive Measurement of Cardiac Output by an Acetylene Uptake Technique and Simultaneous Comparison With Thermodilution in ICU Patients

A simple, accurate, and noninvasive method of cardiac output measurement can be an extremely useful tool for the clinician and researcher. This study used the acetylene gas uptake technique to measure the absorption of acetylene into the pulmonary circulation during a constant exhalation, which is proportional to the pulmonary capillary blood flow and to the cardiac output, assuming no anatomic shunts. We compared cardiac output measured simultaneously by this and by the standard thermodilution (TD) technique in 21 patients in the ICU with a variety of medical and surgical conditions and a wide range of cardiac outputs. We also compared the two techniques in 19 ambulatory patients with a 2-h interval between the invasive and noninvasive test to assess variability over time. The two tests had an excellent correlation when done simultaneously with a correlation coefficient of 0.89 (p < 0.001). With a 2-h interval between the two tests, the correlation coefficient was 0.66 (p = 0.0018). Nine patients in the simultaneous group had cardiomyopathy. When they were excluded, the correlation coefficient increased to 0.96. Most of these patients had documented tricuspid regurgitation (TR), which may underlie the greater difference between acetylene uptake and TD values, with consistently higher TD values in these patients. This study confirms the correlation between the acetylene uptake and the standard invasive TD techniques in sick patients with various medical and surgical conditions and a wide range of cardiac outputs. Furthermore, we believe this would be a more accurate method for measuring cardiac output in patients with cardiomyopathy and TR because it is based only on pulmonary capillary blood flow.
Rate of convergence of solutions of rational difference equation of second order

We investigate the rate of convergence of solutions of some special cases of the equation , with positive parameters and nonnegative initial conditions. We give precise results about the rate of convergence of the solutions that converge to the equilibrium or period-two solution by using Poincare's theorem and an improvement of Perron's theorem.
Discovery-based studies of schistosome diversity stimulate new hypotheses about parasite biology

This review provides an update of ongoing efforts to expand our understanding of the diversity inherent within the Schistosomatidae, the parasites responsible for causing schistosomiasis and cercarial dermatitis. By revealing more of the species present, particularly among understudied avian schistosomes, we gain increased understanding of patterns of schistosome diversification, and their abilities to colonize new hosts and habitats. Schistosomes reveal a surprising ability to switch into new snail and vertebrate host species, into new intrahost habitats, and may adopt novel body forms in the process. Often these changes are not associated with deep splits or long branches in their phylogeny, suggesting some are of relatively recent origin. Several hypotheses prompted by the new observations are discussed, helping to focus thinking on processes influencing not only schistosome diversification but also their pathogenicity and abundance.
Florida's coastal setback line—an effort to regulate beachfront development

Abstract The coastal setback line program in Florida represents an effort to achieve more efficient location decisions, protect beachfront properties from storms, and control beach erosion. This article examines the reasons why the regulation of shoreline development might be necessary, describes the coastal setback program in Florida, discusses some of the problems encountered in its implementation, and examines its potential success.
A three-dimensional model for CO2 uptake by continuously distributed mesophyll in leaves.

Abstract Photosynthetic CO 2 uptake in leaf mesophyll can be modelled in a general way using a second-order partial differential equation, which is derived and discussed and compared with existing models using finite series-parallel combinations of a few resistance elements. When mesophyll porosity is constant and when local CO 2 uptake is proportional to intercellular CO 2 concentration C, the equation takes the form Δ 2 C = α 2 C . Analytic solutions are given for this special case, with the boundary condition being equivalence of internal CO 2 uptake with that moving through the stomates. These solutions show the importance of accounting for the three-dimensional nature of CO 2 transport in the mesophyll, which most existing models do not do. The model is useful for exploring optimal geometry of leaves. Its implications for leaf thickness, stomatal size and spacing, and mesophyll porosity are discussed. In particular, it yields a prediction of optimal leaf thickness very close to values commonly occurring in nature.
Interest group influence on US policy change: An assessment based on policy history

How often and in what circumstances do interest groups influence US national policy outcomes? In this article, I introduce a new method of assessing influence based on the judgments of policy historians. I aggregate information from 268 sources that review the history of domestic policy making across 14 domestic policy issue areas from 1945 to 2004. Policy historians collectively credit factors related to interest groups in 385 of the 790 significant policy enactments that they identify. This reported influence occurs in all branches of government, but varies across time and policy area. The most commonly credited form of influence is general support and lobbying by advocacy organizations. I also take advantage of the historians’ reports to construct a network of 299 specific interest groups credited with policy enactments. The interest group influence network is centralized, with some ideological polarization. The results demonstrate that interest group influence may be widespread, even though the typical tools that we use to assess it are unlikely to find it.
Impacts of Alternative Yield Sign Placement on Pedestrian Safety

Although pedestrian crashes account for only 1% of reported motor vehicle crashes in the United States, pedestrian crashes account for 14% of fatal crashes. Pedestrians are at a higher risk of fatalities than are automobile operators when crashes per traveling distance are considered. Because of the high societal costs of pedestrian crashes, measures designed to reduce their frequency and severity should receive high priority. Additional countermeasures such as crosswalks and signs need to be devised to decrease pedestrian-automobile collisions. The main objective of this study was to investigate the effects of yield signs on yielding for pedestrians and on traffic speed and the implication of these effects for pedestrian safety. The city of Grand Forks, North Dakota, and the University of North Dakota campus were used as test sections. Data were collected on yielding for pedestrians and on traffic speed without and with a yield sign. The two-proportion z-test and an independent t-test were used to invest...
From inheritance relation to nonaxiomatic logic

Abstract A nonaxiomatic reasoning system is an adaptive system that works with insufficient knowledge and resources. At the beginning of the paper, three binary term logics are defined. The first is based only on an inheritance relation. The second and the third suggest a novel way to process extension and intension, and they also have interesting relations with Aristotle's syllogistic logic. Based on the three simple systems, a nonaxiomatic logic is defined. It has a term-oriented language and an experience-grounded semantics. It can uniformly represent and process randomness, fuzziness, and ignorance. It can also uniformly carry out deduction, abduction, induction, and revision.