cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Solid‐Phase Fermentation: Aerobic and Anaerobic

The science of solid-phase fermentation (SPF) draws on the same ancient origins that are the foundation of the field of biotechnology and of the modern methods used to grow microorganisms. The chapter discusses advantages and disadvantages of SPF. Complex microbial growth phenomena are associated with solid substrates that are typically heterogeneous and porous with void spaces. The moisture content of the solid substrate strongly influences microbial growth. SPFs with foods vary based on geography and dietary customs, but most often are classified according to substrate such as cereal, dairy, fish, fruit and vegetable, meat, starch crop, and legume products. De Vrije et al. have discussed the relevance of SPF to the production of commercial products containing Fusarium oxysporum, Gliocladium catenulatum, Phlebiopsis gigantea, and the Trichoderma spp. T. harzianum, T. polysporum, and T. viride, as well as that for the promising biocontrol agent Coniothyrium minitans. Key SPF process variables are related to the microorganism and its preparation, the choice of substrate and its pretreatment, and environmental factors which determine how the microorganism and the substrate interact, often in a large-scale bioreactor. The chapter provides general procedures for SPF. Bioreactors, or fermentors, have been used in small-and large-scale SPF to produce diverse metabolites and enzyme products. While laboratory-scale SPF employs flasks, jars, roller bottles, columns, and petri dishes, common bioreactor/ fermentor systems used for industrial scale-up are tray fermentors, packed-bed fermentors and fluidized-bed fermentors.
Phenotypic differences in anthocyanin accumulation among clonally related cultured cells of carrot

Subclones from a wild carrot cell culture have been examined for their anthocyanin accumulation in the absence and presence of DMSO and 4-coumaric acid, naringenin, dihydroquercetin or leucocyanidin. Subclones that accumulate no or extremely low levels of anthocyanin do not increase their anthocyanin accumulation when treated with DMSO or intermediates. These compounds increased the anthocyanin accumulation in subclones which produce detectable anthocyanin in their absence. Chalcone synthase was shown to be present in clones and the activity showed no correlation with the amount of anthocyanin accumulated. This suggests that the enzymes of anthocyanin biosynthesis are not coordinately repressed in the subclones which accumulate little or no anthocyanin. Dihydroquercetin and catechin were present in subclones with little or no anthocyanin but no procyanidin was detected which suggests that these subclones biosynthesize leucocyanidin but do not convert it into colorless procyanidins as a major alternative metabolic pathway to anthocyanin biosynthesis. The possibility that some clones are not anthocyanin accumulating because they have impaired transport of the sinapoylated anthocyanin into the vacuole is discussed.
The evaluation of disease modifying therapies in Alzheimer's disease: a regulatory viewpoint.

Several drugs have received marketing approval in this country for the treatment of dementia of the Alzheimer's type. Their approval has been based on clinical trial designs that do not permit a distinction to be made between an effect of the drug on the symptoms of that disease, and an effect on the pathophysiological mechanisms that underlie that disorder. The latter effect has been referred to as ‘disease-modifying.’ In recent years there has been considerable interest in developing disease-modifying treatments for Alzheimer's disease (AD), using either specific clinical designs, or surrogate markers, such as brain imaging modalities. This paper outlines the regulatory framework governing how the Food and Drug Administration addresses new drug claims, the current basis for approving drugs for the treatment of AD, clinical trial designs that have been proposed as a means of demonstrating disease-modifying effects, a general and regulatory background to the use of surrogate markers in drug development, and, finally, views about the possible role of surrogate markers, especially brain imaging, as outcome measures in clinical trials intended to produce disease-modifying effects in Alzheimer's Disease. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Brainless: Scientific Observation and Literary Writing in Gottfried Benn

An attentive follower of current scientific debates, the poet Gottfried Benn was highly influenced by modern scientific culture. In his poetological reflections, Benn often refers to scientific methods and concepts. The article sets out to follow the productive interplay between science and literature in Benn’s oeuvre. Instead of reducing Benn’s literature to its science-historical contents, however, the article attempts to show that it is the scientific method that guides Benn in his literary endeavors.
Computer Networks [Guest editor's introduction]

Networks of computers are making it possible to achieve computer-to-computer and terminal-to-computer communications that only a few years ago would have been impossible. Many of these networks are operational already, with more powerful ones seemingly in store for the future. This remarkable growth has opened new opportunities for designers, users, and managers–but it has posed some difficult problems for them as well. Knowledge of such network issues as topological design alternatives, common carrier communications services, value-added networks, hardware and software networking technology, cost factors, regulatory issues, measurement techniques, and network administration are of paramount importance. Hence this special issue.
Development of a Tri-polar Concentric Ring Electrode for Acquiring Accurate Laplacian Body Surface Potentials

Potentials recorded on the body surface from the heart are of a spatial and temporal function. The 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) provides a useful means of global temporal assessment; however, it yields limited spatial information due to the smoothing effect caused by the volume conductor. In an attempt to circumvent the smoothing problem, researchers have used the five-point method (FPM) to numerically estimate the analytical solution of the Laplacian with an array of monopolar electrodes. Researchers have also developed a bipolar concentric ring electrode system to estimate the analytical Laplacian, and others have used a quasi-bipolar electrode configuration. In a search to find an electrode configuration with a close approximation to the analytical Laplacian, development of a tri-polar concentric ring electrode based on the nine-point method (NPM) was conducted. A comparison of the NPM, FPM, and discrete form of the quasi-bipolar configuration was performed over a 400 × 400 mesh with 1/400 spacing by computer modeling. Different properties of bipolar, quasi-bipolar and tri-polar concentric ring electrodes were evaluated and compared, and verified with tank experiments. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) with post hoc t-test and Bonferroni corrections were performed to compare the performance of the various methods and electrode configurations. It was found that the tri-polar electrode has significantly improved accuracy and local sensitivity. This paper also discusses the development of an active sensor using the tri-polar electrode configuration. A 1-cm active Laplacian tri-polar sensor based on the NPM was tested and deemed feasible for acquiring Laplacian cardiac surface potentials.
Increased levels of the inflammatory biomarker C‐reactive protein at baseline are associated with childhood sickle cell vasocclusive crises

Several lines of evidence suggest that sickle cell disease (SCD) is associated with a chronic inflammatory state. In this study of 70 children with SCD at steady state evaluated by a broad panel of biomarkers representing previously examined mechanisms of pathogenicity in SCD, high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), a marker of low-grade, systemic inflammation, emerged as the most significant laboratory correlate of hospitalizations for pain or vaso-occlusive (VOC) events. While markers of increased haemolytic status, endothelial activation and coagulation activation all correlated positively with VOC events by univariate analysis, baseline hs-CRP levels provided the most significant contribution to the association in multiple regression models (22%), and, hs-CRP, along with age, provided the best fit in negative binomial models. These data highlight the clinical relevance of the role of inflammation in paediatric VOC, providing both a rationale for future therapeutic strategies targeting inflammation in microvessel occlusive complications of SCD, and the potential clinical use of hs-CRP as a biomarker in childhood SCD.
The Harvard Pigeon Lab under herrnstein

The history of the Harvard Pigeon Lab is a history of two periods of remarkable productivity, the first under Skinner's leadership and the second under Herrnstein's. In each period, graduate students flocked to the leader and then began stimulating one another. Chance favored Herrnstein's leadership, too, because an unusually large number of graduate students were admitted in the fall of 1962. In each period, productivity declined as the leader lost interest in the laboratory and withdrew. Directly and indirectly, the laboratory finally died as a result of the cognitive "revolution." Skinner and his students saw the possibility of a natural science of behavior and set about establishing that science based on concepts such as response rate, stimulus control, and schedules of reinforcement. Herrnstein and his students saw that the science could be quantitative and set about making it so, with relative response rate, the matching law, and the psychophysics of choice (analogous to S. S. Stevens' psychophysics). The history might provide a golden research opportunity for someone interested in the impact of such self-organizing research groups on the progress of science.
Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor therapy in chronic hemodialysis patients: Any evidence of erythropoietin resistance?

Exacerbation of anemia associated with angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor therapy has been noted to occur in patients with chronic renal failure, end-stage renal disease, and renal transplantation. Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors appear to cause anemia through induction of decreased red blood cell production. There are data suggesting that ACE inhibitors may impair erythropoiesis via either suppression of angiotensin-mediated erythropoietin (EPO) production or bone marrow response to EPO. Patients on chronic hemodialysis receive recombinant human EPO (rHuEPO) for therapy of anemia and may also receive an ACE inhibitor for hypertension or congestive heart failure. We undertook a retrospective study to evaluate whether patients treated with ACE inhibitors developed a more severe anemia or required a higher dose of rHuEPO to maintain a similar hematocrit. Ninety-five of 108 chronic hemodialysis patients met study criteria (hemodialysis for 4 months and no treatment with an ACE inhibitor for at least 4 months = group 1; therapy with an ACE inhibitor for at least 4 months = group 2). Forty-eight patients (group 1, n = 24; group 2, n = 24) were available for analysis after exclusion for a variety of factors. There was no difference between the two groups in terms of baseline characteristics, number of blood transfusions or hospital days, or other laboratory parameters. There was no statistically significant difference in average hematocrit between group 1 (33.5% +/- 3.9%) and group 2 (32.6% +/- 1.6%). Similarly, no significant difference was observed for the average rHuEPO dose/treatment between group 1 (3,272 +/- 1,532 IU/treatment; 50.69 +/- 26.94 IU/kg/treatment) and group 2 (3,401 +/- 1,009 IU/treatment; 52.87 +/- 19.38 IU/kg/treatment). These results suggest that ACE inhibitors do not significantly induce more severe anemia or alter rHuEPO response in chronic hemodialysis patients.
Follicular Dominance in Cattle Is Associated With Divergent Patterns of Ovarian Gene Expression for Insulin-Like Growth Factor (IGF)-I, IGF-II, and IGF Binding Protein-2 in Dominant and Subordinate Follicles

Abstract A decrease in insulin-like growth factor (IGF) binding protein (BP) amount occurs within the follicular fluid of dominant ovarian follicles. At the same time, concentrations of follicular fluid IGF-I do not change. The mRNA for IGF-I, IGF-II, IGFBP-2, and IGFBP-3 in dominant and subordinate follicles were measured to determine if changes in IGF or IGFBP gene expression are associated with follicular dominance. Heifers were ovariectomized during a follicular wave, either during early-dominance (emerging dominant follicle, 9 mm diameter) or mid-dominance (established dominant follicle, 14–16 mm diameter). Follicles were classified as either dominant (DF), subordinate (SF), or not-recruited (NRF; small antral follicles). mRNA was localized by in situ hybridization and measured by image analyses. The IGF-I mRNA (granulosa cells) was greatest in DF and increased in DF, SF, and NRF from early- to mid-dominance. Likewise, IGF-II mRNA (theca cells) was greatest in DF compared with SF or NRF. The IGFBP-2 mRNA (granulosa cells), however, was nearly undetectable in DF, whereas adjacent SF expressed abundant IGFBP-2 mRNA. The NRF were not uniform in their IGFBP-2 expression because only 5 of 13 NRF had IGFBP-2 mRNA. The IGFBP-3 mRNA (granulosa cells) was found only in two NRF, suggesting that local synthesis is not a predominant source of follicular fluid IGFBP-3. These data show that changes in gene expression for IGFBP-2 are opposite to those for IGF-I or IGF-II. Increased IGF-I and IGF-II mRNA and decreased IGFBP-2 mRNA within the DF may be one mechanism leading to follicular dominance. The opposite pattern of IGFBP-2 gene expression in SF and some NRF may lead to follicular atresia.
Variation in leaf physiology of Salix arctica within and across ecosystems in the High Arctic: test of a dual isotope (Δ 13 C and Δ 18 O) conceptual model

Leaf carbon isotope discrimination (Δ13C) varies with the balance between net photosynthesis (A) and stomatal conductance (g s ). Inferences that can be made with Δ13C are limited, as changes could reflect variation in A and/or g s . Investigators have suggested that leaf δ18O enrichment above source water (Δ18O) may enable differentiation between sources of variation in Δ13C, as leaf Δ18O varies with transpiration rate (E), which is closely correlated with g s when leaves experience similar leaf to air vapor pressure differences. We examined leaf gas exchange of Salix arctica at eight sites with similar air temperatures and relative humidities but divergent soil temperatures and soil water contents near Pituffik, Greenland (76°N, 38°W). We found negative correlations at the site level between g s and Δ18O in bulk leaf tissue (r 2 = 0.62, slope = −17.9‰/mol H2O m−2 s−1, P = 0.02) and leaf α-cellulose (r 2 = 0.83, slope = −11.5‰ mol H2O m−2 s−1, P < 0.01), consistent with the notion that leaf water enrichment declines with increasing E. We also found negative correlations at the site-level between intrinsic water-use efficiency (iWUE) and Δ13C in bulk leaf tissue (r 2 = 0.65, slope = −0.08‰/μmol CO2 /mol H2O, P = 0.02) and leaf α-cellulose (r 2 = 0.50, slope = −0.05 ‰/[μmol CO2 /mol H2O], P = 0.05). When increasing Δ13C was driven by increasing g s alone, we found negative slopes between Δ13C and Δ18O for bulk leaf tissue (−0.664) and leaf α-cellulose (−1.135). When both g s and A max increased, we found steeper negative slopes between Δ13C and Δ18O for bulk leaf tissue (−2.307) and leaf α-cellulose (−1.296). Our results suggest that the dual isotope approach is capable of revealing the qualitative contributions of g s and A max to Δ13C at the site level. In our study, bulk leaf tissue was a better medium than leaf α-cellulose for application of the dual isotope approach.
Family variables associated with the onset and impact of intrafamilial childhood sexual abuse

Abstract Researchers and clinicians have examined variables mediating the onset and consequences of childhood incest. Overall research has illuminated two primary clusters of variables that appear to significantly impact a child's response and adjustment to incest. The purpose of this article was to help elucidate one of these clusters of variables: those family variables which both contribute to the onset of and child's response to incest. Overall, it was evident that little empirically sound research exists in this area. Preliminary results of the few existing well-designed studies suggested that increased risk for onset of and poor adjustment to incest is associated with status of perpetrator, perpetrator substance abuse, nonoffending mother's absence, lack of maternal support toward incested daughter, and other specific family environment characteristics. Articles were critically evaluated for methodological flaws and suggestions for improving future research were made.
Disseminated Mycobacterium avium intracellulare complex presenting as abdominal pain.

A 50-year-old female presented with three months of progresive “sharp and gnawing” epigastric pain, fevers, and night sweats. edical history included systemic lupus erythematosus requiring mmunosuppression with prednisone and mycophenolate. Comuted tomography of the abdomen displayed upper growth of a esenteric lymph node with surrounding stranding (Fig. 1A). Endocopic ultrasound (EUS) revealed a hypoechogenic 2.2 cm lymph ode tangent to the fourth portion of the duodenum (Fig. 1B). US-guided needle aspiration showed inflammatory tissue, which tained positive for acid-fast bacilli (AFB), and culture of biopsy issue confirmed Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC). Multile sputum cultures also demonstrated MAC on Kinyoun stain Fig. 1C), and disseminated MAC was diagnosed. Patient received azithromycin, ethambutol, and rifabutin for one year and symptoms gradually resolved; azithromycin prophylaxis was continued indefinitely to prevent recurrence. MAC is a rare cause of abdominal pain and often difficult to diagnose. MAC, including M. avium and M. intracellulare, are free-living non-tubercular mycobacteria that are ubiquitous in the environment [1]. They usually cause lung disease but can cause disseminated disease in severely immunocompromised patients [1]. Diagnosis is aided by clinical, radiological, microbiological, and pathological findings [1]. Culture requires six weeks of growth before confirmed negative and has to be performed on special media, in addition, AFB staining has low sensitivity and can be falsely negative [1].
Remote Client Authentication

The effectiveness of remote client-authentication schemes varies significantly in relation to today's security challenges, which include phishing, man-in-the-middle attacks, and malicious software. A survey of remote authentication methods shows how each measures up and includes recommendations for solution developers and consumers.
Development and Implementation of a Food Safety Knowledge Instrument

ABSTRACT: Little is known about the food safety knowledge of young adults. In addition, few knowledge questionnaires and no comprehensive, criterion-referenced measure that assesses the full range of food safety knowledge could be identified. Without appropriate, valid, and reliable measures and baseline data, it is difficult to develop and implement effective education efforts. Thus, the purpose of this study was to develop a comprehensive, valid, reliable food safety knowledge questionnaire. Questionnaire development followed this process: 1) use of published reports and input from experts in food safety and sanitation (n = 7) to identify key food safety concepts; 2) development of a question bank (n = 101) assessing knowledge of key concepts (i.e., cross contamination prevention'disinfection procedures; safe times/temperatures for cooking/storing foods; groups at greatest risk for foodborne disease; foods that increase risk of foodborne disease; and foodborne disease pathogens); 3) refinement of initial questions by experts; 4) questionnaire pretest with young adults (n = 180) and refinement; 5) questionnaire pilot test (n = 126) and refinement; 6) final expert review and refinement; and 7) conversion into an online survey. Young adults (n = 4343, mean age 19.9 ± 1.7SD years) from 21 universities and colleges across the country completed the questionnaire. Item analysis was used to determine the overall quality of the test and identify improvements needed. Livingston's coefficient of reliability for criterion-referenced tests was 0.92. The questionnaire met or exceeded generally recognized standards of reliability and validity. This questionnaire could be useful in baseline assessment of food safety knowledge and measurement of knowledge gained after an educational intervention in adults.
Reallocation of pronouns through contact: In‐the‐moment identity construction amongst Southern California Salvadorans

This study uses natural, everyday social interaction within Salvadoran families living in Southern California to examine the use of the 2nd-person singular pronouns tu and vos (and their corresponding morphologies) in this contact variety of Spanish. An in-depth, qualitative analysis reveals that the employment and significance of these forms of address do not conform entirely to Salvadoran norms, nor to those of the surrounding Mexican-based Spanish koine. Accommodation to the pronominal repertoire of the region's majority serves as a communicative resource driven by questions of U.S./Los Angeles identity and solidarity with speakers in-the-moment interlocutor(s), a process which has caused the original Salvadoran pronouns to also be reallocated and refunctionalized (Britain and Trudgill 1999) as resources for accomplishing Salvadoran identity. Members of this community make active use of their pronominal options in real-time interaction as they navigate the fluid, multifaceted identities that they and their interlocutors now embody in the U.S. context. Este estudio se centra en las interacciones sociales diarias de familias salvadorenas que viven en el sur de California para examinar el uso de los tratamientos tu y vos (y su morfologia correspondiente) en esta variante de espanol en contacto con otros dialectos del espanol. Un analisis cualitativo revela que ni el empleo ni el significado de estos tratamientos siguen enteramente las normas salvadorenas ni los usos de la koine mexicana de Los Angeles. La acomodacion al repertorio pronominal empleado por la mayoria de los angelinos sirve como un recurso comunicativo que se debe a cuestiones de identidad estadounidense/angelina y solidaridad con el interlocutor del momento. Tal proceso ha causado que los pronombres salvadorenos originales se hayan redistribuido y refuncionalizado (Britain y Trudgill 1999) como recursos utilizados por los hablantes para realzar su identidad salvadorena. Los miembros de esta comunidad usan activamente sus opciones pronominales en interacciones en tiempo real mientras van navegando con las multiples identidades que sus interlocutores (y ellos mismos) han adquirido en el contexto norteamericano. [Spanish]
Glycogen Storage Disease Type Ia in Two Littermate Maltese Puppies

Glycogen storage disease type Ia (GSD-Ia) (von Gierke's disease) was identified in two 47-day-old littermate Maltese puppies. The puppies were presented for necropsy with a history of failure to thrive, mental depression, and poor body condition. Gross findings included small body size and emaciation (212 and 246 g versus 595 g for normal littermate), severely enlarged pale livers (48 and 61 g), and pale kidneys. Histologically, there was marked diffuse vacuolation of hepatocytes with large amounts of glycogen and small amounts of lipid. Renal tubular epithelium was mildly to moderately vacuolated. Soft tissue mineralization was present in renal tubules and pulmonary alveolar septa. Biochemical analysis showed that levels of glucose-6-phosphatase were markedly reduced in liver (0.3 and 0.4 μM/minute/g tissue versus 4.7 ± 1.5 μM/minute/g tissue for controls) and kidney (0.45 and 0.4 μM/minute/g tissue versus 4.1 μM/minute/g tissue for controls) and that glycogen content was increased in liver (9.4% and 9.4...
A study of the local Slater-exchange approximation for nucleon and heavy-ion scattering

Abstract The Slater approximation for the mixed one-body density, combined with a local-density and local-energy approximation is applied to the scattering of nucleons by nuclei. The overall approximation is tested within the distorted-wave framework and is found to work quite well for elastic nucleon scattering for bombarding energies between 10 and 160 MeV. The approximation is is extended to inelastic scattering where it is found to be less satisfactory. The same idea is applied to the scattering of heavy ions where a comparison with another method provides an estimate of the uncertainty associated with heavy-ion folding potentials.
Spain, July 1988: Some observations on becoming professional

Abstract This paper examines the 1988 Spanish Audit Law. In particular, it deals with the connecting of auditing to the Spanish state. Two central issues are addressed in the analysis. First, Spain as the research site offers an opportunity to consider the connecting of expertise to the state in a different geopolitical context from the advanced liberal democracy, which has typically characterized similar research endeavours. Second, the paper addresses the spatiotemporal specificity of arrangements between expertise and the state. Deleuze and Guattari's concept of “becoming” is employed to investigate the provisional and temporary quality of any such set of arrangements and their immediate potential for movement.
Relationship between Alzheimer’s disease clinical stage and Gq/11 in subcellular fractions of frontal cortex

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is associated with impaired coupling of cell surface muscarinic cholinergic receptors to G proteins of the Gq/11 class in brain. This alteration may contribute to progression of cognitive impairment during the course of the disease. We hypothesized that increasing severity of cognitive impairment would be related to decreased levels of Gq/11 detected in key subcellular fractions made from postmortem brain tissue. In this study, we used Western blotting to determine the quantity of Gq/11α in P2, synaptic plasma membrane, cytoplasm, microsomal membrane, and lipid raft fractions prepared from superior frontal cortex gray matter of 25 patients with clinical AD confirmed by post-mortem examination. Multiple linear regression analysis that adjusted for age, sex, and education showed a linear relationship between frontal cortex synaptic plasma membrane Gq/11α levels and severity of cognitive impairment determined by Mini Mental State score measured proximate to death.
Improvement of Impact Resistant Property of Polyvinylchloride filled with Calcium Carbonate

It was found that the impact resistant property of polyvinylchloride (PVC) could be improved by the addition of fine powdery calcium carbonate (CC) in a sufficient dispersed state, that is, an ultrasonic wave was employed in order to disperse CC into tetrahydrofuran (THF) solvent, next the THF solution of dissolved PVC was added into this dispersed solvent. After THF was evaporated, the residual mixture was blended by a heat twin roller. Through such procedure, composite materials consisting of PVC and CC were prepared. These composite materials exhibited excellent property on impact resistance. The effect was similar to that for addition of a rubber component to PVC. It could be presumed that fine powdery CC was dispersed sufficiently into PVC matrix. It was also shown that the composite materials had increased the modulus of elasticity, slightly decreased the bending strength and decreased the melting viscosity.
Oxide nuclei and dislocations

Abstract Crystals of 99,999 per cent copper and of copper doped with various impurities were bent so as to introduce regular arrays of dislocations and were oxidized by three techniques in order to determine if there was a correspondence between dislocations and oxide nuclei. For crystals doped with Te or with Sn, and for crystals of OFHC copper it was found that nuclei were formed at dislocations. For 99.999 per cent copper and for copper doped with Si there was no correlation between oxide nuclei and dislocations. Also, oxide nuclei were formed on crystals of all purities which were not related to dislocations.
Motricity Index Scores are Valid Indicators of Paretic Upper Extremity Strength Following Stroke

This retrospective pilot study was conducted to examine the validity of upper extremity Motricity Index scores. The strength of the paretic upper extremity of 10 patients with stroke was measured using the Motricity Index and dynamometry. Specifically measured were hand-grasp, elbow flexion, and shoulder abduction. The criterion validity of the Motricity Index scores was supported by their significant and high correlations with dynamometer measures (r >.74). The construct validity of the Motricity Index scores was demonstrated by their high Cronbachis alpha (.968). The Motricity Index is a valid instrument for characterizing the strength of the paretic upper extremity following stroke.
A shock-induced phase change in iron-silicate garnet

Hugoniot measurements on iron-silicate garnet (Fe_(0.79), Mg_(0.14), Ca_(0.04), Mn_(0.03))_3 Al_2Si_3O_(12) initial density 4.18 g/cm^3, demonstrate that above a shock pressure of 205 ± 20 kbar transition to a high-pressure phase(s), having an apparent zero-pressure density and bulk modulus of 4.44 ± 0.06g/cm^3 and 3.3 ± 0.3 Mbar, occurs. Crystal chemical systematics and Debye-Scherrer X-ray patterns of a recovered phase(s), which may be the shock-induced high-pressure form, suggest possible formation of a phase with a density of∼ 4.48/cm^3. Occurrence of such a polymorph of garnet in the mantle would give rise to an increase in density and seismic velocity below ∼ 600km in the earth.
The existence of weak solutions to single porosity and simple dual-porosity models of two-phase incompressible flow

Abstract. It is shown that there exists a weak solution to a degenerate and singular elliptic-parabolic partial integro-differential system of equations. These equations model two-phase incompressible flow of immiscible fluids in either an ordinary porous medium or in a naturally fractured porous medium. The full model is of dual-porosity type, though the single porosity case is covered by setting the matrixto-fracture flow terms to zero. This matrix-to-fracture flow is modeled simply in terms of fracture quantities; that is, no distinct matrix equations arise. The equations are considered in a global pressure formulation that is justified by appealing to a physical relation between the degeneracy of the wetting fluid’s mobility and the singularity of the capillary pressure function. In this formulation, the elliptic and parabolic parts of the system are separated; hence, it is natural to consider various boundary conditions, including mixed nonhomogeneous, saturation dependent ones of the first three types. A weak solution is obtained as a limit of solutions to discrete time problems. The proof makes no use of the corresponding regularized system. The hypotheses required for various earlier results on single-porosity systems are weakened so that only physically relevant assumptions are made. In particular, the results cover the cases of a singular capillary pressure function, a pure Neumann boundary condition, and an arbitrary initial condition.
Carbon-13 magnetic resonance spectra of nucleosides and their Pd(II) complexes.

Abstract Chemical shifts occurring in carbon-13 magnetic resonance spectroscopy are utilized to assess the site of complexation of nucleosides to enPdCl2 in neutral aqueous solutions. Binding occurs at N3 in cytidine, thymidine, and uridine, at N7 in 1-methylguanosine, and at N1 in guanosine. For most carbon atoms adjacent to N3 in the pyrimidine nucleosides the complexation shifts of the basic ligand are about 30% of the corresponding upfield protonation shifts. All complexes are of the form enPdL2 indicating that the ligands are unidentate and that the tendency to chelation is weak. Carbon-13 magnetic resonance spectroscopy appears to be the best method for delineating these complexes in solution. Due to the high avidity of chloride ion for Pt(II), cis dichloro Pd(II) complexes may be better models for intracellular action of the corresponding Pt(II) complexes than the Pt(II) complexes themselves.
Controlling the geometry (Janus balance) of amphiphilic colloidal particles.

A simple, generalizable method is described to produce Janus colloidal particles in large quantity with control over their respective hydrophobic and hydrophilic areas (Janus balance) in large quantity. To this end, charged particles adsorb onto the liquid−liquid interface of emulsions of molten wax and water in the presence of surfactants of opposite charge, whose concentration modifies how deeply particles penetrate the oil−water interface, and subsequent surface chemical modification of the resulting colloidosomes is performed after lowering temperature to solidify the wax. Silica particles modified in this way using different amounts of didodecyldimethylammonium bromide (DDAB) display contact angles that vary controllably between 37° and 75°. Janus balance also varies but over a more limited range with control of pH, salt concentration, or the presence of nonionic surfactant (Tween 20 or ethanol). Purity, Janus balance, and colloidosome structure are evaluated by a combination of fluorescence microsco...
Studies on the mild reduction of shark polymeric and monomeric IgM

Abstract 1. 1. Mild reduction and alkylation of pentameric nurse shark 19S immunoglobulin molecules to monomeric 7S subunits can be readily accomplished with the formation of one carboxymethylcysteine per heavy chain, i.e. presumably by the cleavage of five disulfide bonds per 19S molecule. 2. 2. Similar treatments of naturally occurring shark 7S immunoglobulin also resulted in the formation of one carboxymethylcysteine per heavy chain. 3. 3. Attempts at reoxidizing mildly reduced shark 7S subunits or 7S molecules into polymers have been unsuccessful. 4. 4. A heretofore undiscovered small and minor component was found associated with the shark 19S molecule. It was suggested that this component may be related to the J chain recently described for mammalian polymeric immunoglobulins.
Orbital pseudotumor after an upper respiratory infection: a comprehensive review.

Abstract Background Idiopathic orbital inflammation (IOI), also known as orbital pseudotumor , is a nonspecific orbital inflammation of unknown etiology. IOI can clinically mimic many other orbital pathologies, some of which can be life-threatening, as in the case of orbital cellulitis. Thus, it is imperative for the clinician to emergently arrive at the correct diagnosis. In many cases, however, IOI presents as a clinical and therapeutic challenge, and conclusive diagnosis is only confirmed after all other etiologies have been ruled out. Case Report A 63-year-old man presented urgently with a red, proptotic, painful eye. After history, blood tests, radiologic testing, and ruling out other emergent etiologies, such as orbital cellulitis, the patient was placed on oral steroids. He responded immediately to the steroid treatment. However, the patient did have a recurrence. With the second IOI episode, the patient noted, as previously, a preceding upper respiratory infection. This case may possibly show an association between an infectious trigger leading to a nonspecific aberrant immune response in the orbit. Conclusion IOI is a difficult condition to diagnose and treat. After ruling out other orbital pathologies, it is appropriate to begin treatment with oral steroids. In this case report, the patient noted an upper respiratory infection before each episode of IOI. Although there is no proof of cause, there is a strong case for the consideration of a viral respiratory infection leading to IOI.
Upper Limits to Gamma Ray Fluxes from Three Pulsating Radio Sources

A SURVEY of possible celestial gamma ray sources was undertaken by the detection of Cerenkov light generated in the atmosphere by energetic particles in air showers. Upper limits for thirteen possible continuous sources of gamma rays of energy greater than 2 × 1012 eV, together with a description of the system and its operation, have been reported elsewhere1. Soon after the discovery of the pulsating radio sources2, the survey was extended to include observations of these objects. The results are presented here together with some preliminary observations of the same sources made with a new instrument with larger aperture (10 m) and lower threshold energy (4 × 1011 eV). Most of the observations were made at the 4,200 foot level of the Mount Hopkins observing station near Tucson, Arizona, by means of light detectors consisting of two 5 foot searchlight mirrors with RCA 4518 photomulipliers at their foci; these were operated in coincidence with a resolving time of 6 ns. The results of eleven drift scans on three of the pulsating radio sources are shown in Table 1. The location of CP 0950 near Leo XR–1 permitted an upper limit to be obtained for the former from re-examination of the previous drift scans on the latter. The upper limits to the gamma ray fluxes in Table 1 are at the three standard deviation level of significance.
Fusion of rabbit spermatozoa with somatic cells cultivated in vitro.

Summary Spermatozoa, both freshly ejaculated and those maintained in rabbit uterus for 6–12h, were fused in the presence of inactivated Sendai virus with rabbit embryo kidney cells, rabbit embryo fibroblasts, human WI-38 cells and turtle TH-1 cells.Sixty-five to 95% of the mammalian cells fused with spermatozoa, whereas only 4–7% of turtle cells were found to contain spermatozoa. Morphologically altered spermatozoa could be observed in the cytoplasm of the somatic cells for as long as one month, but at no time did nuclei of the spermatozoa take up 3H-thymidine. Thus, unlike the events following fertilization, the triggering of DNA synthesis was not observed, nor was there swelling of fused spermatozoan heads.
Possible role of the carbohydrate residues in the display of the MN blood group determinants by glycophorina

Abstract Heterozygous glycophorin AM,N and homozygous glycophorin AM were reductively methylated with 13C-enriched formaldehyde in the presence of cyanoborohydride. Total reductive methylation modified the five lysine residues, and the N-terminal amino acid residues (serine and leucine) of glycophorins AM and AN, respectively. The 13C resonances of the incorporated labels were monitored as a function of the degree of glycosylation of the glycoprotein. While minimal, if any, structural changes were observed near the N-terminal amino acid upon removal of α- d -N- acetylneuraminic acid residues, gross structural changes were observed when most of the oligosaccharide chains were removed. We also found that progressive methylation of the lysine residues of glycoporin AM may influence either the chemical shift of one of the nonequivalent methyl groups of the N α ,N-[ 13 C ] dimethyl serine residue, or one of the two states of glycophorin AM.
Blood lead of intravenous drug users

Objective: A common method of illegal methamphetamine production uses lead acetate as a reagent. Production errors may result in methamphetamine grossly contaminated with lead. Three reports have documented outbreaks of acute lead poisoning in intravenous methamphetamine users. Methods: This study measured blood lead concentrations in intravenous drug users of methamphetamine, cocaine or heroin presenting to the emergency department to determine the prevalence of subclinical lead poisoning in intravenous methamphetamine users. Results: Mean blood leads for methamphetamine users (n = 92) were 6.22 μg/dL or 0.30 μmollL (range 0.10–1.15, SD 0.20) and 7.5μg/dL or 0.35 μnol/L (0.10–0.80, SD 0.15) for the nonmethamphetamine users (n = 53) with no significant difference between groups. Conclusions: The data suggest that previous outbreaks of acute intravenous lead poisoning among methamphetamine users were probably related to episodic contamination of methamphetamine. Subclinical lead poisoning was not found amo...
Balancing agility and discipline: evaluating and integrating agile and plan-driven methods

Rapid change and increasing software criticality drive successful development and acquisition organizations to balance the agility and discipline of their key processes. The emergence of agile methods in the software community is raising the expectations of customers and management, but the methods have shortfalls and their compatibility with traditional plan-driven methods such as those represented by CMMI, ISO-15288, and UK-DefStan-00-55 is largely unexplored.This tutorial pragmatically examines the aspects of agile and plan-driven methods and provides an approach to balancing through examples and case studies.
Real-Time Vision Sensor for an Autonomous Hovering Micro Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

Visionalgorithmswereimplementedonanfieldprogrammablegatearraytoprovideadditional information to supplement the insufficient data of a standard inertial measurement unit in order to create a previously unrealized completely onboard vision system for microunmanned aerial vehicles.The onboard vision system is composed of an field programmable gate array board, and a custom interface daughterboard which allow it to provide data regarding drifting movements of the micro-unmanned aerial vehicle not detected by inertial measurement units. The algorithms implemented for the vision system include a Harris feature detector, template matching feature correlator, similarity-constrained homography by random sample consensus, color segmentation, radial distortion correction, and an extended Kalman filter with a standard-deviation outlier rejection technique. This vision system was designed specifically for use as an onboard vision solution for determining movement of micro-unmanned aerial vehicles that have severe size, weight, and power limitations. Results show that the vision system is capable of real-time onboard image processing with sufficient accuracy to allow a micro-unmanned aerial vehicle to control itself without power or data tethers to a groundstation.
Intra and interspecific competition among invasive and native species during early stages of plant growth

Plant competition is a primary ecological process limiting grassland restoration success. Appropriate restoration techniques require an understanding of the degree to which intra and interspecific competition control invasive and native plant growth. The objective of this study was to determine how the intensity of intra and interspecific competition changes during early stages of plant growth. Two invasive (Bromustectorum and Taeniatherum caput-medusae) and two native (Pseudoroegneriaspicata and Poasecunda) species were grown in a diallel competition experiment, either alone or in 1:1 binary combinations and exposed to two levels of N (no N or 400 mg N kg−1 soil added) in a greenhouse. Total biomass for each species was quantified over four harvests and competitive effects were calculated. Our results show that the relative magnitude of intra and interspecific competition changes through time. Intraspecific competition was intense for native species at the initial harvests and therefore important in contributing to the outcome of final size of native species seedlings. Interestingly, bluebunch wheatgrass imposed interspecific competition on annual grasses at the first two harvests and appeared to be a better competitor than Sandberg’s bluegrass. We found that fast growing invasive species became more competitive compared to slow growing native species with increasing N and appear to establish a positive feedback mechanism between size and resource uptake. Opportunities to improve restoration success exist from determining the optimum combination of density, species proportion, and their spatial arrangement in various ecosystems and environments.
Teaching Asynchronous Digital Design in the Undergraduate Computer Engineering Curriculum

As demand continues for circuits with higher performance, higher complexity, and decreased feature size, asynchronous (clockless) paradigms will become more widely used in the semiconductor industry, as evidenced by the International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors' (ITRS) prediction of a likely shift from synchronous to asynchronous design styles in order to increase circuit robustness, decrease power, and alleviate many clock-related issues. ITRS predicts that asynchronous circuits will account for 19% of chip area within the next 5 years, and 30% of chip area within the next 10 years. To meet this growing industry need, students in Computer Engineering should be introduced to asynchronous circuit design to make them more marketable and more prepared for the challenges faced by the digital design community for years to come.
Drift-diffusion simulation of the ephaptic effect in the triad synapse of the retina

Experimental evidence suggests the existence of a negative feedback pathway between horizontal cells and cone photoreceptors in the outer plexiform layer of the retina that modulates the flow of calcium ions into the synaptic terminals of cones. However, the underlying mechanism for this feedback is controversial and there are currently three competing hypotheses: the ephaptic hypothesis, the pH hypothesis, and the GABA hypothesis. The goal of this investigation is to demonstrate the ephaptic hypothesis by means of detailed numerical simulations. The drift-diffusion (Poisson-Nernst-Planck) model with membrane boundary current equations is applied to a realistic two-dimensional cross-section of the triad synapse in the goldfish retina to verify the existence of strictly electrical feedback, as predicted by the ephaptic hypothesis. The effect on electrical feedback from the behavior of the bipolar cell membrane potential is also explored. The computed steady-state cone calcium transmembrane current-voltage curves for several cases are presented and compared with experimental data on goldfish. The results provide convincing evidence that an ephaptic mechanism can produce the feedback effect seen in experiments. The model and numerical methods presented here can be applied to any neuronal circuit where dendritic spines are invaginated in presynaptic terminals or boutons.