cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Tryptophan oxygenase gene of Anopheles gambiae

The Anopheles gambiae gene encoding tryptophan oxygenase, a homolog of the Drosophila melanogaster vermilion gene, has been molecularly cloned and characterized. Unlike Drosophila, where it is X-linked, the A. gambiae gene maps to chromosome 2R, subdivision 12E, by in situ hybridization to the polytene chromosomes. Of the six introns present, four are positioned identically to those of the Drosophila homolog, one is similarly positioned, and one is novel. A 1 955 nt cDNA potentially encodes a 392 amino acid protein of an estimated 45 kDa. Amino acid comparisons between the deduced protein and previously known tryptophan oxygenases revealed 74% identity between Anopheles and Drosophila, and 53% identity between Anopheles and nematode or mammalian proteins. Northern analysis detected a developmentally regulated transcript about 2 kb in length. Since this gene is known to control adult eye color in other flies, its cloning from A. gambiae provides the basis for a dominant phenotypic marker for germline transformation, one whose expression, unlike that of white, is not cell autonomous.
Molecular Basis of Hyperargininemia: Structure-Function Consequences of Mutations in Human Liver Arginase

Hyperargininemia is a rare autosomal recessive disorder that results from a deficiency of hepatic type I arginase. At the genetic level, this deficiency in arginase activity is a consequence of random point mutations throughout the gene that lead to premature termination of the protein or to substitution mutations. Given the high degree of sequence homology between human liver and rat liver enzymes, we have mapped both patient and nonpatient mutations of the human enzyme onto the structure of the rat liver enzyme to rationalize the molecular basis for the low activities of these mutant arginases. Mutations identified in hyperargininemia patients affect the structure and function of the enzyme by compromising active-site residues, packing interactions in the protein scaffolding, and/or quaternary structure by destabilizing the assembly of the arginase trimer.
Alliances, Credibility, and Peacetime Costs

Alliances are not perfectly credible. Although alliances raise the probability of intervention into war, many allies do not honor their promise in wartime. A formal model of alliances as signals of...
Predicting outcome of procedures to slow intestinal transit.

Procedures designed to slow intestinal transit in patients with the short-bowel syndrome (SBS) have unpredictable outcomes. Our aim was to evaluate the outcome and predictive factors for this complication in SBS patients. Ten patients (37–61 years) underwent reversed segment (n = 9) or nipple valve creation (n = 1). All patients had remnant lengths over 90 cm and rapid intestinal transit times. All subjects had benign diseases, including Crohn’s (n = 3). Six patients had a colon remnant. SBS had been present for 8 to 150 months. Nine (90%) required parental nutrition (PN) preoperatively. A procedure was performed either alone (n = 5) or concurrently with an ostomy closure (n = 3), an ostomy revision (n = 1), or a fundoplication (n = 1). There was one postoperative complication (urinary tract infection) and no deaths. Two patients developed bacterial overgrowth. One required repair of an ileocolonic stricture. One reversed segment was taken down 12 months later. Five (50%) patients improved (off PN), five remained on PN or had persistent diarrhea. Patients with a successful outcome were more likely to have had ostomy takedown (60% vs 0%). The duration of SBS; presence of Crohn’s disease, a colon remnant, or type 1 anatomy; and the transit times were similar in both groups. Adjusted remnant length (small intestine +30 cm for type 2 anatomy and +60 cm for type 3) was similar (136 ± 20 vs 154 ± 25 cm). Procedures may benefit half of selected SBS patients with adequate remnant length and rapid transit. Successful patients are more likely to have an ostomy takedown, but the outcome is less determined by transit time or intestinal length if over 90 cm.
Wilcoxon and t Test for Matched Pairs of Typed Subjects

Abstract In paired comparisons of a treatment and control, it frequently happens that the two members of each pair can be classified into distinguishable types. The completely randomized design, which assigns the members of each pair at random to treatment and control, then may by chance assign the treatment primarily to subjects of one type and thereby confound treatment and type. This difficulty can be avoided by restricting the randomization. We find that such restriction is desirable by analyzing several of the standard tests (Wilcoxon, t, and tests for dichotomous response) for efficiency and deficiency.
Staphylococcal meningoencephalitis, nematodiasis, and typhlocolitis in a squirrel monkey (Saimiri sciureus).

Background Seizures were observed in a 16-year old male Guyanese squirrel monkey with a history of inappetence and weakness. Methods and results Complete blood count, biochemical profile, and urinalysis indicated systemic disease. Nematode larvae were detected in the feces. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis revealed leukocytes and gram-positive cocci. Staphylococcus aureus was isolated from the CSF. Histopathological evaluation revealed systemic lesions with inflammation and nematodes in the small and large intestine. Conclusion This is the first report describing spontaneous staphylococcal CNS infection in a squirrel monkey.
Proteases of enhanced stability: Characteization of a thermostable variant of subtilisin

A procedure has been developed for the isolation and identification of mutants in the bacterial serine protease subtilisin that exhibit enhanced thermal stability. The cloned subtilisin BPN' gene from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens was treated with bisulfite, a chemical mutagen that deaminates cytosine to uracil in single-stranded DNA. Strains containing the cloned, mutagenized subtilisin gene which produced subtilisin with enhanced thermal stability were selected by a simple plate assay procedure which screens for esterase activity on nitrocellulose filters after preincubation at elevated temperatures. One thermostable subtilisin variant, designated 7150, has been fully characterized and found to differ from wild-type subtilisin by a single substitution of Ser for Asn at position 218. The 7150 enzyme was found to undergo thermal inactivation at one-fourth the rate of the wild-type enzyme when incubated at elevated temperatures. Moreover, the mid-point in the thermally induced transition from the folded to unfolded state was found to be 2.4-3.9 degrees C higher for 7150 as determined by differential scanning calorimetry under a variety of conditions. The refined, 1.8-A crystal structures of the wild-type and 7150 subtilisin have been compared in detail, leading to the conclusion that slight improvements in hydrogen bond parameters in the vicinity of position 218 result in the enhanced thermal stability of 7150.
An exploratory study of the viscoelasticity of phase-transforming material

Attenuation and modulus dispersion are typically associated with shear stress and strain. Time-dependent volume changes accompanying pressure variations can give rise to bulk modulus attenuation and dispersion. Phase transformations in a two-phase region are candidates for such phenomena. Here we report laboratory data that are consistent with bulk modulus softening as pressure is cycled in a region of coexisting olivine and spinel. We use Fay70For30 olivine as our sample. Experiments are performed in a multi-anvil high-pressure apparatus (Deformation DIA) using synchrotron (NSLS) X-ray radiation as the probing tool. Pressure is up to 12 GPa and temperature is up to 1450 C. Measurements were carried out within the binary loop where the olivine and spinel phases coexist. We apply a uniaxial oscillation stress onto the sample and Young's modulus and Q{sup -1} are measured at frequencies of 0.1-0.01 Hz. Our results indicate that the sinusoidal force applied to the sample in olivine-ringwoodite region has much lower bulk modulus and higher Q{sup -1} than in the single-phase regions. Our data are consistent with the diffusion controlled model of (Jackson, I., 2007. Physical origins of anelasticity and attenuation in rock, In: Price, G.D. (Ed.) Mineral Physics. Treatise On Geophysics. Elsevier), where the characteristicmore » time decreases with decreasing strain.« less
A mixed-ligand iron-sulfur cluster (C556SPaB or C565SPsaB) in the Fx-binding site leads to a decreased quantum efficiency of electron transfer in photosystem I.

The proposed structure of Photosystem I depicts two cysteines on the PsaA polypeptide and two cysteines on the PsaB polypeptide in a symmetrical environment, each providing ligands for the interpolypeptide Fx cluster. We studied the role of Fx in electron transfer by substituting serine for cysteine (C565SPsaB and C556SPsaB), thereby introducing the first example of a genetically engineered, mixed-ligand [4Fe-4S] cluster into a protein. Optical kinetic spectroscopy shows that after a single-turnover flash at 298 K, the contribution of A1- (lifetime of 10 microseconds, 40% of total and lifetime of 100 microseconds, 20% of total) and Fx- (lifetime of 500–800 microseconds, 10–15% of total) to the overall P700+ back reaction have increased in C565SPsaB and C556SPsaB at the expense of the back reaction from [FA/FB]-. The electron paramagnetic resonance spectrum of Fx shows g-values of 2.04, 1.94, and 1.81 in both mutants and a similarly decreased amount of FA and FB reduced at 15 K after a single-turnover flash. These results indicate that the mixed-ligand (3 cysteines, 1 serine) Fx cluster is an inefficient electron carrier, but that a small leak through Fx still permits FA and FB to be reduced quantitatively when the samples are frozen during continuous illumination. The data confirm that Fx is a necessary intermediate in the electron transfer pathway from A1 to FA and FB in Photosystem I.
Two-earner households and housing demand: The effect of the wife's occupational choice

This article analyzes the impact of the occupational choice of married women in two-earner households on the level of housing expenditures. In recent years married women have chosen professional and managerial occupations with increasing frequency. Because entry and exit from such occupations is costly, households will tend to view the incremental income as permanent. To analyze the housing market impact of this trend, a housing expenditure function is estimated using a national data set for the 1979 to 1987 period. The results indicate that households in which the wife is employed in a professional or managerial occupation spend considerably more on housing for given levels of current income. Furthermore, the effect is most pronounced among move-up homebuyers. To the extent that recent trends in female occupational choice continue, the impact on the housing market may be substantial.
The reactions of octaethylporphyrin and its iron (II) and iron (III) complexes with free radicals

Abstract The reactions of dilute solutions of octaethylporphyrin and its iron (II) and iron (III) complexes with methyl, 2-cyanopropyl, t -butoxy, and benzoyloxy radicals are described. The results are summarized: (i) The reactivity of the porphyrin and its high-spin iron (II) and iron (III) complexes toward alkyl and t -butoxy radicals stands in the order: Fe II > Fe III ⪢ free porphyrin. For benzoyloxy radicals the order is Fe II > Porp > Fe III . (ii) The exclusive path of reaction of high-spin iron (II) porphyrin with radicals is the rapid reduction of the radical and generation of an iron (III) porphyrin. The dominant path of reaction of high-spin iron (III) porphyrin with alkyl and (presumably) t -butoxy radicals is a rapid axial inner sphere reduction of the porphyrin. An axial ligand of iron is transferred to the radical. (iv) The reaction of benzoyloxy radicals with high or low-spin iron (III) porphyrins occurs primarily at the meso position. With the low-spin dipyridyl complex in pyridine the attendant reduction to iron (II) can be observed spectrally. Methyl radicals also reduce this complex by adding to the meso position. (v) The reaction of a radical with either an iron (II) or an iron (III) porphyrin results in the generation of the other valence state of iron and consequently oxidation and reduction products emanating from both iron species are obtained. (vi) No evidence for an iron (IV) is intermediate is apparent. (vii) Iron (II) porphyrins in solvents that impart either spin state are easily oxidized by diacyl peroxides. The occurrence of both axial and peripheral redox reactions with the iron complexes supports an underlying premise of a recent theory of hemeprotein reactivity. The relevance of the work to bioelectron transfer and heme catabolism is noted.
From up here they look like ants 1

Edward O. Wilson's sociobiology, as advocated in On Human Nature, is often criticized for its sensationalism and its anthropomorphisms. Critics have not recognized, however, that the so‐called anthropomorphisms are essential to sociobiology, in so far as it seeks to address the humanities, and that the sensationalism derives from them. They are not just the sloppiness usually found in popularizations. Section I reviews the grounds for these criticisms and then ends by demonstrating that it is no less a confusion to label these misuses of language ‘anthropomorphisms’. Section II analyzes the style of reasoning, characteristic of scientism in general and sociobiology in particular, that sanctions misuses of language such as Wilson's. The flaw in this reasoning is that it depends upon the very language it sets out to debunk, in a way that renders its own arguments unintelligible.
A time series model of fertility and female labour supply in the UK

Multiple time series procedures suitable for estimation and testing with nonstationary data are applied to UK data on age-specific fertility rates, age-specific female labour force participation rates, and women's and men's wages. Cointegration tests establish the existence of two long-run equilibrium relations, identified as a fertility relation and a labour supply equation, for each age group. Maximum likelihood estimates of these equations are consistent with the new home economics model of fertility, and tests of Granger-causality show evidence of extensive feedback among the variables.
Polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) as indicators of the source and maturity of marine crude oils

Whole oil GC-MS was used to characterize selected polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in a suite of marine crude oils derived from source rocks deposited under different conditions. The selected PAH consist primarily of 2- and 3-ring aromatic hydrocarbons, including naphthalenes (to C 4 ), fluorenes (to C 3 ), phenanthrenes (to C 4 ) and dibenzothiophenes (to C 3 ), as well as several 4- and 5-ring compounds. Concentrations of the selected PAH range from 2294 to 129,170 ppm and typically comprise between 1% and 20% of the total C 12+ aromatic fraction. PAH compositions in all source types are dominated by naphthalenes. These compounds comprise between 41.9% and 88.9% of the total PAH measured. The greatest difference between oils lies in the relative abundance of dibenzothiophenes. Their abundance rivals that of naphthalenes in the carbonate oils (up to 41.7% of total PAH) but is exceedingly low in the paralic oils ( < 2.1% of total PAH). These differences, which reflect differences in clastic content, Eh-pH, and availability of reduced sulfur in the source rock depositional environment, are captured in the ratio DBT/P, calculated as the sum of all dibenzothiophenes relative to phenanthrenes. DBT/P is greater than 1.0 in most carbonate-sourced oils but ranges between 0.08 and 0.18 in the paralic-sourced oils. Siliciclastic-sourced oils are intermediate, with values ranging from 0.14 to 0.87 (average 0.40). All oils show a predominance of alkylated PAH homologues over the unsubstituted parent, however, the maximum degree of alkylation (the most abundant alkylated homologues within any given PAH series) varies. Carbonate-sourced oils show a high degree of alkylation, often maximizing at C 3 or C 4 , while paralic-sourced oils generally exhibit a lower degree of alkylation in which the C 1 or C 2 isomers predominate. Siliciclastic-sourced oils are intermediate. with alkylation maximizing between the C 2 and C3 isomers. We propose that these alkylation trends reflect differences in the PAH precursor moieties in source kerogens and/or variations in the thermal history of the source types, i.e., milder thermal history for the carbonate oils relative to paralic and siliciclastic oils.
A spark ignition model for liquid fuel sprays applied to gas turbine engines

The characteristic time model for ignition is used to describe the spark ignition of liquid fuel sprays in gas turbine combustors. The model states that for ignition to occur, the energy of a spark must heat up an initial volume such that the heat release rate within that volume is greater than the loss rate. Heat generation is limited first by a droplet evaporation time and then a kinetic time; heat loss (for gas turbine applications) is due to turbulent diffusion and, hence, is controlled by a mixing time. Data from two can-type combustors and seventeen fuels are correlated by a single ignition limit curve. The key to applying the model to engine data is the estimation of drop sizes and equivalence ratios at the spark gap.
Frequency and morphology of tropical tropopause layer cirrus from CALIPSO observations: Are isolated cirrus different from those connected to deep convection?

[1] Tropical tropopause layer cirrus (TTLC) profiles identified from CALIPSO lidar measurements are grouped into cloud objects and classified according to whether or not they are directly connected to deep convection. TTLC objects directly connected to deep convection are optically and physically thicker than isolated objects, consistent with what would be expected if convective objects were formed from convective detrainment and isolated objects formed in situ. The frequency of occurrence of these different classifications of TTLC varies depending on height and region. Thirty-six percent of TTLC profiles contain convective TTLC when TTLC is defined with cloud base height greater than 14 km (±20° Latitude). This estimate of convective TTLC is thought to be a lower limit on the percentage of TTLC formed by convective detrainment. Aged anvil that has persisted longer than the thick regions of the convective cloud would not be classified as convective in our classification. Regions with higher occurrence of deep convection also have higher occurrence of TTLC, and a greater percentage of those TTLC are classified as convective. Definitions of TTLC using higher cloud base height thresholds contain a smaller percentage of TTLC that are classified as convective. Cloud top heights of both isolated and convective TTLC are distributed similarly with respect to the height of the cold point tropopause. Cloud optical depths were found to be higher in TTLC over thick clouds than in TTLC over clear sky during the day but not in night measurements. It is not clear whether this has a physical cause or is due to daytime measurement uncertainties. Both cloud base and top heights are higher over deep convection than over clear sky.
SOME EFFECTS OF CALCIUM DEFICIENCY ON PISUM SATIVUM.

It has long been known that the addition of calcium to the soil has a beneficial effect in the growing of crops. Pliny described the chalk wells from which chalk was brought up to be spread over the surface of the soil of southern England where the land is deficient in lime. Many agricultural bulletins emphasize the need of this element, especially in growing leguminous crops. In general, the external appearance of the plant has been employed as a standard of comparison by many investigators who have considered the effect on the plant of many variations in the conditions of growth, including the omission of certain salts from the nutrient solution. The literature covering the necessity of calcium for the normal growth of plants and animals is vast, s' Jacob (4) finds that a deficiency of calcium produces similar results in both peas and beans. He describes the plants as somewhat limp and yellowish, with roots little branched, and often slimy by the end of the experiment. A recent investigation by Cargill, (1) shows that peas grown in a complete nutrient solution vary markedly in appearance if the ratio of calcium to magnesium is altered. In a measure her study has furnished the basis of the present investigation. More recently workers have investigated the variations caused in the internal structure by alterations of external conditions. Before much can be accomplished in this line, it is necessary to study the structure of a normal plant, as has been done by Compton (2), who discusses the seedling structure of the Leguminosae. Compton gives a fairly clear picture of the arrangement of the principal tissues in many of the important forms, including the pea. Sorokin and Sommer (8) state that the absence of calcium causes marked and rapid changes in the root tips of Pisum sativum, variety Golden Vine. They conclude that this element is a constituent of the protoplast essential for normal mitotic division in the meristematic region. Their evidence seems to show that a lack of calcium does not cause disintegration of tissues by separation of the cells through the absence of calcium pectate as has been suggested by some writers. One general conception has been that calcium is important in neutralizing the acid in the soil. Doubtless this is not its only function. It has been the aim of this study to determine the effect of calcium, not with
Efficiencies of liquid-liquid extraction and XAD-4 and XAD-7 resins in collecting organic compounds from a coke plant's effluent

These results, taken together with our earlier study (Janardan et al. 1980), suggest that the chemical characterization of a complex wastes requires the simultaneous collection of samples by several methods.
Increased Turnover of a Polypeptide Associated with the Lightharvesting Chlorophyll-protein Complex II in Partially Bleached Euglena gracilis

Summary The levels of a 24,500 Mr polypeptide of the light-harvesting chlorophyll-protein complex associated with photosystem II decrease in plastids of growing photoheterotrophic cultures of Euglena gracilis during heat-bleaching at 33 °C. The polypeptide, however, continues to be synthesized, imported and incorporated into thylakoids despite reduced levels of accumulation. The failure of bleaching plastids to maintain normal levels of this polypeptide could be explained by an increase in turnover of the newly synthesized polypeptide at the elevated temperature. In this report, I show that the polypeptide is rapidly degraded when isolated plastids from [ 35 S]labelled partially bleached Euglena are incubated at 33 °C. Pulse-chase experiments carried out in vivo with partially bleached cell cultures essentially confirm the results obtained with isolated plastids. The results presented suggest that post-translational events regulate the levels of the 24,500 Mr polypeptide in bleaching Euglena.
Priority inversion and queue management for 802.11 priority WLANs

All priority-based IEEE 802.11 networks use the 802.11e standard or one of its variants to improve the quality of service (QoS). An enhanced data link layer, which services packets in a manner that is consistent with their priority, is proposed by the standard. Buffer management and packet scheduling are two key components of a QoS mechanism operating at this layer. The 802.11e standard includes a well-defined packet scheduler, but it does not specify a buffer management policy. Buffer management policies determine which packets are discarded during network congestion. The drop tail algorithm is the traditional approach to buffer management and is both computationally simple and widely implemented. However, we show that drop tail can significantly reduce the throughput of a typical wireless network and lead to a priority inversion. We present the reasons for this performance degradation, propose several remedies, and recommend a new buffer management policy for 802.11e networks.
How Is ADHD Assessed and Documented? Examination of Psychological Reports Submitted to Determine Eligibility for Postsecondary Disability:

Objective: To examine how ADHD evaluations are documented for postsecondary students requesting disability eligibility. Method: A total of 100 psychological reports submitted for eligibility determ...
Effect of Calcium and Phosphorus on Energy Utilization by Chicks

Abstract The effect of calcium and phosphorus on energy utilization by mixed sex broilers was investigated. The calcium and phosphorus deficient basal diet was composed primarily of corn and soybean meal and contained chromic oxide as an indicating substance. The test diets were fed to three replicates of 10 chicks each. Two groups of chicks were fed diets containing either 0.3 or 0.5% non-phytate phosphorus and 1% calcium during the two-week preliminary period. Each group was then subdivided and each subgroup fed either the low phosphorus or the phosphorus adequate diet during a two-week test period. The level of non-phytate phosphorus fed during the preliminary period had no effect on subsequent energy content of the diet. In the second experiment chicks were reared for 10 days and then fed the test diets, which contained 0.2, 0.3, 0.4 or 0.5% non-phytate phosphorus, for 11 days. Each non-phytate phosphorus level was fed with either 1% calcium or at a 2:1 calcium: non-phytate phosphorus ratio. The energy content was reduced (P
Evaluation and staging of musculoskeletal neoplasia

Musculoskeletal neoplasia are rare and can present in a highly variable fashion. Maintaining an index of suspicion for the presence of neoplasia is important. A standard approach to evaluation with history, physical, and appropriate imaging studies is mandatory. This information then can be synthesized to properly stage the lesion, which in turn facilitates an appropriate treatment plan. This article discusses the systematic approach to the evaluation and staging of musculoskeletal lesions.
Effect of gas recycling and secondary electron emission on the axial power flow in an open-ended device

A model analyses the effect of secondary electron emission and gas recycling on open-ended fusion devices. Secondary emission is assumed to be limited by space-charge effects. It is also assumed that cold plasma is created by the ionization of gas recycled from the end wall. The axial power flow in the device was increased by these phenomena. This article shows that fairly simple techniques can control the enhancement of the power losses. The results of this model are in agreement with measurements made on the TMX experiment. Estimates made for the TMX Upgrade and MFTF-B indicate that these effects will not significantly enhance the axial power losses.
The effects of ion-exchanged cobalt catalysts on the gasification of wood chars in carbon dioxide

Abstract The high catalytic activity of cobalt in gasification of wood chars by carbon dioxide has been studied by determining the effect of heat treatment temperature (HTT) on reactivity of the char and the chemical state of the catalyst. The pyrolytic transformations occurring as low-temperature chars (HTT 400 °C) are heated to higher gasification temperatures have also been studied in order to determined first, the nature of the interaction of the catalyst with the pyrolytic carbon; and second, the type of gases produced by pyrolytic reactions prior to or during gasification by carbon dioxide. Maximum catalytic activity was not observed until the HTT exceeded 600 °C. The maximum rate of gasification was not strongly dependent on HTT, but as the HTT was increased the duration of the maximum level of reactivity was reduced, and an increasingly smaller fraction of the carbon maintained contact with the catalyst. The most reactive chars were those of HTT 600 °C; these chars gasified completely in approximately 5 min at 600 °C. Elemental cobalt was detected in chars of HTT 1000 °C by X-ray diffractions, and this is believed to be the active catalytic species at lower temperatures as well. The activity of the catalyst is believed to depend upon reduction to the elemental state, and is further related to the rate of agglomeration of the catalytic species and the efficiency of the reduced catalyst in dissociating carbon dioxide.
INHALED NITRIC OXIDE IN THE PREMATURE INFANT : ANIMAL MODELS AND CLINICAL EXPERIENCE

Inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) is an effective adjuvant therapy for term newborns with persistent pulmonary hypertension. However, its role in treating hypoxemic respiratory failure in premature newborns has not been established. Laboratory experiments have shown the importance of endogenously produced NO in fetal and neonatal pulmonary vasoregulation in the premature lamb. Moreover, low-dose iNO improves oxygenation and reduces pulmonary vascular resistance in the premature lamb with hyaline membrane disease. Preliminary studies have suggested the potential role of low-dose iNO in premature newborns with hyaline membrane disease, sepsis, and pulmonary hypoplasia. However, prematurity poses unique risks that must be carefully addressed with clinical trials designed to measure both safety and efficacy of this promising new therapy.
Performance Analysis of Bidirectional DC–DC Converters for Electric Vehicles

This paper presents the performance analysis and comparison of two types of bidirectional dc–dc converters—cascaded buck–boost capacitor in the middle and cascaded buck–boost inductor in the middle for use in plug-in electric and hybrid electric vehicles. The comparison of the two converters is based on device requirements, rating of switches and components, control strategy, and performance. Each of the converter topologies has some advantages over the other in certain aspects. Efficiency analysis has been carried out for specific scenarios in vehicle applications. The simulation and experimental results are provided for both converter types.
Light-dependent chloroplast volume changes in chloride media.

In the past, some workers have reported that isolatedSpinacea oleracea chloroplasts show light-induced swelling in chloride media, while another group showed that chloroplasts may exhibit light-induced shrinkage in chloride media. The difference cannot be due to nuances of individual technique because the present authors, one from each of the above-mentioned groups, worked together each using his usual techniques and found that the chloroplasts used in this study did not show light-induced swelling in chloride media. A slight shrinkage occured with these plastids in chloride media. The criteria used to determine the nature of the volume changes were 0°–90° light-scattering measurements and Coulter Counter particle volume measurements.
Occlusion positionnelle symptomatique de l'artère carotide interne : évaluation et traitement chirurgical

Une femme de 42 ans presentait une faiblesse du bras et de la jambe droite lorsqu'elle tournait sa tete du cote gauche. Une arteriographie carotidienne montra, en position neutre, une deviation anterieure de l'artere carotide interne gauche et, lorsqu'elle tournait la tete vers la gauche, une occlusion complete de l'artere carotide interne gauche. A l'intervention, notre malade avait un exces de longueur de l'artere carotide interne gauche et fut traitee par resection-anastomose de l'artere carotide interne. Quatre mois apres l'intervention, l'examen Doppler montrait des arteres largement permeables et elle a ete par la suite completement asymptomatique.
A Review of Emergency Medical Services Events in US National Parks From 2007 to 2011

Objective Outdoor recreation is growing in the United States, with more than 279 million annual visitors to areas controlled by the National Park Service (NPS). Emergency medical needs in these parks are overseen by the National Park's rangers within the NPS Emergency Medical Services (EMS) system. This study examines medical and traumatic emergencies throughout the NPS over a 5-year period to better understand the types of events and fatalities rangers encounter, both regionally and on a national scale. Methods This is a retrospective review of the annual EMS reports published by the 7 NPS regions from 2007 to 2011. The following were compared and examined at a regional and national level: medical versus traumatic versus first aid events, cardiac events and outcomes, use of automated external defibrillators, and medical versus traumatic fatalities. Results The national incidence of EMS events was 45.9 events per 1 million visitors. Medical, traumatic, and first aid events composed 29%, 28%, and 43% of reports, respectively. Of medical episodes, 1.8% were cardiac arrests, of which 64.2% received automated external defibrillator treatment; 29.1% of cardiac arrests survived to hospital discharge. Of fatalities, 61.4% were traumatic in nature and the remaining 38.5% were nontraumatic (medical). Regional differences were found for all variables. Conclusions On a national level, the NPS experiences an equal number of medical and traumatic EMS events. This differs from past observed trends that reported a higher incidence of traumatic events than medical events in wilderness settings. Cardiac events and automated external defibrillator usage are relatively infrequent. Traumatic fatalities are more common than medical fatalities in the NPS. Regional variations in events likely reflect differences in terrain, common activities, proximity to urban areas, and access to definitive care between regions. These data can assist the NPS in targeting the regions with the greatest number of incidents and fatalities for prevention, ranger training, and visitor education.
Limited English Proficiency and Disparities in Clinical Research

Patients with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) are a protected class under the Civil Rights Act. However, clinical trials continue to remain largely inaccessible to this population. This article lays out the scientific, legal, and ethical rationales for the inclusion of LEP subjects in clinical research.
Anion Selectivity of a Sapphyrin-Modified Silica Gel HPLC Support

A sapphyrin-modified silica gel support for use in high-performance liquid chromatography was prepared by attaching a sapphyrin monocarboxylic acid to aminopropyl silica gel through an amide bond. The anion retention characteristics of this modified silica gel were tested by exploring the extent to which a specific anion in the mobile phase would act to affect the rate at which AMP was eluted from an HPLC column containing this functionalized stationary phase. In general, it was found that phosphate and arsenate anions were more effective as eluents than carboxylic acids and halides, a result that was interpreted in terms of these former species binding better to sapphyrin (and hence being more effective in terms of displacing AMP) than other anions tested. Support for the contention that phosphate anions will bind to sapphyrin subunits covalently tethered to the silica gel came from solid state 31P NMR spectroscopic analyses. These revealed that the 31P nucleus undergoes a 5 ppm upfield shift, relative t...
Course of Infections with the 3H2 Strain of Plasmodium cathemerium in Canaries

ConclusionThe 3H2 strain of P. cathemerium is a very virulent agent when transmitted as indicated in the designation; i. e., exclusively through the bite of infected C. pipiens mosquitoes.
Effects of tensile stress on the R lines of Cr(3+) in a sapphire fiber.

The spectroscopic properties of a crystalline sapphire fiber unintentionally dOed with Cr(3+) are investigated. It is found that tensile stress produces blue shifts of the R lines and changes in their radiative lifetimes and integrated intensities that can be correlated to stress-induced changes of the crystal-field parameters.
Effects of peanut skin extract on quality and storage stability of beef products

Abstract Peanut skins are a low-value byproduct of peanut processing operations. They have been found to contain significant levels of natural antioxidants, but their antioxidant activity in muscle foods is unknown. The effects of peanut skin extracts on oxidation (TBARS) and color (CIE L ∗ a ∗ b ∗ ) was studied in ground beef and ground beef with added salt, phosphate (STP) and nitrite/erythorbate. Cooking loss, microbial growth, aroma acceptability and texture were also examined. The most significant reduction in oxidation was in ground beef or samples with salt, followed by phosphate (STP) or nitrite/erythorbate. Because of their low effective concentrations (200 ppm), the extracts did not cause color change ( P > 0.05) of the products indicated by CIE L ∗ a ∗ b ∗ value. The extracts had no effect ( P > 0.05) on sensory aroma. The phenolic extract from peanut skin had no effect ( P > 0.05) on the cooking loss of the ground beef as well as the cured and uncured formulated products. The microbial growth in fresh ground beef was not affected (P
Recent stabilization programs in Argentina, 1973–1986

Abstract This paper evaluates three stabilization programs in Argentina, that directed by Jose Gelbard in 1973–1974 under the Peronists, that of Jose Martinez de Hoz in the Videla military government of 1976–1981, and that of Juan Sourrouille with the Alfonsin Radicals from mid-1985 to the present. The contrast between the authoritarian military and the two different populist administrations allows for the examination in both regime types of the degree of decisionmaker autonomy vis-a-vis various key interest groups, a major factor in the ultimate success or failure of each economic program.
Perceived direction of moving two-dimensional patterns depends on duration, contrast and eccentricity.

Abstract Type II two-dimensional motion is produced by superimposing two one-dimensional drifting cosine gratings with velocity vectors lying on the same side of the intersection-of-constraints (IOC) resultant. When type II patterns were constructed with components having the same spatial frequency and contrast, perceived direction was found to be biased toward the vector sum direction at short durations and approached the direction predicted by IOC only after some time lag. This time lag was contrast dependent. At 5% contrast, the perceived direction after 1 sec of presentation remained biased by more than 20°. Direction perception was also measured at 15° eccentricity. At this eccentricity the perceived direction of type II patterns was grossly biased away from the IOC prediction in the direction of the component vectors by an average of 25°.
Proteins homologous to leaf glycoproteins are abundant in stems of dark-grown soybean seedlings. Analysis of proteins and cDNAs

We report here the cloning and sequence analysis of cDNAs for a pair of closely related proteins from soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merr. cv. Williams 82) stems. Both proteins are abundant in soluble extracts of seedling stems but not of roots. One of these proteins (M r=28 kDa) is also foundd in the cell wall fraction of stems and actumulates there when seedlings are exposed to mild water deficit for 48 h. The mRNA for these proteins is most abundant in the stem region which contains dividing cells, less abundant in elongating and mature stem cells, and rare in roots. Using antiserum against the 28 kDa protein, we isolated cDNA clones encoding it and an antigenically related 31 kDa protein. The two cDNAs are 80% homologous in nucleotide and amino acid coding sequence. The predicted proteins have similar hydropathy profiles, and contain putative NH2-terminal signal sequences and a single putative N-linked glycosylation site. The two proteins differ significantly in calculated pI (28 kDa=8.6; 31 kDa=5.8), and the charge difference is demonstrated on two-dimensional gels. The proteins described here may function as somatic storage proteins during early seedling development, and are closely related to glycoproteins which accumulate in vacuoles of paraveinal mesophyll cells of fully expanded soybean leaves when plants are depodded.
Measurement and analysis of thermal stresses in 3-D integrated structures containing through-silicon-vias

In this work, experimental measurements and numerical analysis of the thermal stresses in TSV structures are presented. The stresses are measured using the micro-Raman spectroscopy and the precision bending beam technique. Together, the two methods provide a complementary approach for characterizing thermomechanical behaviors of the TSV structures. The effect of plasticity on the stresses is discussed, and the measured stress behavior is used to analyze the keep-out zone (KOZ) for active devices near the TSVs.
Hypoglycemic events analysis via recurrent time-to-event (HEART) models

Diabetes affects an estimated 25.8 million people in the United States and is one of the leading causes of death. A major safety concern in treating diabetes is the occurrence of hypoglycemic events. Despite this concern, the current methods of analyzing hypoglycemic events, including the Wilcoxon rank sum test and negative binomial regression, are not satisfactory. The aim of this article is to propose a new model to analyze hypoglycemic events with the goal of making this model a standard method in industry. Our method is based on a gamma frailty recurrent event model. To make this method broadly accessible to practitioners, this article provides many details of how this method works and discusses practical issues with supporting theoretical proofs. In particular, we make efforts to translate conditions and theorems from abstract counting process and martingale theories to intuitive and clinical meaningful explanations. For example, we provide a simple proof and illustration of the coarsening at random condition so that the practitioner can easily verify this condition. Connections and differences with traditional methods are discussed, and we demonstrate that under certain scenarios the widely used Wilcoxon rank sum test and negative binomial regression cannot control type 1 error rates while our proposed method is robust in all these situations. The usefulness of our method is demonstrated through a diabetes dataset which provides new clinical insights on the hypoglycemic data.
Robust altitude estimation for over-the-horizon radar using a state-space multipath fading model

In previous work, a matched-field estimate of aircraft altitude from multiple over-the-horizon (OTH) radar dwells was presented. This approach exploits the altitude dependence of direct and surface reflected returns off the aircraft and the relative phase changes of these micro-multipath arrivals across radar dwells. Since this previous approach assumed high dwell-to-dwell predictability, it has been found to be sensitive to mismatch between modeled versus observed micro-multipath phase and amplitude changes from dwell-to-dwell. A generalized matched-field altitude estimate is presented here based on a state-space model that accounts for random ionospheric and target-motion effects that degrade the dwell-to-dwell predictability of target returns. The new formulation results in an efficient, robust recursive maximum likelihood (ML) estimation of aircraft altitude. Simulations suggest that the proposed technique can achieve accuracy within 5,000 ft of the true aircraft altitude, even with relatively high levels of uncertainty in modeling of dwell-to-dwell changes in the target return. A real data result is also presented to illustrate the technique.
Ozone Sensitivity in Hybrid Poplar Correlates with Insensitivity to Both Salicylic Acid and Jasmonic Acid. The Role of Programmed Cell Death in Lesion Formation

Our earlier studies demonstrated that the ozone-sensitive hybrid poplar clone NE-388 displays an attenuated level of ozone-, wound-, and phytopathogen-induced defense gene expression. To determine if this reduced gene activation involves signal transduction pathways dependent on salicylic acid (SA) and/or jasmonic acid (JA), we compared the responses of NE-388 and an ozone-tolerant clone, NE-245, to these signal molecules. JA levels increased in both clones in response to ozone, but only minimal increases in SA levels were measured for either clone. Treatment with SA and methyl jasmonate induced defense gene expression only in NE-245, indicating that NE-388 is insensitive to these signal molecules. DNA fragmentation, an indicator of programmed cell death (PCD), was detected in NE-245 treated with either ozone or an avirulent phytopathogen, but was not detected in NE-388. We conclude that these clones undergo two distinct mechanisms of ozone-induced lesion formation. In NE-388, lesions appear to be due to toxic cell death resulting from a limited ability to perceive and subsequently activate SA- and/or JA-mediated antioxidant defense responses. In NE-245, SA-dependent PCD precedes lesion formation via a process related to the PCD pathway activated by phytopathogenic bacteria. These results support the hypothesis that ozone triggers a hypersensitive response.
Heat conditioning induces heat shock proteins in broiler chickens and turkey poults

Abstract Peripheral leukocyte heat shock proteins (HSP: HSP90, HSP70, and HSP23) from broiler chickens and turkey poults were induced by in vitro and in vivo high temperature exposure. Heat conditioning, via a daily 1 h exposure to 41 C, enhanced in vitro HSP expression in leukocytes from chickens heat-conditioned for 1 to 2 wk, and a similar response was found in turkey poults with 3 wk of heat conditioning causing the greatest HSP expression. In vivo heat exposure trials caused maximization of HSP expression after 1 wk of daily heat conditioning exposures in broilers, but no additional enhancement was seen in chickens heat conditioned for 2 wk. Enhancement in HSP expression was evident for periods up to 4 wk after termination of the daily heat conditioning episodes.
End-to-end asynchronous optical packet transmission, scheduling, and buffering

The first demonstration of asynchronous optical packet transmission, scheduling, and buffering is presented using asynchronous/autonomous transmitters, lookup, buffer and a burst mode receiver. Contention resolution is shown with greater than 99.8% packet recovery at 10Gb/s.
Effect of weight loss and exercise therapy on bone metabolism and mass in obese older adults: a one-year randomized controlled trial.

Background: Although weight loss and exercise ameliorates frailty and improves cardiac risk factors in obese older adults, the long-term effect of lifestyle intervention on bone metabolism and mass is unknown. Objective: The objective was to evaluate the effects of diet-induced weight loss in conjunction with exercise on bone metabolism and mass in obese older adults. Design and Setting: We conducted a one-year randomized, controlled clinical trial in a university-based research center. Participants: Twenty-seven frail, obese (body mass index = 39 ± 5 kg/m2), older (age 70 ± 5 yr) adults participated in the study. Intervention: Participants were randomly assigned to diet and exercise (treatment group; n = 17) or no therapy (control group; n = 10). Outcome Measures: Body weight decreased in the treatment group but not in the control group (−10 ± 2 vs. +1 ± 1%, P < 0.001). Compared with the control group, the treatment group had greater changes in bone mass, bone markers, and hormones, including 1) bone mineral density (BMD) in total hip (0.1 ± 2.1 vs. −2.4 ± 2.5%), trochanter (0.2 ± 3.3 vs. −3.3 ± 3.1%), and intertrochanter (0.3 ± 2.7 vs. −2.7 ± .3.0%); 2) C-terminal telopeptide (12 ± 35 vs. 101 ± 79%) and osteocalcin (−5 ± 15 vs. 66 ± 61%); and 3) leptin (2 ± 12 vs. −30 ± 25%) and estradiol (0.1 ± 14% vs. −14 ± 21%) (all P < 0.05). Changes in weight (r = 0.55), bone markers (r = −0.54), and leptin (r = 0.61) correlated with changes in hip BMD (all P < 0.05). Conclusion: Weight loss, even when combined with exercise, decreases hip BMD in obese older adults. It is not known whether the beneficial effects of weight loss and exercise on physical function lower the overall risk of falls and fractures, despite the decline in hip BMD.