cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Temperature-Sensitive and Attenuation Phenotypes Conferred by Mutations in the Influenza Virus PB2, PB1, and NP Genes Are Influenced by the Species of Origin of the PB2 Gene in Reassortant Viruses Derived from Influenza A/California/07/2009 and A/WSN/33 Viruses

Live attenuated influenza vaccines in the United States are derived from a human virus that is temperature sensitive (ts), characterized by restricted (≥100-fold) replication at 39°C. The ts genetic signature (ts sig) has been mapped to 5 loci in 3 genes: PB1 (391E, 581G, and 661T), PB2 (265S), and NP (34G). However, when transferred into avian and swine influenza viruses, only partial ts and attenuation phenotypes occur. To investigate the reason for this, we introduced the ts sig into the human origin virus A/WSN/33 (WSN), the avian-origin virus A/Vietnam/1203/04 (VN04), and the swine origin triple-reassortant 2009 pandemic H1N1 virus A/California/07/2009 (CA07), which contains gene segments from human, avian, and swine viruses. The VN04ts sig and CA07ts sig viruses replicated efficiently in Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells at 39°C, but the replication of WSNts sig was restricted ≥100-fold compared to that at 33°C. Reassortant CA07ts sig viruses were generated with individual polymerase gene segments from WSN, and vice versa. Only ts sig viruses with a PB2 gene segment derived from WSN were restricted in replication ≥100-fold at 39°C. In ferrets, the CA07ts sig virus replicated in the upper and lower respiratory tract, but the replication of a reassortant CA07ts sig virus with a WSN PB2 gene was severely restricted in the lungs. Taken together, these data suggest that the origin of the PB2 gene segment influences the ts phenotype in vitro and attenuation in vivo. This could have implications for the design of novel live vaccines against animal origin influenza viruses. IMPORTANCE Live attenuated influenza vaccines (LAIVs) on temperature-sensitive (ts) backbones derived from animal origin influenza viruses are being sought for use in the poultry and swine industries and to protect people against animal origin influenza. However, inserting the ts genetic signature from a licensed LAIV backbone fails to fully attenuate these viruses. Our data indicate this is associated with the presence of a PB2 gene segment derived from an avian influenza virus. We show that a reassortant 2009 pandemic H1N1 virus with the ts signature from a licensed LAIV donor virus is ts in vitro and attenuated in vivo when the PB2 gene is derived from a human origin virus but not from an avian virus. Our study provides information that could benefit the rational design of alternative LAIV backbones against animal origin influenza viruses.
Infrared studies on cesium cyanate in CsI

Abstract The alkali halide pressed disk technique has been used to observe the infrared spectra of cesium cyanate and the cyanate ion isolated in CsI. Complications caused by using KNCO rather than CsNCO to introduce the cyanate into CsI have been studied. Frequencies have been measured between 600 and 4000 cm −1 at 310 and 10°K. The anharmonic force field has been determined using a simplified quartic force field. The constraint of the anharmonic force constants to values previously determined in the potassium halides was found to produce spurious results.
Analysis of the flow field in cyclone separators

Abstract A computer solution for subsonic, two-dimentional, gas-particle flows is applied to the study of the flow field in an axial-inlet peripheral-discharge cyclone separator. The analysis shows the effect of gas-particle momentum coupling on the gas flow field and a fractional collection efficiency. The results explain the observed increase in overall collection efficiency with increased dust loading.
Bilinear equations, Bell polynomials and linear superposition principle

A class of bilinear differential operators is introduced through assigning appropriate signs and used to create bilinear differential equations which generalize Hirota bilinear equations. The resulting bilinear differential equations are characterized by a special kind of Bell polynomials and the linear superposition principle is applied to the construction of their linear subspaces of solutions. Illustrative examples are made by an algorithm using weights of dependent variables.
Nanomanufacturing concerns about measurements made in the SEM II: specimen contamination

The scanning electron microscope (SEM) has gone through a tremendous evolution to become a critical tool for many and diverse scientific and industrial applications. The improvements that have been made have significantly improved the overall SEM performance and have made the instrument far easier to operate. But, ease of operation also fosters operator complacency. In addition, the user friendliness has reduced the “apparent” need for more thorough operator training for using of these instruments. Therefore, this overall attitude has fostered the concept that the SEM is just another expensive digital camera or another peripheral device for a computer. Hence, a person using the instrument may be lulled into thinking that all of the potential pitfalls have been eliminated and they believe everything they see on the micrograph is always correct. But, this may not be the case. The first paper in this series, discussed some of the issues related to signal generation in the SEM, instrument calibration, electron beam interactions and the need for physics-based modelling to accurately understand the actual image formation mechanisms. All these were summed together in a discussion of how these issues effect measurements made with the instrument. This second paper, discusses another major issue confronting the microscopist: specimen contamination. Over the years, NIST has done a great deal of research into the issue of sample contamination and its removal and elimination and some of this work is reviewed and discussed here.
Design of discrete Dutch auctions with an uncertain number of bidders

The focus of this paper is on Dutch auctions where the bidding prices are restricted to a finite set of values and the number of bidders follows a Poisson distribution. The goal is to determine what the discrete bid levels should be to maximize the auctioneer’s expected revenue, which is the same as the average selling price of the object under consideration. We take a new approach to the problem by formulating the descending-price competitive bidding process as a nonlinear program. The optimal solution indicates that the interval between two successive bids should be wider as the Dutch auction progresses. Moreover, the auctioneer’s maximum expected revenue increases with the number of bid levels to be set as well as the expected number of bidders. Numerical examples are provided to illustrate the key results from this study and their managerial implications are discussed.
Use of pharmacists or pharmacies as Medicare Part D information sources

Abstract Objective To characterize beneficiaries who used a pharmacy or pharmacist as a Medicare Part D information source. Methods This cross-sectional descriptive study involved 4,724 Medicare Part D beneficiaries who graduated from Wisconsin high schools in 1957. The main outcome measure was beneficiary self-reported use of a pharmacy or pharmacist as a Medicare Part D information source. Results Only 13% of the total sample and 15% of those with three or more medications used a pharmacy or pharmacist for Medicare Part D information. Adjusted logistic regression revealed that beneficiaries living in rural communities, compared with metropolitan areas, and with higher out-of-pocket prescription costs were more likely to use a pharmacy or pharmacist for Medicare Part D information. Beneficiaries with lower educational attainment were less likely to use a pharmacy or pharmacist for Medicare Part D information. Conclusion Pharmacists have the knowledge and are in the position in the community to effectively educate beneficiaries about the Medicare Part D program. However, this study suggests that few beneficiaries are using pharmacists or pharmacies for Medicare Part D information.
Orbital roof craniotomy via an eyebrow incision: a simplified anterior skull base approach

Utilizing the conceptual combination of brain protective skull base surgery and minimalism, a conventional frontal craniotomy for tumors in the subfrontal and parasellar regions is modified to an orbital roof craniotomy. Through a 4 to 5 centimeter (cm) long eyebrow incision an orbital roof craniotomy (measuring 2 cm by 3 cm), including the supraorbital arch, is made as a single piece bone flap. The orbital roof is opened up to the supraorbital fissure and to the optic canal by additional removal of the bone in the orbital roof. This will expose the globe and the orbitofrontal dura mater. When the dural incision is made at the orbital portion of the dura mater, the orbital contents are retracted by tack-up sutures. The tumor is removed utilizing the orbital space rather than the intracranial space. Brain retractors are not necessary and are not used to execute the tumor resection. This technique has been used in three patients with craniopharyngiomas, seven patients with meningiomas, and one patient with a subfrontal teratoma. Gross total resection was achieved in three patients with craniopharyngiomas and in five patients with subfrontal or parasellar meningiomas. Subtotal resection of the tumor was achieved in two patients with recurrent meningiomas and in the patient with a subfrontal teratoma. The surgeon's operating space through this exposure was sufficiently ample to achieve the goals of the operation. The direct eyebrow incision provides an additional vital working space with a width of more than 1 cm at the skull base by eliminating the scalp flap which a coronal incision employs. The surgical technique is described with a report of 11 cases.
Relative interchain disulfide bond labilities in human F (ab')2u fragments.

SummaryIgM was prepared from the plasma of a patient suffering with Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia. The protein was fragmented with trypsin and F(ab')2μ was isolated from the digestion mixture. The fragments readily dissociated into Fab' after treatment with 0.004 M mercaptoethylamine. The μ-light chain disulfide bonds were not broken. In F(ab')2μ fragments, the inter-μ, chain disulfide bond is more susceptible to reduction with mercaptoethylamine than μ-light chain bonds.
The degree of the special linear characters of a rank two free group

Given a word W in the free group on 2 letters F2, Horowitz showed that the special linear character of W is an integer polynomial in the 3 characters of the basic words of F2. Special linear characters are defined via the trace of their representations, and the polynomial character of an arbitrary W can be found by application of certain “trace relations”, which allow one to write the character of a complicated word as a sum of products of the characters of simpler words. Even in the n = 2 case, where the polynomial is uniquely defined, this procedure can be difficult and tedious. In this note, we use the structure of a free group word in F2 to compute the degree and the leading monomial of its \({SL(2,\mathbb{C})}\) -character without actually computing the full polynomial.
Superconvergence Sum Rule for Nucleon Magnetic Moment

A superconvergence sum rule relating the nucleon magnetic moments to an integral over a photoproduction amplitude is deduced. A careful evaluation of the sum rule shows that it is in moderately good agreement with experiment.
Collagen-Based Structures Containing the Peptoid Residue N-Isobutylglycine (Nleu): Conformational Analysis of Gly-Nleu-Pro Sequences by 1H-NMR and Molecular Modeling†

Molecular modeling, 1H NMR, and CD were employed to study the structure and stability of collagen-like triple helices composed of Gly-Pro-Nleu repeats. The compounds studied include the acetyl analogs Ac-(Gly-Pro-Nleu)n-NH2 (where n = 1, 6, 9) and the KTA conjugates KTA-[Gly-(Gly-Pro-Nleu)n-NH2]3 (where n = 1, 3, 6, 9 and KTA denotes the Kemp triacid). The presence of collagen-like assembled structures was supported by a consistent set of experimental observations, including the appearance of a distinct set of resonances, low hydrogen exchange rates for Gly NH, KTA signal splitting, cooperative melting transition, and analysis of NOESY cross peaks. In this regard, the concept of ensemble interchain NOEs was introduced and used to establish the close packing of Gly, Pro, and Nleu residues in triple helices composed of Gly-Pro-Nleu repeats. In addition, the ensemble interchain NOEs gave insight into the puckering of the Pro ring and the conformations accessible to the Nleu side chain. The effect of the KTA ...
Spontaneous assembly of phosphatidylcholine monolayers via chemisorption onto gold

Etude par voltammetrie cyclique et spectrometrie photoelectronique de l'adsorption de derives de phosphatidylcholine sur une electrode en or
Processes that affect electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry of nucleobases and nucleosides.

Due to the complexity of electrospray ionization processes and the many factors that affect the ion signal, optimization of electrospray ionization methods to gain ultimate sensitivity for analysis of nucleobases and nucleosides may not be straightforward. In this work, we investigated the effect of the pKa and the gas-phase basicity of analyte and other electrolytes on the [M+H]+ ion signal for 11 select nucleobases and nucleosides in 50% methanol:water solution. Solution chemistry plays a role in the electrospray signal for all analytes, but gas-phase chemistry may be important for compounds with pKa<3 depending on the solution composition. For compounds with pKa<3, gas-phase proton transfer reactions can be promoted to increase analyte electrospray response by the addition of ammonium acetate to the solution.
Atmospheric Absorption at the Line Center of P(20) CO 2 Laser Radiation

Atmospheric CO2 absorption at the line center of P(20) CO2 laser radiation has been calculated at different altitudes by using the relationship 1-exp(-∫l1l2kdl). In this calculation, the absorption caused by water vapor has not been included. The line strength and the half-width at 295 K and 1 atm pressure used are 5.09 × 10−4 cm−2 atm−1 and 0.07 cm−1 atm−1, respectively.
Scheduling for maximum capacity in SDMA/TDMA networks

This paper presents a general information-theoretic framework for the problem of spatial and temporal packet scheduling in SDMA/TDMA systems. The said problem is described as a partition of a given set of users and SDMA and TDMA are applied within each subset and among difference subsets, respectively. The capacity of SDMA/TDMA systems is derived as a function of the partition scheme. Optimization of the packet scheduling can then be performed by maximizing the capacity. The paper also presents a graph-theoretical model for the optimization problem. It shows that that the optimization is to find a proper independent dominating set in an associated graph.
The transient potassium current, the A-current, is involved in spike frequency adaptation in rat amygdala neurons.

The possible functional roles of the transient K+ current, IA, in basolateral amygdala (BLA) neurons were studied using a rat brain slice preparation and conventional intracellular recording techniques. Conditioning depolarization, which inactivates IA slowed the action potential repolarization while conditioning hyperpolarization accelarated the action potential repolarization. 4-Aminopyridine (4-AP, 100 μM), a specific IA antagonist, also caused a clear delay in spike repolarization similar to the effect of conditioning depolarization suggesting that IA is involved in the action potential repolarization. When BLA neurons were excited by injecting long depolarizing current pulses (500 ms), they responded with an initial rapid discharge of action potentials which slowed or accommodated; an afterhyperpolarization (AHP) followed the depolarizing current pulses. Superfusion of 4-AP (100 μM) blocked accommodation resulting in an increase in action potential discharge in 74% (32 out of 43) neurons tested. The remaining 11 cells responded with an increased frequency of discharge of the first few action potentials. Unlike the effect of cadmium (Cd2+, 100 μM), a calcium channel blocker, 4-AP did not reduce the AHP. In the presence of norepinephrine (NE, 10 μM), a neurotransmitter which has been shown to block calcium-activated potassuim conductance, 4-AP caused a further increase in the number and frequency of action potential discharge. In addition, in BLA neurons, spontaneous interictal and ictal-like events were observed at low and high concentrations of 4-AP, respectively. We conclude that IA is involved in the action potential repolarization as well as spike frequency adaptation in BLA neurons and that these actionsmay contribute to the convulsant effect of 4-AP
Doxorubicin-induced apoptosis in endothelial cells and cardiomyocytes is ameliorated by nitrone spin traps and ebselen. Role of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species

Doxorubicin (DOX) is a broad spectrum anthracycline antibiotic used to treat a variety of cancers. Redox activation of DOX to form reactive oxygen species has been implicated in DOX-induced cardiotoxicity. In this work we investigated DOX-induced apoptosis in cultured bovine aortic endothelial cells and cardiomyocytes isolated from adult rat heart. Exposure of bovine aortic endothelial cells or myocytes to submicromolar levels of DOX induced significant apoptosis as measured by DNA fragmentation and terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase-mediated nick-end labeling assays. Pretreatment of cells with 100 microm nitrone spin traps, N-tert-butyl-alpha-phenylnitrone (PBN) or alpha-(4-pyridyl-1-oxide)-N-tert-butylnitrone (POBN) dramatically inhibited DOX-induced apoptosis. Ebselen (20-50 microm), a glutathione peroxidase mimetic, also significantly inhibited apoptosis. DOX (0.5-1 microm) inactivated mitochondrial complex I by a superoxide-dependent mechanism. PBN (100 microm), POBN (100 microm), and ebselen (50 microm) restored complex I activity. These compounds also inhibited DOX-induced caspase-3 activation and cytochrome c release. PBN and ebselen also restored glutathione levels in DOX-treated cells. We conclude that nitrone spin traps and ebselen inhibit the DOX-induced apoptotic signaling mechanism and that this antiapoptotic mechanism may be linked in part to the inhibition in formation or scavenging of hydrogen peroxide. Therapeutic strategies to mitigate DOX cardiotoxicity should be reexamined in light of these emerging antiapoptotic mechanisms of antioxidants.
Radiopharmaceutical treatment of pheochromocytomas.

: Malignant pheochromocytomas, a group of tumors that include metastatic paragangliomas, often produce hypertension and episodic symptoms from secretion of norepinephrine and sometimes epinephrine. In addition, the tumors usually manifest progressive metastases. Blockade of alpha and beta adrenergic receptors will control blood pressure and symptoms, but reduction of the malignancy has been difficult to achieve. Meta-iodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) follows the pathways of norepinephrine and, when labeled with 131-I, will concentrate sufficiently in the pheochromocytoma to impart therapeutic radiation. More than 100 patients have received treatment with 131-I-labeled MIBG at multiple medical centers. Individual doses were 3.7 to 18.5 GBq (100 to >500 mCi), and many patients received several doses separated by a few months. Partial remissions, recorded as decreased tumor presence and tumor function, have been observed in one-third or more of the treated patients. However, complete remissions are rare, and recurrence/progression within two years is the rule. Toxicity was generally modest and temporary. Subsequent chemotherapy increased the benefits attained by 131-I MIBG, but, in a small series of patients, this combination did not further change the outcome. Nevertheless, selective radiation from 131-I MIBG or a similar radiopharmaceutical could play a valuable role in treatments that combine several types of attacks on this recalcitrant malignancy.
Kanosamine biosynthesis: a likely source of the aminoshikimate pathway's nitrogen atom

The biosynthetic source of the nitrogen atom incorporated into the aminoshikimate pathway has remained a question for some time. 3-Amino-3-deoxy-d-fructose 6-phosphate has previously been demonstrated to be a precursor to 4-amino-3,4-dideoxy-d-arabino-heptulosonic acid 7-phosphate and 3-amino-5-hydroxybenzoic acid via the inferred intermediacy of 1-deoxy-1-imino-d-erythrose 4-phosphate in Amycolatopsis mediterranei cell-free extract. This investigation examines the possibility that the natural product kanosamine might be a precursor to 3-amino-3-deoxy-d-fructose 6-phosphate. Kanosamine 6-phosphate was synthesized by a chemoenzymatic route and incubated in A. mediterranei cell-free lysate along with d-ribose 5-phosphate and phosphoenolpyruvate. Formation of 4-amino-3,4-dideoxy-d-arabino-heptulosonic acid 7-phosphate and 3-amino-5-hydroxybenzoic acid was observed. Subsequent incubation in A. mediterranei cell-free lysate of glutamine and NAD with UDP-glucose resulted in the formation of kanosamine. The bioc...
Bo Shaojun and Her One Hundred Poems Lamenting My Husband

In the year following the death of her husband, the late Ming woman poet Bo Shaojun (d. 1626) wrote a set of one hundred quatrains lamenting him. Eighty-one poems of this sequence have been preserved. In his study Mindai josei no junshi to bungaku. Haku Shōkun no Kofushi hakushu (2003) the modern Japanese scholar Kobayashi Tetsuyuki argues that Bo Shaojun’s poems should be read as a report of her determination to follow her husband in death, and of the actions undertaken in preparation for that act. This review article questions his analysis by a close reading of some selected poems and Kobayashi’s interpretations, and concludes that the poems do not show evidence of a deliberate program of preparation for such a chaste and loyal suicide.
Intestinal epithelial expression of TNFAIP3 results in microbial invasion of the inner mucus layer and induces colitis in IL-10-deficient mice.

Tumor necrosis factor-induced protein 3 (TNFAIP3; also known as A20) negatively regulates NF-κB and MAPK signals to control inflammatory responses. TNFAIP3 also protects against TNF-induced cell death. Intestinal epithelial cell (IEC) expression of TNFAIP3 improves barrier function and tight junction integrity and prevents dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced IEC death and colitis. We therefore investigated the effects of TNFAIP3 expression in IEC on immune homeostasis in the intestines of immune-compromised mice. Villin-TNFAIP3 (v-TNFAIP3) transgenic mice were interbred with IL-10−/− mice (v-TNFAIP3 × IL-10−/−) and incidence, onset, and severity of colitis was assessed. v-TNFAIP3 × IL-10−/− mice displayed severe, early onset, and highly penetrant colitis that was not observed in IL-10−/− or v-TNFAIP3 mice. V-TNFAIP3 mice displayed altered expression of mucosal cytokines, increased numbers of mucosal regulatory T cells, and altered expression of mucosal antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). Microbial colonization of the inner mucus layer of v-TNFAIP3 mice was observed, along with alterations in the microbiome, but this was not sufficient to induce colitis in v-TNFAIP3 mice. The relative sterility of the inner mucus layer observed in wild-type and IL-10−/− mice was lost in v-TNFAIP3 × IL-10−/− mice. Thus IEC-derived factors, induced by signals that are inhibited by TNFAIP3, suppress the onset of inflammatory bowel disease in IL-10−/− mice. Our results indicate that IEC expression of TNFAIP3 alters AMP expression and allows microbial colonization of the inner mucus layer, which activates an IL-10-dependent anti-inflammatory process that is necessary to prevent colitis.
Characteristics of a Proposed Double-Mode Cyclotron

It is proposed to accelerate ions in a fixed-frequency cyclotron, either with the dee voltages 180\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} out-of-phase, or with the dee voltages in-phase. This is possible if the angular extent of the dee electrodes is made less than the customary 180\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}. Formulas have been derived for the energy gain per turn of ions with various charge-to-mass ratios as a function of the angle of the dees. The threshold dee voltage for acceleration to a given energy is somewhat larger than that for conventional two-dee cyclotrons. For appropriate dee angles it is shown that both protons and deuterons can be accelerated in the nonrelativistic energy region at substantially the same magnetic field and oscillator frequency. Suggested applications to acceleration of ions heavier than alpha particles are discussed.
Optimal arrival rate and service rate control of multi-server queues

We consider the problem of optimal control of a multi-server queue with controllable arrival and service rates. This study is motivated by its potential application to the design and control of data centers. The cost structure includes customer holding cost which is a non-decreasing convex function of the number of customers in the system, server operating cost which is a non-decreasing convex function of the chosen service rate, and system operating reward which is a non-decreasing concave function of the chosen arrival rate. We formulate the problem as a continuous-time Markov decision process and derive structural properties of the optimal control policies under both discounted cost and average cost criterions.
Practices Changes in the Child Protection System to Address the Needs of Parents With Cognitive Disabilities

Parents with cognitive disabilities (PCD) are over-represented in the child protection system. However, the current state of the child protection system is not well prepared for working with them. Biases that exist against their parenting, the need for accommodations in assessment and intervention practices, and specific training in staff and cross systems barriers need to be addressed. This paper argues for changes that will ensure such parents are more effectively served and that child protection staff and contract providers are better equipped to work with them. Specific changes are discussed in assessment and intervention practices. These changes will require human capacity building and organizational restructuring. Although empirically based behavioral approaches with PCD will be emphasized, recent empirical work suggests that social information processing and neurocognitive problems occur in PCD. Approaches to working with such problems are emerging and must also be considered and integrated into a blueprint for change.
The necessity of quantizing the gravitational field

The assumption that a classical gravitational field interacts with a quantum system is shown to lead to violations of either momentum conservation or the uncertainty principle, or to result in transmission of signals faster thanc. A similar argument holds for the electromagnetic field.
Truth, Lies, and Self-Presentation: How Gender and Anticipated Future Interaction Relate to Deceptive Behavior1

The present study hypothesized that gender and expectation of future interaction affects the frequency and nature of lying. Male and female participants (208 undergraduates) were randomly assigned to same- or opposite-gender partners and given the expectation they either would not meet again or would meet 3 additional times. Participants engaged in a 10-min conversation that was videotaped covertly. Later, target participants evaluated the videotape identifying lies they told. During the conversation, 78% of participants lied, with females lying significantly more than males. Females, but not males, lied more when expecting future interaction than when expecting no future interaction. The nature of lies also varied between women and men. Findings suggest women and men differentially use deception as a self-presentational tactic.
Comparison of zinc reduction with platinum reduction for analysis of deuterium-enriched water samples for the doubly labeled water technique.

HERD, SARA L., WILLIAM H. VAUGHN, AND MICHAEL I. GORAN. Comparison of zinc reduction with platinum reduction for analysis of deuterium-enriched water samples for the doubly labeled water technique. Obes Res. 2000;8:302‐308. Objective: Isotope ratio mass spectrometry of hydrogen and oxygen is frequently used to determine total energy expenditure (TEE) using doubly labeled water. Conventionally, hydrogen isotope ratio is determined in hydrogen gas generated from water samples using zinc reduction. We compare this with a new automated platinum method to determine the ratios of hydrogen isotopes in deuterium-enriched water samples. Research Methods and Procedures: The platinum method of sample preparation was compared with the zinc method in three ways: analytical variation in deuterium enrichment (within sample; n 5 51), analytical variation in TEE estimates (within sample set; n 5 10), and level of agreement of TEE estimates between both methods (n 5 14). Results: For the zinc method, the standard deviation for multiple sets of triplicate 2 H2O sample analysis was 64.36‰ and 62.07‰ for platinum. The correlation between TEE estimates when sample sets were analyzed in duplicate was r 5 0.89 for zinc and r 5 0.83 for platinum. The intercept and slope of the regression line were significantly different from the line of identity for duplicate TEE estimates by zinc but were not different from the line of identity for platinum. After correction for the intra-assay variation of each method, the correlation between zinc and platinum for TEE was 0.77, and the intercept, but not the slope, of the regression was significantly different from the line of identity. The mean difference between the zinc method and the platinum method was 56 kcal/day, and the 95% confidence interval was 2438 to 550 kcal/day. Discussion: These data suggest that the platinum method is at least as reliable as the zinc method as a sample preparation technique for isotope ratio mass spectrometry of deuterium-enriched water samples. The platinum method is also less costly and less labor-intensive than the zinc method.
Variable-source flood pulsing in a semi-arid transboundary watershed: the Chobe River, Botswana and Namibia

The Chobe River, characterized by an unusual flood pulsing regime and shared between Botswana and Namibia, lies at the heart of the world’s largest transfrontier conservation area (the Kavango–Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area). Significant ecological changes and vegetation conversions are occurring along its floodplains. Various scenarios for agricultural and urban water use are currently being proposed by the government of Botswana. However, the understanding of the river’s annual flow regime and timing of the relative contributions of water from three different sources is relatively poor. In light of past and future climate change and variability, this means that allocating water between ecological flows and economic and domestic uses will become increasingly challenging. We reconstruct the inundation history in this basin to help ease this challenge. This paper presents a spatiotemporal approach to estimate the contribution of water from various sources and the magnitude of changes in the flooding extent in the basin between 1985 and 2010. We used time series analysis of bimonthly NOAA AVHRR and NASA MODIS data and climatologic and hydrologic records to determine the flooding timing and extent. The results indicate that between 12 and 62 % of the basin is flooded on an annual basis and that the spatial extent of the flooding varies throughout the year as a function of the timing of peak discharge in two larger basins. A 30-year trend analysis indicates a consistent decline in the average monthly flooded area in the basin. The results may prove useful in future water utilization feasibility studies, in determining measures for protecting ecological flows and levels, and in ecosystem dynamics studies in the context of current and future climate change and variability.
Sustaining local agriculture: Barriers and opportunities to direct marketing between farms and restaurants in Colorado

Research explored methods for “shortening the food links” or developing the “local foodshed” by connecting farmers with food service buyers (for restaurants and institutions) in Colorado. Telephone interviews were used to investigate marketing and purchasing practices. Findings include that price is not a significant factor in purchasing decisions; that food buyers prioritize quality as their top purchasing criterion but are not aware that local farmers can provide higher quality, that institutions are interested in buying locally; that small farms can offer comparable or higher quality produce andservice; and that farmers need to show buyers what the quality of produce and service they can provide.
Magnetic resonance imaging of the natural history of in situ mammary neoplasia in transgenic mice: a pilot study

Introduction Because of the small size of in situ mammary cancers in mouse models, high-resolution imaging techniques are required to effectively observe how lesions develop, grow and progress over time. The purpose of this study was to use magnetic resonance (MR) imaging to track in vivo the transition from in situ neoplasia to invasive cancer in a transgenic mouse model of human cancer.
Eine neue klinische Katalasebestimmungsmethode, ihre Bedeutung bei Anwendung im Harn, insbesondere bei Tuberkulose

In seiner zusammenfassenden Darstellung „Uber die Bedeutung der Katalase in biologischer und klinischer Beziehung“ fuhrte Bingold 1955 aus, das die Klinik hinter der Aufklarung der Katalase auf biochemischem Gebiete zuruckgeblieben sei. Dieser Hinweis gab mir 1956 Anlas — ich war gerade aus Gefangenschaft zuruckgekehrt — meine Bemuhungen um die Schaffung einer klinischen Methode zur Bestimmung der Katalase in Korperflussigkeiten wieder aufzunehmen, die ich vor dem 2. Weltkriege als Oberarzt und Leiter des chemischen Laboratoriums der 1. Med. Klinik der ehemaligen Deutschen Universitat zu Prag begonnen hatte, die aber damals — weil ich denselben Fehlern verfallen war, wie meine Voruntersucher — keine brauchbaren Ergebnisse gezeitigt haben. Auftrieb erhielt mein neuerliches Beginnen durch R. Abderhalden, der in seiner „Klinischen Enzymologie“ 1958 im Zusammenhange mit Katalase von einer Fulle einander widersprechender Befunde schrieb, die er zum grosen Teile methodischen Fehlern zuordnete.
siRNAs targeted to certain polyadenylation sites promote specific, RISC-independent degradation of messenger RNAs

While most siRNAs induce sequence-specific target mRNA cleavage and degradation in a process mediated by Ago2/RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC), certain siRNAs have also been demonstrated to direct target RNA reduction through deadenylation and subsequent degradation of target transcripts in a process which involves Ago1/RISC and P-bodies. In the current study, we present data suggesting that a third class of siRNA exist, which are capable of promoting target RNA reduction that is independent of both Ago and RISC. These siRNAs bind the target messenger RNA at the polyA signal and are capable of redirecting a small amount of polyadenylation to downstream polyA sites when present, however, the majority of the activity appears to be due to inhibition of polyadenylation or deadenylation of the transcript, followed by exosomal degradation of the immature mRNA.
Formation of chromosomal tandem arrays of the SXT element and R391, two conjugative chromosomally integrating elements that share an attachment site.

The SXT element, a conjugative, self-transmissible, integrating element (a constin) originally derived from a Vibrio cholerae O139 isolate from India, and IncJ element R391, originally derived from a South African Providencia rettgeri isolate, were found to be genetically and functionally related. Both of these constins integrate site specifically into the Escherichia coli chromosome at an identical attachment site within the 5* end of prfC. They encode nearly identical integrases, which are required for chromosomal integration, excision, and extrachromosomal circularization of these elements, and they have similar tra genes. Therefore, these closely related constins have virtually identical mechanisms for chromosomal integration and dissemination. The presence of either element in a recipient cell did not significantly reduce its ability to acquire the other element, indicating that R391 and SXT do not encode surface exclusion determinants. In cells harboring both elements, SXT and R391 were integrated in tandem fashion on the chromosome, and homologous recombination appeared to play little or no role in the formation of these arrays. Interference between R391 and SXT was detected by measuring the frequency of loss of an unselected resident element upon introduction of a second selected element. In these assays, R391 was found to have a stronger effect on SXT stability than vice versa. The level of expression and/or activity of the donor and recipient integrases may play a role in the interference between these two related constins.
Disc haemorrhage is associated with the fast component, but not the slow component, of visual field decay rate in glaucoma

Background/aims To investigate the association of disc haemorrhage (DH) with regional visual field (VF) decay in glaucoma. Methods Retrospective longitudinal study was performed. Patients from the University of California, Los Angeles, glaucoma database were assigned to two groups based on the presence or absence of a DH. Pointwise exponential regression was used to identify the fast and slow rate components of VF decay. Associations between patient demographics, ocular and systemic factors, and visual field rates were analysed. Results A total of 185 patients were included, 54 of whom were documented to have a DH at some point during their course. DH group had a higher female preponderance (p=0.017, OR 2.23), a higher incidence of peripapillary atrophy (p=0.002, OR 4.46), more advanced disease (p=0.016) and a higher fast rate component of VF decay (p Conclusions The presence of DH is associated with a greater fast component rate of VF decay. The identification and monitoring of the fast component of VF decay may prove useful in the identification and management of glaucoma patients at high risk of progression.
Centromere renewal and replacement in the plant kingdom

Centromere specification has been a topic of intense interest since it became clear that, under the right conditions, human centromeres can form over noncentromeric sites. At least 60 human “neocentromeres” have been described that retain no vestige of the familiar α-satellites and that map to apparently random locations in the genome (1). At the functional and cell biological levels (e.g., association with kinetochore proteins), not a single difference has been detected between standard human centromeres and neocentromeres. These and similar data from Drosophila suggest that animal centromeres are initiated in large part by epigenetic mechanisms (2). In this issue and a recent issue of PNAS, two new articles (3, 4) extend these observations to plants. Lee et al. (3) provide a new evolutionary perspective on centromere evolution, demonstrating that satellite repeats are gained and lost at astonishing rates. Nasuda et al. (4) take the story a step further to show that barley centromeres can move to new positions and that satellite DNA is not necessary for efficient centromere formation. In both plants and animals, the major centromeric DNAs are small 100- to 200-bp satellite repeats that usually are organized in very long arrays. In rice, the major repeat is CentO, and in maize it is CentC. Both are known to interact with the key centromere protein Centromeric Histone H3 (CENH3) (5, 6). Grass centromeres also contain a specialized class of centromeric retroelements (CR elements) that bind to CENH3 and are thoroughly interspersed with the satellites (5). The presumption is that satellite arrays are the primary centromere repeats (5–7), whereas CR elements are either efficient centromere parasites (8) or facilitate the establishment of a centromeric state (9). A central issue in centromere research is the “centromere paradox” (10), the apparent conflict between the importance of centromeric …
SLAC HIGH POWER HYDROGEN TARGET

Abstract We describe a hydrogen target designed for use with the SLAC high power electron and photon beams. The target makes use of rapid convection currents caused by the heating of the hydrogen by the beam and the immediate cooling of the warmed hydrogen by a heat exchanger positioned a few centimeter above the beam. Provided that the size of the beam spot is not too small, the convection currents set up, cause the hydrogen to move sufficiently rapidly to prevent the hydrogen (held several degrees below its boiling point by the heat exchanger) from boiling.
PLX FP: an efficient floating-point instruction set for 3D graphics

3D graphics is an important component in the workload of today's computing platforms. Many ISA extensions for 3D graphics have been proposed and implemented. We describe PLX FP, a new floating-point extension to the PLX architecture, designed to support very efficiently the essential operations needed for the 3D graphics pipeline. Very high performance floating-point 3D graphics processing is achieved, using a low-cost PLX processor.
Contrasting xylem vessel constraints on hydraulic conductivity between native and non-native woody understory species

We examined the hydraulic properties of 82 native and non-native woody species common to forests of Eastern North America, including several congeneric groups, representing a range of anatomical wood types. We observed smaller conduit diameters with greater frequency in non-native species, corresponding to lower calculated potential vulnerability to cavitation index. Non-native species exhibited higher vessel-grouping in metaxylem compared with native species, however, solitary vessels were more prevalent in secondary xylem. Higher frequency of solitary vessels in secondary xylem was related to a lower potential vulnerability index. We found no relationship between anatomical characteristics of xylem, origin of species and hydraulic conductivity, indicating that non-native species did not exhibit advantageous hydraulic efficiency over native species. Our results confer anatomical advantages for non-native species under the potential for cavitation due to freezing, perhaps permitting extended growing seasons.
A temporal and spatial locality theory for characterizing very large data bases

Theoretical results in formally defining and measuring database locality are presented. Database locality has proved less tractable than program locality, which has a long history of theoretical investigation and application in virtual memory systems and processor catches. The stages at which database locality can be observed and the differences between database and program locality are identified. A technique for adapting the program locality model to both temporal and spatial dimensions at all stages of database processing is developed. A case study of a large commercial database is used to illustrate the application of the database locality model and the interpretation of results. >
On the conspecificity of Endothia eugeniae and Cryphonectria cubensis.

Isolates of Endothia eugeniae, a pathogen of clove (Syzygium aromaticum), and Cryphonectria cubensis, a pathogen of eucalyptus (Eucalyptus spp.), were examined with chemotaxonomic techniques, including thin-layer chromatography of fungal pigments and isozyme analysis. The bisanthraquinone pigments skyrin and oxyskyrin were isolated from mycelial extracts of each species. Isolates of E. eugeniae and C. cubensis could not be differentiated by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of buffersoluble proteins. The organisms also shared alleles at 16 presumed genetic loci, as detected by isozyme analysis. This study confirms the conspecificity of E. eugeniae and C. cubensis.
Fast free-energy calculations for unstable high-temperature phases

We present a fast and accurate method to calculate vibrational properties for mechanically unstable high-temperature phases that suffer from imaginary frequencies at zero temperature. The method is based on standard finite-difference calculations with optimized large displacements and is significantly more efficient than other methods. We demonstrate its application for calculation of phonon dispersion relations, free energies, phase-transition temperatures, and vacancy-formation energies for body-centered-cubic high-temperature phases of Ti, Zr, and Hf.
Development of a Semi-implicit Solver for Detailed Chemistry in Internal Combustion Engine Simulations

An efficient semi-implicit numerical method is developed for solving the detailed chemical kinetic source terms in internal combustion (IC) engine simulations. The detailed chemistry system forms a group of coupled stiff ordinary differential equations (ODEs), which presents a very stringent time-step limitation when solved by standard explicit methods, and is computationally expensive when solved by iterative implicit methods. The present numerical solver uses a stiffly stable noniterative semi-implicit method. The formulation of numerical integration exploits the physical requirement that the species density and specific internal energy in the computational cells must be non-negative, so that the Lipschitz time-step constraint is not present and the computation time step can be orders of magnitude larger than that possible in standard explicit methods. The solver exploits the characteristics of the stiffness of the ODEs by using a sequential sort algorithm that ranks an approximation to the dominant eigenvalues of the system to achieve maximum accuracy. Subcycling within the chemistry solver routine is applied for each computational cell in engine simulations, where the subcycle time step is dynamically determined by monitoring the rate of change of concentration of key species, which have short characteristic time scales and are also important to the chemical heat release. The chemistry solver is applied in the KIVA-3V code to diesel engine simulations. Results are compared to those using the CHEMKIN package, which uses the VODE implicit solver. Good agreement was achieved for a wide range of engine operating conditions, and 40–70% CPU time savings were achieved by the present solver compared to the standard CHEMKIN .
Modeling colorectal cancer as a 3-dimensional disease in a dish: the case for drug screening using organoids, zebrafish, and fruit flies

This review discusses recent shifts in the understanding of colorectal cancer as a stem cell based disease, based on findings that tie patient prognosis to the presence of cancer stem cells in colorectal tumors. Currently no drugs specifically target CSCs in colorectal tumors. However, recent advances in the culturing of colorectal stem cells using mammalian organoids, zebrafish, and Drosophila offer promising avenues for anti-CSC drug discovery.
On parameter identifiability of ARMA models of non-Gaussian signals via cumulant spectrum matching

Considers the problem of estimating the parameters of a stable (stationary), scalar ARMA (p,q) signal model driven by an i.i.d. non-Gaussian sequence. The driving noise sequence is not observed. The signal is allowed to be nonminimum phase and/or noncausal (i.e., poles and zeros may lie both inside as well as outside the unit circle). The author addresses the problem of parameter identifiability given the higher order cumulant spectrum of the signal on a finite set of polyspectral frequencies. The sufficient set of polyspectral frequencies required to achieve parameter identifiability is the least "rigid" to date.