cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Conjugation of thyroid hormones and analogs by the Gunn rat.

The metabolism of the thyroid hormones and analogs, particularly the conjugation of these substances with glucuronic acid, has been studied in the homozygous Gunn rat, which is jaundiced due to inability to conjugate bilirubin with glucuronic acid. The effect of butyl-hydroxydiiodobenzoate (BHDB) on the metabolism of these substances also has been studied in the Gunn rat, because this drug produces a great increase in the amount of thyroxine (T4) glucuronide excreted in bile by the normal rat. 131I-labeled L-thyroxine (T4), 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine (T3), tetraiodothyroacetic acid (tetrac), 3,5,3'-triiodothyroacetic acid (triac), 3,3',5'-triiodothyronine (T3') and 3,3'-diiodothyronine (T2') were given by single intravenous injection to unanesthetized Gunn and normal rats with biliary fistulas. Large variations were found in the ability of the Gunn rats to conjugate these different iodine compounds. Conjugation of T4 with glucuronic acid was greatly impaired in the Gunn rat and very little tetrac was conjuga...
Media coverage of the greenhouse effect

Following brief reviews of (a) the decisive role of the media in American politics and (b) earlier studies of media partiality and superficiality, this paper examines media coverage of the greenhouse effect. It does so by comparing two pictures. The first picture emerges from reading all 100 greenhouse-related articles published over a five-month period (May–September 1997) inThe Christian Science Monitor, New York Times, The San Francisco Chronicle, andThe Washington Post. The second picture emerges from themainstream scientific literature. This comparison shows that media coverage of environmental issues suffers from both shallowness and pro-corporate bias. The biospheric implications of these two flaws are touched upon.
Transient Liquid Phase Bonding of Aluminum Using Aluminum Base Interlayer under Argon Flux

An aluminum base interlayer was used for transient liquid phase bonding of pure aluminum under argon flux. The bonding was carried out at 595°C for 2 minutes under 7MPa. Microstructure of the joint was studied with SEM and EDX, and the mechanical properties were analyzed by tensile test and bending test. A homogenous bonding zone is observed in the joint. The defects in the joint are silicon oxides and voids. The tensile strength of the joint is 190MPa, and no failure occurs when the joint is bent to 180°. This indicates that TLP bonding can produce a strong and ductile Aluminum joint, which is equivalent to the base metal.
Impact of the operating physician on costs of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty

Abstract The hospital charts and billing records of 250 consecutive admissions for percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) at a university hospital were reviewed. Clinical characteristics, performing physician, angiographic features of the dilated lesion, procedural outcome, length of stay, and total and departmental hospital costs were recorded for each patient. We identified several independent predictors of hospital cost, including the physician ($4,400 increase from highest- to lowest-cost physician, p = 0.004), age ($790 increase per 10-year increase in age, p = 0.002), urgency of the procedure ($4,100 increase for urgent vs elective, p
Removal of ammonia interference in the redox chemiluminescence assay of nitric oxide

Abstract Nitric oxide (NO) is now recognized as an important mediator that regulates a number of physiological functions. The most sensitive chemical method for its quantitation is via a redox-chemiluminescence detector (RCD), which can detect sub-picomole quantities of NO. In a microsomal metabolism study involving nitroglycerin, we observed that NH3 could produce a chemiluminescence signal that interfered with the assay of NO, although the RCD sensitivity toward NH3 was, on a molar basis, approximately 2700× less than that toward NO. Incorporation of a Porapak® T column either completely removed NH3 RCD signal ( 40 nmole of NH3). The presence of the polymer packing did not affect the sensitivity of detector response toward NO. The applicability of this separation method was validated in a biochemical study in which microsomes from bovine coronary artery smooth muscle cells were incubated under conditions that would produce NO as we...
The role of social support for promoting quality of life among persistently obese adolescents: importance of support in schools.

BACKGROUND Despite school-based and other interventions for pediatric obesity, many obese youth of the present generation will persist in their obesity into adolescence and adulthood. Thus, understanding not only how better to tailor weight interventions but how to promote overall adjustment for persistently obese youth is of utmost importance. This study examined the role of perceived social support in predicting later psychosocial status (ie, weight-related quality of life) for persistently obese adolescents. METHODS This study used a longitudinal design whereby persistently obese and nonoverweight comparison youth completed measures at 2 time points approximately 4 years apart. RESULTS Obese youth reported lower levels of social support than comparison youth. Among obese youth, classmate and teacher support predicted future weight-related quality of life. CONCLUSIONS Social support, particularly from classmates, is an important predictor for the longitudinal psychosocial functioning of persistently obese youth. High levels of perceived teacher support may signal the presence of other psychosocial difficulties. Implications for school-based interventions are discussed.
A novel protamine kinase activity in human promyelocytic leukemia cells.

Abstract A novel protamine kinase activity is present in human promyelocytic leukemia cells (HL60). The enzyme is clearly distinct from cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase and is not calcium activated. The enzyme requires Mg 2+ , is sulfhydryl dependent and is strongly inhibited by fluoride. Activity is 80% cytosolic and 20% particulate but appears to be the same enzyme in the two fractions. Enzyme activity is markedly stimulated during differentiation by retinoic acid and dimethylformanide but not by a phorbol diester. However the latter treatment does lead to a redistribution of the kinase so that it becomes predominantly particulate.
Emergency Department Screening for Adolescent Mental Health Disorders: The Who, What, When, Where, Why and How It Could and Should Be Done.

Mental health problems are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality among pediatric populations. Screening for mental health can result in earlier identification and increase treatment and improve outcomes. The emergency department (ED) is an ideal site for such screening. Pediatric ED patients are known to be at higher risk for mental health problems. For many, an ED visit is one of the few opportunities to identify and intervene with these children and adolescents. A number of brief, efficient screening instruments have been developed for the ED setting. Screening for mental health problems is both feasible and acceptable to ED patients, parents, and caregivers.
A review of saliva: Normal composition, flow, and function

An adequate supply of saliva is critical to the preservation and maintenance of oral tissue. Clinicians often do not value the many benefits of saliva until quantities are decreased. Much is written on the subject of salivary hypofunction, but little attention is paid to normal salivary flow and function. This article is a brief, up-to-date overview of the literature on the basics of normal salivary composition, flow, and function. A review of the literature was conducted using MEDLINE and Healthstar (1944 through 1999); articles were selected for inclusion on the basis of relevance and significance to the clinician.
Effects on relative efficiency in electric power generation due to environmental controls

Abstract In this paper, we model the effects of environmental controls when these are viewed as restricting disposal of outputs. We specify an unregulated and a regulated multi-output technology satisfying strong (free) disposability of outputs and weak (restricted) disposability of outputs, respectively, By comparing the relative productive efficiency of firms using restricted and unrestricted technologies we derive a measure or index of the effect of environmental regulation. We employ recently developed programming models to calculate this measure of the cost of environmental controls for a sample of steam electric plants in the U.S.
Four Decades of Local Historic District Designation: A Case Study of Newport, Rhode Island

Abstract For over forty years, Newport, Rhode Island has sought to preserve much of the city9s historic architecture through a local preservation by-law. The work of the Newport Historic District Commission, comprised of volunteer residents appointed by the local city council, has dominated the city9s historic preservation values and approach. Not uncommon to many preservation efforts, the emphasis has been almost exclusively on aesthetic rather than contextual values, and has resulted in local practice and preferences that often overlook the associative significance of local historic and cultural resources. This paper seeks to examine the genesis and impact of this approach to historic preservation efforts in Newport.
Mean–Gini analysis in R&D portfolio selection

Abstract To date no single model has been published which fully satisfies the needs for a practical R&D project selection technique. Some earlier models cannot handle risk well, while others do not provide efficient portfolios. This paper will present a model, adapted from the literature of financial portfolio optimization, which provides a practical means of developing preferred portfolios of risky R&D projects. The method is simple and highly intuitive, requiring estimation of only two parameters, the expected return and the Gini coefficient. The Gini coefficient essentially replaces the variance in the two-parameter mean–variance model and results in a superior screening ability. The model that we present requires estimates of only these two parameters and, in turn, allows for relatively simple determination of stochastic dominance (SD) among candidate R&D portfolios. We apply our model to a simple artificial five-project set and then to a set of 30 actual candidate projects from an anonymous operating company. We demonstrate that we can determine the stochastically non-dominated portfolios for this real-world set of projects. Our technique, appropriate for all risk-averse decision makers, permits R&D managers to screen large numbers of candidate portfolios to discover those which they would prefer under the criteria of SD.
Deviant Lifestyles and Violent Victimization at School

This study examines how the lifestyles of juveniles influence violent victimization at school. Using data from the National Survey of Adolescents, this study demonstrates that both indirect victimization, through witnessing violence, and sexual and physical assaults of students are pervasive problems at schools. Although a number of individual and structural characteristics predict the risk of becoming a victim at school, the most consistent predictor of violent victimization is the juvenile's own deviant lifestyle. Those who participate in a deviant lifestyle substantially increase their odds of all three forms of victimization. Therefore, even within the relatively controlled setting of schools, juveniles who participate in deviant lifestyles are at a high risk for victimization.
Tumor markers in bladder cancer.

Etude des antigenes des groupes sanguins ABO(H) de l'antigene carcinoembryonnaire et des antigenes associes aux tumeurs. Il n'a pas ete mis en evidence de marqueur important du cancer vesical humain
Modelling three-dimensional distortion of wood due to anisotropic shrinkage

The three-dimensional distortion (warp) of wood due to anisotropic shrinkage is predicted by using an iterative computer program and a two-dimensional model for shrinkage. A previously determined analytical model which predicted the distorted cross-sectional shapes of lumber due to an anisotropic shrinkage was used iteratively to predict three-dimensional distortions. An iterative procedure was used so that any log or grain characteristics, such as sawing logs with sweep or diagonal grain patterns, could be investigated. Several numerical examples are presented to illustrate the effects of various parameters on the warping of lumber.
Hierarchical morse complexes for piecewise linear 2-manifolds

We present algorithms for constructing a hierarchy of increasingly coa rse Morse complexes that decompose a piecewise linear 2-manifold. While Morse complexes are defined only in the smooth category, we extend the construction to the piecewise linear category by ensuring structural integrity and simulating differentiability. We then simplify Morse complexes by cancelling pairs of critical points in order of increasing persistence.
Characterization and training of a 19-element piezoelectric deformable mirror for lensing

Characterizing the fundamental response and operational parameters of a deformable mirror is a critical first step in the design of an adaptive optics system. This paper describes the characterization and training of a piezoelectric deformable mirror (PDM) to be implemented on a low order Adaptive Optics (AO) system at Short Wave Infrared (SWIR) wavelengths for free-space optical communications systems. The data were analyzed using commercial and customized software.
Preventing the capture of sensitive information

Protecting sensitive information (credit card information, social security number ...etc) and copyrighted materials (images, e-books, videos...etc) from being captured is of utmost importance as it can lead to serious repercussions if the collected data lands into unscrupulous hands. Despite tremendous advances in security, plenty of security problems still afflict systems. Also existing security approaches do not prevent processes running in the background from capturing sensitive information on the screen. This paper introduces three security levels that can be used to protect sensitive information and copyrighted materials. First level (low security) prevents capturing of sensitive data by users that do not have administration privileges. Second level (medium security) protects many attacks such as replacing the display driver. For the third level (high security), the paper proposes a no-capture hardware security feature and uses this feature for designing the third security level that prevents capturing of sensitive data by users that have administration privileges.
ROLE OF SMECTITE IN SILICEOUS-SINTER FORMATION AND MICROBIAL-TEXTURE PRESERVATION: OCTOPUS SPRING, YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, WYOMING, USA

A siliceous sinter collected from Octopus Spring in Yellowstone National Park, USA contains an occluded volcanic rock fragment that has undergone alteration. The sinter piece beyond the fragment is mostly dominated by opal-A with trace amounts of bacterial cells, calcite and detrital quartz. Within the altered rock region, the mineral assemblage is dominated by dioctahedral smectite and quartz with trace amounts of pseudobrookite, ilmenite, rutile and hematite. Onset of opal-CT formation was only found in the outer spicular region of the sinter, which is unexpected given that this outer part represents newest growth. A reaction mechanism is proposed whereby the alteration of feldspar to smectitic clay locally produces excess silica, and alkali metal, and raises pH. As the clay mineral forms, it sequesters ions from pore fluids thereby inhibiting the opal-A phase change to more ordered opal-CT. Ions such as Mg are known to promote the opal-A to opal-CT reaction. Smectite formation therefore may assist microbial-texture preservation processes as excess silica produced increases the rate at which primary opal-A is formed. The altered zone also retains the greatest amount of fixed C and fixed N (operationally defined as C and N retained upon combustion at 450°C). The fixed N probably represents ammonium trapped in the exchangeable interlayer site of the smectite. This fixed N may serve as a potential biological signature of microbial activity in ancient rocks formed in similar environments.
Goodbye Old Friend: A Son's Farewell to Comiskey Park:

Comiskey Park, the home of the Chicago White Sox, closed its gates for the last time on September 30, 1990, after a glorious eighty-year reign as “the world's greatest baseball palace.” I attended that event as both a social scientist engaged in an ethnographic project and a son seeking to reconnect with the memories of and feelings for his father. In the recording and analysis of the language of those in attendance that day, the scientist within me began to recognize and understand a physical “reality” of memories and the symbolic importance of “bridges” to the past. In the writing, the ethnographer soon came to appreciate and more fully explore the reflexive properties and possibilities of ethnographic research. As a son, I confronted, in part through my research activities, a variety of emotions regarding my father, his death, and my previously unaddressed grief. The son and the social scientist each began to realize the role old Comiskey Park had played in my relationship with my father. This article,...
Design of Multi-Section Mode-Locked Semiconductor Lasers With Intra-Waveguide Saturable Absorbers

Abstract : Monolithic and external cavity mode-locked semiconductor lasers with multiple contacts have produced excellent results . The goal of this paper is to show how to optimize the design of these structures as a function of the free parameters in the design: (1) Active region composition and waveguiding, (2) segment lengths, and (3) electrical parasitics. The paper also explains how the effects of self-phase modulation in the saturable absorber and gain section interact with gain dispersion to limit the achievable pulse width. Shown are the types of structures that were fabricated and analyzed in this work. Both quantum well and bulk active region devices were tested at 0.85 micrometers and 1.55 micrometers. The functions of the various segments are: segment A provides the overall gain, segment B is reverse biased to form an intra-waveguide saturable absorber/photodetector, and segment C is used for active gain modulation or for repetition rate tuning.
Proposed Mode of Action of Histamine

SUTHERLAND and his collaborators have firmly established that the cyclic nucleotide, adenosine 3′,5′-monophosphate (CAMP), is a ubiquitous regulator of a variety of intracellular processes1. Its role in the activation of phosphorylase has been elucidated by Sutherland and Rall2. It is now almost certain that CAMP also participates in the activation of lipase in adipose tissue3, and may affect the activity of such key regulator enzymes as phosphofructokinase4,5. Furthermore, CAMP has been implicated as the intracellular mediator of a variety of hormonal effects ranging from steroidogenesis in the corpus luteum and adrenal cortex to increased water permeability in toad bladder and kidney tubules1.
Balayage Ping-Pong: A Convexity of Equilibrium Measures

In this paper we establish that the density of the equilibrium measure of finitely many intervals for both logarithmic and Riesz potentials is convex. The main tool is a balayage ping-pong technique. A similar result is obtained for finitely many arcs on the unit circle. Applications to external field problems and constrained energy problems are presented.
Effects of tapering on gyrotron backward-wave oscillators

Computer modeling has been utilized to guide gyrotron backward-wave oscillator (gyro-BWO) experiments at the University of Michigan over a wide range of tapered interaction regions and tapered magnetic fields. E-GUN code is used to examine beam and diode characteristics, while MAGIC is used to analyze the dynamics of the problem, such as particle kinematics and microwave power production. Several innovative techniques are used to create matching boundary conditions for a backward propagating wave. MAGIC simulations predict optimum performance of the gyro-BWO operating in a TE/sub 01/ mode within a combination of uniform interaction region and a tapered axial magnetic field which increases 7.5% in the direction of beam propagation. Experiments have been performed to investigate the effects of tapering magnetic fields and tapered interaction region radii on the high-power microwave emission from the gyro-BWO over the frequency range from 4.0 to 6.0 GHz. These experiments were performed on the Michigan Electron Long-Pulse Accelerator (MELBA) with parameters: V=-0.7 to -0.9 MV, I/sub diode/=1-10 kA, I/sub tube/=1-4 kA, T/sub e-beam/=0.4-1.0 /spl mu/s. Tapered interaction regions of 37%, 23%, 9.4%, and 6.4% were built and tested to determine their effect on microwave power, pulselength, and inferred energy compared to the uniform interaction region. Magnetic tapering trim coils with a range of -10.6%</spl Delta/B/B/sub 0/<+15.0% were constructed which allow the orientation of the field taper to be changed without breaking the vacuum. The peak microwave power from individual shots was from 30 to 55 MW. Experiments on magnetic field tapering indicate that positive tapered fields improve microwave power and energy output.
Hearing the silenced dialogue: an examination of the impact of teacher race on their experiences

Drawing on interviews with 17 educators, 9 Black, and 8 White, as well as observations of classes and staff meetings at a segregated urban high school, this essay examines the ways teacher race impacts their professional work and suggests that racial experiences are far more complex than has been recognized in the literature on race and teaching. In this sample, Black educators described a strong sense of racial solidarity with their students, a theme frequently raised in studies of Black teachers. However, these educators also noted that racial solidarity was an expectation Black students held of them. Such expectations placed Black educators in the ‘crossfire’ between student demands of solidarity and the demands of their professional roles. White teachers expressed conflicted perspectives around race. They were at once race evasive and race cognizant while also wary that White teachers were victims of race talk and racial policy. White teachers are often depicted as embracing ‘color blind’ racial ideol...
cAMP Inhibition of Akt Is Mediated by Activated and Phosphorylated Rap1b

Rap1b has been implicated in the transduction of the cAMP mitogenic signal. Rap1b is phosphorylated and activated by cAMP, and its expression in cells where cAMP is mitogenic leads to an increase in G(1)/S phase entry and tumor formation. The PCCL3 thyroid follicular cells represent a differentiated and physiologically relevant system that requires thyrotropin (TSH), acting via cAMP, for a full mitogenic response. In this model system, cAMP stimulation of DNA synthesis requires activation and phosphorylation of Rap1b by the cAMP-dependent protein kinase A (PKA). This scenario presents the challenge of identifying biochemical processes involved in the phosphorylation-dependent Rap1b mitogenic action. In thyroid cells, Akt has been implicated in the stimulation of cell proliferation by TSH and cAMP. However, the mechanism(s) by which cAMP regulates Akt activity remains unclear. In this study we show that in PCCL3 cells 1) TSH inhibits Akt activity via cAMP and PKA; 2) Rap1b is required for cAMP inhibition of Akt; and 3) transduction of the cAMP signal into Akt requires activation as well as phosphorylation of Rap1b by PKA.
Specific heat of (KBr)1-x(KCN)x from 1 to 25 K.

On mesure la chaleur specifique de (KBr) 1-x (KCN) x pour x=0,0; 0,19; 0,41 et 0,60 de 1,5 a 25 K. Les donnees sont comparees a la theorie developpee par Granan, Randeria et Sethna pour decrire cette chaleur specifique aux temperatures intermediaires a travers le mouvement librationnel des ions CN - modelises en dipoles elastiques en interaction. On revoit les donnees des constantes elastiques pour C 44 et C 11 a 4,2 K et C 12 a 300 K
Neural mechanisms in the pyrogenic and acute-phase responses to interleukin-1.

It has become increasingly apparent over the past several decades that the hypothalamus, among other brain regions, plays an important part in the modulation of the immune system (reviewed in Korneva et al., 1985; Roszman & Brooks, 1985; Jankovic & Spector, 1986; Cotman et al., 1987). Since the hypothalamus also mediates the fever and various other acute-phase responses characteristic of the early stages of infection (reviewed in Hellon & Townsend, 1983; Blatteis, 1984, 1985; Cooper, 1987), it is possible that the localization within a common brain region of the controllers of several, different host defense reactions is not a happenstance, but represents a highly organized neuronal network serving to coordinate them. Indeed, pyrogenic, inflammatory, and immune responses do interact in the defense of the host against infection (reviewed in Dinarello, 1984). It is not yet known how immune responses are integrated centrally, but some data are available on the neural mechanisms controlling fever and certain ...
Percutaneous cryoablation of renal tumors: limitations and uncertainties.

Ablative modalities are gaining currency as viable treatment options in selected renal cancer patients, but outcome data remain relatively premature. In this Viewpoint, John Pattaras and Fray Marshall discuss the limitations and uncertainties surrounding one of the most studied modalities for renal tumor ablation.
Aggregation response in ovipositing females of the desert locust, with special reference to the chemical factor

Abstract Females of Schistocerca gregaria ovipositing in darkness aggregate in response to a pheromone produced by other individuals in all developmental stages, whether alive or dead; it is also present in the shed skins of fifth instar hoppers. The pheromone mediates cohesion rather than distance attraction, and it is mainly chemotactile although there is some olfactory response to mature males. Females respond to paper contaminated by mature adults and by hoppers but not to paper contaminated by young adults. Response to locust extracts in several solvents was very variable, and active solvents were more readily prepared from mature males than from newly ecdysed adults. Newly ecdysed adults appear to be deficient in some components of the pheromone although their dead bodies mediate full chemotactile response. The pheromone is produced by locusts reared in isolation, although probably less than by those reared crowded; it is present on the surface of all parts of the body but not in the internal organs. Chemotactile receptors for the stimulus are not confined to the mouth-parts and antennae. The pheromones produced by Schistocerca and by Locusta migratoria are to some extent interspecific, but each species responds preferentially to its own. A similar preferential response occurs in the distinct races of Schistocerca. Nomadacris septemfasciata did not aggregate in darkness and there is no evidence of pheromone production in this species.
Imputation of streaming low-rank tensor data

Unraveling latent structure by means of multilinear models of tensor data is of paramount importance in timely inference tasks encountered with `Big Data' analytics. However, increasingly noisy, heterogeneous, and incomplete datasets as well as the need for real-time processing of streaming data pose major challenges to this end. The present paper introduces a novel online (adaptive) algorithm to decompose low-rank tensors with missing entries, and perform imputation as a byproduct. The novel estimator minimizes an exponentially-weighted least-squares fitting error along with a separable regularizer of the PARAFAC decomposition factors, to trade-off fidelity for complexity of the approximation captured by the decomposition's rank. Leveraging stochastic gradient descent iterations, a scalable, real-time algorithm is developed and its convergence is established under simplifying technical assumptions. Simulated tests with cardiac magnetic resonance imagery (MRI) data confirm the efficacy of the proposed algorithm in imputing up to 75% missing entries.
Association, Adsorption, and Dielectric Constant

Dielectric constant of water vapor at pressures 3 to 20 mm and at temperatures 23 to 165\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C.\char22{}Using a heterodyne beat method previously described, a study has been made of the variation of the dielectric constant with pressure and temperature. At room temperature, the curve connecting ($\ensuremath{\epsilon}\ensuremath{-}1$) with pressure consists of two straight parts connected by a transition curve. This change of slope is less marked at higher temperatures and disappears at about 47\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C. The rectilinear portion below the transition pressure corresponds to the normal behavior of water vapor. The abnormal behavior above the transition pressure cannot be explained satisfactorily by the association theory suggested by Jona in connection with his results. It is suggested, rather, that the anomaly is due to the formation of an adsorbed layer of water on the condenser plates. As the number of adsorbed molecules increases, the vapor pressure increases, approaching the ordinary vapor pressure as a limit. The final thickness of the layer at saturation pressure is of the order of the radius of molecular attraction and comes out of the order of several microns, corresponding to about 200 molecular layers. The experimental results are in general agreement with this theory.
No sulfur flows on Io

Physical and chemical properties of elemental sulfur are incompatible with the suggestion that the colored flows associated with volcanoes on Io are quenched unstable allotropes of sulfur. Either the volcanic flows are not sulfur, or some mechanism other than quenching is required to produce colored forms of sulfur in them. The properties of sulfur are unsuited to the production and survival of colored unstable allotropes on Io. The color of this object is probably due to some other material, possibly iron compounds.
Design of a Digital Ride Quality Augmentation System for Commuter Aircraft

Commuter aircraft typically have low wing loadings, and fly at low altitudes, and so they are susceptible to undesirable accelerations caused by random atmospheric turbulence. Larger commercial aircraft typically have higher wing loadings and fly at altitudes where the turbulence level is lower, and so they provide smoother rides. This project was initiated based on the goal of making the ride of the commuter aircraft as smooth as the ride experienced on the major commercial airliners. The objectives of this project were to design a digital, longitudinal mode ride quality augmentation system (RQAS) for a commuter aircraft, and to investigate the effect of selected parameters on those designs.
Severe Hypercapnia After Low-Flow Oxygen Therapy in Patients With Neuromuscular Disease and Diaphragmatic Dysfunction

Objective To increase the general awareness of the possible exacerbation of hypercapnia by the administration of low-flow oxygen in patients with neuromuscular disorders. Design We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 118 consecutive adult patients with a diagnosis of neuromuscular disease who underwent phrenic nerve conduction studies during a 5-year period, and we analyzed pulmonary function data for 8 patients who underwent arterial blood gas studies before and after the administration of low-flow oxygen. Material and Methods In the eight patients with neuromuscular disease and diaphragmatic dysfunction (three with polymyositis, three with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or nonspecific motor neuron disease, and one each with inflammatory motor neuropathy and chronic poliomyelitis), we analyzed the response of the arterial carbon dioxide tension (Paco 2 ) after low-flow supplemental oxygen therapy (0.5 to 2 L/min). Linear analysis was used to attempt to find correlations between respiratory variables and the Paco 2 response after oxygen therapy. Results For the overall study group, the mean Paco 2 increased 28.2± 23.3 torr after low-flow oxygen treatment; in five patients, it increased by 27 torr or more. Four patients who were subsequently treated with nocturnal assisted ventilation were able to use supplemental oxygen during the day with less severe hypercapnia. Statistical analysis failed to reveal specific correlations between increased Paco 2 values after oxygen therapy and any respiratory variables. Conclusion In patients with neuromuscular disease and diaphragmatic dysfunction, even low-flow supplemental oxygen should be administered with caution, and assisted ventilation should be strongly considered as an initial intervention.
Compound ES of Dehaloperoxidase Decays via Two Alternative Pathways Depending on the Conformation of the Distal Histidine

Dehaloperoxidase (DHP) is a respiratory hemoglobin (Hb) that has been shown to catalyze the conversion of trihalophenols to dihaloquinones in the presence of hydrogen peroxide. Ferric heme states of the resting DHP and the free radical intermediates formed under H2O2 treatment were studied by low-temperature electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy in the range of reaction times from 50 ms to 2 min at three different pH values. Two high-spin ferric heme forms were identified in the resting enzyme and assigned to the open and closed conformations of the distal histidine, His55. Two free radicals were found in DHP activated by H2O2: the radical associated with Compound ES (the enzyme with the heme in the oxoferryl state and a radical on the polypeptide chain) has been assigned to Tyr34, and the other radical has been assigned to Tyr38. The Tyr34 radical is formed with a very high relative yield (almost 100% of heme), atypical of other globins. High-performance liquid chromatography analysis of the react...
Application of simulated annealing for simultaneous retrieval of particle size distribution and refractive index

This paper describes the application of the simulated annealing technique for the simultaneous retrieval of particle size distribution and refractive index based on polarization modulated scattering (PMS) measurements. The PMS technique is a well-established method to measure multiple elements of the Mueller scattering matrix. However, the inference of the scatterers' properties (e.g., the size distribution function and refractive index) from such measurements involves solving an ill-conditioned inverse problem. In this paper, a new inversion technique was demonstrated to infer particle properties from PMS measurements. The new technique formulated the inverse problem into a minimization problem, which is then solved by the simulated annealing technique. Both numerical and experimental investigation on the new inversion technique was presented in the paper. The results obtained demonstrated the robustness and reliability of the new algorithm, and supported its expanded applications in scientific and technological areas involving particulates/aerosols.
Immune-mediated injury of virus-infected oligodendrocytes A model of multiple sclerosis

The causes of primary demyelination in diseases such as multiple sclerosis are still unknown, but it is possible that immune attack triggered by virus infection may be responsible. Theiler's murine encephalitis is a popular animal model of demyelinating diseases, and in this article Moses Rodriguez and his colleagues describe a hypothetical scheme to explain differential susceptibility of inbred strains to infection. They propose a mechanism by which specific demyelination is produced when immune cells interact with viral antigen and major histocompatibility complex (MHC) antigens.
Infusion of bicuculline methiodide into the tectum: model specificity of pro- and anticonvulsant actions.

Abstract Microinjection of drugs, such as muscimol, into the substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNpr) can inhibit several types of experimental seizures. Some findings suggested that this was a result of disinhibition of neurons receiving input from GAB Aergic nigrotectal cells. Indeed, it was reported that bicuculline methiodide (BMI), infused into the tectal region that was reported to receive nigral input, produced an anticonvulsant effect against maximal electroshock (MES) convulsion. Since previous work had suggested that the anticonvulsant effect of intranigral muscimol depended on the particular experimental seizure used, three different experimental seizures were used in the present study to evaluate the effects of BMI infusion into the tectum. Guide cannulas aimed at the tectal region receiving nigral innervation were stereotaxically implanted in rats a week before testing. Bilateral intratectal infusions of BMI (25 ng/ side) had an anticonvulsant effect against MES convulsions, confirming a previous report. In contrast, the same BMI pretreatment worsened convulsions produced by either systemic pentylenetetrazol (40 mg/kg i.p.) or bicuculline (0.5 mg/kg i.V.). The effects of intratectal BMI were seizure model-dependent, suggesting different functional interconnections between tectum and those pathways responsible for generalization of MES as compared to PTZ or bicuculline convulsions.
Evolution: Remodelling Hermit Shellters

Land hermit crabs hollow out the shells in which they live. A new study shows that remodelled shells afford better survival, with important implications for sociality and evolution.
Singularity: rethinking the software stack

Every operating system embodies a collection of design decisions. Many of the decisions behind today's most popular operating systems have remained unchanged, even as hardware and software have evolved. Operating systems form the foundation of almost every software stack, so inadequacies in present systems have a pervasive impact. This paper describes the efforts of the Singularity project to re-examine these design choices in light of advances in programming languages and verification tools. Singularity systems incorporate three key architectural features: software-isolated processes for protection of programs and system services, contract-based channels for communication, and manifest-based programs for verification of system properties. We describe this foundation in detail and sketch the ongoing research in experimental systems that build upon it.
Interacting with Commercial Web Services in Novel Ways: Google Maps as an Example of Personalizing Web Services

Besides providing a generic interface for all users, many Web services also provide tools that may be used to both customize the access of the Web services and allow interfacing with programming on the client machine. This article presents three examples of accessing Google Maps to meet a customized need. These examples provide an introduction to customizing Google Maps. At the same time, the techniques used provide an introduction to customizing data, which is a step in developing mashups.
HSD3B and gene-gene interactions in a pathway-based analysis of genetic susceptibility to bladder cancer.

Bladder cancer is the 4(th) most common cancer among men in the U.S. We analyzed variant genotypes hypothesized to modify major biological processes involved in bladder carcinogenesis, including hormone regulation, apoptosis, DNA repair, immune surveillance, metabolism, proliferation, and telomere maintenance. Logistic regression was used to assess the relationship between genetic variation affecting these processes and susceptibility in 563 genotyped urothelial cell carcinoma cases and 863 controls enrolled in a case-control study of incident bladder cancer conducted in New Hampshire, U.S. We evaluated gene-gene interactions using Multifactor Dimensionality Reduction (MDR) and Statistical Epistasis Network analysis. The 3'UTR flanking variant form of the hormone regulation gene HSD3B2 was associated with increased bladder cancer risk in the New Hampshire population (adjusted OR 1.85 95%CI 1.31-2.62). This finding was successfully replicated in the Texas Bladder Cancer Study with 957 controls, 497 cases (adjusted OR 3.66 95%CI 1.06-12.63). The effect of this prevalent SNP was stronger among males (OR 2.13 95%CI 1.40-3.25) than females (OR 1.56 95%CI 0.83-2.95), (SNP-gender interaction P = 0.048). We also identified a SNP-SNP interaction between T-cell activation related genes GATA3 and CD81 (interaction P = 0.0003). The fact that bladder cancer incidence is 3-4 times higher in males suggests the involvement of hormone levels. This biologic process-based analysis suggests candidate susceptibility markers and supports the theory that disrupted hormone regulation plays a role in bladder carcinogenesis.
Condensed Fish Press Water and Fish Liver Meal in Chick Rations

Abstract NUMEROUS workers have investigated the supplementary effect of small amounts of animal protein feeds in diets containing vegetable proteins. Berry, Carrick, Roberts, and Hauge (1943) pointed out that the proteins of soybean oil meal were of excellent quality, but that rations containing soybean oil meal as a sole protein supplement were deficient in certain vitamins which were adequately supplied by additions of small amounts of animal protein feeds. This work has been confirmed by Hammond and Titus (1944), who mention the necessity of supplementing a diet containing soybean oil meal as the sole protein supplement with adequate vitamins and minerals. The same workers, however, state that “sardine fish meal is of outstanding value as a protein supplement to soybean meal.” Whether sardine meal is of value purely as a protein supplement (chiefly as a contributor of methionine) or partly as a vitamin supplement (choline and other vitamins) has not been . . .
Sensorless Detection of Impeller Cracks in Motor Driven Centrifugal Pumps

Electrical signal analysis has been in use for quite some time to detect and diagnose induction motor faults. In most industrial applications, induction motors are used to drive dynamic loads such as pumps, compressors, fans, etc. Failure of either the motors or the driven loads results in an unscheduled downtime which in turn leads to loss of production. These operational disruptions could be avoided if the equipment degradation is detected in its early stages prior to reaching catastrophic failure conditions. Hence the need arises for cost-effective detection schemes not only for assessing the condition of electric motors but also the driven loads. This paper presents an experimentally demonstrated sensor-less approach to detect impeller cracks in centrifugal pumps. The proposed method is sensorless in the sense that it does not use any mechanical and/or process pump sensors to detect impeller faults. Rather motor electrical measurements are used for the intended purpose. Mechanical sensors have high costs and low reliability, and frequently fail more often than the system being monitored. Hence add-on mechanical sensors reduce the overall system reliability. In this study, fault detection is accomplished using only the line voltages and phase currents of the electric motor driving the pump. The developed detection algorithm is insensitive to electrical power supply and load variations. Furthermore, it does not require prior knowledge of either a motor or the pump model or design parameters and hence the detection algorithm can be easily ported to motor-pump systems of varying manufacturers and sizes. The proposed fault detection scheme has been tested on data collected from a centrifugal pump driven by a 3-φ, 3 hp induction motor. Several cracks on the pump impeller are staged to validate the detection effectiveness of the proposed scheme and compare its effectiveness with respect to continuous vibration monitoring. In addition to these staged faults, experiments are also conducted to demonstrate the prevention of false alarms by the algorithm. Results from all of these experiments are presented to substantiate the performance of the sensorless pump fault detection scheme.© 2008 ASME
Phylogeny of Ips DeGeer Species (Coleoptera: Scolytidae) Inferred from Mitochondrial Cytochrome Oxidase I DNA Sequence

We used 766 bp of DNA sequence data from the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I gene to reconstruct a phylogeny for 39 of 43 Ips species, many of which are economically important bark beetles. The phylogeny was reconstructed using equally weighted and weighted parsimony. In both analyses, peripheral clades were well supported while internal clades were poorly supported. Phylogenetic analysis of translated amino acids produced a poorly resolved tree that was discordant with trees reconstructed with nucleotide sequence data. Two main conclusions are drawn about the monophyly of Ips and traditional systematic groups within Ips. First, Ips is monophyletic only when I. mannsfeldi, I. nobilis, and the concinnus and latidens species groups are excluded. The latidens group, I. mannsfeldi, and I. nobilis form a monophyletic group with 3 Orthotomicus species, while the concinnus group has a more basal position. Second, the majority of the species groups in the current classification for Ips are not monophyletic. European Ips species do not form a monophyletic group, contrary to common usage, and are dispersed on the phylogenetic tree among North American species. These results indicate that a formal systematic revision of Ips is needed.
Trovafloxacin Potentiation of Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Tumor Necrosis Factor Release from RAW 264.7 Cells Requires Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase and c-Jun N-Terminal Kinase

Trovafloxacin (TVX) is a fluoroquinolone antibiotic known to cause idiosyncratic, drug-induced liver injury (IDILI) in humans. The mechanism underlying this toxicity remains unknown. Previously, an animal model of IDILI in mice revealed that TVX synergizes with inflammatory stress from bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to produce a hepatotoxic interaction. The liver injury required prolongation of the appearance of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF) in the plasma. The results presented here describe a model of TVX/LPS coexposure in RAW 264.7 cells acting as a surrogate for TNF-releasing cells in vivo. Pretreating cells with TVX for 2 hours before LPS addition led to increased TNF protein release into culture medium in a concentration- and time-dependent manner relative to cells treated with LPS or TVX alone. During the pretreatment period, TVX increased TNF mRNA, but this was less apparent when cells were exposed to TVX after LPS addition, suggesting that the pivotal signaling events that increase TNF expression occurred during the TVX pretreatment period. Indeed, TVX exposure increased activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase. Inhibition of either ERK or JNK decreased the TVX-mediated increase in TNF mRNA and LPS-induced TNF protein release, but p38 inhibition did not. These results demonstrated that the increased TNF appearance from TVX-LPS interaction in vivo can be reproduced in vitro and occurs in an ERK- and JNK-dependent manner.
Roles of neuropilins in neuronal development, angiogenesis, and cancers

Neuropilin-1 (NRP1) and neuropilin-2 (NRP2) are transmembrane glycoproteins that have been characterized as receptors for both semaphorins for neuronal guidance and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) for angiogenesis. Biologic properties of NRPs have been linked to their unique domain structures. However, molecular interaction among NRPs, VEGF, and VEGF receptors is still not clear. Although several types of cancer cells can express NRPs, the role of NRPs in tumor pathogenesis is largely unknown. Thus, future investigations should include determining the effects and mechanisms of NRPs on proliferation, apoptosis, and migration of neuronal , endothelial, and cancer cells. Study of protein-protein interaction, signal transduction pathways, and NRP-mediated gene expression is particularly important to understand NRPs functions, which may have significant clinical applications in the treatment of neurological disorders, cardiovascular diseases, and certain cancers.