cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ammonia concentration in bovine follicular fluid and its effect during in vitro maturation on subsequent embryo development.

Abstract Ammonia concentration in bovine follicular fluid (bFF) at different developmental stages and the effects on oocyte maturation in vitro were investigated in this study. In Experiment 1, 80 bFF samples were collected from follicles in four size categories ( 10 mm) to determine ammonia concentration. Ammonia concentration was greater ( P P 10 mm follicles, respectively. In Experiment 2, abattoir oocytes ( n =2885) were matured in vitro in media containing ammonia at the concentrations of 0 μM (Control), 29 μM (A1), 88 μM (A2), 132 μM (A3), 176 μM (A4) and 356 μM (A5), followed by in vitro fertilization and culture. There was no difference ( P >0.05) in cleavage rates and morula or blastocyst development between treatments, indicating that in vitro exposure of bovine oocytes to ammonia does not adversely influence subsequent embryonic development.
Estimation of exponential component reliability from uncertain life data in series and parallel systems

Estimating reliability of components in series and parallel systems from masking system testing data has been studied. In this paper we take into account a second type of uncertainty: censored lifetime, when system components have constant failure rates. To efficiently estimate failure rates of system components in presence of combined uncertainty, we propose a useful concept for components: equivalent failure and equivalent lifetime. For a component in a system with known status and lifetime, its equivalent failure is defined as its conditional failure probability and its equivalent lifetime is its expectation of lifetime. For various uncertainty scenarios, we derive equivalent failures and test times for individual components in both series and parallel systems. An efficient EM algorithm is formulated to estimate component failure rates. Two numerical examples are presented to illustrate the application of the algorithm.
Biology and the Jewish question after the revolution: one Soviet approach to the productivization of Jewish labor

In the 1920s a group of health professionals and biologists in the Soviet Union embraced the nascent eugenics movement in order to justify the promotion of physical labor among Jews. Eugenics offered a scientific approach to solving the “Jewish question” through the productivization of Soviet Jewry. Drawing upon the work of Jean Baptiste de Lamarck, this group linked the settlement of Jews on the land to the belief that the physiognomy of Jews engaged in physical labor would be genetically passed on to their offspring. The goal was to overcome the perceived debilitating psychological and physical traits of shtetl Jewry by mobilizing Soviet Jewry for the building of socialism. By the late 1920s, however, eugenics fell victim to the Kremlin’s materialist conception of human society that emphasized social engineering and voluntarism and excluded biological influences on the transformation of Soviet society.
The influence of Brochure covers on CME enrollments

The effectiveness of two brochure covers was tested in the marketing of a program to update primary care physicians and cardiologists in advances in the area of cardiology. One brochure cover featured an institutional logo. The other featured a photo of the resort where the program was to be held. Brochures were distributed following a split-half design. The response to the brochure cover featuring the resort was approximately double that of the stylized logo cover (44/15,871 to 21/15,936). The difference of 23 registrants amounted to approximately $6,000 in registration fees. These results support survey data showing that for programs offered at a vacation location, the importance of the location is second only to the subject matter.
Suckling behaviour in three species of voles

Summary Domestic mammals exhibit diversity in suckling behaviour, yet little is known about suckling in most wild species, including rodents with tenacious nipple attachment. This behaviour, whereby young cling tightly to nipples, has been interpreted as an adaptation to competition within and among litters for nipples and milk. Comparative studies of suckling behaviour of tenacious and non-tenacious species are lacking, however, as are studies placing patterns of suckling in a phylogenetic context. We compared suckling in prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster; tenacious nipple attachment), woodland voles (= pine voles, M. pinetorum; tenacious nipple attachment) and meadow voles (M. pennsylvanicus; non-tenacious nipple attachment). We hypothesized that suckling behaviour of meadow voles differs from that of the other two species. We found that meadow vole pups display higher frequencies of nipple attachment, shorter durations of nipple attachment (significantly different from prairie voles only), more frequent nipple-switching, and no preference for nipple pairs (prairie vole and woodland vole young preferred the hindmost nipples). Mapped onto a phylogeny, our data suggest a suite of behavioural characters associated with suckling in prairie and woodland voles (tenacious nipple attachment, preference for hindmost nipples, and infrequent nippleswitching) and highlight diversity of suckling behaviour among closely related species.
Porosity reduction by pressure solution: A theoretical model for quartz arenites

Pressure solution and the subsequent precipitation of the dissolved material may play an important role in the lithification of sandstones and limestones. This paper presents a one-dimensional model for a well-sorted quartz arenite sequence undergoing diagenesis. The sedimentary sequence is treated as a saturated porous medium in which pressure solution occurs at individual grain contacts. Quartz dissolved at grain contacts precipitates on free surfaces of adjacent grains. This solution-and-precipitation process reduces porosity and forces the migration of pore fluid. Permeability decreases with porosity, hindering fluid migration, and excess fluid pressures are generated. Distributions of porosity, pore-pressure, and fluid-flow rates are given for several sedimentation rates and thermal gradients. Complete reduction of the primary, intergranular porosity was accomplished, in all cases examined, by a depth of 3.5 km.
A coarse-grained model of targeted drug delivery from responsive polymer nanoparticles

We develop a computer model of drug diffusion from polymer core–shell nanoparticles. In particular, our coarse-grained model simultaneously captures the dynamics of the polymer nanoparticle and the diffusion of the encapsulated drug. This allows us to investigate the drug release from nanoparticles with different shell properties, and in particular, nanoparticles with a pH-responsive shell material. We find that an increase in shell hydrophobicity, in response to the more acidic environment near cancerous tumors, could increase the release rate of a chemotherapeutic agent. Such “smart” nanoparticles can, therefore, help limit the exposure of healthy tissue to cytotoxic drugs.
Effectiveness of intervention in a small emerging market: an event study approach

This article addresses the effectiveness of intervention using daily data from a small open economy for which intervention constituted an integral part of policy making. A matched-sample test of equality of means before and after intervention events, shows that the sterilized interventions by the central bank were effective for both purchases and sales of US dollars, but with associated fiscal costs. These results, which are robust to alternative event-window definitions and to alternative criteria for measuring ‘success’, suggest that the authorities were successful in keeping the exchange rate within a ‘target’ corridor. With many small emerging market economies seeking to balance the twin objectives of maintaining competitiveness while containing imported inflation, these results present an interesting case study which suggests that intervention can be an appropriate policy tool in some small open and emerging market economies.
Aorticopulmonary septal defect.

Abstract The anatomic, clinical, hemodynamic, roentgenographic and surgical problems in six cases studied and in sixty cases found in the literature of aorticopulmonary septal defect are analyzed. Anatomically, the lesion is characterized by an abnormal communication between the ascending aorta and pulmonary arterial trunk. In the aggregate of sixty-six cases, associated anomalies were as follows: (1) patent ductus arteriosus, eight cases; (2) coarctation of aorta, three cases; (3) ventricular septal defect, two cases; (4) right aortic arch, two cases; and (5) atrial septal defect, two cases. Clinically, the picture in each of the six patients studied resembled the findings of a large ventricular septal defect. The most striking clinical feature was the absence of a continuous murmur, and this finding was noted in 80 per cent of cases reviewed in the literature. The electrocardiogram is not specific and may show left, right or biventricular hypertrophy, depending on the degree of pulmonary vascular resistance. In general, hemodynamic findings are similar to those in cases of large patent ductus arteriosus. Pulmonary arterial pressure was equal or nearly equal to systemic arterial pressure in the four cases in which data for this comparison existed. A left to right shunt was demonstrated in each of the five cases subjected to cardiac catheterization. The diagnostic importance of the position of the catheter during catheterization is emphasized and illustrated. The radiologic features of the malformation are nonspecific but the diagnostic value of selective aortography is of high order. Five of the six patients underwent corrective surgical procedures, and three survived. Closure of the defect during conditions of cardio-pulmonary bypass is recommended.
Immunoregulatory role of secreted glycoprotein G from respiratory syncytial virus

The secretory glycoprotein (Gs) of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) was enriched and investigated for its effects on T cells specific for RSV and unrelated antigens. Gs exhibited a dose dependent suppression of lymphoproliferative responses in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), specific for mycobacterial lysates or tetanus toxoid. However, Gs did not inhibit live RSV specific T cell responses. These results suggest that Gs may suppress immune response to unrelated antigens, but should not interfere with the overall development of RSV specific immunity.
Hybrid Expert Simulation System (HESS)

: The integration of a simulation model with two expert systems is described. The first expert system is the front end of the Hybrid Expert Simulation System (HESS) and is designed to check the consistency of the input variables which are provided to the simulation model by the end user. The second expert system is the back end of HESS and is designed to make recommendations based on experimentations with the simulation model. A case study for a software development life cycle process is described.
The Role of Theoretical Ecology in the Description and Understanding of Populations in Heterogeneous Environments

The role and function of theoretical ecology are examined. The case is made that theory must be recognized as an activity closely tied to, but separate and independent in objectives and perspective, from field observation and experimentation. Too literal interpretation of models, and rigid insistence on immediate congruence between theory and observation, have led to abuses and distortion of the role of theory. Examples are given to illustrate the partnership between theory and experiment, with emphasis on the partitioning and exploitation of space. The role of theory in guiding understanding and experimentation in the rocky intertidal community of the West Coast (Paine and Levin, 1981) is discussed. Models of individual movement based on random walk assumptions are summarized, with special attention to recent work by Kareiva (1982 a, b, c ) designed to test the applicability of diffusion models. Such models are shown to provide an excellent foundation for the study of the foraging movements of phytophagous insects: Extensions hold great promise as descriptors of movement for much wider classes of organisms and in the presence of complications such as taxis, grouping behavior, etc. Finally, some brief discussion is given on recent efforts to develop a theory of the evolution of dispersal and dormancy in heterogeneous environments.
Measurement of Toxaphene Congeners in Pooled Human Serum Collected in Three U.S. Cities Using High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry

Because human toxaphene exposure data are largely lacking, we surveyed human serum pools collected from U.S. residents to determine the feasibility of measuring toxaphene in human samples and to determine whether additional analytical requirements were needed for routine measurement of toxaphene. We report a method for quantification of toxaphene congeners in human serum using a mixed-bed gradient solid-phase extraction and analysis using gas chromatography–high-resolution mass spectrometry with electron-impact ionization. In this method, we monitored low-mass fragment ions that were common to all 22 congeners. To verify the specific congeners detected, we further analyzed the extract using negative methane chemical ionization. We used this method to measure two specific congeners, Parlar 26 and 50, at concentrations ranging from about 3 to 30 pg/ml (0.7−7 ng/g lipid) in pooled human serum collected in Atlanta, Chicago, and Cincinnati. We identified several analytical parameters that must be strengthened to routinely measure toxaphene congeners in human samples.
A concise methodology for the synthesis of (-)-Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol and (-)-Δ9-tetrahydrocannabivarin metabolites and their regiospecifically deuterated analogs

Abstract The availability of tetrahydrocannabinols (Δ9-THC), tetrahydrocannabivarins (Δ9-THCV), and their metabolites in both their undeuterated and deuterated forms is critical for the analysis of biological and toxicological samples. We report here a concise methodology for the syntheses of (−)-Δ9-THC and (−)-Δ9-THCV metabolites in significantly improved overall yields using commercially available starting materials. Our approach allowed us to obtain the key intermediates (6aR,10aR)-9-nor-9-oxo-hexahydrocannabinols in four steps from (+)-(1R)-nopinone. This was followed by an optimized Shapiro reaction to give the (−)-11-nor-9-carboxy-metabolites, which were converted to their respective (−)-11-hydroxy analogs. The synthetic sequence involves a minimum number of steps, avoids undesirable oxidative conditions, and incorporates the costly deuterated resorcinols near the end of the synthetic sequence. This methodology enabled us to synthesize eight regiospecifically deuterated (−)-Δ9-THC and (−)-Δ9-THCV metabolites in a preparative scale and high optical purity without deuterium scrambling or loss.
Loss of reactivity of a myeloma tumor with H-2 compatible thymus-derived lymphocytes.

Abstract It was previously shown that MOPC-315-EL, a subline of the BALB/c myeloma tumor MOPC-315, reversibly alters its reactivity with T cells that recognize H-2d, 2,4,6-trinitrophenyl, and minor histocompatibility antigens. This report demonstrates (a) that CTLs directed against vesicular stomatitis virus and Sendai virus are unable to recognize viral antigens associated with the unreactive tumor cell, and (b) that incorporation of Sendai virus antigens into the same membrane as the H-2 gene products is required for effective recognition by cytotoxic T lymphocytes.
Coulomb-nuclear interference in pion inelastic scattering

The energy dependence of the cross sections for the first ${2}^{+}$, ${3}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}$, and ${4}^{+}$ excitations in $^{208}\mathrm{Pb}$ from pion inelastic scattering at incident pion energies from ${\mathit{T}}_{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\pi}}}$=116 to 291 MeV is investigated. A significant signature of Coulomb-nuclear interference is observed in the ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\pi}}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}$/${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\pi}}}^{+}$ cross-section ratio.
Multiple UAV Formations for Cooperative Source Seeking and Contour Mapping of a Radiative Signal Field

In this paper, four scenarios are presented for cooperative source seeking and contour mapping of a radiative signal field by multiple UAV formations. A source seeking strategy is adopted with saturation, and then it is modified to achieve contour mapping of the signal field with the moving source situation considered. A formation controller used for consensus problem is simplified and applied in the scenarios to stabilize the multiple UAV formation flight during source detection. The contour mapping strategy and the formation control algorithm are combined to guarantee stable source seeking and contour mapping in both circular flight path and square flight path via multiple UAV formations.
Defining MC1R Regulation in Human Melanocytes by Its Agonist α-Melanocortin and Antagonists Agouti Signaling Protein and β-Defensin 3

The melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R), a G(s) protein-coupled receptor, has an important role in human pigmentation. We investigated the regulation of expression and activity of the MC1R in primary human melanocyte cultures. Human β-defensin 3 (HBD3) acted as an antagonist for MC1R, inhibiting the α-melanocortin (α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH))-induced increase in the activities of adenylate cyclase and tyrosinase, the rate-limiting enzyme for melanogenesis. α-Melanocortin and forskolin, which activate adenylate cyclase, and 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate, which activates protein kinase C, increased, whereas exposure to UV radiation reduced, MC1R gene and membrane protein expression. Brief treatment with α-MSH resulted in MC1R desensitization, whereas continuous treatment up to 3 hours caused a steady rise in cAMP, suggesting receptor recycling. Pretreatment with agouti signaling protein or HBD3 prohibited responsiveness to α-MSH, but not forskolin, suggesting receptor desensitization by these antagonists. Melanocytes from different donors expressed different levels of the G protein-coupled receptor kinases (GRKs) 2, 3, 5, and 6, as well as β-arrestin 1. Therefore, in addition to the MC1R genotype, regulation of MC1R expression and activity is expected to affect human pigmentation and the responses to UV.
Vegetation change from chronic stress events: Detection of the effects of tide gate removal and long-term drought on a tidal marsh

Question: Chronic stress events are defined as disturbance events that exceed the lifespan of the dominant plant species, fluctuate in intensity and lack abruptness or physical destruction of biomass. Can the effects of chronic stress events be measured on vegetation communities? Did two chronic stress events, the removal of a tide gate and a four year drought, cause a temporary or permanent shift in the vegetation communities of a tidal marsh? Location: Tidal marsh in southeastern United States. Methods: Change in species composition and dominance and community change on a landscape level salinity gradient were measured between time periods ranging from four months to seven years to construct a statistical baseline reference community at freshwater, oligohaline, and mesohaline sections of a tidal marsh. Statistical shifts in the plant community were defined as changes in the plant community that fell outside of the defined baseline reference community. Results: Plant community changes outside of the reference community occurred in 13 out of 378 community comparisons. Removal of the tide gate had a greater effect on interstitial salinity levels than the drought and was most intense in the oligohaline marsh, where between 20 to 45% of the freshwater/oligohaline community types permanently converted to oligohaline community types. However, community shifts in the freshwater and oligohaline marsh induced by the drought were temporary, lasting from 1 to 3+ years. Neither chronic stress event permanently altered the mesohaline plant communities. Conclusion: The effects of chronic stress events could be detected; an extended historical record of vegetation change (18 years) was necessary to identify community shifts outside of a reference condition of the community and to determine if those shifts were permanent or temporary.
Load balancing and data locality in adaptive hierarchical N -body methods: Barnes-Hut, fast multipole, and radiosity

Abstract Hierarchical N-body methods, which are based on a fundamental insight into the nature of many physical processes, are increasingly being used to solve large-scale problems in a variety of scientific/engineering domains. Applications that use these methods are challenging to parallelize effectively, however, owing to their nonuniform, dynamically changing characteristics and their need for long-range communication. In this paper, we study the partitioning and scheduling techniques required to obtain effective parallel performance on applications that use a range of hierarchical N-body methods. To obtain representative coverage, we first examine applications that use the two best methods known for classical N-body problems: the Barnes-Hut method and the fast multipole method. Then, we examine a recent hierarchical method for radiosity calculations in computer graphics, which applies the hierarchical N-body approach to a problem with very different characteristics. We find that straightforward decomposition techniques which an automatic scheduler might implement do not scale well, because they are unable to simultaneously provide load balancing and data locality. However, all the applications yield very good parallel performance if appropriate partitioning and scheduling techniques are implemented by the programmer. For the applications that use the Barnes-Hut and fast multipole methods, simple yet effective partitioning techniques can be developed by exploiting some key insights into both the methods and the classical problems that they solve. Using a novel partitioning technique, even relatively small problems achieve 45-fold speedups on a 48-processor Stanford DASH machine (a cache-coherent, shared address space multiprocessor) and 118-fold speedups on a 128-processor simulated architecture. The very different characteristics of the radiosity application require a different partitioning/scheduling approach to be used for it; however, it too yields very good parallel performance.
Non-NMDA receptor antagonist-induced drinking in rat

Glutamate has been implicated in the central control of mechanisms that maintain body fluid homeostasis. The present studies demonstrate that intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injections of the non-N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists 6, 7-dinitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (DNQX) and 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3 dione (CNQX) induce drinking in rats. The dipsogenic effect of i.c.v. DNQX was antagonized by the non-NMDA receptor agonist alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionic acid (AMPA). The water intake induced by DNQX was also blocked by pretreatment with a NMDA receptor antagonist, MK-801, but not by angiotensin type 1 (AT1) or acetylcholine muscarinic receptor antagonists (losartan and atropine). The results indicate that non-NMDA receptors may exert a tonic inhibitory effect within brain circuits that control dipsogenic activity and that functional integrity of NMDA receptors may be required for the non-NMDA receptor antagonists to induce water intake. Copyright 1998 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.
Cyclic and isothermal oxidation behavior on some Ni-Cr alloys

It is shown experimentally that 3 wt.% Si and 3 wt.% Mn additions can substantially improve the oxidation resistance of Ni-20Cr under both isothermal and cyclic conditions at 1100 and 1200 C. This is especially true in cyclic oxidation. In all cases, Si offers a greater improvement than Mn; however, the advantage of Si is substantial only during cyclic oxidation at 1200 C. The Si additions which lead to alloys of improved oxidation resistance suppress the formation of NiO and NiCr2O4 even under the most severe test conditions. The mechanism of improvement afforded by Mn appears to be the formation of MnCr2O4 at the expense of NiO and NiCr2O4.
A simple multiple access protocol for metropolitan area networks

As LANs/MANs operate at higher speeds (100 Mb/s-Gb/s) and over longer distances (10's - 100's km) the access mechanism has to be chosen carefully so as to provide high utilization. Protocols are available that operate efficiently at high speeds and long distances. We describe here a particularly simple access mechanism referred to as Simple (S). Performance is simulated under a range of traffic, physical lengths, number of stations and overload conditions. S is compared with both Fasnet and the Distributed Queue Dual Bus (DQDB) schemes. It is almost as efficient as more complex protocols and its overload performance is well behaved.
OMVPE growth of the new semiconductor alloys GaP1−xSbx and InP1−xSbx

Abstract The III/V semiconductor alloys GaP 1− x Sb x and InP 1− x Sb x have been grown for the first time with compositions covering the entire range from x =0 to 1.0. Despite the large miscibility gaps, which are calculated to extend nearly throughout the whole composition range at the growth temperatures of 530 to 600°C for GaPSb and 460 to 600°C for InPSb, epilayers with compositions well inside the miscibility gaps have been grown successfully by organometallic vapor phase epitaxy at atmospheric pressure using the reactants trimethylgallium, trimethylindium, trimethylantimony and phosphine. From a study of solid versus vapor composition for InPSb growth, the Sb distribution coefficient was determined to be nearly constant with the value between 12 and 15 at temperatures in the range 460–500°C. The 10 K energy band gap as a function of composition has been determined from photoluminescence measurements. X-ray diffraction and electron microprobe analysis. The bowing parameter for the k =0, Γ , band gap energy of GaPSb was 3.8 eV. For the high-phosphorus, indirect alloys, the bowing parameter was tentative established to be 2.7 eV. For InPSb, where the band gap is always direct, the bowing parameter was estimated to be 1.9±0.1 eV.
Climate Change, Peak Oil, and Globalization: Contradictions of Natural Capital

This article argues that economic globalization may be undermined by predicted impacts of global warming and peak oil (depletion). They are projected to cause significant damage to transportation infrastructure and increase transportation costs. They may also increase business risk, food prices, and general prices. As a result, the long distance exploitation of cheap labor may lose much of its economic profitability in coming decades, and supply chains may contract to regional and local lengths.
Inferring phenotypic evolution in the fossil record by Bayesian inversion

This paper takes an alternative approach to the problem of inferring patterns of phenotypic evolution in the fossil record. Reconstructing temporal biological signal from noisy stratophenetic data is an inverse problem analogous to subsurface reconstructions in geophysics, and similar methods apply. To increase the information content of stratophenetic series, available geological data on sample ages and environments are included as prior knowledge, and all inferences are conditioned on the uncertainty in these geological variables. This uncertainty, as well as data error and the stochasticity of fossil preservation and evolution, prevents any unique solution to the stratophenetic inverse problem. Instead, the solution is defined as a distribution of model parameter values that explain the data to varying degrees. This distribution is obtained by direct Monte Carlo sampling of the parameter space, and evaluated with Bayesian integrals. The Bayesian inversion is illustrated with Miocene stratigraphic data from the ODP Leg 174AX Bethany Beach borehole. A sample of the benthic foraminifer Pseudononion pizarrensis is used to obtain a phenotypic covariance matrix for outline shape, which constrains a model of multivariate shape evolution. The forward model combines this evolutionary model and stochastic models of fossil occurrence with the empirical sedimentary record to generate predicted stratophenetic series. A synthetic data set is inverted, using the Neighbourhood Algorithm to sample the parameter space and characterize the posterior probability distribution. Despite small sample sizes and noisy shape data, most of the generating parameter values are well resolved, and the underlying pattern of phenotypic evolution can be reconstructed, with quantitative measures of uncertainty. Inversion of a stratigraphic series into a time series can significantly improve our perception and interpretation of an evolutionary pattern.
Identifying the root causes of memory bugs using corrupted memory location suppression

We present a general approach for automatically isolating the root causes of memory-related bugs in software. Our approach is based on the observation that most memory bugs involve uses of corrupted memory locations. By iteratively suppressing (nullifying) the effects of these corrupted memory locations during program execution, our approach gradually isolates the root cause of a memory bug. Our approach can work for common memory bugs such as buffer overflows, uninitialized reads, and double frees. However, our approach is particularly effective in finding root causes for memory bugs in which memory corruption propagates during execution until an observable failure such as a program crash occurs.
Technology trends in military simulation

Technologies being developed to address military simulation requirements vary from advanced software and computer-aided system engineering tools to hardware improvements and new interface designs. This paper presents the technologies critical to military simulation, summarizes their status, proposes a concept of what technologies are likely to be applied in future military simulations, and concludes with a review of two current simulation architectures-SIMOBJECT and J-MASS (Joint Modeling And Simulation System).
Reply from J.F. McDonald.

Matzke and Matzke correctly point out that polyploidization has certainly been an important factor in genome evolution and has probably permitted extensive genome modification by transposable elements (TEs). However, I don't think these phenomena relate to the conundrum raised by Bird[1xBird, A. Trends Genet. 1995; 11: 94–100Abstract | Full Text PDF | PubMed | Scopus (323)See all References[1]. Bird concluded that the evolution of global silencing mechanisms was a prerequisite for the quantum expansions in gene number (by polyploidization or otherwise) that accompanied the emergence of eukaryotes and vertebrates, because, without such global controls, the aggregate of spurious transcription from inappropriate genes would have burdened expanding genomes with intolerable levels of `genetic noise'. But what drove the evolution of these global silencing mechanisms in the first place? The evidence now seems overwhelming that these mechanisms originally arose as a defensive response of host genomes to transposable elements[2xMcDonald, J.F. Trends Ecol. Evol. 1998; 13: 94–95Abstract | Full Text PDF | PubMed | Scopus (52)See all References[2].The coevolution of transposable elements and host genomes can be equated with an `arms race'. Just as new technologies emerging from military research have been coopted by society for non-military uses, so have cellular mechanisms that reduce the mutational threat of TEs been coopted by genomes to help explore new levels of evolutionary complexity. Certainly, the evolutionary importance of TEs did not stop after genomes expanded in size. Indeed, arms races only stop when one or other of the participants ceases to exist or can no longer respond. Thus, while I agree with the observations and conclusions of Matzke and Matzke, I feel their suggestions lie somewhat outside the focus of my original commentary.
Acidosis, Acetazolamide, and Amiloride: Effects on 22Na Transfer Across the Blood‐Brain and Blood‐CSF Barriers

Sprague-Dawley rats were given treatments, known to decrease 22Na movement into choroid plexus and CSF, to investigate their effect on 22Na transfer across the cerebral capillaries. Acidic salts, acetazolamide, or amiloride was injected intraperitoneally into bilaterally nephrectomized rats, and the rate of 22Na uptake into parietal cortex, pons-medulla, and CSF was determined at 12, 18, and 24 min. Severe acidosis (arterial pH 7.2), produced by HCl injection, decreased the rate of 22Na entry into both brain regions and CSF by 25%, whereas mild acidosis (pH 7.3) from NH4Cl injection reduced brain entry by 18%, but CSF entry by only 10%. Like HCl acidosis, amiloride reduced transport into both brain and CSF by 22%. Penetration of 22Na into parietal cortex was unchanged by acetazolamide, but that into CSF was slowed 30%. Since uptake of 22Na into cortical regions is primarily movement of tracer across the cerebral capillaries when tracer uptake time is less than 30 min, the results indicate that both metabolic acidosis and amiloride decrease Na+ permeativity at the cerebral capillaries as well as at the choroid plexus. Acetazolamide, on the other hand, alters Na+ movement only across the choroidal epithelium.
External ties and program performance: a study of programs for displaced homemakers

Appropriate relationships with external actors having important resources is usually necessary for organizations, especially "people-processing" ones providing training and placement service& The author sought to determine the effects of extraorganizational ties by studying programs for displaced homemakers in Kentucky, interviewing coordinators of 19 programs in February and March 1983, and examining management information system data on clients. The findings indicate that rates of job placement and wage levels for clients were not much affected by the number, frequency, and regularity of external ties, were positively affected by ties with advisory boards with diverse memberships, were positively affected by ties with advisory board members with business resources, but were negatively affected by ties with organizations offering nonbusiness resources The author concludes that the nature of the external actors with whom organizations establish ties has an impact on program success.
Formation of the N5-methyltetrahydrofolate-homocysteine methyltransferase holoenzyme from apoenzyme and adenosyl-B12

Two components of E. coli extract separable by DEAF-cellulose chromatography have been found to function together to convert the apoenzyme form of the N5-methyltetrahydrofolate-homocysteine transmethylase and adenosyl B12 to holoenzyme in the presence of DPNH and homocysteine. They also form holoenzyme from hydroxo-B12 and cyano-B12 and constitute a DPNH-dependent reducing system that promotes the formation of methionine by holoenzyme.
Behavior Ratings of Executive Function among Preschoolers with ADHD

The Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Preschool Version (BRIEF-P; Gioia, Espy, & Isquith, 2003) was developed to assess executive function (EF) behaviors in children aged 2 to 5 years. We compared parent ratings of 25 preschool children with ADHD to 25 age-, sex-, and SES-matched controls from the BRIEF-P standardization sample. Children with ADHD were rated significantly higher than controls (p < .01) on all five primary scales (Inhibit, Shift, Emotional Control, Working Memory, Plan/Organize), and on all four indices (Inhibitory Self Control, Flexibility, Emerging Metacognition, General Executive Composite). The largest effect size was on the Working Memory scale. All five BRIEF-P clinical scales were significantly intercorrelated in the control group, and seven of ten scale intercorrelations were significant in the ADHD group. Within the ADHD group, the BRIEF-P Index scores were significantly correlated with ratings on the Conners' Parent Rating Scale, but only moderately correlated with ...
Systemic vascular reactivity in an aortic coarctation model of preeclampsia in the rat

Abstract Preeclampsia (preECL), a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy, which occurs only in humans, is dangerous for mother and fetus. It may be caused by placental hypoxia triggering the release of a circulating factor that damages the maternal endothelium leading to vasoconstriction and hypertension. Our primary objective was to determine if systemic vascular reactivity is altered in a rat aortic coarctation (ACOR) model of preECL. We hypothesized that reduced blood flow to the rat utero-placental unit would lead to increased responsiveness to vasoconstrictors. On day 8 of pregnancy, rats were anesthetized and subjected to sham (SHAM) or aortic coarctation (ACOR) surgery by placing a 0.4 mm diameter silver clip distal to the renal arteries. Systemic pressor responses to bolus doses of phenylephrine (PE), angiotensin II (AII), and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) were determined in these animals on gestation days 14–15 (mid-pregnancy) or 19–20 (late pregnancy). Virgin rats were subjected to sham or ACOR surgery and arterial pressure measured 10–11 days after surgery. Arterial pressure was elevated in late pregnant ACOR animals (mean of 120±4 mmHg) compared with SHAM (mean of 101±6), but mid-pregnant and virgin groups were not different. Proteinuria was present more frequently in late pregnant ACOR animals (86%) than in SHAM (41%), but there were no differences in average fetal weight, fetal number, or number of reabsorbed fetuses. Pressor responses were not different in ACOR and SHAM groups in mid- or late pregnancy. These data indicate that the aortic coarctation to 0.4 mm in the rat mimics the clinical presentation of mild preECL in humans.
An Integer Programming Approach to the Optimal Product Line Selection Problem

A zero-one integer mathematical programming formulation is proposed to solve the optimal product line selection problem. Based on individual consumer measurements from conjoint analysis, the formulation seeks to find an optimal subset of products that is drawn from a proposed set of product alternatives with specified product characteristics. In addition to its inherent flexibility in incorporating various realistic constraints, a feature of the proposed approach is its potential determination of verifiable optimal solutions to the product line selection problem. The results of computational experience with an optimization code, known as the X-system, are presented. Using a variety of representative simulated cases, it is shown that the X-system can be used to effectively solve product line selection problems on both mainframe and AT personal computers.
Transition from Childhood to Adulthood

(2002). Transition from Childhood to Adulthood. Physical & Occupational Therapy In Pediatrics: Vol. 21, No. 4, pp. 1-2.
Probing Particle Processes in Lake Michigan Using Sediment Traps

Sediment trap sampling at an offshore site in southern Lake Michigan has continued for an 18 year period with a sampling frequency ranging from weekly to semi-annually. During the 6 month unstratified period sediment trap mass and tracer profiles are nearly constant and they have been used to describe the extent of sediment resuspension. After stratification, mass flux rapidly declines and particle tracers are removed from the epilimnion at the rate of 0.5-1 m.d-1. Exponential profiles of mass flux clearly show the persistence of a benthic nepheloid layer. High frequency sampling with near-bottom sequencing traps show order of magnitude ranges in mass flux over a few day period.
Design incentives to increase vehicle size created from the U.S. footprint-based fuel economy standards

Abstract The recently amended U.S. Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards determine fuel-economy targets based on the footprint (wheelbase by track width) of vehicles such that larger vehicles have lower fuel-economy targets. This paper considers whether these standards create an incentive for firms to increase vehicle size by presenting an oligopolistic-equilibrium model in which automotive firms can modify vehicle dimensions, implement fuel-saving technology features, and trade off acceleration performance and fuel economy. Wide ranges of scenarios for consumer preferences are considered. Results suggest that the footprint-based CAFE standards create an incentive to increase vehicle size except when consumer preference for vehicle size is near its lower bound and preference for acceleration is near its upper bound. In all other simulations, the sales-weighted average vehicle size increases by 2–32%, undermining gains in fuel economy by 1–4 mpg (0.6–1.7 km/L). Carbon-dioxide emissions from these vehicles are 5–15% higher as a result (4.69×10 11 –5.17×10 11 kg for one year of produced vehicles compared to 4.47×10 11 kg with no size changes), which is equivalent to adding 3–10 coal-fired power plants to the electricity grid each year. Furthermore, results suggest that the incentive is larger for light trucks than for passenger cars, which could increase traffic safety risks.
Perfect simulation with exponential tails on the running time

Monte Carlo algorithms typically need to generate random variates from a probability distribution described by an unnormalized density or probability mass function. Perfect simulation algorithms generate random variates exactly from these distributions, but have a running time T that is itself an unbounded random variable. This article shows that commonly used protocols for creating perfect simulation algorithms, such as Coupling From the Past can be used in such a fashion that the running time is unlikely to be very much larger than the expected running time. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Random Struct. Alg., 2008
A fast algorithm for subspace clustering by pattern similarity

Unlike traditional clustering methods that focus on grouping objects with similar values on a set of dimensions, clustering by pattern similarity finds objects that exhibit a coherent pattern of rise and fall in subspaces. Pattern-based clustering extends the concept of traditional clustering and benefits a wide range of applications, including large scale scientific data analysis, target marketing, Web usage analysis, etc. However, state-of-the-art pattern-based clustering methods (e.g., the pCluster algorithm) can only handle data sets of thousands of records, which makes them inappropriate for many real-life applications. Furthermore, besides the huge data volume, many data sets are also characterized by their sequentiality, for instance, customer purchase records and network event logs are usually modeled as data sequences. Hence, it becomes important to enable pattern-based clustering methods i) to handle large datasets, and ii) to discover pattern similarity embedded in data sequences. In this paper, we present a novel algorithm that offers this capability. Experimental results from both real life and synthetic datasets prove its effectiveness and efficiency.
Multilevel Impacts of Perceived Incivilities and Perceptions of Crime Risk on Fear of Crime Isolating Endogenous Impacts

Past work has linked incivilities to fear of crime but has left open two questions: Do multilevel impacts of incivilities persist after simultaneously controlling for sociodemographics, perceptions of crime risk, neighborhood fabric, and violent crime? Is neighborhood fear spatially lagged, and if so, does controlling for nearby fear alter endogenous impacts on fear? Survey data from 45 Philadelphia neighborhoods showed that those perceiving more incivilities and more crime risk than their neighbors were more fearful. Furthermore, neighborhoods where residents on average saw more crime risk were on average more fearful, even after controlling for significantly auto-correlated nearby neighborhood fear. The results suggest that impacts of incivilities on fear at the individual level are not completely mediated by perceived risk and that average fear levels in nearby neighborhoods correlate significantly, suggesting that some localized processes are operating above the neighborhood level. What these are, and...
X-ray structures of retroviral proteases and their inhibitor-bound complexes.

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the structure-based design strategies employed to inhibit the HIV protease. The design strategy takes two general forms: (1) determination of crystal structures of complexes between the protease and compounds with known inhibitory potency to define characteristics leading to efficient binding and (2) theoretical approaches using the known crystal structure of the protease to predict structures of inhibitory compounds followed by experimental verification. It is difficult to find patterns that lead obviously to high affinity if the peptide-based HIV protease inhibitors are considered. The general principle that increasing the hydrophobicity of the inhibitor leads to tighter binding seems to be established, but the question of the role of symmetry remains unresolved. Putative transition state analogs are effective inhibitors because they add at least one strong hydrogen bond but studies of these compounds have not established the mechanism of the enzyme nor have they confirmed the hypothesis that their tight binding results from their resemblance to the activated complex.
HAPLOSTOMIDES HIBERNICUS (COPEPODA: CYCLOPOIDA) LIVING IN THE COMPOUND ASCIDIAN POLYCLINUM AURANTIUM

Abstract The female of Haplostomides hibernicus (Scott and Scott, 1895) is fully redescribed on the basis of a single specimen living in the compound ascidian Polyclinum aurantium Milne Edwards, which was obtained at Strangford Lough in the Irish Sea in 1995. This copepod was collected by the author, together with specimens of H. scotti Chatton and Harant, 1924, from the same ascidian. The redescription confirms that the specimen of H. hibernicus is comparable in morphology to the copepods that Scott and Scott (1895) described as (?)Enterocola hibernica from Valentia Island and that Chatton and Brement (1910) redescribed as Aplostoma hibernica from Roscoff. The result of this study indicates that H. scotti is synonymous with (?)E. beaumonti Scott and Scott, 1895, which was found together with (?)E. hibernica in an unidentified ascidian at Valentia Island.
Thermal Manikin Evaluation of Gender Sweat Differences While Wearing a Ballistic Vest

The purpose of this research was to determine if gender-related thermoregulatory differences impacted relative humidity levels in the microclimate while wearing a unisex ballistic vest. Data was co...
Is Order Imbalance Related to Information

This paper studies the relation between information and stock order imbalance using corporate earnings announcements. Before information is publicly announced, order imbalance is positively correlated with forthcoming earnings surprises, but it does not have reliable predictive power. When information is announced, order imbalance moves in the same direction of earnings surprise, and maintains a positive correlation with the past earnings surprise for at least a week. We further find that order imbalances after earnings announcements do not contain other forthcoming information. However, these order imbalances have a similar effect on stock prices as informed order imbalances do.
Toxicity of Methoprene to Drosophila melanogaster (Diptera: Drosophilidae): A Function of Larva Culture Density

Toxicity of methoprene, a juvenile hormone analog, to Drosophila melanogaster (Meigen) was inversely proportional to culture density when incorporated into the larva diet. Since many different wild-type strains showed this density-dependent toxicity, the effect appears to be independent of genotype. Experiments suggest that diet-incorporated methoprene is degraded by feeding larvae, possibly by an enzyme in the saliva or frass. These results indicate that insect density must be considered as a variable when estimating the toxicity of methoprene in the laboratory as well as when considering control of dipteran stable pests by incorporation of methoprene into livestock dung.