cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of phospholipid headgroup composition on the transfer of fluorescent long-chain free fatty acids between membranes

The transfer of long-chain anthroyloxy-labeled-free fatty acids (AOffa) between small unilamellar vesicles (SUV) was studied using a fluorescence energy transfer assay. Donor SUV were labeled with AOffa, and acceptor SUV contained the nonexchangeable quencher NBD-phosphatidylethanolamine. Donor and acceptor membranes were mixed using a stopped-flow apparatus, and intermembrane transfer was monitored by the decrease in AO fluorescence with time. The effect of donor membrane phospholipid headgroup composition on AOffa transfer was examined by incorporating phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), phosphatidic acid (PA), or phosphatidylglycerol (PG) into donor SUV otherwise composed of phosphatidylcholine (PC). Addition of 25 mol% of either of the negatively charged phospholipids (PA or PG) resulted in an increase in the rate of AOffa transfer, whereas addition of zwitterionic PE had no effect on transfer rate. The transfer kinetics were in all cases best described by a biexponential process, and it was found that the addition of PA caused an increase in the fraction of AOffa which transfer at the fast rate. This was likely due in large part to the asymmetric distribution of AOffa in these vesicles, with more fatty acid in the outer hemileaflet. This in turn may be due to the asymmetric distribution of PA between the inner and outer hemileaflets. Thus the increased AOffa transfer rate from negatively charged vesicles may be caused by charge repulsion between ffa and negatively charged headgroups. This increase in transfer rate was maximized at pH 9 as compared to pH 7, further suggesting that the increased rate of intermembrane transfer may arise because of charge repulsion. Finally, it was shown that decreasing the membrane surface potential by increasing the ionic strength caused the rate of AOffa transfer from PA-containing vesicles and PC vesicles to become identical. The results demonstrate that the ionic character of the donor membrane bilayer is an important determinant of the transfer rate of long-chain fatty acids between membranes.
Investigations of the biological activity of leukotriene A4 in human polymorphonuclear leukocytes

An investigation was undertaken to compare the responses of human neutrophils to the epoxide leukotriene A4 with those elicited by its stable product leukotriene B4 under identical IN VITRO conditions. LTA4 evokes neutrophil responses similar in nature to those induced by LTB4 but at much higher concentrations. Evidence suggests that LTA4 is important primarily for its role as an intermediate rather than for inherent activity.
Ayres' Theory of Economic Progress: An Evaluation of Its Place in Economic Literature

Abstract. Clarence E. Ayres was unfortunate in certain of his critics; they missed the point. With the publication of a new edition of his classic. The Theory of Economic Progress, the time is ripe to re-evaluate Ayres' contributions. Ayres, like Thorstein Veblen before him, assimilated into economics the findings of other social science and humanistic disciplines, particularly anthropology. Both portrayed clearly the role in the economy of what Veblen called the matter-of-fact and Ayres ‘technology,’ The understanding of the role of technology and its extension in economic progress, implicit in Veblen, is made explicit by Ayres. Similarly the insight that certain entrepreneurial and financial activities which are ceremonial are non-essential to the technological process and hence dispensable is a contribution by Ayres to the one by Veblen that enables us to distinguish the scientific elements in economic theory from the theological.
Imprecision in coping and attending processes

When problem situations are imprecise, people use mental processes closer to coping than to exact, logical-deductive reasoning. We sketch new ways of explicating the process of coping. This leads to a broader definition of complexity than is generally used in computer science. We present as the essence of coping, a normative model for shifting and changing focus of attention. To cope is to transform a complex situation into blurred representations that are simpler and less worrisome, The process of "thinking of" such shifts in problem-representation is also improved when the level of specificity and precision in the focus of attention varies.
THE DANGERS OF PURITY: ON THE INCOMPATIBILITY OF “PURE SOCIOLOGY” AND SCIENCE

Donald Black insists that sociology must be purged of its psychological elements in order to become a genuinely distinct and scientific discipline. But such “purification” is simultaneously unnecessary, undesirable, and unattainable. It is unnecessary because the scientific shortcomings of sociology are indigenous and have nothing to do with psychologism. Indeed, a more scientific sociology would look more, not less, like psychology. Purity is undesirable in that it is not only not a scientific virtue, but is antithetical to the very scientific values that Black invokes to justify it. His systems are neither theories nor laws, but heuristics, more akin to common sense than to scientific theory. Finally, purity is unattainable because though society is indeed discontinuous with the individuals who make it up, it and all theorizing about it, are ontologically and conceptually dependent upon them.
Beyond Deronda?: Victorian Studies and Jewish Chronicles

What accounts for the surprising fact that fictional Jews fill the pages of Victorian literature but actual Jews constituted only a sliver of England's population? This article introduces readers to recent scholarship that attempts to answer this question, charting the diverse ways in which Jews were portrayed in the Victorian cultural imaginary. Much of this scholarship pivots around one fundamental contention: that the most significant thing about representations of nineteenth-century Jewishness is what they have to teach us about nineteenth-century Englishness. Depicting Jews became a crucial method for Victorians to test some of their guiding assumptions and underlying anxieties about their nationality and its relationship to the categories of race, religion, culture, and territory—categories contested then as now. After a brief survey of Jewishness's rise in literary studies, I discuss current trends in research treating Jewishness and Englishness; such research is now occurring within the fields of both Victorian Studies and Jewish Studies, productively contesting the disciplinary and geographic borders of each. Particular attention is paid to the engagement of new scholarship with issues of gender, principally representations of and by Jewish women, and genre, including the novel's fraught relationship to liberalism. I then explore the way analyses of Victorian Jewishness are increasingly going global, looking to British imperial and cultural involvement in America, Europe, and the Middle East. These moves have in turn provoked a reassessment of both Orientalism and Englishness as a cultural identity. Above all, this article argues for the value recent scholarship offers by continuing to inform and challenge our understanding not only of Jewishness but the many facets of Victorian culture with which it intersected.
The Anthropology of Leadership: Culture and Corporate Leadership in the American South:

This article attempts to make sense of some of the unique cultural qualities of the American South as they manifest themselves in the leadership dynamics of three Southern firms. Two private, family-owned and managed firms, and one public (S&P 500) bank are examined in their relationship with the larger cultural structures of the American South. A combination of ethnographic and documentary research is used to articulate a ‘cultural theory of leadership’, which is premised on the idea that the leaders of these firms derive their leadership legitimacy and power from being both ‘local’ and ‘global’ at the same time. It is suggested here that leadership capital is drawn more from the elements of the region’s culture - religion, social capital, gender and class identity and so on - than it is from individual personality or firm history.
The Twofold Orientational Structure of Perception

I argue that perceptual content involves representations both of aspects of objects, and of objects themselves, whether at the level of conscious perception, or of low-level perceptual processing—a double content structure. I present an ‘orientational’ theory of the relations of the two kinds of perceptual content, which can accommodate both the general semantic possibility of perceptual misrepresentation, and also species of it involving characteristic perceptual confusions of aspectual and intrinsic content. The resulting theoretical structure is argued to be a broadly methodological or logical one, rather than a substantive theory that is open to empirical refutation.
Are Interpersonal Relationships Necessary for Developing Trust in Online Group Projects

Trust between group members has been suggested as an important part of small group work in online classrooms. Developing interpersonal relationships with group members may promote a sense of trust among them; however, research shows mixed results. The current study explored how students’ perceptions of the importance of interpersonal relationships in online groups affected their perceptions of trust and experiences within the group. Students enrolled in online classes that incorporated a group project were surveyed about their experiences with online group projects. Participants did not find interpersonal relationships as necessary in trust development. However, student gender and type (i.e., distance versus on-campus) were important factors in determining the type of experiences students had within their online groups. Males reported more negative experiences than females, and distance education students desired relationships with group members more than on-campus students.
EBV-regulated global changes in mRNA isoform usage

Approximately 90% of the global adult population is latently infected with Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV). Latent EBV infections are normally asymptomatic due to a robust cytotoxic T cell response. However, in the event of immunosuppression, as observed in HIV/AIDS patients, these latent infections can lead to B-cell lymphomas. In vitro EBV has the capacity to transform primary B-cells into immortalized Lymphoblastoid Cell Lines (LCLs). In order to assess changes in both overall mRNA abundance and mRNA isoform usage, we queried resting, primary human B cells and LCLs using Human Exon (HuEx) and conventional Affymetrix U133 arrays. Using a novel computational algorithm, SplicerEX, we identified 433 genes whose mRNAs undergo changes in alternative isoform usage during the transformation from primary B-cells to LCLs. Isoform changes were largely orthogonal from expression changes as only ~1/3 of mRNA isoform changes were also changed at the level of overall abundance. Isoform changes were classified into alternative 5’ initiation, internal exclusion/inclusion of exons, 3’ terminal exon choice, and 3’UTR alterations. The most striking mRNA isoform change was 3’UTR shortening, accounting for ~25% of all changes. Gene ontology analysis of mRNA isoform changes revealed a strong enrichment for nucleic acid binding proteins, including splicing and transcription factors. We have confirmed a subset of the predictions made by SplicerEX using isoform-specific RT-PCR. Importantly, many mRNA isoform changes observed were in fact regulated by EBV latent infection, not just proliferation per se, as they were also observed in the conversion of EBV-negative Burkitt’s lymphoma cells (BL41) to latency III expressing BL41/B95-8 cells. Our preliminary results further indicate that two transcription factors, the E2 family member TCF4 and the plasma cell differentiation factor XBP1, are both regulated by EBV at the level of alternative isoform usage. These proteins both impact activation of the BZLF1 lytic promoter and our data thus suggest a novel mechanism by which EBV maintains latent infection in immortalized B cells. These data may point to new approaches in regulating the latent/lytic switch crucial to the pathogenesis of EBV-associated AIDS lymphomas.
Effect of celiac ganglionectomy on tachykinin innervation, receptor distribution and intestinal responses in the rat

Substance P (SP) is an important neurotransmitter in the control of intestinal motility and is found in both the enteric and sympathetic nervous systems. This study examined the effect of celiac ganglionectomy on (1) mechanical properties of the circular muscles of the duodenum, ileum and proximal colon, (2) circular muscle responses to SP and neurokinin A. (3) distribution of substance P-like immunoreactive nerves, and (4) the distribution of neurokinin 1 and neurokinin 2 receptors. Celiac ganglionectomy resulted in an effective sympathectomy as evidenced by a marked decrease in norepinephrine content and tyrosine hydroxylase staining in the duodenum, ileum and proximal colon. The in vitro length/tension characteristics of the circular muscle of the duodenum, ileum and colon were unchanged after ganglionectomy. In all regions of the gut studied, substance P and neurokinin A caused dose-dependent contractions that were unaltered by celiac ganglionectomy. Immunohistochemistry revealed moderate substance P-like immunoreactive fibers in the myenteric plexus, submucosal plexus and circular muscle of the ileum, while in the colon, substance P-like immunoreactivity was intense in the myenteric plexus, and moderate in the circular muscle. In vitro autoradiography showed minimal binding of SP (NK1 receptor) or neurokinin A (NK2 receptor) in the ileum and significantly greater binding in the circular muscle layer of the colon. Celiac ganglionectomy did not affect substance P-like immunoreactivity, or NK1 or NK2 receptor binding. A greater contractile response to neurokinins was seen in the colon than in the duodenum or ileum, which paralleled the receptor density. The studies demonstrate that surgical celiac ganglionectomy, unlike chemical sympathectomy, does not affect the substance P innervation, receptor density or physiological responses of the intestine. The greater contractile response of the colon than the ileum parallels the greater receptor density rather than the peptide content as determined by immunhistochemistry.
Biochemical Mechanisms of Resistance to Small-Molecule Protein Kinase Inhibitors

Protein kinases have emerged as one of the most frequently targeted families of proteins in drug discovery. While the development of small-molecule inhibitors that have the potency and selectivity necessary to be effective cancer drugs is still a formidable challenge, there have been several notable successes in this area over the past decade. However, in the course of the clinical use of these inhibitors, it has become apparent that drug resistance is a recurring problem. Because kinase inhibitors act by targeting a specific kinase or set of kinases, there is a strong selective pressure for the development of mutations that hinder drug binding but preserve the catalytic activity of these enzymes. To date, resistance mutations to clinically approved kinase inhibitors have been identified in a number of kinases. This review will highlight recent work that has been performed to understand how mutations in the kinase catalytic domain confer drug resistance. In addition, recent experimental efforts to predict potential sites of clinical drug resistance will be discussed.
Autogenous common facial vein or external jugular vein patch for carotid endarterectomy.

Abstract Background: The purpose of this study was to determine whether common facial vein or external jugular vein are as good a vein patch as a saphenous vein for carotid patch angioplasty. Method: Retrospectively, 19 patients who underwent everted common facial vein or external jugular vein patch were compared with 199 patients who underwent saphenous vein patch carotid endarterectomy during 1989 to 1996. The two groups were compared clinically and by sonographic surveillance. The mean follow-up was 18±4 months for common facial vein/external jugular vein patients and 48±15 months for saphenous vein patch group. Results: No significant differences in mortality or morbidity were observed among patients in whom everted common facial vein or external jugular vein was used as compared with saphenous vein. No bleeding, thrombotic event, dilation of the patch or aneurysmal degeneration and perioperative deaths occurred in either of the two groups. Duplex surveillance studies showed no significant difference in recurrent moderate (50–79%) and severe (80–99%) stenosis. Conclusion: Everted common facial vein or external jugular vein patch was comparable to other vein patches. This eliminates the comorbidity of groin incision. Also, using everted common facial vein or external jugular vein as vein patch saves saphenous vein to be used for other vascular procedures, such as coronary artery or lower extremity bypass.
On the control of oocyte meiotic maturation and ovulation in Caenorhabditis elegans

Prior to fertilization, oocytes undergo meiotic maturation (cell cycle progression) and ovulation (expulsion from the ovary). To begin the study of these processes in Caenorhabditis elegans, we have defined a time line of germline and somatic events by video microscopy. As the oocyte matures, its nuclear envelope breaks down and its cell cortex rearranges. Immediately thereafter, the oocyte is ovulated by increasing contraction of the myoepithelial gonadal sheath and relaxation of the distal spermatheca. By systematically altering the germ cell contents of the hermaphrodite using mutant strains, we have uncovered evidence of four cell-cell interactions that regulate maturation and ovulation. (1) Both spermatids and spermatozoa induce oocyte maturation. In animals with a feminized germline, maturation is inhibited and oocytes arrest in diakinesis. The introduction of sperm by mating restores maturation. (2) Sperm also directly promote sheath contraction. In animals with a feminized or tumorous germline, contractions are infrequent, whereas in animals with a masculinized germline or with sperm introduced by mating, contractions are frequent. (3 and 4) The maturing oocyte both induces spermathecal dilation and modulates sheath contractions at ovulation; dilation of the distal spermatheca and sharp increases in sheath contraction rates are only observed in the presence of a maturing oocyte.
Increase in Fasting Insulin and Glucose over Seven Years with Increasing Weight and Inactivity of Young Adults The CARDIA Study

To characterize 7-year changes in fasting serum insulin and glucose concentrations, the authors analyzed population-based data on 3,095 nondiabetic black and white men and women who were initially aged 18-30 years in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) Study. Measurements were made of fasting insulin (by an assay with little cross-reactivity to proinsulin) and fasting glucose on frozen samples from baseline and Year 7 examinations. Over the 7-year period, mean fasting insulin increased 10-25%, mean fasting glucose increased 7-10%, and mean body mass increased 7-12% across the four race-, sex-groups. The strongest predictor of both insulin increase and glucose increase was an increase in body mass over the 7 years. Adjusted for age and examination time period in race-, sex-specific repeated measures analyses, fasting insulin increased longitudinally by approximately 5 microU/mL per 5 kg/m2 increase in body mass index (p < 0.05). Adjusted for age and time period, fasting insulin increased over the 7 years by approximately 2.5 microU/mL per 0.08 unit increase in waist/hip ratio (p < 0.05), although this association was much stronger cross-sectionally. In a similar model, each 100 unit decrease in physical activity longitudinally predicted a 0.1-0.2 microU/mL increase in fasting insulin (p < 0.05 in black men only); this association was stronger and statistically significant in all race-, sex-groups cross-sectionally. Fasting insulin was not associated with energy intake either cross-sectionally or longitudinally, but age- and time-adjusted associations of insulin change with change in several nutrients (e.g., energy from fat) were statistically significant in whites. The authors conclude that marked increased in weight in young adulthood adversely alters glucose and insulin metabolism, and that, if not reversed, this may lead to harmful health consequences in later life.
Space observations of comet Halley

Observations of comet Halley by the Solar Maximum Mission, the International Ultraviolet Explorer, the Pioneer Venus Orbiter, the Dynamics Explorer 1, and by sounding rockets are reviewed. Visual images taken through the wide-band blue filter showed an extended coma elongated approximately in the antisolar direction. Preperihelion observations show definite evidence for both a plasma and a dust tail. The ultraviolet observations indicate that an extensive hydrogen cloud extends to well over 10 billion km from the nucleus. The derived water production rate for the comet showed very large changes around the time of perihelion. The rocket observations showed strong H I, O I, and C I emissions, several CO fourth positive bands, and the C II emissions at 1335 A extending into the tail.
Communication studies of single-threaded and multithreaded distributed-memory machines

This report explicates the communication overlapping capabilities of three distributed-memory machines, SGI/Cray T3E, IBM SP-2 with wide nodes, and the ETL EM-X. Bitonic sorting and Fast Fourier Transform are selected for experiments. Various message sizes are used to determine when, where, how much and why the overlapping takes place. Experimental results with up to 64 processors indicated that the communication performance of EM-X is insensitive to various message sizes while SP-2 is the most sensitive. T3E stayed in between. The EM-X gave the highest communication overlapping capability while T3E did the lowest. The experimental results are compared with the analytical results based on LogP and LogGP communication models.
Adsorption of CO on thin Pd overlayers on Nb(110) and Ta(110)

It is found that CO does not chemisorb at room temperature on Ta(110) covered by a monolayer of Pd whether or not the Pd is in a commensurate or incommensurate structure. Weak chemisorption occurs on this overlayer at liquid-nitrogen temperature. As further layers of Pd are deposited and the surface electronic structure becomes characteristic of Pd(111) (there is an increase of states near E/sub F/), the chemisorption of CO increases.
The quasifirm in the construction industry

Construction projects are executed by general contractors who retain the services of special trade subcontractors. This form of organization is preferable to vertically integrating these trades because of the transaction cost implications of construction technology. The general contractor and special trade subcontractors can form a stable organizational unit when conditions permit. This organizational form, called here the ‘quasifirm’, is analogous to the ‘inside contracting system’ discussed by Williamson (1975) . This paper uses Williamson, 1975 , Williamson, 1979 transaction cost approach to argue the theoretical existence of the quasifirm in the construction industry. Empirical evidence from a field study of homebuilders is presented in support of this argument.
A review of the Paectes arcigera species complex (Guenée) (Lepidoptera, Euteliidae).

Five new species of Paectes Hubner [1818] related to Paectes arcigera (Guenee) (Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands, Guadeloupe, Dominica, St. Lucia, Trinidad) and Paectes longiformis Pogue (Brazil) are described: Paectes asper sp. n. (Florida, Bahamas, Cuba, Cayman Islands, Jamaica, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, British Virgin Islands, U.S. Virgin Islands, Dominica, Colombia), Paectes medialba sp. n. (Argentina), Paectes similis sp. n. (Brazil), Paectes sinuosa sp. n. (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay), and Paectes tumida sp. n. (Colombia, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana). Adults and genitalia are illustrated for all species. Taxonomic changes include the rev. stat. of Paectes nana (Walker) (Florida, Greater Antilles, Mexico, Guatemala, Galapagos) as a valid species and revised synonyms Paectes indefatigabilis Schaus and Paectes isabel Schaus as junior synonyms of Paectes nana instead of Paectes arcigera. New host records for Paectes sinuosa and Paectes nana reared on Brazilian peppertree (Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi, Anacardiaceae) are presented. The holotype and female genitalia of Paectes obrotunda (Guenee) are illustrated.
PT-ACRAMTU, A Platinum–Acridine Anticancer Agent, Lengthens and Aggregates, but does not Stiffen or Soften DNA

We used atomic force microscopy (AFM) to study the dose-dependent change in conformational and mechanical properties of DNA treated with PT-ACRAMTU ([PtCl(en)(ACRAMTU-S)](NO3)2, (en = ethane-1,2-diamine, ACRAMTU = 1-[2-(acridin-9-ylamino)ethyl]-1,3-dimethylthiourea. PT-ACRAMTU is the parent drug of a family of non-classical platinum-based agents that show potent activity in non-small cell lung cancer in vitro and in vivo. Its acridine moiety intercalates between DNA bases, while the platinum group forms mono-adducts with DNA bases. AFM images show that PT-ACRAMTU causes some DNA looping and aggregation at drug-to-base pair ratio (r b) of 0.1 and higher. Very significant lengthening of the DNA was observed with increasing doses of PT-ACRAMTU, and reached saturation at an r b of 0.15. At r b of 0.1, lengthening was 0.6 nm per drug molecule, which is more than one fully stretched base pair stack can accommodate, indicating that ACRAMTU also disturbs the stacking of neighboring base pair stacks. Analysis of the AFM images based on the worm-like chain (WLC) model showed that PT-ACRAMTU did not change the flexibility of (non-aggregated) DNA, despite the extreme lengthening. The persistence length of untreated DNA and DNA treated with PT-ACRAMTU was in the range of 49-65 nm. Potential consequences of the perturbations caused by this agent for the recognition and processing of the DNA adducts it forms are discussed.
The ASEAN dollar standard in the post-crisis era: A reconsideration

Abstract This paper examines the role of global currencies in ASEAN exchange rate regimes. The investigation considers the post-crisis era from January 1, 1999 through December 31, 2007 and focuses on the five original members of ASEAN (Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand) plus Vietnam. Unlike most papers that use classical regression analysis of logarithmic data in first differences to detect the influence of various foreign currencies on particular Asian currencies, this paper considers modern time series analysis more seriously. In particular, this paper finds evidence of cointegration among individual ASEAN currencies and some of the global currencies, indicating a long-run relationship. Examination of the cointegrating vectors yields four main findings. First, there is a notable absence of a clear US dollar standard. Second, the yen is downright unimportant, suggesting that ASEAN currencies are quite far from a yen standard. Third, ASEAN currencies are also quite far from a euro standard. Fourth, and most surprisingly, the UK pound is very important. These results are at odds with the traditional (short-run) regressions which suggest that ASEAN is on a dollar standard, although it is not a perfect dollar standard because coefficients are not at unity and various other currencies are significant in different equations. Hence, the overall conclusion from this research is that there is a wide variety of influences on ASEAN exchange rates in both the long run and the short run. This suggests that ASEAN, as a group, is not pursuing – and is in fact not ready for – a global-currency standard.
The Use of a Modified Mixed Mode Bending Test for Characterization of Mixed-mode Fracture Behavior of Adhesively Bonded Metal Joints

This paper summarizes recent mixed-mode I and II fracture experiments on adhesively bonded metal joints using a modified mixed-mode bending (MMB) test fixture and double cantilever beam (DCB)-type specimens. The MMB test had been previously developed and used for mixed-mode I and II delamination testing of composite laminates, but in the present research it is adapted and modified for fracture testing of adhesively bonded joints with metallic adherends. Strain energy release rates were evaluated by the use of improved analytical models. Mixed-mode fracture behavior of AA5754-0 aluminum alloy specimens bonded with a tough one-part epoxy adhesive (Dow Automotive Betamate 4601 ® ) was characterized.
Summer Honors Academy: A Descriptive Analysis and Suggestions for Advising Academically Talented Students

A follow-up study of the Kansas Regents Honors Academy participants between 1987 and 1998 was conducted. The study examined characteristics of Honors Academy participants in several areas, including the number of attendees who enrolled in Regents universities, their majors, cumulative grade-point averages, degrees obtained, gender, and ethnicities. The results of this study support previous literature, indicating that Honors Academy attendees were more likely to be white females who pursued postsecondary education in the their home state and entered the fields of biological sciences, social sciences, business, engineering, English, and education. Suggestions for advising academically talented high school students are provided.
Elevated Temperature Strength of Fine-Grained INCONEL Alloy MA754

Elevated temperature tensile and creep-rupture tests were performed on INCONEL alloy MA754 in an as-rolled, fine-grained condition. Tensile tests were performed at 25 °C, 800 °C, 900 °C, and 1000 °C; creep-rupture tests were performed at 800 °C, 900 °C, and 1000 °C. the elevated temperature strength in the fine-grained condition was approximately 25 pct of that the coarse-grained, annealed condition. While good ductility was observed in tensile tests at a nominal strain rate of 1 × 10−3s−1, ductility in creep-rupture tests was very low, with failure elongations less than 5 pct and no reduction in area. Creep deformation appeared to occur primarily by cavity formation and growth.
Dynamic motion analysis using wavelet flow surface images

Abstract We have developed a motion analysis method that combines the wavelet transform with the flow surface image technique. In dynamic navigation environments, whenever objects move, the projections of the objects onto the image plane also move. These projections build over time spatiotemporal surfaces of their movement and volumes created by the surfaces. This paper presents a new method for the interpretation of optical flow for moving objects from a sequence of images. Flow surface images of the moving objects are created within the wavelet-derived space, chosen from seven different directionally sensitive detail images using the 3D wavelet decomposition. The motion estimation algorithm concentrates on the integration of information from the flow surface images, followed by a quadratic patch parameterization and determination of flow paths of the end points of edges on the flow surface images. The results of two experimental studies with an object exhibiting out-of-plane translation and rotation are also reported.
MIRD Commentary: Proposed Name for a Dosimetry Unit Applicable to Deterministic Biological Effects—The Barendsen (Bd)

The fundamental physical quantity for relating all biologic effects to radiation exposure is the absorbed dose, the energy imparted per unit mass of tissue. Absorbed dose is expressed in units of joules per kilogram (J/kg) and is given the special name gray (Gy). Exposure to ionizing radiation may cause both deterministic and stochastic biologic effects. To account for the relative effect per unit absorbed dose that has been observed for different types of radiation, the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) has established radiation weighting factors for stochastic effects. The product of absorbed dose in Gy and the radiation weighting factor is defined as the equivalent dose. Equivalent dose values are designated by a special named unit, the sievert (Sv). Unlike the situation for stochastic effects, no well-defined formalism and associated special named quantities have been widely adopted for deterministic effects. The therapeutic application of radionuclides and, specifically, α-particle emitters in nuclear medicine has brought to the forefront the need for a well-defined dosimetry formalism applicable to deterministic effects that is accompanied by corresponding special named quantities. This commentary reviews recent proposals related to this issue and concludes with a recommendation to establish a new named quantity.
YACKOS on a shared-memory multiprocessor

Yackos(yet another communication-kernel operating system)is designed for high speed, low latency inter-process communication. Speed is obtained by avoiding context switches and presenting to processes a low-level interface. Processes avoid context switches when passing messages by sharing data with the kernel. Yackos message passing was first implemented above Unix on Sequent shared-memory multiprocessors where round-trip messages can be passed in under 200 microseconds. It was then ported to both Sun and Vax workstations.
Natural resistance of human immunodeficiency virus type 2 to zidovudine.

Abstract Zidovudine (AZT) is a reverse transcriptase (RT) inhibitor widely used to treat persons infected with HIV-1 and HIV-2. Recent data on treated patients suggest differences in the antiviral activity of AZT between HIV-1 and HIV-2. We evaluated the antiviral activity of AZT on HIV-2 by using multiple approaches including in vitro selection experiments, analysis of growth kinetics with AZT, and phenotypic testing. A total of 5 wild-type (WT) HIV-2 viruses were used in the analysis. For comparison, 4 control WT HIV-1 strains and one HIV-1 mutant carrying the 215S mutation were evaluated in parallel. All 5 HIV-1 isolates acquired AZT resistance mutations after 3–6 passages with AZT or a 4- to 32-fold increase in AZT concentration. Among these viruses, the fastest selection of resistance was seen in HIV-1 S215 , which acquired S215Y (1-nucleotide change only) at passage 3 after only 17 days in culture. In contrast, none of the 5 HIV-2 viruses that naturally have S215 acquired S215Y/F or any other RT mutation during 10 passages with AZT (1025-fold increase in AZT concentration). In the presence of AZT + didanosine (ddI), 3 of the 5 HIV-1 isolates acquired AZT or ddI resistance mutations, while only ddI resistance mutations were seen in HIV-2 (4 of 5 isolates). All HIV-2 viruses replicated efficiently in high AZT concentrations and were about 200-fold less sensitive to AZT than HIV-1. In contrast, HIV-2 and HIV-1 were equally susceptible to ddI, a finding consistent with the selection of HIV-2 mutants with AZT + ddI. Our results demonstrate that the activity of AZT on HIV-2 is lower than previously thought, and emphasize the need for novel antiretroviral drugs specific for HIV-2.
A model for energy optimization in power-shared community

Solar power, regarded as natural, clean and inexhaustible energy, has nowadays attracted attention of both academic researchers and industrial practitioners. Solar panel is a popular device for family to heat water and to produce electricity to feed home electric devices. Based on the fact that home devices are commonly used in the evening, so it is intuitive and advisable to store electricity produced in day time into battery for evening use. However, equipping battery in every family may create highly expensive storage costs, while sharing large-capacity battery (storage facility) by families in the same community is a fine approach since the marginal battery cost decreases with its capacity. Based on this power-shared community scenario, we will propose an energy optimization model (EOM) to determine the storage quota given to each family and optimize in the global community level the usage and storage of energy produced by families. The computational results show that IBM ILog Cplex reaches efficiently the optimal solution over different kinds of instances, which hints EOM is realistic and tractable in the future power-shared community.
Coordinated Planar Mechanisms to Approximate the Three Dimensional Motion of the Knee

The motion of the human knee during flexion and extension generates spatial movement. The current designs of many knee braces and prostheses fail to incorporate this complex motion. This paper presents a method for developing mechanisms with which to more accurately approximate the true movement of the human knee joint with an orthosis comprised of single degree of freedom (DoF) mechanisms. Digitized measurements of the relative motion of the tibia and femur were used to determine the design positions of the mechanisms. Analytical strategies were employed to synthesize suitable Stephenson six-bar linkages for the task of motion generation. The more desirable solutions were selected based on their ability to match the measured movement of the knee as well as the size of their operational envelope. Distinct, single DoF linkages were synthesized for the medial and lateral sides of the knee. Coordination, via attachment to the tibial portion of the orthosis, of these linkages provides a single DoF mechanism to approximate the complex motion of the tibia relative to the femur during flexion and extension.
GABA metabolism in the substantia nigra, cortex, and hippocampus during status epilepticus

The metabolism of GABA and other amino acids was studied in the substantia nigra, the hippocampus and the parietal cortex of rats following microinjections of GAMMA-vinyl-GABA during status epilepticus induced by lithium and pilocarpine. GABA metabolism showed striking regional variations. In controls, both GABA concentration and rate of GABA synthesis were highest in the substantia nigra and lowest in cortex, as expected. In substantia nigra, status epilepticus resulted in a 2 1/2 fold decline in the rate of GABA synthesis and in a 307% increase in the turnover time of the GABA pool. In hippocampus, the rate of GABA synthesis was not altered significantly, but the turnover time of the GABA pool was 284% of controls, and the size of that pool increased to 208% of controls. By contrast, in cortex, where seizure activity is limited in this model, the rate of GABA synthesis increased to 230% of controls while pool size and turnover time did not change. Aspartate concentration decreased in all three brain regions. These data suggest that the observed reduction of the rate of GABA synthesis in substantia nigra could play a key role in seizure spread in this model of status epilepticus.
Passing as a Pastor: Clerical Imposture in the Colonial Atlantic World

Many impostors in the eighteenth century tried to pass as pastors in North America's churches. This phenomenon showed how increasing engagement with the broader Atlantic world could carry ominous implications for colonial religious leaders, implications that would become manifest in the itinerancy of the evangelical revivals and, in the early republic, finally crush any hopes of centered American religious authority. Eighteenth-century episodes of clerical imposture help illuminate the increasing loss of cultural mastery faced by religious elites as a result of Atlantic anonymities, itinerant ministries, and democratic sensibilities. This article considers why so many in the eighteenth century attempted to pass as pastors, from British wanderers like the supposed brick-maker Samuel May to notorious criminals like Tom Bell or Stephen Burroughs. Understanding the conditions that led to these cases of clerical imposture leads to greater understanding of the nature of religious and cultural power in colonial North America and in the early American republic. The eighteenth century brought a crisis to America concerning the implications of cultural and demographic fluidity as elites worried more and more about assigning true value and uncovering conspiracy in a world newly dependent on appearances to establish authority. The increasing cosmopolitanism, immigration, and commerce helped make the colonial elites more wealthy and powerful, but they also now had to scramble to resist the potential for deception and imposture that the new engagements created. Such conditions made new room for con men, many of whom posed as pastors to access the power of religious authorities.
Following Roba: What happens when a low-educated adult immigrant learns to read

This longitudinal study follows concurrent changes in a multilingual adult English learner's mastery of alphabetic print literacy and his oral learner language. The learner was 29 years old, and began to read and write an alphabetic script for the first time in English, his seventh language, during this study. Systematic observations were made of both his development of specific literacy skills and specific structures in his oral English over the course of six months during one-to-one literacy tutoring sessions with the first author; these occurred one to two times each week. Mixed methods were used for collection of data, including learner observations, oral language tasks, interviews and review of relevant documents. Results document the learner's development of a set of specific literacy skills during the six-month study. Findings include: knowing the names of the letters of the alphabet seemed unrelated to his decoding ability; some syntactic elements of his oral production became more complex with in...
Genistein-stimulated adherence of prostate cancer cells is associated with the binding of focal adhesion kinase to beta-1-integrin

The isoflavinoid genistein is a protein-tyrosine kinase inhibitor which has been identified as a putative cancer prevention agent. Its consumption is associated with a low incidence of clinical metastatic prostate cancer in the face of a sustained high incidence of organ-confined prostate cancer. We therefore undertook studies to examine genistein's effect upon cell adhesion as one possible mechanism by which it could be acting as an antimetastatic agent. A morphogenic analysis revealed that genistein caused cell flattening in a variety of cell lines: PC3-M, PC3, and DU-145 prostate carcinoma cells, as well as MCF-7 breast carcinoma cells. Mechanistic studies focused on the highly metastatic PC3-M cell line, and revealed that cell flattening was accompanied by an increase in cell adhesion. Further investigations demonstrated that focal adhesion kinase (FAK) accumulated in areas of focal cell attachment, and that this accumulation occurred only when cells were actively undergoing genistein-mediated morphologic change. Concurrent formation of a complex between the cell attachment molecule, beta-1-integrin, and FAK was shown to occur, and to correlate with transient activation of FAK activity. Genistein is presented as a novel investigative tool for use in the study of molecular events involved in the process of cell adhesion.
Female pheromones modulate flight muscle activation patterns during preflight warm-up.

At low ambient temperature Helicoverpa zea male moths engage in warm-up behavior prior to taking flight in response to an attractive female pheromone blend. Male H. zea warm up at a faster rate whe...
A new DNA binding and dimerization motif in immunoglobulin enhancer binding, daughterless, MyoD, and myc proteins

Two cDNAs were isolated whose dimerized products bind specifically to a DNA sequence, kappa E2, located in the immunoglobulin kappa chain enhancer. Both cDNAs share a region of extensive identity to the Drosophila daughterless gene and obvious similarity to a segment in three myc proteins, MyoD, and members of the Drosophila achaete-scute and twist gene family. The homologous regions have the potential to form two amphipathic helices separated by an intervening loop. Remarkable is the stringent conservation of hydrophobic residues present in both helices. We demonstrate that this new motif plays a crucial role in both dimerization and DNA binding.
Comparative Study of a Discrete Linear Basis for Image Data Compression

Transform image data compression consists of dividing the image into a number of nonoverlapping subimage regions and quantizing and coding the transform of the data from each subimage. Karhunen-Loeve, Hadamard, and Fourier transforms are most commonly used in transform image compression. This paper presents a new discrete linear transform for image compression which we use in conjunction with differential pulse-code modulation on spatially adjacent transformed subimage samples. For a set of thirty-three 64 × 64 images of eleven different categories, we compare the performancea of the discrete linear transform compression technique with the Karhunen-Loeve and Hadamard transform techniques. Our measure of performance is the mean-squared error between the original image and the reconstructed image. We multiply the mean-squared error with a factor indicating the degree to which the error is spatially correlated. We find that for low compression rates, the Karhunen-Loeve outperforms both the Hadamard and the discrete linear basis method. However, for high compression rates, the performance of the discrete transform method is very close to that of the Karhunen-Loeve transform. The discrete linear transform method performs much better than the Hadamard transform method for all compression rates.
Exposure to violent video games increases automatic aggressiveness

The effects of exposure to violent video games on automatic associations with the self were investigated in a sample of 121 students. Playing the violent video game Doom led participants to associate themselves with aggressive traits and actions on the Implicit Association Test. In addition, self-reported prior exposure to violent video games predicted automatic aggressive self-concept, above and beyond self-reported aggression. Results suggest that playing violent video games can lead to the automatic learning of aggressive self-views.
Evolution of the large-scale magnetic field over three solar cycles

Observations of the large-scale magnetic field show that the current extended solar cycle minimum is different from the three previous well-observed minima. The weaker polar fields increase the relative influence of middle and low-latitude flux patterns on the configuration of the corona and heliosphere. A much larger portion of the open flux originates in equatorial coronal holes. Even though the mean magnetic field of the Sun as a star is the weakest since measurements began, the sector structure of the interplanetary field, though smaller in magnitude, reached fairly high latitude until 2009. The emergence of active regions through the cycle and transport of flux from low to high latitudes also show quite different patterns, providing insight into the dynamo that drives the cycle. Long records of synoptic observations provide a rich source of information about solar activity that must be maintained.
Empirical and face validity of software maintenance defect models used at the jet propulsion laboratory

Context: At the Mission Design and Navigation Software Group at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory we make use of finite exponential based defect models to aid in maintenance planning and management for our widely used critical systems. However a number of pragmatic issues arise when applying defect models for a post-release system in continuous use. These include: how to utilize information from problem reports rather than testing to drive defect discovery and removal effort, practical model calibration, and alignment of model assumptions with our environment.Goal: To show how we can develop confidence in the practical applicability of our models for obtaining stable maintenance funding.Method: We describe the strong empirical and face validity we have investigated for our maintenance defect discovery and introduction models. We discuss the practical details of calibration and application within a functioning maintenance environment.Results: We find that our models, despite their simplicity, appear quite valid.Conclusions: The models are useful in justifying and obtaining stable maintenance funding.