cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chlorophyll a Biosynthetic Heterogeneity

Chlorophyll a biosynthesis is presently interpreted in terms of two different biochemical pathways. According to one pathway, chlorophyll a is made via a single linear chain of reactions starting with divinylprotoporphyrin IX and ending with monovinylchlorophyll a. The experimental evidence for this pathway is marred by incompletely characterized intermediates that were detected in Chlorella mutants. The second pathway considers chlorophyll a to be made via multiple and parallel biosynthetic routes that result in the formation and accumulation of monovinyl- and divinylchlorophyll a chemical species. Two of these routes, namely the di/monocarboxylic monovinyl and divinyl routes, are responsible for the biosynthesis of most of the chlorophyll a in green plants. The experimental evidence for these two routes consists of: (a) the detection and spectroscopic characterization of intermediates and end products; (b) the demonstration of precursor-product relationships between various intermediates in vivo and in vitro; and (c) the detection of 4-vinylreductases that appear to be mainly responsible for the observed biosynthetic heterogeneity. The biological significance of chlorophyll a biosynthetic heterogeneity is becoming better understood. On the basis of the prevalence of the di/monocarboxylic monovinyl-and divinylchlorophyll a biosynthetic routes, green plants have been classified into three different greening groups. It now appears that the major chlorophylls in the euphotic zone of tropical waters are divinylchlorophyll a and b. It also appears that the di/monocarboxylic monovinyl and divinyl biosynthetic routes lead to the formation of different pigment proteins in different greening groups of plants, and that the more highly evolved monovinylchlorophyll a biosynthetic route is associated with higher field productivity in wheat.
Immigration and robots: is the absence of immigrants linked to the rise of automation?

Increasing concerns about automation of work raise the question what the demographic components are that promote the spread of technology. What is the relationship between the presence of immigrant...
Contemporary Early Postoperative Cone Repair Outcomes For Patients With Ebstein Anomaly

Introduction: Ebstein anomaly (EA) is a rare congenital heart defect characterized by abnormalities of the tricuspid valve (TV) leaflets and right ventricular (RV) cardiomyopathy. The current treatment for most patients with EA is cone reconstruction (CR) surgery. However, timing of repair has been highly variable, ranging from infancy to adulthood. Historically, surgical intervention for EA in the presence of severe RV failure has been associated with a longer intensive care unit course, increased need for ECMO support and a longer duration of mechanical ventilation. We sought to evaluate contemporary early postoperative outcomes in all age groups of patients with Ebstein …
Rapid detection of intact SARS-CoV-2 viral particles using silicon nanomembranes

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has revealed the need for rapid and inexpensive diagnostic testing to enable population-based screening for active infection. Neither standard diagnostic testing, the detection and measurement of viral RNA (via polymerase chain reaction), or serological testing (via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) has the capability to definitively determine active infection. The former due to a lack of ability to distinguish between replicable and inert viral RNA, and the latter due to varying immune responses (ranging from latent to a complete lack of immune response altogether). Despite many companies producing rapid point-of-care (POC) tests, none will address the global scale of testing needed and few help to combat the ever growing issue of testing resource scarcity. Here we discuss our efforts towards the development of a highly manufacturable, microfluidic device that instantly indicates active viral infection status from ~ 20 μL of nasal mucus or phlegm and requires no external power. The device features a biotin functionalized silicon nanomembrane within an acrylic body containing channels and ports for sample introduction and analysis. Virus capture and target confirmation are done using affinity-based capture and size-based occlusion respectively. Modularity of the device is proven with bead and vaccinia virus capture as we work towards testing with both pure SARS-CoV-2 virus and human samples. With success on all fronts, we could achieve an inexpensive POC diagnostic which can determine an individual’s infection status, aiding containment efforts in the current and future pandemics. In addition to direct viral detection, our method can be used as a rapid POC sample preparation tool that limits the application of PCR reagents to those samples which already display viral size and antigen-based positivity through our device. © 2021 SPIE.
First Amendment Implications of the Trademark Registration Decisions

The opinions of the Justices in the Supreme Court’s recent decisions, in Tam v. Matal and Iancu v. Brunetti, striking down two provisions of the Lanham Act (which barred the registration of marks that are “disparaging” or “immoral or scandalous”) as violative of the First Amendment, leave open the questions of (1) whether an amended provision prohibiting the registration of “vulgar” marks would survive a First Amendment challenge, and (2) whether any of the Act’s other content-based bars to registration are vulnerable to such challenges. This article explores those possibilities.
Availability of Lactation Accommodation Information for Urology Residency Programs.

OBJECTIVE To assess whether urology residency programs publish information about lactation accommodations online. Although residencies are required to provide lactation accommodations, there is limited data on whether programs disclose this information. MATERIALS AND METHODS Webpages of U.S. urology residency programs were assessed for presence of information about lactation accommodations. Program characteristics were noted, as were mentions of resident wellness and diversity. Associations between program characteristics and published lactation accommodations were determined by univariate analysis and development of a multivariate logistic regression model. RESULTS Of 145 urology residency programs, 72.4% included information about lactation accommodations anywhere on the institution's website There was great variability in ease of accessing information and of quality of information available. Information was most commonly on graduate medical education websites (28.3%) followed by human resources (24.1%), press releases (7.6%), or other sections (11.0%), and least likely to be found on urology residency websites (1.4%). Programs with lactation accommodations anywhere on the institution website were more likely to be larger (P < 0.001), university-based (P < 0.01), and to publish information about resident wellness (P < 0.001), or diversity and inclusion (P < 0.01). On multivariate analysis, only university-based setting and presence of wellness information were predictors of availability of lactation accommodation information. CONCLUSION Lactation accommodation information is usually not available on urology residency websites and most online information is found elsewhere. Predictors of publishing lactation accommodation information were university-based setting and information about resident wellness. Efforts to recruit and retain female urologists should include making this information more easily accessible.
Staphylococcal and Streptococcal Superantigens

This chapter discusses the superantigens (SAgs) of Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes. The classic SAgs form a large family of related proteins that lack detectable enzymatic function but rather function to cross-link major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II molecules on antigen-presenting cells (APCs) with certain T-cell receptors (TCRs), primarily those of the CD4 lineage. Staphylococcal and streptococcal SAgs are single-polypeptide-chain, nonglycosylated proteins of 22 to 30 kDa. TSST-1 is encoded on SaPIs 1, 2, and bovine. SaPIs are approximately 15.2 kb in size and are present in a single, but not necessarily the same, site in the chromosome. Mutagenesis studies provided evidence that the cystine loop of SE C1 is required for emesis. SAgs interact with TCR outside the typical TCR region for contact with antigenic peptide and MHC class II. The massive release of these cytokines can cause hypotension through capillary leak mediated by the nitric oxide pathway, with consequent effects on the endothelium. SAgs are most often associated with TSS illnesses. Staphylococci and streptococci are common pathogens of humans, and as such have myriad cell surface virulence factors that contribute to colonization and immune avoidance. Most of the SAgs are made during the postexponential phase of growth (excluding SE A, K, and Q, which are exponential phase regulated), when cell numbers are highest and the organisms are most likely to spread to new hosts.
Utilizing Scalable Vector Graphics in the Instruction of Mathematics to the Print Impaired Student

The XML based Scalable Vector Graphics imaging language provides another tool for enhancing the accessibility of mathematics for both the visually impaired and the dyslexic student. SVG possesses two attributes applicable to our purpose. As its name implies an SVG image is scalable, it can be enlarged to fill the viewing area of a computer monitor, then zoomed for further magnification, and do so without sacrificing clarity, thus aiding the visually impaired. An SVG image can also be manipulated in real time. For example, one or more text characters may be highlighted in response to a keyboard or program event. This attribute has potential for the dyslexic student.
Rat Liver Pyruvate Carboxylase IV. FACTORS AFFECTING THE REGULATION IN VIVO

Abstract The regulatory properties of rat liver pyruvate carboxylase have been studied at pH 7.3, 37°, and 85 mm KCl. It was concluded that in vivo activity is determined mainly by pyruvate and acetyl-CoA concentrations. The concentrations of Mg++ may also be regulatory, but inhibition by MgADP or Ca++ was considered less likely to occur under physiological conditions. Malonyl-CoA, succinyl-CoA, acetoacetyl-CoA, and CoA had no significant effect on reaction velocity at rate-limiting acetyl-CoA. The results obtained with the isolated enzyme are discussed with reference to other work with intact mitochondria. The general conclusion is that pyruvate carboxylase activity is not regulated in an "on"-"off" manner as are enzymes that participate solely in gluconeogenesis, for it participates also in lipogenesis and tricarboxylic acid cycle activity.
Using circulating tumor cells to inform on prostate cancer biology and clinical utility

Substantial advances in the molecular biology of prostate cancer have led to the approval of multiple new systemic agents to treat men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). These treatments encompass androgen receptor directed therapies, immunotherapies, bone targeting radiopharmaceuticals and cytotoxic chemotherapies. There is, however, great heterogeneity in the degree of patient benefit with these agents, thus fueling the need to develop predictive biomarkers that are able to rationally guide therapy. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) have the potential to provide an assessment of tumor-specific biomarkers through a non-invasive, repeatable "liquid biopsy" of a patient's cancer at a given point in time. CTCs have been extensively studied in men with mCRPC, where CTC enumeration using the Cellsearch® method has been validated and FDA approved to be used in conjunction with other clinical parameters as a prognostic biomarker in metastatic prostate cancer. In addition to enumeration, more sophisticated molecular profiling of CTCs is now feasible and may provide more clinical utility as it may reflect tumor evolution within an individual particularly under the pressure of systemic therapies. Here, we review technologies used to detect and characterize CTCs, and the potential biological and clinical utility of CTC molecular profiling in men with metastatic prostate cancer.
A semantic processor for natural language

The problem of the extraction, representation, and utilization of meaning from English text has been elusive. Semantic parsing permits effective and relevant response to complex questions where the domain is well defined. The semantic net used is a three-row numeric matrix. Each column of the net represents an assertion about the domain. The meanings of each word are contained in associations (pointers to the names of things within the domain). The intersection of these pointers is used to define each phrase. Ambiguity is further reduced, when necessary, by an implementation of common sense-limiting the interpretations to those meanings that may be associated as the subject or object of each verb. Multiply embedded clauses are processed by passing the result of one clause as an argument for the next. By this means, complex expressions can be reduced to a single token. >
Self-Defense and the Suspicion Heuristic

The doctrine of self-defense evaluates the reasonableness of criminality judgments. Yet, it fails to account for how non-conscious cognitions place those who are stereotyped as criminal at greater risk of mistaken judgments of criminality — sometimes with deadly consequences. Studies reveal, for example, that people are more likely to see weapons in the hands of unarmed black men than unarmed white men, and to more quickly shoot them as a result. Because self-defense doctrine does not attend to these judgment errors, it fails to interrogate how, if at all, these mistakes should affect assessments of reasonableness. Drawing from powerful and well-established mind sciences research, this Essay introduces a concept that we term the “suspicion heuristic.” This concept explains how non-conscious processes can lead to systematic and predictable errors in judgments of criminality — and influence subsequent behaviors — regardless of conscious racial attitudes. This Essay argues that in order to provide more equal protection, security, and liberty to all victims of violence, the law of self-defense should account for the suspicion heuristic in its assessments of reasonableness. This Essay traces the broad outlines of a theoretical and legal framework for doing so.
Multiple G proteins compete for binding with the human gonadotropin releasing hormone receptor

Abstract The GnRH receptor is coupled to G proteins of the families Gq and G11. Gq and G11 coupling leads to intracellular signaling through the phospholipase C pathway. GnRHR coupling to other G proteins is controversial. This study provides evidence that G protein families Gs, Gi, Gq and G11 complete for binding with the GnRHR. We quantified interactions of over-expressed G proteins with GnRHR by a competitive binding approach, using measurements of second messengers, IP and cAMP. Transient co-transfection of HEK293 cells with human WT GnRHR and with stimulatory and inhibitory G proteins (Gq, G11 and Gs, Gi) led to either production or inhibition of total inositol phosphate (IP) production, depending on the G protein that was over-expressed. Studies were conducted in different human (COS7, HeLa) and rodent-derived (CHO-K1, GH3) cell lines in order to confirm that G protein promiscuity observed with the GnRHR was not limited to a particular cell type.
Desensitization of δ-opioid-induced mobilization of Ca2+ stores in NG108-15 cells

Activation of δ-opioid receptors in NG108-15 cells induces the release of calcium from an inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate-sensitive intracellular store. We used fura-2-based digital imaging to study the effects of prolonged exposure to agonist on opioid-induced increases in [Ca2+]i. Exposure to d-Ala2-d-Leu5 enkephalin (DADLE) (1 μM) for 30 min completely desensitized NG108-15 cells to a second DADLE-induced response. The cells recovered gradually over 25 min following washout of DADLE. The desensitization was not due to depletion of intracellular calcium stores and bradykinin failed to cross-desensitize the DADLE-evoked response, although both agonists mobilized the same Ca2+ store. Desensitization induced by 100 nM DADLE was overcome by a higher concentration of DADLE (100 μM). Treatment with 8-cpt-cAMP (0.1 mM) for 30 min did not influence the DADLE-induced increases in [Ca2+]i. Phorbol dibutyrate (PdBu) (1 μM) blocked the response completely. Treatment with the inhibitor of cyclic nucleotide-dependent kinases H8 (1 μM) for 45 min did not prevent DADLE-induced desensitization. Treatment with the protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitors staurosporin (10 nM) and GF-109203X (200 nM) for 45 min reduced desensitization. However, down-regulation of PKC by 24 h exposure to PdBu (1 μM) failed to prevent the DADLE-induced desensitization in NG108-15 cells. Thus, we conclude that multiple pathways participated in desensitization of δ-receptor-mediated Ca2+ mobilization, one of which includes PKC.
Peer review: rigor? Or rigor mortis?

Recent years have witnessed decreased budgets for scientific research, and these developments sharpen the competition for publication space in high‐profile journals. The favorable (and coveted) perceptions that come with such publications bring a decided edge in the competitive arenas of grant funding and career advancements after all. But grave concerns are once again surfacing that this fixation is lending elite journals a distorted and unjustified influence on grant funding, on faculty recruitment, and on career advancement. Such distorted influence is damaging because it miscasts the larger body of impactful and quality science being produced. These concerns are spurring actions within the scientific community ranging from calls for improvements in how scientific research quality and output are evaluated by universities and funding agencies (e.g. DORA; am.ascb.org/dora/), to advocating boycott of elite journals [1], and to the launch of new open‐access journals such as eLife that advertise themselves as quality‐focused alternatives to Cell , Nature, and Science . How effective these measures will be only time will tell, but there is broad agreement that “impact factor” is an abused metric. Much of the problem with the present citation‐based impact factor formula lies with it being an absolute‐value function that ignores whether citations reference outstanding science, incorrect science, or worst of all, fraudulent publications. It would be an interesting (albeit also imperfect) exercise to re‐calculate journal impact factors after positive and negative signs are assigned to their most cited papers. However we may recoil from a formalized impact factor, the reality is that some manifestation of the impact factor concept is here to stay. This is inevitable so long as there are elite journals. Because the relentless march of scientific progress drives an exponential increase in scale of the scientific literature, discriminating journals evolve into elitist platforms in the face of …
Public participation in corporate planning— strategic management in a Kibitzer's world

Abstract In this article the author argues that there are three main challenges for the company which wishes to be known for its strategic prowess. These are the need to search a changing environment with respect to both threats and opportunities. The second challenge is to ensure organizational response, while the third—that which is least understood—is the challenge of coping with an active intrusive environment which is made up of individuals and organizations which seek to influence the strategic decision of the enterprise. The author does not offer a series of ready-made answers to the problems posed, but rather, suggests that planners need to take cognizance of the third challenge when developing strategies.
Confirmation of high blood flow rates through 150 μ filter/high-flow tubing

Abstract Many new products designed to assist in rapid blood infusion are appearing. Some highly touted and routinely used devices for intravenous (IV) infusion have recently been shown to be, at least in part, defective. A tubing with an in-line 150 μ filter (150 μ High-Flow Blood Filter; Saftifllter ® Blood Administration Sets; Cutter Biological, Berkeley, CA 94710) has recently been introduced to facilitate rapid blood transfusion. It is claimed that at least 8.5 units of blood can be rapidly run through each set before replacement is necessary. To test this under simulated clinical conditions, four sets of ten random units of outdated erythrocytes at 4 to 9°C were each admixed with 250 mL 70°C 0.9 NaCl and infused through the system under a constant 300 mmHg pressure. Two sets infused through unmodified tubing flowed at an average of 25 mL/sec (1500 mL/min) before there was an appreciable slowing of the flow rate. Two sets with 8 Fr catheters attached infused at an average of 22 mL/sec (1320 mL/min) before there was an appreciable slowing of the flow rate. Even after the flow slowed, the 9th and 10th units infused at an average greater than 10 mL/sec (600 ml/min). The tubing/filter exceeded the manufacturer's published claims. This tubing/filter appears to be one element that could be an effective component of a high-flow infusion system.
Social marketing to promote HPV vaccination in pre-teenage children: Talk about a sexually transmitted infection

A significant barrier to the delivery of HPV vaccine is reluctance by both healthcare providers and parents to vaccinate at age 11 or 12, which may be considered a young age. This barrier has been called “vaccine hesitancy” in recent research. In this commentary, we suggest using social marketing strategies to promote HPV vaccination at the recommended preteen ages. We emphasize a critical public health message of a sexually transmitted infection (STI) as preventable and vaccination against HPV as a way to protect against its consequences. The message tackles the issue of vaccine hesitancy head on, by saying that most people are at risk for HPV and there is a way to prevent HPV's serious consequences of cancer. Our approach to this conversation in the clinical setting is also to engage the preteen in a dialog with the parent and provider. We expect our emphasis on the risk of STI infection will not only lead to increased HPV vaccination at preteen ages but also lay important groundwork for clinical adoption of other STI vaccines in development (HIV, HSV, Chlamydia, and Gonorrhea) as well as begin conversations to promote sexual health.
Tracking performance analysis of a distributed recoverable Boeing 747 flight control system subject to digital upsets

A performance model is introduced for estimating the tracking error of a Boeing 747 closed-loop digital flight control system implemented on a distributed recoverable computing platform, inspired by NASA's ROBUS-2 communication system, when it is subjected to digital upsets. A methodology is then developed for computing a mean-square error tracking performance metric as a function of the number of processing elements used, the number of redundancy management units employed, and the level of upsets the system experiences.
Mining the seams of our Solar System

Resources of Near-Earth Space. Edited by J. Lewis M. S. Matthews and M. L. Guerrieri. University of Arizona Press: 1993. Pp. 977. $85.
Specific aggregation of yeast glycine tRNA.

Abstract Chromatography of yeast tRNA on DEAE-cellulose and DEAE-Sephadex resolves glycine acceptor activity into four peaks. Three of the peaks represent distinct species of glycine tRNA as revealed by triplet binding studies. The fourth peak has been shown by gel filtration, gel electrophoresis, and centrifugation studies to be a specific aggregate of one of the three species. The aggregate is biologically inactive for the recognition of specific codons and for the acceptance of amino acids. It dissociates into active monomer on heating. The monomer associates into the dimer and a higher molecular weight aggregate upon storage as an ethanol precipitate at −15°. Molecular weights for the various species were determined by sedimentation equilibrium and show that the phenomenon is true intermolecular aggregation and not an intramolecular conformational change.
Evolution of primate chromosomes

Human and higher primate chromosomes have been compared by general and regional banding methods, including hybridization in situ. The general banding patterns of the chromosomes of gorilla, chimpanzee, and orangutan, but not gibbon, are similar to those of the human. Preliminary results show that chromosomes with similar banding patterns in different species often carry the same genes. Repetitious DNA's have undergone changes in structure and distribution which are reflected in changes in the regional banding patterns. These studies confirm that the evolutionary distance between the gibbon and the orangutan is relatively great compared to the distance between the orangutan and the other great apes, and suggest that man is more closely related to the gorilla than to the chimpanzee.
Investigation of a novel hollow cathode configuration for Grimm-type glow discharge emission

Abstract A hollow cathode configuration was designed for a Grimm-type glow discharge atomic emission spectrometer (GD-AES). The operating conditions including the hollow cathode dimension, applied pulsed voltage and argon pressure, were optimized. The 10-μs pulses at 1.8 kV in a 3-torr discharge worked best. A pulsed hollow cathode Grimm discharge (HCG) offers several advantages: efficient excitation and ionization; high sensitivity; temporal spectral resolution; and rapid sample interchange. The capability of this source for the determination of elemental composition in metals, alloys and in solution residues is investigated. Samples used in this study included copper and steel standards.
Significance of platelet function and thromboxane B2 levels across the human myocardial vascular bed.

There is an intense interest in the role of platelets in the pathogenesis of myocardial ischemia. To determine platelet function in coronary circulation and the influence of various platelet-active drugs, we have studied large number of patients with coronary disease (CD) defined as >50 % luminal narrowing and subjects with normal coronary arteries (NCA). Blood samples were collected from aorta (Ao) and coronary sinus (CS) at rest, during and following atrial-pacing induced tachycardia characterized by ECG changes and symptoms. Platelet aggregation (PAg) using epinephrine (E) and adenosine diphosphate (ADP) as stimulating agents and platelet counts were performed. In CD patients CS blood had lower (Pd<0.01) PAg (E-59 ± 8, ADP-49 ± 7 %) than Ao blood (E-74 ± 6, ADP-68 ± 7 %). Platelet counts in CS blood (173,000 ± 16,000/mm3) were lower (P<0.01) than in Ao blood (233,000 + 30,000/mm3). In NCA patients, the CS and Ao platelet counts and PAg were not significantly different. During tachycardia stress PAg and counts were unaltered in NCA patients. In contrast in CD patients PAg increased significantly (P<0.05) in CS but not in Ao blood during stress and returned to baseline following tachycardia implying platelet activation during stress-induced myocardial ischemia. Oral aspirin 650 mg abolished the differences in Ao and CS blood PAg (CS-E 51 ± 8, ADP 54 ± 7%; Ao-E 45 ± 8, ADP 55 ± 8 %), and in counts (CS-221,000 ± 8,000/mm3; Ao-230,000 ± 71,000/mm3) in CD patients. Aspirin also significantly decreased tachycardia-related increase in PAg in CS blood. Administration of intravenous dipyridamole 25 mg in 8 other CD patients, resulted in increase in platelet counts in CS from 255,000 ± 29,000 to 286 ± 34,000/mm3 and in PAg from 30 ± 8 to 52 ± 9 %, while Ao blood counts and PAg were unchanged, so that the differences in Ao and CS platelet counts and aggregation were abolished. In other studies, we compared CD patients treated with and without propranolol. Propranolol-treated patients had lower PAg in Ao as well as CS blood compared to non-treated patients, but the gradients in PAg and counts between Ao and CS blood was still present. However, tachycardia-related increase in CS PAg was markedly less in CS blood in propranolol-treated patients compared to non-treated patients. These data show that 1) gradient in platelet counts from Ao to CS exists related probably to platelet aggregate formation in atherosclerotic vessels, 2) activation of platelets leads to low PAg activity in CS blood, 3) tachycardia stress is associated with platelet activation at the level of myocardial vascular bed, 4) aspirin and dipyridamole modify these gradients, 5) aspirin blunts tachycardia-related increase in CS PAg, 6) propranolol has potent PAg inhibitory effects and modifies platelet response to tachycardia stress.
Single-Cycle Impulse from Detonation Tubes with Nozzles

Experiments measuring the single-cycle impulse from detonation tubes with nozzles were conducted by hanging the tubes in a ballistic pendulum arrangement within a large tank. The detonation-tube nozzle and surrounding tank were initially filled with air between 1.4 and 100 kPa in pressure simulating high-altitude conditions. A stoichiometric ethylene–oxygen mixture at an initial pressure of 80 kPa filled the constant-diameter portion of the tube. Four diverging nozzles and six converging–diverging nozzles were tested. Two regimes of nozzle operation were identified, depending on the environmental pressure. Near sea-level conditions, unsteady gas-dynamic effects associated with the mass of air contained in the nozzle increase the impulse as much as 72% for the largest nozzle tested over the baseline case of a plain tube. Near vacuum conditions, the nozzles quasi-steadily expand the flow, increasing the impulse as much as 43% for the largest nozzle tested over the baseline case of a plain tube. Competition between the unsteady and quasi-steady-flow processes in the nozzle determine the measured impulse as the environmental pressure varies.
Thiamine and Fatty Acid Content of Lake Michigan Chinook Salmon

Nutritional status of Lake Michigan Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) is inadequately documented. An investigation was conducted to determine muscle and liver thiamine content and whole body fatty acid composition in small, medium and large Chinook salmon. Muscle and liver thiamine concentrations were highest in small salmon, and tended to decrease with increasing fish size. Muscle thiamine was higher in fall than spring in large salmon. The high percentage of Chinook salmon (24–32% in fall and 58–71% in spring) with muscle thiamine concentration below 500 pmol/g, which has been associated with loss of equilibrium and death in other Great Lake salmonines, suggest that Chinook appear to rely less on thiamine than other Great Lakes species for which such low concentrations would be associated with thiamine deficiency (Brown et al. 2005b). A positive correlation was observed between liver total thiamine and percent liver lipids (r = 0.53, P < 0.0001, n = 119). In medium and large salmon, liver lipids were observed to be low in fish with less than 4,000 pmol/g liver total thiamine. In individuals with greater than 4,000 pmol/g liver thiamine, liver lipid increased with thiamine concentration. Individual fatty acids declined between fall and spring. Essential omega-3 fatty acids appear to be conserved as lipid content declined. Arachidonic acid (C20:4n6), an essential omega-6 fatty acid was not different between fall and spring, although the sum of omega-6 (Sw6) fatty acids declined over winter. Elevated concentrations of saturated fatty acids (sum) were observed in whole body tissue lipid. In summary, thiamine, a dietary essential vitamin, and individual fatty acids were found to vary in Lake Michigan Chinook salmon by fish size and season of the year.
Acquired canine myasthenia gravis: Immunocytochemical localization of immune complexes at neuromuscular junctions

In the acquired form of myasthenia gravis in dogs, there are circulating antibodies to acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) and a reduction in the number of AChRs in the postsynaptic membrane. In this study, immune complexes were localized at the neuromuscular junctions in biopsy samples from 10 myasthenic dogs by immunocytochemical means employing conjugates of staphylococcal protein A and horseradish peroxidase. Immune complexes were observed in approximately 70% of the neuromuscular junctions studied in both type 1 and type 2 myofibers. Thus, acquired canine myasthenia gravis appears to involve immune-mediated mechanisms that destroy AChRs in a manner similar to myasthenia gravis in humans. Protein A was also observed to bind principally to elastic fibers in small arteries and arterioles of some myasthenic and control dogs; however, the significance of that localization is unknown.
A steady-state model for diffusion-controlled fracture

Elevated temperature cracking associated with embrittlement from intergranular diffusion of impurities is studied using cohesive zone model for small-scale creep, diffusion and damage. The constitutive equation for the cohesive zone is coupled with stress-assisted diffusion of impurities into the grain boundary. A Kachanov-type damage model is used to describe the effect of impurity concentration on grain boundary strength. Numerical studies reveal the influence of various material parameters and loading conditions on the cracking process.
Photonic interconnects for gigabit multicomputer communications

The ways in which photonic and optoelectronic technologies could play an important role in future highly scalable and flexible interconnects for multicomputer parallel processing systems are discussed. For electronic interconnect implementation, the primary limitations arise from transmission drive power requirements, limited bandwidth, and the crosstalk-limited length. It is shown that photonic interconnects can relieve these bottlenecks in order to allow systems to scale to large numbers of nodes without degrading the interconnect performance. As an example, a network architecture capable of interconnecting thousands of processors with multigigabit average access rate per user, and peak access rates an order of magnitude higher is presented. The network topology is a shuffle-exchange, multihop, multipath, wraparound direct interconnect that utilizes self-routing and a deflection flow control technique to simplify and speed the processing. An experimental 2*2 photonic switching node based on the presented techniques is described. >
Safety in the mining industry and the unfinished legacy of mining accidents: Safety levers and defense-in-depth for addressing mining hazards

Mining remains one of the most hazardous occupations worldwide and underground coal mines are especially notorious for their high accident rates. In this work, we provide an overview of the broad and multi-faceted topic of safety in the mining industry. After reviewing some statistics of mining accidents in the United States, we focus on one pervasive and deadly failure mode in mines, namely explosions. The repeated occurrence of mine explosions, often in similar manner, is the loud unfinished legacy of mining accidents and their occurrence in the 21st century is inexcusable and should constitute a strong call for action for all stakeholders in this industry to settle this problem. We analyze one such recent mine disaster in which deficiencies in various safety barriers failed to prevent the accident initiating event from occurring, then subsequent lines of defense failed to block this accident scenario from unfolding and to mitigate its consequences. We identify the technical, organizational, and regulatory deficiencies that failed to prevent the escalation of the mine hazards into an accident, and the accident into a "disaster". This case study provides an opportunity to illustrate several concepts that help describe the phenomenology of accidents, such as initiating events, precursor or lead indicator, and accident pathogen. Next, we introduce the safety principle of defense-in-depth, which is the basis for regulations and risk-informed decisions by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and we examine its relevance and applicability to the mining system in support of accident prevention and coordinating actions on all the safety levers, technical, organizational, and regulatory to improve mining safety. The mining system includes the physical confines and characteristics of the mine, the equipment in the mine, the individuals and the organization that operate the mine, as well as the processes and regulatory constraints under which the mine operates. We conclude this article with the proposition for the establishment of defense-in-depth as the guiding safety principle for the mining industry and we indicate possible benefits for adopting this structured hazard-centric system approach to mining safety.
Three-Dimensional Burgers's Equation in Gas Dynamics

An expansion procedure is developed for studying the effects of dissipative mechanisms and nonlinearity on a linear three-dimensional wave. The procedure is considered general enough to use all the ideas of ray theory and singular surface theory in problems when no real characteristics exist. An appropriate similarity hypothesis relates all smallness parameters to an innerparameter, interpreted as the reciprocal Reynolds number. In the frame of reference chosen to describe the vicinity of the linear wave, one obtains compatability conditions and speed in the first stage and a generalized Burgers's equation in the second stage.
An Investigation of the Relationship Between Tourism Impacts and Host Communities' Characteristics

ABSTRACT This study attempts to identify what the community characteristics affect residents' perceptions of tourism development. To address the above objective, two research questions were developed: (1) how do host community residents perceive and categorize the impacts of tourism development? and (2) are there any relationships between the host community's characteristics, and perception and categorization of tourism impacts? Three hundred sixteen questionnaires obtained from a mail survey of Virginian residents living in an urban area were analyzed. Five impact factors are first identified through a factor analysis: economic benefits, social costs, cultural enrichment, environmental deterioration, and physical enhancement. Then, from a series of regression analyses, seven out of ten community characteristics are found to affect the perceived tourism impacts. Implications and suggestions are presented in the conclusion.
EFFECT ON THE THYROID GLAND OF EXPERIMENTAL ALTERATION OF THE LEVEL OF CIRCULATING THYROXINE IN MICE WITH HETEROTOPIC PITUITARIES

RECENTLY it was observed that intraocular pituitary implants maintained thyroidal I131 metabolism in hypophysectomized mice at a higher level than that in hypophysectomized controls. The pituitary implants, however, had no effect on the thyroid weight (Greer, Scow, and Grobstein, 1953). The purpose of the present study was to determine what effect altering the level of circulating thyroxine would have on the radioiodine metabolism and on the weight of the thyroid in implanted-hypophysectomized mice. The thyroxine level was lowered by feeding propylthiouracil in the diet and elevated by injecting thyroxine in an amount exceeding the daily requirement. EXPERIMENTAL The mice used in these experiments were F1 derivatives of two closely inbred lines, BALB/c and C3H. The hosts were females, two months old at the time of implantation, and the donors were of both sexes, 1–2 days old. A single pituitary was transplanted into the anterior chamber of one eye of each host. About one week later, implanted and control ...
Matching schemes for input buffered switches with low delay and low complexity

Virtual output queuing is widely used by fixed-length high-speed switches to overcome head-of-line blocking. This is done by means of matching algorithms. Maximum matching algorithms have good performance, but their implementation complexity is quite high. Maximal matching algorithms need speedup to guarantee good performance. Iterative algorithms (such as PIM and iSLIP) use multiple iterations to converge on a maximal match. A class of matching algorithms, exhaustive service matching with Hamiltonian walk (EMHW), is stable and uses exhaustive service matching to achieve efficiency by minimizing the matching overhead over time. In this paper, we present three members of EMHW, HE-MLWM, HE-WiSLIP and HE-iSLIP, and show that they leads to very good delay and fairness performance compared to existing practical matching schemes under both uniform and nonuniform traffic.
Determination of Global Protein Turnover in Stressed Mycobacterium Cells Using Hybrid-Linear Ion Trap-Fourier Transform Mass Spectrometry

We determined the global protein turnover profiles for Mycobacterium smegmatis under acid shock and iron starvation conditions using a simple 15N isotope doping technique and a complete medium replacement method for chasing. We used a high-resolution hybrid-linear ion trap-Fourier transform mass spectrometer coupled with nanoliquid chromatography separation to measure protein turnover values for 151 proteins over a dynamic range of 3 orders of magnitude ranging from about 0.2 to 500. Of these 151 proteins, 31 had significant protein turnover changes (p <0.05) at both stress conditions and had protein turnover values increased or decreased by more than 2-fold under at least one stress condition. Protein turnover increased under acid shock for 28 of the 31 proteins but decreased under iron starvation for all the 31 proteins. Only two proteins had protein turnover lowered by more than 2-fold (p <0.05) under both stress conditions, including an ATP synthase F1 β subunit (MSMEG4921; AtpD) and a catalase/peroxi...
Instrument-Induced Spatial Crosstalk Deconvolution Algorithm

An algorithm has been developed which reduces the effects of (deconvolves) instrument-induced spatial crosstalk in satellite image data by several orders of magnitude where highly precise radiometry is required. The algorithm is based upon radiance transfer ratios which are defined as the fractional bilateral exchange of energy betwen pixels A and B.
An analytic element solution to unconfined flow near partially penetrating wells

An analytic element solution for steady-state unconfined flow near one or more partially penetrating wells in an ambient flow field has been developed. The phreatic surface is modeled using a three-dimensional version of the Zhukovski function. Boundary conditions at control points on the phreatic surface and seepage face at the well are maintained by use of distributed singularities outside the flow domain. The phreatic surface and seepage face for a single well is compared with two different numerical solutions and a laboratory experiment found in the literature. A sample case showing flow near two wells in an ambient flow field is presented.
Toward a Theory of the Macro Systemic Effects of the Marketing Function

This article examines the relationship between the Entropy Law and marketing from a macro perspective. The authors examine the relationship between environmental disorder, technology, and societal levels of standard of living. They conclude that the tradeoffs between order and disorder can be theoretically managed.
Testing the Ability of DRAINMOD 5.1 to Simulate the Effect of water Table Management Practices on Nitrate Nitrogen in Drainage Water

This project calibrated and validated DRAINMOD 5.1 for prediction of nitrate concentrations in drainage water from conventional and combined (controlled/subirrigated) drainage plots. Weather, soil, water quality and hydrology data collected at Piketon, Ohio during 1996 and 1997 were used. Results indicated that DRAINMOD 5.1 was able to predict daily water table heights (within 30 cm) for both conventional and combined drainage practices on Omulga silt loam soil. DRAINMOD 5.1predicted cumulative nitrate loads adequately for conventional drainage. Predictions for combined drainage consistently overestimated the nitrate loads, perhaps because the nitrogen cycle rate reactions were not modeled as a function of soil water content, or because the plant removal of N was too low.
A technique for global monitoring of net solar irradiance at the ocean surface. I - Model

An accurate long-term (84-month) climatology of net surface solar irradiance over the global oceans from Nimbus-7 earth radiation budget (ERB) wide-field-of-view planetary-albedo data is generated via an algorithm based on radiative transfer theory. Net surface solar irradiance is computed as the difference between the top-of-atmosphere incident solar irradiance (known) and the sum of the solar irradiance reflected back to space by the earth-atmosphere system (observed) and the solar irradiance absorbed by atmospheric constituents (modeled). It is shown that the effects of clouds and clear-atmosphere constituents can be decoupled on a monthly time scale, which makes it possible to directly apply the algorithm with monthly averages of ERB planetary-albedo data. Compared theoretically with the algorithm of Gautier et al. (1980), the present algorithm yields higher solar irradiance values in clear and thin cloud conditions and lower values in thick cloud conditions.
Medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) reconstruction improves radiographic measures of patella alta in children

Abstract Background Patellofemoral instability has previously been associated with patella alta. The purpose of this study was to evaluate adolescents undergoing MPFL reconstruction for standardized indices of patellar height on pre- and post-operative radiographs to determine if these radiographic parameters change after MPFL reconstruction. Methods Twenty-seven children (mean age 14.9years old) who underwent MPFL reconstruction without a distal realignment procedure were evaluated pre- and post-operatively for Insall–Salvati Ratio, Modified Insall–Salvati Ratio, and Caton–Deschamps Index by three blinded raters. Intrarater reliability and interrater reliability were calculated for each index, and means of each were compared pre- and post-operatively to determine if MPFL reconstruction was associated with improved patellar height. Results All three indices of patellar height indicated that there was patella alta present in this cohort preoperatively. Furthermore, all three measures were significantly improved postoperatively (paired t-tests, P Conclusions MPFL reconstruction in children using hamstring autograft was associated with consistently improved patellar height indices to within normal childhood ranges. This associated improvement of patellar height as measured on a lateral radiograph may subsequently improve patellofemoral mechanics by drawing the patella deeper and more medially into the trochlear groove. Level of Evidence Level 4.
A Community-Based Participatory Research Model and Web Application for Studying Health Professional Shortage Areas in the United States

Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA) are still associated with â€œworse general health status and poor physical healthâ€ (Jiexin, 2007) in the United States today. Meanwhile, limitations still exist in HPSA studies for multiple reasons, including limited data resources and availability, lack of efficient way to share and collaborate, and lack of community participation and public awareness. To overcome these limitations, we proposed a Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) approach for HPSA studies that allows researchers to share and collaborate on HPSA related data, and allows the general public to learn about HPSA and participate in survey and discussions that help supplement researchersâ€™ data. Through CBPR, effective and location-appropriate research, planning, and awareness can be achieved (O'Fallon & Dearry, 2002). We then described a Web application, which was designed based on our CBPR model, through the use of Google Fusion Table and Geocoding.