cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Taxonomic implications of diterpene alkaloids in three toxic tall larkspur species (Delphinium spp.)

The diterpene alkaloid content was used to assess the chemical taxonomic diversity in three larkspur species. Samples (n=163) were collected from 18 different locations in five western states, extracted and analyzed for diterpene alkaloids using electrospray mass spectrometry. The data were statistically analyzed using canonical discriminant analysis and analysis of variance. Delphinium glaucum samples were easily grouped and were significantly different from all other groups (P<0.005) for two compounds. Delphinium barbeyi and Delphinium occidentale were found to be distinct groups, but more closely related. Samples representing a putative hybrid between D. barbeyi and D. occidentale were found to be closely related to D. occidentale, but were significantly different from all other groups. These data support the classification of D. glaucum, D. barbeyi, and D. occidentale as distinct species and suggest that a possible hybrid is more similar to D. occidentale than D. barbeyi.
The Drosophila Wnt, Wingless, Provides an Essential Signal for Pre- and Postsynaptic Differentiation

At vertebrate neuromuscular junctions (NMJs), Agrin plays pivotal roles in synapse development, but molecules that activate synapse formation at central synapses are largely unknown. Members of the Wnt family are well established as morphogens, yet recently they have also been implicated in synapse maturation. Here we demonstrate that the Drosophila Wnt, Wingless (Wg), is essential for synapse development. We show that Wg and its receptor are expressed at glutamatergic NMJs, and that Wg is secreted by synaptic boutons. Loss of Wg leads to dramatic reductions in target-dependent synapse formation, and new boutons either fail to develop active zones and postsynaptic specializations or these are strikingly aberrant. We suggest that Wg signals the coordinated development of pre- and postsynaptic compartments.
Effect of fiber variation on the performance of cross-flow hollow fiber gas separation modules

A quantitative analysis of the effects of variable fiber properties on the performance of a cross-flow hollow fiber gas separation module is presented. The effects of variations in size, permeance, and selectivity are considered. Fiber variability is detrimental to performance. The recovery and flow rate of an enriched retentate stream decrease as variability increases. Some fibers may actually stop producing product as purity increases. Additionally, performance is poorer if the permeate from all fibers is not well mixed. The results of this work can be used to determine quality control guidelines for fiber manufacture and evaluate process enhancements.
Effects on roll rate of mass and aerodynamic asymmetries for ballistic re-entry bodies

"Symmetrical" ballistic-type re-entry bodies have been observed to exhibit erratic roll behavior during flight. This unpredicted behavior can have adverse effects on performance by producing excessive loads and dispersion. To explain the observed phenomena, roll characteristics produced by several types of mass and aerodynamic asymmetries were determined by numerical solution of the equations of motion and by a simplified analytical solution. The asymmetries considered included lateral displacement of the center of gravity and center of pressure, inclination of the principal longitudinal axis to the body geometrical center line, unequal pitch and yaw moment of inertia about the principal axes, and asymmetric aerodynamic moments. All types of asymmetries, except for the inclination of the principal axis, produced significant roll torque, and various combinations of these asymmetries produced roll-rate histories similar to those observed on flight records.
Intermediate composition magma production in an intracontinental setting: Unusual andesites and dacites of the mid-Miocene Santa Rosa―Calico volcanic field, Northern Nevada

Abstract The mid-Miocene Santa Rosa–Calico volcanic field (SC) of northern Nevada provides an outstanding example of the role open-system magmatic processes play in producing calc-alkaline and tholeiitic andesite–dacite magmas in an intracontinental setting. SC volcanism commenced at ∼ 16.7 Ma and is associated with the initial manifestations of the Yellowstone hotspot, the Columbia River–Steens flood basalt event(s), and the formation of the Northern Nevada rift. Locally a diverse package of magmatic products ranging from tholeiitic basalt to high-Si rhyolite was produced during an ∼ 2 myr duration. Within this package are the products of at least four distinct intermediate composition magmatic systems that may represent as much as 40% of the SC volcanic pile. These help differentiate the SC from contemporaneous Oregon Plateau volcanic fields (e.g. McDermitt, Lake Owyhee, Northwest Nevada) that are dominated by bimodal basalt–rhyolite assemblages. All SC intermediate units are characterized by textural and mineralogic complexities including xenoliths and xenocrysts of local crust and crystal clots of plagioclase ± clinopyroxene ± orthopyroxene ± oxide. SC intermediate units are dominantly tholeiitic, but include lava flows with transitional to calc-alkaline affinities. Relative to locally erupted Steens Basalt, SC intermediate lava flows have similar elemental enrichments and depletions, but dissimilar Sr and Nd isotopic compositions. These isotopic differences, coupled with the abundant disequilibrium features and variable incompatible element ratios, indicate that open system magmatic processes played a major role in the genesis of the intermediate units. SC silicic magmas were produced primarily via upper crustal melting of chemically and isotopically heterogeneous Cretaceous granitoid. Interaction between fractionating mafic Steens flood basalt magmas and the more evolved crustal melts ± assimilation of local upper crust provides a general template for the generation of SC tholeiitic and calc-alkaline intermediate magmas. Between system heterogeneities primarily reflect magma- versus assimilation-dominated mixing. These complex processes and the resulting production and eruption of SC intermediate composition melts were stimulated by incipient, focused lithospheric extension and driven by the virtually continuous local availability of upwelling Steens Basalt, over at least a 2 myr duration. These results demonstrate that at least some of the mid-Miocene and younger calc-alkaline magmas that are found across the Pacific Northwest and are unrelated to subduction processes, were formed as a direct result of open-system processes affecting regional flood basalt magmas, rather than just melting of previously enriched (via subduction) lithospheric mantle as suggested by previous workers.
Polycations. 7. Polycationic Cyclic Alkynes

Abstract A facile synthesis of polycationic heterocyclic alkynes of intermediate ring size is reported. With judicious choice of the solvent system, α,ω-di(tertiary)amines react readily with 1,4–dichloro-2-butyne to generate these intriguing species in good yield.
Comment on Papers by Riesman, Sills, and Tax

There are scattered through these three excellent papers a number of important observations regarding human purposeful action. These give us considerable incentive for continuing our efforts to excite human will, to awaken interest, and to energize action. For, in each of the cases considered, it is quite clear that certain important and substantial results desired by participants were achieved, no matter what other intentions may have failed of achievement, or what serendipitous costs and concerns were simultaneously generated.
Negotiations for Refugee Repatriation or Local Settlement: A Game-Theoretic Analysis

This paper uses a model developed by Brams and Doherty (1993) to examine negotiations among a country of origin, a country of asylum, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in a refugee crisis. A unique feature of the paper is its treatment of the country of asylum as a separate player in the negotiations, which makes the choice to permit or deny settlement in the asylum country endogenous. The model is applied to two groups of Rwandese refugees: Tutsis living in exile in Burundi for three decades and Hutus in Zaire during the 1990s. The contrasting circumstances surrounding these two refugee crises provide an opportunity to study asylum countries that were sympathetic and unsympathetic, and to model changing attitudes in the country of origin and the international community toward the refugees. For both crises, the predictions of the model are broadly consistent with the unfolding of the negotiation process and the opportunities that eventually became available to the refugees.
Supercritical pE-pH diagrams, with applications to the stability of biotite

A pE-pH diagram for supercritical aqueous fluids at 500° C and 2 kb total pressure is calculated from thermodynamic data assuming ideal mixing of gas species. The experimental data on the stability of annite-phlogopite solid-solutions (Wones and Eugster 1965) and on the stability of aluminous biotite (Rutherford 1968) have been used to calculate the stability of these biotite solid solutions in sanidine, muscovite and Al2SiO5 bearing assemblages. The resulting pE-pH diagrams show that Al increases the stability field of annite more per atom than does Mg. However, the addition of Al to biotite does not increase the stability of annite in very acid and alkaline solutions. Environments sufficiently acid to render aluminous biotite metastable are probably not found in nature, but the mildly alkaline environments are attainable. At constant f O 2, f H 2 and $$f_{H_2 O} $$ the Al content of biotite is at a minimum in muscovite + sanidine bearing assemblages, and increases relatively rapidly with increases in pH in the sanidine field, and increases more slowly with decreases in pH through the muscovite and Al2SiO5 fields. These diagrams show that the composition of biotite solid-solutions containing more aluminum than ideal annite-phlogopite and coexisting with sanidine and magnetite cannot be used to infer intensive parameters (T f O 2, $$f_{H_2 O} $$ ) prevailing during the crystallization of the biotite, and that in no case can any biotite composition in muscovite or Al2SiO5 bearing assemblages be used to extract this information.
Management of obstructive sleep apnea in acromegaly

A 38-year-old female presented with hand and foot growth, headaches and facial pain, blurry vision, galactorrhea, snoring, and fatigue. Her body mass index was 29 kg/m, her neck circumference was 15 in, and her oropharynx revealed a Mallampati classification III. Her facial features were coarsened and frontal bossing was apparent. She had elevated serum levels of growth hormone (59 ng/ml) and insulin-like growth factor-1 (1254 ng/ml) and glucose loading failed to suppress growth hormone levels. Her brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanning (Fig. 1) revealed a multilobulated enhancing sellar mass consistent with a pituitary macroadenoma and she was diagnosed with acromegaly.
Fultility—futilis—The Leaky Vessel

Abstract [Schmidt T. Futility— futilis —the leaky vessel. Ann Emerg Med . June 2000;35:615-617.]
Movement rate effect on activation and functional coupling of motor cortical areas.

We investigated changes in the activation and functional coupling of bilateral primary sensorimotor (SM1) and supplementary motor (SMA) areas with different movement rates in eight normal volunteer...
GSK3β and PKCζ function in centrosome localization and process stabilization during Slit-mediated neuronal repolarization

In comparison with other migratory cells, neurons exhibit a unique, highly polarized morphology and a distinctive pattern of movement. This migration consists of a repeating of three distinct phases: neurite outgrowth, movement of the centrosome into the leading process, and translocation of the nucleus towards the centrosome. The direction of movement is under the control of extracellular guidance cues, but mechanisms by which these determine neuronal polarity, centrosome position, and neuronal movement are not well understood. We found that in primary olfactory bulb neuronal precursors, Slit-mediated repolarization consisted of growth of a new process from the previous trailing edge, then reorientation of the centrosome followed by nuclear translocation in the reverse direction. Inhibition of cell polarity factors GSK3β or PKCζ resulted in impaired centrosome reorientation and process stabilization. Our findings suggest that activation of cell polarity signaling and positioning of the centrosome ahead of the nucleus are important steps in repolarization in response to guidance cues.
NEUTRON RADIATIVE CAPTURE IN Na, Al, Fe, AND Ni FROM 1 TO 200 keV.

Neutron radiative capture in Na, Al, Fe, and Ni has been measured from 100 eV to 200 keV with a 1.25-m-diam liquid scintillator detector at the Rensselaer LINAC Laboratory. Radiation widths were determined for those resonances whose neutron widths are well known, while the resonance capture areas (${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{0}{\ensuremath{\Gamma}}_{\ensuremath{\gamma}}$) were determined for most of the other resonances. Considerably more resonances were observed in the capture measurements upon Fe and Ni than had been observed in total cross-section measurements. It is reasonable to assign most if not all of these previously undetected resonances to $p$-wave neutrons, and from these data $p$-wave strength functions of (0.10\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.04) \ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{} ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}4}$ and (0.04\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.03) \ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{} ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}4}$ were determined, respectively, for $^{56}\mathrm{Fe}$ and $^{58}\mathrm{Ni}$. These strength functions are probably just upper limits to the true $p$-wave strength functions and are an order of magnitude smaller than optical-model predictions.
The Influence of Personality Differences Between Subordinates and Supervisors on Perceptions of LMX: An Empirical Investigation

Although the concept of leader—member exchange (LMX) has received a considerable amount of attention since its conception in the early 1970s, very little research has focused on antecedents to the formation of this exchange. To fill this gap, the authors collected data from 195 matched pairs of employees and supervisors from a variety of organizations and investigated the role of personality differences on employees' perceptions of LMX quality. As predicted, differences in emotional stability, intellectual openness, agreeable-ness, and conscientiousness negatively related to perceptions of LMX. Implications, limitations, and directions for future research are discussed.
THE POSTERIOR FIXATION SUTURE OPERATION

Summary A posterior fixation suture has two functions. It decreases the action of an extraocular muscle in its field of primary action without producing over or under effects in other positions of gaze, and it increases the innervation of the contralateral yoke muscle. Firm indications for its use still have to be determined, but it has been found beneficial in selected cases with dissociated vertical deviation, double elevator paralysis and the nystagmus blockage syndrome. The appropriate rectus muscle is fixed to the sclera with nonabsorbable sutures behind the equator of the globe. Details of technique, and some complications, are presented.
Solving Convection-Diffusion Problems on Curved Domains by Extensions from Subdomains

We present a technique for numerically solving convection-diffusion problems in domains $$\varOmega $$ with curved boundary. The technique consists in approximating the domain $$\varOmega $$ by polyhedral subdomains $$\mathsf{{D}}_h$$ where a finite element method is used to solve for the approximate solution. The approximation is then suitably extended to the remaining part of the domain $$\varOmega $$ . This approach allows for the use of only polyhedral elements; there is no need of fitting the boundary in order to obtain an accurate approximation of the solution. To achieve this, the boundary condition on the border of $$\varOmega $$ is transferred to the border of $$\mathsf{D }_h$$ by using simple line integrals. We apply this technique to the hybridizable discontinuous Galerkin method and provide extensive numerical experiments showing that, whenever the distance of $$\mathsf{{D}}_h$$ to $$\partial \varOmega $$ is of order of the meshsize $$h$$ , the convergence properties of the resulting method are the same as those for the case in which $$\varOmega =\mathsf{{D}}_h$$ . We also show numerical evidence indicating that the ratio of the $$L^2(\varOmega )$$ norm of the error in the scalar variable computed with $$d>0$$ to that of that computed with $$d=0$$ remains constant (and fairly close to one), whenever the distance $$d$$ is proportional to $$\min \{h,Pe^{-1}\}/(k+1)^2$$ , where $$Pe$$ is the so-called Peclet number.
Experimental probes of transient neutral species using dissociative charge exchange

In this review, recent progress on studies of the dissociation dynamics of transient neutral species produced by charge exchange (CE) of molecular cations with caesium is reviewed. CE experiments using translational spectroscopy in fast ion beams have made important contributions to understanding the spectroscopy and dynamics of high-lying excited states of transient species for some 50 years. Recent advances in time- and position-sensitive detection techniques coupled to jet-cooled supersonic expansion ion sources have allowed measurements yielding unprecedented detail for dissociation processes occurring from complex molecular species. Applications of this technique to studying the two- and three-body dissociation of H3 and sym-triazine, as well as the two-body dissociation of the HN2 radical to H + N2 are reviewed. These systems illustrate the insights gained into the dynamics of the dissociative states from examination of product kinetic energy release distributions and detailed measurements of moment...
Eastern Carolina Asthma Prevention Program (ECAPP): An Environmental Intervention Study Among Rural and Underserved Children with Asthma in Eastern North Carolina.

Objective: Asthma is the most common chronic childhood condition affecting 6.3 million (US) children aged less than 18 years. Home-based, multi-component, environmental intervention studies among children with asthma have demonstrated to be effective in reducing asthma symptoms. In this study, a local hospital and university developed an environmental intervention research pilot project, Eastern Carolina Asthma Prevention Program (ECAPP), to evaluate self-reported asthma symptoms, breathing measurements, and number of asthma-related emergency department (ED) visits among low-income, minority children with asthma living in rural, eastern North Carolina. Our goal was to develop a conceptual model and demonstrate any asthma respiratory improvements in children associated with our home-based, environmental intervention. Methods: This project used a single cohort, intervention design approach to compare self-reported asthma-related symptoms, breathing tests, and ED visits over a 6 month period between children with asthma in an intervention study group (n = 12) and children with asthma in a control study group (n = 7). The intervention study group received intense asthma education, three home visits, 2 week follow-up telephone calls, and environmental intervention products for reducing asthma triggers in the home. The control group received education at baseline and 2 week calls, but no intervention products. Results: At the end of the study period, significant improvements were observed in the intervention group compared with the control group. Overall, the intervention group experienced a 58% (46 ± SD 26.9) reduction in self-reported asthma symptoms; 76% (34 ± SD 29.7) decrease in rescue medicine; 12% (145 ± SD 11.3) increase in controller medicine; 37% decrease in mean exhaled nitric oxide levels and 33% fewer ED asthma-related visits. Conclusion: As demonstrated, a combination of efforts appeared effective for improving asthma respiratory symptoms among children in the intervention group. ECAPP is a low cost pilot project that could readily be adapted and expanded into other communities throughout eastern North Carolina. Future efforts could include enhanced partnerships between environmental health professionals at local health departments and pediatric asthma programs at hospitals to carry out ECAPP.
On improving standard estimators via linear empirical Bayes methods

Abstract Suppose one wishes to estimate the parameter θ in a current experiment when one also has in hand data from k past experiments satisfying empirical Bayes sampling assumptions. It has long been known that, for a variety of models, empirical Bayes estimators tend to outperform, asymptotically, standard estimators based on the current experiment alone. Much less is known about the superiority of empirical Bayes estimators over standard estimators when k is fixed; what is known in that regard is largely the product of Monte Carlo studies. Conditions are given here under which certain linear empirical Bayes estimators are superior to the standard estimator for arbitrary k ⩾1.
Cyclase Mediated Synthesis of Terpenoids

Oxidosqualene-lanosterol cyclase (OSLC) from sonicated baker’s yeast has been employed for the stereoselective synthesis of lanosterol and its analogs. An extensive study of the enzyme’s reactivity profile has been conducted using surrogate substrates displaying structural modifications at both termini of the squalene backbone. Additional probes for assessing the enzyme’s tolerance with respect to structural modification of the internal portion of the hydrocarbon system have also been investigated. The successful cyclization of such compounds has resulted in a biocatalytic synthesis of remote functionalized sterols. Furthermore, a tentative model for predicting the substrate flexibility for OSLC is presented. Work toward developing an enzymatic synthesis of the biologically important pregnane steroid system is discussed along with the progress toward developing a cyclase mediated route to the asymmetric synthesis of bicyclofarnesyl terpene ring systems. This latter approach rests on the ability of OSLC to cyclize modified farnesyl derivatives as a direct means for the stereoselective assembly of the bicyclic framework.
Analysis of a hybrid composite/metal bolted connection subjected to flexural loading

Abstract This paper presents the structural response of hybrid composite/metal bolted joints using an experimental investigation and finite element analysis. The primary motivation for this work is to provide alternatives to conventional hull construction techniques using modular hybrid construction methods. The main objective is to implement a watertight hybrid connection concept that provides access using removable panels on a ship hull. The hybrid joint developed is used to connect fiberglass reinforced composite panels to a metal sub-structure. An experimental study was conducted to quantify the performance of various hybrid joints with various geometries, loaded in flexure. The test results show that, for resisting bending loads, joints with metal cap plates can be made stronger and rotationally stiffer than standard bolted joints, while also mitigating opening of the joint, thereby improving the ability to seal the connection for watertight integrity. Local shell and detailed solid finite element analyses of the connections are presented. Simplified shell finite element models were developed for implementation into global models of the structure and good correlation with the test results was observed with respect to connection stiffness. Nonlinear response of the connection was predicted using detailed plane strain contact models to capture the three-dimensional effects. The results of this study were used to select a connection geometry, which was subsequently incorporated into the hydrostatic testing of a full-scale four-panel assembly.
National Institutes of Health (NIH) activities concerning nutrition research related to food composition databases

Abstract Approximately 4% of the research expenditures for the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) is used to support nutrition research and training within NIH laboratories (intramural program) and in research institutions in the US and abroad (extramural program). In fiscal year (FY) 2000, the funding for NIH nutrition research and training was $694.9 million for 3150 projects. The research areas are broad and include the functions of nutrients and other food components in biological systems, the dietary intakes needed to prevent disease and/or promote optimal health, variables that affect nutrient functions and requirements, and genetic differences in needs and responses. The results of the many nutrition research projects and programs may help the Agriculture Research Service (ARS) of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) establish priorities for analyzing food components and including them in USDA food composition databases. NIH research projects are described and tracked through the Human Nutrition Research Information Management (HNRIM) system. A recent search for the key word antioxidants , food components of great interest to database developers and users, identified 131 projects, many with direct relevance to specific foods. NIH, along with other government agencies, provides financial support for the ARS, USDA National Food and Nutrient Analysis Program (NFNAP), which began in 1997. NIH support for NFNAP amounted to $1 850 000 in FY 2001. NIH is currently providing support for four NFNAP complementary databases: Native American foods, USDA commodity foods, choline, and fluoride. NIH provides support for segments of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). NIH support for NHANES was about $5.3 million in FY 2001 (about 12.4% of FY 2001 costs for the survey), and discussions are underway to assure continued NIH support for this survey.
Degradable, thermo-sensitive poly(N -isopropyl acrylamide)-Based scaffolds with controlled porosity for tissue engineering applications

We have developed a thermoresponsive poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide)-based scaffold with degradability and controlled porosity. Biodegradable poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide) hydrogels were synthesized by photocopolymerization of N-isopropylacrylamide with 2-methylene-1,3-dioxepane and polycaprolactone dimethacrylate. The hydrogels' phase transition temperature, swelling, and viscoelastic properties, as well as hydrolytic degradability at 25 and 37 °C, were explored. A sphere-templating technique was applied to fabricate hydrogel scaffolds with controllable pore size and a highly interconnected porous structure. The scaffold pore diameter change as a function of temperature was evaluated and, as expected, pores decreased in diameter when the temperature was raised to 37 °C. 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) test results suggested neither the scaffolds nor their degradation products were cytotoxic to NIH3T3 cells. Scaffolds with 55 ± 5 μm pore diameter were loaded with NIH3T3 cells and then were warmed to 37 °C entrapping cells in pores approximately 39 μm in diameter, a size range we have found to be optimal for angiogenesis and biointegration. Cells showed uniform infiltration and an elongated morphology after 7 days of culture. Due to the controlled monodisperse pore diameter, highly interconnected architecture, fully degradable chemistry and thermoresponsive properties, the polyNIPAM-based scaffolds developed here are attractive for applications in tissue engineering.
CD-1 Status Awarded to NSLS-II Project at First Users Workshop

More than 450 participants in the Users Workshop for the National Synchrotron Light Source II (NSLS-II) were among the first to hear the news that the planned successor to Brookhaven's existing Light Source will be located at BNL. Pat Dehmer, Director of the Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Basic Energy Sciences (BES), made the dramatic announcement that the project had been awarded “Critical Decision One” (CD-1) in the five-step DOE approval process at the opening plenary session for the two-day workshop and it was greeted with sustained applause by the overflow audience in Berkner Hall.
Oxazolidinones, a new class of synthetic antibacterial agents: in vitro and in vivo activities of DuP 105 and DuP 721.

Abstract DuP 721 (p-acetylphenyloxooxazolidinylmethylacetamide) and DuP 105 (a methylsulfinyl derivative) are orally active representatives of the oxazolidinones, a new class of synthetic antibacterial agents. Their antibacterial spectrum includes staphylococci, streptococci, and Bacteroides fragilis strains. The compounds have equal activity against staphylococcal strains susceptible or resistant to beta-lactam antibiotics, including methicillin-resistant strains. The MICs for 90% of the strains (MIC90s) against staphylococcal isolates were 1 to 4 micrograms/ml for DuP 721 and 4 to 16 micrograms/ml for DuP 105, compared with 1 to 2 micrograms/ml for vancomycin, 0.5 microgram/ml for ciprofloxacin, and 2 to greater than 16 micrograms/ml for imipenem. The MIC90s against group D streptococci were 4 micrograms/ml for DuP 721, 16 micrograms/ml for DuP 105, and 2 micrograms/ml for vancomycin, ciprofloxacin, and imipenem. MIC90s against B. fragilis isolates were 4 micrograms/ml for DuP 721, 16 micrograms/ml for DuP 105, and 8 micrograms/ml for cefoxitin. DuP 721 and DuP 105 administered by either the oral or the parenteral route were protective against staphylococcal and streptococcal infections in mice. The 50% effective doses were 2 to 10 mg/kg for DuP 721, 9 to 23 mg/kg for DuP 105, and 2 to 12 mg/kg for vancomycin. These results indicate that further studies of compounds of the oxazolidinone series are warranted.
Variations of dispersion and transparency in four level N-scheme atomic systems

Systems that exhibit positive and negative dispersion are of interest for numerous applications especially when accompanied by transparency. In this work, we study the variation of the sign of the dispersion in the case of a four-level ‘N-Scheme’ system. The different dynamics of the sign and value of dispersion and transparency are first explored in light of three resonances that we have previously introduced, then studied as a function of the varying strengths of the fields. As an application we consider in this work both passive and active optical gyroscopes.
Mitochondrial abnormalities in spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy

Spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA) is a motor neuron disease caused by polyglutamine expansion mutation in the androgen receptor (AR). We investigated whether the mutant protein alters mitochondrial function. We found that constitutive and doxycycline-induced expression of the mutant AR in MN-1 and PC12 cells, respectively, are associated with depolarization of the mitochondrial membrane. This was mitigated by cyclosporine A, which inhibits opening of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore. We also found that the expression of the mutant protein in the presence of ligand results in an elevated level of reactive oxygen species, which is blocked by the treatment with the antioxidants co-enzyme Q10 and idebenone. The mutant protein in MN-1 cells also resulted in increased Bax, caspase 9 and caspase 3. We assessed the effects of mutant AR on the transcription of mitochondrial proteins and found altered expression of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator 1 and the mitochondrial specific antioxidant superoxide dismutase-2 in affected tissues of SBMA knock-in mice. In addition, we found that the AR associates with mitochondria in cultured cells. This study thus provides evidence for mitochondrial dysfunction in SBMA cell and animal models, either through indirect effects on the transcription of nuclear-encoded mitochondrial genes or through direct effects of the mutant protein on mitochondria or both. These findings indicate possible benefit from mitochondrial therapy for SBMA.
Pretransfusion Testing without Serologic Crossmatch: Approaches to Ensure Patient Safety

Background and Objectives: A crossmatch is usual in pretransfusion testing, but we eliminated it at our tertiary care university hospital. In place of the crossmatch, we have introd
Some Examples of Difficult Traveling Salesman Problems

We construct instances of the symmetric traveling salesman problem with n = 8k cities that have the following property: There is exactly one optimal tour with cost n, and there are 2k-1k-1! tours that are next-best, have arbitrarily large cost, and cannot be improved by changing fewer than 3k edges. Thus, there are many local optima with arbitrarily high cost. It appears that local search algorithms are ineffective when applied to these problems. Even more catastrophic examples are available in the non-symmetric case.
Light and Darkness in Howells's Editha: A Feminist Critique

(2007). Light and Darkness in Howells's Editha: A Feminist Critique. The Explicator: Vol. 65, No. 3, pp. 157-159.
Higher-order surface patch basis functions for EFIE formulations

Vector basis and testing functions that provide a linear-normal, quadratic-tangential (LN-QT) representation of the surface current density are proposed for use with a surface-patch EFIE discretization. Preliminary results are presented to illustrate the relative accuracy of these functions.
Dual joy stick speaking word processor and musical instrument

The device described is a Macintosh based speaking word processor and musical instrument. Input is provided via two large joysticks. The word processor can also be used as a communication device. Any MIDI musical instrument can be played and the range is four octaves. >
THREE NEW SPECIES OF RHINEBOTHRIUM (CESTODA: TETRAPHYLLIDEA) FROM THE FRESHWATER WHIPRAY, HIMANTURA CHAOPHRAYA, IN MALAYSIAN BORNEO

Three new Rhinebothrium Linton, 1890 species, R. kinabatanganensis n. sp., R. megacanthophallus n. sp., and R. abaiensis n. sp., collected from the spiral intestines of 6 freshwater whiprays (Himantura chaophraya, Dasyatidae) in the Kinabatangan River, Malaysian Borneo, are described. This is the first record of cestodes from the Kinabatangan River and from H. chaophraya. The new Rhinebothrium species are differentiated from the 34 valid Rhinebothrium species in addition to 2 species, Echeneibothrium hui Tseng, 1933 and E. oligotesticularis Subramaniam, 1940 that are herein transferred to Rhinebothrium. Each of the new species was examined with light and scanning electron microscopy. Two of the new species possess cilia on their bothridia, which have not previously been reported for members of this genus.
Monolithically integrated Sagnac interferometer for all-optical wavelength conversion

All-optical wavelength conversion in the C-band is demonstrated using a regrowth free monolithically integrated Sagnac interferometer. A single semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) placed asymmetrically in the loop acts as the non-linear element in the interferometer. Most integrated wavelength converters use the Mach-Zehnder geometry, which requires two SOAs, hence balancing the interferometer becomes an arduous task. The Sagnac geometry, on the other hand, uses a single SOA and the clockwise and the counter clockwise signals traverse the same optical path, thereby negating the effects of optical path length differences. The device is fabricated in the InGaAsP/InP material system grown by gas source molecular beam epitaxy. A tunable (1530-1560 nm) mode locked fiber laser operating at 10 Gb/s was used as the control signal and a distributed feedback (DFB) laser operating at 1540 nm was used as the continuous wave signal. Wavelength conversion observed at 1540 nm with data at 1553 nm is shown Dependence of the on/off extinction ratio on wavelength is shown clearly indicating the uniform performance over the entire C-band. Both up conversion and down conversion is demonstrated by the device.
Congregations in Low-Income Neighborhoods and the Implications for Social Welfare Policy Research

Social scientists have an abundance of information about congregations to inform religion and social welfare policy discussions in the United States. But their data tend to come from congregations located outside low-income neighborhoods, not congregations inside them. This may limit their ability to make definitive claims, especially to policy makers, about social welfare practices and the potential of congregations located in low-income neighborhoods to aid in poverty reduction initiatives. Are the literature’s findings about social service provisions by congregations applicable to congregations located in poor places? Using a data set of congregations located in the vicinity of public housing complexes in four cities, the authors explore this question. In the process, they discern factors that influence social service provisions by congregations located in low-income neighborhoods, identifying congregation income, clergy education, and congregation residency as the most significant predictors of social...
Some Problems of Digital Systems Simulation

Our objective is to discuss the technique of digital system simulation. This procedure has already achieved a considerable stature in industrial and research organizations and promises to attain even greater importance in the future. Yet, with few exceptions 51, the published literature in the area consists of introductory expositions 10 or of descriptions of the solution of a particular problem 7 where the technique itself is correctly relegated to secondary position. The only publication devoted entirely to the topic 12 is a compendium of papers of the latter type with little attempt to summarize or generalize. Simulations are, of course, as varied as the systems which they represent but they do have certain common characteristics and problems. An identification of these problems would at least allow the investigator to anticipate them and plan accordingly. This paper consists of three sections. The first is an attempt to describe characteristics common to many system simulations; the second is a discussion of some problems involved in the construction of a digital simulator; and the third concerns problems that arise in the use of such a simulator.
Militarizing mayberry and beyond: Making sense of American paramilitary policing

National-level data, derived from a survey of all police agencies serving 25,000 to 50,000 people, document a previously unrecognized phenomenon: the growth in the number, an expansion of the activities, and the movement toward the normalization of small-locality police paramilitary units (PPU). Beside examining the implications of these findings for small-locality policing, we situate this phenomenon within broader paramilitary changes in the police. To begin the process of making theoretical sense of PPUs, we refute the commonsense notion that their rise is a response to changes in crime. We then contextualize the phenomenon by discussing the lingering influence of the military model, the recent popularity of paramilitary subculture, changing police tactics in the war on drugs, police reform efforts, and the quest to modernize the criminal justice apparatus. Noting similar developments in corrections, we conclude that this phenomenon should not be seen merely as a peculiar manifestation of get-tough pol...
Perception and acceptance of fingerprint biometric technology

The acceptance of biometric security services appears to be affected by several factors, one of which may be the context in which it is used. In this study, 24 participants were asked to roleplay the use of a fingerprint biometric identification system when making purchases at an online bookstore. The results show differences in opinions about the biometric system when the perceived benefits for the users were manipulated. Participants were more comfortable using biometrics, and considered them more beneficial, when they were used to secure personal information for personal purchases, in contrast to securing personal information for corporate purchases. The results suggest that application contexts with obvious, apparent benefits to the user tend to lead to greater perceptions of usability and higher acceptance rates than contexts where there are only system or corporate benefits...
Translation of Walter Noll’s “Derivation of the Fundamental Equations of Continuum Thermodynamics from Statistical Mechanics”

This article represents a translation of the original paper, “Die Herleitung der Grundgleichungen der Thermomechanik der Kontinua aus der Statistischen Mechanik”, which was written by Walter Noll and appeared in the Journal of Rational Mechanics and Analysis 4 (1955), 627–646. In the original paper, Noll addressed and analyzed the seminal paper of Irving & Kirkwood, published five years earlier, on “The statistical mechanical theory of transport processes. IV, The Equations of Hydrodynamics.” Noll gave new interpretations and provided a firm setting for ideas advanced by Irving & Kirkwood that clearly and directly related to the basic principles of continuum mechanics. This translation aims to expose the important contribution of Noll to a wider community of researchers at a time when the atomistic modeling of material behavior is being advanced. Noll’s use of elementary mathematics to discover physical effects, to explain physical concepts, and to draw conclusions of a physical nature is exhibited. Noll’s paper emerged from a report that he presented in a seminar at Indiana University in the summer of 1954. The seminar was organized by Clifford Truesdell, whose inspiration Noll gratefully acknowledged.
Teaching electronics with MATLAB

MATLAB is a numeric computation software for engineering and scientific calculations. MATLAB is being used to teach circuit theory, filter design, random processes, control systems and communication theory. MATLAB matrix functions are shown to be versatile in doing analysis of data obtained from electronics experiments. The graphical features of MATLAB are especially useful for display of frequency response of amplifiers and illustrating the principles and concepts of semiconductor physics. The interactive programming and versatile graphics of MATLAB is especially effective in exploring some of the characteristics of devices and electronic circuits.
Implementation of importance sampling techniques using the Signal Processing WorkSystem (SPW)

The author presents the development of importance sampling function blocks for the Signal Processing WorkSystem (SPW) simulation tool. The derivation and implementation of SPW blocks for both conventional and improved importance sampling techniques are discussed. Conventional importance sampling provides improvement in the simulation times for linear systems that contain little or no memory. Improved importance sampling reduces the simulation time required independently of memory length. The bit-error-rate (BER) performance of a baseband communication system is analyzed using these new blocks in order to quantify the improvement in simulation time using importance sampling as opposed to direct Monte-Carlo simulation. >
Magnetic and microwave studies of high-spin states of single-molecule magnet Ni4

Quantum tunneling of the magnetization in a single-molecule magnet has been studied in experiments that combine microwave spectroscopy (10–50 GHz) with low temperature high sensitivity micro-Hall effect magnetometry (T = 0.4 K). This method enables the monitoring of spin-state populations in the presence of microwave radiation and a direct measure of the energy splitting between low lying high-spin states. We present results that show the level repulsion between such states as a function of magnetic field in the SMM Ni4 (S = 4), which clearly indicates the formation of high-spin superposition states. The absorption linewidths provide a lower bound on the transverse relaxation time (s2) or decoherence time of these superposition states of � 0.5 ns. Studies as a function of microwave power and magnetic field sweep rate suggest that the energy relaxation rate decreases with increasing longitudinal field and energy splitting between states. � 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
On the impossibility of dimension reduction in l1

The Johnson--Lindenstrauss lemma shows that any n points in Euclidean space (i.e., ℝn with distances measured under the e2 norm) may be mapped down to O((log n)/e2) dimensions such that no pairwise distance is distorted by more than a (1 p e) factor. Determining whether such dimension reduction is possible in e1 has been an intriguing open question. We show strong lower bounds for general dimension reduction in e1. We give an explicit family of n points in e1 such that any embedding with constant distortion D requires nΩ(1/D2) dimensions. This proves that there is no analog of the Johnson--Lindenstrauss lemma for e1; in fact, embedding with any constant distortion requires nΩ(1) dimensions. Further, embedding the points into e1 with (1pe) distortion requires nh−O(e log(1/e)) dimensions. Our proof establishes this lower bound for shortest path metrics of series-parallel graphs. We make extensive use of linear programming and duality in devising our bounds. We expect that the tools and techniques we develop will be useful for future investigations of embeddings into e1.
Serum TAG Analysis Differentiates Between Genetic and Obesity-Associated NAFLD

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) occurs in 20–30% of Americans and is the most prevalent form of liver disease (1,2). NAFLD is commonly linked to hepatic and whole-body insulin resistance and, in some individuals NAFLD can lead to steatohepatitis, cirrhosis, and cancer (3). The selective hepatic insulin resistance that typically accompanies NAFLD results in increased hepatic glucose production, hepatic lipogenesis, and very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) secretion, thereby contributing to the hyperglycemia and triglyceridemia observed in insulin-resistant and type 2 diabetic subjects. Despite their close association, NAFLD and insulin resistance can be uncoupled, suggesting that not all NAFLD is the same (4). Although dietary and environmental factors have a large influence, genetics alone or in combination with external factors also influence NAFLD etiology. A point mutation in PNPLA3 (also known as adiponutrin) is prevalent in ∼20–50% of people depending upon ethnicity and is the single best genetic predictor of NAFLD (5). A recent meta-analysis of nearly 3,000 subjects showed that carriers of the I148M mutant have 73% higher liver triacylglycerol (TAG) content compared with those with the normal I148I allele (6). In addition, the I148M variant has been associated with complications or progression of NAFLD, including development of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, alcoholic liver disease and its progression to cirrhosis, and the severity of hepatitis C–induced steatosis (7). Despite its important role in NAFLD etiology, the physiological function of wild-type and variant PNPLA3 remains under intense debate. …
Industrial Borrowing by the New England Textile Mills, 1840–1860, A Comment *

Lance E. Davis, writing in the March 1960 issue of The Journal of Economic History , found that comparatively low interest rates were paid by eight “Massachusetts-type” cotton textile mills on loans from 1840 to 1860. These firms were voracious borrowers throughout the period, and the textile industry as a whole was a major user of credit. Davis attributed the continued low interest rates primarily to well-enforced usury laws and to the influence of nonprofit lending agencies, with occasional references to effects of the New York money market (not important before 1853). Many other factors—for example, the Tariff of 1846, removing protection from important classes of cotton textiles, die general business cycle, technological changes, alternative investments in railroads and other industries, the relation of increased savings to increased investment demands—should all be explored for an adequate explanation. Of these factors, only the general business cycle is taken up by Davis in a brief reference. The purpose of this note is to suggest that interlocking directorates between financial and textile firms rather than usury laws were probably chiefly responsible for the low rates paid.