cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A High Power, Sealed, Lead-Acid Battery for Electric Vehicles

This paper reports on a lead-acid battery designed specifically for an electric van application. The design consists of horizontally oriented, dual lugged plates in a sealed configuration. These plates are used in the design to obtain improved energy performance. High specific power is achieved with dual lugs and a grid aspect ratio that shortens conductor paths. Axial pressure applied to the face of the cell stack allows the thin plates to be used in a deep cycle application. Fifteen cells representing the design concept was fabricated by a battery manufacturer. Twelve of these cells were cycled. The cells attained approximately 600 cycles (80 percent depth of discharge, DOD, at the 2 hour rate) and had not failed before the tests were stopped. The projected specific energy for these cells operated at 110{degrees}F (43{degrees}C) is about 35 w-hr/kg (2 hr rate). The specific power was calculated to be approximately 200 w/kg (80 percent DOD) when new and 140 w/kg (80 percent DOD) after 364 cycles. The power performance, while still high, did degrade more rapidly than the energy performance.
Modeling of functional brain imaging data

The richness and complexity of data sets obtained from functional neuroimaging studies of human cognitive behavior, using techniques such as positron emission tomography and functional magnetic resonance imaging, have until recently not been exploited by computational neural modeling methods. In this article, following a brief introduction to functional neuroimaging methodology, two neural modeling approaches for use with functional brain imaging data are described. One, which uses structural equation modeling, examines the effective functional connections between various brain regions during specific cognitive tasks. The second employs large-scale neural modeling to relate functional neuroimaging signals in multiple, interconnected brain regions to the underlying neurobiological time-varying activities in each region. These two modeling procedures are illustrated using a visual processing paradigm.© (1999) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Query reformulation using anchor text

Query reformulation techniques based on query logs have been studied as a method of capturing user intent and improving retrieval effectiveness. The evaluation of these techniques has primarily, however, focused on proprietary query logs and selected samples of queries. In this paper, we suggest that anchor text, which is readily available, can be an effective substitute for a query log and study the effectiveness of a range of query reformulation techniques (including log-based stemming, substitution, and expansion) using standard TREC collections. Our results show that log-based query reformulation techniques are indeed effective with standard collections, but expansion is a much safer form of query modification than word substitution. We also show that using anchor text as a simulated query log is as least as effective as a real log for these techniques.
Failure of dietary quercetin to alter the temporal progression of insulin resistance among tissues of C57BL/6J mice during the development of diet-induced obesity

Aims/hypotheses High-fat diets produce obesity and glucose intolerance by promoting the development of insulin resistance in peripheral tissues and liver. The present studies sought to identify the initial site(s) where insulin resistance develops using a moderately high-fat diet and to assess whether the bioflavonoid, quercetin, ameliorates progression of this sequence.
From slavery to feudalism in South-Western Europe

(1993). From slavery to feudalism in South-Western Europe. History of European Ideas: Vol. 17, No. 4, pp. 540-541.
The extended loop of the C-terminal carbohydrate-recognition domain of Manduca sexta immulectin-2 is important for ligand binding and functions.

Our previous research showed that immulectin-2 (IML-2), a C-type lectin from the tobacco hornworn, Manduca sexta, is a pattern recognition receptor (PRR) that can bind to pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs), such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS), peptidoglycan (PG) and β-1,3-glucan, and IML-2 plays an important role in cellular encapsulation, melanization, phagocytosis, and prophenoloxidase (proPO) activation. Unlike most mammalian C-type lectins that contain a single carbohydrate-recognition domain (CRD), IML-2 is composed of tandem CRDs, and the C-terminal CRD2 contains an extended loop, which is not present in most C-type CRDs. We hypothesize that the extended loop may participate in ligand binding, encapsulation, melanization, phagocytosis and/or proPO activation in M. sexta. To test this hypothesis, two deletion mutant proteins (IML-2Δ220–244 and IML-2Δ220–257), in which the extended loop of the CRD2 was partially or completely deleted, were expressed and purified. By comparing the characteristics of recombinant IML-2, IML-2Δ220–244 and IML-2Δ220–257, we found that deletion of the extended loop in CRD2 impaired the ability of IML-2 to bind microbial PAMPs and to stimulate proPO activation, indicating that the extended loop of IML-2 plays an important role in ligand binding and biological functions.
Does Competition Among Public Schools Benefit Students and Taxpayers? Comment

School choice policies promise to align the incentives of school administrators with the demands of parents, and may therefore lead to more efficient educational production (Milton Friedman 1962; Geoffrey Brennan and James Buchanan 1980; John Chubb and Terry M. Moe 1990). Absent a large-scale school voucher program in the United States, however, this prediction has been difficult to test. Several authors (e.g., Melvin V. Borland and Roy M. Howsen 1992; Clive R. Belfield and Henry M. Levin 2002) have suggested studying the effects of "Tiebout choice," the use of the residential location decision to select among local monopoly education providers. The idea here is that fragmented governance induces competition among school districts analogous to that which would occur among schools with nonresidential choice. In an influential paper, Caroline M. Hoxby (2000) points out that current governance structures are potentially endogenous to school productivity, and proposes that variation in topography, which may have influenced optimal jurisdiction size before modern transportation technologies, provides a source of exogenous variation. She estimates instrumental variables regressions of individual test scores and school spending on a metropolitan-level Tiebout choice index, defined as one minus a Herfindahl concentration index with districts' enrollments as their "market shares," using as excluded instruments the number of larger and smaller streams in the area. She reports substantial positive effects of district fragmentation on student test scores and negative effects on spending. This Comment presents a reanalysis of Hoxby's test score results, which form the core of her empirical analysis. These results turn out to be quite sensitive to plausible alterations to Hoxby's specification. In particular, the large, significant effect of choice on achievement obtains
Yes, She Can: An Examination of Resiliency Factors in Middle- and Upper-Income Single Mothers

This study explored resiliency factors in middle- and upper-income single mothers, a subset of single parents representing 73% of single mothers in the United States. The study used demographic information and the Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale (CD–RISC) to examine if income, education level, or type of marital status is related to resiliency factors among single mothers. An analysis of variance was conducted to compare group differences among income levels, education levels, and types of marital status with resiliency scores. Results revealed that the middle- and upper-income single mothers were generally resilient. A descriptive analysis of descending means revealed five resiliency factors on the CD–RISC that were most strongly rated, four of which relate to personal competence and tenacity. Implications for clinical practice and recommendations for future research to expand the body of research on single mothers were included in this study.
Nucleic Acid-Based Pathogen Detection in Applied Plant Pathology

Nucleic acid–based (NA-based) detection techniques are becoming fundamental for the applied plant pathologist. Their speed, sensitivity, specificity, versatility have resulted in the use of these tools to address an increasing number of applied questions and hypotheses. In order to use based detection techniques to best advantage, it is important to recognize only their advantages but also their limitations, such as the possibility particular NA-based tests may not have complete specificity for the of interest and only for that organism. The distinction between detection and disease diagnosis must also be recognized, and we believe NA-based tools are techniques for the former and not the latter. Several pathogen detection technologies are also discussed.
Do Ceruloplasmin and Elastase Inhibition Abnormalities Influence the Pathogenesis of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

indicating that the triple helical region of the molecule was intact. With increased exposure to 03, the cross-linked form of collagen was also degraded. This form represents an alternative fate for 03-treated collagen. We are currently investigating the composition and origin of this collagen species. It is known that if the triple helix of the collagen molecule is intact, it is resistant to degradation by tissue proteinases such as trypsin.3 We hypothesized that if collagen were damaged or modified by oxidants, but not degraded, it would then be susceptible to proteolytic degradation. We exposed procollagen to 0.25 ppm for 3 mm (total dose of 66 nmole). Following the 3-mm exposure the O3-treated molecule appeared intact upon polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, but when exposed to trypsin after 03 treatment, the collagen was completely degraded (data not shown). It should be noted that the allowable U.S. primary air quality standard for 03 is 0.12 ppm for 1 hr. Recent levels in the ambient atmosphere at ground level in Southern California have approached 1 ppm. In conclusion, our data suggest that: (1) highly reactive oxygen species can directly degrade soluble collagen and procollagen; (2) exposure to these oxidants also causes formation of high-molecular weight cross-linked collagen species whose composition and ability to form fibers are not yet known; and (3) highly reactive oxygen species can damage collagen and procollagen, making the molecules susceptible to proteolytic degradation. Thus, oxygen-derived free radicals may react synergistically with cell and tissue proteinases to degrade collagen, a major component of the extracellular matrix. Our data suggest that oxygen-derived free radicals provide an alternative and important role in the degradation of connective tissue in the lung in addition to the role of inflammatory cell proteinases and tissue proteinases. Although it is thought that oxygen-derived free radicals may augment tissue proteases by oxidizing a1-antiproteinase,4’ we hypothesize that oxygen-derived free radicals may also degrade collagen directly to peptides which may then have biologic activity in recruiting inflammatory cells such as neutrophils to the site of injury. In the future it may be that nontoxic free radical scavengers may be therapeutic as antiinflammatory agents and may be used to advantage in minimizing the initial injury phase of oxidant-induced lung damage.
Jurisdiction Shopping Among Apportioned Motor Carriers: Examination of Causes and Potential Remedies

Jurisdiction shopping refers to the practice of interstate motor carriers searching for the cheapest, most convenient jurisdiction in which to register their heavy trucks. In the past 10 years this activity has contributed to the geographic redistribution of tens of thousands of truck registrations in the United States. Some jurisdictions have lost millions of dollars in registration-related revenue as a result. Unlawful registration practices have been responsible for a considerable amount of jurisdiction shopping. However, state discrepancies in registration costs and convenience have prompted some trucking firms to engage in a legitimate form of jurisdiction shopping. States wishing to preserve their carrier registration base and associated revenue must ensure that all fees and taxes assessed on local registrants are fully apportioned to out-of-state carriers operating in the jurisdiction. In addition, a convenient carrier-credentialing regime must be provided. That entails joint administration of related interstate programs and the development of unified, streamlined processing systems that minimize registrant costs and administrative burden. Finally, the provision of a broader range of registration options, such as online registration renewal and fee payment, should be explored. These strategies will help reduce the negative consequences of jurisdiction shopping and ensure that states receive a fair share of interjurisdictional truck registration revenue.
Scales of Linear Baroclinic Instability and Macroturbulence in Dry Atmospheres

Linear stability analyses are performed on a wide range of mean flows simulated with a dry idealized general circulation model. The zonal length scale of the linearly most unstable waves is similar to the Rossby radius. It is also similar to the energy-containing zonal length scale in statistically steady states of corresponding nonlinear simulations. The meridional length scale of the linearly most unstable waves is generally smaller than the energy-containing meridional length scale in the corresponding nonlinear simulations. The growth rate of the most unstable waves increases with increasing Eady growth rate, but the scaling relationship is not linear in general. The available potential energy and barotropic and baroclinic kinetic energies of the linearly most unstable waves scale linearly with each other, with similar partitionings among the energy forms as in the corresponding nonlinear simulations. These results show that the mean flows in the nonlinear simulations are baroclinically unstable, yet there is no substantial inverse cascade of barotropic eddy kinetic energy from the baroclinic generation scale to larger scales, even in strongly unstable flows. Some aspects of the nonlinear simulations, such as partitionings among eddy energies, can be understood on the basis of linear stability analyses; for other aspects, such as the structure of heat and momentum fluxes, nonlinear modifications of the waves are important.
Real-time Volumetric Haptic and Visual Burrhole Simulation

This paper describes real-time volumetric haptic and visual algorithms developed to simulate burrhole creation for a virtual reality-based craniotomy surgical simulator. A modified Voxmap point-shell algorithm (McNeely et al., 1999), (Renz et al., 2001) is created to simulate haptic interactions between bone cutting tools and voxel-based bone. New surface boundary detection and force feedback calculation methods help reduce "force discontinuities" of the original Voxmap point-shell algorithm. To maintain stable haptic update rates, new forces are calculated outside the haptics rendering loop. A multi-rate haptic solution (Cavusoglu and Tendick, 2000) is used to introduce calculated forces into the haptics loop and to interpolate forces between updates. A bone erosion method is also created to simulate bone drilling capabilities of different tools. 3D texture-based volume rendering is used to display the bone and to visually remove bone material due to drilling in real-time. Volumetric shading is computed by the GPU of the video card. The algorithms described make it possible to simulate several tools typically used for a craniotomy. Realistic 3D models are also created from real surgical tools and controlled by the haptic device
Dr. Chira replies.

To the Editor: We appreciate the contribution of Dr. Chanchlani, et al regarding their retrospective assessment of transfer of adolescent rheumatology patients in the United Kingdom because it demonstrated the real-world challenges of implementing a successful transition program1. The UK has always been a leader in rheumatology adolescent transitional care as noted by this group’s previous work2. While their recent data showed favorable results in actual transfers, as noted by adult rheumatology referral notes being sent to the pediatric rheumatology consultant (86%), concerns were raised with regard to … Address correspondence to Dr. P. Chira, 3020 Children’s Way, Mail Code 5113, San Diego, California 92123, USA. E-mail: pchira{at}ucsd.edu
POOL server

Summary: We present an automated web server for partial order optimum likelihood (POOL), a machine learning application that combines computed electrostatic and geometric information for high-performance prediction of catalytic residues from 3D structures. Input features consist of THEMATICS electrostatics data and pocket information from ConCavity. THEMATICS measures deviation from typical, sigmoidal titration behavior to identify functionally important residues and ConCavity identifies binding pockets by analyzing the surface geometry of protein structures. Both THEMATICS and ConCavity (structure only) do not require the query protein to have any sequence or structure similarity to other proteins. Hence, POOL is applicable to proteins with novel folds and engineered proteins. As an additional option for cases where sequence homologues are available, users can include evolutionary information from INTREPID for enhanced accuracy in site prediction. Availability: The web site is free and open to all users with no login requirements at http://www.pool.neu.edu. Contact: m.ondrechen@neu.edu Supplementary Information:Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
RADON TRANSFORMS AND THE FINITE GENERAL LINEAR GROUPS

Using a class sum and a collection of related Radon transforms, we present a proof G. James's Kernel Intersection Theorem for the complex unipotent representations of the finite general linear groups. The approach is analogous to that used by F. Scarabotti for a proof of James's Kernel In- tersection Theorem for the symmetric group. In the process, we also show that a single class sum may be used to distinguish between distinct irreducible unipotent representations.
A creeping flow model of a deformable drop approaching a plane interface

A new model has been formulated and analyzed which accounts for the deformation of a drop in response to the pressure distribution in the draining film between it and a rigid plane. The rate of approach is related to the pressure distribution and drop shape. When the nonlinear partial differential equations are written in dimensionless form, one dimensionless group, β = Δρgb/σ2, arises which represents the ratio of gravity forces to surface forces. Only β need be specified to solve these equations; viscosity enters only as a scaling factor on time. The equations were simplified to ordinary differential equations by assuming that the rate of change of shape was small relative to the change in position. Numerical soliitions were obtained from β = .15 to 10−3 using an iterative Runge-Kutta procedure at each separation. On a mis au point et analyse un nouveau modele qui expliquc la deformation d'une goutte, a la suite de la distribution de pression qui se produit dans la pellicule dun liquide d'ecoulement entre celle-ci et une surface rigide. On etablit des relations entre la rapidite de l'etude et la distribution de pression et la forme de la goutte. Lorsqu'on exprime les equations differentielles partielles et non-lineaires sous une forme sans dimensions on obtient un groupe sans dimensions correspondant a l'equation β = Δρgb/σ2, lequel represente le rapport eutre les forces de gravite et celles de la surface. Pour resoudre la equations, on n'a qu'a specifier β; la viscosite n'entre en jeu que comme un facteur d'echelle ou de proportionnalite relatif au temps. On a simplifie les equations et les a ramenees a des equations differentielles ordinaires en supposant que la vitesse de modification de la forme etait faible, en comparaison du changement de position. On a obtenu des solutions numeriques pour des valeurs de β allant de .15 a 10−3, en employant la methode iterative de Runge-Kutta a chaque separation.
A Glutamine Transport Gene, glnQ, Is Required for Fibronectin Adherence and Virulence of Group B Streptococci

ABSTRACT Group B streptococci (GBS) are a leading cause of neonatal sepsis and meningitis. GBS adhere to fibronectin when it is attached to a solid phase. We isolated a Tn917 transposon mutant, COH1-GT1, which shows decreased adherence to fibronectin. COH1-GT1 also shows decreased adherence to and invasion of respiratory epithelial cells in vitro and decreased virulence in vivo. COH1-GT1 contains a Tn917 insertion in a homolog of glnQ, a gene from Escherichia coli which is required for glutamine transport and codes for a cytoplasmic ATP-binding cassette protein. To confirm that the decreased fibronectin adherence of COH1-GT1 was due to the mutation in glnQ, we constructed COH1-GT2, a strain with a nonpolar site-directed mutation in glnQ. COH1-GT2 showed decreased binding to fibronectin. We also demonstrated that complementation of glnQ in trans restored fibronectin adherence to COH1-GT1. COH1-GT1 shows decreased uptake of radiolabeled glutamine and is resistant to the toxic glutamine analog γ-l-glutamylhydrazide, demonstrating that the glnQ gene is required for glutamine transport in GBS. glnQ lacks a signal sequence and is a cytoplasmic protein in E. coli and thus is unlikely to act as a fibronectin adhesin. glnQ is transcribed in an operon with a putative glutamine permease gene, glnP, which has a novel predicted structure containing three distinct domains linked in a single gene. The first two domains are putative glutamine binding domains with homology to the E. coli periplasmic glutamine binding gene glnH. The third is a putative permease domain with homology to the E. coli glutamine permease gene glnP. RT-PCR analysis demonstrated that glnP and glnQ are contained within a single transcript. Transcription of scpB, encoding the only known fibronectin-binding adhesin of GBS, is unaffected. We speculate that glnQ may regulate expression of fibronectin adhesins by affecting cytoplasmic glutamine levels and that regulation may be posttranscriptional.
Recent Progress of Phosphonium Coupling in Heterocyclic and Medicinal Chemistry

Abstract The discovery, development, and recent application of phosphonium coupling as a new methodology for the efficient synthesis of heterocyclic compounds in the past 10 years are reviewed.
The N-Version Approach to Fault-Tolerant Software

Evolution of the N-version software approach to the tolerance of design faults is reviewed. Principal requirements for the implementation of N-version software are summarized and the DEDIX distributed supervisor and testbed for the execution of N-version software is described. Goals of current research are presented and some potential benefits of the N-version approach are identified.
Controls on the composition of fluvial sands from a tropical weathering environment: Sands of the Orinoco River drainage basin, Venezuela and Colombia

Fluvial sands in the Orinoco River drainage basin fall into three main compositional groupings: (1) sands of subarkose and arkose composition, from high-relief parts of the Guayana Shield, where crystalline rocks are exposed; (2) sands of litharenite and sub-litharenite composition from the active orogenic belt at the western and northwestern margins of the drainage basin, and in those parts of the Llanos (Andean foreland basin) proximal to the mountain belt; and (3) sands of quartz-arenite composition, widespread throughout the remainder of the basin. Multicycle sands of quartz-arenite composition are produced from platform cover on parts of the elevated shield and from uplifted foreland-basin fill in the eastern Llanos. First-cycle sands of quartz-arenite composition are produced from granitic rocks on low-relief regions of the Guayana Shield and from reworked Holocene alluvium in parts of the western Llanos distal to the orogenic terranes. Erosion in the Orinoco River drainage basin may be described in terms of transport-limited and weathering-limited denudation regimes. In active orogenic terranes and in parts of the elevated shield, transport processes can remove weathered material as rapidly as it is produced by chemical weathering. Thin soils and short soil-mineral residence time result in sands that are incompletely chemically weathered and accurately reflect source-rock composition. In the orogenic terranes, subtle variations in source-rock lithology are preserved in sand composition. In contrast, in low-relief parts of the Guayana Shield and on flat erosion surfaces of the upland shield, weathering exceeds the rate at which transport processes can remove weathered material. Thick soils accumulate, soil-mineral residence time is long, and detritus is highly altered chemically. On much of the lowland Guayana Shield, upper soil layers consist of nearly pure quartz sand that erodes to produce first-cycle fluvial sand of quartz-arenite composition. Chemically weathered orogenically derived sand enters the Orinoco River on the left bank, while feldspathic shield-derived sand enters on the right bank. This geometry is responsible for the nearly total lack of longitudinal variation in sand composition along the 1,400-km length of the Orinoco River mainstem. Except in the upper 100 km of the Orinoco River mainstem, cross-channel heterogeneity in sand composition is also modest. Nevertheless, a weighted linear least-squares modeling approach suggests that sand moves down the Orinoco River mainstem in distinct pulses, perhaps corresponding to times of accelerated erosion in headwater regions. Because rivers that head in the orogenic terranes and traverse the Llanos contribute more than 99% of the sand in the lower Orinoco River mainstem, the composition of this sand is dominated by chemically weathered sands from the Llanos. The Orinoco River—the third largest river in the world—delivers first-cycle sands of quartz-arenite composition to its delta.
Effects of livestock on guanaco Lama guanicoe density, movements and habitat selection in a forest-grassland mosaic in Tierra del Fuego, Chile

Locally abundant ungulates often come into conflict with human activities. After a population collapse that reached its nadir in the 1970s, the guanaco Lama guanicoe population in Tierra del Fuego, Chile, recovered and is now in conflict with sheep ranching and commercial logging. We studied the effects of livestock density and environmental factors on guanaco abundance and spatial ecology, using seasonal counts and radio-telemetry in a private protected area (Karukinka) and neighbouring ranches in a forest–grassland mosaic in Tierra del Fuego. Guanaco density was highest in low-elevation areas with more grassland cover and little snow accumulation in winter. In low-elevation areas, guanaco density decreased with increasing livestock density. Radio-tracked guanacos exhibited a partial migration pattern: two individuals migrated seasonally, selecting grasslands and avoiding forests mainly in summer, whereas six sedentary individuals used habitats according to their availability. Migratory guanacos spent the summer in Karukinka and winter on nearby ranches. High sheep densities and poor range condition on the ranches reduce key forage resources available to guanacos and may promote use of forests by guanacos, affecting forest regeneration and increasing conflict with logging. Current guanaco harvest by loggers may fail to reduce the impact of guanacos on logged-forest regeneration if guanaco spatial ecology and sheep management are not considered. Our results provide insight into the interactions among guanacos, forests and livestock ranching, and may be used to reduce conflicts and guide conservation in the Fuegian ecosystem.
PERIOD OF INFECTIVITY OF PATIENTS WITH EXPERIMENTALLY INDUCED INFECTIOUS HEPATITIS

1. Serum and stools obtained in the pre-icteric phase of one patient, and pooled specimens of the same materials from 5 patients with experimentally induced (by feeding) infectious hepatitis produced the disease in 10 out of 15 human volunteers following feeding or parenteral inoculation. 2. Pooled specimens of urine and nasopharyngeal washings from 5 patients, obtained in the acute phase of infectious hepatitis when virus was proven to be in the stool and serum, were not demonstrably infectious when fed and given intranasally to 6 volunteers. 3. Serum obtained in the midincubation period of one patient with experimentally induced infectious hepatitis failed to produce apparent infection when inoculated parenterally into 3 human volunteers. This is in contrast to the situation in homologous serum jaundice in which "virus" has been demonstrated in the sera of volunteers during the incubation period. 4. Serum and stools obtained from one patient and pooled specimens of stools from 5 patients 25 to 31 days after onset of experimental infectious hepatitis failed to produce apparent infection in 10 human volunteers. 5. No appreciable difference was detected in length of incubation period following the parenteral administration of widely different amounts of the same strain of "virus."
Proteins: Affinity Tags

Specific interaction between a protein (or a protein domain) and a ligand allows the protein (or domain) to be linked to a recombinant protein as a fusion partner (affinity tag). This enables the recombinant protein to be purified by affinity chromatography even if it does not naturally have a specific ligand suitable for this process. Keywords: recombinant protein; purification; affinity tag
Multidetector CT of Blunt Traumatic Venous Injuries in the Chest, Abdomen, and Pelvis

Multidetector CT imaging of blunt traumatic venous injuries is reviewed, with emphasis on the various findings that allow the radiologist to correctly identify an acute venous injury.
Posterior distributions for rare events in multivariate categorical data

This study proposes a method to estimate the posterior distribution of multidimensional categorical data. This methodology enables Bayesian analysis of rare events by borrowing strength from a large database. Once the posterior distributions are profiled, further analysis can be performed and/or decisions made about importance of the occurrence of a particular rare event. For example, the occurrence of a rare event can signal an unusual or undesirable activity in a supply chain and lead to instability in vendors or suppliers and other chain components, possibly leading to the failure of the entire supply chain. Some supply chains are critical for a stable economy and national security, thus early and efficient detection of disruptions of these supply chains are essential.
Insights into the Molecular Mechanism of Rotation in the Fo Sector of ATP Synthase

F1Fo-ATP synthase is a ubiquitous membrane protein complex that efficiently converts a cell's transmembrane proton gradient into chemical energy stored as ATP. The protein is made of two molecular motors, Fo and F1, which are coupled by a central stalk. The membrane unit, Fo, converts the transmembrane electrochemical potential into mechanical rotation of a rotor in Fo and the physically connected central stalk. Based on available data of individual components, we have built an all-atom model of Fo and investigated through molecular dynamics simulations and mathematical modeling the mechanism of torque generation in Fo. The mechanism that emerged generates the torque at the interface of the a- and c-subunits of Fo through side groups aSer-206, aArg-210, and aAsn-214 of the a-subunit and side groups cAsp-61 of the c-subunits. The mechanism couples protonation/deprotonation of two cAsp-61 side groups, juxtaposed to the a-subunit at any moment in time, to rotations of individual c-subunit helices as well as rotation of the entire c-subunit. The aArg-210 side group orients the cAsp-61 side groups and, thereby, establishes proton transfer via aSer-206 and aAsn-214 to proton half-channels, while preventing direct proton transfer between the half-channels. A mathematical model proves the feasibility of torque generation by the stated mechanism against loads typical during ATP synthesis; the essential model characteristics, e.g., helix and subunit rotation and associated friction constants, have been tested and furnished by steered molecular dynamics simulations.
Probing the β2 Adrenoceptor Binding Site with Catechol Reveals Differences in Binding and Activation by Agonists and Partial Agonists

The β2 adrenergic receptor (β2AR) is a prototypical family A G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) and an excellent model system for studying the mechanism of GPCR activation. The β2AR agonist binding site is well characterized, and there is a wealth of structurally related ligands with functionally diverse properties. In the present study, we use catechol (1,2-benzenediol, a structural component of catecholamine agonists) as a molecular probe to identify mechanistic differences between β2AR activation by catecholamine agonists, such as isoproterenol, and by the structurally related non-catechol partial agonist salbutamol. Using biophysical and pharmacologic approaches, we show that the aromatic ring of salbutamol binds to a different site on the β2AR than the aromatic ring of catecholamines. This difference is important in receptor activation as it has been hypothesized that the aromatic ring of catecholamines plays a role in triggering receptor activation through interactions with a conserved cluster of aromatic residues in the sixth transmembrane segment by a rotamer toggle switch mechanism. Our experiments indicate that the aromatic ring of salbutamol does not activate this mechanism either directly or indirectly. Moreover, the non-catechol ring of partial agonists does not interact optimally with serine residues in the fifth transmembrane helix that have been shown to play an important role in activation by catecholamines. These results demonstrate unexpected differences in binding and activation by structurally similar agonists and partial agonists. Moreover, they provide evidence that activation of a GPCR is a multistep process that can be dissected into its component parts using agonist fragments.
The fate of the medically castrated testis: expectation versus reality.

ABSTRACTPurpose:: Cosmetic expectation has a major role in influencing patient choice between medical and surgical castration, and yet to our knowledge the fate of the medically castrated testis has never been accurately tested and documented in the literature. We determined the weight of testes in patients receiving medical castration and compared it to that in a control group receiving primary surgical castration.Materials and Methods:: We performed a retrospective analysis of 88 patients with prostate cancer who underwent bilateral simple orchiectomy with epididymal sparing. The study was done at Veterans Administration Medical Center, Atlanta, Georgia. All procedures were performed using local anesthesia in an outpatient clinical setting. Patients were divided into 2 groups, namely 52 receiving luteinizing hormone releasing hormone (LH-RH) agonist therapy prior to the procedure and 36 controls who were not. The weight of the testes was compared between the 2 groups.Results:: Median testicular weight s...
Nuclear quadrupole resonance spectra of drawing-induced crystallization in As2Se3 fibers

Abstract Pulsed 75As nuclear quadrupole resonance (NQR) experiments performed on fibers of As2Se3 drawn at various rates (> 100 m/min) reveal structural changes from the bulk, well-annealed glass. In addition to the presence of AsAs bonds in the nominally stoichiometric fibers, a distorted crystalline phase (
The Mind of Victorian Orthodoxy: Anglican Responses to ‘Essays and Reviews,’ 1860–1864

The composite volume entitled Essays and Reviews, published in 1860, became the center of one of the major religious controversies of Victorian England—a crisis of faith contemporary with that provoked by Darwin's Origin of Species but more central to the religious mind. Essays and Reviews was at once the culmination and the final act of the Broad Church movement. The volume itself was modest in its pretensions and varied in the character and quality of its seven essays. The first, by Frederick Temple, was a warmed-over sermon urging the free study of the Bible. Rowland Williams wrote a provocative essay on Bunsen, denying the predictive character of Old Testament prophecies. Baden Powell flatly denied the possibility of miracles. H. B. Wilson gave the widest possible latitude to subscription to the Thirty-nine Articles and questioned the eternity of damnation. C. W. Goodwin (the only layman among the Essayists) wrote a critique of the attempted “harmonies” between Genesis and geology. Mark Pattison wrote a learned and cold historical study of the evidential theologians of the eighteenth century (perhaps the only essay of lasting value). The volume was capped by Benjamin Jowett's tremendous though wayward essay “On the Interpretation of Scripture,” in which he urged that the Bible be read “like any other book” and made an impassioned plea for freedom of scholarship. Little of all this was original, though it was new to most Englishmen. It was not the cutting edge of biblical scholarship; rather, it was the last gasp of an outmoded Coleridgianism, contributing little except a demand that somebody—somebody else—engage in serious biblical criticism. But this work touched off a controversy which lasted four years and mobilized the resources of both church and state.
Iteratively constructing preconditioners via the conjugate gradient method

We consider the problem of solving a symmetric, positive definite system of linear equations.The most well-known and widely-used method for solving such systemsis the preconditioned Conjugate Gradient method.The performance of this method depends crucially on knowing a good preconditioner matrix.We show that the Conjugate Gradient method itself canproduce good preconditioners as a by-product. These preconditioners allow us to derive new asymptotic bounds on the timeto solve multiple related linear systems.
Predicting and monitoring response to chemotherapy by 1,3-bis(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea in subcutaneously implanted 9L glioma using the apparent diffusion coefficient of water and 23Na MRI.

Purpose To examine the effects of the alkylating anticancer drug 1,3-bis(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea (BCNU) on 23Na MRI and the water apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) in subcutaneously- (sc-) implanted 9L glioma in rats. Materials and Methods 23Na MRI and 1H water ADC measurements were performed on sham-treated control (N = 6) and BCNU-treated (N = 15) Fisher rats one day before BCNU injection and then one, three, and five days after BCNU injection. Results The BCNU-treated tumors were divided into BCNU-responsive (RBCNU) and BCNU-nonresponsive (NRBCNU) groups depending on the tumor volume changes that occurred after therapy. The pretreatment 23Na MRI signal intensity (SI) and water ADC values were higher in RBCNU tumors compared to NRBCNU tumors. 23Na MRI SI and water ADC increased with tumor growth in control and NRBCNU groups, but these changes were interrupted by BCNU therapy in RBCNU group. Conclusion 23Na MRI and water ADC measurements may be useful for predicting and monitoring response to chemotherapy in some tumors. However, the changes that occurred in 23Na MRI SI and water ADC in sc-implanted 9L tumors are in contrast to previously published results for BCNU therapy of orthotopic 9L tumors. This may have important implications for monitoring therapy response in tumors. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2006. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Spring wheat seed size and seeding rate affect wild oat demographics

Abstract Wild oat continues to reduce spring wheat yields and profits despite the wide spread use of herbicides. Further reductions in the occurrence of wild oat could be achieved with the development of competitive cropping systems. Field studies were conducted to investigate the effects of wheat seed size and seeding rate on wild oat demographic processes under a range of wild oat densities. Spring wheat competitiveness increased as seed size and seeding rate increased, significantly reducing wild oat biomass and seed production. Averaged across all other factors, spring wheat plants derived from large seed reduced wild oat panicle numbers 15% and biomass and seed production 25% compared with small seed. Increasing spring wheat seeding rate from 175 to 280 plants m−2 reduced the number of panicles 10% and wild oat biomass and seed production 20%. The combined effect of large seed plus increased seeding rate reduced wild oat biomass and seed production 45%. Results demonstrate that the use of large seed ...
Defining the Engaging Learning Experience from the Athletic Training Student Perspective

Context: Clinical experiences are an integral part of athletic training education and are where students gain the hands-on, practical knowledge and skills necessary to provide quality patient care ...
Klassifikation, Pathogenese und Verlauf der verschiedenen Typen des Diabetes mellitus

In den letzten zehn Jahren wurde klar herausgestellt, das der Diabetes mellitus nicht eine einzige Erkrankung ist, sondern das er aus einer heterogenen Gruppe von Storungen besteht, die durch eine Hyperglykamie und bei den meisten Patienten mit langdauernder Erkrankung durch chronische Krankheitskomplikationen charakterisiert sind. Die Heterogenitat schliest ein, das verschiedene genetische oder Umgebungsfaktoren an der Atiologie und Pathogenese beteiligt sind und in ahnliche klinische Storungen ausmunden. Zunachst sollen die Einteilung des primaren oder idiopathischen Diabetes mellitus sowie andere Formen, wie sie durch die nationale Diabetes-Erfassungsstelle der USA definiert worden sind, behandelt werden. Diese Einteilung wurde nun von der Weltgesundheitsorganisation ubernommen und etwas modifiziert.
Effect of a deposited coupling loop on the high-speed switching properties or a magnetic thin film

Future applications of magnetic thin films to computer circuitry will require the use of integrated deposited circuitry, which involves depositing magnetic films and associated electrical circuitry on the same substrate. It is verified that the extremely close coupling between a magnetic film and a surrounding deposited loop in this configuration results in 100% flux linkage with the loop. The dependence of the observed flux linkage of the deposited loop on the loop circuitry is studied; the effect of width, thickness, and separation of deposited loop conductors on high-speed film switching is investigated; and the relative importance of circulating loop currents and eddy currents in the conductor materials in slowing film switching is evaluated.
Caste, Class, and Minority

tionial membership, which involve relationships of a more generalized or impersonal variety and which emphasize to a somewhat greater degree the actual display of status. It will be remembered that it was these particular pairs of variables which were positively interrelated. An emphasis on proper behavior may involve both interpersonal relations and more secondary relationships, thus accounting for the fact that this dimension was highly related to three of these other dimensions and weakly related to the fourth. If subsequent research shows the same patterns as those found in this study, this third type of explanation would seem to be the most valid. The present exploratory study has obviously raised many more questions than have been answered. It is hoped, however, that results will be suggestive for further research. Once the various dimensions of status consciousness have been refined anid data collected on other populations, we will be in a much better position to develop specific theories accounting for the interrelationships among the different kinds of attitudes concerning social status.
End-Tidal Carbon Dioxide Measurement during Pediatric Polysomnography: Signal Quality, Association with Apnea Severity, and Prediction of Neurobehavioral Outcomes

Study objectives To identify the role of end-tidal carbon dioxide (EtCO2) monitoring during polysomnography in evaluation of children with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS), including the correlation of EtCO2 with other measures of OSAS and prediction of changes in cognition and behavior after adenotonsillectomy. Design Analysis of screening and endpoint data from the Childhood Adenotonsillectomy Trial, a randomized, controlled, multicenter study comparing early adenotonsillectomy (eAT) to watchful waiting/supportive care (WWSC) in children with OSAS. Setting Multisite clinical referral settings. Participants Children, ages 5.0 to 9.9 y with suspected sleep apnea. Interventions eAT or WWSC. Measurements and results Quality EtCO2 waveforms were present for ≥ 75% of total sleep time (TST) in 876 of 960 (91.3%) screening polysomnograms. Among the 322 children who were randomized, 55 (17%) met pediatric criteria for hypoventilation. The mean TST with EtCO2 > 50 mmHg was modestly correlated with apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) (r = 0.33; P 50 mmHg was higher in African American children than others. The TST with EtCO2 > 50 mmHg decreased significantly more after eAT than WWSC. In adjusted analyses, baseline TST with EtCO2 > 50 mmHg did not predict postoperative changes in cognitive and behavioral measurements. Conclusions Among children with suspected obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, overnight end-tidal carbon dioxide (EtCO2) levels are weakly to modestly correlated with other polysomnographic indices and therefore provide independent information on hypoventilation. EtCO2 levels improve with adenotonsillectomy but are not as responsive as AHI and do not provide independent prediction of cognitive or behavioral response to surgery. Clinical trial registration Childhood Adenotonsillectomy Study for Children with OSAS (CHAT). ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier #NCT00560859.
Quality Control of Determination of Anions in Water by Ion Chromatography

[Objective]To eliminate and reduce the error of the ion chromatography method for determination of anion,and guarantee the accuracy of the measurement results and comparability. [Methods]The methods was based on the detection through the inhibited type electric conductivity detector under the condition of eluent with 1.7 mmol/L NaHCO3 and 1.8 mmol/L Na2CO3 as mobile phase and flow rate 1.0ml/min,filtering through the 0.45 μm membrane filter by using of the Metrosep A SUPP 4(4.0×250 mm) Anionic chromatography column. [Results]This method had a good relativity(r=O.999 7),and the Cl-curve showed good linearity in the range of 5.0-100 mg/L.The recoveries was between 98.4%~101%,RSDwas between 0.000 9%～0.002 9%,and the correlation coefficient was greater than 0.999 by analyzing the F-,Cl-,NO-3 and SO42-in water,and the detection method had good accuracy and precision. [Conclusion]After the implementation of the comprehensive and effective quality control measures,Cl shows satisfactory results,during the actual work application,the distribution of anion dynamic in rural drinking water can be monitored well.