cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Functional analysis of (4S)-limonene synthase mutants reveals determinants of catalytic outcome in a model monoterpene synthase

Crystal structural data for (4S)-limonene synthase [(4S)-LS] of spearmint (Mentha spicata L.) were used to infer which amino acid residues are in close proximity to the substrate and carbocation intermediates of the enzymatic reaction. Alanine-scanning mutagenesis of 48 amino acids combined with enzyme fidelity analysis [percentage of (−)-limonene produced] indicated which residues are most likely to constitute the active site. Mutation of residues W324 and H579 caused a significant drop in enzyme activity and formation of products (myrcene, linalool, and terpineol) characteristic of a premature termination of the reaction. A double mutant (W324A/H579A) had no detectable enzyme activity, indicating that either substrate binding or the terminating reaction was impaired. Exchanges to other aromatic residues (W324H, W324F, W324Y, H579F, H579Y, and H579W) resulted in enzyme catalysts with significantly reduced activity. Sequence comparisons across the angiosperm lineage provided evidence that W324 is a conserved residue, whereas the position equivalent to H579 is occupied by aromatic residues (H, F, or Y). These results are consistent with a critical role of W324 and H579 in the stabilization of carbocation intermediates. The potential of these residues to serve as the catalytic base facilitating the terminal deprotonation reaction is discussed.
Mild intraischemic hypothermia suppresses consumption of endogenous antioxidants after temporary focal ischemia in rats.

Abstract Oxidative damage by free radicals has been proposed as a mechanism of cerebral injury due to ischemia and reperfusion. Hypothermia protects against ischemic necrosis; however, its effect on oxidative stress has not been investigated. In this study, the effects of hypothermia on oxidative stress were studied by determining consumption of endogenous antioxidants after temporary focal ischemia in rats. Thirty-two Sprague-Dawley rats anesthetized with 1.5% isoflurane underwent 3 h of middle cerebral artery occlusion under hypothermic (33°C) or normothermic (37°C) conditions followed by 3 h of normothermic reperfusion. In the first study ( n = 8per group ), intraischemic hypothermia suppressed the reduction of tissue concentrations of endogenous antioxidants, ascorbate ( P≤ 0.05 ), and glutathione ( P≤ 0.05 ) in ischemic cortex but not in caudoputamen. In a parallel study ( n = 8per group ), hypothermia reduced tissue damage in ischemic frontoparietal cortex ( P ≤ 0.05 ), but not in caudoputamen. Laser-Doppler estimates of cortical blood flow showed that intraischemic hypothermia significantly attenuated early postischemic hyperperfusion ( P ≤ 0.01 ) and delayed postischemic hypoperfusion ( P ≤ 0.01 ). These results demonstrate that intraischemic mild hypothermia reduces oxidative stress and cell injury after prolonged focal ischemia followed by reperfusion. The reduction of oxidative stress by hypothermia may be related indirectly to attenuation of postischemic blood flow changes.
Analogies between respiration and a light-driven proton pump as sources of energy for active glutamate transport in Halobacterium halobium

Halobacterium halobium is known to contain sheets of bacteriorhodopsin, a pigment which upon exposure to light undergoes cyclic protonation and deprotonation, resulting in net H(+) translocation. In this paper, experiments were conducted to test H. halobium cell envelope vesicles for respiration-induced glutamate uptake. It is shown that glutamate transport in H. halobium cell envelope vesicles can occur as a result of respiration, as well as light acting on bacteriorhodopsin. Glutamate transport can be energized by the oxidation of dimethyl phenylenediamine, and the properties of the transport system are entirely analogous to those observed with illumination as the source of energy. In the case of respiration-dependent glutamate transport, the transportation is also driven by a Na(+) gradient, thereby confirming the existence of a single glutamate transport system independent of the source of energy. The analogy observed is indirect evidence that the cytochrome oxidase of H. halobium functions as a H(+) pump.
Infant stimulation of maternal instruction

This study investigated the extent to which the speech of mothers was stimulated and modified by their year-old infants' behavior. Of the 2502 utterances of 15 mothers, recorded in a 15-min session in the laboratory, 70% occurred within 2 sec of six preselected exploratory and social behaviors of the infants. Furthermore, the mothers used different categories of speech in response to the different behaviors. Inspection also showed that their speech provided the infants considerable information about the environment. In summary, the mothers' speech was not only adjusted to the varying activities of their infants but by its informative nature provided the infants useful connections between act and words.
Swelling Kinetics of Polymer Gels

The kinetics of gel swelling is theoretically analyzed by considering coupled motions of both the solvent and the polymer network. This model avoids the two process approach of Li and Tanaka, in which the solvent motion is indirectly considered. Analytical solutions of solvent and network movement are found from the collective diffusion equations for a long cylindrical and a large disk gel. For a cylindrical gel, the speed of solvent motion is proportional to −r/(2a) along the radial direction and z/a along the axial direction, respectively. Here r and z represent radial and axial coordinates, respectively, and a is the radius of the cylinder. The flow diagram of the solvent is obtained. It is also found that the solvent motion can be independently derived from Li−Tanaka's isotropy and continuity conditions without solving the collective diffusion equations. The swelling behavior is obtained at the gel boundary and also in the interior of the gel.
Alkalinity titration in seawater: How accurately can the data be fitted by an equilibrium model?

Abstract Displaying “calculated minus observed” data for precise titrations of seawater with strong acid permits direct evaluation of important parameters and detection of systematic errors. At least two data sets from the GEOSECS (Geochemical Ocean Sections) program fit an equilibrium model (which includes carbonate, borate, sulfate, silicate, fluoride, and phosphate) within the most stringent experimental error, less than 2 μmol kg−1. The effect of various parameters on the fit of calculated to observed values depends strongly on pH. Although standard potential E0, total alkalinity At, total carbonate Ct, and first acidity constant of carbon dioxide pK1 are nearly independent, and can be determined for each data set, other parameters are strongly correlated. Within such groups, all but one parameter must be determined from data other than the titration curve. Adding an acid-base pair to the theoretical model (e.g. Cx=20 μmol kg−1, pKx=6.2) produces a deviation approaching 20 μmol kg−1 at constant Ct; however, adjustment of Ct by about −18 μmol kg−1 to produce a good fit leaves only ± 1.5 μmol kg−1 residual deviation from the reference values. Thus, at current standards of precision, an unidentified weak acid cannot be distinguished from carbonate purely on the basis of the titration curve shape. There are few full sets of numerical data published, and most show larger systematic errors (3–12 μmol l−1) than the above; one well-defined source is experiments performed in unsealed vessels. Total carbonate can be explicitly obtained as a function of pH by a rearrangement of the titration curve equation; this can reveal a systematic decrease in Ct in the pH range 5–6, as a result of CO2 gas loss from the titration vessel. Attempts to compensate for this by adjustment of At, Ct, or pK1 produce deviations which mimic those produced by an additional acid-base pair. Changing from the free H+ scale (for which [HSO4−] and [HF] are explicit terms in the alkalinity) to the seawater scale (SWS) (where those terms are part of a constant factor multiplying [H+]) requires modification of the titration curve equation as well as adjustment of acidity constants. Even with this change, however, omission of pH-dependent terms in [HSO4−] and [HF] produces small systematic errors at low pH. Shifts in liquid junction potential also introduce small systematic errors, but are significant only at pH
Effects of adaptive predatory and anti-predator behaviour in a two-prey—one-predator system

Two prey populations that share a common predator can interact indirectly by causing changes in the predator's foraging behaviour. Previous work suggests that adaptive choice of prey by the predator usually has two related consequences: (i) the predation rate on a particular prey species increases with the relative and/or absolute abundance of that prey; and (ii) increases in either prey population produce a short-term increase in the fitness of the other prey (short-term indirect mutualism between prey). This paper investigates how these two consequences are changed if the prey exhibit adaptive anti-predator behaviour. In this case, the predation rate on a particular prey often decreases as the prey's density increases. The predator then usually exhibits ‘negative switching’ between prey. However, the presence of adaptive antipredator behaviour does not change the short-term mutualism between prey. In this case, as a prey becomes less common, it achieves a larger growth rate by reducing its anti-predator effort. These results imply that observations of the relationship between prey density and predation rate cannot be used to infer the nature of the behavioural indirect effect between prey that share a predator.
Maternal ‘imprinting’ or maternal ‘labelling’ in goats?

Abstract The present study on maternal ‘imprinting’ in goats initially failed to replicate previous findings that mothers discriminate between their own and alien young, accepting their own kid and rejecting alien kids. Rather, 62% of the mothers accepted both their own and alien kid. This disparity was not due to breed differences, age, or behaviour of the aliens but to length of time the alien kids had been with their own mother. When behaviour was eliminated through anaesthesia or left intact, older aliens that had had no contact with their mother were accepted by other mothers, while those aliens with more than 8 h of contact with their own mothers were rejected (whether anaesthetized or not) by other mothers. Maternal ‘imprinting’ in goats may take longer than previously reported, and mothers may ‘label’ their kids and learn to recognize the labels.
THE EFFECTS OF IOHEXOL ADMINISTRATION ON TECHNETIUM THYROID SCINTIGRAPHY IN NORMAL CATS

Administration of iodinated contrast medium interferes with iodide uptake in the human thyroid gland and compromises diagnostic thyroid scintigraphy and radioiodine treatment for 4-6 weeks. However, the degree and duration of inhibition of thyroid uptake of pertechnetate (99mTcO4-) by iodinated contrast medium has not been established in any species. The main objective of this study was to better understand the temporal characteristics and magnitude of inhibition of feline thyroid uptake of 99mTcO4- due to iohexol administration. Routine thyroid scintigraphy was performed in eight cats by intravenous (IV) injection of 185 MBq (5 mCi) of 99mTcO4- both 4 days before and 0, 1, 3, 7, 14, and 28 days after IV administration of 880 mg I/kg iohexol (240 mg I/ml). Thyroid scintigraphy data were used to calculate thyroid:salivary gland ratios (T:S) and the percentage of total injected 99mTcO4- dose uptake within the thyroid (%TU) at 20 min postinjection. After iohexol administration, mean T:S was significantly decreased below baseline only on day 1. At no point during the study did any cat have a T:S that fell below the published normal reference range of 0.71 +/- 0.14. There was a significant decrease in %TU on day 1, 3, and 14; however, at no point during the study, did any cat have a %TU that fell below the published normal reference ranges of 0.64 +/- 0.57, 0.68 +/- 0.9, or 0.75 +/- 1.38.
Single-stranded regions in DNA of old mice.

INVESTIGATIONS have shown that senescence is accompanied by molecular changes in the structure of the eukaryotic genome. Some of these changes have been reported to result in the loss of some genetic material in the brain cells of ageing beagles1. Furthermore, the molecular weight of rat liver DNA decreases as a function of senescence2. If such changes occurred on a large scale, the resulting genetic damage could affect severely some of the crucial gene functions of an organism. We are studying the physical state of the DNA of senescing mice, and report here the accumulation of an increasing amount of single-stranded regions in the DNA with age.
Charles Dickens and the Cat Paw Letter Opener

This article explores the sensory expectations around Victorian taxidermy, beginning with Charles Dickens’s letter opener made from the paw of his favourite cat and moving to a discussion of Our Mutual Friend. I suggest that in a mid-Victorian moment in which work and laziness are polarized as the available moral, economic, and social categories, a desire for stillness, a space that is neither work nor laziness, exists in the encounter with taxidermied animals. The taxidermied animal allows energy and stillness to coexist.
Regulation of the 3’ UTR in BDNF mRNA at the DNA Level

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is part of the neurotrophic family of genes that encodes for proteins that are known to promote survival of neurons in the peripheral and central nervous systems. The expression of the BDNF gene results in the production of two mRNAs with different lengths, one with a short 3’ untranslated region (UTR) and the second with a long 3’ -UTR, which are believed to serve different functionalities. The ratio of long to short 3’ -UTR in BDNF mRNA changes in different regions of the brain. The long 3’ -UTR mRNA is found in both dendrites and soma, whereas the short 3’ -UTR is only found in the soma, implying that the BDNF mRNA with the long 3’ -UTR is involved in maintaining the neuroplasticity of the brain. Thus, the regulation of the BDNF 3’ -UTR length is important, and it may be achieved at the DNA level, at the mRNA level or both. In this study we are investigating the potential of a 20 nucleotide DNA sequence located in the BDNF gene to adopt non-canonical G quadruplex and i-motif structures that might be involved in regulating the production of long versus short length BDNF mRNA 3′-UTR.
Perimetry and the Error of Anticipation

Su?nnzary.-The effects of the constant errors, anticipation and habituation, on measurement of visual fields war, investigated in 79 Ss. Visual fields were measured using 8 arc positions on a radius perimeter. On all arc positions, especially in rhe inferior arc positions, the peripheral threshold means, based on inward movement of the stimulus object, were larger (indicative of a larger field) than those based on outward movements. Peripheral threshold measurement, as conducted in this study, was seen to possess high reliability. In clinical perimetry, approximate values are only spoken of with respect to the size of the normal visual field. This is because there are so many factors which influence measurement of visual fields, e.g., lack of uniformicy regarding apparatus, methodology, illumination, isopters, and facial contours, to mention a few. However, it has been suggested that, for the values given for the nor7nal visual isopters, ". . . there is surprisingly close agreement among investigators when one considers the difficulty involved in establishing such standards for a subjective examination" (Harrington, 1956, p. 100). Textbooks of modern clinical quantitative perimetry suggest, as a routine methodological procedure, that each isopter (an isopter is the contin~ious line which represents the peripheral extent of the visual field for a particular visual angle) be plotted in the same fashion. The stimulus object is moved from outside the visual field toward the area of fixation. S (or patient) is instructed to signal as soon as the stimulus comes into view (cf. Harrington, 1956; Hughes, 1954). This type of systematic manipulation of stimuli is quite similar to one of the traditional procedures used in psychophysics and is referred to by various names: method of least noticeable stimuli, method of limits, method of minimal changes, and method of serial exploration. Such procedures involve presentation of stimuli involving ascending and descending series; each series is carried far enough to locate the transition point or threshold from one to another response category. With such serial exploration procedures, errors of anticipation and habituation are expected to be confounded into the calculation of threshold values. It is expected that the alternate ascending and descending series will average out these constant errors when they are present. The purpose of the present investigation was to examine the possible influ- ~p
Especial considerations for neurotoxicological research.

(1985). Especial considerations for neurotoxicological research. CRC Critical Reviews in Toxicology: Vol. 14, No. 4, pp. 381-402.
A taste for practices: Unrepressing style in design thinking

The current vogue for design in management discourses results in abstractions of the design process that repress the role of aesthetic judgments. This paper offers an explanation as to why design-as-styling is being neglected or concealed, and then explains what is at stake. It theorizes that a key aspect of the agency of designing, as the creation of artifacts to facilitate activities, lies in this taste literacy of designers. The framework for the argument of this paper is Pierre Bourdieu’s notion of ‘habitus’ and the notion of ‘style’ as proposed by Fernando Flores and his coauthors. The paper argues that designers are hermeneutists of proximal taste regimes, for the possibilities of new styles of action.
Structure-photodegradation of 4-thiomethyl-N-methylphenylcarbamate

Abstract 4-Thiomethyl-N-methylphenylcarbamate was prepared, and Huckel Molecular Orbita(HMO) calculations were carried out for both the ground state and its excited state phenoxy radical. Pi-bond orders and charge densities obtained from the HMO calculations were successfully used to predict the major photodegradation products of the photolysis of this compound in ethanol. Photodegradation products were characterized to be 4-thiomethylphenol and 3-N-methylamide-4-hydroxythioanisole. Also, the rate of photodegradation of the carbamate was determined to be first order, with an average half-life ( t 1 2 ) of 8.3 hours.
Response of a Focused Transducer Facing a Rigid Reflector

The diffraction correction factor for a transducer first acting as a transmitter and then receiving the signal reflected off a rigid plane is useful in determining the system transfer function of a pulse‐echo system. The determination of the diffraction correction factor is well understood for flat disk transducers, but is more complex for focused transducers. Recently, a method was derived [Chen et al., ‘‘Acoustic coupling from a focused transducer to a flat plate and back to the transducer,’’ J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 95, 3049–3054 (1994)] for approximating the diffraction correction factor of a cylindrically focused transducer for the case when the rigid plane is close to the focal plane of the transducer. In this work, results are presented for cases when the rigid plane is not close to the focal plane of the reflector.
Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Gene Polymorphism in Systemic Hypertension

We determined the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) insertion/deletion genotype in 209 hypertensive individuals and in 100 matched normotensive controls. A significant association was detected between hypertension and the deletion/deletion (D/D) genotype of the ACE gene when the relation was adjusted for age, sex, and body mass index.
Low voltage micro-phasor measurement unit (μPMU)

Phasor measurement units (PMUs) installed in the power grid are currently positioned mainly on the transmission system or in substations. A PMU creating real-time synchrophasor data from the consumer voltage level, called μPMUs, could provide new insight into modern power systems. These units can be created more cheaply, an order of magnitude less, than current commercial PMUs. For this reason, many more PMUs could be deployed and provide a much higher resolution of the distribution grid. There are many new applications for such a visible grid in post-mortem event analysis and identification, as well as near real-time monitoring. This paper describes the hardware limitations impact on developing an accurate synchrophasor along with considerations for μPMUs placement within the distribution grid.
Lactate and acid base as a hemodynamic monitor and markers of cellular perfusion.

Background:The intra- and postoperative monitoring of lactate and acid-base has been advocated in pediatric cardiac critical care as surrogate markers of cardiac output, oxygen delivery, and cellular perfusion. Many clinicians use lactate and base excess routinely as markers of tissue perfusion and
ITS detector testbed system design and implementation

Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), implemented all over the world, has become an important and practical traffic management technique. Among all ITS subsystems, the detection system plays an integral element that provides all the necessary environmental information to the ITS infrastructure. This paper describes the ITS Detector testbed design, currently being implemented with these potential ITS applications on the State Highway 6 in College Station, Texas to provide a multi-sensor, multi-source fusion environment that utilizes both multi-sensor and distributed sensor system testing environment.
Hybrid Wireless Harness for Low Mass Vehicular Applications

To reduce vehicular mass, Bluetooth-compliant wireless signals are used to replace electrical signal wires in the interconnection of automobile components and modules. A hybrid concept, consisting of wired "clusters" of automobile components and wireless inter-cluster connections, is used. Initial implementation used switches and lamps to simulate automotive sensors and transducers. Current prototype uses dash panel, rear lamp, and other sutomobile assemblies to replace the switches and lamps. Ongoing work include a re-structuring of the software to function as a layer under a Controller Area Network (CAN) so as to provide a transparent migration of existing CAN applications to run on a wireless layer. Computer models are also being developed to provide extensive studies of the performance, reliability, and security implications of such automotive wireless applications. Additionally there are plans to replace Bluetooth signals (IEEE 802.15.1) with Ultra Wideband signals (IEEE 802.15.3).
A study of the veil cells around normal, diabetic, and aged cutaneous microvessels

The veil cells around normal, diabetic, and aged vessels were reconstructed in 3 dimensions by a computer graphics system from 120–140 serial ultrathin sections. The normal vessel was surrounded by a single layer of veil cells which had a wrinkled and pleated surface. The diabetic vessels were surrounded by 3–6 layers of cellular material produced by increased numbers of veil cells and their associated cytoplasmic sheets. The veil cells around aged vessels appeared to have the same length as young and diabetic veil cells but were underdeveloped in their lateral extensions so that they did not cover the vessel circumferentially as well as did the normal veil cells. Preliminary data suggest that young, diabetic, and aged veil cells have the same metabolic activity per unit area of cytoplasm and are of the same length. The abnormal thickness or thinness of the vascular wall of dermal microvessels appears to be related to the degree of development and numbers of veil cells around the vessels rather than any change in their basic metabolic activity from normal.
Interactions between Unsaturated-Polymer Adsorbed Surfaces

We use the scaling theory of polymer adsorption from a semidilute solution (in good solvents), introduced by de Gennes, to study the effects of incomplete saturation on the interactions between polymer-coated surfaces. In contrast to interactions between saturated surfaces which are always repulsive, we find that any surface excess lower than the one corresponding to thermodynamic equilibrium yields attractive long-distance interactions; we obtain a new set of exponents characterizing this behavior. Our findings are in qualitative agreement with the available experimental results.
How Theory and Research Inform Citizen Participation in Poor Communities: The Ecological Perspective and Theories on Self- and Collective Efficacy and Sense of Community

The engagement of residents in poor, disadvantaged communities has been a focus of social work practice since the early part of the twentieth century. In the person:environment configuration, a renewed appreciation is building for community-level factors in human behavior and functioning. Poor neighborhoods are transactional settings that can negatively impact human behavior and development. However, active citizen participation can positively impact neighborhoods, including strengthening residents' individual and collective capacities and relationships. This article uses the ecological perspective to examine the neighborhood as a transactional setting that influences individual and collective behavior and outcomes and citizen participation as vehicle for improving outcomes for residents living in poor communities. The article also discusses theory and research on self- and collective efficacy and sense of community to understand the motivation for and benefits of citizen participation. Implications for s...
Theory for the Giant Susceptibilities of Dilute Magnetic Alloys

Abstract : A theory is presented for the complex spin ordering in dilute mangetic alloys which explains the anomalously giant susceptibilities recently observed for dilute La-Rare Earth alloys and for various other dilute magnetic alloys. It is shown that very small magnetic fields can reduce drastically the giant susceptibilities. (Author)
Improved method for determination of salt in oysters by direct titration of chloride ion.

Determination of salt in oysters by direct titration of the chloride ion, using 0.171N silver nitrate and dichlorofluorescein as an indicator, was compared to the AOAC back titration procedure. The direct titration method was easier to perform and far more rapid than the AOAC procedure and could be done in-plant. No significant differences were observed between the methods; however, the direct titration method was more reproducible at salt concentrations of less than 0.5%. The standard deviations were much greater for the AOAC procedure at low salt concentrations but were similar at higher salt concentrations.
A study of spatial variability of domoic acid in razor clams: recommendations for resource management on the Washington coast

Abstract Domoic acid (DA) levels in Washington State razor clams (Siliqua patula) have been extremely variable and unpredictable, resulting in emergency closures of harvest areas in 1991, 1998, and 1999. Information concerning toxin variability relative to sampling location is important in developing a more reliable plan for managing DA outbreaks. In November 1998, record levels of DA in razor clams (up to 295 ppm) were reported at Kalaloch beach, Washington. A razor clam resource survey conducted there during the summer of 1999, along with the long retention time of DA in the clams, permitted a study of DA levels as a function of tidal elevation and north-south beach location. During the summer low tides (28–31 July 1999) razor clams were collected from six east-west transects, approximately 1.6 km apart. Each clam was individually analyzed for DA to determine the distribution of toxin between (interspecific variability) and within (intraspecific variability) transects. While average DA levels were similar between transects, toxin levels varied substantially among individual clams. The coefficient of variation among all samples (n=445) was 122%, indicating that harvest closures based upon composite analyses of only six clams could be in error. Here we recommend a sampling strategy of razor clams for regulatory purposes that will result in DA measurements more representative of total population toxin values.
Design of phase gratings by generalized projections

We address the problem of designing phase gratings that generate prescribed light intensities in the far field. The method of generalized projections is used to find a solution consistent with prior constraints and available data. While the method of generalized projections is known to converge to erroneous solutions occasionally, such solutions were not observed in this problem.
Plastic bodies in a plastic world: multi-disciplinary approaches to study endocrine disrupting chemicals

Abstract In the 1950's and 60's, there was significant development of synthetic materials for use in consumer products. Plastics of all kinds were produced and have since been incorporated into countless materials. Producers of these chemicals and materials have assumed that they would not have effects on humans or wildlife if exposures remained low. Yet evidence from field studies, controlled laboratory animal experiments and epidemiology has challenged this assumption. Many compounds used in plastics have been characterized as endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), chemicals that interfere with the proper functioning of the endocrine system. EDCs present new challenges to both the industries that produce chemicals and manufacture consumer products, as well as the agencies that are tasked to protect public health. This review will address the issue of developmental plasticity – the concept that developing organisms can adapt to various environmental insults to allow the individual to survive. Studies of EDCs have revealed that developing organisms have tremendous capacity to adapt, but not without significant costs to the individual. We will also address recent efforts by environmental health scientists and green chemists to work collaboratively to solve some of the biggest problems in the field of endocrine disruption. We argue that the use of 21st Century tools and sustainability frameworks will help to avoid ‘regrettable replacements’ and provide society with workable solutions to the issue of endocrine disruption. Further, we conclude that a truly sustainable future demands that exposures to EDCs should be eliminated whenever possible.
Cardiovascular effects of dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Cardiovascular (CV) disease is the leading cause of mortality and morbidity in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, improving glycaemic control alone has not decreased CV events. Therapies that improve glycaemic control, CV disease risk factors and CV function are more likely to be successful. Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors prevent breakdown of incretin hormones glucagon-like peptide-1(GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide and improve glycaemic control in patients with T2DM. DPP-4 acts on other substrates, many associated with cardioprotection. Thus, inhibition of DPP-4 may lead to elevations in these potentially beneficial substrates. Data from animal studies and small observational studies in humans suggest that DPP-4 inhibitors may potentially reduce CV risk. However, recently completed CV outcome trials in patients with T2DM and CV disease or at high risk of adverse CV events have shown that the DPP-4 inhibitors saxagliptin and alogliptin neither increased n...
Rate Constants for the Gas-Phase Reactions of Ozone with Isoprene, α- and β-Pinene, and Limonene as a Function of Temperature

The rate constants for the gas-phase reactions of ozone with the biogenic hydrocarbons isoprene, α- and β-pinene, and limonene were measured using the relative rate technique over the temperature range 242−363 K and at 760 Torr total pressure. Helium was the diluent gas, and the reactants were detected by on-line mass spectrometry. The following Arrhenius expressions have been determined for these reactions (in units of cm3 molecule-1s-1): isoprene, ( ) × 10-15 exp[−(1998 ± 63)/T]; α-pinene, ( ) × 10-15 exp[−(530 ± 150)/T]; β-pinene, ( ) × 10-15 exp[−(1297 ± 75)/T]; and limonene, ( ) × 10-15 exp[−(783 ± 72)/T]. The Arrhenius parameters determined here for the reactions of ozone with β-pinene and limonene are the first to be reported.
Homomorphism preservation theorems

The homomorphism preservation theorem (h.p.t.), a result in classical model theory, states that a first-order formula is preserved under homomorphisms on all structures (finite and infinite) if and only if it is equivalent to an existential-positive formula. Answering a long-standing question in finite model theory, we prove that the h.p.t. remains valid when restricted to finite structures (unlike many other classical preservation theorems, including the Los--Tarski theorem and Lyndon's positivity theorem). Applications of this result extend to constraint satisfaction problems and to database theory via a correspondence between existential-positive formulas and unions of conjunctive queries. A further result of this article strengthens the classical h.p.t.: we show that a first-order formula is preserved under homomorphisms on all structures if and only if it is equivalent to an existential-positive formula of equal quantifier-rank.
"Eating-together" mealtimes with African-American fathers and their toddlers

Abstract The prevalence of obesity is increasing at an alarming rate in African-American children. Fathers influence mealtime behaviors but are often overlooked in nutrition education. A sample of six African-American fathers of toddlers participated in a focus group to describe mealtime behaviors with their toddlers. The focus group was audiotaped and transcribed verbatim. Five thematic categories were identified: mealtime rituals and routines, division of responsibility, family constellation, nutritional knowledge, and tension during mealtimes. Fathers expressed frustration with the toddler's “picky-eater” developmental stage. Fathers need to be included in nutrition education that promotes healthy mealtime habits with their toddlers.
Xylanase and cellulase production by Acidothermus cellulolyticus grown on switchgrass in solid-state fermentation.

Background: The thermotolerance of Acidothermus cellulolyticus and its wide range of secreted enzymes make this bacterium a promising candidate for industrial biotechnology. Identifying solid-fermentation management strategies to promote the growth of A. cellulolyticus and consequently increase its enzyme generation have not previously been investigated. Results: The addition of nitrogen and buffer did not significantly affect the respiration rate and enzyme activity yield from extracted solids. However, the presence of phenolic monomers reduced A. cellulolyticus growth and enzyme activity yield. Diafiltration of extracts and intermediate leaching were effective approaches for removing the inhibitors and increasing enzyme activity. Conclusions: Enzyme production during solid-state fermentation of A. cellulolyticus, although promising, was negatively affected by phenolic monomers present in switchgrass, which probably masked the effects of other variables tested.
Partial oxidation of propene on oxygen-covered Au(111).

Partial oxidation of propene is promoted by Au following deposition of atomic oxygen (0.3 ML) via O 3 decomposition on Au(111) at 200 K. Several partial oxidation products-acrolein, acrylic acid, and carbon suboxide (O=C=C=C=O)-are produced in competition with combustion to CO 2 and H 2 O. Acrolein is the primary partial oxidation product, and it is further oxidized to the other products by excess oxygen. We propose that acrolein is derived from allyloxy intermediate that is formed via insertion of oxygen into the allylic C-H bond. While no propene epoxide formation is detected from oxidation of C 3 H 6 , a small amount of epoxidation is observed during reaction of C 3 D 6 and CD 3 CH=CH 2 . These results are strong indications that small changes in the energy required for allylic C-H activation, in this case due to a kinetic isotope effect, may dramatically change the selectivity; thus, small modifications of the properties of oxygen on Au may lead to the more desirable epoxidation process. Our results are discussed in the context of the origin of activity of Au-based catalysts.
Prediction of Critical Micelle Concentrations of Nonideal Ternary Surfactant Mixtures

We present a method for predicting critical micelle concentrations (cmc's) of nonideal ternary surfactant mixtures based on the use of a molecular-thermodynamic theory to predict regular solution theory β interaction parameters for the component surfactant pairs. The ternary mixture cmc predictions, which are generated using experimental data only for the single surfactant cmc's, compare well with experimentally measured mixture cmc values for several ternary surfactant mixtures. The molecular-thermodynamic theory used to predict the β parameters is based on evaluating free-energy contributions to mixed micelle formation, and uses the molecular structures of the surfactants and the solution conditions as inputs. We also present a detailed derivation of the expression for the mixture cmc of ternary surfactant mixtures, comparing the pseudophase separation approximation for mixed micelles with the molecular-thermodynamic theory for mixed micelles. We show that if (i) the mixed micelle aggregation number is ...
Positive Attributes of Never-Married Single Mothers and Fathers: Why Gender Matters and Applications for Family Therapists

Utilizing a feminist framework, this study examined societal perceptions of strengths of never-married custodial single mothers and fathers. Qualitative responses were gathered from 873 participants. The results of the thematic analysis suggested that the positive attributes that participants assign to never-married single mothers and fathers appeared to be more strongly influenced by gender than by single parent status. The results further suggested that participants’ level of expectations was much lower for single fathers when compared with single mothers and that, overall, single mothers were held to a higher standard by participants. These findings have significant clinical implications for family therapists.
Possible role for calmodulin in calcium paradox-induced heart failure

Several phenothiazines were found to provide significant protection against loss of tissue creatine phosphokinase caused by the calcium paradox. The concentration of phenothiazine required for protection lies within the range generally attributable to their calmodulin inhibition properties. Moreover, the order of effectiveness in protecting the calcium overloaded myocardium is consistent with their potency as calmodulin inhibitors (trifluoperazine greater than chloropromazine greater than promethazine). The most potent calmodulin inhibitor was shown to dramatically reduce the amount of creatine phosphokinase loss from calcium depleted hearts exposed to buffer containing calcium under anoxic conditions. On the other hand, the drug failed to alter the oxygen-dependent component of the calcium paradox. It also failed to prevent the proteolytic conversion of xanthine dehydrogenase to xanthine oxidase. The possibility that calmodulin activation promotes cellular damage by activating either directly or indirectly specific membrane cellular phospholipases is discussed. Also discussed is the hypothesis that oxygen-dependent damage may be linked to the generation of superoxide anion by the enzyme xanthine oxidase.
Impact of chlorine disinfectants on dissolution of the lead corrosion product PbO2.

Plattnerite (β-PbO2) is a corrosion product that develops on lead pipes that have been in contact with free chlorine present as a residual disinfectant. The reductive dissolution of PbO2 can cause elevated lead concentrations in tap water when the residual disinfectant is switched from free chlorine to monochloramine. The objectives of this study were to quantify plattnerite dissolution rates in the presence of chlorine disinfectants, gain insights into dissolution mechanisms, and measure plattnerite’s equilibrium solubility in the presence of free chlorine. The effects of free chlorine and monochloramine on the dissolution rates of plattnerite were quantified in completely mixed continuous-flow reactors at relevant pH and dissolved inorganic carbon conditions. Plattnerite dissolution rates decreased in the following order: no disinfectant > monochloramine > chlorine, which was consistent with the trend in the redox potential. Compared with experiments without disinfectant, monochloramine inhibited plattn...
The next generation of science collaboratories

Collaboratories to support scientific research have been around for at least two decades, and have emerged as an important form of cyberinfrastructure to enable ever more ambitious geographically distributed research projects. A broadened view of what a collaboratory is suggests there are a variety of kinds of functions they could support. Early collaboratories were often rather narrow in focus, but some have broadened to mimic fully-functional laboratories. Furthermore, while almost all early collaboratories were in the physical and biological sciences, by now they have emerged as serious research infrastructure in most domains, including the social sciences and humanities. I will review the kinds of functions that collaboratories support, illustrated with a variety of examples from our studies of over 200 collaboratories. I will also talk about how the changing technical scene opens new opportunities for the next generation of collaboratories. Finally, I will discuss the sociotechnical factors that distinguish successful from unsuccessful collaboratories.
Observations on the diurnal variation of some inorganic constituents of human parotid saliva in smokers and non-smokers

Stimulated parotid secretion (5 ml volumes) was collected by means of a modified Carlson-Crittenden device from 25 healthy subjects (18–45 yr of age) at 4 hr intervals over a 24 hr period. By uniform stimulation, the flow rates of each subject were kept within 0.2 ml/min/gland for the 6 collections ranging from 0.42–0.56 ml/min/ gland. The subjects were divided into 13 smokers and 12 non-smokers. Ca, Mg, Na, K, SCN− and Cl were determined on each sample. The thiocyanate concentrations were significantly higher in smokers than non-smokers, (p < 0.001) decreasing in both groups during the sleeping hours (p = 0.02). Chloride concentrations were similar in smokers and non-smokers, but increased during sleeping hours (p = 0.05). Calcium was markedly lower in smokers (p = 0.001) but showed no diurnal variation. Potassium increased in the smoking compared to the non-smoking group, but it also showed no diurnal variation. Magnesium showed no statistically significant change with smoking status or time. Sodium concentrations were not significantly affected by smoking status, but showed a tendency to increase during sleep. We conclude that the nicotine action explains the difference between smokers' and non-smokers' potassium salivary levels. The diurnal patterns are probably related to metabolic variation.
Fault-tolerant scheduling in homogeneous real-time systems

Real-time systems are one of the most important applications of computers, both in commercial terms and in terms of social impact. Increasingly, real-time computers are used to control life-critical applications and need to meet stringent reliability conditions. Since the reliability of a real-time system is related to the probability of meeting its hard deadlines, these reliability requirements translate to the need to meet critical task deadlines with a very high probability. We survey the problem of how to schedule tasks in such a way that deadlines continue to be met despite processor (permanent or transient) or software failure.
Capillary driven flow in micro scale surface structures

A variety of micro scale surface wicking structures that form open/covered post surfaces and open channels are investigated to probe the effect of the geometry, inter-connectivity, and surface porosity on the wicking efficiency of such surfaces. The surfaces are examined using a capillary rise flow experiment and the study is focused on the Lucas-Washburn flow regime in which capillary forces balance viscous forces.
Improved estimates of calanoid copepod biomass in the St. Lawrence Great Lakes

We compared measured lengths and weights of six species of calanoid copepods: Limnocalanus macrurus, Senecella calanoides, Epischura lacustris, Diaptomus sicilis, Diaptomus oregonensis, and Diaptomus minutus to weights predicted using four length–weight regression equations. Copepods were collected from multiple sites in Lakes Erie, Huron, Michigan, Ontario and Superior in 1993, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2009, or 2013. All models exhibited statistically significant failures in some cases. The Pace and Orcutt regression used by the USEPA GLNPO underestimated measured biomass, whereas models by Dumont et al. and Bottrell et al. overestimated biomass. Variability in weight at fixed body lengths was greatest for the large, univoltine species L. macrurus and S. calanoides in their C6 instars. Differences were found in weights of identical species of the same length across lakes, sampling time, and years. Disparities between predicted and observed dry mass interject error in estimates of secondary production, herbivory, planktivory, and forage availability to zooplanktivorous fish. Representative size frequency distributions of Calanoida suggest that summertime community-level Order-specific biomass has been underestimated by about 50%. The size–frequency data indicate that the dominant source of uncertainty in community biomass estimates necessarily resides with the largest taxa, which are coincidently the most inherently variable. We propose a revised equation based on Great Lakes taxa that accounts for 90% of the variance in our data overall, but we suggest that uncertainty cannot be substantially improved beyond that level if body length is the sole proxy for individual biomass estimates for copepods of the Great Lakes.
Cybermussels: a biological sensor network using freshwater mussels

In this paper, we describe our ongoing work on designing an underwater sensor network for monitoring the ecosystem of the Mississippi river using freshwater mussels as biological sensors.One of the most extensive manifestations of anthropogenic mismanagement of nitrogen is eutrophication of the Gulf of Mexico. Our vision is to create a biosensor network of native freshwater mussels in the Mississippi river to monitor and model key components of the nitrogen cycle.
Canonical quantization of a quantum-chromodynamic effective Lagrangian

We discuss the canonical quantizations of several slightly different effective "gluon" field terms which have been used in connection with a model designed to mock up the axial anomaly in quantum chromodynamics. A recent claim that one form of the model is inconsistent with the canonical quantization procedure is disputed.