cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A case of unsuccessful treatment of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) with fondaparinux

Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) is a rare immune-mediated complication associated with unfractionated heparin and to a lesser extent with low-molecular weight heparins. The American College of Chest Physicians recommends treating patients with suspected HIT with a non-heparin product regardless if thrombosis is present. The direct thrombin inhibitors are the preferred agents for the treatment of acute HIT (lepirudin, argatroban [Grade 1C]). Fondaparinux is also suggested as an alternative with a lower level of evidence (Grade 2C). The evidence supporting the use of fondaparinux in the treatment of HIT is limited, but the evidence of fondaparinux causing HIT is even less. We present a case of a patient who developed complications with fondaparinux when used in the acute setting of HIT.
The Alternative Splice Variant of Protein Tyrosine Kinase 6 Negatively Regulates Growth and Enhances PTK6-Mediated Inhibition of β-Catenin

Protein tyrosine kinase 6 (PTK6), also called breast tumor kinase (BRK), is expressed in epithelial cells of various tissues including the prostate. Previously it was shown that PTK6 is localized to epithelial cell nuclei in normal prostate, but becomes cytoplasmic in human prostate tumors. PTK6 is also primarily cytoplasmic in the PC3 prostate adenocarcinoma cell line. Sequencing revealed expression of wild type full-length PTK6 transcripts in addition to an alternative transcript lacking exon 2 in PC3 cells. The alternative transcript encodes a 134 amino acid protein, referred to here as ALT-PTK6, which shares the first 77 amino acid residues including the SH3 domain with full length PTK6. RT-PCR was used to show that ALT-PTK6 is coexpressed with full length PTK6 in established human prostate and colon cell lines, as well as in primary cell lines derived from human prostate tissue and tumors. Although interaction between full-length PTK6 and ALT-PTK6 was not detected, ALT-PTK6 associates with the known PTK6 substrates Sam68 and β-catenin in GST pull-down assays. Coexpression of PTK6 and ALT-PTK6 led to suppression of PTK6 activity and reduced association of PTK6 with tyrosine phosphorylated proteins. While ALT-PTK6 alone did not influence β-catenin/TCF transcriptional activity in a luciferase reporter assay, it enhanced PTK6-mediated inhibition of β-catenin/TCF transcription by promoting PTK6 nuclear functions. Ectopic expression of ALT-PTK6 led to reduced expression of the β-catenin/TCF targets Cyclin D1 and c-Myc in PC3 cells. Expression of tetracycline-inducible ALT-PTK6 blocked the proliferation and colony formation of PC3 cells. Our findings suggest that ALT-PTK6 is able to negatively regulate growth and modulate PTK6 activity, protein-protein associations and/or subcellular localization. Fully understanding functions of ALT-PTK6 and its impact on PTK6 signaling will be critical for development of therapeutic strategies that target PTK6 in cancer.
A multiple-precision division algorithm

A generalized division algorithm for use with positive integral operands is presented. Depending upon the algebraic relationship of the first two ciphers of the divisor, one or at most two adjustments to the original divisor and dividend must be performed before the division operation can be initiated. The uniqueness of this method will cause each trial cipher in the quotient to be either equal to or one greater than its final replacement.
Partial least squares, Beer's law and the net analyte signal: statistical modeling and analysis

Partial least squares (PLS) is one of the most common regression algorithms in chemistry, relating input–output samples (xi, yi) by a linear multivariate model. In this paper we analyze the PLS algorithm under a specific probabilistic model for the relation between x and y. Following Beer's law, we assume a linear mixture model in which each data sample (x, y) is a random realization from a joint probability distribution where x is the sum of k components multiplied by their respective characteristic responses, and each of these components is a random variable. We analyze PLS on this model under two idealized settings: one is the ideal case of noise-free samples and the other is the case of an infinite number of noisy training samples. In the noise-free case we prove that, as expected, the regression vector computed by PLS is, up to normalization, the net analyte signal. We prove that PLS computes this vector after at most k iterations, where k is the total number of components. In the case of an infinite training set corrupted by unstructured noise, we show that PLS computes a final regression vector which is not in general purely proportional to the net analyte signal vector, but has the important property of being optimal under a mean squared error of prediction criterion. This result can be viewed as an asymptotic optimality of PLS in the limit of a very large but finite training set. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Jumpstarting the information design for a community network

This paper describes both the process and outcome of an effort to develop an information design for a community network's web site. Typically, community networks are developed by a small group of skilled computer users who are willing to volunteer their time. This often means excluding individuals who are community-oriented but not sophisticated computer users. To encourage the participation of these community members, and to do so under the very realistic conditions of zero funding for research, we applied user-centered design techniques and drew from diffusion of innovations literature to develop the web site. This combination of techniques led to targeting innovators and early adopters in the community. Low-fidelity prototypes were used in a focus group setting, and usability tests were employed to create the initial web site information design.
Role of vacuum-assisted closure in the treatment of pediatric Lawnmower injuries

Lawnmower injuries in children often present treatment challenges due to complex soft tissue damage. Vacuum-assisted closure (VAC), the application of controlled subatmospheric pressure to a wound surface, has been used to treat complex lacerations in many patients and has been shown to be safe and effective in children. However, VAC treatment of lawnmower injuries in children has not been reported. This study analyzes the outcomes of treatment following the use of VAC in children with lawnmower injuries and compares the results of VAC treatment to historical controls who were treated before VAC was available for wound treatment. The use of VAC demonstrated a trend toward a decrease in revision amputations and an improvement in function after treatment. There were no complications or adverse reactions related to VAC treatment. The VAC system is a safe and effective method of treating soft tissue injuries resulting from lawnmower accidents in children.
A Cell-Centered Adaptive Projection Method for the Incompressible Euler Equations

We present an algorithm to compute adaptive solutions for incompressible flows using block-structured local refinement in both space and time. This method uses a projection formulation based on a cell-centered approximate projection, which allows the use of a single set of cell-centered solvers. Because of refinement in time, additional steps are taken to accurately discretize the advection and projection operators at grid refinement boundaries using composite operators which span the coarse and refined grids. This ensures that the method is approximately freestream preserving and satisfies an appropriate form of the divergence constraint.
Being an expert witness in geomorphology

Abstract Gathering your own data and coming to your own conclusion through scientific research and discovery is the most important principle to remember when being an expert witness in geomorphology. You can only be questioned in deposition and trial in your area of expertise. You are qualified as an expert by education, knowledge, and experience. You will have absolutely nothing to fear from cross-examination if you are prepared and confident about your work. Being an expert witness requires good communication skills. When you make a presentation, speak clearly and avoid jargon, especially when addressing a jury. Keep in mind that when you take on a case that may eventually go to court as a lawsuit, the entire process, with appeals and so forth, can take several years. Therefore, being an expert may become a long-term commitment of your time and energy. You may be hired by either side in a dispute, but your job is the same — determine the scientific basis of the case and explain your scientific reasoning to the lawyers, the judge, and the jury. Your work, including pre-trial investigations, often determines what the case will be based on. The use of science in the discovery part of an investigation is demonstrated from a California case involving the Ventura River, where building of a flood control levee restricted flow to a narrower channel, increasing unit stream power as well as potential for bank erosion and landsliding.
Psychiatric comorbidity in methamphetamine dependence

The primary aim of the present study was to assess the prevalence of psychiatric comorbidity in a large sample of methamphetamine (MA)-dependent subjects using a validated structured clinical interview, without limitation to sexual orientation or participation in a treatment program. The secondary aim was to assess whether the prevalence of psychiatric comorbidities varied by gender. Structured clinical interviews (SCIDs) were administered to 189 MA-dependent subjects and lifetime prevalence of DSM-IV diagnoses was assessed. Across the sample, 28.6% had primary psychotic disorders, 23.8% of which were substance-induced; 13.2% had MA-induced delusional disorders and 11.1% had MA-induced hallucinations. A substantial number of lifetime mood disorders were identified that were not substance-induced (32.3%), whereas 14.8% had mood disorders induced by substances, and 10.6% had mood disorders induced by amphetamines. Of all participants, 26.5% had anxiety disorders and 3.7% had a substance-induced anxiety disorder, all of which were induced by MA. Male subjects reported a higher percentage of MA-induced delusions compared to female abusers. Given the impact of MA psychosis and other drug-induced symptoms on hospitals and mental health services, the description and characterization of comorbid psychiatric symptoms associated with MA use is of paramount importance.
Remote sensing of fuel moisture content from ratios of narrow-band vegetation water and dry-matter indices

Abstract Fuel moisture content (FMC) is an important variable for predicting the occurrence and spread of wildfire. Because FMC is calculated from the ratio of canopy water content to dry-matter content, we hypothesized that FMC may be estimated by remote sensing with a ratio of a vegetation water index to a vegetation dry-matter index. Four vegetation water indices, six dry-matter indices, and the resulting water/dry-matter index ratios were calculated using simulated leaf reflectances from the PROSPECT model. Two water indices, the Normalized Difference Infrared Index (NDII) and the Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI), were more correlated with leaf water content than with FMC, and were not correlated with leaf dry-matter content. Two dry-matter indices, the Normalized Dry Matter Index (NDMI) and a recent index (unnamed) were correlated to leaf dry matter content, were inversely correlated with FMC, and were not correlated with water content. Ratios of these water indices and these dry-matter indices were highly and consistently correlated with FMC. Ratios of other water indices with other dry-matter indices were not consistently correlated with FMC. The ratio of NDII with NDMI was strongly related to FMC by a quadratic polynomial equation with an R 2 of 0.947. Spectral reflectance data were acquired for single leaves and leaf stacks of Quercus alba , Acer rubrum , and Zea mays ; the relationship between FMC and NDII/NDMI had an R 2 of 0.853 and was almost identical to the equation from the PROSPECT model simulations. For the SAIL model simulations, the relationship between NDII/NDMI and FMC at the canopy scale had an R 2 of 0.900, but the quadratic polynomial equation differed from the equations determined from the PROSPECT simulations and spectral reflectance data. NDMI requires narrow-band sensors to measure the effect of dry matter on reflectance at 1722 nm whereas NDII may be determined with many different sensors. Therefore, monitoring FMC with NDII/NDMI requires either a new sensor or a combination of two sensors, one with high temporal resolution for monitoring water content and one with high spectral resolution for estimating dry-matter content.
FAST NEUTRON GENERATORS: RADIATION LEVELS AND SHIELDING REQUIREMENTS.

Abstract Neutron and gamma radiation levels around a Cockcroft-Walton neutron generator producing I4-Mev neutrons at an approximate rate of 1010 neutrons per second were measured under conditions typical of those required for activation analysis. Neutron flux reduction to acceptable levels for limited operation was accomplished by 12 feet of distance that included shielding consisting of 27 inches of water and 16 inches of solid concrete block. Other radiation hazards encountered were the production of x-rays and the release of tritium from the target.
CHILDREN'S MENTAL MODELS OF RECURSIVE LOGO PROGRAMS*

Children who had a year of Logo programming experience were asked to think-aloud about what brief Logo recursive programs will do, and then to predict with a hand-simulation of the programs what the Logo graphics turtle will draw when the program is executed. If discrepancies arose in this last phase, children were asked to explain them. A prevalent but misguided “looping” interpretation of Logo recursion was identified, and this robust mental model persisted even in the face of contradiction between what the program did when executed and the child's predictions for what it would do.
American Men's Friendships: Self-Reports on Meaning and Changes

Summary Differences in friendships by sex have been suggested, but little empirical data pertain to the nature and development of men's friendships. Fifty-eight American, college-educated, employed men were interviewed and compared by age (25–34; 35–50) and marital status. While most men valued interpersonal qualities in friends, the factors aiding in or inhibiting friendship formation and satisfaction with current friendships varied by groups. General patterns of decreasing numbers of friends from childhood into adulthood and greater difficulty forming friends with age emerged. Although friendships with men outnumbered those with women, attitudes toward the importance of friendships with each sex varied by groups. Findings are discussed in relation to traditional and changing male roles.
Thermodynamics of carbonaceous mesophase

This paper seeks a better understanding of carbonaceous mesophase through a quantitative treatment of the equilibrium phase transformations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and pitches of known molecular weight distribution. After a brief review of the most relevant literature on discotic liquid crystals, PAH phase behavior is considered in single-component, binary and multicomponent systems. Results from recent numerical simulations of phase transitions for a generic discotic mesogen are analyzed to shed insight into the structural features favoring liquid crystal behavior. This work culminates in the formulation of a quantitative multicomponent thermodynamic model of the phase transitions in a generic carbonizing system based on virtual pure-component properties and its application to the petroleum pitch carbonization data of Greinke and Singer.
Unique dicistronic operon (ptsI‐crr) in Mycoplasma capricolum encoding Enzyme I and the glucose‐specific Enzyme IIA of the phosphoenolpyruvate: Sugar phosphotransferase system: Cloning, sequencing, promoter analysis, and protein characterization

The region of the genome of Mycoplasma capricolum encompassing the genes for Enzymes I and IIAglc of the phosphoenolpyruvate:sugar phosphotransferase system (PTS) was cloned and sequenced. Examination of the sequence revealed a unique arrangement of the pts operon. In all other bacterial species characterized thus far, the gene encoding Enzyme I (ptsI) in the pts operon is located immediately downstream of the gene (ptsH) encoding HPr, a general energy coupling protein of the PTS. In M. capricolum, ptsH and ptsI reside on 2 distinct operons at separate loci on the chromosome (Zhu PP, Reizer J, Reizer A, Peterkofsky A, 1993, J Biol Chem 268:26531-26540). In the present work, it is shown that the Mycoplasma Enzyme I gene is preceded by an open reading frame homologous to the product of the Escherichia coli kdtB gene and is followed by the gene (crr) encoding Enzyme IIAglc. Northern blot analysis indicated that ptsI and crr constitute a dicistronic operon that includes an independent promoter for the crr gene. Primer extension studies established the transcription start sites for the ptsI and crr genes. The products of the ptsI and crr genes are homologous to previously sequenced Enzymes I and IIAglc proteins but are more similar to the counterpart proteins from gram-positive than to those from gram-negative organisms. The deduced amino acid sequence of the Mycoplasma Enzyme I shows that it differs from other Enzymes I by having fewer acidic amino acids and more basic, amidated, and aromatic amino acids. The deduced amino acid sequence of the Mycoplasma Enzyme IIAglc indicates that it is the shortest (154 residues) of the proteins in this class and it is the only Enzyme IIAglc with a tryptophan and a cysteine residue. In vitro sugar phosphorylation studies with extracts from E. coli and Bacillus subtilis and purified proteins indicated that the Mycoplasma HPr is not a phosphoacceptor from the E. coli Enzyme I, whereas the Mycoplasma Enzyme IIAglc accepts and transfers phosphate from both E. coli and B. subtilis PTS components.
Immunological involvement in the efficacy of praziquantel

Implications immunologiques dans le mode d'action du Praziquantel en relation avec des infections experimentales par S. mansoni
Advanced iodine lasers

The NCl-I laser has been demonstrated using HN3 as a fuel. In this paper, we discuss the possibility of constructing a NCl(a1Δ)-I transfer laser using NCl3 as a fuel. Not only is NCl3 more stable, but also may eliminate the requirement for a combustor. We present kinetic modeling and some initial results of experiments designed to understand the basic physical processes in this system.
Parts of the Whole: Is Everything Equally Important?

Two strategies are proposed for sorting out priorities and goals in education. At the college level the column argues that goals, and therefore requirements, should be set based on the desired knowledge base of the entire population rather than the individual. At the scale of a single K-12 classroom the column argues that priority be given to content requiring most instructor intervention, describing how the structure of class time and school activities would change as a result. Implementation of these strategies would lead to more efficient use of teacher’s time and effort, better allocation of systemic resources, and clarity of goals at the national level.
The unitary evolution operator for cross-polarization schemes in NMR

Abstract The evolution operator for cross-polarization (CP) schemes in NMR is presented. The operator is applied to investigate the evolution of all possible coherences for a heteronuclear spin- 1 2 pair during CP under the conditions of Hartman–Hahn matching, antimatching or mismatching. This enables to utilize the CP unit as a module in pulse sequences by permitting pre- and post-pulses to manipulate the density matrix prior to and after evolution under CP. This formalism is applicable to analyze CP schemes for a heteronuclear spin- 1 2 pair with dipolar coupling and/or scalar coupled solid-state (powder or crystal form) or partially ordered or isotropic solution systems.
Dreams of business ownership tested

In this paper, it describes the dreams of business ownership. Owning a business is not for every one. A careful study should be completed before making the major decision to start a business. In addition to the review of technical knowledge and skills, potential business owners should also review the marketplace, existing competition, and personal attitudes and skills. This article demonstrates that business decisions must be made in addition to the selection of a product or service on which to base a new venture. By working for a successful business, business and business experience can be expanded by observing and asking questions of various department personnel. This is also a great way to expand the professional networks that will be very helpful if own business is started. Start small and keep the day job until how the ideas are received by potential customers. Rent tools and use a basement or garage for the first factory and warehouse. Keep initial investment as small as possible. Hire expertise on a part-time or short-term contract basis. Then, if all goes well, then the own business can expended at a successful rate
Encoding of logical connective rules in learning-disabled children.

Using a modified reception paradigm, normal and learning-disabled children were required to solve unidimensional, disjunctive, or conditional connectives under standard attending or enforced attending instructions. The major result was that enforced attending procedures facilitated solution of disjunctive and conditional concepts for normal children, while having minimal effects on rule attainment for the disabled. Within Sternberg's (1979) model, a number of subcomponent analyses were made on attribute combinations (e.g., TT, TF...), but only in the FF instance was there a difference between instructional conditions. Disabled were deficient in TT, TF, FF instances regardless of attending instructions. Results support a “reductive coding deficiency” in that learning-disabled children were unable to effectively utilize attentional instructions to encode certain attribute combinations.
Multiple α- and β-tubulin genes in chlamydomonas and regulation of tubulin mRNA levels after deflagellation

Abstract We constructed and characterized recombinant cDNA clones containing α- and β-tubulin DNA sequences. The inserted DNA was determined to code for α- and β-tubulin by positive hybridization-selection. The selected mRNA was translated in vitro, and the translation products were shown to be α- or β-tubulin by comigration with flagellar α- and β-tubulin on one- and two-dimensional gels and by immunoprecipitation with antibodies specific for α- and β-tubulin. Hybridization of the cloned tubulin probes with Chlamydomonas DNA indicated that there are at least two genes each for α- and β-tubulin in this organism. No evidence of cross-hybridization between α- and β-tubulin DNA sequences was found. Because previous experiments had shown that tubulin synthesis was stimulated in response to flagellar amputation, the tubulin clones were used to analyze the levels of tubulin sequences in RNA from cells before and after deflagellation. Hybridization of the tubulin cDNA probes with total or polyadenylated RNA indicated that tubulin sequences in RNA increased within 8 min following deflagellation, reached maximal levels by 50 min and began to decrease by 80 min after deflagellation. One hybridization band was detected with use of the β-tubulin probe, but RNA in two size classes hybridized to the α-tubulin probe.
Amino acid substitutions in the pore of rat glutamate receptors at sites influencing block by polyamines

1. The effect on polyamine block of mutations at the Q/R site and the conserved negative charge +4 site in AMPA and kainate receptors was studied using the rat glutamate receptor GluR6 expressed in Xenopus oocytes and human embryonic kidney (HEK) cells. 2. Introduction of negative charge at the Q/R site increased the equilibrium dissociation constant at 0 mV (Kd(0)) for spermine from 1.3 to 4.0 microM (Q590E); the smaller side chains Q590D and Q590N had Kd(0) values of 47 and 20 microM. Reductions in spermine affinity were also obtained for the small hydrophobic residues Q590V and Q590A, with Kd(0) values of 3.6 and 8.8 microM. Positively charged side chains produced outward rectifying responses similar to those recorded for GluR6(Q) with polyamine-free conditions, suggesting a complete absence of voltage-dependent block by spermine. 3. Substitution of tryptophan at the Q/R site produced high-affinity block with a Kd(0) of 190 pM. In Xenopus oocytes no outward current was observed at potentials up to +200 mV. A much smaller increase in affinity was observed for Q590F and Q590Y, which had Kd(0) values of 0.28 and 0.83 microM respectively. 4. The Q590H mutant gave weakly birectifying responses strikingly different from those for other mutants. When ionization of the His group was increased by raising the external hydrogen ion concentration, responses became outward rectifying. The ratios of the conductance at 100 mV over that at -100 mV for Q590H were 0.52 at pH 8.3 and 2.5 at pH 5.3. 5. Neutralization of charge or aromatic residues at the +4 site produced a large reduction of spermine affinity, with Kd(0) values for E594N, E594Q and E594W of 109, 1020 and 2150 microM, respectively. In the absence of polyamines, E594K and E594R produced strongly inward rectifying responses while E594Q, E594A and E594W were birectifying. 6. A model for permeant block allowed quantitative comparisons between mutants. Despite large changes in well depth and barrier heights, there was little change in the voltage dependence of block for both Q/R and +4 site mutants. We propose a model with a distributed binding site for polyamines in which the +4 site is located near the entrance to the channel.
Neuropsychiatric Testing in an Autistic Mathematical Idiot-Savant: Evidence for Nonverbal Abstract Capacity

A 29-year-old autistic male patient with developmental delay due to perinatal asphyxia developed mathematical skills superior to his language and social skills. Detailed neuropsychiatric testing reveals preservation of capacity to reason using mathematical but not linguistic symbols. Testing implicates the frontal lobe regions as areas of specific difficulty with better preserved posterior, especially right posterior, functions. This autistic idiot-savant illustrates the extreme in a spectrum of developmentally abnormal persons with preservation of isolated skills.
Enuresis Subtypes Based on Nocturnal Hypercalciuria: A Multicenter Study

ABSTRACTPurpose: Desmopressin may not be effective for nocturnal enuresis associated with polyuria and hypercalciuria. Nighttime hypercalciuria in an enuretic population from 5 centers and its correlation with nighttime polyuria were verified.Materials and Methods: A total of 450 enuretic patients (278 males, 172 females, mean age 9.7 years) were evaluated with 72-hour micturition charts, urinalysis, serum creatinine and osmolarity, diurnal and nocturnal electrolytes with fractional Na+ and K+ urinary excretion, and nocturnal (4 a.m.) plasma vasopressin. Creatinine electrolytes and osmolarity were measured in daytime (8 a.m. to 8 p.m.) and nighttime (8 p.m. to 8 a.m.) urine volumes. Patients were divided into group 1 with nocturnal polyuria and group 2 without nocturnal polyuria. Hypercalciuria was defined as urinary calcium-to-urinary creatinine ratio greater than 0.21. Statistic evaluation was performed using chi-square, Pearson correlation and ANOVA tests.Results: Nighttime polyuria was demonstrated in...
Reforming Wordsworth: William Howitt and the “great Republican Conservative”

William Wordsworth’s abandonment of his youthful radicalism elicited the scorn of liberal contemporaries as it has of critics in our own times. Yet one of Wordsworth’s staunchest advocates was radical middle‐class writer and editor William Howitt, who lamented the poet’s conservative positions on railway development, capital punishment, and more, but found his poetry “radical, deeply, essentially, entirely radical.” Howitt’s assessment of Wordsworth is based on a triangulation of poetry, landscape, and national identity, mediated through the emergent practice of domestic tourism. The result is a utilitarian aesthetic consistent with that of working‐class critics, although those critics were more likely to deprecate than appreciate Wordsworth. Recognizing Wordsworth’s own affinity for John Milton, Howitt claims for Wordsworth a similarly radical and disestablishmentarian politics. Although Howitt’s claims may strike us today as strained, his case, made through several articles and book chapters, demonstrat...
Phase contrast neutron imaging at the PULSTAR reactor

Abstract Non-interferometric phase contrast effects have been shown to enhance material edges in neutron images. The achieved contrast enhancement in the image depends upon the neutron coherent scattering lengths of the materials present in the object and the degree of spatial coherence of the neutron beam. Spatial coherence of the beam is achieved using design-based spatial filters, a large L / d ratio (∼10,000) and low average neutron energy. Physically, a large L / d ratio is realized by a pinhole neutron source thereby significantly reducing the neutron beam intensity at the image plane. Thus, performance of such imaging exercises at low/medium intensity neutron sources is associated with additional design considerations that are not needed at high intensity neutron sources, where it has been demonstrated. In the present work, phase contrast neutron imaging was conducted using a suitably designed collimator at the 1-MWth PULSTAR reactor located at North Carolina State University (NCSU). Results of the imaging exercises that depict phase contrast edge enhancement are being presented along with the collimator design. Digital image plate detectors were used to capture images with a range of exposure times between 45 and 120 min.
The substrate specificity of neutral α-glucosidase from rabbit muscle

Rabbit muscle contains different amounts of two α-glucosidase fractions possessing neutral pH optima. The fractions are separable by ammonium sulfate precipitation and have been partly purified and compared. They exhibit identical substrate specificities, inhibitor kinetics, and pH optima, and cannot be distinguished by these parameters from a 1000-fold purified preparation of the major neutral α-glucosidase. It is concluded that the two-cell homogenate fractions represent the same activity associated with different cell components. The 1000-fold purified glucosidase has a pH optimum of 7.4 (maltose), is noncompetitively inhibited by divalent cations (Ki 1 m M Zn2+, 0.3m M Cd2+), competitively inhibited by Tris (Ki, 4m M ), and slightly inhibited by polyols. The Km for action on maltose is 2.1 m M , on maltotriose 1.2 m M , and on panose (62-α-glucosylmaltose) and isomaltose, 16.7 m M and the relative V values are 1.0, 0.6 and 0.4 (panose and isomaltose), respectively. As evidenced by its action on maltodextrins and panose, neutral α-glucosidase possesses constitutive 1,4- and 1,6-α-glucanhydrolase activities, but it has little action on glycogen. The neutral α-glucosidase, therefore, is an oligosaccharase and probably acts on glycogen in conjunction with α-amylase. An ancillary role in the control of glycogen structure is proposed for the combined action of the two hydrolytic enzymes
Cephalosporin and aminoglycoside nephrotoxic interaction

Excerpt To the editor: In the recent succinct review of cefazolin by Quintiliani and Nightingale (1), they briefly mention the possible interaction of cephalosporins and aminoglycosides, notably ce...
Evidence against transcription termination within the E. coli lac operon.

There are 3.5 to 5 times more molecules of β-galactosidase than of galactoside acetyltransferase coded by the lac operon of E. coli (Zabin and Fowler, 1970). This natural polarity does not result from premature transcription termination; each RNA polymerase appears to transcribe to the end of the operon.
Differential survival of chaparral seedlings during the first summer drought after wildfire

Big Pod Ceanothus (Ceanothus megacarpus) is an obligate seeder after fire; Laurel Sumac (Rhus laurina) is primarily a resprouter after fire. Both species commonly occur together in mixed stands and are dominant members of the coastal chaparral of southern California. We compared the mean survival of post-fire seedlings of each species during the first summer drought after fire and found C. megacarpus to have a mean survival of 54% while R. laurina had a mean survival of only 0.1%. Rooting dephs were similar between species but predawn water potentials and leaf temperatures were higher for R. laurina seedlings. Leaf temperatures for R. laurina reached a mean value of 46.8° C on hot, summer days, about 5° C higher than seedlings of C. megacarpus. By the end of the first growing season, 92% of all C. megacarpus seedlings had suffered herbivory compared to only 17% of all R. laurina seedlings. Herbivory did not appear to be the immediate cause of seedling mortality. Transect data indicated that full recovery of prefire species composition and density at our study site was likely but the mode of recovery was different for the species examined. R. laurina recovered primarily by sprouting, C. megacarpus totally by seedling establishment and a third species, Adenostoma fasciculatum (chamise), by a combination of sprouting and seedling establishment. We attribute the higher mortality of R. laurina seedlings to the greater sensitivity of its tissue to water stress. It may be that differential survival of shrub seedlings and differential modes of reestablishment after fire play an important role in maintaining species diversity in the chaparral communities of coastal, southern California.
CD44 Regulation of Endothelial Cell Proliferation and Apoptosis via Modulation of CD31 and VE-cadherin Expression *

CD44 has been implicated in a diverse array of cell behaviors and in a diverse range of signaling pathway activations under physiological and pathophysiological conditions. We have documented a role for CD44 in mediating vascular barrier integrity via regulation of PECAM-1 (CD31) expression. We now report our findings on the roles of CD44 in modulating proliferation and apoptosis of microvascular endothelial cells via its modulation of CD31 and VE-cadherin expression and the Hippo pathway. In this report, we demonstrate persistent increased proliferation and reduced activations of both effector and initiator caspases in high cell density, postconfluent CD44 knock-out (CD44KO), and CD31KO cultures. We found that reconstitution with murine CD44 or CD31 restored the proliferative and caspase activation rates to WT levels. Moreover, we have confirmed that the CD31 ecto-domain plays a key role in specific caspase cascades as well as cell adhesion-mediated cell growth and found that CD31 deficiency results in a reduction in VE-cadherin expression. Last, we have shown that both CD44KO and CD31KO endothelial cells exhibit a reduced VE-cadherin expression correlating with increased survivin expression and YAP nuclear localization, consistent with inactivation of the Hippo pathway, resulting in increased proliferation and decreased apoptosis. These findings support the concept that CD44 mediates several of its effects on endothelia through modulation of adhesion protein expression, which, in addition to its known modulation of junctional integrity, matrix metalloproteinase levels and activation, interactions with cortical membrane proteins, and selected signaling pathways, plays a key role as a critical regulator of vascular function.
The two period-luminosity relations for population I Cepheids

We summarize the evidence that most Population I Cepheids with periods less than approximately 8 days pulsate in the first overtone mode. Fundamental model and first overtone pulsators must follow different period-luminosity (P - L) relations. We demonstrate these different relations for different stellar systems, especially for the calibrating Cepheids in clusters and for Cepheids in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC), M31, and IC 4182.
Decay rates for nonconvex systems of conservation laws

We study decay of solutions for hyperbolic systems of conservation laws which are not genuinely nonlinear. For a generic class of such systems, we determine sharp (algebraic) rates of decay in the total variation of the wave speed, for solutions with compact initial support. Our analysis involves generalized characteristic arguments and the random choice difference scheme of Glimm. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Implementation of a parallel genetic algorithm on a cluster of workstations: traveling salesman problem, a case study

A parallel version of a Genetic Algorithm is presented and implemented on a cluster of workstations. Even through our algorithm is general enough to be applied to a wide variety of problems, we used it to obtain optimal/suboptimal solutions to the well known Traveling Salesman Problem. The proposed algorithm is implemented using the Parallel Virtual Machine library over a network of workstations, and it is based on a master-slave paradigm and a distributed-memory approach. Tests were performed with clusters of 1, 2, 4, 8, and 16 workstations, using several real problems and population sizes. Results are presented to whow how the performance of the algorithm is affected by variations on the number of slaves, population size, mutation rate, and mutation interval. The results presented show the utility, efficiency and potential value of the proposed algorithm to tackle similar NP-Complete problems.
Role of platelet activating factor in kidney transplant rejection in the rat.

Role of platelet activating factor in kidney transplant rejection in the rat. Platelet activating factor (PAF) is a potent lipid mediator with a broad range of biologic activities. Experimental evidence suggests that PAF plays a role in the pathogenesis of a variety of inflammatory processes including allograft rejection. In this study, we evaluated the effects of the PAF antagonist BN52021 on the course of renal allograft rejection in a rat model. Kidneys from ACI (RTl a ) rats were transplanted into fully allogeneic PVG (RT1 C ) rat recipients. Animals received 60 mg/kg/day of the PAF antagonist or vehicle beginning immediately prior to the transplantation procedure. In rats treated with the PAF antagonist, allograft GFR and plasma flow were maintained at levels that were significantly greater than controls. Despite the improvement in renal allograft function, BN52021 had no effect on allograft histomorphology and both groups manifested intense inflammatory cell infiltration consistent with acute cellular rejection. PAF antagonism reduced urinary excretion of thromboxane metabolites and decreased thromboxane production by homogenates prepared from kidney allografts. The PAF antagonist had no effect on urinary excretion of peptidoleukotriene metabolites or on the production of LTB 4 by allografts. These data support a role for PAF in the pathophysiology of acute renal allograft rejection, and they suggest that the hemodynamic effects of PAF during rejection may be mediated through stimulation of thromboxane A 2 . In view of the beneficial effects of PAF blockade in rejection as well as recent reports describing efficacy in models of cyclosporine nephrotoxicity, PAF antagonists may have clinical applications in human renal allograft recipients.
Point spread function engineering as a framework for designing and analyzing computational imaging systems

We introduce the linear system transfer matrix H as a means to interpret classical optical sensing, such as imaging and spectroscopy, and new computational sensing. This representation allows us to identify PSF engineering and multiplexed measurements as duals of each other. We also consider several new computational sensing systems and identify the corresponding system matrix.
Biogenesis and function of nuclear bodies

Nuclear bodies including nucleoli, Cajal bodies, nuclear speckles, Polycomb bodies, and paraspeckles are membraneless subnuclear organelles. They are present at steady-state and dynamically respond to basic physiological processes as well as to various forms of stress, altered metabolic conditions and alterations in cellular signaling. The formation of a specific nuclear body has been suggested to follow a stochastic or ordered assembly model. In addition, a seeding mechanism has been proposed to assemble, maintain, and regulate particular nuclear bodies. In coordination with noncoding RNAs, chromatin modifiers and other machineries, various nuclear bodies have been shown to sequester and modify proteins, process RNAs and assemble ribonucleoprotein complexes, as well as epigenetically regulate gene expression. Understanding the functional relationships between the 3D organization of the genome and nuclear bodies is essential to fully uncover the regulation of gene expression and its implications for human disease.
Discriminant malware distance learning on structural information for automated malware classification

The voluminous malware variants that appear in the Internet have posed severe threats to its security. In this work, we explore techniques that can automatically classify malware variants into their corresponding families. We present a generic framework that extracts structural information from malware programs as attributed function call graphs, in which rich malware features are encoded as attributes at the function level. Our framework further learns discriminant malware distance metrics that evaluate the similarity between the attributed function call graphs of two malware programs. To combine various types of malware attributes, our method adaptively learns the confidence level associated with the classification capability of each attribute type and then adopts an ensemble of classifiers for automated malware classification. We evaluate our approach with a number of Windows-based malware instances belonging to 11 families, and experimental results show that our automated malware classification method is able to achieve high classification accuracy.
Interactions among convergent lady beetle (Hippodamia convergens) releases, aphid populations, and rose cultivar

Abstract Release of adult convergent lady beetles, Hippodamia convergens Guerin-Meneville (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), provided inundative control of aphids (Homoptera: Aphididae) infesting Rosa hybrida outdoors in nursery containers and in the landscape. In potted roses, a single release of 100 lady beetles per 19 liter plant provided 66–88% aphid control during 1994 and 1995. In the landscape, a single release of about 175 or 350 lady beetles per 0.5–1 m tall shrub during 1994, 1995, and 2002 failed to reduce aphid density. However, each of one or two subsequent releases of about 1400–1750 H. convergens per shrub reduced aphid densities in the landscape to near zero (93–100% control). Releasing 10–20 beetles per flower bud controlled aphids on shoots caged to prevent insect dispersal. On uncaged rose shoots, 100 or more H. convergens per bud were required to control aphids. The effective rate for inundative release in landscape roses was about 2300 beetles/m 2 (210/ft 2 ) of shrub-covered surface, or two orders of magnitude greater than the 11–22 beetles/m 2 (1–2/ft 2 ) commonly recommended by beetle sellers. Based on three lady beetle releases during April–May when aphids are abundant on rose in California’s Central Valley, lady beetle costs are about the same as one soil drench of the systemic insecticide imidacloprid. Rose cultivar affected aphid density, but cultivar did not affect augmentative predation. Cultivar selection and high-rate predator release are complimentary strategies for aphid management on rose.
Preparing and organizing for a lecture

In a lecture, developing a strong organization assures strong delivery and a clear message. In this article preparation steps that will support the lecture are identified and described. These steps include: understanding the background and needs of the audience, establishing a clear purpose for the presentation, and being cognizant of the program planner's expectations of you. To assure a flawless lecture, several organizational imperatives are recommended.
Computer assisted strategic planning

Abstract This paper describes a representative, sectionalized, computer assisted strategic planning system, as developed and used by the authors. It suggests that the future direction of such programmes—with several already in use—is toward the development of approaches which combine simulation and linear programming to simultaneously address long and short-term objectives.
Beta Decay and Electron Capture Branching to the Levels of Pu 239

The experimental $log\mathrm{ft}$ values of the ${\mathrm{Np}}^{239}$ beta decay and ${\mathrm{Am}}^{239}$ electron capture are analyzed according to the asymptotic selection rules proposed by Alaga for deformed nuclei. It is found that, with a reasonable choice of state assignments from the Nilsson energy level diagram, a consistent interpretation can be given of the observed $log\mathrm{ft}$ values. All "allowed" transitions are retarded by at least an order of magnitude, whereas the "first forbidden" transitions observed here proceed with normal $\mathrm{ft}$ values. The interesting case of an "allowed" transition with $log\mathrm{ft}g8$ is discussed.
Measurement of the dielectric constant of seawater at L-band

Accurate relationships between salinity and dielectric constant (which determines emissivity) are needed for sensor systems such as SMOS and Aquarius that will monitor salinity from space in the future. This paper describes a resonant cavity technique for the measurement of the dielectric constant of seawater as a function of its salinity. The purpose of the new measurements is to establish the dependence of the dielectric constant of seawater on salinity in contemporary units (e.g. psu) and to take advantage of modern instrumentation to increase the accuracy of these measurements.
Analytical model-based analysis of high-speed Flywheel Energy Storage Systems for pulsed power applications

In this paper, performance of an advanced high-speed Flywheel Energy Storage System (FESS) for pulsed power applications using analytical models derived in Synchronous d-q Reference Frame (SdqRF) is investigated. The principal nonlinear model being used was derived in the previous works without any simplifying assumptions and can be used for any type of studies. Applying state space averaging approach to the non-linear model, dc and small-signal ac models of the high-speed FESS were derived. In this paper, these models are used to evaluate the performance of the FESS in both dc and small-signal ac modes of operations. For dc analysis, the FESS is charged from low speed to high speed and is discharged and the performance of the FESS is evaluated over complete operating range. Then, the small-signal models are developed at these dc operating points and the small-signal ac analysis is performed. This comprehensive investigation will provide a valuable database for control engineers to make an informed decision on both type and design of the controller. At the end, as a proof of the accuracy of the model, the analytical results are compared with simulation results using PSIM package.