cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Altruism – is it still an anomaly?

If Darwinism is a scientific paradigm, in Thomas Kuhn's sense, then altruism looks like an anomaly for it. Biologists usually think of altruism in terms of fitness costs and benefits: an altruist enhances someone else's reproductive fitness at some cost to his or her own. (To avoid confusion, we can call this fitness altruism.) But how could natural selection ever smile upon organisms that sacrifice their own reproductive fitness for another's benefit? Of course, one must be careful to avoid confusing this with other long-standing philosophical problems concerning psychological altruism (Do people ever act from altruistic motives?) and ethical altruism (Do we have a moral obligation to help other people?).
Microbial degradation of benzene and toluene in groundwater.

Certain organic pollutants reaching the groundwater are subject to biotransformations. Currently, remedial measures promoting microbial degradation of pollutants are becoming very attractive because of their cost-effectiveness in removal of the contaminants. Current technology for reclaiming groundwater polluted with petroleum hydrocarbons involves (i) pumping the water into an aerated stripping tower, (ii) removal by sorbents, or (iii) biodegradation in situ or pumped into a bioreactor. Among the bioreactors, fixed film and suspended growth reactors are the most popular systems. Gasoline contamination of groundwaters is becoming an alarming and widespread problem. A major concern with petroleum contamination is the benzene, toluene and xylene (BTX) content reaching the groundwater because of their solubility and high toxicity. The state of California Department of Health Services now recommends that remedial action be taken when the concentration of benzene and toluene exceeds 0.7 and 100 {mu}g L{sup {minus}1}, respectively. The purpose of this study was to assess biodegradation of benzene and toluene in groundwater upon amendment with nutrients and an enriched hydrocarbon oxidizing culture.
A SYSTEMS ENGINEERING FRAMEWORK BASED ON CARTESIAN ARRAYS OF SETS

Increasingly, the system engineer's primary function is to facilitate knowledge capture from a concurrent product team. This role increases the need for the systems engineer to architect a data environment that meets strict criteria for a structurally valid schema. An encompassing theoretical base for creating such data structures is currently unavailable to the practicing systems engineer. Starting with the “three view” schema of MIL-STD-499B, a data array paradigm based on elementary theories of sets and arrays is developed as a generally applicable structure. This paradigm is then demonstrated with several examples of structured systems engineering practice. These are compared with current practices and usage to test for errors. Conclusions reached are 1) That even at the level presented, this paradigm can assist systems engineers in improving their real-world practices; 2) Structured analysis should receive more attention in academic curricula for systems engineers; 3) Individuals knowledgeable in mathematical array and structural theories as well as systems engineering should contribute to a more complete body of formal theory; and, 4) Structural validity of the project schema should be regarded as a “first principle” for world-class systems engineering. Recommendations include suggestions for “best practices” groundrules that could be defined now, and speculation as to where expanded theoretical development should take place for maximum benefit to the industry.
Experimental Studies on Coherent Synchrotron Radiation at an Emittance Exchange Beamline

One of the goals of the Fermilab A0 photoinjector is to experimentally investigate the transverse to longitudinal emittance exchange (EEX) principle. Coherent synchrotron radiation in the emittance exchange line could limit the performance of the emittance exchanger at short bunch lengths. In this paper, we present experimental and simulation studies of the coherent synchrotron radiation (CSR) in the emittance exchange line at the A0 photoinjector. We report on time-resolved CSR studies using a skew-quadrupole technique. We also demonstrate the advantages of running the EEX with an energy chirped beam.
An Infrared Band Ratio Technique for Temperature Determinations of Hot Gases

A band ratio technique is developed for determining the temperature of optically thin hot gases from the infrared spectrum. The technique is based on the temperature variation of the integrated intensity of combination and overtone bands and not the Planck blackbody function. The technique can be applied to any fundamental, overtone, or combination band pair of a radiating molecule. In particular, the R-branch of the 2.7-μ fundamental band and the 1.87-μ and 1.34-μ combination bands of hot water vapor are investigated as a specific example of the technique. Characteristic band area ratios which can be used to determine the temperature from measured emissivity or radiance spectra are given for H2O. A comparison between temperatures determined from the band ratio technique and temperatures determined by independent experimental methods shows good agreement.
A Combined Genetic And Linear Inversion Algorithm For Seismic Waveform Inversion

We combine a genetic algorithm (GA) with a linearized inversion (LI) scheme to develop a new approach to seismic waveform inversion. By incorporating the LI method into GA we intend (i) to overcome the limitations of the knowledge of a good starting model in LI and (ii) to reduce the computational cost of GA. The new method takes advantage of the convergence properties and local search approach of the linear method while the global search is carried out using GA. The two methods working together improve the directivity of the model ensemble increasing the fitness and accelerating the convergence to near the global optimum. To illustrate the procedure, we derive estimates of vp, and density for a 1-D elastic earth structure by modeling plane wave decomposed seismic data.
On a theorem of silver

A recent theorem of Silver, in its simplest form, states, that if @w < cf(k) < k and 2^@l=@l^+ for all @l < k, then 2^k=k^+. Silver's proof employs Boolean-valued as well as nonstandard models of set theory. In the present note we give an elementary proof of Silver's theorem in its general form.
Giant Conductance and Anomalous Concentration Dependence in Sub-5 nm Carbon Nanotube Nanochannels

Simulations and experimental studies have reported an unusually high ionic conductance in carbon nanotubes (CNTs) nanochannels. The origin of this phenomenon is, however, poorly-understood: literature reports often disagree in the magnitude of the different transport mode contributions to the measured ionic current and even in what ions are actually carrying the current; moreover, results obtained with single pore measurements differ frequently from those with membranes containing billions of open CNT channels, i.e. the average CNT behavior. Toward shedding light on these phenomena, we fabricated a novel platform having vertically-aligned sub-5nm carbon nanotubes as nanofluidic channels, the number of which can be controlled from one to billions. By employing this platform with only one or a few open CNTs, we observed giant ionic currents in CNT channels and a power-law increase of conductance with KCl concentration (G ∼ cn, n=0.1-0.4), a dependence that seems to be unique of CNT pores. To understand and quantify electro-osmotic flow in CNT pores (which has been proposed as the transport mode responsible for the giant ionic currents in CNTs), we investigated translocation of neutral molecules in a single CNT nanochannel with the resistive pulse technique. Furthermore, we studied the effect of solution pH, matrix type, and CNT diameter on the magnitude and the on the electrolyte concentration based power law dependence of the conductance. Implications of our findings on the physics of electric-field-driven ionic and molecular transport in CNTs will be presented here.
Psychological Issues in Relocation: Response to Change.

Although nearly all individuals will find relocation at least minimally stressful and will experience some stress related symptoms such as emotional reactivity, irritability, and exhaustion, those who find ways to establish security and meaning in their new situation within a reasonable time (2 to 6 months) will suffer less turmoil. The coping strategies that individuals employ will vary; people are generally fairly creative problem solvers. When the stress of a relocation continues beyond a reasonable time individuals experiencing excessive psychological discomfort should seek professional help. Help can best be provided by assisting the individual to overcome the obstacles which are a part of the naturally occurring process of adjusting to a new situation. Framing the experience as a normal reaction to a traumatic or crisis event can help individuals find ways to maintain both a sense of security and meaning, and to regain a sense of perspective.
RELIABILITY AS THE UPPER LIMIT OF A TEST'S COMMUNALITY.

Summary.-Assuming that a battery of all possible tests of a domain of petformance contains an unlimited number of tests, each of which is related to an unlimited number of other tests in the battery which measure exactly the same thing but differ by having perfect to no reliability, a proof is given that the communality of a test in such a battery is its reliability coefficient. Guttman (1940, 1953) has proved that as the number of tests are added without bound to a battery for factor analysis, the square of the multiple correlation coefficient for predicting a cest from the other tests in the battery approaches the communalicy of the cest as an upper limit, i.e.,
Extinction of the overshadowing CS after overshadowing in conditioned taste aversion

Using a conditioned taste aversion preparation overshadowing of flavor-illness association was produced through the presentation of a second flavor during the interval between the first flavor and illness. The modulatory effects of extinguishing the association between the second (over-shadowing) flavor and illness on conditioned responding to the target flavor was investigated. In Experiment 1, we found that, following one-trial overshadowing, extinction of the overshadowing flavor had no effect on conditioned responding to the target flavor. In Experiment 2, we found a similar absence of an effect of extinction of the overshadowing stimulus in a multitrial over-shadowing paradigm. Experiment 3 confirmed the results of Experiments 1 and 2 using conditioning parameters that were designed to weaken the association between the overshadowed flavor and illness. In Experiments 4 and 5, we used simultaneous presentation of the flavors during conditioning and obtained a weakened aversion to the overshadowed flavor when the overshadowing CS was extinguished. These findings are inconsistent with previous observations in conditioned fear preparations that suggest that extinction of the association between the overshadowing stimulus and the unconditioned stimulus attenuates overshadowing. Possible reasons for the discrepant results are discussed.
Relating Carbon Allocation Patterns to Tree Senescence in Metrosideros Forests

The ratios of carbohydrate sink to source in the shoot systems of mature and juvenile Metrosideros polymorpha trees were compared, testing a prediction of the pipe model theory that this ratio is proportional to height, thus explaining the synchrony of forest decline in even-height stands. Volumes of sapwood (S) and inner bark (IB), and leaf mass (L) were measured by destructive sampling in 5 mature and 12 juvenile trees. S:L and IB:L of mature tree shoot systems were higher than of juvenile trees, strongly supporting the hypothesis that mature trees have a lower surplus of carbohydrate production and are less resistant to many forms of stress. The specific leaf burden (S:L and IB:L jointly) within the mature tree sample varied by a factor of about 2, compared with a variation in height by a factor of about 1.3 5, suggesting that a relatively strong environmental stress is needed to trigger the synchronous death of all or most trees in a stand. The pipe model, with its prediction of constant Huber value (stem cross-sectional area per unit supported leaf mass), does not accurately represent the distribution of either the sapwood or the inner bark in M. polymorpha. The sapwood Huber values varied significantly among the organ systems of individual trees and between life states. Within each organ system the sapwood cross-sectional area in larger stems was strongly correlated with supported leaf mass, while the inner-bark cross-sectional area was better correlated with the cross-sectional area of the stem. Sapwood Huber values were similar in twigs and small branches of juvenile and mature trees, but were much lower in the larger stems of mature trees than at any point in the juvenile trees. The pattern of variation of the inner-bark Huber values among organ systems was similar in juvenile and mature trees. A reduction of the sapwood Huber value in the large stems of mature trees associated with heartwood development decreased the rate of increase of S:L with size. IB: L increased very little in the juvenile state, but it increased rapidly in the mature state when leaf mass failed to increase in linear proportion with total tree volume. The volume of inner bark was found to be about one-half as great as the volume of sapwood in mature trees, but is likely to be responsible for a disproportionate part of total aboveground respiration.
Human Neutrophil Elastase Responsive Delivery from Poly(ethylene glycol) Hydrogels

A novel enzyme-responsive hydrogel drug delivery system was developed with the potential to treat inflammation locally. Human neutrophil elastase (HNE) is a serine protease secreted by neutrophils which are the first cells recruited to inflammatory sites. We exploited this cell-secreted enzyme as a biological cue for controlled release. HNE sensitive peptide linkers were immobilized within poly(ethylene glycol) hydrogels using photopolymerization techniques. The kinetics of the enzyme reaction within the gel was tailored by varying the amino acid residues present in the P1 and P1' substrate positions (immediately adjacent to cleavage location). A novel FRET-based hydrogel platform was designed to characterize the accessibility of the substrate within the cross-linked, macroscopic hydrogel. Lastly, a diffusion-reaction mathematical model with Michaelis-Menten kinetics was developed to predict the overall release profile and captured the initial 80% of the experimentally observed release. The hydrogel platform presented shows highly controlled release kinetics with potential applications in cellular responsive drug delivery.
Ultrastructural studies of beef heart mitochondria I. Effects of adenosine diphosphate on mitochondrial morphology

Abstract A study of the morphology of isolated beef heart mitochondria in various metabolic states has revealed that adenosine diphosphate alone promotes the formation of a highly condensed morphology which remains unchanged when oxidizable substrates and phosphate are introduced. Oxidation rates are substantially altered and adenosine triphosphate is formed while the mitochondrial morphology stays constant. This observation suggests that the morphological appearance of the inner mitochondrial membrane may depend primarily on osmotic changes created by experimental procedures and metabolism under steady state conditions.
EXPLORATIONS OF THE ROLE OF HUMIDITY FLUCTUATIONS IN THE DETERIORATION OF PAPER

AbstractThe control of relative humidity is generally recognized as an important consideration in the proper storage and display of paper materials. However, the amount that the humidity can fluctuate and the rate at which it can change without causing damage are still unknown. In this study, samples of cotton filter paper (Whatman No. 42) were held at room temperature in a chamber having a relative humidity that alternated between 25 and 75% every two hours. Papers were removed from this chamber at intervals and analyzed for chemical deterioration, discoloration and strength loss. After roughly 2200 humidity cycles, the paper had suffered a reduction in cellulose degree of polymerization to one-half its initial value, nearly its leveling-off DP, and its zero-span tensile strength had fallen to one-third the initial fiber strength. Chemical products were found to be consistent with a predominantly hydrolytic degradation. These results, and the course of the strength loss during degradation, suggest that t...
Epithelial-myoepithelial cell carcinoma of the parotid gland: a case report and comparison of cytologic features with other stromal, epithelial, and myoepithelial cell containing lesions of the salivary glands.

The salivary glands are the site of many neoplasms characterized by a mixture of epithelial and myoepithelial cells and stromal fragments. Cytologic distinction of these neoplasms may be very difficult but careful attention to cellular details and the interaction between the cells and stroma can correctly classify these neoplasms as monomorphic or pleomorphic adenomas, adenoid cystic carcinomas, or epithelial-myoepithelial cell carcinomas. Diagn Cytopathol 1996;14:298–304. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
A generative approach to episodic structure

This paper presents an approach to episodic structures, specifying two types of generative rules that define them. Episodes manifest an underlying form in terms of five structural imperatives. This form is realized through a single base rule. This underlying form is converted into various surface structures through transformational rules. The paper concludes by discussing several implications that are pertinent to a language‐action approach to interpersonal communication.
Optical aperture synthesis using successive exposure of a single photograph and spatial-filtering “low-frequency redundancy” suppression

Abstract A high-resolution “full spatial-frequency range” optical image may be synthesized by superposing in a single plate a suitable set of low-resolution partial frequency-range photographs, obtained separately or simultaneously, with “low-frequency redundancy” suppressed by spatial filtering.
Environmental uncertainty, futures studies, and strategic planning

Abstract An approach to strategic planning incorporating a futures study is described and applied within the context of a large insurance company. The value of futures studies to strategic planning is discussed in terms of the capability such studies provide for processing information on an uncertain environment. The expected financial performance of a division of the insurance company using the resulting strategy is empirically compared with that of the division's strategy developed with a strategy formulation process usually described in the strategy literature. The contents of both strategies are also compared.
Thermoelectric properties of Sb 2 Te 3 under pressure and uniaxial stress

We present first-principles transport calculations for ${\mathrm{Sb}}_{2}{\mathrm{Te}}_{3}$ using the linearized-augmented plane-wave method and the relaxation time approximation. We considered the effects of hydrostatic pressure and uniaxial stress up to 4 GPa. Doping was included for electrons and holes at levels up to ${10}^{21}/{\mathrm{cm}}^{3}.$ The electrical conductivity, the Seebeck coefficient, and the power factor are derived from the calculated transport distribution. Our results for the electronic structure and the transport properties are in qualitative agreement with experiment. Furthermore, we predict a large increase in the power factor under applied uniaxial stress.
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PLOIDAL LEVEL AND CAM IN FIVE SPECIES OF TALINUM (PORTULACACEAE).

Plants (N = 102) from 23 populations of Talinum, representing five morphologically similar species, were examined in a test of the hypothesis that ploidal level may be correlated with levels of Crassulacean acid metabolism. When grouped by species and ploidal level, two groups of tetraploid plants, T. calcaricum and tetraploid individuals of T. calycinum, had significantly greater malic acid accumulations than any other group, including diploid individuals of T. calycinum. Another tetraploid, T. teretifolium, did not show greater malic acid fluctuations than the diploids, including two putative ancestors (T. mengesii and T. parviflorum). Similarly, malic acid fluctuations in tetraploid individuals of T. parviflorum were not different from diploid individuals of the same species. Nonetheless, when all plants were compared, nocturnal accumulations of malic acid in tetraploid plants were significantly greater than those of diploid plants.
A Single-Loop Approach for System Reliability-Based Design Optimization

An efficient single-loop approach for series system reliability-based design optimization problems is presented in this paper. The approach enables the optimizer to apportion the system reliability among the failure modes in an optimal way by increasing the reliability of those failure modes whose reliability can be increased at low cost. Furthermore, it identifies the critical failure modes that contribute the most to the overall system reliability. A previously reported methodology uses a sequential optimization and reliability approach. It also uses a linear extrapolation to determine the coordinates of the most probable points of the failure modes as the design changes. As a result, the approach can be slow and may not converge if the location of the most probable failure point changes significantly. This paper proposes an alternative system RBDO approach that overcomes the above difficulties by using a single-loop approach where the searches for the optimum design and for the most probable failure points proceed simultaneously. An easy to implement active set strategy is used. The maximum allowable failure probabilities of the failure modes are considered as design variables. The efficiency and robustness of the method is demonstrated on three design examples involving a beam, an internal combustion engine and a vehicle side impact. The results are compared with deterministic optimization and the conventional component RBDO formulation.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
The Impact of Enterprise Zones on Resident Employment: An Evaluation of the Enterprise Zone Programs of California and Florida

This article examines whether the enterprise zone programs of California and Florida affected the employment probabilities of zone residents. To do this, the author develops a methodology for estimating the effects of programs in which selection for treatment occurs at the neighborhood level, whereas the determination of the outcome of interest occurs at the individual level. This methodology is a combination of individual-level employment probability models and neighborhood-level propensity score matching. Studying programs that provided especially strong incentives to hire disadvantaged workers, the author finds no evidence that these enterprise zones affected the employment of zone residents.
Evaluating job satisfaction and success for emotionally maladjusted men

Abstract Work histories of male psychiatric patients were compared to see if they varied as a function of psychiatric diagnosis. It was predicted that there would be significant differences between diagnostic groups for types and levels of jobs held, amounts of job success achieved, and levels of job satisfaction attained. All three predictions were supported. Results indicated that the more severe the maladjustment, the less likely the men were to have been employed above the semiskilled level of occupations. Job satisfaction and job success were found to vary as a function of the personality characteristics of the different diagnostic groups. A direct relationship was found between severity of psychiatric disorder and unemployment time. Implications are discussed.
Myosin-X is an unconventional myosin that undergoes intrafilopodial motility

Filopodia are thin cellular protrusions that are important in cell motility and neuronal growth cone guidance. The actin filaments that make up the core of a filopodium undergo continuous retrograde flow towards the cell body1,2. Surface receptors or particles can couple to this retrograde flow3,4 and can also move forward to the tips of filopodia4,5, although the molecular basis of forward transport is unknown. We report here that myosin-X (Myo10 or M10), the founding member of a novel class of myosins6, localizes to the tips of filopodia and undergoes striking forward and rearward movements within filopodia, which we term intrafilopodial motility. The movements of the GFP–M10 puncta correspond to forward and rearward movements of phase-dense granules along the filopodia. Finally, overexpressing full-length M10 (but not truncated forms of M10) causes an increase in the number and length of filopodia, indicating that M10 or its cargo may function in filopodial dynamics. The localization and movements of M10 strongly suggest that it functions as a motor for intrafilopodial motility.
Cost reduction on high-speed 1D IDCT architecture based on time rescaling

In this paper, high-speed IDCT/DCT architectures based on B.G Lee's fast IDCT/DCT algorithm are investigated by pipelining and the systolic structure is proposed for hardware reduction applying to high speed IDCT/DCT structures based on time rescaling. Pipelining enables the high speed of structures but it also causes costly increase on hardware consumption over the original architectures from additional delay elements. On the other hand, multipliers are the most expensive components within IDCT/DCT architecture due to highly cost of area in terms of VLSI implementation. In this paper, we first investigate the interrelationship among IDCT/DCT structures with different pipelining stages. Secondly, a systolic element enabling multiplier reuse based on time rescaling is presented, which eliminates redundant duplicate multipliers within IDCT/DCT architecture and therefore the required hardware cost, namely area, of high-speed IDCT/DCT structures can be vastly saved.
Biosynthesis of the Tetrapyrrole Pigment Precursor, δ-Aminolevulinic Acid, from Glutamate

δ-Aminolevulinic acid (ALA), the common biosynthetic precursor of hemes, chlorophylls, and bilins, is synthesized by two distinct routes. Among phototrophic species, purple nonsulfur bacteria form ALA by condensation of glycine with succinyl-CoA, catalyzed by ALA synthase, in a reaction identical to that occurring in the mitochondria of animals, yeast, and fungi. Most or all other phototrophic species form ALA exclusively from the intact carbon skeleton of glutamic acid in a reaction sequence that begins with activation of the α-carboxyl group of glutamate by an ATP-dependent ligation to tRNAGlu, catalyzed by glutamyl-tRNA synthetase. Glutamyl-tRNA is the substrate for a pyridine nucleotide-dependent dehydrogenase reaction whose product is glutamate-1-semialdehyde or a similar reduced compound. Glutamate-1-semialdehyde is then transaminated to form ALA. Regulation of ALA formation from glutamate is exerted at the dehydrogenase step through end product feedback inhibition and induction/repression. In some species, end product inhibition of the glutamyl-tRNA synthetase step and developmental regulation of tRNAGlu level may also occur.
A scaling analysis of added-mass and history forces and their coupling in dispersed multiphase flows

Abstract Accurate momentum coupling model is vital to simulation of dispersed multiphase flows. The overall force exerted on a particle is divided into four physically meaningful contributions, i.e. , quasi-steady, stress-gradient, added-mass, and viscous-unsteady (history) forces. Time scale analysis on the turbulent multiphase flow and the viscous-unsteady kernel shows that the integral representation of the viscous-unsteady force is required except for a narrow range of particle size around the Kolmogorov length scale when particle-to-fluid density ratio is large. Conventionally, the particle-to-fluid density ratio is used to evaluate the relative importance of the unsteady forces (stress-gradient, added-mass, and history forces) in the momentum coupling. However, it is shown from our analysis that when particle-to-fluid density ratio is large, the importance of the unsteady forces depends on the particle-to-fluid length scale ratio and not on the density ratio. Provided the particle size is comparable to the smallest fluid length scale ( i.e. , Kolmogorov length scale for turbulence or shock thickness for shock-particle interaction) or larger, unsteady forces are important in evaluating the particle motion. Furthermore, the particle mass loading is often used to estimate the importance of the back effect of particles on the fluid. An improved estimate of backward coupling for each force contribution is established through a scaling argument. The back effects of stress-gradient and added-mass forces depend on particle volume fraction. For large particle-to-fluid density ratio, the importance of the quasi-steady force in backward coupling depends on the particle mass fraction; while that of the viscous-unsteady force is related to both particle mass and volume fractions.
The Borderlands: An historical survey for the non‐historian

The first Europeans who walked on borderlands soil at the beginning of the sixteenth century found themselves in a region that had been occupied continuously for tens of thousands of years. Except for eastern Texas, the northern extremity of New Spain was generally arid or semi-arid, but occasionally extremely arid. Aridity increased as one moved west from Texas and Coahuila to New Mexico and Chihuahua and then to Arizona and Sonora and the Californias. This aridity not only conditioned man-land relationships but ethnic relationships as well. Although population density in the far north was low, the region housed scores of different Indian groups many of whom spoke languages unintelligible to one another. They covered a wide cultural spectrum, ranging from completely sedentary to primarily nomadic. In terms of initial Spanish contacts the Yaqui, Mayo, Seri, Pueblo, Opata Concho, Eudeve, Apache, Comanche, Tarahuamara, Tepehuan, Tobosos, Pima, Gila, and Yuma were among the most important. Unlike central Mexico where the races came together, confronted one another, and grudgingly worked out the mechanisms for co-existence in a relatively short period of time, the same process in the borderlands consumed the better part of three centuries. It was not simply a matter of lack of interest on the part of the Spanish crown or individual Spanish adventurers, although this factor may have played some role. More to the point, the geographical extension of this area was huge and the Spaniards who initiated the cultural contacts were relatively few in number. When early rumors of fantastic northern wealth proved to be chimeras, initial enthusiasm about the region quickly waned.
THE PRESENCE AND SOME PROPERTIES OF XANTHINE OXIDASE IN HUMAN MILK AND COLOSTRUM

Human milk and colostrum samples were assayed for xanthine oxidase (XO) activity polarographically and by a radiochemical assay. Activity was found in all 59 samples assayed, it varied widely among individuals, and colostrum showed the highest activity. Enzyme activity decreased in all individuals with advance in the stage of lactation. The pH optimum of XO was 7.2 and nearly all of the enzyme was contained in the cream fraction. In stability experiments, milk samples stored at -20°C for up to 3 months showed no loss in activity. The pH optimum of the enzyme and its stability at -20°C demonstrate that it differs from bovine milk XO and it is not of bacterial origin.
Content-aware scrolling

Scrolling is used to navigate large information spaces on small screens, but is often too restrictive or cumbersome to use for particular types of content, such as multi-page, multi-column documents. To address this problem, we introduce content-aware scrolling (CAS), an approach that takes into account various characteristics of document content to determine scrolling direction, speed, and zoom. We also present the CAS widget, which supports scrolling through a content-aware path using traditional scrolling methods, demonstrating the advantages of making a traditional technique content-aware.
New and experimental therapeutic roles for naloxone and related opioid antagonists

Naloxone and related opioid antagonists have been shown to have therapeutic utility in a variety of conditions. The effects of opioid antagonists in either physiological or pathological processes are most clearly seen when there is excessive occupancy of opioid receptors, as in opiate overdose. Opioid antagonists are also able to reverse several types of cardiovascular shock, conditions in which endogenous opioids appear to be mobilised, resulting in increased opioid receptor occupation. There are also more controversial circumstances in which excessive occupation of opioid receptors may assume pathological significance, such as hypercapnia. Opioid antagonists could be useful in such a situation by re-sensitising the respiratory centres to carbon dioxide. There is some evidence that opioid antagonists may benefit some schizophrenic and manic-depressive patients, suggesting that an endogenous opioid ligand might cause disturbances in mental functioning. The diversity and complexity of opioid mechanisms in the central nervous system suggest that more specific opioid antagonists could be more selective in altering physiological or pathological functioning.
An Eulerian–Lagrangian computational model for deflagration and detonation of high explosives

Abstract A solid phase explosives deflagration and detonation model capable of surface burning, convective bulk burning and detonation is formulated in the context of Eulerian–Lagrangian material mechanics. Well-validated combustion and detonation models, WSB and JWL++, are combined with two simple, experimentally indicated transition thresholds partitioning the three reaction regimes. Standard experiments are simulated, including the Aluminum Flyer Plate test, the Cylinder test, the rate stick test and the Steven test in order to validate the model. Cell and particle resolution dependence of simulation metrics are presented and global uncertainties assigned. Error quantification comparisons with experiments led to values generally below 7% (1σ). Finally, gas flow through porous media is implicated as the driving force behind the deflagration to detonation transition.
The Attenuation of Ultra-Violet Light by the Lower Atmosphere

Measurements were made with a quartz mercury lamp, a quartz spectrograph and a recording densitometer of the attenuation of ultra-violet light from 3000 to 2050A by the atmosphere at sea level. For wave-lengths from 5000 to 3000A the absorption was too slight to be observed at distances up to 400 meters; for wave-lengths below 2800A there was pronounced absorption above that attributable to molecular scattering. The absorption was the same day and night, was unaffected by changes in the humidity, but increased with haze. The thicknesses of clear air necessary to reduce the light to ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}2}$ were about 22, 5, 0.57 and 0.20 km for 2800, 2500, 2200 and 2050A, respectively. The absorption in the lower atmosphere around 2800 to 2900A was not sufficient to account for the sharp cessation of the solar spectrum in this region. This result is in keeping with the fact that the ultra-violet limit of the solar spectrum is due to ozone in the high atmosphere. The absorption in the lower atmosphere at 2200 to 2050A, a spectrum region where ozone is relatively transparent, is great enough to prevent sunlight of these wave-lengths from penetrating to sea level.
Dose-response evaluation of the amnestic effects of triazolam and pentobarbital in normal subjects

The effects of placebo, triazolam (0.25, 0.5, and 0.75 mg), and pentobarbital (100, 200, and 300 mg) were examined in seven normal male volunteers using a double-blind, Latin Square, balanced crossover design. Before and at hourly intervals after oral drug administration at approximately 10 a.m., subjects completed subject ratings of drug effects, psychomotor performance tasks, and two versions of a number recall task in which eight-digit number stimuli were recalled by reproduction on a numeric keypad. In one version, number stimuli were displayed on a video screen for varying lengths of time (3, 6, or 9 seconds) before immediate recall. In another version, subjects initially reproduced a continuously displayed number and then recalled the number following an immediate or a 16-second delay interval. Both triazolam and pentobarbital produced dose-related effects on all measures. Relative potency comparisons showed that triazolam was 270-384 times more potent than pentobarbital on subject ratings and psychomotor measures but was 406-647 times more potent than pentobarbital on measures of recall impairment. Recall performance deficits produced by both triazolam and pentobarbital at short (3-second) stimulus presentation times were attenuated at longer presentation times. With the variable delay task, triazolam but not pentobarbital interacted with the delay interval and produced impairments only at the 16-second delay condition. These data indicate that both triazolam and pentobarbital quantitatively impair acquisitional processes involved in short-term recall performance. Furthermore, triazolam may have a greater potential than pentobarbital to produce memory impairment, as reflected by its greater relative potency on these measures and its tendency to interfere with retention over short delay intervals.
Therapeutics of monomethylhydrazine intoxication

Abstract Exposure to monomethylhydrazine (MMH), a missile propellant, can produce convulsions and death probably because of the inhibitory effect of MMH on γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) synthesis. The current recommented therapeutic agent is pyridoxine but because of the large amounts required and the low solubility of pyridoxine the injection volumes required for effective treatment can result in severe tissue irritation and trauma. This study compares the therapeutic effects of muscimol, diazepam, and pyridoxine, and certain combinations of these compounds, against MMH-induced convulsions and lethality. Mice were injected with convulsive and lethal doses of MMH and with varying doses of the three or combinations of them. The incidence of convulsions and death and the times to effect were recorded. All drugs had a protective effect but combinations containing diazepam and either pyridoxine or muscimol were the most effective antagonists to MMH convulsions and death. The dose-response curves were shifted to the right, and the times to convulsion and to death were significantly prolonged.
Ending Financial Repression in China1

Abstract China has the most restricted capital markets in Asia. Constraints on capital freedom have resulted in politicization of investment decisions, corruption, waste of capital, and loss of personal freedom. Ending financial repression in China by liberalizing macro-economic prices and making the Yuan fully convertible would help China become a world-class financial centre. To do so, however, would require widespread privatization and rule of law-both of which would undermine the power of the Chinese Communist Party. The West should be patient with China and recognize that gradual reform and engagement are preferable to destructive protectionism.
Structural Decomposition of Thermo-elastic Semigroups with Rotational Forces

B.C.~such as: hinged mechanical/Neumann thermal B.C., and the most challenging case of all, the so-called case of free B.C. In all cases, the original thermo-elastic s.c.~semigroup of contractions admits a structural decomposition, for all positive times, as the sum of a “non-compact semigroup” and a compact component. In all cases, save (at present) the case of free B.C., the “non-compact semigroup” component is actually a s.c. uniformly (exponentially) stable group, based only on the mechanical variables: as a consequence, a precise uniform (exponential) stability result of the original thermo-elastic semigroup is then obtained. For the free B.C. case, the “non-compact” semigroup corresponds to a simpler problem with uncoupled elastic equation and shear force B.C. The stated structural decomposition requires, for its proof, sharp/optimal regularity theory of the associated elastic Kirchoff equation; including two new such results as in [27,28] for hinged/Neumann and for free B.C., respectively. The structural decomposition results of this paper for models that account for rotational forces are at striking contrast with the property of analyticity of the thermo-elastic semigroup, which characterizes, instead, models which do not account for rotational forces. Implications on exact controllability are noted.
The reduction of samarium(III) trifluoroacetate with potassium in liquid ammonia

Abstract The reduction of samarium(III) trifluoroacetate with potassium in liquid ammonia provides evidence for only the transitory existence of Sm2+. The nature of the products resulting from the reduction of this salt with one, two, and three equivalents of potassium is described. Procedures are given for the preparation of the trifluoroacetate and the corresponding 2-ammoniate.
Sustained CD4+ T Cell Response after Virologic Failure of Protease Inhibitor-Based Regimens in Patients with Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection

The relationship between plasma human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) RNA levels and peripheral CD4+ T cell counts was examined in 380 HIV-infected adults receiving long-term protease inhibitor therapy. Patients experiencing virologic failure (persistent HIV RNA >500 copies RNA/mL) generally had CD4+ T cell counts that remained greater than pretherapy baseline levels, at least through 96 weeks of follow-up. The CD4+ T cell response was directly and independently related to degree of viral suppression below the pretreatment baseline. For any given HIV RNA level measured 12 weeks after virologic failure, subsequent CD4+ T cell decline was slower in patients receiving a protease inhibitor-based regimen than in a historical control group of untreated patients. These observations suggest that transient or partial declines in plasma HIV RNA levels can have sustained effects on CD4+ T cell levels.
Estradiol replacement and dietary copper in ovariectomized rats additively increase the serum levels of HDL cholesterol and body status of copper

The present study was conducted to determine the interactive effects of dietary copper (Cu) and estradiol (ES) on Cu status and serum HDL cholesterol in ovariectomized (OX) rats. Rats were divided into the following three groups of 12 each: 1) OX0 group: without ES replacement; 2) OXE group: with ES replacement (OXE); and 3) SM group: sham-operated with intact ovaries. After postoperative recovery for 3 weeks, the OXE rats were implanted subcutaneously with a 1.5 mg pellet of 17β-estradiol, and the OX0 and SM rats were implanted with a placebo pellet. Each of the three groups was then subdivided into two groups: one was fed a Cu-deficient (−Cu) diet (0.99 μg Cu/g), and the other a Cu-adequate (+Cu) diet (7.0 μg Cu/g). Time course changes in serum HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C), ES, and Cu were determined. Serum HDL cholesterol was determined after separation of the HDL fraction by affinity chromatography. Serum ES was determined by radioimmunoassay. ES replacement sharply increased the concentrations of Cu in serum and liver regardless of whether rats were fed the −Cu or +Cu diet. ES replacement also produced a selective increase in HDL-C. It ranged from 1.5 to 2.2 mmol/L in OXE rats, whereas the range in OX0 was between 1.0 and 1.4 mmol/L, as determined at days 20, 40, and 60. Dietary Cu did not affect the concentrations of total serum or HDL cholesterol at days 20 and 40. However, at day 60, serum HDL-C was significantly lower in the rats fed the −Cu diet than in those fed the +Cu diet, independent of ES replacement. Serum HDL-C in all groups were correlated significantly with serum ES (r = 0.60, P < 0.0006). Serum Cu was correlated highly with serum HDL cholesterol (r = 0.66, P < 0.0001) and serum ES (r = 0.64, P < 0.0001). The results provide evidence that ES replacement in OX rats selectively increases the serum levels of HDL cholesterol. The increase in serum HDL is independent of the nutritional status of Cu but is associated with a parallel rise in serum ES in response to ES replacement. The present finding and earlier observations, taken together, suggest a specific role of ES in protecting HDL during circulation and in improving the body status of Cu. J. Trace Elem. Exp. Med. 11:45–58, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
A leap of faith: thoughts on secularistic practices and progressive politics*

The political sentiment represented by the WSF celebrates diversity, and cultivates a substrate where movements can be incubated, and prosper. This paper questions a particular secular(ist) vocabulary, grammar, and culture of politics exhibited at the WSF in Mumbai. It asks whether the political space of the Forum, which is defined as open, democratic, and tolerant, must necessarily be a secular one, or whether a secularistic political affect closes potentialities by narrowing the possibilities for anti-imperial critiques, thus excluding valid forms of dissent? The paper will argue that a secularistic culture of politics can be an impediment for an emerging and growing revolutionary phenomenon because of its exclusionary and limiting tendencies. Building on a critique of affective politics, it will be shown that the imperative of a politics of resistance free from religious sentiments will both fail to address the needs of vast majorities of the planet's inhabitants and continue to provide opportunities for more fundamental and violent alternatives to flourish. Drawing from the work of Connolly, Deleuze and Guattari, as well as Ramadan, this paper critiques the privileged space allotted to secularism, and invites discussion about how to provide scope for the possibility of a political ethic which does not alienate believers, instead creating the potential for new models of political pluralism.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration Approval Summary: Ramucirumab for the Treatment of Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Following Disease Progression On or After Platinum-Based Chemotherapy

OnDecember12,2014,theU.S.FoodandDrugAdministration (FDA) approved ramucirumab for use in combination with docetaxel for the treatment of patients with metastatic nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with disease progression on or after platinum-based chemotherapy. Patients with epidermal growth factor receptor or anaplastic lymphoma kinase genomic tumor aberrations should have disease progression on FDA-approved therapy for these aberrations prior to receivingramucirumab.Thisapprovalwasbasedonanimprovementinoverallsurvival(OS)withanacceptabletoxicityprofile inarandomized,multicenter,double-blinded,placebo-controlled trial of 1,253 patients with metastatic NSCLC previously treated with a platinum-based combination therapy. Patients were