cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Involvement of carboxypeptidase in the degradation of the mung bean (Vigna radiata) trypsin inhibitor during germination and early seedling growth

Examination of the substrate specifity of the carboxypeptidase activity of ungerminated and germinated mung beans (Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek) reveals the presence of two distinct enzymes. The first of these, carboxypeptidase I, is maximally active against carbobenzyloxy-Ala-Phe. It is present in large amounts in the cotyledons of ungerminated seeds, and declines rapidly during germination. The second, carboxypeptidase II, is most active against carbobenzyloxy-Phe-Ala. This enzyme increases in the cotyledons during germination and seedling growth. The possible involvement of one or both of these enzymes in the degradation of the native mung bean trypsin inhibitor (MBTI - F) and its proteolytically modified forms (MBTI - E, - C, and - E') during germination was also examined. The enzyme catalyzing one step in the conversion of MBTI - E to MBTI - C has been isolated with 557-fold purification from germinated mung beans. The inhibitor-degrading enzyme has a molecular weight of approximately 60,000. It is optimally active against MBTI - E at between pH 4.0 to 4.5. No activity was found with MBTI - F, - E', or - C as substrates. The enzyme has been identified as the carboxypeptidase II on the basis of (1) coelution during chromatography, (2) action on synthetic and natural substrates, (3) sensitivity to enzyme inhibitors, and (4) temporal variation during germination. The MBTI degrading carboxypeptidase removes the two carboxyl-terminal residues from MBTI - E to produce an inhibitor species that co-migrates with MBTI - C on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, but has not been subjected to the internal cleavage and proteolysis at the amino-terminus found in MBTI - C.
Joint Genome-Wide Profiling of miRNA and mRNA Expression in Alzheimer's Disease Cortex Reveals Altered miRNA Regulation

Although microRNAs are being extensively studied for their involvement in cancer and development, little is known about their roles in Alzheimer's disease (AD). In this study, we used microarrays for the first joint profiling and analysis of miRNAs and mRNAs expression in brain cortex from AD and age-matched control subjects. These data provided the unique opportunity to study the relationship between miRNA and mRNA expression in normal and AD brains. Using a non-parametric analysis, we showed that the levels of many miRNAs can be either positively or negatively correlated with those of their target mRNAs. Comparative analysis with independent cancer datasets showed that such miRNA-mRNA expression correlations are not static, but rather context-dependent. Subsequently, we identified a large set of miRNA-mRNA associations that are changed in AD versus control, highlighting AD-specific changes in the miRNA regulatory system. Our results demonstrate a robust relationship between the levels of miRNAs and those of their targets in the brain. This has implications in the study of the molecular pathology of AD, as well as miRNA biology in general.
Hydrogen storage measurements in novel Mg-based nanostructured alloys produced via rapid solidification and devitrification

Abstract Nanostructured materials for hydrogen storage with a composition of Mg85Ni15−xMx (M = Y or La, x = 0 or 5) are formed by devitrification of amorphous and amorphous-nanocrystalline precursors produced by melt-spinning. All three compositions exhibit a maximum storage capacity of about 5 mass % H at 573 K. When ball-milled for 30 min in hexanes, the binary alloy can be activated (first-cycle hydrogen absorption) at 473 K. DSC experiments indicate that desorption in this sample begins at 525 K, compared to 560 K when the material is activated at 573 K; which indicates an improvement in the hydride reaction thermodynamics due to capillarity effects. Additions of Y and La improve the degradation in storage capacity observed during cycling of the binary alloy by slowing microstructural coarsening. Alloying with La also shows a decrease of about 8 kJ/mol and 5 kJ/mol in the enthalpy of reaction for MgH2 and Mg2NiH4 formation, respectively, compared to the binary alloy; resulting in some desorption of H2 at 473 K. The improved thermodynamics are discussed in terms of destabilization of the hydrides relative to new equilibrium phases introduced by alloying additions. The proposed hydriding reaction for the La-containing material is in agreement with previously reported experimental results.
Patterns of Health Insurance Coverage among Rural and Urban Children

Despite the potential for the State Children's Health Insurance Program to improve the health care coverage of rural children, the expansion of public health insurance to children in rural areas may be hampered by a lack of understanding about the patterns of insurance coverage they experience. This study uses the Census Bureau's 1993-1996 panel of the Survey of Income and Program Participation to evaluate differences in the duration of, and in their entry into and exit from, uninsured spells. While the average duration of new spells was shorter for rural children and most regained coverage quickly, rural children were also more likely than urban children to experience protracted spells of uninsurance. Moreover, rural children were more likely than urban children to move between public and private coverage. These findings have important implications for designing insurance expansion programs and outreach strategies to effectively enroll and retain rural children.
DIFFUSION FROM A CONTINUOUS SOURCE IN A UNIFORM SHEAR FLOW1

The importance of velocity shear in the diffusion of a patch of passive contaminant from an instantaneous source is well recognized. Shear is also expected to play an important role in the spread of contaminant from a continuous source, since a continuous source may be considered as a superposition of instantaneous sources. A model for the diffusion of a dynamically passive contaminant from such a continuous source is presented. This source is superposed on a mean flow with uniform shear. An equation is derived which shows— by numerical solution—that the maximum concentration of the contaminant in the resulting plume decreases nearly as the reciprocal of the distance. Small and large time approximations verify this result analytically. The skewness of the concentration distribution at various distances from the source is also presented. This diffusion model compares favorably with diffusion experiments conducted in seas and lakes.
Tailoring a human reliability analysis to industry needs

Human Reliability Assessment (HRA) is used to analyze the inherent risk of human behavior or actions introducing errors into the operation of a system or process. Assessments identify where errors are most likely to arise and the potential risks involved if they do occur. Using the basic concepts of HRA, an evolving group of methodologies are used to meet various industry needs. airline industry mishaps, medical malpractice, medication mistakes, aerospace failures, major oil spills, transportation mishaps, power production failures and manufacturing facility incidents. Determining which methodology or combination of techniques will provide a quality human reliability assessment is a key element to developing effective strategies for understanding and dealing with risks caused by human errors. There are a number of concerns and difficulties in "tailoring" a HRA for different industries. Although a variety of HRA methodologies are available to analyze human error events, determining the most appropriate tools to provide the most useful results can depend on industry specific cultures and requirements. Methodology selection may be based on a variety of factors that include: 1) how people act and react in different industries, 2) expectations based on industry standards, 3) factors that influence how the human errors could occur such as tasks, tools, environment, workplace, support, training and procedure, 4) type and availability of data, 5) how the industry views risk & reliability, and 6) types of emergencies, contingencies and routine tasks. Other considerations for methodology selection should be based on what information is needed from the assessment. If the principal concern is determination of the primary risk factors contributing to the potential human error, a more detailed analysis method may be employed versus a requirement to provide a numerical value as part of a probabilistic risk assessment. Industries involved with humans operating large equipment or transport systems (ex. railroads or airlines) would have more need to address the man machine interface than medical workers administering medications. Human error occurs in every industry; in most cases the consequences are relatively benign and occasionally beneficial. In cases where the results can have disastrous consequences, the use of Human Reliability techniques to identify and classify the risk of human errors allows a company more opportunities to mitigate or eliminate these types of risks and prevent costly tragedies.
State mapping for cross-language speaker adaptation in TTS

Cross-language speaker adaptation has many interesting applications, e.g. speech-to-speech translation. However, in cross-language speaker adaptation, a common phoneme set, assumed to be used by different speakers of the same language, does not exist any longer. Instead, a nearest neighbor based phoneme mapping from one language to the other has been adopted. In this study, we used our recently proposed sub-phonemic HMM state mapping for cross-language adaptations. The sub-phonemic HMM states, due to their phonetic segment nature, tend to be more sharable across different languages than phonemes. Kullback-Leibler divergence, an information-theoretic measure, is chosen here to measure the similarity between given states in different languages. Experimental results show that new state mapping outperforms the phoneme mapping baseline system in terms of three objective measures: log spectral distance, F0 adaptation error and F0 correlations. In comparing with intra-language adaptation, the cross-language result of the new algorithm is also fairly decent.
Chromosome X genomic and epigenomic aberrations and clinical implications in breast cancer by base resolution profiling

Aim: Abnormal inactivation or loss of inactivated X chromosome (Xi) is implicated in women's cancer. However, the underlying mechanisms and clinical relevance are little known. Materials & methods: High-throughput sequencing was conducted on breast cancer cell lines for copy number, RNA expression and 5′-methylcytosine in ChrX. The results were examined in primary breast tumors. Results & conclusion: Breast cancer cells demonstrated reduced or total loss of hemimethylation. Most cell lines lost part or one of X chromosomes. Cell lines without ChrX loss were more active in gene expression. DNA methylation was corroborated with Xi control lincRNA XIST. Similar transcriptome and DNA methylation changes were observed in primary breast cancer datasets with clinical phenotype associations. Dramatic genomic and epigenomic changes in ChrX may be used for potential diagnostic or prognostic markers in breast cancer.
Heuristic networks for concurrent pursuit-evasion systems

We consider briefly the linguistic geometry tools and their application to solving 2D optimization problem for autonomous robotic vehicles participating in the aerospace pursuit-evasion game. In this problem we allow the agents to move simultaneously if necessary. A comparison of the searches for aerial and concurrent cases shows that search reduction achieved in the concurrent case is even more dramatic than it was in the serial one.
Sparseness and Entropy in Semantic Change: Precedents from Early Vision

What is the difference between description and explanation in linguistics? We take explanation to be the reduction of description to independently motivated general principles. For language, a promising source of independently motivated general principles can be found in neuroscience, and especially computational neuroscience. As an example, we consider the notion of historical change in word meaning, which in cognitive semantics is often described in terms of conceptual metaphor, metonymy and synecdoche. Why does language rely on these three mental abilities and not some others? We argue that it is because the brain depends on the computational principles of sparseness and entropy to generate efficient mental representations. These principles have been found at work in primary and secondary visual cortex, so that a proper understanding of semantic change takes us through the physiology of early visual cognition.
Hellenized Romans and Barbarized Greeks. Reading the End of Dionysius of Halicarnassus, Antiquitates Romanae.

In the Antiquitates Romanae, Dionysius of Halicarnassus presents the Romans as a nation of Greeks. Throughout his narrative, Dionysius shows how the Romans have surpassed other Greek nations in the quintessentially Greek areas of morality and conduct. However, this assessment of Rome's cultural and ethnic identity proves to be much more nuanced when read side by side with the narrative of the concluding books of the Antiquitates Romanae, a largely unexplored section of the work dealing with the war between the Romans and Pyrrhus. The culturally-based definition of Roman ‘Greekness’ is accompanied, particularly in the last portion of the narrative, by a troubling awareness of its inherent instability as the Romans increasingly display the tendencies which eventually caused the ‘barbarization’ of Greece.
Changes in the 31P-NMR spectra of cats receiving lithium chloride systemically

From the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics. School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. PA. P. R. is supported by NIH Medical Scientist Training Grant 5-T3?GM-07170. This work was also supported by the Ben Franklin P~~rship’s Advanced Technology Center of S.E. Pennsylvania (University City Science Center). Address reprint requests to Dr. Perry F. Renshaw, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics. School of Medicine. University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19 104 Received August 19. 1985: revised December 2. 19X5 hibition of the enzyme myo-inositoli-phosphatase (Hallcher and Sherman 19801. Lithium inhibits this enzyme with a K, of 0.8 mM in vitro, which is comparable to the therapeutic serum lithium level of 0.X-l .S mM. As a result of this inhibition, systemic administration of’ lithium chloride can significantly lower myoinositol and raise myo-inos~t~~lI -phosphate (It P) levels in rat cerebral cortex (Sherman ct al. 19X I, 1985). As much as a 40-fold increase has been reported after administration of lithium chloride. As a therapeutic drug. lithium is administered chronically with a relatively low maintenance dose (approximately 0.5 meqikgiday). Thus, any attempt to explain lithium’s mechanism of ac.
Sensitivity Functions for Linear Discrete Systems with Applications

z-transform techniques are employed to establish general symmetry and simultaneity properties of the first sensitivity functions of the phase-canonical form of single-input, nth-order, linear, constant, discrete-time, controllable systems. It is demonstrated that computation of the first sensitivity function requires one nth-order model in addition to the system model. This simultaneity property is extended to arbitrary single-input, nth-order, linear, constant, discrete systems. In complete analogy with results presented for continuous systems, symmetry and simultaneity properties may be established for the computation of the /th sensitivity function \begin{equation*}^{l}\beta^{y} \triangleq \frac{\partial^{l}y_{i}}{\partial\alpha_{Jl}\partial\alpha_{Jl-1}\cdots\partial\alpha_{J2}\partial\alpha_{J1}}|_{\alpha=\alpha_{0}} {\rm for} \substack{i = 1,2,\ldots,n\\ J_{k} = 1,2,\ldots,n\\ k = 1,2,\ldots,l.}\end{equation*} Extension of these results to multi-input systems is also mentioned. The usefulness of the simultaneity property is illustrated by applying the results to the design of a low-sensitivity optimal control law.
Oxidative stress, DNA damage and apoptosis in male infertility: a clinical approach

clearly independent measures of sperm quality. Therefore, pathogenic ROS levels or poor-quality sperm chromatin structure may be considered indicative of male subfertility [1,2].IDIOPATHIC INFERTILITYMen with idiopathic infertility generally present with signiﬁcantly higher seminal ROS levels and lower antioxidant properties than healthy controls [3]. Therefore, it appears that the presence of OS in infertile normozoospermic men may be the cause behind previously unexplained cases of infertility. Similarly, sperm DNA damage analysis may reveal hidden sperm DNA abnormalities in infertile men with normal standard sperm values who were diagnosed with idiopathic infertility. The increase in sperm DNA damage in these patients may be partly related to high levels of seminal OS.Finally and importantly, some conditions may pass unnoticed but still affect the sperm genomic integrity. In one case report [4], a fertile patient who had inﬂuenza and a 1-day fever of 39.9 ∞ C presented with a relatively high percentage of sperm with damaged DNA (36%) 18 days after the onset of his fever.GENITAL TRACT INFECTIONSGenital tract infections are usually associated with leukocytospermia and elevated ROS levels, as leukocytes represent the major source of ROS production in ejaculates. Although leukocytes are a constant component of human ejaculates and virtually no semen sample is free of them, if the prevalence of leukocytes exceeds normal values (1 ¥ 10
Effects of basaltic mineral fines on composting

A by-product of the construction aggregate industry is fines or dust that contain trace elements such as zinc and copper and significant amounts of iron, aluminum, silica and potassium. Beneficial uses for these materials have been proposed such as replenishing depleted soils and amendment in mixtures of organic byproducts prior to composting. To evaluate the beneficial uses in composting, outdoor bin studies were conducted using a beef cattle manure, straw and wood chip mixture amended with and without basaltic mineral fines. Temperature differences in composting mixtures of equal volumes, equal moisture and relatively equal material content are considered an indication of differing biological activities [Haug, Compost Engineering Principles and Practice. Ann Arbor Science, Ann Arbor, MI. (1980)] . Temperatures were lower in the mineral fine-treated manure mixture initially. After turning the piles at six weeks, temperatures tended to be higher in the mineral fine amended mixture. Overall, temperatures were not significantly different suggesting that mineral fines amendment does not significantly increase temperature and activity in composting mixtures.
Regression Modeling for Vertical and Horizontal Property Tax Inequity

Early property tax regression models were used to estimate vertical inequity across assessment districts. By their nature, these models contain measurement error bias. Clapp (1990) used an instrume...
Charge Transfer Dynamics between Carbon Nanotubes and Hybrid Organic Metal Halide Perovskite Films.

In spite of the rapid rise of metal organic halide perovskites for next-generation solar cells, little quantitative information on the electronic structure of interfaces of these materials is available. The present study characterizes the electronic structure of interfaces between semiconducting single walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) contacts and a prototypical methylammonium lead iodide (MAPbI3) absorber layer. Using photoemission spectroscopy we provide quantitative values for the energy levels at the interface and observe the formation of an interfacial dipole between SWCNTs and perovskite. This process can be ascribed to electron donation from the MAPbI3 to the adjacent SWCNT making the nanotube film n-type at the interface and inducing band bending throughout the SWCNT layer. We then use transient absorbance spectroscopy to correlate this electronic alignment with rapid and efficient photoexcited charge transfer. The results indicate that SWCNT transport and contact layers facilitate rapid charge extr...
Initiation of the clotting of blood.

SummaryA minute amount of thrombin such as remains adherent to the wall of a test tube after repeated rinsing is enough to shorten markedly the clotting time of blood from a severe hemophiliac. Since the same effect is observed in platelet-rich but not in platelet-poor hemophilic plasma, it appears that although an extremely small quantity of thrombin can initiate clotting, platelets participate in accelerating the reaction.
Factors Affecting the Perceived Confidence of Extension Home Economists to be Community Health Promoters.

Change agent activity is critical to how rapidly innovations in health such as exercise, diet modification, and cancer screening get diffused in populations. Because many rural areas lack health educators, and needs in rural areas tend to be more acute because of poverty, lower levels of education, and lack of access to health care services, diffusion is often slower and more uneven. A mail survey of 110 extension home economists (EHEs) in Virginia (response rate = 89%) found considerable interest among this group in undertaking expanded professional roles as community health promoters. In a multiple regression analysis, EHE exercise and weight control practices were predictive of their confidence in initiating a variety of professional activities related to exercise (p < .01) and weight control (p < .05), but the same relationships were not observed with other health practices. Perceived importance in helping clients following the health practices above was the variable in the regression model most highly predictive of expressed confidence in undertaking a range of health promotion activities. Several extension home economists expressed reluctance to become involved with smoking cessation activities because tobacco is a major cash crop in their counties and their organization provides technical assistance to tobacco growers there.
Health Knowledge and Health Demand Among Employees of a Chengdu Factory

Objective To investigate the health knowledge level and employee health behavior from a technology factory in Chengdu,in order to provide scientific health education evidence for the factory.Methods Two hundred twenty four workers were selected to be surveyed with the questionnaires anonymously.Results The total awareness rate was 76.3%,and the targets are seriously short of health knowledge on how to protect themselves from poisonous and harmful environment.Multifactor analysis result showed that the more health knowledge is obtained by employees,the more health behavior will occur.Conclusion Comprehensive activities on health education and knowledge promotion should be carried out by the factory in order to strengthen the capability self-protection and actual performance based on knowledge of employee.
Surgery Therapy of Esophageal Chemical Burns in Children

Objective To investigate the clinical features and operative effects of esophgeal chemical burns in children. Methods 13 children with esophageal chemical burns were reviewed. Colon substitute for esophagus were carried out. Results The esophageal chemical burns of 13 cases with colon substitute esophagus were all recovered. Post-operative two anastomostic leakage occured. 11 patients were followed-up for 6 month to 5 years and satisfactory results were obtained. Conclusions We consider that by colon substitute for the chemical burned esophagus of children is a worthy therapy, should be advocated, the experiences of operation and anastomostic leakage has been discussed further.
Analysis on Incidence Data of Malignant Tumors in Taixing City in 2009

[Objective]To analyze the prevalence situation of malignant tumors in Taixing city in 2009,provide the scientific basis for making prevention countermeasure and intervention measures of malignant tumors.[Methods]The data of malignant tumors in 2009 were analyzed,and the indexes such as incidence rate were calculated.[Results]The crude incidence rate of malignant tumors in Taixing city in 2009 was 194.29/lakh.The incidence rate of malignant tumors in male(225.73/lakh) was significantly higher than that in females(156.89/lakh),the ratio of male to female was 1.44∶1,which increased with age,and the 60~70 years old group was the highest.The top five malignant tumors were esophageal cancer,gastric cancer,liver cancer,lung cancer and breast cancer.The top ten malignant tumors accounted for 87.6% of total malignant tumors.[Conclusion]The incidence rate of malignant tumors in Taixing city is high.The gastrointestinal tumors,including esophageal cancer,gastric cancer and liver cancer,are the most main malignant tumors that cause serious harm to health of residents,which should be regarded as the key point of tumor prevention.
Modulation of the biologic activity of the rabbit intervertebral disc by gene therapy: an in vivo study of adenovirus-mediated transfer of the human transforming growth factor beta 1 encoding gene.

STUDY DESIGN In vivo studies using a rabbit model to determine the biologic effects of direct, adenovirus-mediated transfer of a therapeutic gene to the intervertebral disc. OBJECTIVES 1) To deliver an exogenous therapeutic gene to rabbit lumbar intervertebral discs in vivo, 2) to quantify the resulting amount of gene expression, and 3) to determine the effect on the biologic activity of the discs. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA Although growth factors such as transforming growth factor beta 1 appear to have promising therapeutic properties, there currently is no practical method for sustained delivery of exogenous growth factors to the disc for the management of certain chronic types of disease (e.g., disc degeneration). A possible solution is to modify the disc cells genetically through gene transfer such that the cells manufacture the desired growth factors endogenously on a continuous basis. METHODS Saline, with or without virus, was injected directly into lumbar discs of 22 skeletally mature female New Zealand white rabbits. Group 1 (n = 11) received the adenovirus construct Ad/CMV-hTGF beta 1 containing the therapeutic human transforming growth factor beta 1-encoding gene. Group 2 (n = 6) received adenovirus containing the luciferase marker gene. Group 3 (n = 5) received saline only. The rabbits were killed 1 week after injection. Immunohistochemical staining for human transforming growth factor beta 1 was performed on the disc tissues of one rabbit from Group 1. Nucleus pulposus tissues from the remaining rabbits were cultured in serumless medium. Bioassays were performed to determine human transforming growth factor beta 1 production and proteoglycan synthesis. RESULTS Discs injected with Ad/CMV-hTGF beta 1 exhibited extensive and intense positive immunostaining for transforming growth factor beta 1. The nucleus pulposus tissues from the discs injected with Ad/CMV-hTGF beta 1 exhibited a 30-fold increase in active transforming growth factor beta 1 production, and a 5-fold increase in total (active + latent) transforming growth factor beta 1 production over that from intact control discs (P < 0.05). Furthermore, these tissues exhibited a 100% increase in proteoglycan synthesis compared with intact control tissue, which was statistically significant (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS The results of this study suggest that the intervertebral disc is an appropriate site for adenovirus-mediated transfer of exogenous genes and subsequent production of therapeutic growth factors. Gene therapy therefore may have useful applications for study of the basic science of the intervertebral disc and for clinical management of degenerative disc disease.
Effects of vascular infusion with a solution of saccharides; sodium chloride; phosphates; and vitamins C, E, or both on carcass traits, Warner-Bratzler shear force, and palatability traits of steaks and ground beef.

Three groups of 12 high percentage Charolais steers were slaughtered on three dates. Steers (n = 27) were infused immediately after exsanguination at 10% of BW with a solution containing saccharides, NaCl, and phosphates (MPSC solution; MPSC, Inc., St. Paul, MN) plus either 500 ppm vitamin C (MPSC+C), 500 ppm vitamin E (MPSC+E), or 500 ppm vitamin C plus 500 ppm vitamin E (MPSC+C+E). Noninfused controls (CON) were 9 steers. The longissimus thoracis (LT), semitendinosus (ST), and quadriceps femoris muscles were removed at 48-h postmortem, vacuum-packaged, and aged until 14-d postmortem. Steaks 2.54-cm thick were cut from the LT and ST. The quadriceps was utilized for ground-beef production. Infused steers had higher dressing percentages and heavier heart and liver weights (P 0.05) on USDA yield and quality-grade traits, LT and ST Warner-Bratzler shear force, descriptive-attribute traits, and freshly cooked steak flavor-profile traits. Vascular infusion had little effect on the flavor-profile traits of warmed-over steaks. Therefore, the results of our study indicate that vascular infusion with vitamins C, E, or C plus E can increase dressing percentage and organ weights, but have minimal effects on descriptive-attribute and flavor-profile sensory panel ratings.
On the Vitelline Membrane of the Egg of Psammechinus Miliaris and of Teredo Norvegica

I. Direct microscopic examination of the unfertilised eggs of Psammechinus miliaris and Teredo norvegica merely shows the existence of a thin, granule-free zone covering the surface. Whether this is continuous with the general cytoplasm or not cannot be made out with certainty by direct observation. 2. A cone of clear material can be drawn out from the surface of the unfertilised egg of both species by means of the microdissection needle. A definite membrane cannot be separated in this way. 3. Hypertonic solutions cause the egg of Psammechinus to shrink smoothly at first and later to become wrinkled. This is consistent with the view that the egg is surrounded by an elastic, solid layer which is normally in a state of tension. 4. Cytolysis of the egg of Psammechinus in tap water is not accompanied by bursting. The egg swells and is perfectly smooth and spherical when cytolysis is completed. This points to the existence of an elastic, solid surface layer. 5. Plasmolysis of the egg of Teredo is of the type here called "polyhedral."The irregular shape of the egg in the hypertonic solution is only temporary, as a clear membrane separates from the concave surfaces and the egg then becomes more or less spherical. 6. The protoplasm of the plasmolysed egg of Teredo behaves as a viscous fluid. 7. Cytolysis of the egg of Teredo in tap water is accompanied by bursting and dispersion of the entire cell contents. A crumpled membrane alone remains. 8. It is concluded that the unfertilised egg of both Teredo norvegica and Psammechinus miliaris is surrounded by an elastic vitelline membrane which is much a Vitelline Membrane of the Egg of P. miliaris and of T. norvegica 105 thicker in the former than in the latter. The vitelline membrane in both cases is tightly attached to the egg surface. 9 . In calcium-free sea water the fertilisation membrane is elevated normally in Psammechinus miliaris . It does not harden, however, and gradually sinks back on to the surface of the egg owing, apparently, to the loss by diffusion of the osmotically active substance in the perivitelline space. It can be elevated a second time by puncturing the surface of the egg and allowing some of the cell contents to penetrate into the perivitelline space. 10. It is suggested that one action of hypertonic solutions in inducing artificial parthenogenesis may be to cause a loosening of the attachment of the vitelline membrane to the egg surface.
Calculated Radiation Properties of Spent Plutonium Fuels

AbstractThe ORIGEN computer code has been used to compute the time-dependent thermal power, photon spectrum, and neutron production rate resulting from fast- and thermal-neutron-induced fission of 235U and 239Pu fuels. Computed afterheats and photon spectra of fission products resulting from thermal fission of 235U are shown to be in good agreement with published data, and computed radioactivities and thermal power of plutonium irradiated to low exposures in both thermal- and fast-neutron spectra are found to agree well with experimentally measured properties. Radioactive decay of the actinide elements is calculated to contribute 10 to 25% of the thermal power of spent low enrichment 235U fuels at postirradiation times between one day and three years. Gamma radiation per unit mass of 30-day-cooled LMFBR core fuel is calculated to exceed that from 90-day-cooled PWR fuel by a factor of 30 in the higher energy groups, and spontaneous fission neutron production per gram of spent LMFBR core fuel is found to ex...
Determinants of Inward FDI in Brazil

In this chapter we will present several quantitative analyses of FDI determinants in Brazil. First, we will evaluate the relationships between the economic performance of the host country and FDI in a long-run perspective, testing the effects of macroeconomic and trade variables. In a second approach, we estimate the role of institutions and their effects on the patterns of FDI. Finally, we will test to what extent absorptive national capacity may moderate the effects of economic performance.
Ictal SPECT in Localizing Epileptogenesis

Ictal single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) was used successfully in the localization of an epileptic focus in two children, ages 9 and 7 years, with intractable epilepsy reported from the University of Alabama at Birmingham Epilepsy Center.
California's Historic Legacy For Landscape Change, the Wieslander Vegetation Type Maps

Abstract This paper presents the digitized edition of the Wieslander Vegetation Type Maps (VTMs). The VTMs were part of the first statewide systematic survey of California's vegetation, conducted 1928–1939. Under the direction of Albert Wieslander, crews recorded the patterns of vegetation that they observed from vantage points across the state. The survey covers 176,901 km2 including border and lake polygons and 165,652 km2 of landscapes that we describe in more detail. There are 251,541 polygons in the full extent of the maps, with 249,630 in the analysis extent. These polygons are annotated with codes indicating the dominant plant species, for which voucher specimens were collected. The maps contain 655 species codes, representing 535 species or sub-species in 229 genera, including 34 Arctostaphylos Adans. and 16 Quercus L. species. The 249,630 polygons contain 26,013 unique combinations of species and levels of disturbance. These can be classified into 525 vegetation alliances or provisional alliances...
Subcellular Targeting of PKA through AKAPs: Conserved Anchoring and Unique Targeting Domains

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the structurally conserved regulatory (R) subunit anchoring domain and deals with the examples of unique subcellular targeting domains that localize anchored-protein kinase (PKA) for regulation of co-localized target substrates. There are three PKA C subunit isoforms (Cαβγ, Cβ, Cγ) and four R subunit isoforms (RIα, RIβ, RIIα, RIIβ). NMR structural studies show that both the RI and RII N-terminal dimerization domains form anti-parallel four-helix bundles in which dimerization creates an extended hydrophobic surface that binds the A-kinase anchoring proteins (AKAP). The AKAPs all bind to the R subunit N-terminal dimerization domain through hydrophobic interactions. The PKA anchoring domains from different AKAPs have very little primary amino acid sequence similarity yet share a conserved hydrophobic character and secondary structure. Thus, AKAPs are a family of functionally related proteins arising from convergent evolution, as opposed to diverging from a common ancestral AKAP protein. The common hydrophobic and secondary structure in AKAP PKA anchoring domains is seen as a conserved spacing of hydrophobic residues, which map to one side of an amphipathic α-helix of about 18 residues in length. AKAP molecules have been characterized at a myriad of distinct subcellular locations including the plasma membrane, intracellular vesicles, actin and microtubule cytoskeletons, mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum (ER), Golgi, and centrosomes. The AKAP protein MAP2 is targeted to dendritic microtubules in neurons by direct binding to tubulin. Scar/Wave1, an AKAP that also anchors the abl-Tyrosine kinase, binds to actin both in focal adhesions and membrane ruffles in fibroblasts where it regulates the actin polymerization activity of the Arp2/3 complex.
Estrogen Stimulation Differentially Impacts Human Male and Female Antigen-Specific T Cell Anti-Tumor Function and Polyfunctionality:

Abstract Sex-specific differences exist in innate and adaptive immune responses and are mediated by hormone signaling. Estrogen is able to differentially modulate the development and differentiation of immune cells, including T cells. However, the effect of estrogen on T cell function, especially at concentrations other than physiological, remains controversial and incompletely understood. Immunotherapy is one of the most promising cancer treatments to date with a high probability of future enhancements. The adoptive transfer of genetically modified T cells can mediate tumor regression but there are still many hurdles to enhancing the proficiency of this treatment. This study demonstrates for the first time that one major aspect to consider for designing potent immunotherapies for cancer is the impact of the patient's sex. Herein, using two different Ag-specific T cell groups, we investigated the effect of sex and estrogen in antitumor effector responses, T helper cytokine secretion, and, importantly, on ...
How the media biopoliticized neoliberalism: or, Foucault meets Marx

This paper seeks to do two things. First, at a theoretical/exegetical level, it demonstrates important affinities between Foucault and Marx(ism): I contend that an opposition between them is misplaced, and their work can be fruitfully combined. Support for this position can be found in Foucault’s writings on biopower. Second, at an applied level, I draw on biopower to understand the role of the media in the creation of neoliberalism, and their reciprocal relationship.
Pharmacokinetic properties of intranasal and injectable formulations of naloxone for community use: a systematic review.

Aim To assess the pharmacokinetic properties of community-use formulations of naloxone for emergency treatment of opioid overdose. Methods Systematic literature review based on searches of established databases and congress archives. Results Seven studies met inclusion criteria: two of US FDA-approved intramuscular (im.)/subcutaneous (sc.) auto-injectors, one of an FDA-approved intranasal spray, two of unapproved intranasal kits (syringe with atomizer attachment) and two of intranasal products in development. Conclusion The pharmacokinetics of im./sc. auto-injector 2 mg and approved intranasal spray (2 and 4 mg) demonstrated rapid uptake and naloxone exposure exceeding that of the historic benchmark (0.4 mg im.), indicating that naloxone exposure was adequate for reversal of opioid overdose.
Optimal Value of Information in Dynamic Bayesian Networks

Decision-making based on probabilistic reasoning often involves selecting a subset of expensive observations, that best predict the system state. Krause and Guestrin described two problems of non-myopically selecting observations in graphical models to optimize the value of information (VoI), namely, selection of an optimal subset of observations, and generation of an optimal conditional observation plan. They showed that these problems are intractable in general, but gave polynomial-time dynamic programming algorithms, called VoIDP, for chain graphical models. In this paper, we consider the general setting of Dynamic Bayesian Networks (DBNs), and formulate these problems in terms of finding optimal policies in Markov Decision Processes (MDPs). The time complexities of the resulting algorithms are exponential in general, but polynomial for chain models. Given a chain model, our algorithms compute the same subset, or plan, as VoIDP. Interestingly, despite their generality, our algorithms have significantly better time complexities for chain models compared to VoIDP. We also present an outline of how to use our framework to formulate an approximate, nonmyopic VoI optimization technique, with absolute a posteriori guarantees on approximation, that can handle arbitrary DBNs efficiently.
AGEP from a dog bite treated with Ibuprofen

Abstract Background Acute Generalized Exanthematous Pustulosis (AGEP) is a rare dermatologic reaction characterized by an erythematous rash with pustular erosions, fever and leukocytosis. Although most often secondary to antibiotic use, AGEP has also been associated with many drugs. A thorough literature search showed only four previously documented cases of ibuprofen-associated AGEP, and one case of dog bite-associated AGEP. Case report We present the case of a 46 year old Caucasian female who developed AGEP after self-treating with ibuprofen for a dog bite. Conclusion In the clinical setting this rash is often dramatic and illuminating the causative agent can be a diagnostic challenge. Our case represents a rare cause of AGEP and an important finding for current practitioners.
Performance of a fluid-based, thin-layer papanicolaou smear method in the clinical setting of an independent laboratory and an outpatient screening population in New England.

Abstract Background.—A patented, fluid-based, thin-layer method for preparation of Papanicolaou (Pap) smears (ThinPrep Pap test) has been reported to be significantly more effective than the conventional smear invented by George Papanicolaou. We tested this position by comparing the cytologic diagnosis and specimen adequacy results obtained using the ThinPrep method with data from conventional Pap smears obtained from a similar population. Methods.—Test results of 56 339 ThinPrep specimens were compared with results from 74 756 conventional smear cases obtained from the same sources in a corresponding period of the previous year. Results.—The use of ThinPrep for cervicovaginal cytology produced a 75.14% increase in the detection of low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions and higher diagnoses. Detection of low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions increased by 71.65% (from 1.58% to 2.71%), and detection of high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions increased by 102.54% (from 0.26% to 0.52%). There was...
Group Information-Seeking Behavior in Emergency Response

Emergencies—whether natural or technological, random or human-induced—may bring profound changes to organizations, the built environment, and society at large. These changes create the need for reliable information about the emergency and its impacts, and thus require responding organizations to seek and process information from an evolving range of sources. By understanding how skilled versus novice response personnel search for information in emergencies, we may begin to understand how to support and train for skillful information seeking in situations characterized by risk, time constraint, and complexity. This study develops a hypothesized model of information-seeking behavior in emergency response and evaluates it using data from expert and novice groups addressing simulated emergency situations. The results suggest that experts maintain breadth in the extent of their information seeking, despite increasing time pressure. Novices, on the other hand, decrease the extent of their search under increasing time pressure. Both expert and novice groups show a decreasing effort in information seeking; moreover, effort devoted to search for common and unique information decreases over time.
Models for Parasite Populations

Ecological concepts and ecologists have played a prominent role in the development of two rather different kinds of models for dealing with consumer-resource relations. One kind can be called a population model because it represents a device employed to identify the ways in which a population is related to its resources and deals with some set of summary statistics that describe the population. The most fashionable population model is built around the concepts of r-species and K-species. The second kind of model is represented by Darwinian models. Darwinian models deal with relations within a single population and they have gained new utility through the use of energy budget concepts and life table statistics. Darwinian models must be species specific in order to deal with the interactions between the individuals of a population and be able to predict how the interactions may affect the contribution females make to the next generation.
Recent Advances in Production and Distribution Management

Forty years ago, we experienced the birth of a new scientific discipline aimed at supporting the planning and design of production and distribution systems. This pioneering effort was led by a number of seminal papers, in particular Arrow et al. (1951), Scarf (1960), Clark and Scarf (1960), and Wagner and Whitin (1958).
Energized Calcium Transport and Relaxing Factors

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the energized calcium transport and discusses the relaxing factors. Analysis of the factors that might determine whether a muscle is relaxed or contracted and that regulate the transition from one state to the other is based on in vitro experiments. The chapter focuses on evaluation of the different conditions that cause relaxation. It discusses the behavior of actomyosin in vitro and its correlation to in vivo contraction and relaxation of actomyosin. In vitro contraction manifests by the development of tension in glycerol-extracted fiber bundles and shortening of fiber bundles or isolated myofibrils. When the calcium (Ca) level is lowered, myofibrils in vitro lose their bound Ca and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) permits relaxation to occur. The cytoplasmic Ca level of resting muscle, in vivo, is low. Living muscle has the means to remove Ca from the cytoplasm because it contains a specialized reticulum structure with a rapid transport system for Ca in addition to the Ca pumps of the mitochondria and the cell membrane
Epidemiology of ametropia of U.S. Army recruits.

All people attempting to enlist in the U.S. Army must undergo a physical examination that requires a rudimentary vision screening. Those who pass the physical, upon reporting to basic training, are again evaluated and any treatment necessary to allow the recruits to function during their initial indoctrination is provided. Those who fail to see 20/20 O.D. and O.S. with their current spectacles fail the screening and are evaluated by an optometrist. If their condition is not disqualifying, appropriate correction is prescribed. We reviewed the records of all the recruits in a 1-month period who either required spectacles to see 20/20 or failed the screening at the 43rd AG BN (reception). Epidemiological evaluation revealed most to be either simple myopes or myopic astigmats. Hyperopia and hyperopic astigmatism accounted for the next most common diagnosis. Other conditions included anisometropia, antimetropia, amblyopia, keratoconus, and nystagmus. Examinations of these recruits were very limited, with dilated fundus evaluations being performed only when there was a high probability of a disqualifying condition. Therefore, it is unknown what retinal disease or degeneration may be present other than what would be visible with direct ophthalmoscopy.
Remarks on the Relationship Between Artificial Intelligence and Cognitive Psychology

Shortly after I agreed to participate in this conference, I received a letter from a psychologist friend, who had been working in the area of cognitive simulation. He had become discouraged, feeling that less and less work was going on. He felt that attempts to simulate cognitive functioning were a dead end and he was leaving the field. He wanted to let me know.