cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Metabolic pools and the synthesis of macromolecules.

Abstract Two functionally distinct amino acid pools are foundin Candida utilis : a concentrating pool and a conversion pool . The former accumulates exogenous amino acids within the cell to levels exceeding their concentration in the external medium. This pool is only evident when exogenous amino acids are present. Its size is variable and the accumulated amino acids are sensitive to osmotic shock as well as being readily exchangeable with external amino acids. Once concentrated these amino acids may provide material for the conversion pool. Here amino acid interconversion occurs thereby furnishing the amino acids required for protein synthesis. In the absence of exogenous amino acids this pool is formed solely from the carbon and energy source (glucose, fructose, etc.). During exponential grwoth this pool is always present at a fixed size. This amino acid conversion pool is sensitive to osmotic shock. Its content do not exchange with the amino acids of the concentrating pool or with exogenousamino acids. The results are similar to those obtained in the synthesis of nucleic acids in Candida utilis where two functionally different and chemically distinct pools have been demonstrated. These kinetic investigations describing the flow of oxegenous carbon through metabolic pools provide information on some of the preliminary steps in macromolecule formation.
Global Reprogramming of the Cellular Translational Landscape Facilitates Cytomegalovirus Replication

Unlike many viruses that suppress cellular protein synthesis, host mRNA translation and polyribosome formation are stimulated by human cytomegalovirus (HCMV). How HCMV impacts the translationally regulated cellular mRNA repertoire and its contribution to virus biology remains unknown. Using polysome profiling, we show that HCMV presides over the cellular translational landscape, selectively accessing the host genome to extend its own coding capacity and regulate virus replication. Expression of the HCMV UL38 mTORC1-activator partially recapitulates these translational alterations in uninfected cells. The signature of cellular mRNAs translationally stimulated by HCMV resembles pathophysiological states (such as cancer) where translation initiation factor levels or activity increase. In contrast, cellular mRNAs repressed by HCMV include those involved in differentiation and the immune response. Surprisingly, interfering with the virus-induced activation of cellular mRNA translation can either limit or enhance HCMV growth. The unanticipated extent to which HCMV specifically manipulates host mRNA translation may aid in understanding its association with complex inflammatory disorders and cancer.
Nucleoside-5′-Phosphates from Ribonucleic Acid

THOUGH the manner in which the four nucleotides of ribonucleic acid are combined in the intact molecule is not completely settled, the data obtained from analyses of the chemical degradation products are most compatible with phosphoryl-group attachments through the C2 and C3 positions of the ribose group1. The exclusion of C5 phosphoryl linkages rests principally upon the failure to isolate 5′ nucleotides or the acid-stable ribose-5-phosphate from acid hydrolysates of ribonucleic acid. However, Gulland and Jackson2, hydrolysing yeast ribonucleic acid with a snake venom containing a phosphodiesterase and a specific 5′ nucleotidase, found 35 per cent of the total phosphate liberated as inorganic phosphate, suggesting that a large number of the phosphoryl groups were attached to the ribose C5 position. Recently, Schmidt3, utilizing periodate titrations of ribonuclease-hydrolysed yeast ribonucleic acid, concluded that some nucleotide groups had been linked to positions other than ribose C2 or C3 in the original ribonucleic acid. The experiments described below indicate that intact 5′ nucleotides can be isolated from enzymatically hydrolysed calf liver ribonucleic acid.
Anticonformity aspects of depression in mild depressive states.

Controversial issues regarding the relation of conformity and anticonformity variants of dependency to depression and self-esteem were examined. The Willis-Hollander model of social influence and an experimental paradigm which permits differentiation of dependency responses into conformity and anticonformity subcategories were used. Ninety female college students who had been given the Beck Depression Inventory and a measure of self-esteem engaged in a perceptual judgment task, with two degrees of social influence. Depression and self-esteem were unrelated to independence and conformity. The main finding in the step-wise regression analyses was that depression was significantly related (p < .001) to the anticonformity variant of dependency. The assumption that depression is related to dependency was supported, but the conventional position that such dependency consists of the conforming variant, involving compliance and approval- and guidance-seeking, was not supported, at least within the range of depression sampled.
Personality and Self‐Regulation: Trait and Information‐Processing Perspectives

This article introduces the special issue of Journal of Personality on personality and self-regulation. The goal of the issue is to illustrate and inspire research that integrates personality and process-oriented accounts of self-regulation. The article begins by discussing the trait perspective on self-regulation--distinguishing between temperament and personality accounts--and the information-processing perspective. Three approaches to integrating these perspectives are then presented. These range from methodological approaches, in which constructs representing the two perspectives are examined in integrated statistical models, to conceptual approaches, in which the two perspectives are unified in a holistic theoretical model of self-regulation. The article concludes with an overview of the special issue contributions, which are organized in four sections: broad, integrative models of personality and self-regulation; models that examine the developmental origins of self-regulation and self-regulatory styles; focused programs of research that concern specific aspects or applications of self-regulation; and strategies for increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of self-regulation.
Topology of alkali phosphate glass networks

Abstract The glass transition temperature of alkali phosphate glasses shows anomalous extremum points that are evidence of an unusual physical trend with chemical composition. In this paper, we develop a topological model for the glass transition temperature of binary alkali phosphate systems that helps elucidate the underlying structural and topological origins of this phenomenon. The topological model is analytically derived accounting for a hierarchy of temperature-dependent constraints and is shown to give an accurate prediction of the scaling of glass transition temperature with composition. We also discuss the general implications of the model, including the relationship between network rigidity and the distinguishability of particles at the glass transition.
Photoemission studies of the Cu-InP(110) interface

The atomic and electronic structure of Cu-($n$-type) InP(110) interface has been studied by soft-x-ray photoemission spectroscopy and Auger spectroscopy for copper coverages ranging from 0.7 to 80 \AA{}. By monitoring the evolution of the P $2p$ and In $4d$ core-level spectra and the change of the Cu $3d$ level, which is degenerate with the substrate valence band, we provide evidence of strong intermixing taking place at the interface. A strong outward diffusion of phosphorous into the copper overlayer and indium segregation at the surface have been observed. A splitting of the phosphorous ${L}_{2,3}\mathrm{VV}$ Auger line has been observed for Cu coverages higher than 8 \AA{}. This splitting, similar to that observed for silicides, provides evidence of bond formation between Cu and P. On the basis of the P $2{p}_{\frac{3}{2}}$ line shift, a Schottky-barrier height of 0.6 eV has been established.
Dietary protein restriction in artificially reared neonatal rats causes a reduction of insulin-like growth factor-I gene expression.

Abstract To determine in neonates the effects of protein restriction on growth, serum IGF-I, and IGF-I gene expression, we adapted a technique for rearing neonatal rats (days 6-18 of life) artificially by continuous infusion of milk through a gastrostomy. The artificially reared (AR) animals were given isocaloric diets containing 8%, 13.5%, or 18% lactalbumin protein. The AR rats were compared to rats reared by their mothers (MR) for 18 days. The growth of AR rats was related to the amount of dietary protein, with the pups given 18% protein having the best growth (25.55 g gained during the 12 days of the study) and those given 8% protein having the worst (13.42 g). The 13.5% protein-fed animals were intermediate in weight gain (18.39 g). The weight gains of the 18% and 8% protein-fed pups were significantly different from that of the MR animals (18.37 g). An identical pattern of tail length growth was noted among the groups. Mean serum IGF-I concentrations followed the same pattern (MR, 1.66 U/ml on day 1...
Vibrational spectral/structural changes from the hydrolysis/polycondensation of methyl-modified silicates. II: Comparisons for condensates from the binary diethoxydimethylsilane/tetramethoxysilane system

Abstract Comparisons were made for the structures of condensates from the tetramethoxysilane (TMOS)/diethoxydimethylsilane (DEDMS) system upon hydrolysis/polycondensation using infrared and Raman spectra. Spectral data indicated that all generated condensates possessed four-membered (Siz.sbnd;O) 4 rings as structural units within their structures. Three-membered rings appeared at lower concentrations.
Deep Sea Carbonates: Dissolution Facies and Age-Depth Constancy

DEEP sea drilling1 has shown the presence in many parts of the seafloor of a complex sequence of carbonate sediments showing various degrees of dissolution. On the present sea-floor, dissolution of carbonate increases with depth, leading to increasingly poorly preserved carbonate assemblages with increasing depth of deposition, until finally all carbonate is dissolved, leaving a residue of pelagic clay. This relationship between depth and dissolution has been used to interpret the carbonate profiles in drill sites in two contrasting ways. First, assuming that the present distribution of dissolution with depth was constant through time, poorly preserved carbonate skeletons and pelagic clay indicate great depth of deposition, whereas well preserved skeletons and pure chalk indicate a shallow ocean bottom2; second, neglecting tectonic movements, as well as redeposition, the distribution of age versus ocean depth of foraminifera, nannofossils and clay defines the rise and fall of solution levels3,4, such as the calcite compensation depth (CCD) and the (whole test) foraminiferal compensation depth (FCD) somewhat above the CCD.
A point mutation (R192H) in the C-terminus of human cardiac troponin I causes diastolic dysfunction in transgenic mice

Abstract Cardiac troponin I (cTnI) mutations have been linked to the development of restrictive cardiomyopathy (RCM) in human patients. We modeled one mutation in human cTnI C-terminus, arginine192 → histidine (R192H) by cardiac specific expression of the mutated protein (cTnI193His in mouse sequence) in transgenic mice. Heart tissue sections revealed neither significant hypertrophy nor ventricular dilation in cTnI193His mice. The main functional alteration detected in cTnI193His mice by ultrasound cardiac imaging examinations was impaired cardiac relaxation manifested by a decreased left ventricular end diastolic dimension (LVEDD) and an increased end diastolic dimension in both atria. The cardiac ejection fraction (EF) was not significant changed in 6- to 8-week-old cTnI193His mice, however, the EF was significantly decreased in cTnI193His mice at age of 11 months. These data indicate that individual genetic conditions and environmental factors participate together in the development of the cTnI mutation based-cardiac muscle disorders. This mouse model provides us with a tool to further investigate the pathophysiology and the development of RCM.
Pharmacologic inhibition of fatty acid oxidation sensitizes human leukemia cells to apoptosis induction

The traditional view is that cancer cells predominately produce ATP by glycolysis, rather than by oxidation of energy-providing substrates. Mitochondrial uncoupling — the continuing reduction of oxygen without ATP synthesis — has recently been shown in leukemia cells to circumvent the ability of oxygen to inhibit glycolysis, and may promote the metabolic preference for glycolysis by shifting from pyruvate oxidation to fatty acid oxidation (FAO). Here we have demonstrated that pharmacologic inhibition of FAO with etomoxir or ranolazine inhibited proliferation and sensitized human leukemia cells — cultured alone or on bone marrow stromal cells — to apoptosis induction by ABT-737, a molecule that releases proapoptotic Bcl-2 proteins such as Bak from antiapoptotic family members. Likewise, treatment with the fatty acid synthase/lipolysis inhibitor orlistat also sensitized leukemia cells to ABT-737, which supports the notion that fatty acids promote cell survival. Mechanistically, we generated evidence suggesting that FAO regulates the activity of Bak-dependent mitochondrial permeability transition. Importantly, etomoxir decreased the number of quiescent leukemia progenitor cells in approximately 50% of primary human acute myeloid leukemia samples and, when combined with either ABT-737 or cytosine arabinoside, provided substantial therapeutic benefit in a murine model of leukemia. The results support the concept of FAO inhibitors as a therapeutic strategy in hematological malignancies.
Electron microscope studies on eggs of Mytilus edulis

Normal eggs of the bay mussel, Mytilus edulis, centrifuged eggs, eggs treated with sperm extract, plasmolyzed eggs, and homogenates of whole eggs, were surveyed by electron microscopy. Microvilli increase the egg surface area about fifteenfold. They extend through the vitelline membrane, and delicate fibrils extend from their tips into a jelly coat. Hypertonic sea water detaches the microvilli from the egg and they are retained in the vitelline membrane. Sperm extract causes the vitelline membrane, an intercellular substance, and cortical granules of the cortex to become invisible. The endoplasm of the centrifuged egg stratified into (1) a lipid layer, (2) a clear layer, (3) a mitochondrial layer, and (4) a yolk layer. The constituents of these layers and of the cortex are described. Many of these constituents are recognizable in thin sections of pellets obtained by centrifugation of egg homogenates. The findings are discussed.
Development and testing of the Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) retroreflectors

The Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) instrument is scheduled to fly on NASA's Cassini mission to Saturn. CIRS operates at 170 Kelvin and utilizes two Michelson interferometers to measure the infrared spectrum between 7.1 and 1000 microns. The Mid-InfraRed interferometer (MIR) is a classical Michelson design operating in the 7.1 to 16.7 micron band. The Far-InfraRed interferometer (FIR) is a polarizing Michelson design measuring the 16.7 to 1000 micron band. Both the MIR and FIR use retroreflector elements rather than flat mirrors. The MIR requires hollow cube corner style retroreflectors while the FIR polarizing nature requires roof-top mirror style retroreflectors. Initial testing of available technology indicated that interferometric quality retroreflectors do exist in ambient temperatures. Tests were performed using commercially available mounted and unmounted cube corners and commercial cube corners mounted to GSFC designed mounts to characterize their cryogenic, interferometric performance. The Goddard Space Flight Center's ambient and cryogenic test and results are presented here.
Distribution of Click Amplitudes

The amplitude of a click is defined as the output of an ideal FM demodulator at the time of occurrence of the click. It is shown that the amplitude of a click (when the carrier is unmodulated) is a function of two random variables whose join distribution function is derived under the condition that a positive click has occurred. The distribution of positive click amplitudes is derived with the carrier-to-noise power ratio (CNR) at the output of the intermediate frequency (IF) filter as a parameter The results are extended to include negative clicks. The probability density and distribution functions of click amplitudes are plotted for the special case of a rectangular IF and CNRs of 4 and 9 The effect of modulation on the distribution of click amplitudes is determined. Results are given for the special case of a sinusoidal modulating signal fully deviating the carrier and a rectangular IF
Catch-and-Release Probes Applied to Semi-Intact Cells Reveal Ubiquitin-Specific Protease Expression in Chlamydia trachomatis Infection

Protein ubiquitylation controls many cellular pathways, and timely removal of ubiquitin by deubiquitylating enzymes (DUBs) is essential to govern these different functions. To map endogenous expression of individual DUBs as well as that of any interacting proteins, we developed a catch-and-release ubiquitin probe. Ubiquitin was equipped with an activity-based warhead and a cleavable linker attached to a biotin affinity-handle through tandem site-specific modification, in which we combined intein chemistry with sortase-mediated ligation. The resulting probe is cell-impermeable and was therefore delivered to the cytosol of perfringolysin O (PFO)-permeabilized cells. This allowed us to retrieve and identify 34 DUBs and their interacting partners. We also noted the expression, in host cells infected with Chlamydia trachomatis, of two additional DUBs. Furthermore, we retrieved and identified chlamydial DUB1 (ChlaDUB1) and DUB2 (ChlaDUB2), demonstrating by experiment that ChlaDUB2, the presence and activity of which had not been detected in infected cells, is in fact expressed during the course of infection.
Muscle progenitor cells for the restoration of irreversibly damaged sphincter function: A pre-clinical study

METHODS: A model of urinary sphincter insufficiency was created by microsurgically excising approximately 80% of the sphincter muscle in 26 dogs. Autologous progenitor muscle cells were grown and expanded in culture. Sphincter function was assessed by urodynamic studies on normal and damaged sphincters. The culture expanded muscle progenitor cells were injected into the damaged sphincter muscle of 12 animals. The animals were followed and urodynamic studies, functional organ bath studies, and ultrastructural and histologic examinations were performed.
Applying Real Options to Flexible Systems Engineering: A Proof-of-Concept Study on Capability Acquisition of Tactical Data Links

How do we show the value of flexibility in systems engineering? This paper is aimed at answering this question with a proof-of-concept case study, which applies flexible systems-engineering concepts to the design of solutions for providing improved Tactical Data Link (TDL) capabilities to the Close Air Support (CAS) mission and then compares the return on investment (ROI) of these solutions. Many flexible systems-engineering concepts can be viewed as applications of Real Options, where options represent valuable sources of flexibility designed into assets or activities of an investment whose payoff is strongly related to some uncertainties. Such sources of flexibility can substantially raise the investment's expected payoff, because they would allow the project to limit the downside risk while exploiting the upside potential. TDL systems can support the CAS mission by providing digital machine-to-machine target location, weapon aim points, and Blue Force situational awareness to reduce the risk of fratricide. Engineering a useful system would face uncertainties in technical development and implementation coordination with various components. Solutions have been proposed that incorporate flexibility into systems engineering strategies for responding to uncertainties. This paper presents an analytic method based on a Real Options approach for analyzing such solution strategies. The results show that flexible systems-engineering concepts embedded in a capability acquisition program can probabilistically enhance its investment value.
Applications of veterinary medicine to in situ conservation efforts

Wildlife conservation efforts are increasingly faced with declining, overcrowded or fragmented populations, environmental contamination, and the introduction of new species of either competitors or pathogens. These efforts are coming under increased public scrutiny in their attempt to balance human social and economic needs with those of wildlife. The integration of veterinary medicine as part of a multidisciplinary approach to conservation can assist in the successful planning, implementation and evaluation of conservation projects. Beyond the role of immobilizing animals, veterinarians can contribute to assessing and monitoring the health of wild populations, and can train others in modern approaches to working with and caring for wildlife.
Dim target detection using high order correlation method

This work presents a method for clutter rejection and dim target track detection from infrared (IR) satellite data using neural networks. A high-order correlation method which recursively computes the spatio-temporal cross-correlations between data of several consecutive scans is developed. The implementation of this scheme using a connectionist network is presented. Several important properties of the high-order correlation method which indicate that the resultant filtered images capture all the target information are established. The simulation results obtained with this approach show at least 93% clutter rejection. Further improvement in the clutter rejection rate is achieved by modifying the high-order correlation method to incorporate the target motion dynamics. The implementation of this modified high-order correlation using a high-order neural network architecture is demonstrated. The simulation results indicate at least 97% clutter rejection rate for this method. A comparison is also made between the methods developed here and the conventional frequency domain three-dimensional (3-D) filtering scheme, and the simulation results are provided. >
Physicians' experiences and perspectives regarding follow-up meetings with parents after a child's death in the pediatric intensive care unit.

OBJECTIVE To investigate critical care physicians' experiences and perspectives regarding follow-up meetings with parents after a child's death in the pediatric intensive care unit. Parents of children who die in the pediatric intensive care unit often desire a follow-up meeting with the physicians who cared for their child. DESIGN Semistructured, audio-recorded telephone interviews. SETTING Six clinical centers affiliated with the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Collaborative Pediatric Critical Care Research Network. PARTICIPANTS Seventy critical care physicians (i.e., attendings and fellows) practicing or training at a Child Health and Human Development Collaborative Pediatric Critical Care Research Network clinical center between February 1, 2008 and June 30, 2008. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Twenty-three (33%) physicians reported never participating in a follow-up meeting with bereaved parents; 22 (31%) participated in one to five meetings; and 25 (36%) participated in more than five meetings. Of those with prior experience, 44 (94%) met with parents at the hospital and 40 (85%) met within 3 months of the death. Meeting content included discussing autopsy, parent questions, hospital course, cause of death, genetic risk, bereavement services, and legal or administrative issues; providing emotional support; and receiving parent feedback. Forty (85%) physicians perceived the meetings to be beneficial to families, and 35 (74%) to physicians. Barriers included time and scheduling, family and physician unwillingness, distance and transportation, language and cultural issues, parent anger, and lack of a system for meeting initiation and planning. CONCLUSIONS Critical care physicians have a wide range of experience conducting follow-up meetings with bereaved parents. Although physicians perceive benefits to follow-up meetings, barriers exist that interfere with their implementation in clinical practice.
Asymptotics of Gradient-based Neural Network Training Algorithms

We study the asymptotic properties of the sequence of iterates of weight-vector estimates obtained by training a multilayer feed forward neural network with a basic gradient-descent method using a fixed learning constant and no batch-processing. In the one-dimensional case, an exact analysis establishes the existence of a limiting distribution that is not Gaussian in general. For the general case and small learning constant, a linearization approximation permits the application of results from the theory of random matrices to again establish the existence of a limiting distribution. We study the first few moments of this distribution to compare and contrast the results of our analysis with those of techniques of stochastic approximation.
Involvement Among Resident Fathers and Links to Infant Cognitive Outcomes

Using a sample of resident fathers in the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study–Birth Cohort (9-month Father Study), this study examined how father involvement is associated with infant cognitive outcomes in two domains (babbling and exploring objects with a purpose). Results from a series of logistic regression models indicate that varied aspects of father involvement (cognitively stimulating activities, physical care, paternal warmth, and caregiving activities) are associated with a lower likelihood of infant cognitive delay. Two-way interaction models further indicate that father involvement is related to greater reductions in infant cognitive delay for male infants than for female infants and for infants with disabilities than for infants without. These findings point to the importance of considering fathers' roles in early infant outcomes. Early positive father–child interactions reduce cognitive delay.
Diurnal rhythm of plasma delta-sleep-inducing peptide in humans: Evidence for positive correlation with body temperature and negative correlation with rapid eye movement and slow wave sleep

Since delta-sleep-inducing peptide (DSIP) was isolated in 1977, numerous reports have suggested that this nonapeptide stimulates delta-sleep [slow wave sleep (SWS)]. Although DSIP-like immunoreactivity (DSIP-LI) has been found in the serum of many animals and man, its diurnal rhythm and relation to sleep stages have not been well defined. We hypothesized that circulating levels of this putative sleep hormone would be highest at night and would probably be elevated before or during episodes of SWS. We, therefore, measured plasma DSIP-LI levels every 30 min for 24 h in 12 normal volunteers in whom we obtained simultaneous polygraphic recordings. We found a distinct diurnal rhythm for plasma DSIP-LI levels, with the maximum at 1500 h and the minimum at 0100 h. DSIP-LI levels were substantially lower in rapid eye movement sleep (P < 0.005) and somewhat lower in SWS (P < 0.05) compared to awake values. DSIP-LI levels did not rise before, during, or after a significant percentage of episodes of SWS. We found, however, that the diurnal rhythm of DSIP-LI closely followed that of body temperature with a high degree of correlation (r2 = 0.66; P < 0.0001). We conclude that endogenous elevations of circulating DSIP may be associated with suppression of slow wave and rapid eye movement sleep, and that the circadian rhythm of this peptide is coupled directly or indirectly to that of body temperature.
Influence of Plasma Spray Parameters on In-Flight Characteristics of ZrO2–8 wt% Y2O3 Ceramic Particles

Yttria-partially-stabilized zirconia was atmospherically plasma sprayed by systematically varying the process conditions including carrier gas flow rate, torch power, standoff distance, and Ar/H2 ratio in the plasma gas mixture. The in-flight particle parameters such as temperature, velocity, number, and size were determined using a commercially available diagnostic system. The particle parameters were controlled by the particle trajectory in the plume and plasma jet characteristics. The average temperature and the velocity of particles, which reached their maximum at an intermediate carrier gas flow rate of 3.5 L/min, varied as much as 6% and 25%, respectively, with a 75% variation in the carrier gas flow rate by going from the lowest to the intermediate rates. The average temperature and the velocity of particles were lower for a lower torch power, a higher Ar/H2 ratio, and a larger standoff distance. It was necessary to obtain data on particle populations larger than 1000 for statistically reliable and reproducible information from the diagnostic system.
Preventing injuries by understanding energy damage

… The fifth strategy is to separate, in space or time, the energy being released from the susceptible structure, whether living or inanimate: the evacuation of the Bikini islanders and test personnel, the use of sidewalks and the phas-ing of pedestrian and vehicular traffic, the elimination of vehicles and their pathways from community areas commonly used by children and adults, the use of lightning rods, and the placing of electric power lines out of reach. This strategy, in a sense also concerned with rate-of-release modification, has as its hallmark the elimination of intersections of energy and susceptible structure – a common and important approach.”For the full text of the paper by W Haddon Jr,
Kids and Commerce

Analysts have frequently neglected children's economic activities as peripheral and/or morally threatening, but recent work has challenged both characterizations. Direct observation of children's participation in production, distribution and consumption reveals their extensive and consequential involvement in the economy. The organization, meaning and consequences of children's economic activity vary significantly among three different sets of social relations: with other household members, with agents of organizations outside households and with other children. A review of exemplary studies identifies an extensive agenda for new child-centered studies of production, distribution and consumption.
Designing business logistics networks using model-based reasoning and heuristic-based searching

This article describes an intelligent system called LogNet that provides advice on how to design business logistics networks. It implements its capabilities by utilizing model-based reasoning techniques. In addition, it utilizes heuristic-based searching to guide an end-user toward more effective network designs. The network design problem studied in this article addresses the warehouse facility location problem: how many warehouses are needed in a network and to which customer markets should they be assigned? LogNet enables end-users to incrementally create and test a logistics network design by using a graphical user interface. LogNet employs model-based reasoning procedures that analyze the structure of the current network design in order to offer recommendations on how to consolidate or decentralize a network. The overall goal of LogNet is to provide a flexible user interface that is capable of supporting this design task.
Access to 7β-analogs of codeine with mixed μ/δ agonist activity via 6,7-α-epoxide opening.

Abstract (−)-Codeine 1 was converted into previously unknown 7β-methyl-7,8-dihydrocodeine/morphine derivatives such as 13 via classical diaxial opening of α-epoxide 3 . Several analogs exhibited dual μ/δ-agonist activity.
Genetic Variation: A Laboratory Manual

Michael P. Weiner, Stacey B. Gabriel, Claiborne Stephens, eds. 472 pages. Cold Spring Harbor, NY: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press; 2007. $165.00. ISBN 978–087969780–8. Genetic variation is central to all evolutionary change. Hence, the study of genetic variation spans plant and animal breeding, conservation biology, human genetics, and comparative genomics. Despite its fundamental importance in several areas of genetics, there has been a long period of “struggle to measure genetic variation.”1 It was a struggle because markers used to measure genetic variation, such as morphological and biochemical markers, often were limited and influenced by environmental factors. These limitations also impeded progress toward understanding genetic architecture and its influence on phenotype, including human disorders. Fortunately, advances in molecular biology since the late 1970s, specifically our knowledge of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and, more recently, copy number variations (CNVs), have revolutionized our ability to describe variation at all levels of genetic organization: genes, individuals, populations, species, and genera. Unfortunately, molecular techniques to quantify genetic variation are scattered in molecular biology laboratory manuals or buried in specialized publications and specific laboratory protocols. It is therefore a challenge for geneticists, population biologists, genetic epidemiologists, and especially scientists in developing countries to access these resources and use them in their own work. From this perspective, the book Genetic Variation: A Laboratory Manual by Weiner, Gabriel, and Stephens is poised to fulfill this need. An impressive array of investigators, representing both private and academic institutions active in discovering and evaluating genetic variation in plants, animals, and humans have contributed to this volume, although the work is skewed toward describing human genetic variation. The book consists of 5 sections, which represent a logical progression from project initiation to data analysis for any genetic variation …
Estimation and Testing for Functional Form in Pure Premium Regression Models

Estimation of pure premiums for alternative rate classes using regression methods requires the choice of a functional form for the statistical model. Common choices include linear and log-linear models. This paper considers maximum likelihood estimation and testing for functional form using the power transformation suggested by Box and Cox. The linear and log-linear models are special cases of this transformation. Application of the procedure is illustrated using auto insurance claims data from the state of Massachusetts and from the United Kingdom. The predictive accuracy of the method compares favorably to that for the linear and log-linear models for both data sets.
Is the Sildenafil Product Information Adequate to Facilitate Informed Therapeutic Decisions

BACKGROUND:Optimal therapeutics and the prevention of adverse drug effects begin with complete information. When new drugs are released, the manufacturer's product information is the main and often only readily available source of drug information and, therefore, greatly influences treatment strategies. Thus, it is vital that the information in the package insert is not only complete, but also as relevant as possible for the great diversity of patients that physicians encounter.OBJECTIVE:To review the product information for sildenafil for comprehensiveness and accuracy, with respect to whether the information is sufficient to facilitate optimal therapeutics and to prevent avoidable adverse events in the wide diversity of patients with erectile dysfunction seen in clinical practice.DATA SOURCES:Sildenafil package inserts, unpublished information provided by the manufacturer, Food and Drug Administration reports, and articles retrieved through MEDLINE through March 2000.DATA SYNTHESIS:Deficiencies or inacc...
Overweight Adolescents and Life Events in Childhood

OBJECTIVES: To test the association of life events in childhood with overweight risk in adolescence; to examine the effects of chronicity, timing, intensity, valence, and type of life events; and to test potential moderators. METHODS: Mothers of children enrolled in the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development responded to the Life Experiences Survey at ages 4, 9, and 11 years. Using logistic regression analysis, we tested the association of experiencing many negative life events with being overweight at age 15 years, controlling for child gender, race/ethnicity, maternal education, and maternal obesity. Child gender, maternal education, maternal obesity, child’s ability to delay gratification for food, and maternal sensitivity were tested as moderators. RESULTS: Among the 848 study children (82% non-Hispanic white), experiencing many negative life events was associated with a higher risk of overweight (odds ratio: 1.47 [95% confidence interval: 1.04–2.10]). Greater chronicity and negative valence of the event were associated with greater overweight risk; timing of exposure and maternal reported impact of the event were not. The association was more robust for events related to family physical or mental health and among children of obese mothers and children who waited longer for food. CONCLUSIONS: Children who experience many negative life events are at higher risk of being overweight by age 15 years. Future work should investigate mechanisms involved in this association, particularly those connected to appetitive drive and self-regulation; these mechanisms may hold promise for obesity prevention strategies.
The nature of amide ligation to the metal sites of FeMoco

Abstract The nature of the ligation of N-methylformamide (NMF) to the metal sites of FeMoco has been investigated. The IR spectrum of FeMoco in NMF shows an intense band at 1600 cm−1 which we assign to the v(CO) stretch of ligated NMF. This frequency is characteristic of N-deprotonated amide ligands, indicating that NMF ligation to FeMoco is predominantly through nitrogen. Hence NMF behaves as an anionic ligand. The importance of the amide functionality for FeMoco extraction has been further examined and a new extracting agent, 2-pyrrolidinone, has been employed. We hypothesize that, in the MoFe-protein, the primary coordination of the cofactor is via deprotonated backbone amide ligands.
Tumor cell reactivity mediated by IgM antibodies in sera from melanoma patients vaccinated with GM2 ganglioside covalently linked to KLH is increased by IgG antibodies

Natural IgM antibodies against the melanoma cell-surface ganglioside GM2, and IgM antibodies induced by vaccination with GM2 adherent to bacillus Calmette-Guerin, have been correlated with increased disease-free and overall survival in melanoma patients in previous phase I and II clinical trials. A vaccine containing GM2 covalently attached to keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) plus the immunological adjuvant QS-21 now induces higher-titer, longer-lasting IgM antibodies against GM2 and has recently entered phase III clinical trials. For the first time this new vaccine also induces IgG antibodies against GM2 in the majority of immunized patients. With regard to immunity against bacteria, IgM antibodies have been described to be 1000-fold more effective than IgG antibodies at opsonification, complement-mediated cytotoxicity and protection from bacterial challenge. Though IgG antibodies have the theoretical advantage of being able to mediate antibody-directed cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC), they may inhibit complement mediated IgM effector mechanisms against melanoma cells. Our goal was to confirm the functional characteristics of the anti-GM2 IgM and IgG antibodies induced by vaccination and to determine the impact that IgG antibodies might have on IgM antibody reactivity with GM2-positive tumor cells. Post-immunization sera from seven immunized patients were separated by size-exclusion chromatography into IgM and IgG fractions and a variety of serological assays were performed with the individual fractions and their combinations. Assays identifying specific IgM or IgG reactivity demonstrated partial inhibition by the opposite fraction. However, when the endpoint was complement-mediated lysis or overall antibody binding, which may more faithfully predict in vivo complement-mediated opsonification and lysis, the combinations of IgM and IgG fractions consistently demonstrated higher reactivity than either fraction alone. In addition, ADCC was induced in all seven patients. The results were the same whether the sera were obtained after 2 months or 2 years of immunizations. These findings suggest that IgG antibodies induced by the GM2-KLH plus QS-21 vaccine will not inhibit and should further augment the clinical impact of induced IgM antibodies.
Matrix decomposition problem is complete for the average case

The first algebraic average-case complete problem is presented. The focus of attention is the modular group, i.e., the multiplicative group SL/sub 2/(Z) of two-by-two integer matrices of determinant 1. By default, in this study matrices are elements of the modular group. The problem is arguably the simplest natural average-case complete problem to date. >
Multiturn High-Frequency Coaxial Winding Power Transformers

Previous papers on coaxial winding transformers have focused on designs that use a copper tube to form a single- turn outer winding, and litz wire for a multiple-turn inner winding. In high-power applications, the increased resistance of a solid outer winding due to skin effects can be a limiting factor in achieving good performance, especially at frequencies above several hundred kilohertz. A single-turn outer winding leads to large core cross section areas at lower frequencies and the turns ratio is limited to a ratio of &#x1d4c3;: 1, where &#x1d4c3; is an integer. This paper demonstrates several methods for achieving multiturn outer windings to improve design flexibility for the coaxial winding transformer. Experimental measurements on transformers that have multiturn outer windings are included to confirm analytical results and demonstrate the modified designs.
Elongational flow behavior of viscoelastic liquids: Part I. Modeling of bubble collapse

A spherically collapsing gas bubble will create a uniaxial extension of the fluid surrounding it. This flow may be readily analyzed, and it is possible to relate observed experimental parameters such as the pressure inside the bubble and the bubble collapse rate to the predictions of viscoelastic constitutive relations. This study compares the predictions of the Newtonian fluid and a viscoelastic model to observed bubble collapse in three fluids: one Newtonian fluid and two viscoelastic polymer solutions. Good agreement between data and the model was observed for the Newtonian experiments. The viscoelastic solutions, however, yielded rates of collapse which were greater than the Newtonian predictions based on equal zero-shear viscosity. Subsequent modeling with a modified corotational Maxwell fluid yielded good agreement with the data for the transient elongational response in the viscoelastic solutions.
Dialogue, Confirmation, and the Image of the Human:

This article brings together three separate but not unrelated foci in Maurice Friedman's thought as an approach to the self in context: the life of dialogue, the philosophy and therapeutic implications of confirmation, and the image of the human. He approaches the "self in context" in terms of Martin Buber's ontology of the "between," according to which persons find their reality ever again through meeting one another in dialogue. In Buber's philosophical anthropology, it is the fact that one person sets another at a distance and makes him or her into an independent other that enables the person to enter into relation with others. Through this "interhuman" relation, people confirm one another, becoming a self with the other. Mutual confirmation is essential to becoming a self. True confirmation means that I confirm my partner as this existing being even while I oppose him or her. This mutual confirmation of persons is most fully realized in "making present," or "inclusion," imagining quite concretely what...
Regulation of electromotility in the cochlear outer hair cell.

Mechanosensory outer hair cells play an essential role in the amplification of sound-induced vibrations within the mammalian cochlea due to their ability to contract or elongate following changes of the intracellular potential. This unique property of outer hair cells is known as electromotility. Selective efferent innervation of these cells within the organ of Corti suggests that regulation of outer hair cell electromotility may be the primary function of the efferent control in the cochlea. A number of studies demonstrate that outer hair cell electromotility is indeed modulated by the efferent neurotransmitter, acetylcholine. The effects of acetylcholine on outer hair cells include cell hyperpolarization and a decrease of the axial stiffness, both mediated by intracellular Ca2+. This article reviews these results and considers other potential mechanisms that may regulate electromotility, such as direct modification of the plasma membrane molecular motors, alteration of intracellular pressure, and modification of intracellular chloride concentration.
Why repetitive DNA is essential to genome function.

There are clear theoretical reasons and many well-documented examples which show that repetitive DNA is essential for genome function. Generic repeated signals in the DNA are necessary to format expression of unique coding sequence files and to organise additional functions essential for genome replication and accurate transmission to progeny cells. Repetitive DNA sequence elements are also fundamental to the cooperative molecular interactions forming nucleoprotein complexes. Here, we review the surprising abundance of repetitive DNA in many genomes, describe its structural diversity, and discuss dozens of cases where the functional importance of repetitive elements has been studied in molecular detail. In particular, the fact that repeat elements serve either as initiators or boundaries for heterochromatin domains and provide a significant fraction of scaffolding/matrix attachment regions (S/MARs) suggests that the repetitive component of the genome plays a major architectonic role in higher order physical structuring. Employing an information science model, the ‘functionalist’ perspective on repetitive DNA leads to new ways of thinking about the systemic organisation of cellular genomes and provides several novel possibilities involving repeat elements in evolutionarily significant genome reorganisation. These ideas may facilitate the interpretation of comparisons between sequenced genomes, where the repetitive DNA component is often greater than the coding sequence component.
Bench measurements of coupling impedance of AGS booster components

The wire technique has been implemented to measure the longitudinal coupling impedance of AGS (Alternating Gradient Synchrotron) Booster devices. The techniques are being refined to allow measurement of RHIC (relativistic heavy ion collider) devices at higher frequencies. All the measurements are performed using an HP8753 Network Analyzer controlled by GPIB (general-purpose interface bus) by a Macintosh computer. The computer provides an environment for automated data acquisition, data analysis, and report generation. Resistive matches between the 50- Omega analyzer cables and the 300- Omega pipe-and-wire structure allow the use of a simple response calibration in the measurement of S21 to 400 MHz. Results from ferrite-loaded RF cavities, position monitors, and kickers are presented. >
Pure gauge states and dynamic confinement in non-Abelian gauge theory

The mechanism responsible for the fact thatS-matrix elements to «pure gauge» states vanish in non-Abelian gauge theories is examined in detail. The pure gauge states are the ones discussed in the preceding paper. They include single-particle gluon and Faddeev-Popov ghosts and two-particle combinations of gluon and Faddeev-Popov ghosts. The significance of these results to the identification and elimination of unphysical degrees of freedom is discussed. The possibility that this mechanism may contribute to «dynamic confinement» is raised.