cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Purification and aqueous two-phase partitioning properties of recombinant Vitreoscilla hemoglobin

Soluble recombinant Vitreoscilla hemoglobin was purified from E. coli lysate by sequential two-phase extraction techniques. Extraction of lysate containing VHb in PEG/dextran gave a 3.6-fold increase in VHb purity in the PEG-rich phase via a size exclusion mechanism. Further extraction of the recovered PEG phase in PEG/sodium sulfate gave an additional 2.0-fold increase in purity in the PEG-rich phase due to an electrostatic mechanism. Final extraction of the PEG phase in PEG/magnesium sulfate gave an additional 1.3-fold increase in VHb purity in the magnesium sulfate-rich phase. The final yield from the extractive purification was 47% with purity of VHb estimated to be greater than 95%. Yields from the sulfate salt extractions are essentially quantitative due to the extreme partitioning behavior of VHb in these systems. VHb partition coefficients as large as 46 in PEG/sodium sulfate and as small as 0.06 in PEG/magnesium sulfate were observed. Similar small partition coefficients were obtained with PEG/manganese sulfate extractions. This dramatic effect of divalent cation content on the partition coefficient of VHb in PEG/sulfate salt systems was investigated by pH and magnesium ion titration experiments. Results show the effect to be largest and nearly constant for pH values greater than 6.0 and diminished at lower pH values. A model based on magnesium ion binding to negatively charged amino acids is shown to correlate with the data well. Based on model formulation and the partitioning behavior of contaminant proteins, the observed effect is expected to be applicable to other proteins.
Interactions of immunoglobulins with liposomes: an ESR and diffusion study demonstrating protection by hydrocortisone.

Abstract Heat-aggregated IgG, used as a surrogate for immunoglobulin configuration in immune complexes, mobilized a hydrophobic spin probe within bilayers of anionic liposomes, whereas native IgG was ineffective. Hydrocortisone, preincorporated into liposomal bilayers, both prevented the perturbation of nonpolar membrane regions and reduced the accelerated rate of solute diffusion from liposomes provoked by aggregated immunoglobulin. The capacity of aggregated, but not native, IgG to initiate membrane responses of living cells may therefore be due to its ability to alter surface bilayers or similar configurations of plasma membrane Fc receptors, events antagonized by corticosteroids.
Analysis of simple constitutive equations for viscoelastic liquids

To construct viscoelastic constitutive equations properly one needs to know, apart from their predictability, how robust they are and what possible underwater reefs one may meet that could ruin a weak rheological ship in the course of its difficult route through the ocean of solving complicated problems.
ACCELERATING TRAINING OF FEEDFORWARD NEURAL NETWORKS

We review methods and techniques for training feedforward neural networks that avoid problematic behavior, accelerate the convergence, and verify the training. Adaptive step gain, bipolar activation functions, and conjugate gradients are powerful stabilizers. Random search techniques circumvent the local minimum trap and avoid specialization due to overtraining. Testing assures quality learning.
CRT-159 Multi-Center Prospective Study to Evaluate Outcomes of Moderate to Severely Calcified Coronary Lesions (MACE): Study Design and Acute Outcomes

Recently presented retrospective analysis comparing none, moderate, and severely calcified coronary lesions showed that percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) patients that have moderate/severely calcified coronary lesions have poorer outcomes than patients with none/mild calcified coronary
Direct design of pharmaceutical antisolvent crystallization through concentration control

Recent advances in in situ measurement technology and automation of batch crystallizers have enabled the development of batch crystallization recipes in which the desired supersaturation profile is followed by feedback control. This paper describes a new approach for following supersaturation setpoints for antisolvent crystallizations that is easy to implement for the tried crystallization. Simulations and application to a proprietary drug compound demonstrate how this combination of automation and in process measurements enables the rapid development of batch crystallization processes in the pharmaceutical industry.
A reverse Kamin effect in the escape and avoidance conditioning of newly hatched chicks

This study ascertained why an earlier experiment found newly hatched chicks to be poor learners in a shock avoidance situation. A technological problem of passing an electric current through the naturally insulated feet of the chick was identified. This rectified, one-day-old chicks will demonstrate escape conditioning when the response terminates both CS and UCS. They will demonstrate both escape and avoidance conditioning when the response terminates only the UCS.
Suppression of withdrawal jumping: Comparison of narcotic tolerance and dependence

Abstract The median and maximal suppressive doses (SD 50 and SD 95 ) of methadone and morphine for abrupt withdrawal jumping were determined in male ICR mice (25–30 g) rendered tolerant to and physically dependent on morphine after implantation with a morphine pellet for 3 days. Three separate groups of mice were then given one of the following treatments for 5 successive days: SD 95 methadone subcutaneously (s.c.) once daily, SD 95 methadone per os (p.o.) once daily, and SD 95 morphine s.c. every 8 hours. Respective controls received either water p.o. or saline s.c. daily. The SD 95 for each narcotic was found to suppress withdrawal jumping equally (by 80%) each day during the 5-day administration period. However, at the end of that time, only the morphine group demonstrated significant analgetic tolerance to both s.c. morphine and methadone (a three-fold elevation), and detectable physical dependence as evidenced by naloxone-precipitated withdrawal jumping. Thus, daily doses of an opiate sufficient to suppress abrupt withdrawal jumping in morphine-dependent animals may not necessarily maintain the animals' tolerance and physical dependence on morphine. It is concluded that the sites for the expression of acute opiate analgesia and withdrawal jumping are not those involved with the development of tolerance and physical dependence.
AGE OF THE HOST AND OTHER FACTORS AFFECTING THE PRODUCTION WITH URETHANE OF PULMONARY ADENOMAS IN MICE

Young, rapidly growing mice are greatly more responsive to the adenoma-inducing influence of urethane than are those just arriving at maturity. This is manifest both in the proportion of animals developing the tumors and in their number per individual. An amount of urethane per gram body weight which suffices to induce adenomas in only an occasional 8-week-old animal will cause them to appear in quantity in more than half the 3-week-old mice injected. There is an almost absolute inverse correlation between the rate of growth of the pulmonary tissue between the ages of 2 and 10 weeks and the response to urethane in terms of adenomas. Hence the conclusion seems justified that the natural proliferative activity of the alveolar cells during youth plays a major part in the formation of the tumors. After the 6th week the age differences become relatively slight, yet there is reason to think that they continue in some degree as life goes on. Urethane has no effect to promote multiplication of the cells it has rendered neoplastic, its whole role being to initiate neoplastic change. The abnormalities induced by urethane in the nucleus of normal and neoplastic cells, as observed by previous workers, have suggested that the substance brings about the adenomatous state by acting upon the nucleus. But colchicine, also a karyolytic poison causing pronounced nuclear changes, does not alter in the least the yield of adenomas to urethane when administered concurrently. Nor does fasting influence the yield, though it markedly reduces mitotic activity. The meaning of these facts is discussed.
A Simulation of Recrystallization Textures of Al-Alloys WithConsideration of the Probabilities of Nucleation and Growth

The characteristic recrystallization texture components of cold rolled Al-alloys can be traced back to a growth selection of grains with an approximate 40o 〈 111 〉 orientation relationship out of a limited spectrum of preferentially formed nucleus orientations. Accordingly, recrystallization textures can be modeled by the multiplication of a function f(g)nucl describing the probability of nucleation of the various orientations and a function f(g)grow representing their growth probability.Whereas the growth probability can be accounted for by a 40 111 transformation of the rolling texture, the nucleation probability of the respective grains is given by the distribution of potential nucleus orientations, which is known from local texture analysis for the most important nucleation sites in cold rolled Al-alloys, cube-bands, grain boundaries and second-phase particles. If several nucleation sites are active simultaneously, the nucleation probabilities have to be weighted according to their respective proportions. For that purpose, the numbers of nuclei forming at the various nucleation sites were calculated according to a model approach proposed by Vatne et al. (Acta Mater 44, 1996, 4463–4473).The paper describes the model for recrystallization texture simulation in Al-alloys and gives examples of recrystallization textures simulated regarding a variation of different microstructural parameters to demonstrate the predictive power of the model.
Equations for the Drag Force and Aerodynamic Roughness Length of Urban Areas with Random Building Heights

We use a conceptual model to investigate how randomly varying building heights within a city affect the atmospheric drag forces and the aerodynamic roughness length of the city. The model is based on the assumptions regarding wake spreading and mutual sheltering effects proposed by Raupach (Boundary-Layer Meteorol 60:375–395, 1992). It is applied both to canopies having uniform building heights and to those having the same building density and mean height, but with variability about the mean. For each simulated urban area, a correction is determined, due to height variability, to the shear stress predicted for the uniform building height case. It is found that u */u *R , where u * is the friction velocity and u *R is the friction velocity from the uniform building height case, is expressed well as an algebraic function of λ and σ h /h m , where λ is the frontal area index, σ h is the standard deviation of the building height, and h m is the mean building height. The simulations also resulted in a simple algebraic relation for z 0/z 0R as a function of λ and σ h /h m , where z 0 is the aerodynamic roughness length and z 0R is z 0 found from the original Raupach formulation for a uniform canopy. Model results are in keeping with those of several previous studies.
Finite sets on curves and surfaces

A complete proof is given for Schnirelmann’s theorem on the existence of a square inC 2 Jordan curves. The following theorems are then proved, using the same method: 1. On every hypersurface inR n,C 3-diffeomorphic toS n−1, there exist 2n points which are the vertices of a regular 2 n -cellC n. 2. Every planeC′ Jordan curve can beC′ approximated by a curve on which there are 2N distinct points which are the vertices of a centrally symmetric 2N-gon (anglesπ not excluded). 3. On every planeC 2 curve there exist 5 distinct points which are the vertices of an axially symmetric pentagon with given base anglesa, π/2≦a<π. (The angle at the vertex on the axis of symmetry might beπ).
Recharge of the early atmosphere of Mars by impact-induced release of CO2

The question as to whether high impact rates early in the history of Mars could have aided in maintaining a relatively thick CO2 atmosphere is discussed. Such impacts could have released CO2 into the atmosphere by burial, by shock-induced release during impact events, and by the addition of carbon to Mars from the impacting bolides. On the assumption that cratering rates on Mars were comparable to those of the moon's Nectarial period, burial rates are a result of 'impact gardening' at the end of heavy bombardment are estimated to have ranged from 20 to 45 m/million years; at these rates, 0.1-0.2 bar of CO2 would have been released every 10 million years as a result of burial to depths at which carbonate dissociation temperatures are encountered.
The Use of Urinary Hormonal Assessments in Human Studies

The collection and analysis of urine samples provides a practical method for monitoring female reproductive events in non-laboratory and non-clinic populations. Collection of biologic samples permits objective assessment of reproductive health endpoints in epidemiologic studies and for epidemiologic research purposes can provide validation of information provided by the subjects, especially outcomes which are usually concealed and thus unknown to the participant. Urine sampling has several advantages over the collection of blood samples, such as simplicity, non-invasiveness, and cost efficiency. Several studies have shown that endocrine information similar to that obtained in blood samples can be obtained from assays of daily urine samples. The measurement of human chorionic gonadotropin in daily and selected urine samples has been incorporated into several recent epidemiologic studies focusing on early fetal loss, and ovarian and pituitary hormone metabolites have been measured in daily urine samples to evaluate ovarian function in studies focusing on women's reproductive health. As the strategy of urinary monitoring becomes more accepted as a legitimate research tool, laboratory methods are being modified to improve performance, reduce costs and adapted to sophisticated algorithms using multiple hormonal measurements to identify a number of end-points.
The second androgyny: A proposed revision in adaptive priorities for college women

Evidence has accumulated suggesting that androgyny, as popularly conceived (i.e., balanced and flexible display of masculine and feminine behaviors across situations), has more adaptive value for women than for men and even that it holds less value than believed for women. Four sex types were compared in a series of studies bearing upon psychological adjustment in college women: (1) balanced androgyny, (2) blended androgyny that integrates masculinity and femininity, (3) femininity, and (4) masculinity. In three out of four studies that considered daily stress symptoms, Type A characteristics, and menstrual distress, balanced androgynes demonstrated the poorest psychological adaptation and blended androgynes the best. The fourth study considered the psychological characteristics associated with eating disorders and found feminine women to be the most maladapted. Interpretation of the trend of results in terms of identity problems for the balanced androgynous woman was offered.
Listening in the Ambient Mode: Implications for Music Therapy Practice and Theory

这篇理论性的文章探索了聆听与创造氛围音乐的功能、结构、和体验，以及与氛围模式的偶遇 ( Ja aniste , 2007) 。 在以氛围模式的存在状态中，聆听者沉浸在周围空间无形的声音环境里（声音景观），并不经意的专注意识于周围环境的形态——即时即刻的感知在一个瓶颈空间中的存在感。 对 于音乐治疗师来说，这也许意味着把健康中各种类型的“低保真”的声音景观协调引导到“高保真”的状态，并且使个体的、社区的、文化的、以及精神的存在感更 加真切。音乐治疗师能以创造性的聆听即刻进入氛围模式的存在状态。在音乐性的联结存在于音乐治疗中时候，这种模式会使氛围中的混沌变的具象。氛围模式的存 在状态对音乐治疗的实践和原理的启发将会在文中得到探索和阐述。文章也讨论了氛围模式在临床中的呈现以及其可能性的效果，这包括治疗师从神离或者忘我的状 态回到真切具体的感受的过程。
Role of p38 MAP kinases and ERK in mediating ultraviolet-B induced cyclooxygenase-2 gene expression in human keratinocytes

The roles of p38 MAP kinases and ERK in UVB induced cox-2 gene expression were studied in a human keratinocyte cell line, HaCaT. UVB significantly increased cox-2 gene expression at both protein and mRNA levels. As we reported previously, p38 and ERK were significantly activated after UVB irradiation in HaCaT cells. In addition, treating the cells with p38 inhibitor SB202190 or MEK inhibitor PD98059 specifically inhibited UVB induced p38 or ERK activation, respectively. In this study, we further examined the roles of p38 and ERK in UVB induced cox-2 gene expression in HaCaT cells. We found that SB202190 strongly inhibited UVB induced COX-2 protein expression at different time points and various UVB doses. Furthermore, SB202190 markedly inhibited UVB induced cox-2 mRNA. Our data indicated that ERK did not play a role in UVB induced cox-2 gene expression in human keratinocytes since suppression of ERK did not significantly alter UVB induced increase of COX-2 protein and mRNA. These results suggested, for the first time, that activation of p38 is required for UVB induced cox-2 gene expression in human keratinocytes. Since cox-2 expression plays an important role in UV carcinogenesis, p38 could be a potential molecular target for chemoprevention of skin cancer.
An apparent conformational change in tRNAPhe that is associated with the peptidyl transferase reaction

Abstract Fluorescence techniques were used to detect changes in the conformation of tRNA Phe that may occur during the peptidyl transferase reaction in which the tRNA appeara to move between binding sites on ribosomes. Such a conformational change may be a fundamental part of the translocation mechanism by which tRNA and mRNA are moved through ribosomes. E. coli tRNA Phe was specifically labeled on acp 3 U 47 and s 4 U 8 or at the D positions 16 and 20. The labeled tRNAs were bound to ribosomes as deacylated tRNA Phe or AcPhe-tRNA. Changes in fluorescence quantum yield and anisotropy were measured upon binding to the ribosomes and during the peptidyl transferase reaction. In one set of experiments non-radiative energy transfer was measured between a coumarin probe at position 16 or 20 and distance between the probes increases during deacylation of AcPhe-tRNA as a result of peptide bond formation. a fluorescein attached to acp 3 U 47 on the same tRNA Phe molecule. The results indicate that the apparent All of the results are consistent with but in themselves do not conclusively establish that tRNA undergoes a conformational change as well as movement during the peptidyl transferase reaction.
Review: Mahlberg, M. 2005. English General Nouns: A Corpus Theoretical Approach. Amsterdam/Philadelphia: John Benjamins Publishing Company

English General Nouns, by Michaela Mahlberg, presents a corpus-driven theoretical approach to examining forms of nouns for meaning in context. The study is based on an analysis of twenty forms of general nouns, such as time, thing and people, which are identified as high-frequency nouns in the British section of the Bank of English. A corpus-driven approach is employed that allows linguistic descriptions to be defined by evidence from the data. Concordance lines are viewed through the lens of a corpus theoretical framework which prioritises lexis in the analysis of text cohesion. The analysis reveals descriptions of subtypes and functional categories for each noun type through quantitative and qualitative methodologies. At a time when sub-disciplines of linguistics are engaging in metareflections regarding concerns about methodology, epistemology and ethics (Ortega, 2005), Mahlberg’s book proves that studies in corpus linguistics have already understood the need for new approaches to data analysis. The mixed-method approach to corpus linguistics in the book appears to be a forerunner by emphasising the combination of quantitative and qualitative research methodologies.
Longitudinal dielectric tensor for an electron gas in a uniform magnetic field

Abstract The dielectric tensor pertaining to static perturbations of an electron gas in a dc magnetic field is calculated in the random phase approximation. Details of the behavior are presented for the weak field and de Haas-van Alphen regimes.
Robust automated detection, segmentation, and classification of hepatic tumors from CT data

The manuscript presents the automated detection and segmentation of hepatic tumors from abdominal CT images with variable acquisition parameters. After obtaining an initial segmentation of the liver, optimized graph cuts segment the liver tumor candidates using shape and enhancement constraints. One hundred and fifty-seven features are computed for the tumor candidates and support vector machines are used to select features and separate true and false detections. Training and testing are performed using leave-one-patientout on 14 patients with a total of 79 tumors. After selection, the feature space is reduced to eight. The resulting sensitivity for tumor detection was 100% at 2.3 false positives/case. For the true tumors, 74.1% overlap and 1.6mm average surface distance were recorded between the ground truth and the results of the automated method. Results from test data demonstrate the method's robustness to analyze livers from difficult clinical cases to allow the diagnoses and temporal monitoring of patients with hepatic cancer.
GERONTOLOGY AND SOCIAL STUDIES EDUCATION: LEARNING ACTIVITIES FOR ELIMINATING NEGATIVE STEREOTYPES

In recent years, gerontologists have pointed to the ever increasing number of older persons in American society. Implicit in these increasing numbers is the need to educate all segments of society about the problems faced by the elderly. While public schools alone cannot be held responsible for this task, it is believed that schools provide an ideal forum for developing learning activities. Schools can help increase student awareness and knowledge concerning these problems. One of the most chronic problems faced by the elderly is that of negative stereotypes. After reviewing the literature, we suggest that social studies provides an ideal curriculum area for developing strategies that allow students to examine personal stereotypes concerning the elderly as well as possible sources of these stereotypes. Given the hypothesis that various print and electronic media are guilty of creating or reinforcing stereotypes, students can gather information about the physical and behavioral characteristics of the elder...
Development of a LC/MS/MS method to analyze butyrylcholinesterase inhibition resulting from multiple pesticide exposure.

Abstract A hybrid LC/MS/MS and proteomics method was developed for the assessment of multiple pesticide exposure. The methodology was based on the analysis of tryptic peptides resulting from inhibited butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) after exposure to pesticides including organophosphates (OPs) and carbamates (CBs). The primary advantage of the assay was its ability to simultaneously examine multiple pesticide exposures in a single analytical experiment. Application of tandem and MS3 techniques provided identities of the inhibiting pesticide, confirmation and localization of the site of inhibition and relative quantification of phosphorylated peptides present in tryptic digests of equine BChE (eBChE).
Support vector machine pairwise classifiers with error reduction for image classification

In this paper we study how Support Vector Machines (SVMs) can be applied to image classification. To enhance classification accuracy, we normalize SVM pairwise classification results. From empirical study on a fifteen-category diversified image set, we show that combining pairwise SVMs and error reduction is an effective approach from image classification. This study is a critical step for our on-going effort on the development of a comprehensive approach, closely adapted to SVMs, to image classification.
Retardation of Brain Aging by Chronic Treatment with Melatonin

Slowing the functional decline in the aging brain is not only relevant to nonpathological senescence but also to a broad range of neurodegenerative diseases. Although disorders such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD) are not found in the young adult, they gradually manifest with increasing age. AD, in particular, is an increasing major public health concern as the population ages; therapies that delay disease onset will markedly reduce overall disease prevalence. Aging of the brain has been repeatedly associated with cumulative oxidative damage to macromolecules and to abnormal levels of inflammatory activity. Melatonin has attained increasing prominence as a candidate for ameliorating these changes occurring during senescence. Recent research has focused on supplementation with dietary melatonin designed to elucidate the specific key intracellular targets of age-related inflammatory events, and the optimal means of affording protection of these targets. This report summarizes the progress made in this area.
Regulation of pancreatic acinar cell function.

Purpose of reviewRecent investigations into the regulation of pancreatic acinar cell function have led to a more detailed understanding of the mechanisms regulating digestive enzyme synthesis and secretion. This review identifies and puts into context those articles which further our understanding i
A Scale for Measuring Social Worker Empowerment

This article describes the development of a 34-item scale designed to measure social workers' perceptions of personal and professional power. Utilizing selected methods of both rational and empirical scale construction approaches, the measure is derived from theory and statistically validated. The approach used a three-phase normalization procedure that employed multiple methods to extract items and enhance validity and reliability. Correlational and factor analysis were the primary statistical methods used in the validation process. A panel of 24 workers, a pilot sample of 62 professionals and students, and a random sample of 520 social workers were the participating respondent groups in this study. The final shortened scale is a relatively sound measure for tapping the five dimensions of empowerment.
Transformations of Galaxies. II. Gasdynamics in Merging Disk Galaxies

In mergers of disk galaxies, gas plays a role quite out of proportion to its relatively modest contribution to the total mass. To study this behavior, we have included gasdynamics in self-consistent simulations of collisions between equal-mass disk galaxies. The large-scale dynamics of bridge- and tail-making, orbit decay, and merging are not much altered by the inclusion of a gaseous component. However, tidal forces during encounters cause otherwise stable disks to develop bars, and the gas in such barred disks, subjected to strong gravitational torques, flows toward the central regions where it may fuel the kiloparsec-scale starbursts seen in some interacting disk systems. Similar torques on the gas during the final stages of a collision yield massive gas concentrations in the cores of merger remnants, which may be plausibly identified with the molecular complexes seen in objects such as NGC 520 and Arp 220. This result appears insensitive to the detailed microphysics of the gas, provided that radiative cooling is permitted. The inflowing gas can dramatically alter the stellar morphology of a merger remnant, apparently by deepening the potential well and thereby changing the boundaries between the major orbital families.
An automated, FPGA-based reconfigurable, low-power RFID tag

The use of radio frequency identification (RFID) technology is expanding rapidly in numerous applications such as logistics, supply chain management, transportation, healthcare and aviation. Due to the variety of the current applications, typical RFID systems use application specific hardware and proprietary protocols. These systems generally have long design times, no tolerance to changes in application or standard, and hence very high system costs. This paper describes an RFID tag specification and automated design flow for the creation of customized, low-power, active RFID tags. RFID primitives supported by the tag are enumerated with assembly like RFID macros. From these macros, the RFID pre-processor generates templates automatically. The behavior of each RFID primitive is specified using ANSI C where indicated within the template. The resulting file is compiled by the RFID compiler for the extensible tag. In order to save power, a smart buffer has been developed to sit between the transceiver and the tag controller. Because RFID packets are broadcast to everyone in range, the smart buffer contains minimal logic to detect whether incoming packets are intended for the tag. By doing so, the main controller may remain powered down to reduce system power consumption. Two System-on-a-Chip implementation strategies are presented. First, a microprocessor based system for which a C program is automatically generated and compiled for the system. The second replaces the microprocessor with a block of low-power FPGA logic. The user supplied RFID logic is specified in RFID macros and ANSI-C and automatically converted into combinational VHDL by the RFID compiler. Based on a test program, the processors required 183, 43, and [email protected] per transaction for StrongARM, XScale, and EISC processors, respectively. By replacing the processor with a Coolrunner II, the controller can be reduced to 1.11nJ per transaction.
The Potential of "Function" as an Archival Descriptor.

ABSTRACT Functional analysis has been incorporated widely into appraisal methods for decades. These methods, from documentation strategy to macroappraisal, are discussed, and the usefulness and limitations of functional analysis in appraisal are examined. Yet, while archival thinkers have focused on function in appraisal, little has been written on function in description, although it appears in the profession's standards. The influence of records management is evident in the description of institutional records using functional analysis, which are an increasing part of archival responsibility. Caution is needed, however, before we try to apply function as the principal descriptor to all our archival records.
Formation of Protein−Polyphenol Haze in Beverages

Protein−polyphenol hazes form in beer, wine, and fruit juices and can limit shelf life. Haze-active protein is higher in beer than the other beverages. Haze-active polyphenol is highest in apple ju...
An institutionalist perception of cooperative behavior

Abstract While there is incontrovertible evidence that agents are imbued with cooperative values, considerable ambivalence exists about the rationale for cooperation. Some analysts contend that cooperative behavior is well within the realm of the Benthamite quest for utility maximization, but others perceive cooperation as driven by complex socio-cultural and psychological phenomena. In this paper, we propose an evolutionary-based explanatory framework that uses both insights to explain how cooperative behaviors are formed, as well as how they might change over time. On the basis of evidence from a traditional African society, we show how tension between utility maximization and cultural norms could shape cooperative behaviors in ways that are not easily deciphered by standard economic theory.
Kramers-Kronig Dispersion Analysis of Infrared Reflectance Bands

A procedure is presented for the use of the Kramers–Kronig dispersion relations in treatment of normal-incidence infrared reflection spectra to yield optical constants of crystals. The crux of the practical problem, treatment of unobserved wing regions in the integrations, is discussed in detail. Definitive methods of picking optimum upper and lower limits for integration over actual data and for fitting artificial wings are discussed.The method is tested on a reflection spectrum generated by a model involving several damped harmonic oscillators. It is shown how a region involving a single band (but flanked by “unobserved” bands) can be treated, and how accurately the method reproduces the theoretically known optical indices. It appears feasible to obtain the indices of absorption and of refraction to ±0.005 and ±0.002, respectively, given accurate data on reflectance. Integrated band intensities are reproduced to within a few percent.
Structure elucidation of a novel ring-constrained biaryl pyrazole CB1 cannabinoid receptor antagonist

Upon irradiation with a 450 W high-pressure mercury lamp, the CB1 cannabinoid antagonist N-(piperidinyl)-5-(4-chlorophenyl)-1-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-4-methyl-1H-pyrazole-3-carboxamide (SR14-1716; 1) undergoes a photocyclization reaction to yield a single reaction product. This product, 2, the structure of which is based on a pyrazolo[1,5-f]phenanthridine ring system, was established by two-dimensional NMR techniques (COSY, HSQC, HMBC and ROESY), and was later confirmed by single-crystal x-ray diffraction analysis. The crystal structure shows two independent molecules of 3 and a half molecule of the 1,2-dichloroethane solvate. Compound 2 has reasonably high affinity for the CB1 receptor (Ki = 48.0 ± 2.7 nM). Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Solution Uniqueness and Stability Criteria for a Model of Growth Factor Production

Abstract Uniqueness and stability criteria are established for the steady states of a nonlinear model of growth factor production. A specific expression for the nonlinearity is chosen, containing three parameters which can be adjusted to fit a specific biological context, but much of the analysis applies to a general class of source terms that exhibit the same qualitative behavior.
Assessment of ruminal bacterial populations and protozoal generation time in cows fed different methionine sources.

Abstract Methionine supplemented as 2-hydroxy-4-(methylthio)-butanoic acid (HMB) has been suggested to alter bacterial or protozoal populations in the rumen. Our objective was to determine if source of Met would change microbial populations in the rumen and to compare those results to samples from the omasum. The ruminal and omasal samples were collected from cows fed control (no Met), dl-Met, HMB, or the isopropyl ester of HMB (HMBi; estimated 50% rumen protection) in a replicated 4×4 Latin square design. In one square, changes in protozoal populations were determined using microscopic counts and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE), whereas changes in bacterial populations were determined using DGGE and ribosomal intergenic spacer length polymorphism (RIS-LP). Neither the protozoal counts nor the DGGE banding patterns derived from protozoa were different among the dietary treatments or for ruminal vs. omasal samples. As revealed by both DGGE and RIS-LP, bacterial populations clustered by treatments in ruminal and especially in omasal samples. Using cows from both Latin squares, the flow of protozoal cells from the rumen was quantified by multiplying protozoal cell count in omasal fluid by the omasal fluid flow (using CoEDTA as a liquid flow marker) or was estimated by rumen pool size of cells multiplied by either the ruminal dilution rate of CoEDTA (after termination of CoEDTA dosing) or the passage rate of Yb-marked particles. Compared with the omasal fluid flow measurement (16.4h), protozoal generation time was approximated much more closely using the particulate than the fluid passage rate from the rumen (generation times of 15.7 and 7.5h, respectively). There seems to be minimal selective retention of protozoal genera in the rumen in dairy cattle fed every 2h. Data support the validity of the omasal sampling technique under our conditions.
A Highly Potent Artificial Transcription Factor

The use of synthetic chemical moieties to design fully functional analogues of transcription factors will give rise to novel molecular tools for targeted gene regulation. Here we demonstrate that a synthetic molecule based on a nonpeptidic DNA-binding domain can be engineered to function as a highly potent transcription factor in vitro and in an intracellular context. The structure of this artificial transcription factor (ATF) consists of three parts: (i) triple-helix-forming oligonucleotide as a DNA-binding domain; (ii) composite linker moiety; and (iii) short synthetic peptide. The direct comparison of ATFs with natural transcription factors in in vitro assays reveals the ability of ATFs to initiate RNA transcription at the correct initiation site. In addition, the transcriptional activation potency of ATFs in vitro matches or exceeds the potency of GAL4-VP16, one of the strongest natural transcriptional activators. This remarkable biological activity is explained as a function of ATF's chemical structure. We also demonstrate for the first time that ATFs possess substantial ability to activate transcription in tissue culture cells, thus opening a prospect for practical applications in basic and applied research. The specific molecular design employed in the synthesis of ATFs may lead to the development of novel gene-targeting pharmaceuticals for treatment of fatal and chronic diseases.
Robust control problems for the multilayer quasi-geostrophic system

Abstract In this article, we study some robust control problems associated with the multilayer quasi-geostrophic equations of the ocean and related to data assimilation in oceanography. We consider higher norms (compared to [T. Tachim Medjo, Robust control problems associated with the multilayer quasi-geostrophic equations of the ocean, Appl. Math. Optim. 51(3) (2005) 333–360]) in the definition of the cost functionals. We prove the existence and uniqueness of solutions. The result relies on better a priori estimates on the solutions to the multilayer quasi-geostrophic system obtained using a new formulation that we introduce for the multilayer quasi-geostrophic equation of the ocean. The new formulation replaces the non-homogenous boundary conditions (and the non-local constraint) on the stream-function by a simple homogenous Dirichlet boundary condition.
Setting Performance Standards in Europe: The Judges’ Contribution to Relating Language Examinations to the Common European Framework of Reference by PAPAGEORGIOU, SPIROS

The article reviews the book "Setting Performance Standards in Europe: The Judges' Contribution to Relating Language Examinations to the Common European Framework of Reference," by Spiros Papageorgiou.
Spontaneous motor activity increases after portacaval anastomosis in rats

Spontaneous motor activity was monitored in rats at various times, up to 14 weeks, after portacaval anastomosis (PCA) or sham operation. Total 24 hour activity scores rose significantly after PCA and remained significantly higher than those of sham operated rats for twelve weeks. After PCA, activity during the twelve hour lighted period was greatly increased, whereas dark period activity was unchanged. Increased activity in the light period was found to be well correlated with the degree of elevation in brain concentrations of tryptophan, tyrosine, phenylalanine and glutamine. These results are consistent with previously reported EEG studies and suggest that motor-activity measurement may facilitate the correlation of biochemical changes with behaviour in rats with portal systemic shunting.
Transmittance measurements in the integrating sphere.

The finite-difference equation method is used to derive expressions for the directional–hemispherical transmittance as measured in the integrating sphere; and for the correction factor necessary with a one-port sphere to account for changes in the enclosure caused by substituting the open port (the standard device) for the sample. Expressions are also derived for the hemispherical reflectance, since this quantity is necessary to compute the correction factor. It is also shown that no correction factor is necessary with a two-port (comparative) sphere.
Homotopy Groups of the Combinatorial Grassmannian

We prove that the homotopy groups of the oriented matroid Grassmannian MacP(k,n) are stable as n\(\) , that \(\pi_1(\Delta {\rm MacP}(k,n)) \cong \pi_1 (G(k,{\Bbb R}^n))\) , and that there is a surjection \(\pi_2 (G(k,{\Bbb R}^n)) \rightarrow \pi_2(\Delta{\rm MacP}(k,n))\) .
Electrodynamics of moving media and the force on a current loop

The development of the Chu formulation of the electrodynamics of moving media is reviewed. The force on a current loop and/or magnetic dipole is developed for three different models and all three are shown to be identical, as already shown in previous publications. The electromagnetic momentum associated with the three different models is derived and the equality of the force expressions is confirmed on the basis of the momentum conservation theorem of electrodynamics. The paper is based on a lecture delivered at Technion at the occasion of Professor Franz Ollendorff's 80th birthday.
Transient Evolution of Strain and Curvature in Flames Developing from Kernels

Achieving reliable ignition in lean-burn natural gas engines is a challenge. To provide insight into the processes involved, direct simulations are carried out to study the influence of varying flow fluctuation scales on flames developing from kernels. This study is conducted at elevated temperature and pressure conditions relevant to lean-burn natural gas engines. The transient evolution of strain and curvature during kernel development is studied. It is observed that both strain and curvature reach statistically steady values in distinct characteristic times. The time period is about four flow time scales for strain rate and about two and a half flow time scales for curvature, respectively, and these scales are found to be independent of flow fluctuation scales and laminar flame speed of the mixture when the initial kernel diameter is larger than the integral length scale of the flow field.
The mechanics of unrest at Long Valley caldera, California: 1. Modeling the geometry of the source using GPS, leveling and two-color EDM data

We surveyed 44 existing leveling monuments in Long Valley caldera in July 1999, using dual frequency global positioning system (GPS) receivers. We have been able to tie GPS and leveling to a common reference frame in the Long Valley area and computed the vertical deformation by differencing GPS-based and leveled orthometric heights. The resurgent dome uplifted 74±7 cm from 1975 to 1999. To define the inflation source, we invert two-color EDM and uplift data from the 1985–1999 unrest period using spherical or ellipsoidal sources. We find that the ellipsoidal source satisfies both the vertical and horizontal deformation data, whereas the spherical point source cannot. According to our analysis of the 1985–1999 data, the main source of deformation is a prolate ellipsoid located beneath the resurgent dome at a depth of 5.9 km (95% bounds of 4.9–7.5 km). This body is vertically elongated, has an aspect ratio of 0.475 (95% bounds are 0.25–0.65) and a volume change of 0.086 km3 (95% bounds are 0.06–0.13 km3). Failure to account for the ellipsoidal nature of the source biases the estimated source depth by 2.1 km (35%), and the source volume by 0.038 km3 (44%).
Computing real roots of a polynomial in Chebyshev series form through subdivision with linear testing and cubic solves

Abstract An arbitrary polynomial of degree N , f N ( x ), can always be represented as a truncated Chebyshev polynomial series (“Chebyshev form”). This representation is much better conditioned than the usual “power form” of a polynomial. We describe a new method for finding the real roots of f N ( x ) in Chebyshev form. The canonical interval, x ∈ [−1, 1], is subdivided into N s subintervals. Each is tested for zeros using the error bound for linear interpolation. On “zero-possible” intervals, f N is approximated by a cubic polynomial, whose roots are then found by the usual sixteenth century formulas.
Application of linear prediction characteristics to planar shape classification

Several different parametric representations of planar shapes for classification purposes are presented. The new approaches are based upon the linear prediction technique and are alternatives to the well-known circular auto regressive (CAR) model approach. The proposed representations include the impulse response function, autocorrelation function, and the cepstrum function. They can be used to represent both closed and open planar curves and are invariant to rotation, translation, and scaling. The effectiveness of the new representation for classification of closed planar curves is examined. Their performance is compared and the results are reported. >
Development of a Model Based Method for Investigating Facet Articulation

Reported investigations of facet articulation in the human spine have often been conducted through the insertion of pressure sensitive film into the joint space, which requires incision of the facet capsule and may alter the characteristics of interaction between the facet surfaces. Load transmission through the facet has also been measured using strain gauges bonded to the articular processes. While this method allows for preservation of the facet capsule, it requires extensive instrumentation of the spine, as well as strain-gauge calibration, and is highly sensitive to placement and location of the strain gauges. The inherently invasive nature of these techniques makes it difficult to translate them into medical practice. A method has been developed to investigate facet articulation through the application of test kinematics to a specimen-specific rigid-body model of each vertebra within a lumbar spine segment. Rigid-body models of each vertebral body were developed from CT scans of each specimen. The distances between nearest-neighboring points on each facet surface were calculated for specific time frames of each specimen's flexion/extension test. A metric describing the proportion of each facet surface within a distance (2 mm) from the neighboring surface, the contact area ratio (CAR), was calculated at each of these time frames. A statistically significant difference (p<0.037) was found in the CAR between the time frames corresponding to full flexion and full extension in every level of the lumbar spine (L1-L5) using the data obtained from the seven specimens evaluated in this study. The finding that the contact area of the facet is greater in extension than flexion corresponds to other findings in the literature, as well as the generally accepted role of the facets in extension. Thus, a biomechanical method with a sufficiently sensitive metric is presented as a means to evaluate differences in facet articulation between intact and treated or between healthy and pathologic spines.
Authentic Models and Usage Norms? Gender Marking in First-Year Textbooks.

Our study of seven first-year college-level German textbooks surveys how these texts deal with the challenge of representing gender-inclusive language. Specifically, we look at gender marking in human nouns to see whether they occur as single-gender forms (e.g., Student), as morphological pairs in either full form (e.g., Student/Studentin) or orthographically-reduced form (Student/in, StudentIn), as lexical pairs (e.g., Grosmutter/Grosvater) or as gender-neutral forms (e.g., Studierende, plural). All textbooks surveyed show a strong tendency to avoid gender-exclusive forms but none introduces students to orthographically-reduced pairs.
Perturbation of single hematopoietic stem cell fates in artificial niches

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are capable of extensive self-renewal in vivo and are successfully employed clinically to treat hematopoietic malignancies, yet are in limited supply as in culture this self-renewal capacity is lost. Using an approach at the interface of stem cell biology and bioengineering, here we describe a novel platform of hydrogel microwell arrays for assessing the effects of either secreted or tethered proteins characteristic of the in vivo microenvironment, or niche, on HSC fate in vitro. Time-lapse microscopic analyses of single cells were crucial to overcoming inevitable heterogeneity of FACS-enriched HSCs. A reduction in proliferation kinetics or an increase in asynchronous division of single HSCs in microwells in response to specific proteins (Wnt3a and N-Cadherin) correlated well with subsequent serial long-term blood reconstitution in mice in vivo. Single cells that divided once in the presence of a given protein were capable of in vivo reconstitution, providing evidence of self-renewal divisions of HSCs in vitro. These results validate the hydrogel microwell platform as a broadly applicable paradigm for dissecting the regulatory role of specific signals within a complex stem cell niche.