cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Involvement of d-lactate and lactic acid racemase in the metabolism of glucose by Selenomonas ruminantium

Selenomonas ruminantium HD4 produced significant quantities of d- and l-lactate from glucose in batch culture. Both isomers also supported growth if fumarate was present. In glucose-limited continuous culture, d-lactate was detected in the medium only at fast dilution rates. In continuous-culture-grown cells, only a cytoplasmic NAD-dependent l-lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and a membrane-associated NAD-independent l-LDH were detected; activity of the soluble enzyme was twice as high at the fast dilution rate as at the slow dilution rate. Lactate racemase was also detected; its activity was 4-fold higher at the fast dilution rate. The presence of racemase explains why d-lactate was made and used by this organism.
Toxic Exanthems in the Adult Population

Frequently the internist is confronted with the nonspecific exanthematous eruption. While often a sign of a benign and self-limiting process, an exanthem also might herald the development of a more severe systemic syndrome. Infections, immune-mediated processes, drug reactions, a neoplasm, and familial syndromes with poor prognoses might all manifest initially with an exanthem. A thorough history and complete physical examination should be performed on all patients who present with an exanthem. Characterization of the exanthem morphology, other physical examination findings, and review of systems can help guide laboratory testing and ensure prompt diagnosis and early treatment of potentially life-threatening conditions. This article provides a brief overview of the conditions that must be considered in the evaluation of an ill patient with an exanthem.
RADIAL SYMMETRY OF POSITIVE SOLUTIONS OF NONLINEAR ELLIPTIC EQUATIONS

Abstract We study the radial symmetry and asymptotic behavior at x =∞ of positive solutions of Δu=ϕ(|x|) u λ , x∈ R n and |x| large where λ >1 and ϕ ( r ) is positive and continuous for r large. In particular we give conditions on ϕ which guarantee that each positive solution of (*) satisfies u ( x ) u (| x |) →1 as |x|→∞ where ū ( r ) is the average of u on the sphere | x |= r .
Phosphorus in Poultry Litter and Soil : Enzymatic and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Characterization

Knowledge of the P forms in poultry litter (PL) and their transformations in soil will help improve our understanding of the long-term role of P in eutrophication. In this study, samples of PL and pasture soils with and without 20 yr of PL application were sequentially extracted to separate P into H 2 O, 0.5 mol L -1 NaHCO 3 , 0.1 mol L -1 NaOH, and 1 mol L -1 HCl fractions. After appropriate dilution and pH adjustment, the fractions were incubated in the presence of orthophosphate-releasing enzymes. Cross-examination of the solution 31 P nuclear magnetic resonance spectra of the enzymatically treated and untreated fractions revealed that the peaks of organic P (P o ) species of the enzymatically treated fractions became very weak or disappeared, confirming enzymatic hydrolysis of P o in the untreated fractions. Although the majority of P in the NaOH and HCl fractions of PL was in organic forms, these stable P o forms could be subjected to enzymatic hydrolysis after being applied to soil, an occurrence that was supported by the soil P data. Compared with soil without litter applied, 20 yr of PL application increased the pools of both labile and stable inorganic P in the soil; however, repeated application of PL did not lead to a significant accumulation of hydrolyzable P o in NaOH and HCl fractions, indicating that the stable P o must have been converted to other forms. The transformation of stable PL P o observed in this study could be an important mechanism for maintaining a balance between labile and immobile P in soils.
Mass spectrometric characterization of transferrins and their fragments derived by reduction of disulfide bonds.

Mass spectrometry, proteomics, and protein chemistry methods are used to characterize the cleavage products of 79 kDa transferrin proteins induced by iron-catalyzed oxidation, including a novel C-terminal polypeptide released upon disulfide reduction. Top-down electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS) of intact multiply-charged transferrin from a variety of species (human, bovine, rabbit, chicken) performed on a quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometer yields multiply-charged bn-products originating near residues 56–69 from the N-terminal region, in addition to their complementary yn-products. Incubation of transferrin with reductants, such as dithiothreitol (DTT) or tris(2-carboxyethyl)-phosphine (TCEP), yields an increase in multiple charging observed by ESI-MS and an increase in molecular weight consistent with disulfide reduction. However, mammalian transferrins release a 6–8 kDa fragment upon disulfide reduction. Protein acetylation and MS/MS sequencing demonstrate that the fragment originates from the C-terminus of the protein, and that it is a separate polypeptide linked via three disulfide bonds to the main transferrin chain. The existence of a separate C-terminal chain is not annotated in protein sequence databases and, to date, has not been reported in the literature. Iron-catalyzed cleavage induces fragments originating from both the N- and C-terminus of transferrin.
Combining Local Scoring and Global Aggregation to Rank Entities for Deep Web Queries

With the rapid growth of Web databases, it is necessary to extract and integrate large-scale data available in Deep Web automatically. But current Web search engines conduct page-level ranking, which are becoming inadequate for entity-oriented vertical search. In this paper, we present an entity-level ranking mechanism called LG-ERM for Deep Web queries based on local scoring and global aggregation. Unlike traditional approaches, LG-ERM considers more rank influencing factors including the uncertainty of entity extraction, the style information of the entities and the importance of the Web sources, as well as the entity relationship. By combining local scoring and global aggregation in ranking, the query result can be more accurate and effective to meet users' needs. The experiments demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of the key techniques of LG-ERM.
Organic Residues in Soils: Mechanisms of Retention and Extractability

Abstract Retention of pesticides and related organic chemicals by the soil is an important process that affects the fate of these chemicals in the environment. Although a number of binding mechanisms have been postulated for the retention of these chemicals in the soil, few experimental methods are available to characterize the specific bonds involved in the retention process. Common indices used to depict soil sorption of pesticides are of limited value to elucidate the bonding mechanisms or bond strengths. This paper discusses the potential of using the solvent extraction procedure to gain an insight on the binding mechanisms. It can be demonstrated that the solvent action during an extraction is specific in removing a portion of the chemical which is presumably held by similar bonds in the soil. Examples of efficient extraction of chemicals held by ion exchange, hydrogen bonding, and metal complexation are given to illustrate this potential.
The distribution of rare alleles.

Population geneticists have long been interested in the behavior of rare variants. The definition of a rare variant has been the subject of some debate, centered mainly on whether alleles with small relative frequency should be considered rare, or whether alleles with small numbers should be. We study the behavior of the counts of rare alleles in samples taken from a population genetics model that allows for selection and infinitely-many-alleles mutation structure. We show that in large samples the counts of rare alleles — those represented once, twice, ... — are approximately distributed as a Poisson process, with a parameter that depends on the total mutation rate, but not on the selection parameters. This result is applied to the problem of estimating the fraction of neutral mutations.
Developmental relations between reading ability and knowledge of orthographic structure

Abstract First, second, and third grade readers were asked to pick the item that “looked more like a word” from a pair of letter strings. The items to be discriminated differed in terms of a rule-governed description of orthographic structure. Task performance improved with school experience, averaging 58, 69, and 79% correct for first, second, and third grade readers, respectively. More importantly, reading ability, as assessed by vocabulary and comprehension, accounted for 17% more of the variance than that accounted for by grade level. Reading ability is positively correlated with knowledge of orthographic structure for young readers. To what extent this knowledge is responsible for differences in reading ability remains to be determined.
A novel analytical model for dynamic waveband switching

We present a novel framework to analytically model dynamic waveband switching in a multi-granular optical network. The scalable solution consists in modeling each potential carrier of waveband tunnels independently by a Markov chain while modulating the rate of critical transitions, i.e. reserving a new waveband tunnel, by the waveband setup availability computed from the solution of other potential carriers. An iterative procedure is repeated to obtain a consistent numerical solution all over the network. To get an accurate solution we present a novel method to solve the problem of link load correlation in the analysis of circuit-switched networks. Analytical and simulation results are presented to show the effectiveness of the proposed model. The model is also applied to evaluate the performance of waveband cross-connects when introducing waveband conversion.
A method for allocating R & D expenditures

The analytical problems of developing quantitative techniques for R & D investment management are often complicated by the existence of conflicting goals. Corporate goals may require the R & D manager to simultaneously seek the highest probable profits, the largest probable number of successes, and the greatest probable profits per dollar spent. Departmental goals may restrict the manager to some maximum budget, a minimum number of projects to be worked on, and minimum levels of accomplishment on specific projects. In a sense, then, the research manager is faced with a constrained multiple-output production problem: how much to spend on which project and how much to spend overall. This paper shows how a slight modification of Hess' approach to project selection [2] and an analogy to the theoretical economics of a multiple-product factory [4] have been used to help our research management simultaneously solve these project selection, resource allocation, and budget determination problems. Most approaches in the literature have treated these three problems separately [1], [3].
Day-of-week effects in tests of forward foreign exchange rate unbiasedness

The day of the week on which the forward rate is quoted and the day of the week on which the corresponding one-period ahead spot rate matched to the delivery date of the forward contract is quoted may play a systematic role in the empirical estimates of the coefficient on the forward premium in tests of forward foreign exchange rate unbiasedness. These ‘day-of-week’ effects are motivated from an inventory carrying cost argument as in Bessembinder (1994) and introduced into a simple model for forward foreign exchange market efficiency. Empirical results show that the point estimates are generally consistent with the hypotheses; however, large standard errors make discriminatory power weak and conclusions regarding the role of inventory carrying costs in the magnitude of the forward premium bias debatable. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A Counselor's Primer on Postpartum Depression

Women are more likely than men to experience depression, and they are particularly vulnerable to depression during the postpartum period. Postpartum depression is distinguished from normal postpartum adjustment, postpartum blues, and postpartum psychosis. Biological, psychodynamic, and diathesis-stress perspectives on postpartum depression are described. Counselors are encouraged to fashion individualized treatments for postpartum depression that are matched to the stressors and vulnerabilities of their clients.
Threshold anomaly in Raman light scattering from degenerate Fermi systems

Abstract A power-law divergence is calculated in the inelastic scattering cross section for light near the absorption threshold in a metal or degenerate semiconductor. The intermediate state interaction between the virtual hole and conduction electrons is responsible for the anomaly.
Effects of Ti addition on cleavage fracture in Nb-Cr-Ti solid-solution alloys

The fracture toughness of Nb-Cr-Ti solid-solution alloys has been shown to be greatly improved by Ti addition, but the mechanism of toughness enhancement has not been established. In this study, critical experiments were performed on the tough Nb-Cr-Ti alloy to characterize the crack-tip fracture process and to investigate the origin of fracture toughness. In addition, theoretical calculations of the unstable stacking energy (USE) and the Peierls-Nabarro (P-N) energy and stress were performed as a function of Ti content in the Nb-Cr-Ti alloys. The experimental results indicate that the fracture toughness in the tough Nb-Cr-Ti alloy originates from extensive dislocation emission that suppresses cleavage crack propagation from the crack tip. The theoretical calculation indicates that Ti addition lowers the P-N energy and stress, but has little effect on the USE. These results are used to elucidate the effects of Ti addition on cleavage fracture in Nb-Cr-Ti alloys by considering the influence of the P-N energy and stress values on (1) dislocation mobility, (2) crack-tip dislocation emission, (3) fracture toughness, and (4) brittle-to-ductile fracture transition. It is concluded that dislocation emission in the Nb-Cr-Ti alloys appears to be controlled by the P-N energy, which influences dislocation mobility, rather than by the USE, which influences dislocation nucleation. Ti increases the fracture toughness of Nb-Cr-Ti alloys by increasing dislocation mobility and dislocation emission from the crack tip through a reduction of the P-N energy and stress.
An application of a modified microwave total dissolution technique for soils

Abstract Application of a microwave dissolution technique to soil materials aided by acid digestion procedures has many advantages, but the incomplete dissolution of sandy soils has been noted. The objectives of this study were to modify a microwave oven digestion technique to facilitate the determination of the total elemental content of soils and geologic materials containing greater than 45% sand and apply these data to determine natural separations in parent materials. A microwave dissolution technique using aqua regia (HNO3 and HCl) and hydrofluoric acid (HF) was modified such that the HF is added to the solid 16 hours prior to aqua‐regia addition and subsequent microwave heating. Elemental recoveries were validated using a NBS coal fly ash standard. This procedure was applied to soil core samples representing a wide range of geological and pedological weathering sequences and soil textural classes. Separations in the parent material were determined by observing natural breaks in the elemental concen...
Use of genetic algorithms for encoding efficient neural network architectures: neurocomputer implementation

In this study an attempt is being made to encode the architecture of a neural network in a chromosome string for evolving robust, fast-learning, minimal neural network architectures through genetic algorithms. Various attributes affecting the learning of the network are represented as genes. The performance of the networks is used as the fitness value. Neural network architecture design concepts are initially demonstrated using a backpropagation architecture with the standard data set of Rosenberg and Sejnowski for text to speech conversion on Adaptive Solutions Inc.'s CNAPS Neuro-Computer. The architectures obtained are compared with the one reported in the literature for the standard data set used. The study concludes by providing some insights regarding the architecture encoding for other artificial neural network paradigms. © (1995) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Groupthink: Effects of cohesiveness and problem-solving procedures on group decision making

Janis' (1972) groupthink formulation was tested in the laboratory by manipulating group cohesiveness and adequacy of decision procedures in a factorial design. Internal analysis, involving redefined cohesiveness categories, provided mixed support for the groupthink hypothesis on measures of decision quality and group processes presumed to underlie the groupthink decisions. Specifically, it was found that: (1) highest quality decisions were produced by groups of intermediate cohesiveness; (2) high cohesive groups without adequate decision procedures (the groupthink condition) tended to make the poorest decisions; and (3) the presence of groupthink was characterized by a lack of disagreement and a high level of confidence in the group's decisions.
A universe of lies: Holocaust revisionism and the myth of a Jewish world‐conspiracy

(1991). A universe of lies: Holocaust revisionism and the myth of a Jewish world‐conspiracy. Patterns of Prejudice: Vol. 25, No. 1, pp. 75-85.
Nucleation of small metal particles on ultrathin SiO2 films on Si

Abstract Metal particles of Pt, Ni, Au and Ag, typically less than 50 A in diameter, were deposited by vacuum evaporation onto substrates of ultrathin (∼25 A) SiO 2 on Si. The particle size and charge were determined by transmission electron microscopy and MOS type capacitance-voltage measurements, respectively. It was observed that the Pt and Ni particles were smaller and more closely spaced than Au and Ag particles under comparable deposition conditions. The particle charge for Pt and Ni appeared to exceed that for Au and Ag for the same substrate coverage, suggesting possible charge contributions to heterogeneous nucleation. Since Pt and Ni particles were observed to carry a positive charge, they are presumably stabilized at negative substrate sites; the opposite appears to be true for Au and Ag.
The Interpretation of Encoding Effects in Retention.

Recent experimental and theoretical analyses of the relationship between level of processing and retention are reviewed. In light of changing interpretations of encoding effects, the discussion centers on the status of depth of processing as an explanatory concept. Two studies are then reported in which predictions about the effects of orienting activities on retention were tested. In the first of these, the theoretically important interaction between level of processing and cue distinctiveness failed to materialize. In the second study, manipulations of the similarity between successive semantic orienting tasks failed to influence transfer and retroaction. The results point to important limitations on the control of encoding by orienting pasks.
AUTOCORRELATION: FIXED VERSUS VARIABLE CONTROL LIMITS

[This abstract is based on the author's abstract.] A state of statistical control is associated with a random process, but in practice, the autocorrelation of process control measurements frequently causes the violation of this basic assumption. Th..
Two Concepts on the Immunological Aspect of Blastocyst Implantation

The process of blastocyst implantation is a series of interactions between the blastocyst and maternal tissues. The purpose of this process is (1) to provide nourishment to the embryo for developmental growth in appropriate physiological and endocrinological environment until a placenta is established, and (2) to protect the (semi-)allogeneic embryo from any attacks from the maternal immune system. To facilitate successful implantation, therefore, these two aspects of the embryonic demand must be satisfied in the embryo-maternal interface throughout the entire process of implantation. The first concept I present in this paper is that blastocyst implantation essential factors (BIEFs) have dual functions: one, for structural and functional modification of the endometrium to accommodate the developing embryo and provide nourishment and suitable environment for its development, and the other, for modulation, directly or indirectly, of the maternal immune system to prevent attacks by the maternal immune system. The second concept is that BIEFs convert the endometrium (or uterus) from an immunologically non-privileged site to a privileged site. This endometrial (uterine) conversion is the immunological aspect of the blastocyst implantation process. When the endometrium has become receptive for blastocyst implantation, it signifies that the immunological conversion of the endometrium by BIEFs has been sufficiently attained to let the embryo start contacting maternal tissues. During the early stages of placentation, as the trophoblast cells differentiate and make their way to the maternal blood vessels to establish the placenta, BIEFs continuously provide nourishment and immunological protection to the developing embryo. The immunological protection of the embryo/fetus from potential attacks by the maternal immune system appears to reach a peak at the time of establishment of the placenta. Thus, clarification of the roles of BIEFs in both the physiological/endocrinological aspect as well as the immunological aspect is essential for understanding the biological process of implantation.
An uncertain silence

Transcriptional silencing is the most well-studied epigenetic phenomenon in yeast. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, silencing has recently been found at previously unidentified loci. In addition to the silent mating-type loci and telomeres, genes within the ribosomal DNA and, perhaps, at undefined aging loci are silenced. Efficiency of silencing at different loci varies and is affected by competition between the loci and by the involvement of different factors in distinct protein complexes. The recent discovery of conserved gene families encoding proteins related to modulators of acetylation and deacetylation suggests mechanisms for differential regulation of silencing at known loci and the existence of additional, as yet undiscovered, silenced loci.
prison guard predators: an analysis of inmates who established inappropriate relationships with prison staff, 1995-1998

Recently, media accounts have shed light on a number of correctional employees who were terminated for engaging in "inappropriate relationships" with prisoners. This study employed face-to-face interviews of 32 inmate "turners" who were investigated for engaging in inappropriate relationships with security officers. We found that many inmate manipulators share similar attitudes and beliefs regarding inappropriate relationships. Our findings indicate that there are three distinct types of inmate "turners," each exhibiting an entirely different set of motivations and behavior from one another. We conclude that inmates are very persistent in attempting to initiate an inappropriate relationship with prison employees.
Electrocardiographic Changes Produced by Potassium and Other Ions Injected into the Coronary Arteries of Intact Dogs

Ions injected into the circumflex branch of the left coronary artery of the intact dog produce sequential electrocardiographic changes different from those produced by exposure of the entire heart to these ions. Of all substances tested, the contour of the surface electrocardiogram is most sensitive to potassium. The electrocardiographic sequence of alterations produced by potassium so injected are characteristic and similar to those produced by subtotal and total occlusion of a coronary artery.
The performance improvement in optical packet-switched networks by traffic shaping of self-similar traffic

This paper proposed a packet assembly mechanism and investigated its impact on the network performance under self-similar traffic. The simulation results have demonstrated that this mechanism can serve as a traffic shaper to reduce the network-wide packet-loss rate efficiently. By incorporating the contention resolution schemes in wavelength, time, and space domains, traffic shaping leads to a several-fold benefit of performance improvement at the expense of relatively small increases in delay.
Dp1 Is Largely Dispensable for Embryonic Development

E2F/DP complexes activate or repress the transcription of E2F target genes, depending on the association of a pRB family member, thereby regulating cell cycle progression. Whereas the E2F family consists of seven members, the DP family contains only two (Dp1 and Dp2), Dp1 being the more highly expressed member. In contrast to the inactivation of individual E2F family members, we have recently demonstrated that loss of Dp1 results in embryonic lethality by embryonic day 12.5 (E12.5) due to the failure of extraembryonic lineages to develop and replicate DNA properly. To bypass this placental requirement and search for roles of Dp1 in the embryo proper, we generated Dp1-deficient embryonic stem (ES) cells that carry the ROSA26-LacZ marker and injected them into wild-type blastocysts to construct Dp1-deficient chimeras. Surprisingly, we recovered mid- to late gestational embryos (E12.5 to E17.5), in which the Dp1-deficient ES cells contributed strongly to most chimeric tissues as judged by X-Gal (5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl-β-d-galactopyranoside) staining and Western blotting. Importantly, the abundance of DP2 protein does not increase and the expression of an array of cell cycle genes is virtually unchanged in Dp1-deficient ES cells or chimeric E15.5 tissues with the absence of Dp1. Thus, Dp1 is largely dispensable for embryonic development, despite the absolute extraembryonic requirement for Dp1, which is highly reminiscent of the restricted roles for Rb and cyclins E1/E2 in vivo.
PROBABILITIES FOR MULTIPLE PROPERTIES: THE MODELS OF HESSE AND CARNAP AND KEMENY

In 1959 Carnap published a probability model that was meant to allow for reasoning by analogy involving two independent properties. Maher (2000) derived a generalized version of this model axiomatically and defended the model's adequacy. It is thus natural to now consider how the model might be extended to the case of more than two properties. A simple extension was published by Hesse (1964); this paper argues that it is inadequate. A more sophisticated one was developed jointly by Carnap and Kemeny in the early 1950s but never published; this paper gives the first published description of Carnap and Kemeny's model and argues that it too is inadequate. Since no other way of extending the two-property model is currently known, the conclusion of this paper is that a satisfactory extension to multiple properties requires some new approach.
Cytomegalovirus Infection Causes an Increase of Arterial Blood Pressure

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is a common infection in adults (seropositive 60–99% globally), and is associated with cardiovascular diseases, in line with risk factors such as hypertension and atherosclerosis. Several viral infections are linked to hypertension, including human herpes virus 8 (HHV-8) and HIV-1. The mechanisms of how viral infection contributes to hypertension or increased blood pressure are not defined. In this report, the role of CMV infection as a cause of increased blood pressure and in forming aortic atherosclerotic plaques is examined. Using in vivo mouse model and in vitro molecular biology analyses, we find that CMV infection alone caused a significant increase in arterial blood pressure (ABp) (p<0.01∼0.05), measured by microtip catheter technique. This increase in blood pressure by mouse CMV (MCMV) was independent of atherosclerotic plaque formation in the aorta, defined by histological analyses. MCMV DNA was detected in blood vessel samples of viral infected mice but not in the control mice by nested PCR assay. MCMV significantly increased expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6, TNF-α, and MCP-1 in mouse serum by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Using quantitative real time reverse transcriptase PCR (Q-RT-PCR) and Western blot, we find that CMV stimulated expression of renin in mouse and human cells in an infectious dose-dependent manner. Co-staining and immunofluorescent microscopy analyses showed that MCMV infection stimulated renin expression at a single cell level. Further examination of angiotensin-II (Ang II) in mouse serum and arterial tissues with ELISA showed an increased expression of Ang II by MCMV infection. Consistent with the findings of the mouse trial, human CMV (HCMV) infection of blood vessel endothelial cells (EC) induced renin expression in a non-lytic infection manner. Viral replication kinetics and plaque formation assay showed that an active, CMV persistent infection in EC and expression of viral genes might underpin the molecular mechanism. These results show that CMV infection is a risk factor for increased arterial blood pressure, and is a co-factor in aortic atherosclerosis. Viral persistent infection of EC may underlie the mechanism. Control of CMV infection can be developed to restrict hypertension and atherosclerosis in the cardiovascular system.
Utility of Adrenocorticotropic Hormone in Assessing the Response to Transsphenoidal Surgery for Cushing's Disease

Objectives: To compare adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol dynamics in subjects with Cushing's disease (CD) following transsphenoidal surgery (TSS) and to determine the value of early postoperative ACTH levels in predicting subsequent hypocortisolemia.Methods: Following TSS for CD, serum cortisol and plasma ACTH were measured every 6 hours in the absence of empiric glucocorticoid coverage.Results: A total of 26 subjects (25 female) underwent 28 operations. Hypocortisolemia was achieved in 21 (81%) subjects after the initial TSS. Repeat TSS was performed in 2 subjects, resulting in hypocortisolemia in 1. Subjects who achieved hypocortisolemia had significantly lower ACTH levels by 19 hours postoperatively (P = .007). Plasma ACTH fell to <30 pg/mL in 86% and <20 pg/mL in 82% of subjects who subsequently achieved hypocortisolemia. Plasma ACTH declined to <30 pg/mL by a mean of 10 hours and to <20 pg/mL by 13 hours prior to hypocortisolemia. Follow-up data were available on 25 patients for a medi...
Hot-water pretreatment of cattails for extraction of cellulose

To date in the US, production of renewable fuels, particularly ethanol, is primarily from food crops that are high in sugar and starch. The use of arable land for fuel rather than food production and the use of a food source for fuel rather than food have created issues in pricing and availability of traditional foods and feed. The use of cattails to produce biofuel will add value to land and also reduce emissions of greenhouse gases by replacing petroleum products. In order to investigate the feasibility of converting cattails into cellulosic ethanol, a hot-water pretreatment process was studied using a Dionex accelerated solvent extractor (ASE) varying treatment temperature and time. The pretreatment at 190°C for more than 10 min could effectively dissolve the xylan fraction of cattails as soluble oligomers. Both the glucose yield and xylose yield obtained from the pretreated cattails increased with the escalation of the final pretreatment temperature, treatment time or enzyme loading. When cattails were pretreated at 190°C for 15 min, the highest glucose yield of 77.6% from the cellulose was achieved in 48 h using a cellulase loading of 60 FPU/g glucan. The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae (ATCC 24858) was able to ferment glucose released by cattail cellulose, resulting in approximately 88.7 ± 2.8% of the theoretical ethanol yield. The higher enzyme loading of 60 FPU/g glucan will significantly increase costs. It is recommended that further studies be carried out using cattails as a feedstock for bio-fuels, especially to optimize the economics of biological conversion processes for cattails with regard to reducing enzyme usage, energy input, glucose yield and xylose yield.
An unusual distribution for height among males in a Warao Indian village: A possible case of lineal effect

The Warao Indian village of Jobure has two modes for height within its adult male population. One mode is at 158 cm and the second occurs at 169 cm. Mean height for adult males and females for this village is significantly higher (alpha less than or equal to 0.05) than for the other Warao villages studied. Examination of the males involved shows that all unusually tall males, except two, are siblings or first cousins and are related to a taller than average village patriarch who is married to the tallest woman in the village. The Warao possess a social system that encourages the formation of small enclaves that are biased samples of the general population and consist of closely related individuals. The physical environment is such that villages only short distances apart may be socially isolated, thus inhibiting gene flow from adjacent settlements. The height distribution observed in the village of Jobure is considered to be the result of repetitive sampling along kinship lines and has been preserved by the physical and social environment.
A1 adenosine receptor antagonism improves glucose tolerance in Zucker rats

The A1 adenosine receptor (A1ar) antagonist 1,3-dipropyl-8-(p-acrylic)phenylxanthine (BW-1433) was administered to lean and obese Zucker rats to probe the influence of endogenously activated A1ars ...
Resource Sharing, Interlibrary Loan and Orbis: How Did We Get Here and Where Are We Going?

Pret interbibliotheque dans le systeme ORBIS, systeme constitue par 13 etablissements d'enseignement superieur employant un calalogue collectif
Enhanced ionosphere‐magnetosphere data from the DMSP satellites

The satellites of the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) are a series of low-altitude (835 km) polar-orbiting satellites. Their primary purpose is to observe the tropospheric weather with a high-resolution (2.8 km) white light and infrared imaging system. The images of clouds, city lights, and auroras produced in the white light band by the Operational Linescan System (OLS) are well known. For example, Croft [1978] has shown several examples of nighttime images of city lights, oil field fires, auroras (northern or southern lights) and other nocturnal light sources.
Evaluation of a Group Intervention for Children With Food Allergy and Their Parents

LeBovidge JS, Timmon K, Rich C, et al. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol . 2008;101(2):160–165 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY. To assess whether a group intervention designed for children with food allergy and their parents could improve parent-perceived competence and decrease parent-perceived burden in coping with food allergy. STUDY POPULATION. Food-allergic, English-speaking children 5 to 7 years of age, without developmental disabilities, and their parents were recruited if they visited an allergist through the Children's Hospital …
The annular aperture antenna with a hemispherical center conductor extension

An annular aperture antenna mounted on an infinite ground plane and containing a hemispherical center conductor extension above the ground plane is investigated. A Green's function for the region above the ground plane is derived so as to be compatible with numerical solution techniques. A magnetic field integral equation is obtained in terms of the unknown tangential aperture electric field and is solved by the method of moments. A comparison between flush mounted and hemispherically extended annular aperture antennas is presented for the tangential aperture electric field, the coaxial line apparent input admittance, and the far radiated field.
Deposition of A-Ge:H by Gef4/H 2 Glow Discharge

Hydrogenated amorphous germanium (a-Ge:H) thin films have been grown by DC proximity glow discharge deposition using GeF,/H 2 as the source gas mixture. The film growth rate decreases with increasing substrate temperature because of the temperature activation of the competitive “etching” reaction: GeF, + Ge -2GeF 2 . At sufficiently high substrate temperature and GeF 4 , partial pressure, this reaction dominates and film growth is suppressed. The hydrogen fraction in the source gas mixture appears to determine the extent of decomposition of GeF 4 . The deposition rates of germanium films grown from SiF 4 /GeF 4 /H 2 and Ar/GeF 4 ,/H 2 under similar gas fraction and discharge power conditions are compared. The results suggest that Si species catalyze the deposition of Ge in SiF 4 /GeF 4 /H 2 glow discharges. a-Ge:H films grown from GeF 4 /H 2 have optical, electronic and structural properties similar to films grown by GeH, glow discharge.
Linear estimates of a population scale parameter.

SUMMARY Downton (1966) proposed an estimator, u*, for o-, the standard deviation of a normal population. This estimator is a simple linear combination of the order statistics of a sample from the population. In the present paper, four moments of o-* are given in closed form and the use of Y = (,c6-,uO)/o* is investigated as a possible competitor to the usual Student's test on the location of the normal population. It is shown that a test based on Y is almost as powerful as Student's test and that the power of the Y-test can be established for all practical purposes in terms of a normal integral.
Build life to understand it

Biologists and engineers should work together: synthetic biology reveals how organisms develop and function, argue Michael Elowitz and Wendell A. Lim.
Mathematical methods for treatment planning in deep regional hyperthermia

Techniques are described which accelerate the rerunning of programs for each new set of input parameters in the computer simulation for treatment planning in deep regional hyperthermia cancer therapy using the Sigma 60 applicator. This is done by separating the problem into responses by individual quadrants and by using an impulse response to get multiple frequencies per run. The implementation of these techniques using the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method is described. The accuracy is tested against three-dimensional measurements made in a homogeneous phantom, and the results are presented. The result is a method capable of planning an optimum treatment for deep regional hyperthermia. >
Agrarian Environments: Resources, Representation, and Rule in India

Agrarian Environments: Resources, Representation, and Rule in India. Arun Agrawal and K. Sivaramakrishnan. eds. Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 2000.
Regulation of prostaglandin secretion from epithelial and stromal cells of the bovine endometrium by interleukin-1β, interleukin-2, granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor and tumor necrosis factor-α

Bovine endometrium was obtained on day 16 of pregnancy (estrus = 0) and separated into epithelial and stromal cell populations. When confluent, the two cell populations were treated for 24 h with cytokines at 1, 10 and 100 ng/ml. Prostaglandin (PG) E2 was the major prostaglandin produced by both cell types. For control cultures, more PGE2 was secreted into medium by stromal cells than by epithelial cells, whereas secretion of PGF was similar for epithelial and stromal cells. Interleukin-1 beta had no effect on prostaglandin production by stromal cell cultures but increased epithelial production of PGE2 and, to a lesser extent, PGF. Conversely, granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor had no effect on epithelial cells but reduced secretion of PGE2 and PGF from stromal cells. There were no effects of interleukin-2 or tumor necrosis factor-alpha on prostaglandin secretion. Results indicate that certain cytokines can regulate endometrial prostaglandin secretion in a cell type-restricted manner.
Voltage-Dependent Intrinsic Bursting in Olfactory Bulb Golgi Cells.

In the mammalian olfactory bulb (OB), local synaptic circuits modulate the evolving pattern of activity in mitral and tufted cells following olfactory sensory stimulation. GABAergic granule cells, the most numerous interneuron subtype in this brain region, have been extensively studied. However, classic studies using Golgi staining methods identified many other, nongranule cell types in the OB whose function remains mysterious. Within just the granule cell layer (GCL), Ramon y Cajal described multiple morphologically distinct subtypes of nongranule interneurons including large spiny Blanes cells which exhibit intrinsic persistent activity. Here, we define the intrinsic electrophysiology of a different nongranule interneuronal cell type in the GCL described by Ramon y Cajal, sparsely spiny Golgi cells in the rat OB. Golgi cells exhibit two distinct firing modes depending on the membrane potential: tonic firing and bursting. Golgi cells also generate rebound bursts following the offset of hyperpolarizing steps. We find that both low-threshold burst responses to depolarizing inputs and rebound bursts are blocked by nickel, an antagonist of T-type voltage-gated Ca2+ current. The state-dependent firing behavior we report in OB Golgi cells suggests that the function of these interneurons may dynamically shift from providing rhythmic potent inhibition of postsynaptic target neurons at sniffing frequencies to tonic, subtractive inhibition based on centrifugal modulatory input.
Studies on extrahepatic cholesterol synthesis and equilibration in man using a double labeling technique.

Abstract 1.1. A method is described for estimation of extrahepatic synthesis of cholesterol in human subjects by the analysis of tissue biopsy samples a short time after the administration of C 14 -acetate. 2.2. Equilibration of cholesterol between plasma and various tissues may be estimated simultaneously by administering tritium-labeled cholesterol for an appropriate period before the surgical procedure. The specific activity values for both C 14 and H 3 in the same sample were determined by counting in a liquid scintillation counter at 2 settings. 3.3. Adrenal gland stimulated by ACTH and the ovary containing an active corpus luteum were shown to synthesize cholesterol rapidly from acetate. Definite, although much slower, rates of cholesterol synthesis were observed in skin which were confirmed by an in vitro study on human skin. Other tissues examined failed to give convincing evidence of extrahepatic synthesis. 4.4. All tissues showed the presence of H 3 -cholesterol which had been derived from that administered orally. Differences between the specific activity in plasma and in the tissues studied support the concept that rates of equilibration vary widely with different tissues. 5.5. These experiments demonstrate the feasibility of a double isotopic labeling technique for investigation of the metabolism of cholesterol in man.
Mir-148a and Mir-25 Target TULA-2 and Regulate Human Platelet FcγRIIA Signaling

FcγRIIA-mediated platelet activation is important in the pathogenesis of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) and other immune-mediated thrombocytopenia and thrombosis disorders. FcgRIIa is also the major transmembrane signaling adapter for the human platelet fibrinogen receptor, integrin aIIbb3. In HIT, antibody to PF4/heparin is necessary but not sufficient for the disease. There is considerable inter-individual variation in platelet FcγRIIA activation; the reasons remain unclear. To identify potential regulators in the FcγRIIA pathway, we determined the platelet RNA expression profile in 154 healthy human donors who were phenotyped for platelet aggregation via FcgRIIA. 87 mRNAs and 4 DE miRNAs were identified as differentially expressed (DE) between hyper- and hypo-responsive donors by microarray and Nanostring analysis, respectively. Among them, hyper-responders show significantly lower T-cell ubiquitin ligand-2 (TULA-2) mRNA level and higher miR-148a-3p and miR-25-3p levels than hyporesponders. TULA-2, also known as UBASH3B, is a known protein tyrosine phosphatase for Syk, and thus a biologically plausible regulator of platelet FcgRIIA. Both miR-148a-3p and miR-25-3p are predicted to target the 3’UTR region on TULA-2 mRNA (Fig., A). Overexpression of miR-148a-3p or miR-25-3p results in down-regulation of the TULA-2 protein level in HCT116 cells and HEL cells (Fig., B). Inhibition of miR-148a-3p by anti-miR (LNA) leads to elevated TULA-2 expression. A luciferase construct with the 3’UTR miR binding sites was generated. A decrease in luciferase activity was observed in assays with co-transfection of the construct and a miR, supporting the binding between miR-148a-3p and miR-25-3p with TULA-2 3’UTR (Fig., C). Finally, we show that knockdown of TULA-2 caused increased Syk-pY (Y323) level in HEL megakaryocytic cell line in response to FcγRIIA crosslinking by IV.3 (mAb against FcγRIIA) + GAM (Goat anti-mouse F(ab)’2)(Fig., D). These results for the first time show that TULA-2 serves as a negative regulator of the FcγRIIA pathway and that miR-25 and miR-148a may contribute to HIT susceptibility. Studies are in progress for the translation of these findings in vivo. ![Figure 1][1] Figure 1 Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare. [1]: pending:yes
Affirmative Action and Subgroup Inequality in Higher Education: Adapting Indian Policy Solutions to the American Context

This paper analyzes racial and ethnic subgroup inequality in higher education in India and the US. Affirmative action policies in both countries rely upon broad categories that subsume distinct groups. These policies have failed to alleviate the significant underrepresentation of black natives and certain lower-castes by considering these populations alongside discrete and oftentimes more advantaged groups. Such inequality hinders attainment of affirmative action’s remedial justice and diversity goals. Some states in India have implemented ‘quotas within quotas’ to alleviate such underrepresentation, dividing lower caste subgroups for admissions purposes. We suggest that US institutions of higher education adopt a similar model by considering black Hispanics, multiracial blacks, black immigrants, and black natives as separate categories in recruiting and admissions.
Transmission Technology Assessment and Roadmapping

Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) is a Federal agency marketing and transmitting electricity power to northwest area in the US. BPA invests on research, development and demonstration (RD&D) projects to create and deliver the best value for the customers. In order to identify and support the valuable RD&D projects, BPA develops technology roadmaps in several core technology areas. The transmission technology roadmap represents the synthesis of expert opinion and technical knowledge of 80 experts across a variety of disciplines in BPA including transmission operations, planning, facility design and maintenance. It marks the beginning of an ongoing process to support decisions about RD&D investments in the northwest area of US. It provides a strategic framework to guide transmission RD&D efforts based on targets and time-based milestones. It addresses the technological challenges as well as long-term needs. This paper presents the technological needs identified for the transmission business of BPA.