cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Feline Mucopolysaccharidosis Type VI CHARACTERIZATION OF RECOMBINANT N-ACETYLGALACTOSAMINE 4-SULFATASE AND IDENTIFICATION OF A MUTATION CAUSING THE DISEASE

Mucopolysaccharidosis type VI (MPS VI) is an autosomal recessive disease caused by a deficiency of N-acetylgalactosamine 4-sulfatase (4S) leading to the lysosomal accumulation and urinary excretion of dermatan sulfate. MPS VI has also been described in the Siamese cat. As an initial step toward enzyme replacement therapy with recombinant feline 4S (rf4S) in MPS VI cats, the feline 4S cDNA was isolated and expressed in CHO-KI cells and rf4S was immunopurified from the culture medium. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis showed that the precursor form of immunopurified rf4S was a 66-kDa polypeptide that underwent maturation to a 43-44-kDa polypeptide. Endocytosis of rf4S by cultured feline MPS VI myoblasts was predominantly mediated by a mannose 6-phosphate receptor and resulted in the correction of dermatan sulfate storage. The mutation causing feline MPS VI was identified as a base substitution at codon 476, altering a leucine codon to a proline (L476P). The L476P allele displayed no detectable 4S activity when expressed in CHO-KI cells and was observed only as a "precursor" polypeptide that was not secreted into the medium. Identification of the mutation has allowed the development of a rapid PCR-based screening method to genotype individuals within the cat colony.
Biological restraint on the Izhikevich neuron model essential for seizure modeling

Izhikevich model of a neuron allows for simulation of spiking pattern that mimics known biological subtypes. When a current within a range typical for biological experiments is injected into the cell the firing pattern produced in the simulation is close to that observed biologically. However, once these neurons are embedded into a network, the level of depolarization is controlled only by the synaptic depolarization received by the simulated connections. Under these conditions there is no limit on the maximum firing rate produced by any of the neurons. Here we introduce a modification of the Izhikevich model to restrict the firing rate. We demonstrate how this modification affects the overall network activity using a simple artificial neural network. The proposed restraint on the Izhikevich model is particularly important for larger scale simulations or when the frequency dependent short-term plasticity is used in the network. Although maximum firing rates are most likely exceeded in simulations of seizure-like activity we show that restriction of neuronal firing frequencies impacts even small networks with moderate levels of activity.
Modelling territoriality and wolf–deer interactions

WE propose here a mechanism for territorial pattern formation in wolves (Canis lupus) and analyse it using a spatially explicit mathematical model incorporating wolf movement and scent marking. Model results reflect field observations from northeastern Minnesota: buffer zones where wolves are scarce arise between adjacent packs, and near these buffer zones there are increased levels of scent marking1,2. Territories are arranged in a spatial mosaic (Fig. 1) which covers the wolf range. In the model formulation no assumptions are made about actual existence or extent of wolf territory and buffer zones; these arise naturally as stable steady-state solutions to the equations. We show mathematically how reduced predation by wolves in the buffer zones provides a refuge for prey species. Field studies support this; distribution of a primary prey species, white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), correlates negatively with that of wolves. Deer are found primarily in buffer zones3,4 (Fig. 2).
Comparison of VRX CT scanners geometries

A technique called Variable-Resolution X-ray (VRX) detection greatly increases the spatial resolution in computed tomography (CT) and digital radiography (DR) as the field size decreases. The technique is based on a principle called `projective compression' that allows both the resolution element and the sampling distance of a CT detector to scale with the subject or field size. For very large (40 - 50 cm) field sizes, resolution exceeding 2 cy/mm is possible and for very small fields, microscopy is attainable with resolution exceeding 100 cy/mm. This paper compares the benefits obtainable with two different VRX detector geometries: the single-arm geometry and the dual-arm geometry. The analysis is based on Monte Carlo simulations and direct calculations. The results of this study indicate that the dual-arm system appears to have more advantages than the single-arm technique.
Two-photon Anti-correlation and Interference with Incoherent Thermal Radiations

We successfully simulate the behavior of entangled states by multi-photon interference of thermal light, theoretically and experimentally. Importantly, we have observed anti-correlation and polarization correlation with more than 71% visibility.
Low-temperature anharmonicity in FeCl sub 2.

Mossbauer spectra of Fe 57 in thin anhydrous ferrous chloride powdered absorbers, explaining anomalous temperature dependence by low temperature anharmonicity
Joint encoder and channel rate control of VBR video over ATM networks

Rate control is considered as an important issue in video coding, since it significantly affects video quality. In this paper, we will discuss joint encoder and channel rate control for variable bit-rate (VBR) video over packet-switched Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) networks. Since a variable bit-rate traffic is allowed in such networks, an open-loop encoder without rate control can generate consistent-quality video. But in order to improve statistical multiplexing gain (SMG), an encoder buffer is essential to smooth highly variable video bitstream. Due to the finite buffer size, some forms of encoder rate control have to be enforced and consequently, video quality varies. We argue that a rate control scheme has to balance both issues of consistent video quality on the encoder side and bitstream smoothness for SMG on the network side. We present a joint encoder and channel rate control algorithm for ATM networks, with leaky buckets as open-loop source flow control models. The encoder rate control is separated into a sustainable-rate control and a unidirectional instantaneous-rate control. It can improve the problem of leaky bucket saturation exhibited in previous works. Experimental results with MPEG video will be presented. The results verify our analysis and show the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.
Abstract IA16: Targeting cancer stem cells to overcome chemotherapy resistance

While most ovarian cancer patients will have a complete response with surgery and chemotherapy, the majority will relapse and die of their disease. The high relapse rate in ovarian cancer after complete clinical response is highly consistent with a cancer stem-like cell (CSC) model. The CSC hypothesis suggests that only rare, inherently chemoresistant cancer cells with stem cell like characteristics are capable of proliferating and differentiating to regenerate the various cell types within a tumor, thereby causing relapse of the disease. In theory and in experimental models, the elimination of CSC can overcome chemotherapy resistance. We are developing novel therapies to specifically target ovarian CSC (OvCSC). Aldehyde Dehydrogenase (ALDH) enzymatic activity was one of the first, and remains one of the best supported CSC markers. ALDH enzymes perform numerous critical functions including the biosynthesis of retinoic acid. Our group and others have found that ALDH identifies a population cancer cells with ovarian CSC (OvCSC) activity. Primary human ALDH+ cells initiate and propagate tumors in mice while ALDH-cells do not. ALDH used in combination with the stem cell marker CD133 enriches CSC isolation. ALDH1A+ or ALDH1A1+CD133+ cells in primary tumor samples predict poor prognosis for ovarian cancer patients [9, 11]. ALDH and CD133 are enriched in tumor specimens immediately following chemotherapy [12]. ALDH1A1 is 100 fold upregulated in chemoresistant ovarian cancer cells and ALDH1A knockdown restores chemosensitivity. Finally, normal ovary epithelial stem cells also express ALDH and CD133, and when mutated for p53 and Rb, these cells gain CSC capacity and initiate serous tumors. Taken together these data strongly support a role for ALDH in serous ovarian CSC. Based on the CSC specific function of ALDH and the function of we generated and screened. We have therefore identified and screened dozens of ALDH inhibitors and molecular analogs of known ALDH inhibitors. Using cell lines with well-defined CSC populations, we have identified several compounds which kill cells expressing CSC markers in vitro. CSC die via necrosis. Lead compounds prevent tumor sphere formation in vitro and restrict tumor initiation in vivo. The novel ALDH inhibitors are highly synergistic with chemotherapy and reverse chemotherapy resistance in primary human tumor xenografts. Taken together our data support ALDH as a CSC specific target and identifies novel compounds as potential new therapeutics. Citation Format: Ronald J. Buckanovich. Targeting cancer stem cells to overcome chemotherapy resistance. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Advances in Ovarian Cancer Research: From Concept to Clinic; Sep 18-21, 2013; Miami, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2013;19(19 Suppl):Abstract nr IA16.
Vehicle intelligence and implications for robotics

Significant progress has been made with regard to bringing vehicle intelligence (VI) technologies into passenger, commercial, and military ground vehicles. Very few of these technologies, however, directly impact vehicle control systems; and although the U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT's) Automated Highway System (AHS) portion of its Intelligent Systems (ITS) Program, successfully demonstrated fully-automated driving in August, 1997, most of the ITS technologies developed to date have focused on driver warning/information systems. The U.S. Department of Defense's (DOD's) Army Vehicle Intelligence Program (AVIP) is capitalizing on the lessons learned from DOT's ITS Program, and will push the envelope for selected technologies, including issues of vehicle control. As VI impinges more heavily on vehicle control, it will be beneficial to consider more closely the relationship between VI and robotics. Because a significant amount of data related to the driver, vehicle, and driving environment are already captured and managed by on-board VI systems, a rich database of information is available that would be of value for automating (or roboticizing) driver/driving functions and tasks. This paper will discuss some state-of-the-art VI technologies and will suggest how greater benefits could be achieved by examining the relationship between VI and robotics.
Coping with the Crickets: A Fusion Autoethnography of Silence, Schooling, and the Continuum of Biracial Identity Formation.

This study explores biracial identity development in the adolescent years through fusion autoethnography. Using an ecological model of biracial identity development, this study illustrates how family, peers, and school curricula validate and reject racial self-presentations. We pay specific attention to the different forms of silence (i.e. “crickets”) that teachers and peers deploy as tactics of rejection and how racially coded artifacts such as hip-hop culture and Black Liberation texts function as validations of racial self-presentations. Overall, this study helps researchers and practitioners to understand the fluidity of biracial and multiracial identity development as it relates to everyday school spaces and processes.
Raw, Ripe, Rot: Nineteenth-Century Pathologies of the American Aesthetic

The primary pitch of this article centers on the heated debate taking place throughout the nineteenth century between American art lovers, who were struggling to formulate an updated aesthetic grounded in Truth, Goodness, and Beauty worthy to express the ideals of the newly formed nation, and their often hostile opponents in the fields of physical sciences, whose fierce commitment to the rules of rigorous scientific inquiry disdained intellectually trivial pursuits such as the creation and evaluation of the plastic arts. I like what Charles Darwin had to say at the conclusion of Chapter 14 in The Origin of the Species: "It is interesting to contemplate an entangled bank, clothed with many plants of many kinds, with birds singing on the bushes, with various insects flitting about, and with worms crawling through the damp earth, and to reflect that these elaborately constructed forms, so different from each other, and dependent on each other in so complex a manner, have all been produced by laws acting around us" (Darwin 174; emphasis added). As we know, the publication in 1859 of Darwin's Origin caused both fret and excitement. It threatened established philosophical positions, whereby "science" was defined by its ability to confirm a universe governed in its physical and spiritual sense by a priori absolutes; it wrenched open scientific inquiry to methods that stressed the randomness of process and nullified the monolithic certainties of progress. Nonetheless, the Crayon, the first art journal published in America and a major proponent of German Idealism, had nothing but praise for the "beautiful quotation" descriptive of that entangled bank: "There is a grandeur in this view of life... that, whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being, evolved" (May 1860, 150).' However much Darwin's notions might shake previous notions of how one responds to the "science" of God's natural
Evolutionary consequences of the latest Paleocene thermal maximum for tropical planktonic foraminifera

Study of planktonic foraminiferal assemblages preserved in the central, equatorial Pacific (ODP Site 865) reveal that genera which inhabited the near-surface, mixed layer diversified during the latest Paleocene thermal maximum (LPTM). This transient diversification gave rise to a suite of short-lived (50 to several 100 ka), distinctive morphotypes (Morozovella allisonensis sp. nov., M. africana, and Acarinina sibaiyaensis) that are restricted to the LPTM interval. Parallel morphometric and stable isotopic data have been recorded from individual shells of members of the M. velascoensis/M. allisonensis and A. soldadoensis/A. sibaiyaensis lineages. The single-specimen isotope data confirm that M. allisonensis and A. sibaiyaensis are indeed stratigraphically restricted to the LPTM carbon isotope excursion; all specimens recorded anomalously low δ13C values. A stratigraphic succession of single-specimen isotope data from within the δ13C excursion interval was used to reconstruct the complex population dynamics which mediated the rapid (<10 ka) evolution of the LPTM taxa. These data reveal that local populations of ancestral M. velascoensis temporarily collapsed with the descendant M. allisonensis suddenly originating from a peripherally isolated population. This pattern is most consistent with peripatric speciation. Overall, the evolutionary transition from Acarinina soldadoensis to A. sibaiyaensis is most consistent with sympatric speciation, although certain elements of this transition are suggestive of a parapatric mechanism. We postulate that the rapid evolution of the LPTM taxa A. sibaiyaensis and M. allisonensis was fostered by a deepening of the nutrient-depleted, mixed layer. Alternatively, the LPTM morphotypes M. allisonensis and A. sibaiyaensis may have been extreme ecophenotypic variants arrayed along an intensified ecological gradient. Support for this latter interpretation is derived from the morphometric data which clearly show the morphological intergradation of the LPTM taxa with their respective ancestors. Thus, the morphologic diversification seen during the LPTM may represent failed speciations. Both scenarios invoke a temporary steepening of clinal gradients in response to intensified oligotrophy. The strong size-dependencies displayed by the δ18O and δ13C signatures of M. allisonensis and A. sibaiyaensis suggest that photosymbiosis facilitated the evolutionary success of the morozovellids and acarininids during the LPTM.
Astroblastoma in childhood: pathological and clinical analysis.

Object The object was to describe the clinical, radiologic, and pathologic features of astroblastomas in an unselected group of children who were treated in a single institution during an 11-year period.
Effects of a resonant cavity on macroscopic quantum tunneling of fluxons in long Josephson junctions

We investigate the effects of a high-quality resonant cavity on macroscopic quantum tunneling (MQT) of fluxons from both a metastable state to continuum and from one degenerate ground state of a double-well potential to the other. By using a set of two coupled perturbed sine-Gordon equations, we describe the tunneling processes in linear long Josephson junctions and find that MQT in the resonant cavity increases due to potential renormalization, induced by the interaction between the fluxon and the cavity. Enhancement of the MQT rate in the weak-coupling regime is estimated by using the experimentally accessible range of the model parameters. The tunneling rate from the metastable state is found to increase weakly with increasing junction-cavity interaction strength. However, the energy splitting between the two degenerate ground states of the double-well potential increases significantly with increasing both the interaction strength and the frequency of the resonant cavity mode. Finally, we discuss how the resonant cavity may be used to tune the property of Josephson vortex quantum bits.
Cocaine-Induced Vasoconstriction in the Human Coronary Microcirculation New Evidence From Myocardial Contrast Echocardiography

Background—Cocaine is a major cause of acute coronary syndrome, especially in young adults; however, the mechanistic underpinning of cocaine-induced acute coronary syndrome remains limited. Previous studies in animals and in patients undergoing cardiac catheterization suggest that cocaine constricts coronary microvessels, yet direct evidence is lacking. Methods and Results—We used myocardial contrast echocardiography to test the hypothesis that cocaine causes vasoconstriction in the human coronary microcirculation. Measurements were performed at baseline and after a low, nonintoxicating dose of intranasal cocaine (2 mg/kg) in 10 healthy cocaine-naive young men (median age, 32 years). Postdestruction time-intensity myocardial contrast echocardiography kinetic data were fit to the equation y=A(1−e−βt) to quantify functional capillary blood volume (A), microvascular flow velocity (β), and myocardial perfusion (A×β). Heart rate, mean arterial pressure, and left ventricular work (2-dimensional echocardiography...
Hierarchical Models for Employment Decisions

Federal law prohibits discrimination in employment decisions against persons in certain protected categories. The common method for measuring discrimination involves a comparison of some aggregate statistic for protected and nonprotected individuals. This approach is open to question when employment decisions are made over an extended time period. We show how to use hierarchical proportional hazards models (Cox regression models) to analyze such data.
A Critique of American Protestant Social and Political Thought

I T IS THE PURPOSE of this paper to explicate the thesis that contemporary American Protestant Christian social and political thought in its prevailing tendencies' is failing to fulfill its proper role-which role is to remind men of ends, purposes, and goals. This failure results from the fact that Protestant social and political theorists have exalted the so-called "Protestant principle" to a position of ultimacy and have thereby eschewed the difficult, but most essential, task of engaging in the definition of the nature of the good society. To explicate this thesis I shall, first, present a brief definition of the "Protestant principle" and an indication of how it prevails in contemporary American Protestant Christian social and political thought; secondly, provide both an analysis of the major questions of a fully adequate social and political philosophy and an associated typology of social and political philosophies; and thirdly, present the case that Christian social and political thought most appropriately concerns itself primarily with the final purpose of man and the ultimate aim of the social and political order.
An Application of Two-Phase DC Chopper Motor Drive

During the past ten years the Army has invested a sizable effort into new systems configurations and development programs to improve ground vehicle mobility. United States Army Mobility Equipment Research and Development Center (USAMERDC), Fort Belvoir, Va., has been particularly interested in an improved vehicle mobility for off-highway vehicles, amphibians, and engineer equipment through electrical propulsion. Such drive systems incorporating individual wheel controls provide improved mobility over all types of terrain, simplified supply logistics, and permit a more functional vehicle design and construction. Past experience in industry and in the government has shown that the dc motor propulsion drive is inherently simple to install and to maintain. The dc motor is somewhat heavier than comparable ac motors due to motor speed limitations; however, the dc machine, particularly the series field motor, requires relatively simple power controls since the power is processed by the motor's own commutator. Commercial dc traction motors have an inherent high-torque starting characteristic which is mandatory for engineer-type vehicle propulsion applications. In the midspeed range however, presently available dc motor propulsion drives under consideration for the Anny have unsatisfactory acceleration performance when compared to conventional mechanical drive systems comprised of a spark or compression ignition engine and a multispeed transmission. In this context, the paper discusses this Center's experimental solid-state controller and the method employed to improve the acceleration or peak power propulsion profile of an electric vehicle drive using dc series field motors.
A location-based naming mechanism for securing sensor networks

Summary Conventional sensor networks name every node with an identifier from a one dimension name space that has no meaning but identification function. However, it is much useful to let every node identifier carry more characteristics of the node itself. This paper introduces the naming problem for sensor networks in the literature for the first time, and proposes a location-based naming mechanism (LBN) for sensor networks, in which location information is embedded into node identifier and acts as an inherent node characteristic to provide authentication service in local access control. When LBN is enforced, the impacts of many attacks to sensor network topology can be limited in a small area. A link layer authentication (LLA) scheme is also proposed to further decrease the impacts of those attacks. Our LBN and LLA can be combined and act as an efficient solution against a wide range of attacks in sensor networks. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Treatment of Catastrophic Infection After Surgery for Insertional Achilles Enthesopathy: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.

Wound complications after surgical treatment of insertional Achilles enthesopathy are well documented. Skin and tendon necroses pose a significant dilemma with the potential for catastrophic outcomes. Numerous treatment algorithms have been described to treat the resultant skin and tendon defects after catastrophic infection; however, to date, there is no consensus as to the optimal treatment modality. We report our experience in the management of deep infection of 2 patients who had previously undergone surgical treatment for insertional Achilles enthesopathy. A comprehensive review of the literature was undertaken with a focus on described treatment options.Levels of Evidence: Therapeutic, Level IV: Case report
Design and analysis of a 32-bit embedded high-performance cluster optimized for energy and performance

A growing number of supercomputers are being built using processors with low-power embedded ancestry, rather than traditional high-performance cores. In order to evaluate this approach we investigate the energy and performance tradeoffs found with ten different 32-bit ARM development boards while running the HPL Linpack and STREAM benchmarks.Based on these results (and other practical concerns) we chose the Raspberry Pi as a basis for a power-aware embedded cluster computing testbed. Each node of the cluster is instrumented with power measurement circuitry so that detailed cluster-wide power measurements can be obtained, enabling power / performance co-design experiments.While our cluster lags recent x86 machines in performance, the power, visualization, and thermal features make it an excellent low-cost platform for education and experimentation.
The endocrine surgery job market: a survey of fellows, department chairs, and surgery recruiters.

Introduction Fifty endocrine surgery (ES) fellows have completed their training since the American Association of Endocrine Surgeons initiated a formal match process in 2007. This study was designed to better understand the job prospects of current and future endocrine surgeons and to evaluate the evolution of ES practices nationwide. Methods Three surveys were conducted of former fellows, surgery department chairs, and surgery recruiters. Results Of former fellows, 90% are working in academic centers and 10% in private practice. Average number of job interviews was 3.1 and job offers was 2.2. Eighty-eight percent have a practice that attends to≥50% ES cases, and 45% practice entirely ES. Ninety-eight percent are satisfied with their job. Subjectively, 57% believe that there are not enough job opportunities for young endocrine surgeons, and 50% believe that there are too many ES fellowships. Department chair survey showed that the average number of endocrine surgeons in their department increased from 1.3 to 2.2 in the past decade. A recognized ES section exists in 49% of centers, and 39% of chairs feel that they will need to recruit another endocrine surgeon in the next 2 years. Only 3 of 10 recruiters were familiar with ES, and all had Conclusions To date, there have been adequate job opportunities to sustain currently trained endocrine surgeons. This contrasts with their subjective belief of limited job prospects. This information can guide the optimal number of fellowship positions and alerts the American Association of Endocrine Surgeons to the opportunity to promote the creation of formal ES sections.
Decigram quantities of pure foot-and-mouth disease virus from cell cultures

Baby-hamster kidney (BHK) cell cultures grown in rolling 2-liter Baxter bottles are used for the production of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) which is subsequently purified. The bottles are held securely in round wire racks (19 per rack) and rotated on a three-tiered roller mill. The use of a strongly buffered growth medium makes changes of the medium unnecessary. A sheet of aluminum foil is used to seal the cultures. It is pressed tightly over all the bottles in a rack by means of a polyurethane foam sheeting bonded to the underside of a rigid snap-on cover. Special equipment eliminates removing the bottles from the racks at any stage in their use. The loaded racks fit directly onto headers of a glassware washer. Spent cell growth media and virus fluids are collected by inverting an entire rack of bottles-Current production is 400 BHK cultures (21 racks) containing 8 × 108 cells each after 6 days growth. About 344 of these cultures (18 racks) are used to grow virus. The purification process yields about 113 mg of pure FMDV per week; the overall recovery based on infectivity is 32%. The projected maximum production of purified virus in the present facilities is approximately 2.5 times greater than this amount.
Optimising the spatial location of urban fire stations

One of the most essential public services in urban areas is fire protection and response. It also happens to be one of the most costly. As urban areas grow, develop and change, it is important to plan services accordingly, both in terms of safety as well as being fiscally responsible. This paper discusses strategic planning goals and objectives in fire protection and response, and details modeling approaches to support fire station siting. A case study examining a fire service system for a city in California is used to illustrate the importance of strategic planning and system re-evaluation when expanding services.
Leakage at low electric fields in thin oxides

Leakage currents at high electric fields in silicon dioxide films are known to be dominated by tunnelling from the conduction band of the silicon into the oxide conduction band. Little work has been reported on conduction at low electric fields and the effects of aging on this low-level mechanism. We report on the results of experiments indicating that low-field conduction in SiO2 may be of a Poole-Frenkel nature (i.e. a hopping mechanism).
Computer-Aided Writing in French as a Foreign Language: A Qualitative and Quantitative Look at the Process of Revision.

Currently little documentation exists on the writing strategies and habits of foreign language (FL) writers. This study was designed to observe, as unobtrusively as possible, the revision strategies of 5 students of French enrolled in a 1-semester intensive intermediate college French course. The participants completed a two-part writing task with the aid of the software program Systeme-D (Noblitt, Sola, & Pet, 1987, 1992). Of considerable interest is the program’s keystroke tracking device, which records the lexical, grammatical, and thematic information that students access while writing. Analysis of the compositions, computer records, videotapes of writing sessions, and student responses to postwriting questionnaires provide a detailed picture of how and when the students revised in real time—with minimal impact on the writing process itself. Results showed that both the self-reported good writers and poor writers engaged in the process of revising and that, as expected, surface-level changes far outnumbered the changes to content. These findings suggest that linguistic concerns and lack of explicit instruction on revision and computer strategies impede the reviewing and reworking of texts.
Kaye v Robertson— a reply

pending a decision on the substantive issue; the Spanish vessel owners would be compensated for loss if refused registration. If legislation provided UK fishing vessel owners and others who suffer from the unlawful taking of fish in breach of the common fisheries policy with compensation from the owners of the vessels concerned then their interests too would be protected. Instead, under the law as it stands, the local fishing industries of member states, which the quota system is supposed to protect, suffer the loss. In Community law the position seems to be extremely complex and no attempt will be made here to deal with it. That would make another article. But if, as seems likely, there is no right for the UK government or its Elshing communities or vessel owners to be compensated either by the Spanish government, or by the Spanish fishing vessels, or by the Commission for the loss that arises from the interim injunction or the fishing by the Spanish against the UK quota, the common fisheries policy looks pretty empty. Quite apart from any compensation point if the Spanish vessel owners win, they will have driven a coach and horses through this, and indeed any, quota system and this must raise issues as to how fish stocks can be effectively conserved and fishing communities protected at the same time.
International Relations, Paleontology, and Scientific Progress: Parallels between Democratic Peace Studies and the Meteor Impact Extinction Hypothesis

A major debate within the study of field of international relations (IR) has been the status IR as a science—and whether there has been or can be a scientific progress. [Chernoff (2004)][1] argues that hte democratic peace debate in IR satisfies all of the most well-known philosophers’ criteria for scientific knowledge and progress. [Van Belle (2006)][2] raises questions about the alleged extent of progress in democratic peace studies and offers a set of prescriptions for the study of international politics drawn from paleontology. This paper addresses several of Van Belle's criticisms of the progressive character of democratic peace studies in order to advance the understanding of methods of inference that can stimulate progress in IR and political science. [1]: #ref-3 [2]: #ref-32
A generic tissue convective energy balance equation: Part I--theory and derivation.

A new equation for calculating temperatures in living tissues, the tissue convective energy balance equation (TCEBE), is derived using only a few assumptions. The resulting equation is basic, general and applicable to any tissue. The (unsolved) TCEBE is used: (a) to relate both Pennes' BHTE perfusion-related parameter (W) and the effective thermal conductivity equation's perfusion-related parameter (k eff ) to the true capillary perfusion P cap, and (b) to show that both Wand k eff are defined, nonphysiological variables, which are only related to P cap in a problem-dependent manner. Finally, the derivation of the relationship between W and P cap provides a complete derivation of Pennes' BHTE, something that has not been previously done.
Within-person variability of urinary 6β-hydroxycortisol to urinaryl ratios in Caucasian women

Cortisol is metabolized to 6beta-hydroxycortisol by human cytochrome p450-3A4 (CYP3A4), an important enzyme involved in the metabolism of a variety of exogenous and endogenous compounds. Both cortisol and 6beta-hydroxycortisol are excreted in urine, and the ratio of these steroids has been proposed as an indicator of CYP3A4 activity. We evaluated within-person variability of this biomarker in 10 healthy Caucasian women, aged 23-58 years. Each study participant was asked to provide a fasting morning urine sample once a week consecutively for 8 weeks. Urinary cortisol and 6beta-hydroxycortisol were determined by immunoassay kits purchased from the DiaSorin (Stillwater, MN) and the Stabiligen (Nancy, France), respectively. The coefficients of variation (CV) of urinary 6beta-hydroxycortisol to cortisol ratios from study participants ranged from 16.7 to 51.4% (mean, 31.1%) over the study period. The level of the ratio measured in any single urine sample was correlated reasonably well with the average of the ratios over the 8-week study period from the same woman, with the mean correlation coefficient of 0.79. These results indicated that urinary 6beta-hydroxycortisol to cortisol ratios measured in a spot urine sample may reflect the level of this biomarker over a relatively longer time period in Caucasian women, and thus, it can be used in epidemiologic studies as a biomarker to evaluate the association between CYP3A4 activity and disease risk.
Prenatal diagnosis of molybdenum cofactor deficiency and isolated sulfite oxidase deficiency

Molybdenum cofactor deficiency and isolated sulfite oxidase deficiency are autosomal recessive inborn errors of metabolism with severe neurological symptoms resulting from a lack of sulfite oxidase activity. The deficiencies can be diagnosed prenatally by monitoring sulfite oxidase activity in chorionic villus sampling (CVS) tissue. In those families in which the specific defects have been identified, diagnosis can be achieved by mutation analysis or linkage studies directed at affected genes. These include MOCS1, MOCS2 or GEPH, in cases of molybdenum cofactor deficiency, or SUOX in patients with isolated sulfite oxidase deficiency.
Rocket immunoelectrophoresis in the presence of denaturing agents.

Abstract Modifications of the Laurell rocket technique for assaying antigen antibody reactions are described. These procedures allow insoluble proteins to be dissolved in a variety of denaturing solvents (e.g., SDS and urea) and subjected to electroimmunoassay without loss of sensitivity or specificity. Methods are also presented for obtaining rockets using gel slices from polyacylamide gel electrophoresis either in the presence of urea or SDS. Results obtained using keratins, the insoluble proteins of epidermis, hair and nail are summarized.
Analysis of the performance of Subcarrier Multiplexed transmission system employing OSSB modulation

In this paper, the performance of the subcarrier multiplexed (SCM) system employing binary phase shift keying (BPSK) modulation as microwave subcarrier modulation and Optical Single Sideband (OSSB) modulation was analyzed and investigated by simulation through the use of OptSim software. The BPSK modulation technique was used because of its ability to provide high spectral efficiency and simple demodulation. The OSSB modulation was preferred in this system due to its advantage of high bandwidth efficiency. The system performance was investigated by varying the performance parameters of the components used, such as data rate of the source, optical modulation index (OMI), subcarrier frequency, phase shift difference between branches of the dual-arm Mach-Zehnder (MZ) modulator, fiber length and phase of the local carrier at the demodulator. The performance of the system was optimized by making tradeoffs between these performance parameters.
Differential super-orthogonal space-time trellis coded modulation

In this paper, first, we extend the design of super-orthogonal space-time trellis codes to improve their performance. Then, we present a differential space-time trellis coded modulation scheme based on these extended super-orthogonal codes when the channel state information is not available at the transmitter and the receiver. We compare our differential modulation scheme with the trellis coded differential unitary space-time modulation scheme and note that not only does the proposed differential trellis coded modulation scheme achieve full diversity, but also it provides identical or higher coding gain and much lower decoding complexity for a given transmission rate. Simulation results demonstrate the good performance of our proposed scheme.
Bleach Gel: A Simple Agarose Gel for Analyzing RNA Quality

RNA-based applications requiring high-quality, non-degraded RNA are a foundational element of many research studies. As such, it is paramount that the integrity of experimental RNA is validated prior to cDNA synthesis or other downstream applications. In the absence of expensive equipment such as microfluidic electrophoretic devices, and as an alternative to the costly and time-consuming standard formaldehyde gel, RNA quality can be quickly analyzed by adding small amounts of commercial bleach to TAE buffer-based agarose gels prior to electrophoresis. In the presence of low concentrations of bleach, the secondary structure of RNA is denatured and potential contaminating RNases are destroyed. Because of this, the 'bleach gel' is a functional approach that addresses the need for an inexpensive and safe way to evaluate RNA integrity and will improve the ability of researchers to rapidly analyze RNA quality.
Identification of methanotrophic lipid biomarkers in cold-seep mussel gills: chemical and isotopic analysis.

A lipid analysis of the tissues of a cold-seep mytilid mussel collected from the Louisiana slope of the Gulf of Mexico was used in conjunction with a compound-specific isotope analysis to demonstrate the presence of methanotrophic symbionts in the mussel gill tissue and to demonstrate the host's dependence on bacterially synthesized metabolic intermediates. The gill tissue contained large amounts of group-specific methanotrophic biomarkers, bacteriohopanoids, 4-methylsterols, lipopolysaccharide-associated hydroxy fatty acids, and type I-specific 16:1 fatty acid isomers with bond positions at delta 8, delta 10, and delta 11. Only small amounts of these compounds were detected in the mantle or other tissues of the host animal. A variety of cholesterol and 4-methylsterol isomers were identified as both free and steryl esters, and the sterol double bond positions suggested that the major bacterially derived gill sterol [11.0% 4 alpha-methyl-cholesta-8(14),24-dien-3 beta-ol] was converted to host cholesterol (64.2% of the gill sterol was cholest-5-en-3 beta-ol). The stable carbon isotope values for gill and mantle preparations were, respectively, -59.0 and -60.4% for total tissue, -60.6 and -62.4% for total lipids, -60.2 and-63.9% for phospholipid fatty acids, and -71.8 and 73.8% for sterols. These stable carbon isotope values revealed that the relative fractionation pattern was similar to the patterns obtained in pure culture experiments with methanotrophic bacteria (R.E. Summons, L.L. Jahnke, and Z. Roksandic, Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 58: 2853-2863, 1994) further supporting the conversion of the bacteria methylsterol pool.
Comparisons of Contractor and State Transportation Agency Quality Assurance Test Results on Mat Density of Hot-Mix Asphalt Concrete: Findings of Multistate Analysis

A typical component of highway construction quality assurance programs is the process by which highway construction elements are sampled and tested to ensure compliance with specifications and other project requirements. The results of contractor-performed tests on in-place properties of hot-mix asphalt are increasingly used in the acceptance decision in many states. Results of tests performed by contractors and state departments of transportation (DOTs) in North Carolina, Florida, and Kansas consistently indicate that differences between contractors and state DOT test results for hot-mix asphalt concrete mat density are statistically significant. Furthermore, these comparisons consistently indicate less variable and more favorable contractor test results, relative to specification limits, that give more favorable acceptance outcomes. Details of quality assurance processes (sampling and testing frequencies, test methods, verification procedures, and acceptance procedures) appear to have little if any effe...
Temperature and humidity compensation in the determination of solvent vapors with a microsensor system

Accounting for changes in temperature and ambient humidity is critical to the development of practical field vapor-monitoring instrumentation employing microfabricated sensor arrays. In this study, responses to six organic vapors were collected from two prototype field instruments over a range of ambient temperatures and relative humidities (RH). Each instrument contains an array of three unthermostated polymer-coated surface acoustic wave (SAW) resonators, a thermally desorbed adsorbent preconcentrator bed, a reversible pump and a small scrubber cartridge. Negligible changes in the vapor sensitivities with atmospheric RH were observed owing, in large part, to the temporal separation of co-adsorbed water from the organic vapor analytes upon thermal desorption of preconcentrated air samples. As a result, calibrations performed at one RH level could be used to determine vapors at any other RH without corrections using standard pattern recognition methods. Negative exponential temperature dependences that agreed reasonably well with those predicted from theory were observed for many of the vapor-sensor combinations. It was possible to select a subset of sensors with structurally diverse polymer coatings whose sensitivities to all six test vapors and selected binary vapor mixtures had similar temperature dependences. Thus, vapor recognition could be rendered independent of temperature and vapor quantification could be corrected for temperature with sufficient accuracy for most applications. The results indicate that active temperature control is not necessary and that temperature and RH compensation is achievable with a relatively simple microsensor system.
Detection of caprine arthritis-encephalitis virus by polymerase chain reaction.

Abstract Detection of caprine arthritis-encephalitis virus (CAEV) infection in goats is currently limited to serologic testing or cell culture. We developed a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay to detect CAEV sequences in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), synovial fluid cells (SFC), and milk cells (MC) obtained from infected goats. Results were positive for 18 of 20 PBMC, 8 of 8 MC, and 5 of 5 SFC samples from seropositive goats, whereas 3 of 33 PBMC samples and none of 8 MC or 5 SFC samples from seronegative goats were positive. Two of the PCR-positive and seronegative goats seroconverted upon follow-up testing 2 months later. This PCR assay provides a useful method for detecting CAEV infection in goats.
A Novel Transcriptional Mechanism of Cell Type–Specific Regulation of Vascular Gene Expression by Glucose

Objective— Vascular diabetic complications are associated with abnormal extracellular matrix and dysfunction of vascular cells, which later result in aberrant angiogenesis and development of atherosclerotic lesions. The tissue and cell specificity of the effects of high glucose are well recognized, but the underlying cell type–specific molecular mechanisms controlled by glucose are still unclear. We sought to identify cell type–specific mechanisms by which high glucose regulates transcription of genes in vascular cells. Methods and Results— Thrombospondin-1 is a potent antiangiogenic protein associated with development of several diabetic complications and regulated by high glucose in multiple cell types. We report that distinct cell type–specific mechanisms regulate thrombospondin-1 gene ( THBS1 ) transcription in endothelial cells (ECs) and vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) in response to high glucose: although a proximal fragment of 280 nucleotides is sufficient to drive transcription in ECs, THBS1 was regulated cooperatively by interaction between proximal (−272 to −275) and distal (−1016 to −1019) promoter elements in VSMCs. Transcription factors activated by high glucose in VSMCs were cell type–specific. The formation of a single complex interacting with both distal and proximal glucose-responsive elements of THBS1 promoter in VSMCs was confirmed using gel-shift assays, binding sequence decoy oligomers, and specific mutant promoter fragments. Conclusion— Transcriptional response of vascular cells to high glucose is cell type–specific and involves activation of distinct transcription factors, providing a basis for tissue-specific changes of vasculature in diabetics.
Backbone resonance assignment of the HEAT1-domain of the human eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4GI.

Controlling translation during protein synthesis is crucial for cell proliferation and differentiation. Protein translation is orchestrated by an assembly of various protein components at the ribosomal subunits. The eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4G (eIF4G) plays an important role in the formation of the translation initiation complex eIF4F consisting of eIF4G, the ATP dependent RNA helicase eIF4A and the cap binding protein eIF4E. One of the functions of eIF4G is the enhancement of the activity of eIF4A facilitated mainly through binding to the HEAT1 domain of eIF4G. In order to understand the interaction of HEAT1 with eIF4A and other components during translation initiation backbone assignment is essential. Here we report the 1H, 13C and 15N backbone assignment for the HEAT1 domain of human eIF4G isoform I (eIF4GI-HEAT1), the first of three HEAT domains of eIF4G (29 kDa) as a basis for the elucidation of its structure and interactions with its binding partners, necessary for understanding the mechanism of its biological function.