cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Escherichia coli proB gene corrects the proline auxotrophy of Saccharomyces cerevisiae pro1 mutants.

Summary. We constructed plasmids carrying the Escherichia coli proB gene that encodes 7-glutamyl kinase, under the control of the yeast GALl promoter. This construction was carried out with both the wild-type proB + gene and a mutant allele, proB74, that specifies an enzyme resistant to feedback inhibition by proline. Yeast prol mutants harboring these plasmids are proline prototrophs. We conclude that the prol mutation results in a deficiency in the y-glutamyl kinase activity in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Expression of the proB74 allele in yeast resulted in enhanced resistance to the proline analogue L-azetidine-2-carboxylate and in a 2.4-fold elevation of the intracellular free proline levels. This result suggests that 7-glutamyl kinase is the rate limiting step in proline biosynthesis in yeast.
Relationships between otolith microstructure, otolith growth, somatic growth and ontogenetic transitions in two cohorts of windowpane

Otolith increments in larval and juvenile windowpane Scophthalmus aquosus can provide an estimate of daily age for spring-spawned individuals held under summer conditions. Otolith increments for spring- and autumn-spawned individuals occurred at intervals > 1 day under winter conditions. A significant decrease in the slope of the linear relationship between otolith size and somatic size at 40 mm L S coincided with significant habitat, morphological and behavioural transitions. In smaller, field-captured windowpane belonging to spring- and autumn-spawned cohorts, the formation of accessory growth centres coincided with a transitional settlement period and the completion of eye migration (c. 8-20 mm L S ). Back-calculated growth rate estimates for spring-spawned windowpane were significantly faster than those for autumn-spawned windowpane and these differences could produce differential rates of survival for the two cohorts during the first year of life.
New Issues in Emerging Markets: Determinants, Effects, and Stock Market Performance of IPOs in Korea:

This article investigates why Korean companiesgo public and their subsequent performance. Ex ante and ex post evidence suggests firms do notgo public to fund investment in fixed assets. Financially...
Long operation life reactor for lunar surface power

Abstract The Pellet Bed Reactor (PeBR) with an operational life of 66 full-power years is developed for lunar surface power. It has Inconel X750 structure and vessel and would be launched unfueled then loaded with spherical fuel pellets (∼1.0 cm dia.) on the lunar surface after being placed below grade and surrounded with regolith. The pellets, comprised of ZrC-coated UC particles (∼850 μm in dia.) dispersed in ZrC matrix, are delivered to the lunar surface in subcritical canisters. The canisters are designed to remain sufficiently subcritical during launch and when submerged in wet sand and flooded with seawater in the unlikely event of a launch abort accident. The PeBR power system nominally generates ∼100 kWe at a thermal efficiency of ∼21% and a reactor exit temperature of 910 K. It employs three separate closed Brayton cycle (CBC) loops each with a turbo-machine unit for energy conversion and two water heat pipes radiator panels for heat rejection. The reactor coolant and CBC working fluid is He–Xe binary gas mixture (40 g/mol). Estimates of the hot-clean excess reactivity and the full-power operation life are obtained using neutronics and fuel depletion analyses. In addition, estimates of the total radioactivity in post-operation PeBR, while being stored below grade on the lunar surface, are determined for up to 1000 years.
A Phase II Study of Epirubicin and Thalidomide in Unresectable or Metastatic Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Background. The median survival time for patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is <6 months, and no effective standard systemic chemotherapy is available. Both epirubicin (Ellence ® ; Pfizer Pharmaceuticals, New York, NY, http://www.pfizer.com) and thalidomide (Thalomid ® ; Celgene Corporation, Warren, NJ, http://www.celgene.com) have reported activity for HCC as single agents, and they have different mechanisms of action and nonoverlapping toxicities. Therefore, we performed a phase II study using the combination of epirubicin and thalidomide in patients with unresectable and metastatic HCC. Methods. Nineteen patients with measurable, unresectable, or metastatic HCC were enrolled. All patients were required to have adequate major organ function and performance status. The treatment consisted of weekly epirubicin at a dose of 20 mg/m 2 administered i.v. and daily thalidomide at a dose of 200 mg orally given as a 3-weeks-on/1-week-off schedule. Intrapatient dose escalation of thalidomide was allowed every 2 weeks up to 800 mg daily as long as tolerated. Physical examinations, toxicity assessments, and serum chemistry analyses were performed weekly, and tumor measurements were conducted every 8 weeks. Results. All 19 patients enrolled into the study were evaluable for toxicity assessment and 17 patients were evaluable for response assessment. A total of 71 cycles of chemotherapy was administered, with a median of two cycles administered to each patient (range 1–14). No complete or partial responses were observed. Seven patients (41%) had stable disease, with a median duration of 6 months (range 5–14). The median survival time for all 19 patients was 196 days (95% confidence interval 93–302). The treatment was generally well tolerated. Treatment-related toxicities included constipation (grade 3, 5%; grade 2, 37%; grade 1, 21%), fatigue (grade 3, 5%; grade 2, 42%), and sensory neuropathy (grade 2, 5%; grade 1, 32%). Four patients required dose reductions of thalidomide due to treatment-related toxicities, and the median tolerated dose of thalidomide was 200 mg daily. Conclusions. The combination of epirubicin and thalidomide was well tolerated when administered in the schedule used in this study. This regimen has limited activity in HCC, with some patients achieving stable disease and clinical benefit. There is a need for defining more effective systemic therapies for HCC. The Oncologist 2005;10:392–398
Tuning Efficiency and Modulation Speed of Epi-Up and Epidown Mounted Distributed Feedback Quantum Cascade Laser

We demonstrated a wide CW wavelength tuning range of 18 cm-1 for an epi-up mounted distributed feedback (DFB) quantum cascade laser (QCL) around 4.5 m, via current change. The wavelength tuning coefficient of an epi-up mounted DFB QCL is about 2.2 times of that of an epi-down mounted one. The 3dB modulation bandwidths of an epi-up and an epi-down mounted DFB QCLs are 15 kHz and 400 kHz, respectively.
The IUCF electron cooling system collector performance

Abstract The IUCF electron cooling system has achieved (100 ± 0.0001)% collection efficiencies operating with a 1 A, 25 keV electron beam, and (99.9998 ± 0.0001)% operating with 2 A. The general design principles for the collector are described. It is demonstrated that the overall collection efficiencies depend to a great extent upon the whole electron cooling system, not merely the collector and its associated electrodes. In addition, variations in the measured collector performance as a function of system parameters cannot be explained unless the positive space charge trapped in the collector anode region is considered.
Well-Defined Copper(I) Amido Complex and Aryl Iodides Reacting to Form Aryl Amines

The CuI complex (IPr)Cu(NHPh) {IPr = 1,3-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)imidazol-2-ylidene} reacts with aryl iodides to form diaryl amine products and (IPr)Cu(I), which was confirmed by independent synthesis and characterization. For the reaction with iodobenzene, the products are diphenylamine and aniline. Protection of the hydrogen para to the iodo functionality with ortho-methyl groups results in quantitative conversion to diaryl amine. Combined computational and experimental studies suggest that C−N bond formation most likely occurs via an oxidative addition/reductive elimination sequence.
Winning the biodiversity arms race among freshwater gastropods: competition and coexistence through shell variability and predator avoidance

Explanations for the coexistence of many closely related species in inland waters continue to be generated more than 50 years after Hutchinson’s question: why are there so many kinds of animals? This review focuses on the hypothesis that high species diversity of freshwater gastropods results, in part, from predators maintaining biodiversity across a range of deep- and shallow-water habitats. Invertebrate predators, such as aquatic insects, and leeches consume soft tissue of pulmonate snails by penetrating shells of various shapes and sizes. Crayfish and large prawns chip around the shell aperture to enter thick shells and crush small shells with their mandibles. Crabs use their strong chelae to crush thin and thick shells. Fishes with pharyngeal teeth are major shell-breaking predators that combine with other vertebrate predators such as turtles and wading birds to increase the diversity of gastropod communities by regulating the abundance of dominant species. Although the generalized diets of most freshwater predators preclude tight co-evolutionary patterns of responses, there are combinations of predators that modify gastropod behavior and shell morphology in aquatic assemblages of different ages and depths. This combination of invertebrate and vertebrate predatory impacts led to competitive advantages among individual gastropods with different adaptations: (1) less vulnerable shell morphologies and sizes; (2) predator-avoidance behaviors; or (3) rapid and widespread dispersal with variable life histories. Some individuals develop thicker and/or narrow-opening shells or shells with spines and ridges. Other thin-shelled species crawl out of the water or burrow to lower their risk to shell-breaking or shell-entering predators. Some alter their age at first reproduction and grow rapidly into a size refuge. Fluctuations in water levels and introductions of non-native species can change competitive dominance relationships among gastropods and result in major losses of native species. Many different gastropod predators control species that are human disease vectors. Most snails and their predators provide other ecosystem services such as nutrient cycling and transfer of energy to higher trophic levels. Their persistence and diversity of native species require adaptive management and coordinated study.
Cutaneous gas exchange and low evaporative water loss in the frogsPhyllomedusa sauvagei andChiromantis xerampelina

1. Pulmonary and cutaneous gas exchange and cutaneous evaporative water loss (EWL) were measured in two frog species,Phyllomedusa sauvagei andChiromantis xerampelina, at 24±1.5°C. These xeric-adapted frogs are noted for their very low EWL. 2. Fractional cutaneous gas exchange varies directly with cutaneous EWL inP. sauvagei. At EWL rates typical of restingP. sauvagei, cutaneous gas exchange is of minor importance. Fractional cutaneous gas exchange is also low in restingC. xerampelina. 3. Fractional gas exchange through the skin in restingP. sauvagei andC. xerampelina is similar to that in terrestrial reptiles but only about 1/12th the fractional CO2 elimination and 1/7th the fractional O2 uptake of typical anuran amphibians. 4. Blood\(P_{{\text{CO}}_{\text{2}} } \), pH and HCO 3 − inP. sauvagei are like those in other anurans with permeable skins. We conclude thatP. sauvagei hyperventilates relative to most other anurans. 5. The reduced cutaneous gas exchange inP. sauvagei andC. xerampelina is the result of a general reduction in skin permeability. As in reptiles, the reduced permeability is of primary importance for maintaining H2O balance while the concomitant loss of cutaneous gas exchange has little functional significance.
Colloidal lenses allow high-temperature single-molecule imaging and improve fluorophore photostability.

Although single-molecule fluorescence spectroscopy was first demonstrated at near-absolute zero temperatures (1.8 K)1, the field has since advanced to include room-temperature observations2, largely owing to the use of objective lenses with high numerical aperture, brighter fluorophores and more sensitive detectors. This has opened the door for many chemical and biological systems to be studied at native temperatures at the single-molecule level both in vitro3,4 and in vivo5,6. However, it is difficult to study systems and phenomena at temperatures above 37 °C, because the index-matching fluids used with high-numerical-aperture objective lenses can conduct heat from the sample to the lens, and sustained exposure to high temperatures can cause the lens to fail. Here, we report that TiO2 colloids with diameters of 2 µm and a high refractive index can act as lenses that are capable of single-molecule imaging at 70 °C when placed in immediate proximity to an emitting molecule. The optical system is completed by a low-numerical-aperture optic that can have a long working distance and an air interface, which allows the sample to be independently heated. Colloidal lenses were used for parallel imaging of surface-immobilized single fluorophores and for real-time single-molecule measurements of mesophilic and thermophilic enzymes at 70 °C. Fluorophores in close proximity to TiO2 also showed a 40% increase in photostability due to a reduction of the excited-state lifetime. The use of colloidal titanium dioxide particles as lenses enables single-molecule imaging to be performed at temperatures as high as 70 °C.
Response of cockroach cardiac neurons to cholinergic compounds.

Abstract Acetylcholine chloride increases the rate of firing of isolated cardiac ganglion cells (GC) of the cockroach, Periplaneta americana (L.), at less than 10−9 M concentration. The effect is blocked by d -tubocurarine chloride and atropine sulphate. Nicotine in low concentrations increases the rate of firing of both GC and neurosecretory neurons (NS), the effect being blocked by hexamethonium iodide. Stimulus-response and drug studies have not revealed the presence of a cholinergic synapse in the cockroach cardiac nervous system; therefore, acetylcholine and cholinomimetic compounds are hypothesized to act on the cardiac GC not at a synapse membrane, but rather at an unspecified cholinergic-sensitive site.
Electronics Assembly Subcontracting in Southern California: Production Processes, Employment, and Location

In this paper, I deal with three main facets of the electronics assembly subcontract industry in Southern California: (a) its technological and organizational structure, (b) its employment characteristics, and (c) its transactional-locational logic. I begin by describing production processes in the industry, and I suggest that the industry is marked by two distinctive kinds of flexible specialization. On the basis of a questionnaire survey, I show that the industry's labor force is composed for the most part of women and immigrants, and that there is a fairly distinctive gender and ethnic division of labor within individual establishments. I show too that the industry is typically arranged in an agglomerated locational pattern resulting from its transactions-intensive nature. I end the paper with a brief allusion to some possible restructuring trends that may affect the future functioning and locational structure of the industry.
Structural differences between antibodies produced against the same hapten by individual rabbits.

Abstract Structural differences have been observed in antibodies directed against the p-azobenzenearsonate group and obtained from individual rabbits of the allotype a1a1b4b4P+. Differences were observed in the iodination patterns of the antibodies as a whole, in the iodination patterns of the antibody site as shown by analysis of the peptides isolated from the sites and in the effect of iodination on the number of sites and on the binding constants. The binding contants of the original antibodies were also found to differ. The nature of the difference of antibody from rabbit to rabbit was such that it would be necessary for antibody from each rabbit to be composed of predominantly only a few different types of antibody molecules to give the results obtained.
Bidding behaviors in duopoly electricity markets with aspirant market share goals

The deregulation and restructuring of electricity markets have created a variety of challenging research problems. In addition, due to the complexity of electricity markets, most of these research problems are not amenable to analytical methods. Agent-based simulation is an approach for simulating and analyzing complex systems with interacting autonomous agents. In this paper, we use an agent-based approach to study the following emergent problem related to electricity market share and competition: what happens if a market participant tries to reach the following two (sometimes conflicting) goals simultaneously, (1) reaching an aspirant market share goal and (2) maximizing profit? More interestingly, what happens if two such participants are competing with each other? The developed agent-based model allows us to examine how the market share goal and profit maximization goal together influence the bidding behaviors of generation companies (i.e. agents) in a day-ahead electricity auction market. It also reveals that conservative market share goals often lead to a collusive behavior and profit maximization. However, if every participant has an aggressive market-share goal, a price war would result. On the other hand, if agents bear unequal market-share goals (e.g. one aggressive and one conservative), one agent will become more profitable than the other. As a result, if both agents want to maximize profit, they will both bid aggressively, resulting in a price war. Therefore, the agent-based model produces results that may explain some real-world pricing outcomes. In addition, to benchmark our agent-based model and to demonstrate the effect of the market-share goal, we develop an analytical model without the market-share goal and compare its results with those from the agent-based model.
The relationship between plasma membrane lipid composition and physical-chemical properties. I. Fluorescence polarization studies of fatty acid-altered EL4 tumor cell membranes

Abstract EL4 cells were cultured with exogenous fatty acids under conditions that resulted in their incorporation into membrane phospholipids. The behavior of the fluorescent lipid probes diphenylhexatriene and perylene was monitored in intact EL4 cells and in isolated EL4 plasma membranes. In whole cells substituted with unsaturated fatty acids, there was always a marked decrease in the P value of both probes compared to the P value of the probes in unsubstituted cells. In whole cells substituted with saturated fatty acids, on the other hand, P values for both probes were unchanged compared to unsubstituted cells. In plasma membrane isolated from EL4 cells, no difference in P values for either probe was observed among membranes from unsubstituted, saturated fatty acid substituted or unsaturated fatty acid substituted cells, even when the degree of fatty acid substitution was quite substantial. Most of the fluorescent signal for both probes in whole cells appeared to come from cytoplasmic lipid droplets. The value of techniques such as fluorescent polarization for monitoring physical properties of membranes (such as ‘fluidity’) is discussed.
Writing in water

This essay argues that the attempt to figure a path through the fluid substrate of water forms a key manifestation of the desire for unmediated knowledge. Coupling medieval concern for the material manifestation of signs with literature that figures the possibility of tracing a path in water suggests a potent symbolic history for the ‘writ in water’ metaphor that has persisted from antiquity to the present day. More than either a figure of ephemerality or of futility, this metaphor is an ancient expression of our most enduring philosophical desire about media. The depiction of the parting of the Red Sea in the Old English Exodus thus stages a scene of writing that draws on metaphysical and symbolic properties of water in order to negotiate between the endurance and ephemerality of signs.
Infliximab treatment shifts the balance between stimulatory and inhibitory Fcγ receptor type II isoforms on neutrophils in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Objective Human neutrophils express both activating and inhibitory Fcγ receptors (FcγR), and their relative expression determines the inflammatory response to immune complexes. Tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) up-regulates the expression of stimulatory FcγRIIa on neutrophils in vitro, and amplifies immune complex–induced activation of neutrophils in vivo. This study was undertaken to determine whether TNFα blockade in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) alters the balance of activating FcγR and inhibitory FcγR and thereby decreases inflammation. Methods We used fluorescence-activated cell sorting and Western blotting to examine FcγR expression on neutrophils in 24 patients with RA, preceding their first infusion of infliximab and immediately prior to ≥3 subsequent infusions. Results In 13 of 24 patients (54.2%), there was a decrease in the expression of the predominant activating FcγR, FcγRIIa, after treatment with infliximab, an effect that persisted over ≥3 months of treatment. Although prior to initiation of infliximab therapy the inhibitory FcγR, FcγRIIb, was undetectable in neutrophils from 23 of 24 patients with RA, FcγRIIb protein was detected by Western blotting in 9 patients (37.5%) at the time of the third infliximab infusion. The induction of inhibitory FcγRIIb was always associated with decreased levels of FcγRIIa, and improvement following infliximab therapy, measured using the Health Assessment Questionnaire, was significantly associated with down-regulation of FcγRIIa. Conclusion Our findings indicate that TNFα inhibition may reduce inflammation in patients with RA by restoring the balance of activating and inhibitory FcγR and thereby raising the threshold for immune complex–mediated activation of neutrophils.
Supercritical Water Oxidation Kinetics and Pathways for Ethylphenols, Hydroxyacetophenones, and Other Monosubstituted Phenols

We examined the decomposition of o-, m-, and p-ethylphenol and o-, m-, and p-hydroxyacetophenone in dilute aqueous solutions at 460 °C and 25.3 MPa, both in the presence and absence of added oxygen. In the absence of oxygen, the ethylphenols produced vinylphenols as the major product and the hydroxyacetophenones produced phenol, benzendiols, and hydroxybenzaldehydes. In the presence of oxygen, ethylphenols and hydroxyacetophenones reacted through two major parallel paths and one minor path. The major primary paths for ethylphenols were to vinylphenols and to ring-opening products and ultimately CO2. The minor path was to phenol. For hydroxyacetophenones, the major primary paths were to phenol and to ring-opening products and ultimately CO2. The minor path was to hydroxybenzaldehydes. The relative rates of these parallel paths were sensitive to the location of the substituent. Although reactions did occur in the absence of oxygen, the disappearance rates were much slower than those observed during oxidatio...
Postural control of shell position by the abdomen of the hermit crab, Pagurus pollicarus. I. Morphology of the superficial muscles and their nerves

As in other decapod crustacea, the muscles of the hermit crab abdomen are divided into a central mass of muscle, active during the escape response, and a superficial layer of muscles which is responsible for the normal postural movements of the abdomen. The ventral superficial muscles consist of three layers, a mesial layer of longitudinal fibers, and two distal layers of circular muscle. The longitudinal muscles are thicker on the right side and are divided into three longitudinal strips each innervated by a single excitor motoneuron. Six motor axons innervate the ventral superficial muscles on each side — those on the right are larger than those on the left. Also occurring in the third ganglionic root is a group of fine axons believed to be branches of the motoneurons. There does not appear to be any relationship between the size of the motoneuron and the amount of muscle innervated.
Effects of sex of subject, sex of stimulus cue, and androgyny level on evaluations in work situations which evoke sex role stereotypes.

Abstract This study examined the differential evaluation of male and female stimulus cues and the effect of subject's androgyny level on their evaluations. Male and female college students filled out the Bem Sex Role Inventory (1974) and responded to set of five in-basket tasks taken from the Rosen, Jerdee, and Prestwich (1975) study of male managers. Sex of subject, sex of stimulus cue in the in-basket tasks, and androgyny level were varied in a series of 2 X 2 X 3 analyses of variance. On some tasks, male and/or female subjects responded in a sex role stereotyped manner. There were no effects for androgyny level. The discussion focused on circumstances under which stereotyping occurs and implications of the study.
Afterload reduction with vasodilators and diuretics decreases mitral regurgitation during upright exercise in advanced heart failure

In advanced heart failure, mitral regurgitation increases the burden of the failing ventricle and decreases effective stroke volume. Although tailored afterload reduction decreases mitral regurgitation at rest, it is not known if this benefit is maintained during upright exercise. Simultaneous radionuclide ventriculography and thermodilution stroke volumes were compared to measure the forward ejection fraction in 10 patients during upright bicycle exercise before and after therapy with vasodilators and diuretics tailored to decrease pulmonary capillary wedge pressure and systemic vascular resistance. Ventricular volumes, total ejection fraction and the forward ejection fraction did not change during exercise at baseline. At rest, tailored therapy decreased average pulmonary capillary wedge pressure from 36 to 19 mm Hg (p less than 0.01), systemic vascular resistance from 1,570 to 1,210 dynes.s.cm-5 (p less than 0.05), and left ventricular volume index from 251 to 177 ml/m2 (p less than 0.01), while increasing the forward ejection fraction from 0.53 to 0.85 (p less than 0.01) without change in total ejection fraction (0.18 from 0.17). During steady state exercise at low work load, tailored therapy decreased left ventricular volume index from 279 to 213 (p less than 0.05) and increased forward ejection fraction from 0.52 to 0.79 (p less than 0.01) without change in total ejection fraction (0.20 from 0.19). The total stroke volume during exercise was not increased after therapy; the increase in forward stroke volume after therapy appeared to result instead from the decrease in mitral regurgitant flow. The benefits of tailored afterload reduction are maintained throughout upright exercise.
Single-Molecule Fluorescence Trajectories for Investigating Molecular Transport in Thin Silica Sol−Gel Films

Single-molecule fluorescence tracking has been used to examine diffusion of small molecules in sol−gel films in order to identify spatial heterogeneity in the structure and molecular diffusivities for different regions of the film. Fluorescence intensity profiles from single molecules are fit to a two-dimensional Gaussian function to determine their x,y positions with subpixel resolution. Scatter plots and histograms of molecular step sizes indicate that the trajectories conform to the predictions of a two-dimensional random walk. The mean-square step size is shown to be an unbiased estimate of the variance of the step-size probability distribution and a valid statistic for determining the diffusion coefficient from a molecular trajectory. The diffusion coefficients measured for different molecules are subjected to an F test, which showed that the sol−gel film exhibits spatial variation in the diffusion coefficient on a micrometer-length scale. The spatial variation in diffusivities is a measure of struct...
THE START-STOP-START PHENOMENON IN SCALP-SPHENOIDAL ICTAL RECORDINGS

Abstract The start-stop-start (SSS) phenomenon is an apparent abortive ictal onset separated from the main seizure discharge. It was previously described in seizures recorded with subdural electrodes. We have observed this phenomenon in scalp-sphenoidal ictal recordings as well. We retrospectively reviewed 435 seizures recorded with scalp-sphenoidal electrodes from 61 patients with temporal lobe epilepsy. We found SSS onset in 15 seizures of 8 patients, representing 26% of these patients' seizures. The first “start” usually had a narrow field, typically in the sphenoidal electrode. The mean duration of the first “start” was 11 sec and that of the stop 8 sec. The restart had a different morphology and frequency in 87% and had'a wider field in 67% of seizures. The clinical onset followed the first start and preceded the restart in most of the seizures. In 1 patient, 1 seizure with SSS was correctly localized and lateralized, whereas 5 of 7 without SSS were falsely lateralized. The recognition of the SSS phenomenon may improve the accuracy of seizure localization in scalp-sphenoidal recordings.
A Modified Spinning Drop Method for High-Temperature Applications

This paper describes experimentation with a constant-speed (3,600-rpm) spinning drop apparatus which allows the study of interfacial tension (IFT) properties of a given oil drop vs. a surfactant solution over a wide range of temperatures and for a prolonged period of time. Adding a temperature air bath and developing a method to seal the fluids in the capillary tube extends the application of the spinning drop to 302F (150/sup 0/C). IFT properties of 2 petroleum sulfonates and one nonionic system were measured against a crude oil with a gravity of 0.9 g/cm/sup 3/. Figures are presented showing schematic of modified spinning drop equipment, modified capillary tube for high temperature spinning drop apparatus, and comparison of IFT's measured by spinning drop and pendant drop methods.
A simple, inexpensive method for obtaining infrared spectra of air-sensitive solutions

The authors share a simple, inexpensive method for dealing with spectra samples that react with oxygen.
Discovery of phase-locked variable polarization in an RS Canum Venaticorum-like star, HR 5110

Using measurements on 79 nights in 1980 January-August, it is established that the polarization in the ultraviolet (U band) varies synchronously on the known binary period of 2.6132 days, with a peak-to-peak amplitude of 0.03%. The pattern is mainly second harmonic in character, as typical of binary star examples such as Algol and Upsilon Her. Reflection by the cooler star, by a plasma concentration, or both, is suggested. The scale of the polarization seems to be consistent with Rayleigh scattering by neutral hydrogen on the cooler star, and a roughly lambda to the -4th wavelength dependence should be searched for. The QU curve suggests a sizeable inclination for the system, of about 45 deg, but this is preliminary. Separately, a possible weak periodicity might be present on a subsidiary period, conceivably related to a rotating star spot.
Site Fidelity and Lifetime Territorial Consistency of Ovenbirds (Seiurus aurocapilla) in a Contiguous Forest

ABSTRACT. We investigated territory-level habitat use patterns of 132 color-banded male Ovenbirds (Seiurus aurocapilla) over a 12-year period at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary in eastern Pennsylvania. Our primary goals were to test hypotheses concerning selection behavior as well as to describe territory fidelity of an area-sensitive Neotropical migrant by quantifying year-to-year movements of individuals over a period equivalent to several generations. Furthermore, we tested whether returns and territory shifts were associated with prior reproductive success and bird age. We measured occupancy as the number of birds that occupied 60-m grid cells that covered two 18-ha study sites over the 12-year period and similarly calculated rates of reproductive success within each grid cell. Rates of reproductive success were generally high (>60%) and were not correlated with occupancy rates. Return rates also were high, and birds rarely moved far from their first territory (mean = 68 m) during their lifetimes. There was n...
Resistance to Phytophthora erythroseptica and Pythium ultimum in a Potato Clone Derived from S. berthaultii and S. etuberosum

Tubers of several potato clones and cultivars were screened for susceptibility to infection by zoospores of Phytophthora erythroseptica (causal agent of pink rot) and mycelia of Pythium ultimum (causal agent of leak) over a three-year period, from 2003-2005. Incidence of infected tubers (%) and penetration of rot (mm) were the parameters used to determine the susceptibility of each potato clone. Responses of each potato clone were compared to cultivars with known resistance or susceptibility to these pathogens. Tubers of cultivars Atlantic and Snowden have moderate resistance to infection and colonization by P. erythroseptica and P. ultimum, respectively, and were used as the resistant checks. Cultivars Russet Norkotah and Red Norland are susceptible to infection by both pathogens. A number of potato clones demonstrated resistance to pink rot equal to or greater than the control cultivar Atlantic, including Etb 6-5-2, ND5822C-7, ND6956b-13, ND7443Ab-44, ND7443Ab-181, ND7818-1Y and J101K6A22. In addition to demonstrating the highest resistance to pink rot, Etb 6-5-2 was the only clone that demonstrated resistance to leak greater than or equivalent to the resistant cultivar Snowden. Etb 6-5-2 is a backcross derivative from a somatic hybrid of Solanum etuberosum and Solanum berthaultii and will be investigated further as a potential source of resistance to these two storage rot diseases.
Are stocks really riskier than bonds

Conventional wisdom holds that stocks are riskier than bonds; thus when the stock market becomes volatile, money flows from the stock market into the perceived safe haven of the bond market. In this article, we find that this notion is not necessarily accurate and might lead people to make incorrect investment decisions. In fact, intermediate- and long-term bonds are riskier than stocks when we measure risk by the coefficient of variation. We examine a case where an inaccurate perception regarding the relative riskiness of the two types of assets could play a part in what appears to be short-sighted and potentially costly behaviour of investors in financial markets.
Radiation therapy for ureteral metastases from breast carcinoma

Seven breast cancer patients received supervoltage radiation therapy in the Department of Radiation Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital from 1970--1978 for ureteral-periureteral metastases. Urinary symptoms (flank pain, urgency, hematuria) disappeared completely and permanently for four of five patients; abnormal pyelograms returned completely to normal for three of three; and abnormal renal function tests for two of two. Six of seven patients survived at least one year after irradiation. Indications for irradiation, dose, and techniques are discussed.
Focusing effects of induced phase modulation on a probe pulse propagating in a χ(3) medium

The focusing effects of induced phase modulation generated by a strong pump on the propagation of a probe Gaussian pulse in a χ(3) medium are computed. The probe diameter, the radius of curvature, and the phase are expressed as function of the primary pulse (pump) characteristics. It is proved that waveguiding of the probe by the pump is possible.
Multistaged corpuscular models of microbial growth: Monte Carlo simulations

A new framework is developed by extending the existing population balance framework for modeling the growth of microbial populations. The new class of multistaged corpuscular models allows further structuring of the microbial life cycle into separate phases or stages and thus facilitates the incorporation of cell cycle phenomena to population models. These multistaged models consist of systems of population balance equations coupled by appropriate boundary conditions. The specific form of the equations depend on the assumed forms for the transition rate functions, the growth rate functions, and the partitioning function, which determines how the biological material is distributed at division. A growth model for ciliated protozoa is formulated to demonstrate the proposed framework. To obtain a solution to the system of the partial integro differential equations that results from such formulation, we adopted a Monte Carlo simulation technique which is very stable, versatile, and insensitive to the complexity of the model. The theory and implementation of the Monte Carlo simulation algorithm is analyzed and results from the simulation of the ciliate growth model are presented. The proposed approach seems to be promising for integrating single-cell mechanisms into population models.
FT-IR studies of side chain liquid crystalline thermoplastic elastomers

Abstract Side chain liquid crystalline polyurethanes are a new class of materials that show promise for mechanooptic applications. The rich morphology afforded by these materials also provides a chance to understand the interplay between polyurethane morphology and liquid crystalline ordering. In this paper, we study the response of a polyurethane with liquid crystals pendant to the soft segments to an applied strain using fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) linear dichroism. We find that this complex material follows the trend established in the literature for both side chain liquid crystalline homopolymers and segmented polyurethanes. At low strains, the soft segments align with strain inducing an orientation in “lone” hard segments. Up to strains of 40%, the LC mesogens align with the strain field and the hard segments in hydrogen bonded domains align perpendicular to the field. At strains above 40%, we find a rearrangement of the ordering that result in smectic layers and the hard segments aligning parallel to the field. A model is proposed to represent these findings, and reflections on the cooperative movement of the different macromolecular components of the polyurethane are offered.
Corneal Virulence of Candida albicans Strains Deficient in Tup1-Regulated Genes

PURPOSE. To evaluate the role of rbt genes downstream of Tup1p, a transcription factor regulating fungal filamentation, in experimental Candida albicans keratitis. METHODS. Corneas of BALB/c mice were scarified and topically inoculated with 105 or 10 6 colony-forming units (CFU) of a wild-type human isolate of C. albicans (SC5314), a mutant strain with a transposon-induced homozygous disruption of the rbtl gene (Tn7-rbt1), its control (DAY286), homozygous rbt knockout mutants deficient in rbtl (BCa7-4) or rbt4 (BCal 1-3), or their parental control (CAF2-1). Eyes were scored daily for clinical severity of fungal keratitis and were examined histopathologically. RESULTS. With a 105 CFU inoculum, the CAF2-1 control and its mutant derivatives (BCa7-4 and BCal 1-3) produced significantly lower keratitis scores than did the moderately severe keratitis induced by control strains SC5314 and DAY286 and the Tn7-rbtl mutant (P 0.2), and the BCa7-4 mutant initially caused severe disease that gradually waned (P < 0.02). However, the BCal 1-3 mutant produced moderate disease that was significantly less severe than that induced by control strains (P < 0.04) and resolved within 1 week. CONCLUSIONS. The rbt4 gene of C. albicans is a potential virulence factor in posttraumatic corneal infection. Genetically regulated hyphal morphogenesis appears to be involved in the initial pathogenesis of experimental keratomycosis.
Psychosis in Parkinson's Disease: Case Studies

Hallucinations and psychotic symptoms are common in patients who have Parkinson’s disease (PD), affecting a third of patients who have PD at some point during the illness. Psychotic symptoms are related to several factors, including the underlying disease process, concurrent difficulties with visual impairment and sleep disturbance, and adverse effects of dopaminergic agents used to treat the movement disorder. Psychosis in patients who have PD leads to higher hospitalization rates, significantly increased disability, nursing home placement, and increased risk of mortality. Treatment involves education, development of patient coping strategies, modification of the PD drug regimen, or the addition of an antipsychotic agent, such as quetiapine, or, in more refractory cases, clozapine.
D.c. to a.c. conversion using magneto-resistance

Abstract The feasibility of using magnetoresistor devices for a d.c. to a.c. converter was explored both from the circuit standpoint and the devices themselves. The device study disclosed a geometry with magnetoresistance properties nearly on a par with those of a Corbino disk, but having a higher current capability. An analog computer analysis of a bridge-type converter, using experimentally obtained values for the magnetoresistance parameters, revealed a currently obtainable theoretical efficiency of 75 per cent, neglecting electrical and magnetic circuit losses.
Air-broadened Lorentz halfwidths and pressure-induced line shifts in the nu(4) band of C-13H4

Air-broadened halfwidths and pressure-induced line shifts in the nu(4) fundamental of C-13H4 were determined from spectra recorded at room temperature and at 0.01/cm resolution using a Fourier transform spectrometer. Halfwidths and pressure shifts were determined for over 180 transitions belonging to J-double prime values of less than or = to 16. Comparisons of air-broadened halfwidths and pressure-induced line shifts made for identical transitions in the nu(4) bands of C-12H4 and C-13H4 have shown that C-13H4 air-broadened halfwidths are about 5 percent smaller than the corresponding C-12H4 halfwidths, and the pressure shifts for C-13H4 lines are about 5-15 percent larger than those for C-12H4.
Statins and ischemic stroke severity: cytoprotection.

Cytoprotective or neuroprotective interventions would be of value if they could block the processes leading to delayed neuronal death or if they could delay the period between the onset of ischemia and irreversible necrotic injury, thereby lengthening the period for effective reperfusion therapy. Experimental studies in cell culture systems and laboratory animals show that statins have several potential cytoprotective actions, including promotion of angiogenesis, reduction of clot formation and facilitation of clot lysis, upregulation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase, downregulation of inducible nitric oxide synthase, reduction of excitotoxicity, and modulation of the inflammatory response. Clinically, statins appear to protect against vasospasm-related ischemic injury after subarachnoid hemorrhage. There have been no prospective randomized trials aimed at determining whether statins reduce acute stroke severity, and observational studies have had inconsistent results. Although a prospective, randomized trial assessing the effect of pre-or poststroke statin treatment on initial stroke severity would be the most appropriate study design to test for this type of effect, it is unlikely that such a trial will be conducted given the benefits of these drugs in reducing the risk of cardiovascular events and stroke in high-risk populations.
Neuronal Dynamics of Predictive Coding

A critical task of the central nervous system is to learn causal relationships between stimuli to anticipate events in the future, such as the position of a moving prey or predator. What are the neuronal phenomena underlying anticipation? In this article, I review recent results in hippocampal electrophysiology that shed light on this issue. It is shown that hippocampal spatial receptive fields show large and rapid anticipatory changes in their firing characteristics. These changes are experience- and environment-dependent and can be explained by a computational model based on NMDA-dependent synaptic plasticity during behavior. Striking similarities between the anticipatory network dynamics of widely different neural circuits, such as the hippocampus and primary visual cortex, are discussed. These experimental and theoretical results indicate how the microscopic laws of synaptic plasticity give rise to emergent anticipatory properties of receptive fields and behavior.
Deactivation of the sporulation transcription factor Spo0A by the Spo0E protein phosphatase.

Abstract The spo0E locus of Bacillus subtilis codes for a negative regulator of sporulation that, when overproduced, represses sporulation and, if deleted, results in inappropriate timing of sporulation. The product of this locus, Spo0E, was purified and found to be a protein phosphatase, which specifically dephosphorylated the sporulation transcription factor Spo0A-P, converting it to an inactive form. Spo0E was not significantly active as a phosphatase on other components of the phosphorelay signal-transduction pathway producing Spo0A-P. A mutant Spo0E protein that results in sporulation deficiency was purified and found to be hyperactive as a phosphatase. The Spo0E phosphatase may provide an additional control point for environmental, metabolic, or cell-cycle regulation of phosphate flow in the phosphorelay. These results reinforce the concept that the phosphorelay is subject to a host of positive and negative signals for sporulation that are recognized and interpreted as signal integration circuit that has the role of regulating the cellular level of active phosphorylated Spo0A sporulation transcription factor.
Effect of decoupling electromagnetics from heat transfer analysis on prediction accuracy and computation time in modeling microwave heating of frozen and fresh mashed potato

Abstract Microwave heating models incorporating physics of electromagnetics and heat transfer are computationally intensive, which limits their use in the industry. The electromagnetic power density changes within the food during microwave heating were characterized. The effect of decoupling electromagnetics from heat transfer analysis on accuracy and computation time was evaluated for microwave heating of mashed potato at various initial states (frozen and fresh). Coupled models used updated heat source term based on temperature-dependent dielectric properties for every rotation; while decoupled models used a constant heat source term based on dielectric properties at room temperature. The simulation and validation results showed that the simplification of using the decoupled approach did not affect the predicted temperatures considerably, while reducing the computation time by 93%. When compared to the experiment, the averaged RMSE values of six transient point temperatures of room-temperature and frozen decoupled-models were 5.2 and 6.6 °C, respectively, which were close to those of the coupled models. The decoupled model can be used for screening food-package designs in a short computation time. While this study demonstrated the feasibility of using the decoupled approach for a homogeneous food at various initial temperatures, further study needs to be conducted to evaluate this for heterogeneous foods.
Influence activity and executive compensation

Abstract Attracting an executive of desired ability or inducing effort from top executives may require a strong relation between executive compensation and firm performance. Yet the evidence suggests that there is a trivial impact of firm value on CEO compensation. I show that influence activity by executives can explain this evidence. One of the results is that a higher level of influence activity reduces the impact of firm value on executive compensation, even though influence activity is completely anticipated by firms.