cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A 3.07μm 2 /bitcell physically unclonable function with 3.5% and 1% bit-instability across 0 to 80°C and 0.6 to 1.2V in a 65nm CMOS

This paper presents a circuitry for physically unclonable function, generating a unique and stable key for security-oriented applications. The key is generated from an array of pairs of voltage-compensated proportional-to-absolute-temperature generators. The difference between two analog outputs of a pair is voltage- and temperature-compensated yet sensitive mostly only to random threshold-voltage variation. As compared to the state of the art [3-4], the proposed design has an 8.3× smaller bitcell or 3.66× higher robustness against noise and environmental variations.
Autonomous semantic web services

Web Services are defining a new paradigm for the Web in which a network of computer programs become the consumers of information. The growing infrastructure for Web Services is based on SOAP and WSDL and assumes XML as unifying language to guarantee Web Services interoperability. XML guarantees syntactic interoperability by providing a standard for a common syntax that is shared across the Web, with the result that Web Services can parse each other's messages, verify whether they adhere to the expected formats, and locate each piece of information within the message. Unfortunately, current Web Services do not have any means to extract the meaning of the messages exchanged. The Web Services understand the structure of each other's message, but do not understand the content of those messages. This limitation requires programmers to hard-code Web Services with information about their interaction partners, the messages that they exchange and the interpretation of those messages; moreover, current Web Services cannot reconfigure dynamically to adapt to changes without direct human intervention.
Anthrax Toxins in Context of Bacillus anthracis Spores and Spore Germination

The interaction of anthrax toxin or toxin components with B. anthracis spores has been demonstrated. Germinating spores can produce significant amounts of toxin components very soon after the initiation of germination. In this review, we will summarize the work performed that has led to our understanding of toxin and spore interactions and discuss the complexities associated with these interactions.
Introducing Students to Legal Practice Materials: Helping Fill a Law School Void

Abstract Law schools do an excellent job teaching substantive law, but they often neglect the day-to-day skills young lawyers need to know. This neglect has created a void in legal education. Materials exist in nearly every academic law library that can assist students in developing practice skills. Most of these materials are never mentioned in law school courses. Because law librarians know their collections, they are in an ideal position to bring these materials to the attention of students and to promote their use. There are numerous ways to introduce students to legal practice materials. This paper offers some suggestions. It also outlines the major categories of materials students should be aware of before entering law practice
Calcium-binding proteins in the parathyroid gland. Detailed studies of parathyroid secretory protein.

Abstract In order to identify calcium (Ca2+)-binding proteins in the parathyroid gland, we used electrophoretic blots of proteins separated by a two-dimensional nondenaturing/denaturing gel system and incubated them with 45Ca2+. Parathyroid secretory protein (PSP) and proteins with approximate molecular weights of 98,000, 88,000, 58,000, and 30,000 were noted to bind Ca2+ in cytosolic fractions from bovine parathyroid, adrenal, and pituitary glands. However, differences in the binding affinity and capacity of the various proteins were observed. PSP displayed a low affinity and high binding capacity for Ca2+. In the presence of 5 mM MgCl2 and 60 mM KCl, native PSP (immobilized on nitrocellulose filters) bound 7.5 mol of Ca2+/mol of protein monomer with an apparent Kd of 1.1 mM. Immunoblotting identified the association of PSP with parathyroid cell membranes in a Ca2+-dependent manner. This property, together with its heat stability, distinguished PSP from other cytosolic Ca2+-binding proteins which were identified. There was also evidence for a Ca2+-dependent protein-protein interaction (aggregation) of PSP present in a Nonidet P-40 extract of cell membranes. The high Ca2+ binding capacity of PSP and its Ca2+-dependent membrane association may be features that make PSP a potentially important protein in secretory cells.
Perfect codes on graphs

The set of codewords for a standard error-correcting code can be viewed as a subset of the vertices of a hypercube. Two vertices are adjacent in a hypercube exactly when their Hamming distance is 1. Such a code is a perfect 1-error-correcting code if no two codewords are adjacent, and if every non-codeword is adjacent to exactly one codeword. Since a perfect code can be described using only vertices and adjacency, the definition applies to general graphs rather than only to hypercubes. How does one decide if a graph can support a perfect 1-error-correcting code? The obvious way to show that such a code exists is to display the code. On the other hand, it seems difficult to show that a graph does not support such a code. We show that this intuition is right by showing that to determine if a graph has a perfect 1-error-correcting code is an NP-complete problem.
THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN BLOOD-PRESSURE MEASUREMENTS OBTAINED SIMULTANEOUSLY ON THE TWO ARMS

Seventy per cent. of a group of normal young adult males showed a significant difference between blood-pressure measurements made simultaneously on the two arms. The distribution of the magnitude of these differences is presented. The same proportion of significant differences was found in 40 of the subjects when retested. The correlation between the magnitude of the differences for each individual in the two tests was low, indicating that the cause of the difference in blood-pressure can rarely be a fixed structural characteristic of the individual. Since these differences are not easily reproducible by variation of standard physiological conditions, it is suggested that they may be of psychogenic origin.
Cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP activate protein kinase G in cavernosal smooth muscle cells: old age is a negative factor.

Objective To investigate protein kinase G-I (PKG-I) expression and activation in cavernosal smooth muscle cells (CSMC) of young and old rats. Materials and methods PKG-I expression in rat penis was examined by immunohistochemical staining, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, and Western blot analysis. CSMC isolated from young (16-week-old) and old (28-month-old) rats were grown as monolayer cell cultures and treated with different dosages of cAMP or cGMP for different periods. Their proteins were then analysed for the expression of vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP), phosphorylated VASP (at serine 239), PKG-I, and protein kinase A (PKA). Results PKG-I expression was detected in the vascular and CSMC of the rat penis. There was little or no difference in the level of PKG-I expression between young and old rats. Treatment of CSMC with different dosages of cAMP or cGMP did not change the expression levels of VASP throughout the entire test period (up to 24 h). In contrast, the level of VASP phosphorylation at S239, i.e. the level of PKG-I activation, depended on the dosages of cAMP and cGMP and on the duration of treatment. Prolonged treatment (24 h) with either cAMP or cGMP resulted in down-regulation of both PKG-I and PKA. While cAMP and cGMP produced very similar results in nearly every aspect, there was a difference in one test, in which cGMP produced much less activated PKG-I than cAMP in the CSMC of 28-month-old-rats. Conclusions For the first time we provide evidence for PKG-I activation in CSMC. Both cAMP and cGMP were capable of activating PKG-I in CSMC. Age seemed to compromise the ability of PKG-I in response to cGMP.
A New Keynesian model with staggered price and wage setting under learning

Abstract This paper provides a study of the implications for economic dynamics when the central bank sets its nominal interest rate target in response to variations in wage inflation. I provide results on the existence, uniqueness, and stability under learning of rational expectations equilibrium for alternative specifications of the manner in which monetary policy responds to economic shocks when nominal rigidities are present. Monopolistically competitive producers set prices via staggered price contracts, and households set nominal wages in the same fashion. In this setting, the conditions for determinacy and learnability of rational expectations equilibrium differ from a model where only prices are sticky. I find that when the central bank responds to wage and price inflation and to the output gap, a Taylor principle for wage and price inflation arises that is related to stability under learning dynamics. In other words, a moderate reaction of the interest rate to wage inflation helps to avoid instability under learning and indeterminacy.
Feeding on Shauna Grant: Ritual Cannibalism in Two Documentary Retrospectives

Suite au suicide de Colleen Applegate (alias Shauna Grant) - actrice americaine ayant acquis une certaine reputation dans le domaine des films et videos pornographiques - deux documentaires biographiques retrospectifs sont venus s'ajouter aux commentaires sur sa vie et sa mort. Le cas de Shauna Grant illustre de facon exemplaire le cannibalisme lubrique des medias - et notamment de la video - pour (la vie et) la mort des personnages publics. Shauna Grant, du monde marginal de la pornographie, comble un espace interpretatif a propos de la figure archetypale de la Blonde morte ou de la Blonde suicide, espace laisse sans reponse par le manque de materiaux explicites sur ses predecesseurs comme Jayne Mainsfield ou Marilyn Monroe par exemple. Le traitement de la figure de Shauna Grant est un exemple particulierement interessant des forces qui s'expriment dans cette figure iconique.
Methods, Challenges, and Promise of Next-Generation Sequencing in Cancer Biology

It is generally accepted that cancers result from the aggregation of somatic mutations. The emergence of next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies during the past half-decade has enabled studies of cancer genomes with high sensitivity and resolution through whole-genome and whole-exome sequencing approaches, among others. This saltatory advance introduces the possibility of assembling multiple cancer genomes for analysis in a cost-effective manner. Analytical approaches are now applied to the detection of a number of somatic genome alterations, including nucleotide substitutions, insertions/deletions, copy number variations, and chromosomal rearrangements. This review provides a thorough introduction to the cancer genomics pipeline as well as a case study of these methods put into practice.
Drugs, Power, and Politics: Narco Wars, Big Pharma, and the Subversion of Democracy

Carl Boggs coined an evocative title for the threads of articles, books, and media sources he wove together for the content of this book. As he begins and reminds readers constantly throughout the ...
Transfer of inhibition and facilitation mediated by the original target stimulus

An autoshaping paradigm with pigeon subjects was used to study two-types-of modulation: facilitation and inhibition. In each paradigm, a diffuse stimulus signaled when a keylight would be reinforced. Transfer of that diffuse stimulus to a different keylight was assessed after the response-evoking power of the original keylight had been altered in the presence of a different modulator. That alteration of the original target produced a specific change in the transfer of modulators trained with that target. The results are interpreted as suggesting that transfer to another target stimulus is partly mediated by the association of the original target with the reinforcer. They are inconsistent with at least one version of a configurai cue interpretation.
How do instructional designers use automated instructional design tool

Abstract The purpose of this study was to investigate the use of an automated design tool by naive, novice, and expert instructional designers. A talk-aloud protocol, attitude survey, performance assessment, and direct observation were used to gather data. While the expert designers used the tool, they used it as a word processor with a rich database of instructional strategies. The novice designers relied on the tool for advice, guidance, and assistance in completing all the design tasks. Non-designers used the tool for learning about design. The novice designer is likely to gain more benefit from using the tool than a nai¨ve or expert designer. Novice designers can use the tool to reinforce their prior knowledge as well as filling in any gaps in the knowledge of the design process. Based on this study, we might expect the use of an automated tool to diminish as the designer gains experience. Non-designers should probably be trained on instructional design tasks prior to exposure to automated instructional design tools.
Neurocognitive Impairment and HIV Risk Factors: A Reciprocal Relationship

Cognitive impairment among populations at risk for HIV poses a significant barrier to managing risk behaviors. The impact of HIV and several cofactors, including substance abuse and mental illness, on cognitive function is discussed in the context of HIV risk behaviors, medication adherence, and risk-reduction interventions. Literature suggests that cognitive impairment is intertwined in a close, reciprocal relationship with both risk behaviors and medication adherence. Not only do increased risk behaviors and suboptimal adherence exacerbate cognitive impairment, but cognitive impairment also reduces the effectiveness of interventions aimed at optimizing medication adherence and reducing risk. In order to be effective, risk-reduction interventions must therefore take into account the impact of cognitive impairment on learning and behavior.
Real-Time 1−2 Plane SAXS Measurements of Molecular Orientation in Sheared Liquid Crystalline Polymers

We report studies on the average molecular orientation state in steady and transient shear flow of two lyotropic liquid crystalline polymers: poly(benzyl glutamate) [PBG] and hydroxypropylcellulose [HPC], both in m-cresol solution. An annular cone and plate X-ray shear cell is used to probe molecular orientation in the “1−2” plane, allowing simultaneous measurements of the degree of anisotropy and the average orientation angle relative to the flow direction. In steady shear flow, molecular orientation increases with shear rate in both materials. Comparisons with separate measurements in the “1−3” plane indicate that both materials exhibit a macroscopically biaxial orientation distribution function. The orientation angle is always small and exhibits a sign change from positive to negative values with increasing shear rate. In transient flows, anisotropy and orientation angle both exhibit damped oscillations that scale with shear strain. The Larson−Doi polydomain model is in qualitative agreement with data...
Two-Dimensional Mixing, Edge Formation, and Permeability Diagnosed in an Area Coordinate

Abstract Two-dimensional mixing of a tracer is diagnosed using A, the area between the tracer contour and a reference contour, as the horizontal coordinate. In the absence of sources or sinks, the tracer distribution in the area coordinate is governed bywhereis the square of the equivalent length of the tracer contour and k is the constant microscale diffusion coefficient. While diffusion is necessary to invoke transport, the large-scale kinematics regulate the evolution of q through the stretching and redistribution of Le2. It is argued that Le2 is a useful, easy to compute diagnostic for irreversible transport, especially for identifying a barrier. Typical behaviors of Le2 in various flow regimes are illustrated using the numerically simulated Kelvin-Helmholtz billow. Signature of mixing is found in the irreversible growth of Le2, but the precise time dependence is complex due to interplay between advection and diffusion. Formation of the edges (concentrated gradients) and their permeability to mass are...
Inhibition of malonaldehyde formation by antioxidants from ω3 polyunsaturated fatty acids

The inhibitory effect of α-tocopherol, β-carotene, 2″-O-glycosyl isovitexin (2″-O-GIV), and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) on malonaldehyde (MA) formation from ω3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) was determined by gas chromatography. The levels of MA formed from 1 mg each of octadecatetraenoic acid (ODTA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) upon oxidation with Fenton's reagent were 29.8±1.5, 17.2±1.5, and 22.0±0.7 nmol, respectively. BHT was most effective toward protecting all three ω3 PUFA, whereas β-carotene did not exhibit any inhibitory effect. 2″-O-GIV inhibited MA formation from EPA and DHA by 56 and 43%, respectively, showing the second greatest inhibitory activity after BHT. α-Tocopherol inhibited MA formation from ODTA and DHA by 67 and 28%, respectively, but it did not show any activity toward EPA oxidation. The naturally occurring antioxidant, 2″-O-GIV, may be useful to prevent oxidation of ω3 PUFA.
Temporal Discourse and Semantical Games

It has proven surprisingly difficult to construct explicit formal semantics for English tenses and temporal adverbs. If evidence is needed, the recent proliferation of attempted formal treatments of English temporal discourse should be testimony enough to the dissatisfaction of linguists and logicians with existing theories.
Optimal trust? Uncertainty as a determinant and limit to trust in inter‐firm alliances

Purpose – This study seeks to investigate a nonlinear relationship between the uncertainty associated with an economic exchange and trust.Design/methodology/approach – This study uses data from 191 respondents representing middle and senior management in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry in the USA and Canada to achieve the research purpose. Respondents completed a questionnaire designed to assess their firm's attitude towards their counterpart. A select number of executives were also interviewed. Measures were developed to assess inter‐firm trust, relational intensity and uncertainty.Findings – The study showed that a certain amount of uncertainty is necessary for trust to emerge. Beyond some threshold, however, increases in uncertainty led to a reduction in trust. This midrange proposition suggests that there may be an optimal level of trust.Research limitations/implications – First, the findings show that a focus on the structural aspects of exchange can yield additional understandings of t...
The opto-mechanical design of the Colorado High-resolution Echelle Stellar Spectrograph (CHESS)

We present the Colorado High-resolution Echelle Stellar Spectrograph (CHESS) sounding rocket payload. The design uses a mechanical collimator made from a grid of square tubing, an objective echelle grating, a holographically-ruled cross-disperser, a new 40 mm MCP with a cross strip anode or a delta-doped 3.5k x 3.5k CCD detector. The optics are suspended using carbon fiber rods epoxied to titanium inserts to create a space frame structure. A preliminary design is presented.
Serum Angiotensin Converting Enzyme in Diabetic Patients

Serum angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) levels are higher in patients with diabetes mellitus than in many others. Techniques are available to grade different degrees of diabetic retinopathy, which can demonstrate a relationship between ACE and diabetic retinopathy. In this study, patients with diabetic retinopathy had higher serum ACE levels (6.3 ± 0.2) than nondiabetic patients (4.3 ± 0.5) (p < 0.001). In addition, the mean serum ACE level in diabetic patients with nonproliferative retinopathy (5.55 ± 0.4) was less than that in diabetic patients with proliferative retinopathy (6.63 ± 0.25) (p = 0.02). Due to the variability in individual serum ACE levels and the frequent use of ACE inhibitors by hypertensive diabetics, these techniques are not suitable for retinopathy screening programs. However, the graded relationship demonstrated by these data may have relevance for the pathophysiology of diabetic retinopathy.
Azithromycin Kills Invasive Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans in Gingival Epithelial Cells

Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans invades periodontal pocket epithelium and is therefore difficult to eliminate by periodontal scaling and root planing. It is susceptible to azithromycin, which is taken up by many types of mammalian cells. This led us to hypothesize that azithromycin accumulation by gingival epithelium could enhance the killing of intraepithelial A. actinomycetemcomitans. [3H]azithromycin transport by Smulow-Glickman gingival epithelial cells and SCC-25 oral epithelial cells was characterized. To test our hypothesis, we infected cultured Smulow-Glickman cell monolayers with A. actinomycetemcomitans (Y4 or SUNY 465 strain) for 2 h, treated them with gentamicin to eliminate extracellular bacteria, and then incubated them with azithromycin for 1 to 4 h. Viable intracellular bacteria were released, plated, and enumerated. Azithromycin transport by both cell lines exhibited Michaelis-Menten kinetics and was competitively inhibited by l-carnitine and several other organic cations. Cell incubation in medium containing 5 μg/ml azithromycin yielded steady-state intracellular concentrations of 144 μg/ml in SCC-25 cells and 118 μg/ml in Smulow-Glickman cells. Azithromycin induced dose- and time-dependent intraepithelial killing of both A. actinomycetemcomitans strains. Treatment of infected Smulow-Glickman cells with 0.125 μg/ml azithromycin killed approximately 29% of the intraepithelial CFU of both strains within 4 h, while treatment with 8 μg/ml azithromycin killed ≥82% of the CFU of both strains (P < 0.05). Addition of carnitine inhibited the killing of intracellular bacteria by azithromycin (P < 0.05). Thus, human gingival epithelial cells actively accumulate azithromycin through a transport system that facilitates the killing of intraepithelial A. actinomycetemcomitans and is shared with organic cations.
Intracranial lesion enhancement with gadolinium: T1-weighted spin-echo versus three-dimensional Fourier transform gradient-echo MR imaging.

The conspicuity of lesion enhancement with gadopentetate dimeglumine was evaluated subjectively and quantitatively through calculation of contrast-to-noise ratios (C/Ns) on T1-weighted three-dimensional (3D) Fourier transform (FT) gradient-echo (GRE) and two-dimensional (2D) FT spin-echo (SE) images of the brain in 406 consecutive patients. One hundred one enhancing intracranial lesions were present in 61 patients, including intra-(n = 76) and extraaxial (n = 25) processes of neoplastic (n = 68), infectious or inflammatory (n = 13), ischemic (n = 11), or vascular (n = 9) origin. Enhancement was apparent in all lesions on 2DFT SE and 3DFT GRE images, with similar subjective conspicuity in 86.8% (87 of 101) of lesions. Quantitative C/N measurements for 2DFT SE (mean, 17.6) and 3DFT GRE (mean, 17.2) imaging were not significantly different (P = .72). These findings, along with the other advantages of 3DFT GRE imaging, indicate that 3DFT GRE examinations are likely to play a major role in the performance of c...
Changes in Reading Strategies as a Function of Reading Training: A Comparison of Live and Computerized Training

The purpose of this study was to compare the relative effectiveness of live (SERT) and computer-based (iSTART) reading strategy training. Prior to and after training, participants read scientific t...
Test of the adiabatic approximation for vibrational energies of H2O

Abstract The adiabatic approximation for vibrational energies of three-mode H 2 O is tested against accurate vibrational self-consistent field plus configuration interaction calculations. As formulated and applied in normal coordinates, the approach is to couple the two high-frequency stretching modes exactly for fixed values of the low-frequency bending mode. The bending motion is then governed by the stretching eigenvalue plus the diagonal bending part of the full potential. The adiabatic method gives quite accurate results for states which are not strongly perturbed.
Halide vacancies created by the heterogeneous reaction of OH with alkali halide single crystals.

The heterogeneous surface reaction of OH with dry KI(100) results in iodide vacancies in the surface lattice sites that are filled with OH to generate a stable layer of KOH. Under high-vacuum conditions, in which surface ions are not mobile, the reaction is self-passivating and generates two molecular layers of potassium hydroxide, releasing 1.6 × 1016 iodide ions per cm2 of surface area. Reaction rates are identical with those of NaI(100). A similar surface reaction occurs with alkali bromides (KBr(100)), albeit at a much slower rate to generate approximately one-tenth of a monolayer of KOH, whereas no observable reaction occurs with KCl(100) under the conditions of this experiment. The heterogeneous reaction of OH with alkali halides is found to be dependent solely on the identity of the halide anion and independent of the alkali metal cation with the relative reaction rates following the anion ordering, I− > Br− > Cl−. The release of halide-containing species is expected to impact the chemistry of the ...
Tables of subgroups, site groups and interchange groups of symmetry point groups and the construction of SALCs☆

Abstract A table listing subgroups and supergroups of 43 chemically important symmetry point groups is presented. Other tables give the site groups and the corresponding interchange groups for those point groups which are of finite order. It is shown how the tables may be used to facilitate the structure determination of metal-ligand and related compounds from spectroscopic data and how the construction of symmetry adapted linear combinations. SALCs, may be simplified. The tables also may be used in factor group analysis.
Age estimation from the number of teeth erupted in young children: an aid to demographic surveys.

The reporting of children’s ages by parents is surprisingly inaccurate in many innumerate societies, but accurate knowledge of age is important for estimating recent changes in demographic rates. The timing of the eruption of children’s teeth is largely independent of environmental influences and can provide a relatively accurate and unbiased estimate of a child’s age. We have collected published data from 42 studies of children’s dentition and have transformed them into estimates of age for children with particular numbers of teeth. We present estimates for different populations, but the lack of significant differences between these estimates justifies the use of a standard set.
Increased germination rates of Baldcypress and Pondcypress seed following treatments affecting the seed coat

The effects of seed-coat removal, warm-water soaking, cold stratification, dry-cold storage and acid treatment on the germination of baldcypress (Taxodium distichum (L.) Rich.) and pondcypress (Taxodium distichum var. nutans (Ait.) Sweet) seed were studied. Removal of the hard seed coat resulted in a prompt and high percent germination, indicating that there was no physiological embryo dormancy. Cold stratification, warm-water soaking and acid treatment did not increase percent germination over the control after a 60-day germination period. They did promote the rate of germination however, having a significantly higher germination at 30 days. Dry-cold storage promoted the initial rate of germination, but resulted in a decreased percent germination below the control after 60 days. The above results suggest that moisture, and not cold, was the crucial component of stratification. The improved germination rate following acid treatment further suggests that any treatment which rendered the seed coat more permeable or softened it was more effective in increasing the rate of germination of baldcypress and pondcypress seed.
Systematic Behaviors of ab-plane Pinning Variations in a Practical Length Wire Fabricated by the MOD/RABiTS Process

In-field critical current Ic variations, detected using a short sample, angular Ic(77K, H=5.2kOe, Angle) measurement on the ends of a 20 m coated conductor tape fabricated by the MOD / RABiTS process, are shown to be variations in the Ic(H) anisotropy that exist on sub-centimeter length scales. A Ic(75 K, H, Angle) study was performed on segments cut from the tape where the power law exponent of the field dependence, α, Ic ~H-α was calculated for Ic(H, Angle) data. Two extrema behaviors, anisotropic and isotropic, were identified. The isotropic material is shown to outperform the anisotropic material for a wide range of fields and angles at T=26 K.
The effects of actithiazic acid on egg white-induced biotin deficiency and upon the microbial formation of biotin vitamers in the rat.

Abstract Actithiazic acid, an antibiotic known to interfere with the biotin metabolism of certain bacteria, did not significantly increase or decrease the degree of biotin deficiency (measured by liver and muscle total biotin content) induced in the rat by administration of raw egg white. Two biotin-like substances, “avidin uncombinable biotin” (AUB) and SC factor, have been found in the supernatant of Escherichia coli cultures as well as in the urine and stool of the rat. The “avidin uncombinable biotin” of the urine of actithiazic acid-treated rats was increased about ten times over the concentration of AUB found in the urine of untreated controls. The AUB of the stool was similarly but less consistently increased. The AUB and SC factors are normally produced in small quantities by E. coli , but under the influence of actithiazic acid this production is increased five-to tenfold. This increase of biotin vitamers was found in supernatants of cultures of crude rat stool flora and in pure cultures of a coliform organism (isolated from this rat stool) as well as in similar cultures of a pure strain of E. coli K-12. These findings suggest an enteric origin of AUB and SC. Moreover, no AUB could be detected in rat muscle or liver, as contrasted with the large amounts found in stool and urine. No significant amount of “true” biotin is elaborated into the medium by E. coli , although the organisms themselves contain considerable biotin in bound form. AUB and SC have been separated chromatographically, but their chemical identification has not been accomplished.
Three‐Dimensional Echocardiographic Assessment of Patent Foramen Ovale in Platypnea‐Orthodeoxia

Platypnea-orthodeoxia is an uncommon syndrome characterized by positional dyspnea and hypoxia when upright that improves with lying down. We present a 75-year-old man with platypnea-orthodeoxia in the setting of a patent foramen ovale (PFO) and a 2.1 cm highly mobile atrial septal aneurysm with 2 cm bowing. Prior reports have established the use of three-dimensional echocardiography to facilitate percutaneous closure of PFO and atrial septal defect, but its use in patients with platypnea-orthodeoxia is unclear. We document three-dimensional echocardiographic images that accurately estimated PFO defect size and confirmed placement of the occluder device.
Age-related macular degeneration and antioxidant vitamins: recent findings.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW The purpose of the present review is to evaluate the most recent evidence for a role of antioxidant nutrients in the prevention or delay in progression of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a major cause of visual impairment and blindness in the aging population. RECENT FINDINGS Recent human studies (>2008) report a decreased AMD risk with increased intakes of lutein/zeaxanthin, B vitamins, zinc and docosahexaenoic acid but an increased risk with increased intakes of beta-carotene and vitamin E. These latter findings are inconsistent with previous reports (<2008). SUMMARY Findings on the association of certain antioxidants and docosahexaenoic acid support a role for nutrition in a decreased risk of AMD. The inconsistent findings of an increased risk with increased intake of beta-carotene and vitamin E warrants continued investigation into these relationships.
Workweek Optimization of Experimental Designs: Exact Designs for Variable Sampling Costs

An optimal experimental design combines high-quality parameter estimation with efficient use of resources. This paper proposes a new method for heuristic optimization of experimental designs in the presence of variable sampling costs. The method finds the inexpensive designs with desirable statistical qualities and provides substantial insight regarding the relative importance (in monetary terms) of sampling at specific design points. The method is illustrated within the context of a start-stop exposure study in aquatic toxicology. Fast heuristics enable the analyses of a large range of sensitivity issues and examination of trade-offs between information and cost. The method is described for designs in which replicate sampling is prohibited; a generalization allowing for replicate sampling is provided as an appendix in the online supplemental materials.
Fatigue and the electromechanical efficiency of the vastus medialis and vastus lateralis muscles.

Abstract Context: The relationship between the amplitudes of the mechanomyographic (MMG) and electromyographic (EMG) signals has been used to examine the “electromechanical efficiency” (EME) of nor...
Educating Citizens in a Multicultural Society: The Case of South Korea

South Korean society is in transition toward a multicultural society. Integrating multicultural education into current citizenship education is challenging for the society. Historically, many national tragedies have created the unique characteristics of what being Korean means. South Korean social studies curriculum emphasized that Korea is a monolithic society with one language, one history, and one ethnicity. In recent years, however, the number of foreigners living in South Korea dramatically increases because of work, study, and marriage. As they become be members of Korean society, it is necessary that South Koreans acknowledge diverse groups in the society and revise a long-held belief about who we, as Koreans, are. To this end, the Korean social studies curriculum should include more information about as well as respect and promote ethnic, cultural, and social diversity. Social studies teachers should attempt various activities to promote students’ understanding of current social changes in South K...
National study of barriers to timely primary care and emergency department utilization among Medicaid beneficiaries.

Study objective We compare the association between barriers to timely primary care and emergency department (ED) utilization among adults with Medicaid versus private insurance. Methods We analyzed 230,258 adult participants of the 1999 to 2009 National Health Interview Survey. We evaluated the association between 5 specific barriers to timely primary care (unable to get through on telephone, unable to obtain appointment soon enough, long wait in the physician's office, limited clinic hours, lack of transportation) and ED utilization (≥1 ED visit during the past year) for Medicaid and private insurance beneficiaries. Multivariable logistic regression models adjusted for demographics, socioeconomic status, health conditions, outpatient care utilization, and survey year. Results Overall, 16.3% of Medicaid and 8.9% of private insurance beneficiaries had greater than or equal to 1 barrier to timely primary care. Compared with individuals with private insurance, Medicaid beneficiaries had higher ED utilization overall (39.6% versus 17.7%), particularly among those with barriers (51.3% versus 24.6% for 1 barrier and 61.2% versus 28.9% for ≥2 barriers). After adjusting for covariates, Medicaid beneficiaries were more likely to have barriers (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 1.41; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.30 to 1.52) and higher ED utilization (adjusted OR 1.48; 95% CI 1.41 to 1.56). ED utilization was even higher among Medicaid beneficiaries with 1 barrier (adjusted OR 1.66; 95% CI 1.44 to 1.92) or greater than or equal to 2 barriers (adjusted OR 2.01; 95% CI 1.72 to 2.35) compared with that for individuals with private insurance and barriers. Conclusion Compared with individuals with private insurance, Medicaid beneficiaries were affected by more barriers to timely primary care and had higher associated ED utilization. Expansion of Medicaid eligibility alone may not be sufficient to improve health care access.
Role of polymer conformation in interparticle-bridging dominated flocculation

Abstract Flocculation of alumina with a dual polymer combination (polydiallyl dimethyl ammonium chloride and polyacrylic acid) is compared in this study with individual polymers. Zeta potential and conformational characteristics of the system are studied in order to determine the role of these properties in determining flocculation. The dual polymer system is shown to yield markedly better flocculation than either single polymer. Analysis of flocculation results along with the zeta potential measurements under corresponding conditions showed polydiallyl dimethyl ammonium chloride flocculation of alumina to be mainly electrostatic while polyacrylic acid flocculation to be polymer bridging at high pH and charge neutralization at low pH. The role of polymer conformation was found to be very important upon isolating the electrostatic effect by comparing the flocculation results under constant zeta potential. Polymer conformation in solution as well as at the solid–liquid interface can be altered by changing solution conditions and complexation with another polymer. It was shown that by manipulating polymer conformation, the flocculation can be greatly enhanced even at very low polymer dosage. In the specific case studied, the stretched and strongly adsorbed polymer was found to give excellent flocculation.
Human IFNγ Receptor Cytoplasmic Domain: Expression and Interaction with HuIFNγ

Abstract To investigate the structural basis for human interferon gamma (huIFNγ) binding to intracellular regions of the human IFNγ receptor (huIFNγR), we have subcloned and expressed the huIFNγR free of fusion proteins in the yeast strainPichia pastoris.HuIFNγ bound to the cytoplasmic domain of the receptor via the IFNγ C-terminus. Binding was inhibited by both human and mouse C-terminus peptides. N-terminus peptides failed to inhibit cytoplasmic binding. Thus, while extracellular receptor domain binding is species specific, binding to the cytoplasmic domain of the receptor is species non-specific. In solid-phase binding assays, IFNγ had a Kdof 3.7 × 10−8M for the newly expressed cytoplasmic domain. Peptide competitions showed that IFNγ bound to a receptor site corresponding to the membrane proximal residues 253-287, which is adjacent to the site of binding of the tyrosine kinase JAK2. The cytoplasmic binding affinity and binding site specificity suggest that the huIFNγR cytoplasmic domain can function independent of the extracellular domain to bind huIFNγ and induce the biological activity previously associated with internalized huIFNγ.
Heat-Induced Redistribution of Disulfide Bonds in Milk Proteins. 2. Disulfide Bonding Patterns between Bovine β-Lactoglobulin and κ-Casein

Heat treatment of milk causes the heat-denaturable whey proteins to aggregate with kappa-casein (kappa-CN) via thiol-disulfide bond interchange reactions. The particular disulfide bonds that are important in the aggregates are uncertain, although Cys(121) of beta-lactoglobulin (beta-LG) has been implicated. The reaction at 60 degrees C between beta-LG A and an activated kappa-CN formed small disulfide-bonded aggregates. The tryptic peptides from this model system included a peptide with a disulfide bond between a Cys residue in the triple-Cys peptide [beta-LG(102-124)] and kappa-CN Cys(88) and others between kappa-CN Cys(88) or kappa-CN Cys(11) and beta-LG Cys(160). Only the latter two novel disulfide bonds were identified in heated (90 degrees C/20 min) milk. Application of computational search tools, notably MS2Assign and SearchXLinks, to the mass spectrometry (MS) and collision-induced dissociation (CID)-MS data was very valuable for identifying possible disulfide-bonded peptides. In two instances, peptides with measured masses of 4275.07 and 2312.07 were tentatively assigned to beta-LG(102-135):kappa-CN(11-13) and beta-LG A(61-69):kappa-CN(87-97), respectively. However, sequencing using the CID-MS data demonstrated that they were, in fact, beta-LG(1-40) and beta-LG(41-60), respectively. This study supports the notion that reversible intramolecular disulfide-bond interchange precedes the intermolecular interchange reactions.
Coding and Signal Inference in Compressive Holography

Compressive sensing enables highly accurate signal reconstruction from fewer measurements than the number of samples in a signal to be estimated. This paper describes a theoretical framework for 3-D tomographic reconstruction from 2-D holographic measurements.
Book Rvw: Laser Spectroscopy: Basic Concepts and Instrumentation, Second Enlarged Edition. By W. Demtroder

This PDF file contains the editorial “Book Rvw: Laser Spectroscopy: Basic Concepts and Instrumentation, Second Enlarged Edition," by W. Demtroder for OE Vol. 35 Issue 11
The Long QT Syndrome: Ion Channel Diseases of the Heart

Once limited to discussions of the Jervell and Lange-Nielsen syndrome and Romano-Ward syndrome, the long QT syndrome (LQTS) is now understood to be a collection of genetically distinct arrhy thmogenic cardiovascular disorders resulting from mutations in fundamental cardiac ion channels that orchestrate the action potential of the human heart. Our understanding of this genetic "channelopathy" has increased dramatically from electro-cardiographic depictions of marked QT interval prolongation and torsades de pointes and clinical descriptions of people experiencing syncope and sudden death to molecular revelations in the 1990s of perturbed ion channel genes. More than 35 mutations in four cardiac ion channel genes—KVLQT1 (voltage-gated K channel gene causing one of the autosomal dominant forms of LQT5) (LQT1), HERG (human ether-a-go-go related gene) (LQT2), SCN5A (LQT3), and KCNE1 (minK, LQT5)—have been identified in LQTS. These genes encode ion channels responsible for three of the fundamental ionic currents in the cardiac action potential. These exciting molecular breakthroughs have provided new opportunities for translationsl research with investigations into genotype-phenotype correlations and gene-targeted therapies.
Enterprise Resource Planning Systems and Communicative Action

Abstract Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems represent a quantum leap in integrated, entity-wide information systems. Managers are implementing these enterprise-wide systems in organizations of all sizes and types. Ironically, by implementing such all-encompassing and prespecified systems, organizational managers in effect lose control of the strategic and operational processes and models that frame and instantiate the enterprise's management information system and ultimately their actions. These systems are designed and developed by the software vendor and the “best-practices” are embedded in the standardized software by the vendor's system developers. We develop a framework grounded in Habermas’ theory of communicative action that provides a description of the context within which ERP systems are developed and implemented. The framework also facilitates a critique of the underlying ideologies and assumptions associated with, and incorporated into, the ERP system design. The presentation opens with a discussion of ERP systems and the extent of their proliferation over the organizational landscape. The implications for the management and control of work organizations are also considered. Next, a Habermasian framework is developed and used in analyzing the cultural and social context within which ERP systems are developed and implemented. The efficacy of the system is illustrated using a reported system implementation.
The effect of ethanol metabolism on ferritin uptake by freshly isolated rat hepatocytes: is acetaldehyde responsible for this alteration?

Alcohol abuse is associated with disturbances to iron metabolism in man, ranging from anemia to siderosis. Also seen in these patients are increased serum ferritin levels. Since the liver not only stores iron in cytosolic ferritin, but has also been shown to take up this molecule from the plasma by an active transport mechanism, it has been suggested that the iron in this circulating ferritin may contribute to the increased incidence of siderosis seen in alcoholics. As part of an ongoing study of these disturbances, using a rat model, we have examined the uptake of ferritin by freshly isolated hepatocyte suspensions to test the hypothesis that increased hepatocyte uptake of ferritin iron contributes to the siderosis seen in some alcoholics. Incubation of hepatocytes in the presence of ethanol resulted in a progressive reduction in uptake with increasing alcohol concentration, from 1.23 ± 0.05 ng of ferritin/106 cells/min to 0.65 ± 0.02 ng/106 cells/min (mean ± SD) at an ethanol concentration of 100 mM. 4-Methylpyrarole (0.1 mM) restored 70% of this activity, but higher concentrations also decreased ferritin uptake in the absence of ethanol. The addition of 5 μM cyanamide decreased ferritin uptake slightly in the presence of ethanol (0.82 ± 0.04 ng of ferritin/106 hepatocytes/min vs. 0.86 ± 0.03 ng/106 cells/min for ethanol alone), while having no effect in the absence of ethanol (1.01 ± 0.04 vs. 1.12 ± 0.05 ng/106 cells/min). Preincubation of the hepatocytes with acetaldehyde resulted in a dose-dependent reduction to a maximum reduction of approximately 25% at 300 μM acetaldehyde. These data suggest that, contrary to our initial hypothesis, ethanol has an acute inhibitory effect on ferritin uptake by the hepatocyte. This effect appears to be mediated by acetaldehyde production, resulting from ethanol metabolism.
Placebo-Controlled Trials in Type 2 Diabetes

Papers published by U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) employees are required to state that the opinions expressed do not necessarily represent the official position of the FDA. With respect to the ethics of placebo-controlled trials, it is fair to say that my views are almost completely the opposite. Through letters to newspapers (1,2) and medical journals (3), I have attempted to point out the very problem that David S.H. Bell has identified in his letter to Diabetes Care (4). My personal view is that trials of new drugs should try to mirror the conditions in which the drugs will actually be used. Patient volunteers should not be expected to accept a standard of care that would be unacceptable in other settings. If the scientific situation requires that patients be willing to accept additional risk or discomfort, the proposition should be put to them by someone other than the physician on whom they are dependent. Although straightforward enough to me, these views have received little support from the people who run FDA. An explanation—of what might be considered the FDA position—can be found in the writings of Dr. Robert Temple. His major argument is that placebo-controlled trials are necessary to prove efficacy in conditions whose natural …
Transport of trapped-ion qubits in a scalable architecture

Trapped-ion qubits can be transported through a two-dimensional trap array, while maintaining the ions near the motional ground-state. This helps demonstrate the viability of large-scale quantum processor architectures using trapped-ions.
Lunar samples, lunar accretion and the early bombardment of the Moon

The cratering history of the moon is reexamined taking data acquired over the last decade into account along with a newly accepted concept concerning the moon's origin. It is found that predictions of a heavy bombardment are not fulfilled by lunar characteristics as understood from sample and remote sensing studies, nor by lunar accretion history. There is strong evidence for the reality for a short, intense, cataclysmic bombardment at about 3.85 Ga.