cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Unified Approach to Conformational Statistics of Classical Polymer and Polypeptide Models.

We present a unified method to generate conformational statistics, which can be applied to any of the classical discrete-chain polymer models. The proposed method employs the concepts of Fourier transform and generalized convolution for the group of rigid-body motions in order to obtain probability density functions of chain end-to-end distance. In this paper, we demonstrate the proposed method with three different cases: the freely rotating model, independent torsion-angle energy model, and interdependent pair-wise energy model (the last two are also well-known as the rotational isomeric state model). As for numerical examples, for simplicity, we assume homogeneous polymer chains. For the freely rotating model, we verify the proposed method by comparing with well-known closed-form results for mean-squared end-to-end distance. In the interdependent pair-wise energy case, we take polypeptide chains such as polyalanine and polyvaline as examples.
Species Diversity of a Stratified Oak-Hickory Community

The herb, shrub, understory, and canopy strata (each arbitrarily delineated by size classes) were sampled separately. The latter two were sampled by a series of two different plot sizes and by a plotless sampling technique. Diversity (= —Σpi ln pi) of each stratum was estimated for each set of census data. Species diversity within a stratum was independent of sample plot size above a minimum cumulative area. Estimates of diversity based on plotless and plot samples gave similar values. It was suggested that diversity of a stratified community could be determined by pooling the data needed to estimated diversity of each stratum. See full-text article at JSTOR
The role of pre-replication and post-replication processes in mutation induction in Haemophilus influenzae by N-methyl-N′-nitro-N-nitrodoguanidine

Abstract Studies were cariied out on the repair and fixation of premutation damage induced in Haemophilus influenzae by N -methyl- N ′-nitro- N -nitrosoguanidine (MNNG). The studies employed a temperature-sensitive DNA elongation mutant ( dna9 ) andits combinations with mutants defective in pyrimidine dimer excision ( uvr1, uvr2 ) and in recombination ( rec1 ). The dna9 mutant is shown to be leaky, allowing about 1% of the normal rate of DNA synthesis at the restrictive temperature. Repair of premutational lesions was detected by a decline in mutation frequency with incresing delay in DNA replication in dna9 at the restrictive temperature. This repair is unaffected by the pyrimidine dimer excision system. Mutation fixation was detected by the ability of DNA from treated and then lysed cells to transfer mutants to recipient cells by transformation. Some fixation occurred at the restrictive temperature but much less than at the non-restrictive temperature suggesting that an appreciable minority of the mutations resulted from lesions introduced near the replication fork but that the majority of mutations arise from lesions introduced at some distance from the fork, perhaps randomly. The DNA synthesized immediately after MNNG treatments is of lower molecular wieght than normal and returns to normal with time. This return is blocked in the rec1 mutant, suggesting that recombination is involved. The possible role of this process in MNNG mutagenesis is discussed.
Nonconsensual clinical trials: a foreseeable risk of offshoring under global corporatism.

This paper explores the connection of offshoring and outsourcing to nonconsensual global pharmaceutical trials in low-income countries. After discussing reasons why the topic of nonconsensual offshored clinical trials may be overlooked in bioethics literature, I suggest that when pharmaceutical corporations offshore clinical trials today, nonconsensual experiments are often foreseeable and not simply the result of aberrant ethical conduct by a few individuals. Offshoring of clinical trials is structured so that experiments can be presented as health care in a unique form of outsourcing from the host country to pharmaceutical corporations. Bioethicists’ assessments of the risks and potential benefits of offshore corporate pharmaceutical trials should therefore systematically include not only the hoped for benefits and the risks of the experimental drug but also the risk that subjects will not have consented, as well as the broader international consequences of nonconsensual experimentation.
Risk of Venous Access Device Wound Complications in Patients Undergoing Paclitaxel Chemotherapy for Gynecologic Malignancies

Abstract Objective. To determine if wound complications after placement of a central venous catheter access device are related to the type of postsurgical cytotoxic chemotherapy administered. Methods. All patients in a 10-year period undergoing placement of central venous access device followed by postsurgical chemotherapy for gynecologic malignancies were included in this retrospective case–control study. Results. Sixty-eight patients underwent 78 placement procedures followed by chemotherapy. Six catheters (7.7%) in five patients developed wound complications. Variables evaluated included the type of gynecologic malignancy, previous use of chemotherapy, patient age and weight, preoperative white blood cell count, type of access device and insertion site, use of prophylactic antibiotics, type of chemotherapy and interval to administration, development of wound complication, and catheter removal. Univariate analysis shows an association between subsequent catheter site wound complication and paclitaxel use ( P = 0.02) as well as wound complication and combined paclitaxel and cisplatin use ( P = 0.005). Multivariate analysis with stepwise linear regression confirms that a paclitaxel containing regimen is associated with an increase in wound breakdown ( P = 0.04). Conclusion. The use of a paclitaxel containing chemotherapeutic regimen administered after placement of an indwelling central venous access device in gynecologic oncology patients is associated with wound complications of the catheter site.
NMR adventures in the metabolic labyrinth within plants

The era of metabolic engineering has begun, but there is only limited knowledge about metabolic fluxes and how they are regulated in plants. Particular challenges are the non-linearities between enzyme abundances, metabolite concentrations and metabolic fluxes, and the existence of metabolic networks that provide multiple routes between many important metabolites. NMR offers the means to distinguish and quantitate the fluxes along different routes to key metabolites. NMR can therefore help us understand and resolve the apparent paradox of, on the one hand, great metabolic flexibility evident in the natural responses of plants and, on the other hand, the unpredictable changes in metabolism reported in genetically engineered plants.
Characterization of internal interfaces by atom probe field ion microscopy

The near atomic spatial resolution of the atom probe field ion microscope permits the elemental characterization of internal interfaces, grain boundaries and surfaces to be performed in a wide variety of materials. Information such as the orientation relationship between grains, topology of the interface, and the coherency of small precipitates with the surrounding matrix may be obtained from field ion microscopy. Details of the solute segregation may be obtained at the plane of the interface and as a function of distance from the interface for all elements simultaneously from atom probe compositional analysis. The capabilities and limitations of the atom probe technique in the characterization of internal interfaces is illustrated with examples of grain boundaries and interphase interfaces in a wide range of materials including intermetallics, model alloys, and commercial steels.
OMVPE growth of InAsSb using novel precursors

InAs, InSb, InAsSb and the related bismuth containing alloys are useful materials for infrared applications. A significant effort has been expended to develop new group III and group V precursors for organometallic vapor phase epitaxial (OMVPE) growth of these materials at low temperatures. We report the first use of a rarely studied group III source, triisopropylindium (TIPIn), together with the novel As and Sb precursors tertiarybutylarsine (TBAs) and tertiarybutyldimethylantimony (TBDMSb) for the growth of InAs and InAsSb epitaxial layers by atmospheric pressure OMVPE. InAs layers with good surface morphologies were obtained for growth temperatures as low as 300°C and low values of frsol|V/III ratio. Use of a high total flow rate and a reactor having a small volume upstream of the substrate alleviates the parasitic reaction problems reported earlier. This results in 3–5 × increase in the growth efficiency. Values of room temperature electron concentration, n, for InAs samples were found to range between 3 × 1018 cm−3 for layers grown at 300°C to 9 × 1016 cm−3 for layers grown at 400°C. These values of n are about an order of magnitude less than previously reported for InAs grown at the same temperature using either TMIn or EDMIn with AsH3 or TBAs. InAs1−xSbx (0 < x < 0.7) layers were grown at 350°C with excellent surface morphologies for low frsol|V/III ratios. The layers have free electron concentrations ranging from 9 × 1016 to 4 × 1017 cm−3. X-ray diffraction data and 10 K photoluminescence spectra indicate that both the InAs and InAsSb layers grown at low temperatures using the new precursor combination are far superior to layers grown using other precursors.
Isolation and characterization of barley stripe mosaic virus protein.

Abstract Degradation of barley stripe mosaic virus (BSMV) by calcium chloride yielded a nucleic acid-free protein component suitable for characterization. Immunodiffusion patterns of BSMV-protein showed several antigens: a slowly diffusing major antigen showing partial identity with BSMV, and two faster diffusing minor antigens identical to those formed on the degradation of BSMV or BSMV-protein with Leonil SA, an anionic detergent. These latter two minor antigens were identical to nonsedimentable virus-related antigens present in the crude sap of BSMV-infected barley. BSMV-protein above pH 6.3–6.4 has an electrophoretic mobility two-thirds that of BSMV. At pH 6.0 electrophoretic mobilities of the protein were indistinguishable from those of the intact virus. This increase in electrophoretic mobility was correlated with a polymerization of the protein into viruslike rods as observed by electron microscopy.
Structure and Stability of the Twofold Surface of Icosahedral Al-Pd-Mn by Low-Energy Electron Diffraction and X-Ray Photoemission Spectroscopy

We have used low-energy electron diffraction and x-ray photoemission spectroscopy to investigate the structure of the twofold surface of icosahedral Al-Pd-Mn. The regrowth of the surface by annealing after sputtering took place in two distinct stages. The first stage was the appearance of a fine-grained surface phase with icosahedral, or near-icosahedral, symmetry. For higher annealing temperatures (above 800K) a bulk terminated face-centered icosahedral surface was observed. {copyright} {ital 1997} {ital The American Physical Society}
Solution conformation of a cyclophilin-bound proline isomerase substrate

Cyclophilin (CyP) is the 17.8-kDa cytosolic receptor of the immunosuppressant cyclosporin A (CsA) and also a peptidyl prolyl cis-trans isomerase (PPIase). In order to gain insights into the PPIase mechanism, transferred nuclear Overhauser effect (TRNOE) measurements by two-dimensional 1H NMR were used to determine the conformation of the isomerase-bound standard model substrate suc-AAPF-pNA. Results indicate a cis-like conformation for the CyP-bound substrate with the A-P peptide bond being no more than 40 degrees out of planarity.
Pulsars and Ancient Chinese Records of Supernova Explosions

THE discovery of a pulsar near the Crab Nebula with an apparently increasing period of 0.03309 s (F. D. Drake at the fourth Texas symposium on relativistic astrophysics, 1968) and the earlier detection of another short period pulsar (PSR 0833–45) at the site of the supernova remnant Vela X (ref. 1) seem to support the idea that pulsars are associated with the end product of supernova explosions, presumably the neutron stars. The rate of pulsation is fastest when the star is young but gradually slows down to ∼ 1 s. To test further such a hypothesis, it will be interesting to look for more pulsars associated with supernovae of known age. No doubt radio astronomers have already started searching for fast pulsars at the sites of two other well known historical supernovae, Tycho and Kepler. Examination of ancient oriental records on suspected supernovae events, however, suggests some more promising candidates. They were at the explosion as bright as or brighter than the Crab supernova. Hence they could be close enough for pulsars associated with them to be within the detectable range.
Data visualization for fraud detection: Practice implications and a call for future research

Analysis of data to detect transaction anomalies is an important fraud detection procedure. Interactive data visualization tools that allow the investigator to change the representation of data from text to graphics and filter out subsets of transactions for further investigation have substantial potential for making the detection of fraudulent transactions more efficient and effective. However, little research to date has directly examined the efficacy of data visualization techniques for fraud detection. In this paper, we develop a theoretical framework to predict when and how investigators might use data visualization techniques to detect fraudulent transactions. We use this framework to develop testable propositions and research questions related to this topic. The paper concludes by discussing how academic research might proceed in investigating the efficacy of interactive data visualization tools for fraud detection.
Network perspectives on ecological indicators and actuators: Enfolding, observability, and controllability

Abstract The subject of ecological indicators is both complex and technical. Indicators are low signal/noise read-outs from systems reflecting deeply embedded processes. Informal, single factor indicators reflect superficial properties. Complex systems require formal, multifactorial measures. Conceptual basis, importance and bandwidth of variables, reliability and statistical properties, data and skill requirements, data quality and archiving, robustness under technology change, and cost/benefit issues are factors in indicator design. Network models enable formalism to be brought to the indicator problem. Networks are oriented in time-forward and reverse directions, giving rise to environs. Output environs span network flows derived from inputs, and input environs encompass flows leading to outputs. Both have mathematical descriptions. Variable embedding is a key difficulty in defining and interpreting indicators. Formally, all system energy and matter flows are enfolded within each empirical stock and flow. Embedding in output flows is the source of low signal/noise ratios of indicators. Network enfolding is a powerful expression of systemic holism and the source of what is termed the “indicator problem”. Observability and controllability are formal system properties related, respectively, to indication and its reciprocal, actuation. These are defined and illustrated for simple cases. Composite systems have mixed controllable (c), observable (o), uncontrollable (c′), or unobservable (o′) elements, in four possible combinations—(c, o), (c, o′), (c′, o), and (c′, o′). To exert control based on indicators, what available indicators indicate must be matched to what available actuators actuate. That is, (c, o) sectors must jointly be in output environs of manipulated inputs and input environs of indicator outputs—the relevant environs must intersect. If Sa is a linear system to be controlled and Sb a linear controller, theory gives that if Sa and Sb are individually controllable (c) or observable (o), then any uncontrollable (c′) or unobservable (o′) elements of the control system SaSbSa … will always be in Sb, never in Sa. This means the system to be controlled can be ignored as a source of c′ or o′, and improved control can be sought exclusively within the management system, Sb. Though this is limited to linear systems, it illustrates how formal theory can help structure the indicator problem and its relationship to management. A wildlife management (deer) example is discussed both without and with modeling incorporated into Sb. Application of ecological indicators to monitor and manage complex systems is a difficult technical problem. Guidance from formal theory can help clarify its technical dimensions.
Idebenone Induces Apoptotic Cell Death in the Human Dopaminergic Neuroblastoma SHSY-5Y Cells

Idebenone is a coenzyme Q10 analog and an antioxidant that has been used clinically to treat Friedreich Ataxia. Being an antioxidant, idebenone could have potential therapeutic potential to treat other neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s disease in which oxidative stress plays a role in their pathogenesis. But whether idebenone can be used to treat Parkinson’s disease has not been evaluated. In this study, we found that exposure of the dopaminergic neuroblastoma SHSY-5Y cells to 1–10 μM idebenone for 72 h had no effect on the cell viability revealed by trypan blue exclusion assay and MTT assay. However, cells exposed to 25 μM or higher concentrations of idebenone showed extensive trypan blue-positive staining and significant reduction in cell viability revealed by MTT assay indicating that most of the cells were no longer viable. Idebenone-induced cell death was characterized by genomic DNA fragmentation and accumulation of cytochrome c in the cytosol indicating that the death was apoptotic in nature. In addition, idebenone induced an increase in the total RNA of the pro-apoptosis protein BAX, it also increased the caspase-3 activity in the cell lysates when compared with the untreated control cells or cells exposed to 10 μM or lower concentrations of idebenone. The detrimental effect of idebenone was attenuated by glutathione, an antioxidant, suggesting that oxidative stress contributed to the idebenone-induced cell death. In conclusion, our results suggest that antioxidant idebenone induced apoptosis when used in high concentrations.
Evidence for Physical and Functional Association Between EMB-5 and LIN-12 in Caenorhabditis elegans

The Caenorhabditis elegans LIN-12 and GLP-1 proteins are members of the LIN-12/Notch family of receptors for intercellular signals that specify cell fate. Evidence presented here suggests that the intracellular domains of LIN-12 and GLP-1 interact with the C. elegans EMB-5 protein and that the emb-5 gene functions in the same pathway as the lin-12 and glp-1 genes. EMB-5 is similar in sequence to a yeast protein that controls chromatin structure. Hence, a direct consequence of LIN-12 or GLP-1 activation may be an alteration of chromatin structure that produces changes in transcriptional activity.
Psychological concepts in a parallel system

Abstract : Many parallel information processing systems have ben proposed which are loosely based on architecture of the nervous system. Many of the testable predictions of these systems fall in the realm of cognitive science since they perform some 'computations' well and some poorly and have pronounced 'psychologies'. In such system, simple elements are connected to each other; the elements act like 'neurons' in that they sum excitation and inhibition from other elements. Information is represented as large state vectors of element activities, and it can be shown that simple 'synaptic' learing rules can serve to associate arbitrary state vectors using a matrix of connections. One version of this class of models has been shown,, in the past to form concepts and to perform classification computations. This paper discusses the general importance and structure of psychological concepts and describes three simulations of a simple neural model that attempts to reproduce a few of the important properties of human concept formation. Prototypes; Neural Models; Neural nets.
The cost of cowardice: punitive sentiments towards free riders in Turkana raids

Abstract Models indicate that large-scale cooperation can be sustained by indirect reciprocity or direct punishment, but the relative importance of these mechanisms is unresolved. Unlike direct punishment, indirect sanctions can be meted out without cost to the sanctioner, but direct punishment is advantageous when the scale of cooperation exceeds the network size of individuals. It is of great interest to assess the importance of these mechanisms in small-scale acephalous groups in which people have lived for most of our evolutionary history. Here we evaluate sentiments towards free riders in combat among the Turkana, an acephalous nomadic pastoral society in East Africa who periodically mobilize for cattle-raids against neighboring ethnic groups. Using vignette studies, we probed participants' motivation to sanction fictitious warriors who were cowards or deserters in a raid and compared it respectively to their reactions to an unskilled warrior or a warrior who turns back due to illness. Our results indicate that the Turkana are motivated to impose both indirect and direct sanctions on cowards consistent with indirect reciprocity and punishment models of cooperation. Our findings imply that both these mechanisms have shaped human cooperative psychology, and sheds light on how prestate societies solve the collective action problem in warfare.
Development of piezoelectrically actuated micro-aerial vehicles

A discussion of the principles involved in small-scale flight is presented here. In addition, several novel mechanisms have been developed in an attempt to mechanically emulate flapping flight on the meso-scale. Wings are being developed which will exploit particular material properties to emulate the dynamic characteristics of insect wings. The flapping mechanisms developed in this paper use piezoelectric unimorph actuators integrated with compliant, solid-state flexure based mechanisms. Four and five bar linkages are used to convert the linear unimorph output into a single degree-of-freedom rotational flapping motion. Due to their capacitive nature, piezoelectric actuators generally dissipate less power than traditional actuation methods such as electromagnetic mirrors. Piezoelectric actuators possess a high power density and are capable of high force output. They are frequently used to induce structural resonances, making them suitable for use in these devices. The dynamics of these systems rely on the mechanics of flexure mechanisms, the mechanical and electrical behavior of the piezoelectric elements, and the aerodynamic interaction of the wing and the air, resulting in a complex, nonlinear problem.© (1999) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Novel synthesis of cerium oxide nanoparticles for free radical scavenging.

Aims: The aim of this article is to present a novel synthetic route to form CeO2 nanoparticles that protects against the detrimental influence of oxidative stress in mammalian cells. Methods: The noncytotoxic surfactant lecithin was used to synthesize CeO2 nanoparticles and the products were colloidally stabilized in a biocompatible tri-sodium citrate buffer. These nanoparticles were delivered into murine insulinoma βTC-tet cells, and intracellular free radical concentrations responding to exposure to hydroquinone were measured in a variety of extracellular CeO2 concentrations. Results: Well-dispersed, highly crystallized CeO2 nanoparticles of 3.7 nm in size were achieved that are chemically and colloidally stable in Dulbecco’s modified Eagle’s medium for extended periods of time. Treating βTC-tet cells with these nanoparticles alleviated detrimental intracellular free radical levels down to the primary level. Conclusion: CeO2 nanoparticles synthesized from this route are demonstrated to be effective free...
Exploring Multiple Solutions and Multiple Analogies to Support Innovative Design

Idea generation and design-by-analogy is a core part of design. Designers need tools to assist them in developing creative and innovative ideas. Multiple solutions can be developed based on single analog and designers derive principles of design from the analogs (products) they experience. There is little research that discusses creating multiple solutions from a single analog or how multiple analogs can assist designers in mapping high level principles of design. This study explores two phases of design-by-analogy in which designers have difficulty, generating multiple inferences from a single source analog and the identification of high level principles given multiple example analogs in the presence of noise. Two hypotheses are proposed to explore the importance of analogies in design. 1. Multiple solutions can be generated from a single analog. 2. The mapping of high level principles increases with the increase in the number of example analogs and decreases with the amount of noise. The paper presents two laboratory experiments, “Multiple Solutions” and “Multiple Analogies” conducted to answer the proposed research questions and to understand how designers can become better analogical reasoners. The experiments are explained in detail with the methods for collecting data, metrics and the analysis. The results from the pilot experiments show that engineers, when directed to, can create multiple solutions from a single analog. This can allow designers to find better solutions and to evaluate their inferences. Results from the second experiment also indicate the mapping of high level principles increases with an increase in the number of analogs and decreases with distracters. A significant interaction is also observed between these two factors. The results indicate more future work with a greater sample size.
Progress in new semiconductor materials classes for solar photoelectrolysis

For several decades, the main body of research in photoelectrochemical (PEC) hydrogen production has centered on a small number of semiconductor materials classes, including stable but inefficient metal-oxides, as well as some more efficient materials such as III–V compounds which suffer from high cost and poor stability. While demonstrating some limited success in meeting the rigorous PEC demands in terms of bandgap, optical absorption, band-edge alignment, surface energetics, surface kinetics, stability, manufacturability and cost, none of the ‘traditional’ PEC semiconductors are adequate for application in water-splitting devices with high performance (greater than 15% solar-to-hydrogen conversion) and long durability (greater than 200 h life). As a result, it is widely held that new semiconductor classes and configurations need to be identified and developed specifically for practical implementation of solar water-splitting. Examples include ternary and quaternary metal-oxide compounds, as well as non-oxide semiconductor materials, such as silicon-carbide and the copper-chalcopyrites. This paper describes recent progress at the University of Hawaii to develop improved semiconductor absorbers and interfaces for solar photoelectrolysis based on polycrystalline tungsten trioxide and polycrystalline copper-gallium-diselenide. Specific advantages and disadvantages of both materials classes in terms of meeting long-term PEC hydrogen production goals are detailed. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Revisiting the Political Theory of Party Identification

Recently, Lewis-Beck et al. (The American Voter Revisited, 2008b) re-created The American Voter using contemporary data. Although these scholars ultimately conclude that voters today behave in ways that are consistent with the account of voting behavior presented in The American Voter, their work nonetheless highlights the importance and value of re-examining past ideas. Given that Lewis-Beck et al. have re-tested the findings of The American Voter, it is both timely and worthwhile to re-examine Fiorina’s (Retrospective voting in American national elections, 1981) political theory of party identification, which is often seen as a critique of the theory of party identification presented in The American Voter, using newly available panel data. In this paper, I re-examine Fiorina’s (Retrospective voting in American national elections, 1981) political theory of party identification using data from the 2000–2002–2004 NES panel study. In addition to applying Fiorina’s approach to party identification to new data, as a more robust test of Fiorina’s theory, I develop a model of party identification where changes in party identification are modeled as a function of the actual changes in retrospective political evaluations. Overall, my findings are broadly consistent with the findings from Fiorina’s original model of party identification; however, my analysis suggests that the distribution of opinions in the electorate and elite signals may be important to changes in party identification.
The role of apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotype in early mild cognitive impairment (E-MCI)

Objective: Our goal was to evaluate the association of APOE with amyloid deposition, cerebrospinal fluid levels (CSF) of Aβ, tau, and p-tau, brain atrophy, cognition and cognitive complaints in E-MCI patients and cognitively healthy older adults (HC) in the ADNI-2 cohort. Methods: Two-hundred and nine E-MCI and 123 HC participants from the ADNI-2 cohort were included. We evaluated the impact of diagnostic status (E-MCI vs. HC) and APOE e 4s tatus ( e4 positive vs. e4 negative) on cortical amyloid deposition (AV-45/Florbetapir SUVR PET scans), brain atrophy (structural MRI scans processed using voxel-based morphometry and Freesurfer version 5.1), CSF levels of Aβ, tau, and p-tau, and cognitive performance and complaints. Results: E-MCI participants showed significantly impaired cognition, higher levels of cognitive complaints, greater levels of tau and p-tau, and subcortical and cortical atrophy relative to HC participants (p < 0.05). Cortical amyloid deposition and CSF levels of Aβ were significantly associated with APOE e4 status but not E-MCI diagnosis, with e4 positive participants showing more amyloid deposition and lower levels of CSF Aβ than e4 negative participants. Other effects of APOE e4 status on cognition and CSF tau levels were also observed. Conclusions: APOE e4 status is associated with amyloid accumulation and lower CSF Aβ, as well as increased CSF tau levels in early prodromal stages of AD (E-MCI) and HC. Alternatively, neurodegeneration, cognitive impairment, and increased complaints are primarily associated with a diagnosis of E-MCI. These findings underscore the importance of considering APOE genotype when evaluating biomarkers in early stages of disease.
Probability of loss of assured safety in systems with multiple time-dependent failure modes: Representations with aleatory and epistemic uncertainty

Abstract Weak link (WL)/strong link (SL) systems are important parts of the overall operational design of high-consequence systems. In such designs, the SL system is very robust and is intended to permit operation of the entire system under, and only under, intended conditions. In contrast, the WL system is intended to fail in a predictable and irreversible manner under accident conditions and render the entire system inoperable before an accidental operation of the SL system. The likelihood that the WL system will fail to deactivate the entire system before the SL system fails (i.e., degrades into a configuration that could allow an accidental operation of the entire system) is referred to as probability of loss of assured safety (PLOAS). Representations for PLOAS for situations in which both link physical properties and link failure properties are time-dependent are derived and numerically evaluated for a variety of WL/SL configurations, including PLOAS defined by (i) failure of all SLs before failure of any WL, (ii) failure of any SL before failure of any WL, (iii) failure of all SLs before failure of all WLs, and (iv) failure of any SL before failure of all WLs. The indicated formal representations and associated numerical procedures for the evaluation of PLOAS are illustrated with example analyses involving (i) only aleatory uncertainty, (ii) aleatory uncertainty and epistemic uncertainty, and (iii) mixtures of aleatory uncertainty and epistemic uncertainty.
Quantifying habitat complexity in aquatic ecosystems

Summary 1. Many aquatic studies have attempted to relate biological features, such as species diversity, abundance, brain size and behaviour, to measures of habitat complexity. Previous measures of habitat complexity have ranged from simple, habitat-specific variables, such as the number of twigs in a stream, to quantitative parameters of surface topography, such as rugosity. 2. We present a new video-based technique, called optical intensity, for assaying habitat complexity in aquatic ecosystems. Optical intensity is a visual, quantitative technique modifiable for any scale or for a nested analysis. We field-tested the technique in Lake Tanganyika, Tanzania, on 38 quadrats (5 × 5 m) to determine if three freshwater habitats (sand, rock and intermediate) were quantitatively different. 3. A comparison of the values obtained from optical intensity with a previous measure of surface topography (rugosity) showed that the two corresponded well and revealed clear differences among habitats. Both the new measure and rugosity were positively correlated with species diversity, species richness and abundance. Finally, whether used alone or in combination, both measures had predictive value for fish community parameters. 4. This new measure should prove useful to researchers exploring habitat complexity in both marine and freshwater systems.
Complementation of daptomycin dptA and dptD deletion mutations in trans and production of hybrid lipopeptide antibiotics.

Daptomycin is a lipopeptide antibiotic produced by Streptomyces roseosporus and recently commercialized as Cubicin® (daptomycin-for-injection) for treatment of skin and skin-structure infections caused by Gram-positive pathogens. Daptomycin is synthesized by a non-ribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS) encoded by three overlapping genes, dptA, dptBC and dptD. The dptE and dptF genes, immediately upstream of dptA, are likely to be involved in the initiation of daptomycin biosynthesis by coupling decanoic acid to the N-terminal Trp. Analysis of RT-PCR data suggests that dptE, dptF, dptA, dptBC, dptD and possibly other dpt genes are transcribed as one large message; however, it has been demonstrated that sequential translation of these genes from a long transcript is not essential for robust daptomycin production. The dptA and the dptD genes were deleted from the dpt gene cluster, and expressed from ectopic positions in the chromosome under the control of the strong constitutive ermEp* promoter to produce high levels of lipopeptides. This three-locus trans-complementation system was used to produce hybrid lipopeptide antibiotics by introducing the heterologous lptD and cdaPS3 genes from Streptomyces fradiae and Streptomyces coelicolor, respectively, to complement the ΔdptD mutation.
Orbital Compliance in Graves' Eye Disease

Thirty-three patients with Graves' eye disease (GED) and 68 normal subjects had their orbital compliance measured by determining the force generated on retropulsing the eye and also estimated on digital retropulsion, and their eye position determined with an exophthalmometer. Patients with compressive optic neuropathy showed significantly higher mean forward force on retropulsion than other Graves' eye disease patients or normal subjects, supporting the theory that the tissue is compressed in these orbits. There is a suggestion that orbital compliance testing of a GED patient without compressive optic neuropathy may be of value in predicting the risk of the patient developing compressive optic neuropathy. There is no association between the force on ocular retropulsion and the exophthalmometer reading. The digital estimation of the resistance to retropulsion did not reliably suggest the measured forces.
Dietary mercury as related to the blood chemistry in young chickens.

Dietary mercury administered to young broilers at the levels of 0, 5, 25, 125, and 250 ppm via the drinking water did not affect the chemical continuity of the blood. The plasma levels of total glucose, protein, lipid, cholesterol, uric acid, and hemoglobin were not altered consistently at 2, 4, and 6 weeks of age. The blood pH was not affected significantly at 6 weeks of age. These results indicate that the mechanism of mercury toxicity in young chickens is not reflected by the principal circulating metabolic indicators. 13 references, 1 table.
Nonviable Burkholderia mallei Induces a Mixed Th1- and Th2-Like Cytokine Response in BALB/c Mice

Nonviable cell preparations of Burkholderia mallei, the causative agent of glanders, were evaluated as potential vaccine candidates in a BALB/c murine model. Three different B. mallei cell preparations plus Alhydrogel were evaluated: a heat-killed preparation, an irradiation-inactivated preparation, and a preparation of a capsule-negative mutant strain which had been irradiation inactivated. BALB/c mice were vaccinated twice with the different B. mallei preparations, and spleens and sera were collected to determine their cellular and humoral immune responses. All three bacterial cell preparations had essentially the same results in two cellular immune response assays. In a splenocyte proliferation assay, the amount of cell proliferation in response to the homologous immunogen, concanavalin A, or lipopolysaccharide was similar for all the cell preparations. Also, splenocytes from the inoculated mice expressed interleukin 2 (IL-2), gamma interferon, and small amounts of IL-4 and IL-5, and more IL-10 cytokine in the presence of the homologous antigen. When the immunoglobulin subclasses from these mice were examined, they all produced higher levels of IgG1 than IgG2a subclasses. The higher ratio of IgG1 to IgG2a was not due to the amount of the immunogen or the adjuvant (Alhydrogel) used in the BALB/c mice. The cell preparations did not protect the vaccinated mice from a live challenge (>300 50% lethal doses). Our results suggest that in BALB/c mice, a mixed T-helper-cell-like response to nonviable B. mallei is obtained, as demonstrated by a Th1- and Th2-like cytokine response and a Th2-like subclass immunoglobulin response. This may be the reason for the inability of the B. mallei cells that were examined as candidate vaccines to protect the mice from a live challenge.
Molecular cloning, sequencing, and distribution of feline GnRH receptor (GnRHR) and resequencing of canine GnRHR

GnRH receptors play vital roles in mammalian reproduction via regulation of gonadotropin secretion, which is essential for gametogenesis and production of gonadal steroids. GnRH receptors for more than 20 mammalian species have been sequenced, including human, mouse, and dog. This study reports the molecular cloning and sequencing of GnRH receptor (GnRHR) cDNA from the pituitary gland of the domestic cat, an important species in biomedical research. Feline GnRHR cDNA is composed of 981 nucleotides and encodes a 327 amino acid protein. Unlike the majority of mammalian species sequenced so far, but similar to canine GnRHR, feline GnRHR protein lacks asparagine in position three of the extracellular domain of the protein. At the amino acid level, feline GnRHR exhibits 95.1% identity with canine, 93.8% with human, and 88.9% with mouse GnRHR. Comparative sequence analysis of GnRHRs for multiple mammalian species led to resequencing of canine GnRHR, which differed from that previously published by a single base change that translates to a different amino acid in position 193. This single base change was confirmed in dogs of multiple breeds. Reverse transcriptase PCR analysis of GnRHR messenger RNA in different tissues from four normal cats indicated the presence of amplicons of varying lengths, including full-length as well as shortened GnRHR amplicons, pointing to the existence of truncated GnRHR transcripts in the domestic cat. This study is the first insight into molecular composition and expression of feline GnRHR and promotes better understanding of receptor organization, and distribution in various tissues of this species.
The complete ordered ray expansion‐II. Multiphase body wave tomography

SUMMARY In a companion paper (Clarke 1993) we described a method for the calculation of body wave synthetic seismograms, referred to as the ‘Complete Ordered Ray Expansion’. Here we present a new method for the inversion of body wave seismograms, based on the CORE algorithm. This multiphase waveform tomography allows us to incorporate many body wave arrivals from each seismogram in an inversion, vastly increasing the amount of structural information that may be extracted from a set of observed traces. We present an example of a synthetic inversion for a low-velocity anomaly representing a mantle plume, and show that our method allows us to retrieve the major features of the perturbation very successfully. Our computational scheme does not demand excessive storage, but the amount required does grow in proportion to the number of events and stations. We thus investigate the effect of partitioning the procedure, by initially performing trace by trace inversions, and combining the information in a final step. The fact that small amplitude phases are less well constrained in the preliminary inversions leads to a somewhat degraded final image. Nevertheless this technique is useful in situations where a single, full inversion is impractical, or where data become available over an extended period of time.
Closing the Social-Class Achievement Gap A Difference-Education Intervention Improves First-Generation Students’ Academic Performance and All Students’ College Transition

College students who do not have parents with 4-year degrees (first-generation students) earn lower grades and encounter more obstacles to success than do students who have at least one parent with a 4-year degree (continuing- generation students). In the study reported here, we tested a novel intervention designed to reduce this social-class achievement gap with a randomized controlled trial (N = 168). Using senior college students' real-life stories, we conducted a difference-education intervention with incoming students about how their diverse backgrounds can shape what they experience in college. Compared with a standard intervention that provided similar stories of college adjustment without highlighting students' different backgrounds, the difference-education intervention eliminated the social-class achievement gap by increasing first-generation students' tendency to seek out college resources (e.g., meeting with professors) and, in turn, improving their end-of-year grade point averages. The difference-education intervention also improved the college transition for all students on numerous psychosocial outcomes (e.g., mental health and engagement).
Adhesion of Candida albicans to brain tissue of Macaca mulata in an ex vivo assay

An ex vivo adhesion assay was used to examine adhesion of Candida albicans yeast cells to brain tissue of the primate Macaca mulata. Tissues from frontal lobes and striatum (caudate, putamen, and portions of the globus pallidus) were used in the assay. Yeast cells adhered to gray matter at about six times the level of adhesion to white matter. The fungus was able to bind to different cell types within the cortex, basal ganglia, and white matter. Binding to neurons, small neurons or glia, endothelial cells, and neuropil was observed.
Principales hongos fitopatógenos asociados a bulbos almacenados de ajo elefante (Allium ampeloprasum var. holmense) de la zona de Quillota y Nogales (Chile)

Se presentan los primeros antecedentes fitopatologicos referentes a una prospeccion de hongos presentes en bulbos almacenados y plantas de Allium ampeloprasum var. holmense (ajo elefante) provenientes de las zonas de Quillota y Nogales (V Region). A partir de bulbos con diferentes lesiones,se realizaron aislamientos fungicos correspondientes a los siguientes taxa: Penicillium hirsutum, P.aurantiogriseum, P.echinulatum, P.funiculosum, P.rugulosum, Fusarium oxysporum y Embellisia allii. Estos se inocularon para efectuar pruebas de patogenicidad; tanto en bulbos como en plantas en maceta (salvo Penicillium spp.). Los resultados obtenidos en bulbos almacenados indicaron que el principal problema en las muestras analizadas fue Penicillium hirsutum, asociado a lesiones inicialmente hendidas, secas, rodeadas de un halo blanquecino, presentando al cabo de 7 dias una pudricion blanda acuosa que involucraba la totalidad del bulbo, apareciendo posteriormente el moho azul en las lesiones. Los problemas de importancia secundaria para esta especie vegetal en la zona estudiada fueron Fusarium oxysporum y Embellisia allii. El principal problema en las plantas en maceta fue E. allii, el cual bajo condiciones de humedad previa y en periodos cercanos a la cosecha, afecto al bulbo cubriendolo de un micelio negro.
The Neural Crest Migrating into the Twenty-First Century

From the initial discovery of the neural crest over 150 years ago to the seminal studies of Le Douarin and colleagues in the latter part of the twentieth century, understanding of the neural crest has moved from the descriptive to the experimental. Now, in the twenty-first century, neural crest research has migrated into the genomic age. Here, we reflect upon the major advances in neural crest biology and the open questions that will continue to make research on this incredible vertebrate cell type an important subject in developmental biology for the century to come.
Equitable Sharing: Distributing the Benefits and Detriments of Democratic Society, Lexington Press, 2014

Equitable Sharing: Distributing the Benefits and Detriments of Democratic Society argues that a principle of equitable sharing is fundamental to the concept of democracy and to the democratic society the United States purports to be. To illustrate the centrality of equitable sharing to democracy, the book examines the political philosophies of John Locke, John Stuart Mill, and John Rawls, all of which contain a principle of equitable sharing in some form. To illustrate the centrality of equitable sharing to U.S. society, the book examines the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, both of which evidence a commitment to equitable sharing as foundational to the democratic society they contemplate. While the primary responsibility for implementing equitable sharing rests with the legislative branch, the book argues that the Supreme Court also has a meaningful role to play in the dialogue over the requirements of equitable sharing and can play this role in a manner consistent with democratic principles. This point is illustrated through a discussion of several contemporary issues: same sex marriage, racial integration in public schools, health care, and the regulation of the electoral process.
Effect of cortisone on ethionine-induced pancreatitis in the rat.

SummaryTypical pancreatic changes were induced by ethionine, which were not altered by addition of cortisone. The high incidence of gastric ulceration and hemorrhage found with ethionine alone was doubled in rats receiving cortisone also.