cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Density functional theory calculations of the structure and the 15N and 13C chemical shifts of methyl bacteriopheophorbide a and bacteriochlorophyll a

Ab initio (DFT) chemical shifts calculations and geometry optimizations were performed in methyl bacteriopheophorbide a (MBPheo-a) using the D95 and D95** basis sets and in bacteriochlorophyll a (BChl-a) using the LanL2DZ basis set. The results show that it is possible to calculate chemical shifts in large systems, such as MBPheo-a and BChl-a, and that the calculated chemical shifts are quite sensitive to the geometries used in their calculation. Calculations of the chemical shifts using molecular geometries in which at least the positions of the protons have been optimized produce results in much better agreement with the experimental values than those using the X-ray experimental structure. The results for 13C shifts are of such quality that they can be used to verify the assignments of NMR resonances separated by more than 5 ppm. The calculations presented here strongly suggest that several assignments of the 13C resonances of the pyrrolic ring carbons in MBPheo-a and BChl-a should be revised.
Statistical approach to multichannel spatial modeling for the detection of minelike targets

We present a statistically-based method for the enhancement and detection of mines and mine-like targets, in multi-channel imagery. Standard approaches to such multi-channel image processing take advantage of the correlation across channels within a pixel, but typically do not exploit the spatial dependency between pixels. This work aims to construct appropriate spatial statistical models for multi-channel mine imagery and apply these models to allow both image enhancement as well as direct and improved detection of anomalies (i.e., targets) in such data. We base the method on a Markov Random Field (MRF) model that incorporates a priori information about both the target's and the background's spatial characteristics. In particular, we find a Maximum A Posterior (MAP) detector of mine targets in background under the prior assumption target pixels are locally spatially dependent. We implement our algorithm on polarimetric and thermal data obtained from the Remote Minefield Detection System (REMIDS), with favorable results compared to a Maximum Likelihood (ML) detector that performs detections on a pixel-by-pixel basis, i.e. without spatial correlation.
Cell signaling within the shoot meristem.

Shoot apical meristems are self-renewing stem cell populations that generate all of the above-ground organs (i.e. stems, leaves and flowers) of higher plants. Recent studies have identified new molecular components required for proper shoot meristem activity, and they have revealed that complex, intercellular communication pathways play important roles in coordinating meristem function.
A placebo controlled clinical trial of buprenorphine as a treatment for opioid dependence

Large-scale placebo controlled clinical trials assessing the efficacy of medications for the treatment of drug dependence have generally been limited to alcohol, cocaine and nicotine dependent populations. The purpose of the present study was to assess the early (1-2 week) clinical effectiveness of buprenorphine versus placebo in an opioid dependent population. The study used a parallel-group design with a behavioral choice component to compare buprenorphine (a mu-opioid partial agonist) to placebo for the treatment of opioid dependence. Opioid dependent volunteer patients participated in a 14-day study to assess the effectiveness and patient acceptance of this new pharmacotherapy for the treatment of opioid dependence. Patients were randomly assigned to placebo (n = 60) or 2 mg (n = 60) or 8 mg (n = 30) daily sublingual buprenorphine. All doses were administered double-blind. On days 6-13 all patients could request a dose change, knowing that their new dose would be randomly chosen from the remaining 2 alternatives. Compared to placebo, patients given buprenorphine (independent of dose) showed greater time on initial dose, requested fewer dose changes, used less illicit opioids (assessed by urinalysis), and rated dose adequacy higher. These results demonstrate that a placebo controlled study with a behavioral choice component is an effective means of assessing the potential efficacy and acceptability of new pharmacotherapies for opioid dependence.
Computing the Moore-Penrose Inverse of a Matrix through Symmetric Rank-One Updates

This paper presents a recursive procedure to compute the Moore-Penrose inverse of a matrix A. The method is based on the expression for the Moore-Penrose inverse of rank-one modified matrix. The computational complexity of the method is analyzed and a numerical example is included. A variant of the algorithm with lower computational complexity is also proposed. Both algorithms are tested on randomly generated matrices. Numerical performance confirms our theoretic results.
Roll-Rate Stability Limits of Unguided Rockets with Wraparound Fins

The linearized theory of lateral motion of unguided rockets with wraparound fins shows that, unlike planar configurations, they have different roll-rate stability boundaries depending on the roll direction. An analysis of the asymmetry-governing parameters is presented. An operational criterion is developed expressing the roll-rate limits as a function of a factor accounting for the relative effect of the asymmetry terms.
Imaging Obesity: fMRI, Food Reward, and Feeding

Animal studies have revealed brain regions that control homeostatic feeding, but the rampant overeating contributing to the obesity epidemic suggests the participation of "nonhomeostatic" control centers. Recent papers by Batterham et al. (2007) and Farooqi et al. (2007) link peptide YY 3–36 and leptin to the activation of nonhomeostatic brain regions.
A rapid fluorescence technique for electrophoretic identification of hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase allozymes.

A method for the rapid identification of hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase allozymes is described. It involves electrophoresis on cellulose acetate gel, followed by detection of the phosphoribosyltransferase activity through a fluorescent end product formed in a specific coupled reaction with inosine 5′-monophosphate dehydrogenase. This method has been used successfully to distinguish from each other the allozymes of man, mouse, Chinese hamster, Syrian hamster, and chicken, and should be useful for the biochemical characterization of cellular mutants and somatic cell hybrids utilizing hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase as a selective marker.
Reactions of cyclopentadienyliron carbonyl cations with amines

[C 5 H 5 Fe(CO) 2 L] + (L = CO, P(C 6 H 5 ) 3 ) reacts with primary and secondary amines to form carboxamido complexes, C 5 H 5 Fe(CO)(L)(CONHR): [C 5 H 5 Fe(CO) 2 L] + + 2RNH 2 → C 5 H 5 Fe(CO)(L)(CONHR) + RNH 3 + Their reaction with HCl removes the -NHR group from the carboxamido group: C 5 H 5 (CO)(L)(CONHR)+HCl → [C 5 H 5 Fe(CO) 2 L] + Cl − +RNH 2 The [C 5 H 5 Fe(CO) 3 ] + cation reacts with NaOCH 3 to form the alkoxycarbonyl derivative, C 5 H 5 Fe(CO) 2 C(O)OCH 3 , according to the equation: [C 5 H 5 Fe(CO) 3 ] + +OCH 3 − → C 5 H 5 Fe(CO) 2 C(O)OCH 3 A mechanism of nucleophilic attack at the carbonyl carbon is proposed for the formation of the carboxamido and alkoxycarbonyl derivatives. The properties of the new compounds are listed, and the carbonyl stretching frequencies are discussed.
Temperature dependence of the structure of YBa2Cu3O7: The role of the axial oxygens

Abstract It is now generally accepted that the CuO 2 planes in YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7 are responsible for carrying the supercurrents while the CuO chains provide a charge reservoir. The role of the axial oxygens in coupling the two is less clear. Within the last year there have been suggestions from both experiment and theory for the existence of temperature dependent structural anomalies at and below T c , but their nature has not been clearly elucidated. Using Rietveld refinement of structural models from pulsed-neutron powder-diffraction data, we have performed a careful study of the temperature dependence of the structure of YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7 in order to search for possible anomalies involving the axial oxygens in the vicinity of the transition temperature. We find that the axial oxygen gradually moves closer to the CuO 2 planes as the temperature is lowered from 305 to 13 K, indicating a small redistribution in electronic charge from the planes to the chains; however, we find no evidence for anomalous changes in bond lengths involving the axial oxygens near T c , the existence of a double-well potential for the axial oxygens, or evidence that these bonds become either more harmonic or softer as the sample temperature is lowered past T c .
Analysis of tandem solar cell efficiencies under AM1.5G spectrum using a rapid flux calculation method

We report the use of a rapid flux calculation method using incomplete Riemann zeta functions as a replacement for the Bose–Einstein integral in detailed balance calculations to study the efficiency of tandem solar cell stacks under the terrestrial AM1.5G spectrum and under maximum concentration. The maximum limiting efficiency for unconstrained and constrained tandem stacks of up to eight solar cells, under the AM1.5G spectrum and maximum concentration, are presented. The results found agree well with previously published results with one exception highlighting the precautions necessary when calculating for devices under the AM1.5G spectrum. The band gap sensitivities of two tandem solar cell stack arrangements of current interest were also assessed. In the case of a three solar cell tandem stack the results show a large design space and illustrate that the constrained case is more sensitive to band gap variations. Finally, the effect of a non-optimum uppermost band gap in a series constrained five solar cell tandem stack was investigated. The results indicate that a significant re-design is only required when the uppermost band gap is greater than the optimum value with a relatively small effect on the limiting efficiency. It is concluded that this rapid flux calculation method is a powerful tool for the analysis of tandem solar cells and is particularly useful for the design of devices where optimum band gaps may not be available. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Characterization and Analysis of Pressuren Instability in Aerated Liquid Drilling

Aerated liquid drilling (ALD) is defined as drilling operations using aerated liquid as drilling fluids. The ALD technology has been used to produce oil and gas from low-pressure reservoirs for over a decade. The advantages of aerated liquid drilling include minimized formation damage, reduced loss of circulation problems, increased rate of penetration, and improved drilling performance. The major problem with using aerated drilling fluids is borehole collapse which causes drilling complications. In addition to the low-level borehole pressure, fluctuation in the borehole pressure has also been recognized as one of the factors affecting borehole stability in aerated liquid drilling. This paper focuses on analyses of bottomhole pressure fluctuations due to a break in circulation and backpressure variation. The pressure fluctuation due to breaking circulation is characterized by the gradient loss (GL), defined as the equivalent circulating density (ECD) less the equivalent mud density (EMD). The pressure fluctuation due to backpressure change is evaluated using the pressure instability factor (PIF) defined as the ratio of change in the bottomhole pressure to the change in the surface choke pressure. Sensitivity analyses with an analytical model indicate that the GL decreases with depth and backpressure, and increases with both liquid pumping rate and gas injection rate. The PIF increases with depth and backpressure, and decreases with both liquid pumping rate and gas injection rate. At a given depth and backpressure, it is the combination of liquid and gas flow rates, rather than the injection GLR, that determines the PIF. Following a change in backpressure, the transition time for borehole pressure to stabilize at a new level depends on several factors including well depth, well geometry, and liquid pumping rate. This paper presents an easy-to-use method for predicting pressure fluctuations and identifying key factors affecting the pressure stability in aerated liquid drilling. The results can be applied to designing of hydraulics for underbalanced drilling (UBD) and managed pressure drilling (MPD) wells.
A study of small electron probe formation in a field emission gun TEM/STEM

Abstract The optics of the illuminating system of a TEM/STEM equipped with a high-brightness field emission source has been studied in order to determine the current density distributions of small electron probes used for microanalysis. The experimental distributions were measured from high-magnification TEM images of the small probes, and compared to theoretical distributions calculated using both coherent and incoherent optics. The microscope was shown to be capable of producing an electron probe with a FWHM diameter of 1.7 nm and a current of 1 nA. The size of the probe is limited by electrical and mechanical instabilities.
FROM THE EDITOR: TOWARD IMPROVEMENT OF SCHOLARLY PUBLICATIONS: THE JOURNAL OF SOCIAL WORK EDUCATION ADVANCES

(2008). FROM THE EDITOR: TOWARD IMPROVEMENT OF SCHOLARLY PUBLICATIONS: THE JOURNAL OF SOCIAL WORK EDUCATION ADVANCES. Journal of Social Work Education: Vol. 44, No. 3, pp. 3-6.
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ASYMMETRY PARAMETER AND HEMISPHERIC BACKSCATTER RATIO: IMPLICATIONS FOR CLIMATE FORCING BY AEROSOLS

Calculations of direct climate forcing by anthropogenic aerosols commonly use radiative transfer parameters, including asymmetry parameter g. One method of obtaining the asymmetry parameter of a particle population is to convert measured values of the hemispheric-to-total-scatter ratio (backscatter ratio b) into their corresponding g values. We compare a conversion derived from Mie calculations with one derived from the Henyey-Greenstein (HG) phase function to show that the HG method systematically overestimates g for typical size distributions of accumulation-mode aerosols. A delta-Eddington radiative transfer calculation is used to show that a 10% overestimation of g can systematically reduce climate forcing as a result of aerosols by 12% or more. Mie computations are used to derive an empirical relationship between backscatter ratio and asymmetry parameter for log-normal accumulation-mode aerosols. This relationship can be used to convert the backscatter ratio to the asymmetry parameter, independent of geometric mean diameter D(gv) or complex refractive index m, but the conversion requires knowledge of the breadth σ(g) of the size distribution.
Forced-choice technique: Inter-alternative comparisons

In certain listening tests, where Ss were required to identify which sequentially presented alternative matched a standard stimulus, S’s accuracy varied monotonically with the sequential position of the correct alternative. If a trial consisted of the standard stimulus followed by four alternatives, S was most likely to identify the stimulus correctly if it was the first alternative, etc. (Conversely, if the standard was presented after the four alternatives.) Our research suggests, however, that if the standard is presented before a long series of 4-alternative trials rather than before each trial, S’s accuracy does not vary with the position of the correct alternative.
Collaborating on Convergent Technologies: Education and Practice

Converging technologies will require collaboration across disciplines. A good metaphor for such collaborations is the kind of trading zone that emerges whenever human beings from different cultures interact. NBIC must avoid trading zones that are dominated by one discipline or set of interests and instead encourage multiple stakeholders to form a shared mental model of what needs to be accomplished. An example is drawn from current work on societal dimensions of nanotechnology. Students need to gain experience working in such trading zones, in addition to acquiring disciplinary depth.
Role Of MinD-Membrane Association in Min Protein Interactions

Division site placement in Escherichia coli involves interactions of the MinD protein with MinC and MinE and with other MinD molecules to form membrane-associated polymeric structures. In this work, as part of a study of these interactions, we established that heterologous membrane-associated proteins such as MinD can be targeted to the yeast nuclear membrane, dependent only on the presence of a membrane-binding domain and a nuclear targeting sequence. Targeting to the nuclear membrane was equally effective using the intrinsic MinD membrane-targeting domain or the completely unrelated membrane-targeting domain of cytochrome b(5). The chimeric proteins differing in their membrane-targeting sequences were then used to establish the roles of membrane association and specificity of the membrane anchor in MinD interactions, using the yeast two-hybrid system. The chimeric proteins were also used to show that the membrane association of MinD and MinE in E. coli cells had no specificity for the membrane anchor, whereas formation of MinDE polar zones and MinE rings required the presence of the native MinD membrane-targeting sequence.
Caricaturing “traitors”: Communal reactions to indigenous collaboration in Japanese-occupied Korea

Abstract Under foreign rule, indigenous collaborators pose a serious challenge that betrays the trust and faith of their compatriots with whom they have long shared experiences. This being the case, the question arises concerning how the occupied define “betrayal” and execute their sense of morality and justice against those considered as switching allegiance from being their fellow nationals to being considered as outsiders. For this analysis, I investigate the practice of the Korean news media under Japanese colonial rule, developing the concept of verbal caricature. I find that the indigenous media create outrageous verbal images of collaborators: (1) sinners, (2) pawns, and (3) criminals. By exploring the media's social justice under political constraint, this project contributes to the accumulation of knowledge on the unique practices of deviance-making, prompting a dialog between the two isolated research realms – social deviance and foreign occupation.
Rit signaling contributes to interferon‐γ‐induced dendritic retraction via p38 mitogen‐activated protein kinase activation

The proinflammatory cytokine interferon-gamma (IFNgamma) alters neuronal connectivity via selective regressive effects on dendrites but the signaling pathways that mediate this effect are poorly understood. We recently demonstrated that signaling by Rit, a member of the Ras family of GTPases, modulates dendritic growth in primary cultures of sympathetic and hippocampal neurons. In this study, we investigated a role for Rit signaling in IFNgamma-induced dendritic retraction. Expression of a dominant negative Rit mutant inhibited IFNgamma-induced dendritic retraction in cultured embryonic rat sympathetic and hippocampal neurons. In pheochromacytoma cells and hippocampal neurons, IFNgamma caused rapid Rit activation as indicated by increased GTP binding to Rit. Silencing of Rit by RNA interference suppressed IFNgamma-elicited activation of p38 MAPK in pheochromacytoma cells, and pharmacological inhibition of p38 MAPK significantly attenuated the dendrite-inhibiting effects of IFNgamma in cultured sympathetic and hippocampal neurons without altering signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 activation. These observations identify Rit as a downstream target of IFNgamma and suggest that a novel IFNgamma-Rit-p38 signaling pathway contributes to dendritic retraction and may, therefore, represent a potential therapeutic target in diseases with a significant neuroinflammatory component.
Malignant fibrous histiocytoma of the temporal bone with intracranial extension

An 18-year-old male presented with a right temporal bone tumour; histology revealed malignant fibrous histiocytoma. Following surgical excision and radiation the tumour recurred. The patient was treated with Vindesine (desacetyl vinblastine amide sulphate) with marked response. Malignant fibrous histiocytomas of the temporal bone are extremely rare; this report suggests that the occasional dramatic response may be obtained by combined modality treatment.
Human T Lymphotropic Virus Type 1 protein Tax reduces histone levels

Background Human T-Lymphotropic Virus Type-1 (HTLV-1) is an oncogenic retrovirus that causes adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL). The virally encoded Tax protein is thought to be necessary and sufficient for T-cell leukemogenesis. Tax promotes inappropriate cellular proliferation, represses multiple DNA repair mechanisms, deregulates cell cycle checkpoints, and induces genomic instability. All of these Tax effects are thought to cooperate in the development of ATLL.
Strain propagation in artificial extracellular matrix proteins can accelerate cell spreading and polarization

In recent years the ability of cells to sense the mechanical properties of their environments and deform them locally has become increasingly clear. To better understand the mechanical coupling between cells and their surroundings, we have examined the dynamics of adhesion of Chinese hamster ovary cells cultured on engineered protein substrates with different viscoelastic properties. We find that cell spreading and polarization rates vary two- and five-fold, respectively, for crosslinked and uncrosslinked proteins, despite the fact that the rates of growth of individual adhesion complexes on the different substrates are comparable. A wave of adhesion growth along the cell contour is observed by total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy for cells plated on crosslinked materials, but not on uncrosslinked substrates. We propose a mechanism in which cell-induced strains accumulate in crosslinked materials as a result of adhesion growth. Strain propagation within the material explains the observed adhesion growth patterns and the increased rates of spreading and polarization characteristic of cells cultured on crosslinked substrates. We investigate the proposed mechanism through Brownian dynamics simulation.
Analytical Stability Analysis of Surface Vessel Trajectories for a Control-Oriented Model

An analytical stability analysis of the steady trajectory for a surface vessel with various damping models is presented in this work. The analysis is based on a control-oriented, three degrees-of-freedom model that considers vessel motion only in the horizontal plane. The goal of this study is to understand the vessel trajectories predicted by this reduced order model for model-based control design. Straight line and circular motion stability conditions for each trajectory are derived and presented for the various damping models. The results of this analysis show that either a straight line or a circular steady trajectory is possible, depending on the magnitude of the surge force and the form of the damping model used to represent viscous drag, vortex shedding, and losses due to the surface wake generated by the vessel motion. However, the straight line motion is much less likely for the vessel considered in this work.
Agency costs and the discount rate for public sector enterprises

In this paper, we examine the implications of agency costs on the discount rate for public sector enterprises (PSEs); we do this in the framework of the Capital Asset Pricing Model. With the addition of agency costs, the discount rate for Public Sector Enterprises (PSEs) under uncertainty becomes the risk-adjusted discount rate plus a premium for agency costs; under certainty, the discount rate for PSEs is shown to be the risk-free rate plus a premium for agency costs. Use of a discount rate by PSEs without adjusting for agency costs both under certainty and uncertainty, will lead to sub-optimal capital investment decisions by PSEs.
Pre‐infusion heart rates and laboratory‐induced panic anxiety

— Resting and pre-infusion heart rates recorded in 66 panic disorder patients revealed no significant differences between panickers and nonpanickers. There was also no significant difference in pre-fusion heart rates between either lactate or isoproterenol panickers and placebo nonpanickers. There was neither a sensitizing nor a desensitizing effect of laboratory-induced panic attacks on subsequent pre-infusion heart rates.
A Phylogenetic Analysis of the Caminalcules. I. the Data Base

les caminalcules sont un groupe «d'organisme» cree artificiellement selon des principes ressemblant aux organismes reels
Nutcracker: An Efficient and Intelligent Channel Spacer

A new algorithm for channel spacing is discussed in this paper. In contrast to existing compaction algorithms, we rely on the geometric method and bypass the constraint graph during the whole spacing process. We propose an efficient way to enumerate all possible jogs. Therefore, for the given channel routing topology, our algorithm yields the minimal channel height with the incorporation of contacts sliding and automatic jog insertion. In the final output, only necessary jogs are inserted, and the total wire length is minimized.
Effect of Riboflavin Depletion and Repletion on the Erythrocyte Glutathione Reductase in the Rat

The flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) stimulation of the eryth- rocyte glutathione reducA­ase (EGR) in the presence of FAD was studied during riboflavin depletion and the subsequent repletion of 65 rats. The percentage stimulation in the animals fed adequate amounts of riboflavin was found to be within a narrow range. Quantitative values cannot be ascertained in regard to the degree of riboflavin deficiency, but qualitative values were found for each animal. We have shown the percentage stimulation (activity coefficient) of the rat EGRin the presence of FADto be a sensitive parameter of the measurement of the riboflavin status in the rat. J. Nutr. 101: 1459-1466, 1971.
Analytical and experimental studies of thermal noise in MOSFET's

An analysis of the channel thermal noise in MOSFET's based on the one-dimensional charge sheet model, is presented. The analytical expression is valid in the strong, moderate, and weak inversion regions. The body effect on the device parameters relevant to the thermal noise is discussed. A measurement technique as well as experimental results of P- and N-MOSFET's of a 1.2 /spl mu/m radiation hard CMOS process are presented. The calculated channel thermal noise coefficient /spl gamma/ as in i/sub d//sup 2///spl Delta/f=4kT /spl gamma/ g/sub do/, agrees well with experimental data for effective device channel length as short as 1.7 /spl mu/m. >
Optical header recognition by spectroholographic filtering.

We report on a novel scheme based on spectral holography for high-speed processing of optical header information. In this scheme, we rapidly analyze each incoming header by performing simultaneous correlation operations with a large number of headers stored in advance through angular multiplexing. Decoding is accomplished by identification of the directions that yield the maximum correlation signal. In a proof-of-concept experiment, two 5-byte ASCII addresses were decoded successfully without any ambiguity. The potential of this technique for high-speed packet switching is discussed.
Myocardial cell death and apoptosis in hibernating myocardium

Abstract Objectives. This study was designed to study apoptosis in hypoperfused hibernating myocardium subtending severe coronary stenosis. Background. Apoptosis contributes to myocyte death in acute myocardial infarction. Methods. A left anterior descending coronary artery stenosis was created in 13 pigs and maintained for 24 h (n = 4), 7 days (n = 5) and 4 weeks (n = 4) to reduce coronary blood flow by a mean of 34% with severe regional myocardial systolic dysfunction, as documented by echocardiography. Apoptosis was detected with an in situ end-labeling method and confirmed by “deoxyribonucleic acid laddering” on agarose-gel electrophoresis. The severity of apoptosis was expressed as the percentage of apoptotic myocyte nuclei and nonapoptotic myocardial nuclei. Results. Myocardial blood flow of the anterior left ventricular wall was reduced from 1.00 ± 0.18 to 0.66 ± 0.21 ml/min per g (p Conclusions. This study demonstrates that there is ongoing myocyte death through myocyte apoptosis in hypoperfused hibernating myocardium.
Diuretic Effects of Cannabinoids

In vivo effects of cannabinoid (CB) agonists are often assessed using four well-established measures: locomotor activity, hypothermia, cataleptic-like effects, and analgesia. The present studies demonstrate that doses of CB agonists that produce these effects also reliably increase diuresis. Diuretic effects of several CB agonists were measured in female rats over 2 hours immediately after drug injection, and results were compared with hypothermic effects. Direct-acting CB1 agonists, including Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol, WIN 55,212 [R-(1)-[2,3-dihydro-5-methyl-3-[(morpholinyl)methyl]pyrrolo[1,2,3-de]-1,4-benzoxazinyl]-(1-naphthalenyl)methanone mesylate], AM2389 [9β-hydroxy-3-(1-hexyl-cyclobut-1-yl)-hexahydrocannabinol], and AM4054 [9β-(hydroxymethyl)-3-(1-adamantyl)-hexahydrocannabinol], produced dose-dependent increases in diuresis and decreases in colonic temperature, with slightly lower ED50 values for diuresis than for hypothermia. The highest doses of cannabinoid drugs yielded, on average, 26–32 g/kg urine; comparable effects were obtained with 10 mg/kg furosemide and 3.0 mg/kg trans-(-)-3,4-dichloro-N-methyl-N-[2-(1-pyrrolidinyl)cyclohexyl]benzeneacetamide (U50-488). Methanandamide (10.0 mg/kg) had lesser effect than other CB agonists, and the CB2 agonist AM1241 [1-(methylpiperidin-2-ylmethyl)-3-(2-iodo-5-nitrobenzoyl)indole], the anandamide transport inhibitor AM404, and the CB antagonist rimonabant did not have diuretic effects. In further studies, the diuretic effects of the CB1 agonist AM4054 were similar in male and female rats, displayed a relatively rapid onset to action, and were dose-dependently antagonized by 30 minutes pretreatment with rimonabant, but not by the vanilloid receptor type I antagonist capsazepine, nor were the effects of WIN 55,212 antagonized by the CB2 antagonist AM630 [(6-iodo-2-methyl-1-[2-(4-morpholinyl)ethyl]-1H-indol-3-yl](4-methoxyphenyl) methanone)]. These data indicate that cannabinoids have robust diuretic effects in rats that are mediated via CB1 receptor mechanisms.
Network Game and Capacity Investment Under Market Uncertainty

This paper investigates the impacts of competition and market uncertainty on airlines' network structures and capacity investment. The airlines choose their network structures and construct capacities while demands are unknown. After uncertainty is resolved, they determine the total number of seats to offer in each leg constrained by their capacities built earlier. We conclude that market uncertainty is the driving force of hub-and-spoke networks, whereas the market mean is the driving force of point-to-point networks. Which of the two countervailing forces dominates determines the equilibrium network structures. Moreover, we find that the airlines' total expected profits in the mixed equilibrium in which the airlines employ different networks are larger than in the pure hub-and-spoke network equilibrium in which each airline employs the hub-and-spoke network. However, the mixed equilibrium does not necessarily yield larger profits than the pure point-to-point equilibrium in which each airline employs the point-to-point network.
Self-Association Is Required for Occupation of Adjacent Binding Sites in Pseudomonas aeruginosa Type III Secretion System Promoters

ExsA is a member of the AraC/XylS family of transcriptional regulators and is required for expression of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa type III secretion system (T3SS). All P. aeruginosa T3SS promoters contain two adjacent binding sites for monomeric ExsA. The amino-terminal domain of ExsA (NTD) is thought to mediate interactions between the ExsA monomers bound to each site. Threading the NTD onto the AraC backbone revealed an α-helix that likely serves as the primary determinant for dimerization. In this study, we performed alanine scanning mutagenesis of the ExsA α-helix (residues 136 to 152) to identify determinants required for self-association. Residues L137, C139, L140, K141, and L148 exhibited self-association defects and were required for maximal activation by ExsA. Disruption of self-association resulted in decreased binding to T3SS promoters, particularly loss of binding by the second ExsA monomer. Removing the NTD or increasing the space between the ExsA-binding sites restored the ability of the second ExsA monomer to bind the PexsC promoter. This finding indicated that, in the absence of self-association, the NTD prevents binding by a second monomer. Similar findings were seen with the PexoT promoter; however, binding of the second ExsA monomer in the absence of self-association also required the presence of a high-affinity site 2. Based on these data, ExsA self-association is necessary to overcome inhibition by the NTD and to compensate for low-affinity binding sites, thereby allowing for full occupation and activation of ExsA-dependent promoters. Therefore, ExsA self-association is indispensable and provides an attractive target for antivirulence therapies.
Why America’s Nation Building Office Failed and What Congress Had to Do With It

Since the end of the Cold War, America has led six nation-building missions. We have done none particularly well. Throughout the 1990’s, but particularly after the invasion of Iraq in 2003, the U.S. government tried to improve the way it ran ‘stabilization and reconstruction’ operations. That effort produced most notably the Office of the Coordinator for Stabilization and Reconstruction (S/CRS) within the State Department. S/CRS was charged with developing plans, coordinating their interagency implementation, and staffing a ‘Civilian Response Corps’ to deploy to countries on short notice. S/CRS largely failed in these efforts. It struggled to establish control over the interagency planning process. It failed to staff its Response Corps. And it was largely excluded from the civilian efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan. This paper explains why S/CRS failed. Four reasons in particular stand out. The office never had strong backing from the Secretary of State. It was undercut by USAID in its congressional negotiations. It lacked a strong domestic constituency to advocate for it. And it suffered from a general bias against civilian-led foreign policy projects. Without a clear congressional mandate and enough funding, S/CRS could not control either USAID or the regional bureaus. Simply put, the office did not bring much to the table. Finally, the failure of S/CRS suggests that the Defense Department, not State, will run future stabilization and reconstruction efforts. Though the appetite for nation building in the U.S. is low, history suggests that we are not done with these projects.
Modeling of stenotic coronary artery and implications of plaque morphology on blood flow

Adiseased coronary artery has beenmodeled to study the implications of plaque morphology on the fluid dynamics. In our previous study, we have successfully classified the coronary plaques of 42 patients who underwent intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) into fourtypes (Type I, Type II, Type III, and Type IV) based on the plaque morphology. In this study, we demonstrate that, for the same degree of stenosis (height of the plaques), hemodynamics parameters are strongly dependent on the plaque shape. This study is the first one to clearly demonstrate that in addition to wall shear stress, presence of turbulence and location of transition from laminar to turbulence state are additional hemodynamics parameters to identify plaques vulnerable to rupture.
Improving TCP throughput over lossy links using protocol-level speculations

The degradation of transport control protocol (TCP) throughput in networks with lossy links is mainly due to the coexistence of two types of losses, congestion losses and link corruption losses. This is very similar to processor performance degradation due to control hazards in CPU design. First, two types of loss events in networks with lossy links can be considered as two possibilities of a branching result (correct speculation vs. incorrect speculation) in a CPU. Secondly, both the problems result in performance degradations in their application environments, i.e., penalties (in clock cycles) in a processor, and throughput degradation (in bit per second) in TCP networks. This has motivated us to apply speculative techniques (e.g., speculating on the outcome of branch predictions), used to overcome control dependencies in a processor, to TCP algorithm design when lossy links are involved in TCP connections. The objective of this paper is to propose a protocol-level speculation based TCP modification to improve its throughput performance over lossy links. Simulation results show that our proposed algorithm significantly improves TCP throughput in a network with satellite links.
Reward, Addiction, Withdrawal to Nicotine

Nicotine is the principal addictive component that drives continued tobacco use despite users' knowledge of the harmful consequences. The initiation of addiction involves the mesocorticolimbic dopamine system, which contributes to the processing of rewarding sensory stimuli during the overall shaping of successful behaviors. Acting mainly through nicotinic receptors containing the α4 and β2 subunits, often in combination with the α6 subunit, nicotine increases the firing rate and the phasic bursts by midbrain dopamine neurons. Neuroadaptations arise during chronic exposure to nicotine, producing an altered brain condition that requires the continued presence of nicotine to be maintained. When nicotine is removed, a withdrawal syndrome develops. The expression of somatic withdrawal symptoms depends mainly on the α5, α2, and β4 (and likely α3) nicotinic subunits involving the epithalamic habenular complex and its targets. Thus, nicotine taps into diverse neural systems and an array of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) subtypes to influence reward, addiction, and withdrawal.
The Complexity of Accurate Floating Point Computation

Our goal is to find accurate and efficient algorithms, when they exist, for evaluating rational expressions containing floating point numbers, and for computing matrix factorizations (like LU and the SVD) of matrices with rational expressions as entries. More precisely, accuracy means the relative error in the output must be less than one (no matter how tiny the output is), and efficiency means that the algorithm runs in polynomial time. Our goal is challenging because our accuracy demand is much stricter than usual. The classes of floating point expressions or matrices that we can accurately and efficiently evaluate or factor depend strongly on our model of arithmetic: 1. In the "Traditional Model" (TM), the floating point result of an opera­ tion like a + b is fl(a + b) = (a + 6)(1 + 6), where \S\ must be tiny. 2. In the "Long Exponent Model" (LEM) each floating point number x = / • 2e is represented by the pair of integers (/, e), and there is no bound on the sizes of the exponents e in the input data. The LEM supports strictly larger classes of expressions or matrices than the TM. 3. In the "Short Exponent Model" (SEM) each floating point number x = / • 2e is also represented by (/, e), but the input exponent sizes are bounded in terms of the sizes of the input fractions /. We believe the SEM supports strictly more expressions or matrices than the LEM. These classes will be described by factorizabili ty properties of the rational expressions, or of the minors of the rational matrices. For each such class, we identify new algorithms that attain our goals of accuracy and efficiency. These algorithms are often exponentially faster than prior algorithms, which would simply use a conventional algorithm with sufficiently high precision. For example, we can factorize Cauchy matrices, Vandermonde matrices, totally positive generalized Vandermonde matrices, and suitably discretized differential and integral operators in all three models much more accurately and efficiently than before. But we provably cannot add x + y + z accurately in the TM, even though it is easy in the other models. 2000 Mathematics Subject Classification: 65F, 65G50, 65Y20, 68Q25.
New solutions to industrial waste management

Different techniques are reviewed that can lead to the implementation of cost-effective process changes for hazardous waste reduction in the US. One of the options available for waste management is volume-reduction which can be employed to increase available landfill space. It can be achieved through four methods of process modification: 1) improved reactor designs; 2) process-chemistry changes; 3) improved separation methods; and 4) advanced sensing and control technology. Both recent and historical examples of these approaches are described. Different processes require different modifications to avoid or reduce the amount and/or hazard of waste generated.
Fast First-Order Algorithms for Packing–Covering Semidefinite Programs

In this chapter we describe a first-order Lagrangian relaxation-based algorithm for computing approximate solutions to packing–covering semidefinite programs (SDPs). Such SDPs arise in modeling combinatorial optimization algorithms such as Vertex Cover and unrelated machine scheduling. Packing–covering SDPs are hard to approximate because they can potentially have equality constraints. Our main contribution is that our algorithm returns an e-optimal δ-feasible solution in time proportional to (eδ)− 1.
Chemical Inhibition of Kynureninase Reduces Pseudomonas aeruginosa Quorum Sensing and Virulence Factor Expression

The opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa utilizes multiple quorum sensing (QS) pathways to coordinate an arsenal of virulence factors. We previously identified several cysteine-based compounds inspired by natural products from the plant Petiveria alliacea which are capable of antagonizing multiple QS circuits as well as reducing P. aeruginosa biofilm formation. To understand the global effects of such compounds on virulence factor production and elucidate their mechanism of action, RNA-seq transcriptomic analysis was performed on P. aeruginosa PAO1 exposed to S-phenyl-l-cysteine sulfoxide, the most potent inhibitor from the prior study. Exposure to this inhibitor down-regulated expression of several QS-regulated virulence operons (e.g., phenazine biosynthesis, type VI secretion systems). Interestingly, many genes that were differentially regulated pertain to the related metabolic pathways that yield precursors of pyochelin, tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediates, phenazines, and Pseudomonas quino...
The Influence of Urbanization on the Income Elasticity of Demand for Retail Food in Low Income Countries

ECONOMISTS have been frustrated in attempting to establish realistic food production targets for development programs in low income countries by considerable uncertainty about estimates of future food consumption. To reduce some of this uncertainty, an investigation was made of a number of factors influencing food consumption. This paper reports on the effect of the movement of population from rural to urban areas on the income elasticity of demand for retail food. In estimating future food consumption, an equation given by Ohkawa is generally accepted. It states that the rate of increase in the consumption of food is the sum of the rate of population growth plus the product of the rate of per capita income growth and the income elasticity of demand for food (d = p + gn).1 Consideration of the data needed for this equation focuses attention on estimates of the income elasticity of demand for food. Little progress has been made since World War II in increasing the reliability of food elasticity estimates for use in projections in low income countries.
Continued Development of the Urban Hassles Index: Evolving Examination of Urban Adolescent Stressors

The continued development of the Urban Hassles Index (UHI) as a tool for understanding the exposure of urban adolescents to chronic stressors is expanded to include the severity of each stressor. Coping strategies—positive or negative—in response to stressors is examined. The UHI continues to reflect strong psychometric properties. Exposure to stress is not differentiated by gender; however, findings reflect different coping strategies utilized by gender. Suggestions for improving the UHI along with the importance of continued examination of the chronic stressors and their impact on adolescent developmental milestones are presented.
Electric activism: Analysis, alliances, and interventions

Electricity has been the unspoken bedrock of modern life. Decisions about how power is produced, transmitted, and delivered have been entrusted to technical experts and have been relatively unquestioned. In turn, the electricity sector has historically been an opaque one, impervious to public scrutiny. Yet liberalization of the sector, global and local environmental impacts, and new energy technologies are spurring a growing clamor to peel back the layers of technocracy and to prise open a space for new voices and actors. This article explores the ways in which the governance of the electricity sector is changing and being changed by a new politics of energy production and consumption. The article focuses on long-term electricity planning to understand how critical independent experts and nonexperts have formed alliances that challenge entrenched decision-making processes and assumptions. It presents case studies from South Africa and Thailand that document the struggle between reluctant departments of energy and nongovernmental initiatives demanding access to the processes underpinning the production of knowledge about electricity sector needs. The analysis places these cases within the shifts under way in energy sectors around the world, away from centralized command-and-control systems to those that are decentralized with multiple points of energy generation. It explores the implications for how governance is conceived, with special attention to the implications for both policy and activist agendas. What forms of interaction between experts and citizens can we conceive, and how can they be supported?
Physiological and Environmental Regulation of Amyloid and Prion Formation

Physiological and Environmental Regulation of Amyloid and Prion Formation Prions are self-perpetuating protein isoforms that are transmitted via extracellular infection in mammals or inherited via the cytoplasm in lower eukaryotes such as yeast and other fungi. The mammalian prion protein (PrP), in its prion form, causes fatal transmissible encephalopathies such as “mad cow disease”. About 30 diseases in humans, including such neurodegenerative disorders as Alzheimer, Parkinson and Huntington diseases are also associated with amyloids or amyloid-like depositions. Like prions some of these amyloids can also be transmitted between cells. Many amyloid diseases are fatal and incurable.
Vibronic spectroscopy of a nitrile/isonitrile isoelectronic pair: para-diisocyanobenzene and para-isocyanobenzonitrile.

The ultraviolet spectroscopy of isoelectronic pair para-diisocyanobenzene (pDIB) and para-isocyanobenzonitrile (pIBN) has been studied under gas-phase, jet-cooled conditions. These molecules comple...