cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Probing Single-Molecule Protein Conformational Folding-Unfolding Dynamics: The Multiple-State and Multiple-Channel Energy Landscape

The folding-unfolding dynamics of protein provides an important understanding of the protein conformational dynamics and functions. We have used single-molecule fluorescence resonance energy transfer combined with statistical data analysis to characterize enzyme and signaling protein fundamental conformational dynamics of Calmodulin (CaM) and kinase (6-Hydroxymethyl-7,8-dihydropterin pyrophosphokinase, HPPK). The concentration dependence of FRET efficiency of GdmCl indicates the unfolding conformational transition of the proteins. At 2M of denaturant solvent, the majority of the HPPK and CaM protein molecules are under fluctuating folding-unfolding conformational changes, spending about half time in their native state and half time in their unfolded state. We obtained the fluctuation rates from the autocorrelation function analyses of the protein conformational fluctuation trajectories, and we have identified multiple intermediate states involving in bunched time dynamics and the related energy landscape. We had also analyzed the protein folding-unfolding pathways using detailed balance theoretical model analysis in order to understand the complex multiple-state and multiple-channel protein dynamics.
A place principle for vertigo.

Abstract Objective To provide a road map of the vestibular labyrinth and its innervation leading to a place principle for different forms of vertigo. Method The literature describing the anatomy and physiology of the vestibular system was reviewed. Results Different forms of vertigo may be determined by the type of sense organ, type of ganglion cell and location in the vestibular nerve. Conclusion Partial lesions (viral) of the vestibular ganglion are manifested as various forms of vertigo.
The Form and Meaning of Hebrew ’ašrê

The poetic Hebrew word ’asre is difficult to parse, and is without a good Semitic etymology. By suggesting that the word is in fact a remnant of the elative pattern, we can explain its shape and syntactic function, and provide a solid Semitic etymology.
The use of time-expanded speech as an aid in the diagnosis of articulation disorders

Abstract The recording of 20 speech defective speakers' readings of a standard prose passage were presented to 36 student speech clinicians under three listening conditions: (1) unaltered; (2) time expanded to 150% of the original recording time; and (3) time-expanded to 200% of the original recording time. Results of their evaluations indicate that the expanded versions of the recordings elicited more accurate evaluations by the student clinicians. Implications of these findings concerning the possible usefulness of time-expanded speech as an aid in the training of listening skills in student speech clinicians are discussed.
Nonspecific cleavage by restriction endonuclease R·Eco K of bacteriophage λ-DNA

Abstract Restriction endonuclease R·Eco K catalyzes the cleavage of unmodified bacteriophage λ-DNA leaving 3′-hydroxyl and 5′-phosphoryl groups. This is inferred from the observation that polynucleotide kinase transfers 32P from [γ-32P]-ATP to the 5′-termini of cleaved DNA only after dephosphorylation with bacterial alkaline phosphatase. The extent of such transfer indicates that restriction endonuclease R·Eco K makes approximately three or four double-strand cuts in unmodified λ-DNA under the conditions employed. However, analysis of the terminal 5′-mononucleotides shows that cleavage does not occur at unique sequences.
Bearing Capacity of Square and Circular Footings on a Finite Layer of Granular Soil Underlain by a Rigid Base

Traditional bearing capacity theories for the ultimate capacity of shallow foundations assume that the thickness of the bearing stratum is infinite. The presence of a hard layer within a certain depth below the foundation can significantly influence the unit load supported by the soil. Therefore the original bearing capacity equations should be modified to account for this condition in determining the ultimate bearing capacity. In order to evaluate this phenomenon further, model square and circular footing tests were performed on a bed of well-graded sand. Test beds were prepared at three different relative densities corresponding to loose, medium, and dense conditions: Dr =24 , 57, and 87%, using five different sand layer thicknesses, H ; H∕B values of 0.5, 1, 2, 3, and 4, where B is the footing width. Results of the model scale footing tests show that the bearing capacity factor, Nγ , should be modified up to H∕B=3 , instead of H∕B=1 , as previously suggested. The footing shape factor, sγ , should accou...
Affinity and phosphorylat1on constants of a series of O,O-dialkyl malaoxons and paraoxons with acetylcholinesterase☆

Abstract The affinity constants ( K a ) and the phosphorylation constants ( k p ) were determined for a series of O ,O-dialkyl malaoxons and paraoxons in which the phosphorylalkoxy groups were varied from methyl to butyl. The k p values of the di- n -alkyl malaoxons and paraoxons ranged from 43 to 67 min- 1 except for di- n -butyl malaoxon which was only 25 min- 1 . Neither chain length nor leaving group appeared to affect k p greatly, although there were minor variations. Members in the paraoxon series bound better in each case than the comparable member of the malaoxon series. The K a values were from two to ten times better for the paraoxon series than the comparable member of the malaoxon series. These values imparted the larger bimolecular rate constants to the paraoxon series. With di- i -propyl malaoxon and paraoxon poor binding occurred as well as a dramatic decrease in k p (3 min −1 ).
The effects of lingual exercise in stroke patients with dysphagia

Abstract Robbins JA, Kays SA, Gangnon RE, Hind JA, Hewitt AL, Gentry LR, Taylor AJ. The effects of lingual exercise in stroke patients with dysphagia. Objective To examine the effects of lingual exercise on swallowing recovery poststroke. Design Prospective cohort intervention study, with 4- and 8-week follow-ups. Setting Dysphagia clinic, tertiary care center. Participants Ten stroke patients (n=6, acute: ≤3mo poststroke; n=4, chronic: >3mo poststroke), age 51 to 90 years (mean, 69.7y). Intervention Subjects performed an 8-week isometric lingual exercise program by compressing an air-filled bulb between the tongue and the hard palate. Main Outcome Measures Isometric and swallowing lingual pressures, bolus flow parameters, diet, and a dysphagia-specific quality of life questionnaire were collected at baseline, week 4, and week 8. Three of the 10 subjects underwent magnetic resonance imaging at each time interval to measure lingual volume. Results All subjects significantly increased isometric and swallowing pressures. Airway invasion was reduced for liquids. Two subjects increased lingual volume. Conclusions The findings indicate that lingual exercise enables acute and chronic dysphagic stroke patients to increase lingual strength with associated improvements in swallowing pressures, airway protection, and lingual volume.
VN/14-1 induces ER stress and autophagy in HP-LTLC human breast cancer cells and has excellent oral pharmacokinetic profile in female Sprague Dawley rats

Abstract Resistance to aromatase inhibitors is a major concern in the treatment of breast cancer. Long-term letrozole cultured (LTLC) cells represent a model of resistance to aromatase inhibitors. The LTLC cells were earlier generated by culturing MCF-7Ca, the MCF-7 human breast cancer cell line stably transfected with human placental aromatase gene for a prolonged period in the presence of letrozole. In the present study the effect of RAMBA, VN/14-1 on the sensitivity of LTLC cells upon multiple passaging and the mechanisms of action of VN/14-1 in such high passage LTLC (HP-LTLC) cells was investigated. We report that multiple passaging of LTLC cells (HP-LTLC cell clones) led to profound decrease in their sensitivity to VN/14-1. Additionally, microarray studies and protein analysis revealed that VN/14-1 induced marked endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and autophagy in HP-LTLC cells. We further report that VN/14-1 in combination with thapsigargin exhibited synergistic anti-cancer effect in HP-LTLC cells. Preliminary pharmacokinetics in rats revealed that VN/14-1 reached a peak plasma concentration ( C max ) within 0.17 h after oral dosing. Its absolute oral bioavailability was >100%. Overall these results indicate potential of VN/14-1 for further clinical development as a potential oral agent for the treatment of breast cancer.
Synergistic modeling and optimization for nanometer IC design/manufacturing integration

Nanometer IC design and manufacturing are facing unprecedented grand challenges for 45nm and beyond, according to ITRS. On one hand, many entangled physical effects continue to pose tremendous challenges to reach design closure with stringent turn-around-time; on the other hand, design closure no longer guarantees manufacturing closure. The conventional contracts between design and fab through design rules are breaking, due to deep sub-wavelength lithography and growing process variations. Thus design/manufacturing integration and co-optimization will become more and more important. To enable true design/process integration, it is crucial to be able to model proper manufacturing/variability/yield metrics, and feed them upstream at various physical design implementation stages. This lecture will present synergistic modeling and optimization issues on both physical and electrical design for manufacturing (DFM). We will seek to address DFM from its root causes, in a holistic manner through better manufacturing for design (e.g., variation aware lithography modeling and optical proximity correction), manufacturing-design interface (e.g., predictive silicon modeling and variational circuit analysis), and true design for manufacturing (e.g., manufacturability aware routing and variational aware clock synthesis).
Laparoscopic resection of a urachal remnant

The surgical management of urachal remnants in children is evolving. This case is one example, with clear diagnostic imaging and excellent clinical results that were achieved laparoscopically.
Life Writing in the Family

(2010). Life Writing in the Family. a/b: Auto/Biography Studies: Vol. 25, The Work of Life Writing, pp. 172-185.
The diversity of viruses infecting humans

Most human viruses have been discovered through the diseases they cause in animals, plants, bacteria or fungi. Recent finds include human bocaviruses, which now seem to have a global distribution, and cause respiratory tract disease in infants, and several new pathogenic human coronaviruses. The SARS coronavirus, genetically distinct from all previously known coronaviruses, caused a disease which was highly transmissible and very severe, eventually leading to 8000 cases worldwide with over 800 deaths. Many viruses which are transmitted to humans by invertebrates, such as insects or ticks, have the ability to infect and replicate in cells of both vertebrate and invertebrate origin. However human virology is a rapidly expanding field and recent technologies such as the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification system have made it possible to look for previously unrecognized viruses which may or may not be involved in pathogenesis. For example viruses in the genus Anellovirus are found in 80% of human blood samples yet do not seem to cause any disease. This paper overviews known human vertebrate viruses, more recent discoveries, and recommends a systematic search for viruses which may already infect the human population but have so far remained undetected.
THE 1987 STOCK MARKET CRASH AND NEW YORK CITY EMPLOYMENT: AN INTERVENTION‐MULTIPLIER ANALYSIS*

. Intervention analysis is used to assess the impact of the October 1987 stock market crash upon employment in the securities industry in New York City. The results indicate that the crash has led to a gradual, but permanent reduction of approximately 25,000 jobs in this industry through July 1990. Using a dynamic location quotient methodology to measure basic employment, an estimate of a partial-adjustment economic base multiplier suggests that total New York City employment is likely to decline by over 100,000 as a result of the crash and subsequent adjustments in the securities industry.
Analysis of the security of VPN configurations in industrial control environments

Abstract Virtual private networks (VPNs) are a popular approach for protecting otherwise insecure industrial control protocols. VPNs provide confidentiality, integrity and availability, and are often considered to be secure. However, implementation vulnerabilities and protocol flaws expose VPN weaknesses in many industrial deployments. This paper employs a probabilistic model to evaluate and quantify the security of VPN configurations. Simulations of the VPN model are conducted to investigate the trade-offs and parameter dependence in various VPN configurations. The experimental results provide recommendations for securing VPN deployments in industrial control environments.
Paths to Learning Ten-Structured Understandings of Teen Sums: Addition Solution Methods of Japanese Grade 1 Students

This study investigated the developmental paths of Japanese Grade 1 students' understanding of quantities through the examination of their addition solution methods over the school year period. The individual students exhibited a wide range of experiences with and knowledge of addition from the beginning to the end of the school year. Students moved through all the levels of conceptions of quantities as previously reported in the U.S. and European literature over the period. Individual student paths were varied, and some students used methods based on their transitional understanding between the levels as they gained experiences. They gradually came to use the culturally valued break-apart-to-make-ten method of making, while counting and visual grouping supported the process. Classroom instruction that supported the development of their conceptual structure is also summarized and discussed.
Interaction of ferric complexes with rat liver nuclei to catalyze NADH-and NADPH-Dependent production of oxygen radicals.

The production of potent oxygen radicals by microsomal reaction systems has been well characterized. Relatively little attention has been paid to generation of oxygen radicals by liver nuclei, or to the interaction of nuclei with different ferric complexes to catalyze NADH- or NADPH-dependent production of reactive oxygen intermediates. Intact rat liver nuclei were capable of catalyzing an iron-dependent production of .OH as reflected by the oxidation of .OH scavenging agents such as 2-keto-4-thiomethylbutyrate, dimethyl sulfoxide, and t-butyl alcohol. Inhibition of .OH production by catalase implicates H2O2 as the precursor of .OH generated by the nuclei, whereas superoxide dismutase had only a partially inhibitory effect. The production of .OH with either cofactor was striking increased by addition of ferric-EDTA or ferric-diethylenetriamine-pentaacetic acid (DTPA) whereas ferric-ATP and ferric-citrate were not effective catalysts. All these ferric complexes were reduced by the nuclei in the presence of either NADPH or NADH. The pattern of iron chelate effectiveness in catalyzing lipid peroxidation by nuclei was opposite to that of .OH production; with either NADH or NADPH, nuclear lipid peroxidation was increased by the addition of ferric ammonium sulfate, ferric-ATP, or ferric-citrate, but not by ferric-EDTA or ferric-DTPA. NADPH-dependent nuclear lipid peroxidation was insensitive to catalase, superoxide dismutase, or .OH scavengers; the NADH-dependent reaction showed a partial sensitivity (30 to 40%) to these additions. The overall patterns of .OH production and lipid peroxidation by the nuclei are similar to those shown by microsomes, e.g., effect of ferric complexes, sensitivity to antioxidants; however, rates with the nuclei are less than 20% those of microsomes, which reflect the lower activities of NADPH- and NADH-cytochrome c reductase in the nuclei. The potential for nuclei to reduce ferric complexes and catalyze production of .OH-like species may play a role in the susceptibility of the genetic material to oxidative damage under certain conditions since such radicals would be produced site-directed and not exposed to cellular antioxidants.
Reciprocal modulation of tyrosine hydroxylasea activity in rat carotid body

The carotid body is an arterial chemoreceptor organ responsive to blood levels of pO2, pCOe and pH 13. The parenchymal tissue of the carotid body is composed mainly of two cell types: the glomus or Type I cells, which are disposed together in groups or glomeruli, and the sustentacular or Type II cells, which appear as glial-like elements enclosing the glomeruli in capsular fashion 3,4. The Type I cells, which have abundant dense-cored vesicles and are known to contain catecholaminesl, 2,11,15, receive a sensory innervation from afferent fibers of the carotid sinus nerve 3. Recent studies have also shown the presence of reciprocal synapses at these junctions between afferent nerve terminals and Type I cells TM. In addition, these cells receive an efferent innervation from both preganglionic and postganglionic sympathetic fibers which reach the carotid body from the superior cervical ganglion 18. The principal catecholamine in the Type I cells of the rat carotid body is dopamine (63 ~), the remainder being norepinephrine 11. Although the precise role of catecholamines in the carotid body remains to be elucidated, there is evidence implicating these substances as neurotransmitters or modulators of chemoreceptor activity 5,6,16,~7,2°,24. Of particular interest are the recent findings in rat carotid body that hypoxia induces a long-term increase in tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) activity, the rate-limiting enzyme in catecholamine biosynthesis 7,9. In these experiments, unanesthetized animals were exposed in a chamber for variable times to low 02 atmospheres. When TH activity was assayed 48 h following the hypoxic episode there was an increase in enzyme activity of 50-80 ~ above control values (control animals were exposed only to room air in the chamber). This long-term induction of TH could have resulted from either direct action by the hypoxic stimulus upon the Type I cells of the carotid body, or instead it might have arisen reflexy via the nervous innervation to the organ. TH activity in other catecholaminergic systems is known to be subject to neural controlS,14,21, 22, and as described above the Type I cells of the carotid body receive a complex nervous innervation (afferent, efferent and reciprocal synapses). It is thus
High-Density Lipoprotein Proteomics: Identifying New Drug Targets and Biomarkers by Understanding Functionality

Recent proteomics studies on human plasma high-density lipoprotein (HDL) have discovered up to 50 individual protein constituents. Many of these have known functions that vary surprisingly from the lipid transport roles commonly thought to mediate HDL’s ability to protect from coronary artery disease. Given newly discovered roles in inflammation, protease inhibition, complement regulation, and innate immunity, many have begun to view HDL as a broad collection of distinct particle subfamilies, each distinguished by unique protein compositions and functions. Herein we review recent applications of high-resolution proteomics to HDL and summarize evidence supporting the idea of HDL functional subspeciation. These studies have set the stage for a more complete understanding of the molecular basis of HDL functional heterogeneity and hold promise for the identification of new biomarkers that can predict disease or evaluate the success of clinical interventions.
PHOTODISINTEGRATION OF HELIUM

In this paper, we extend the sum-rule calculations of Levinger and Bethe to include two-body Heisenberg and tensor forces. We apply these sum rules to calculate for the alpha particle the bremsstrahlung-weighted cross section (${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{b}$) and the integrated cross section (${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{\mathrm{int}}$) using Irving's wave function for tensor force. We compare our results with values found from experiments integrated to 150 Mev. The experimental values are ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{b}=2.7$ mb and ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{\mathrm{int}}=124$ Mev-mb, while the theoretical values are found to be ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{b}=1.23$ mb and ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{\mathrm{int}}=60[1+0.70(x+\frac{1}{2}y)+0.18({x}^{\ensuremath{'}}+\frac{1}{2}{y}^{\ensuremath{'}})]$ Mev-mb. Here $x$ and ${x}^{\ensuremath{'}}$ are the fractions of central and tensor potentials, respectively, that have Majorana exchange character; $y$ and ${y}^{\ensuremath{'}}$ represent fractions of the central and tensor potentials that have Heisenberg exchange character. The low theoretical values for ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{b}$ may be related to the small root-mean-square radius of the alpha particle given by Irving's wave function. The photodisintegration experiments seem to support Hofstadter's value for the size of the alpha particle, when one takes account of the proton size in his electron-scattering experiments.
Calcium and Calmodulin Regulate Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Alveolar Macrophage Production of Tumor Necrosis Factor and Procoagulant Activity

Background: Alterations in macrophage (Mϕ) function are responsible, in part, for adult respiratory distress syndrome and multiple organ failure developing in patients with sepsis. Elucidation and control of these Mϕ mechanisms during sepsis are crucial to our understanding of this disease and, ultimately, to improving survival of these patients. Objective: To investigate the involvement of calcium flux in endotoxin-induced alveolar Mϕ production of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and procoagulant (PC) activity. Design: Rabbit alveolar Mϕ obtained by bronchoalveolar lavage were exposed to endotoxin in the form of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) extracted fromEscherichia coli0111:B4 in the presence of different specific calcium agonists and antagonists. The TNF expression was measured in the supernatant by L929 bioassays. The PC activity was determined in cell lysates by a one-step coagulation assay. Results: Macrophages activated by LPS produce enormous levels of TNF and PC. Either W7 (20 μmol/L), a calmodulin antagonist, or TMB-8 (50 μmol/L), which prevents calcium release from the endoplasmic reticulum, inhibited production of both TNF and PC activity. Verapamil (50 μmol/L) alone or combined with TMB-8 significantly inhibited both TNF and PC production by LPS-stimulated Mϕ. Elevating intracellular calcium ([Ca2+]i), using the calcium ionophore, A23187, or thapsigargin alone, did not induce Mϕ production of TNF but significantly augmented LPS-stimulated TNF production. Conclusion: Our results indicate that increased intracellular calcium causing signal transduction activation through the calmodulin pathway is a necessary, but insufficient, component of the LPS signaling in Mϕ. (Arch Surg. 1996;131:44-50)
Psychological climate: Some theoretical and empirical considerations†

Psychological climate is distinguished from organizational climate, and a model is presented to depict how psychological climate affects and is affected by other variables in organizational settings. Based on the model, a series of hypotheses is developed and tested in the managerial echelons of four large organizations. Findings indicate that psychological climate seems to be affected by the organizational setting and, to a lesser degree, by the employee's echelon in the organization. Further, psychological climate was found to have considerable covariation with satisfaction and motivational variables, while failing to correlate to any appreciable degree with performance measures. As represented by the model, climate was also tested for its moderating effects on the relationships between motivation and the dependent variables of satisfiction and performance, with mixed results. One of the more important considerations arising from this study concerns the distinction between organizational and psychological climates. And while no precise answers are provided, directions for future research seem to be clarified by this investigation.
Effects of Norepinephrine on Myocardial K, Na, C1 and H2O in Hemorrhagic Shock.∗

SummaryIn a comparison of myocardial K, Na, Cl and H2O in normal dogs and dogs in hemorrhagic shock, levels of K were found significantly elevated. Although Na concentrations declined, H2O content did not change from controls. Administration of 1-norepinephrine to dogs in normovolemic shock caused no change in K and H2O while Na and Cl levels returned to control. Analysis of myocardial K distribution showed that intracellular/interstitial ratio of this cation declined from 33 to 21 in shock. Norepinephrine treatment of these animals raised K ratio to 29, a change that primarily reflected the increase which this pressor amine causes in intracellular K.
High flow velocity imaging using color Doppler optical coherence tomography

We and others have recently described a novel optical Doppler flow imaging technique, termed color Doppler optical coherence tomography (CDOCT), which is capable of micron-scale spatial resolution, two-dimensional tomographic velocity mapping in turbid medial,2.
The Dynamics of Democracy and Direct Investment: An Empirical Analysis

Why do foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows largely bypass the developing world? The objective of this article is to study this question by focusing on the effect of an increase in the level of democracy on FDI inflows into developing countries. An increase in the level of democracy provides the right macro and micro conditions for larger FDI inflows. The econometric results indicate that a one standard deviation increase in the level of democracy is associated with increased FDI inflows. My empirical findings support a direct relationship between enhanced levels of democracy and FDI inflows, and the results call into question the idea that developing countries receive less capital inflows if they choose to democratize. Moreover, a reanalysis of Li and Resnick's influential 2003 paper essentially overturns their findings in support of a direct association between an increase in the level of democracy and greater FDI inflows.
Using optical coherence to measure the ultrafast electronic dephasing of large molecules in room-temperature liquids

Abstract The bleaching dynamics of the dye molecule HITCI in ethylene glycol are examined using variable duration femtosecond laser pulses. The transient signal observed around zero delay time is composed of both population dynamics and coherent coupling between the pump and probe laser beams. The relative contribution of coherent coupling increases as the laser pulse width is varied from 23 to 54 fs. These results indicate that the electronic dephasing of HITCI occurs on a time scale competitive with the laser pulse widths being used. We further demonstrate that quantitative molecular information can be extracted from coherent coupling contributions to the transient bleaching data. The wavelength dependence of the bleaching dynamics is also briefly discussed.
Collisional rates for vibrational-rotational transitions in circumstellar SiO masers

Calculations for rotational population inversion in circumstellar SiO masers require collisional rates for vibrational-rotational transitions. This paper reports quantum mechanical, state-to-state collisional rate coefficients for pure rotational and vibrational-rotational transitions among the first three vibrational states of SiO. These are expressed in terms of simple two-parameter power-law fits accurate in the temperature range 1000-3000 K.
Genesis of Pre–Hurricane Felix (2007). Part I: The Role of the Easterly Wave Critical Layer

Abstract The formation of pre–Hurricane Felix (2007) in a tropical easterly wave is examined in a two-part study using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model with a high-resolution nested grid configuration that permits the representation of cloud system processes. The simulation commences during the wave stage of the precursor African easterly-wave disturbance. Here the simulated and observed developments are compared, while in Part II of the study various large-scale analyses, physical parameterizations, and initialization times are explored to document model sensitivities. In this first part the authors focus on the wave/vortex morphology, its interaction with the adjacent intertropical convergence zone complex, and the vorticity balance in the neighborhood of the developing storm. Analysis of the model simulation points to a bottom-up development process within the wave critical layer and supports the three new hypotheses of tropical cyclone formation proposed recently by Dunkerton, Montgome...
The relationship of sulfur emissions to sulfate in precipitation—II. Gas phase processes

Abstract A climatological box model is applied to wet deposition of sulfur in eastern North America using the extreme assumption that all wet-deposited sulfates originate in sulfate aerosol. The measured sulfate in precipitation during 1977–1979 constrains the probability that an SO2 molecule emitted in the eastern United States is oxidized before deposition or outflow from the region to values greater than 0.5 and more likely near 1.0. This result implies that uniform SO2 emission reductions will produce nearly proportional reductions in wet sulfates originating in those emissions and deposited on land. A similar result was obtained previously using the more likely assumption that oxidation and removal of SO2 in precipitating clouds is the major source of wet deposition of sulfur. Therefore, it is argued that uniform regional reductions in annual average SO2 emissions will produce nearly proportional reductions in wet sulfur deposited on land and originating in those emissions. The amount of wet sulfate deposition is demonstrated to constrain the mean scale of transport along air parcel trajectories for the precursor of wet sulfur, whether SO2 or sulfate aerosol, to values greater than 900 km. An examination of previous microscopic photochemical models indicates that the sulfate aerosol formation rate is roughly proportional to local SO2 concentrations, an inference which is consistent with the result of the climatological model.
High-pressure, high-temperature oxidation of toluene

Abstract The high-pressure single pulse shock tube (HPST) at the University of Illinois at Chicago has been used to study the oxidation of toluene at reflected shock pressures from 22 to 550 bar and temperatures from 1210 to 1480 K. Experiments were performed for dilute stoichiometric, Φ = 1 , and rich, Φ = 5 , reagent mixtures. Stable species were analyzed using gas chromatography and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. The resulting data set is the first that provides species concentrations over such extremes of pressure, temperature, and stoichiometry, and it serves as an excellent base for the validation and refinement of future detailed chemical kinetic models. Two literature models for the oxidation of toluene that have been validated against atmospheric pressure turbulent flow reactor and jet stirred reactor data were used to simulate the experimental data. Several modifications were made to one model to more accurately simulate the high-pressure/high-temperature experimental data. The modified model reproduces the Φ = 1 experimental data well and forms the first step in the development of a more comprehensive model for toluene combustion validated over wide ranges of temperature and pressure.
A constant array multiplier core generator with dynamic partial evaluation architecture selection (abstract only)

Numerous applications in Digital Signal Processing (DSP), telecommunications, graphics, cryptography and control systems have computations that involve a large number of multiplications of one variable with one or several constants. In this paper, we present a constant array multiplier core generator using dynamic partial evaluation. The proposed constant array multiplier core generator combines a new partial evaluation method named Full Complement Recoding with Booth's recoding and the straightforward partial evaluation method. Based on the number of 0s, the number of runs that have more than two consecutive 1s and the total number of 1s in all the runs in the constant operand, the proposed multiplier core generator selects one of the three partial evaluation methods to construct a partial evaluation architecture and generate an efficient Hardware Description Language (HDL) code that can be used as a design component. The constant multiplier core generated by the Xilinx CORE GeneratorTM system does not provide the optimized constant multipliers for a large number of cases. When implemented using Xilinx FPGA Virtex II device, the average area saving and delay improvement of the constant multiplier generated by proposed core generator is 70% and 36% compared to the 55% and 15% of constant multipliers generated by Xilinx CORE GeneratorTM system.
Malignant hyperthermia:considerations for ambulatory surgery

Patient care offered on an ambulatory basis continues to grow as evidenced by the high percentage of surgical procedures now being performed in such a setting. Many ambulatory surgical facilities are fee standing and remote from the primary hospital location. As the popularity of ambulatory surgical care increases, so does the likelihood of encountering malignant hyperthermia-susceptible patients or of experiencing a malignant hyperthermia crisis. The management of this unique population creates new challenges for the perianesthetic nurse working in the free-standing ambulatory setting. A comprehensive plan of patient care under these circumstances includes (1) the ability to identify the high-risk patient and to plan their care accordingly, (2) early recognition of the signs and symptoms of malignant hyperthermia, and (3) being prepared to promptly and efficiently treat a malignant hyperthermic event. This review article will offer guidelines for managing the malignant hyperthermia-susceptible patient in the remote ambulatory surgical setting.
An Optimization Based Heuristic for Scheduling Parallel Project Networks with Constrained Renewable Resources

Abstract In this paper we address the scheduling problem for the simultaneous management of multiple resource constrained project networks in parallel. This situation is common in the construction of a housing development where the building contractor is concerned with the simultaneous completion of a number of individual, identical construction projects. If only one project were managed, a resource constrained critical path method could be utilized. In this paper we present a model for the simultaneous planning of many individual project networks. We formulate the problem as an integer program that is similar to models found in the inventory/production scheduling literature. A Dantzig-Wolfe decomposition is used to obtain solutions to the linear programming relaxation of the problem. The algorithm selects a subset of these solutions to form a final schedule. Computational results are presented. Extensions of the algorithm, including non-identical projects, alternative objective functions and implementati...
Intraoperative Crossover: The Well-Kept Surgical Secret to Apparent Surgical Success

Cardiologists and patients contemplate the risk of proposed operations. Surgeons typically report outcomes on operations performed. Emergency intraoperative crossover from off- to on-pump coronary artery bypass grafting occurs uncommonly but has substantial rates of mortality and morbidity. Much of the reported perioperative benefit of off- compared with on-pump coronary artery bypass grafting is erased if data are presented by intention to treat and not by operation performed. Cardiologists and cardiac surgeons should share the responsibility for advising a patient to consent to a cardiac operation using honestly presented evidence of potential benefits and risks substantiated with information analyzed in patient-centric and not physician-centric ways.
Bioelectric Basis of Behavior in Protozoa

Locomotor responses of ciliate protozoans to external stimuli primarily depend on changes in ciliary motion evoked by the stimuli. Certain regions of the protozoan cell produce a receptor potential in response to stimulation. The receptor potential electrotronically spreads to the entire cell membrane and generates an overall electric response due to the electrical excitability of the general membrane. The ionic mechanisms for electrogensis are basically identical to those in nerves, muscles, and receptors of metazoan organisms. The ionic movements across the membrane associated with the electrogensis modify directly and/or indirectly the concentration of certain cations within the cell. The catonic concentration change brings about a modification of the contractile activity of cilia, which in turn results in a change in the ciliary movements. Cilia on different locations of the cell have intrinsically ionic concentrations. This fact, together with the morphological specialization of cilia in different locations on the cell, contributes to the complexity and adaptiveness of locomotor responses found in the ciliated protozoa.
Manganese exposure and induced oxidative stress in the rat brain

Neurotoxicity linked to excessive brain manganese levels can occur as a result of high level Mn exposures and/or metabolic aberrations (liver disease and decreased biliary excretion). Increased brain manganese levels have been reported to induce oxidative stress, as well as alterations in neurotransmitter metabolism with concurrent neurobehavioral and motor deficits. Two putative mechanisms in which manganese can produce oxidative stress in the brain are: (1) via its oxidation of dopamine, and (2) interference with normal mitochondrial respiration. Measurements of antioxidant species (e.g., glutathione and metallothionein), and the abundance of proteins (enzymes) exquisitely sensitive to oxidation (e.g., glutamine synthetase) have been commonly used as biomarkers of oxidative stress, particularly in rat brain tissue. This paper examines the link between manganese neurotoxicity in the rat brain and common pathways to oxidative stress.
Spectral decomposition of invariant differential operators on certain nilpotent homogeneous spaces

Abstract If K is a connected subgroup of a nilpotent Lie group G, the irreducible decompositionof the action on L2(KG) has either pure infinite or boundedly finite multiplicities. In the finite case the authors recently proved that the algebra D(KG) of G-invariant differential operators on KG is commutative, even if the action is not multiplicity free, and produced evidence for the conjecture that D(KG) is isomorphic to the algebra of all Ad∗(K)-invariant polynomials on the annihilator , where is the Lie algebra of K. Here the conjecture is proved for a large class of data (K, G). For such pairs an explicit construction of the isomorphism can be found; it is a type of Fourier transform with some unusual nonlinear aspects. Furthermore the operators in D(KG) have tempered fundamental solutions.
IL-17 inhibits adipogenesis in part via C/EBPα, PPARγ and Krüppel-like factors.

IL-17 is an inflammatory cytokine associated with anti-microbial host defense and pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases. Obesity is considered to be an inflammatory condition, but how cytokines and fat metabolism are interconnected remains poorly understood. Mesenchymal stem cells can differentiate into adipocytes, which serve as depots for stored fat. Despite the pro-inflammatory properties of IL-17, both IL-17- and IL-17RA-deficient mice are overweight. Consistently, IL-17 suppresses maturation of cells with adipogenic potential. However, the mechanism underlying IL-17-mediated inhibition is not defined. In this study, we addressed this question by evaluating the impact of IL-17 on a variety of transcription factors (TFs) that control adipogenesis, using 3T3-L1 cells to model adipocyte differentiation. Surprisingly, IL-17 does not suppress adipogenesis via C/EBPβ and C/EBPδ, TFs often considered to be central regulators of adipogenesis. Rather, IL-17 suppresses expression of several pro-adipogenic TFs, including PPARγ and C/EBPα. Moreover, we found that IL-17 regulates expression of several members of the Kruppel-like family (KLF). Specifically, IL-17 suppresses KLF15, a pro-adipogenic TF, and enhances expression of KLF2 and KLF3, which are anti-adipogenic. Thus, IL-17 suppresses adipogenesis at least in part through the combined effects of TFs that regulate adipocyte differentiation.
MRI‐guided interstitial ultrasound thermal therapy of the prostate: A feasibility study in the canine model

The feasibility of MRI-guided interstitial ultrasound thermal therapy of the prostate was evaluated in an in vivo canine prostate model. MRI compatible, multielement interstitial ultrasound applicators were developed using 1.5 mm diameter cylindrical piezoceramic transducers (7 to 8 MHz) sectored to provide 180 degrees of angular directional heating. Two in vivo experiments were performed in canine prostate. The first using two interstitial ultrasound applicators, the second using three ultrasound applicators in conjunction with rectal and urethral cooling. In both experiments, the applicators were inserted transperineally into the prostate with the energy directed ventrally, away from the rectum. Electrical power levels of 5-17 W per element (approximately 1.6-5.4 W acoustic output power) were applied for heating periods of 18 and 48 min. Phase-sensitive gradient-echo MR imaging was used to monitor the thermal treatment in real-time on a 0.5 T interventional MRI system. Contrast-enhanced T1-weighted images and vital-stained serial tissue sections were obtained to assess thermal damage and correlate to real-time thermal contour plots and calculated thermal doses. Results from these studies indicated a large volume of ablated (nonstained) tissue within the prostate, extending 1.2 to 2.0 cm from the applicators to the periphery of the gland, with the dorsal margin of coagulation well-defined by the applicator placement and directionality. The shape of the lesions correlated well to the hypointense regions visible in the contrast-enhanced T1-weighted images, and were also in good agreement with the contours of the 52 degrees C threshold temperature and t43 > 240 min. This study demonstrates the feasibility of using directional interstitial ultrasound in conjunction with MRI thermal imaging to monitor and possibly control thermal coagulation within a targeted tissue volume while potentially protecting surrounding tissue, such as rectum, from thermal damage.
A Comparison of Cyclic Nucleotide Levels in Plasma and Cells of Rat and Human Blood1

Concentrations of cAMP and cGMPwere compared in whole blood, plasma and packedcells from rats and humans. The cAMP content inpacked cells from rat blood was nearly twice that inplasma, whereas the cGMP content in packed cellswas less than about 10% of that in plasma (undetectablewith the assay used). The cGMP content in ratblood plasma was about 2/3 that of cAMP. In humanblood, the content of each cyclic nucleotide wasabout the same in plasma as in packed cells, and thecontent of cGMP was about 2/3 of that of cAMP. (Endocrinology 95: 325, 1974)
Retraining specialists for primary care: Exploring issues at one academic medical center

Issues in developing a retraining program for specialists at an independent academic medical center were investigated by means of a Delphi survey. Two focus groups of internal medicine subspecialists assessed their attitudes toward retraining. The Delphi group identified 17 areas that should be addressed (e.g., Needs Assessment of Specialists, Curriculum Development—Process and Methodology). The subspecialists were resistant to the idea of retraining, possibly secondary to their self-perceptions of having different intellectual needs and approaches to patient care compared with generalists. These results may be helpful to other institutions anticipating the need to retrain specialists as part of physician workforce planning. Additional studies will be required before retraining of specialists may be accepted as a reasonable option in health care reform.
Alterations in cell surface membranes in chinese hamster lung cells resistant to adriamycin

Summary Studies have been carried out to analyze plasma membrane proteins in chinese hamster lung cells resistant to the action of adriamycin. The cell surface was labeled using the lactoperoxidase catalyzed iodination procedure and the proteins were analyzed after gel electrophoresis. The results suggest that the plasma membranes of resistant cells are chemically altered. These alterations include a marked reduction in the labeling of a 100,000 molecular weight protein which is a major iodinated component of sensitive cells. In addition, a protein having a molecular weight of about 180,000 is iodinated in resistant cells but is not detected in cells sensitive to adriamycin. A protein with this same molecular weight is also highly labeled in resistant cells grown in the presence of [ 14 C]glucosamine. In sensitive cells this protein is not detected. The finding that these same surface changes are observed in several different isolates of drug resistant cells suggest they may be involved in the molecular basis of adriamycin resistance.
Bridging Taxonomic and Disciplinary Divides in Infectious Disease

Pathogens traverse disciplinary and taxonomic boundaries, yet infectious disease research occurs in many separate disciplines including plant pathology, veterinary and human medicine, and ecological and evolutionary sciences. These disciplines have different traditions, goals, and terminology, creating gaps in communication. Bridging these disciplinary and taxonomic gaps promises novel insights and important synergistic advances in control of infectious disease. An approach integrated across the plant-animal divide would advance our understanding of disease by quantifying critical processes including transmission, community interactions, pathogen evolution, and complexity at multiple spatial and temporal scales. These advances require more substantial investment in basic disease research.
Standardized sign-out reduces intern perception of medical errors on the general internal medicine ward.

Background: Prior research on reducing variation in housestaff handoff procedures have depended on proprietary checkout software. Use of low-technology standardization techniques has not been widely studied. Purpose: We wished to determine if standardizing the process of intern sign-out using low-technology sign-out tools could reduce perception of errors and missing handoff data. Methods: We conducted a pre–post prospective study of a cohort of 34 interns on a general internal medicine ward. Night interns coming off duty and day interns reassuming care were surveyed on their perception of erroneous sign-out data, mistakes made by the night intern overnight, and occurrences unanticipated by sign-out. Trainee satisfaction with the sign-out process was assessed with a 5-point Likert survey. Results: There were 399 intern surveys performed 8 weeks before and 6 weeks after the introduction of a standardized sign-out form. The response rate was 95% for the night interns and 70% for the interns reassuming care ...
Huygens provides insights about Titan

Following the Huygens probe's successful 14 January soft landing on Titan, Saturn's largest moon, scientists at a 21 January European Space Agency (ESA) news briefing announced that the moon has Earth-like meteorology and geology and that there is evidence for liquid methane. Martin Tomasko, principal investigator for the Huygens Descent Imager-Spectral Radiometer, said, “Geological evidence for precipitation, erosion, mechanical abrasion and other fluvial activity says that the physical processes shaping Titan are much the same as those shaping Earth.”