cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Incorporating social networks and user opinions for collaborative recommendation: local trust network based method

The sparse nature of historical rating profile hinders reliable similarity metrics between users, leading to poor recommendation performance. The availability of user social networks and user opinions can be incorporated to improve prediction accuracy. One of the key points is how to make the multiple sources of information consistent for the purpose of recommendation. In this paper, we proposed Local Trust Network (LTN) based recommendation method in the setting of movie recommendation, that mines the social network and multiple sources of user opinions to generate a highly reliable trust user network, upon which a recommendation is made. With transductive reasoning, LTN interpret trust user as a collection of instances, so it is well suited for the sparse issue of social network information. Our experiments on CAMRa10 data set shows the proposed methods improve recommendation performance significantly.
Audi’s Intuitionism*

Robert Audi's new book1 is the most up-to-date, sophisticated and comprehensive development of ethical intuitionism yet to appear. It ranges over a great amount of philosophical territory, and does so in a clear, and historically informed manner. Its timing nicely coincides with a renewed interest in intuitionism, and the book will serve as a required reference point for discussions of it in the literature. Intuitionism is the name of both a normative ethical theory, and a kind of moral epistemology. In W.D. Ross's hands, as in Audi's, both of these elements are combined. The normative ethical view states that
Polymorphous One-Dimensional Tetrapyridylporphyrin Coordination Polymers Which Structurally Mimic Aryl Stacking Interactions

Abstract Two polymorphic structures of rigid one-dimensional (1D) coordination polymers, [(HgBr2)2TPyP] · 2(1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane, TCE) (1A, 1B), have been isolated in which the 1D polymers adopt either stacking or herringbone (or T-shaped) geometries as observed for simple aromatic hydrocarbons. Polymorph 1A has a 1D polymeric structure with each HgBr2 tetrahedrally coordinated to a pyridyl moiety of two TPyP molecules. The 1D polymers in 1A are weakly cross-linked through long metal–halide bridges forming a 2D steplike sheet with each sheet stacked to form a continuous open porous structure. The 1D polymers in 1B adopt a T-shaped geometry such that the C–H groups of the pyrrole rings point toward the porphyrin cavity to maximize C–H ··· N or C–H ··· C interactions and the crest of the polymer (pyridyl–HgBr2–pyridyl moiety) interdigitates into the supramolecular cavities to form long, but significant Hg ··· Br interactions. Indeed, the cause of the stacked versus herringbone structures in 1A and 1B can be traced to the different possible secondary interactions between Br and Hg: edge-on in 1A and side-on in 1B. (This is in contrast to the electrostatic interactions leading to face-to-face versus hydrogen bonding in edge-to-face aromatic packing.) Polymorph 1A crystallizes in the triclinic space group P-1 with a=7.3653(9), b=12.920(2), and c=14.320(2) A, α=72.218(2), β=81.858(3), and γ=79.505(3)°, V=1270.5(3) A3, Dcalc=2.189 g cm−3, Z=1, and R=0.0672. Polymorph 1B is monoclinic, P21/c with a=15.2397(2), b=30.4642(5), and c=11.2657(1) A, β=93.212(1)°, V=5222.06(12) A3, Dcalc=2.131 g cm−3, Z=4, and R=0.0929.
TRANSPLACENTAL FETAL BLEEDING IN SPONTANEOUS ABORTION

Abstract Of thirty-six patients undergoing spontaneous abortion, thirteen had fetal erythrocytes in their circulation compared with only two in a control group of twenty healthy pregnant women. Dilatation and curettage of the uterus for incomplete abortion increases the volume and number of transplacental haemorrhages. Administration of anti-Rho immunoglobulin should be considered for those Rh-negative women at risk who undergo an abortion.
Scaling Ant Colony Optimization with Hierarchical Reinforcement Learning Partitioning

This paper merges hierarchical reinforcement learning (HRL) with ant colony optimization (ACO) to produce a HRL ACO algorithm capable of generating solutions for large domains. This paper describes two specific implementations of the new algorithm: the first a modification to Dietterich's MAXQ-Q HRL algorithm, the second a hierarchical ant colony system algorithm. These implementations generate faster results, with little to no significant change in the quality of solutions for the tested problem domains. The application of ACO to the MAXQ-Q algorithm replaces the reinforcement learning, Q-learning, with the modified ant colony optimization method, Ant-Q. This algorithm, MAXQ-AntQ, converges to solutions not significantly different from MAXQ-Q in 88% of the time. This paper then transfers HRL techniques to the ACO domain and traveling salesman problem (TSP). To apply HRL to ACO, a hierarchy must be created for the TSP. A data clustering algorithm creates these subtasks, with an ACO algorithm to solve the individual and complete problems. This paper tests two clustering algorithms, k-means and G-means. The results demonstrate the algorithm with data clustering produces solutions 20 times faster with 5-10% decrease in solution quality due to the effects of clustering.
Band Anticrossing in III-N-V Alloys

Recent high hydrostatic pressure experiments have shown that incorporation of small amounts of nitrogen into conventional III–V compounds to form III–N–V alloys leads to splitting of the conduction band into two subbands. The downward shift of the lower subband edge is responsible for the observed, large reduction of the fundamental band gaps in III–N–V alloys. The observed effects were explained by an anticrossing interaction between the conduction band states close to the center of the Brillouin zone and localized nitrogen states. The interaction leads to a change in the nature of the fundamental from the indirect gap in GaP to a direct gap in GaNP. The predictions of the band anticrossing model of enlarged electron effective mass and enhanced donor activation efficiency were confirmed by experiments in GaInNAs alloys.
Land Subsidence in Las Vegas, Nevada, 1935–2000: New Geodetic Data Show Evolution, Revised Spatial Patterns, and Reduced Rates

Subsidence in Las Vegas Valley has been geodetically monitored since 1935, and several generations of maps have depicted more than 1.5 m of total subsidence. This study presents new geodetic data that reveal insights into the spatial distribution and magnitude of subsidence through the year 2000. In particular, synthetic aperture radar interferometry (InSAR) and global positioning system (GPS) studies demonstrate that subsidence is localized within four bowls, each bounded by Quaternary faults. Conventional level line surveys across the faults further indicate that these spatial patterns have been present since at least 1978, and based on the new geodetic data a revised map showing subsidence between 1963 and 2000 has been developed. A comparison of the location of the subsidence bowls with the distribution of pumping in the valley indicates that subsidence is offset from the principal zones of pumping. Although the reasons for this offset are not well understood, it is likely the result of heavy pumping up-gradient from compressible deposits in the subsidence zones. A compilation of subsidence rates based on conventional, InSAR, and GPS data indicates that rates have significantly declined since 1991 because of an artificial recharge program. The rates in the northwest part of the valley have declined from more than 5–6 cm/year to about 2.5–3 cm/year, a reduction of 50 percent; in the central and southern parts of the valley, rates have declined from about 2.5 cm/year to only a few millimeters per year, a reduction of more than 80 percent.
Positive selection at high temperature reduces gene transcription in the bacteriophage ϕX174

Gene regulation plays a central role in the adaptation of organisms to their environments. There are many molecular components to gene regulation, and it is often difficult to determine both the genetic basis of adaptation and the evolutionary forces that influence regulation. In multiple evolution experiments with the bacteriophage ϕX174, adaptive substitutions in cis-acting regulatory sequences sweep through the phage population as the result of strong positive selection at high temperatures that are non-permissive for laboratory-adapted phage. For one cis-regulatory region, we investigate the individual effects of four adaptive substitutions on transcript levels and fitness for phage growing on three hosts at two temperatures. The effect of the four individual substitutions on transcript levels is to down-regulate gene expression, regardless of temperature or host. To ascertain the conditions under which these substitutions are adaptive, fitness was measured by a variety of methods for several bacterial hosts growing at two temperatures, the control temperature of 37°C and the selective temperature of 42°C. Time to lysis and doublings per hour indicate that the four substitutions individually improve fitness over the ancestral strain at high temperature independent of the bacterial host in which the fitness was measured. Competition assays between the ancestral strain and either of two mutant strains indicate that both mutants out-compete the ancestor at high temperature, but the relative frequencies of each phage remain the same at the control temperature. Our results strongly suggest that gene transcription plays an important role in influencing fitness in the bacteriophage ϕX174, and different point mutations in a single cis-regulatory region provided the genetic basis for this role in adaptation to high temperature. We speculate that the adaptive nature of these substitutions is due to the physiology of the host at high temperature or the need to maintain particular ratios of phage proteins during capsid assembly. Our investigation of regulatory evolution contributes to interpreting genome-level assessments of regulatory variation, as well as to understanding the molecular basis of adaptation.
Written Language Expression: Assessment Instruments and Teacher Tools

Written language is a complex set of skills that facilitate communication and that are developed in a predictable sequence. It is therefore possible to analyze current skills, identify deficits, plan interventions, and determine the effectiveness of the intervention. To effectively accomplish these tasks, educators need to choose appropriate assessment tools. The authors discuss the strengths and weaknesses of informal written assessments and of standardized written assessments. A table of the better known and more frequently used standardized written language assessments is presented that includes test title, publisher, Web site URL, normative group, indication of its focus (spelling, style, or mechanics), age of normative group, and method of administration. This information will help readers in the selection of written language assessment tools.
Successful de novo conversion from [psi−] to [PSI+] Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Prion protein disorders, such as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) and Creutzfeldt-Jacob Disease (CJD), are caused by amyloid aggregation within a cell. The amyloid aggregates are proteinaceous, rich in β-pleated sheets, and characterized by protease resistance. Saccharomyces cerevisiae naturally expresses Sup35, a protein that spontaneously aggregates and forms intracellular amyloid fibers. Sup35 exhibits multiple prion states: [psi−], strong [PSI+], and weak [PSI+] phenotypes. Prior studies have induced multiple [PSI+] phenotypes by using in vitro aggregation reactions of bacterially expressed Sup35NM at varying temperatures and then in some instances transforming S. cerevisiae with these aggregate “seeds.” By implementing a unique color assay, the different phenotypes may be visually identified as red, pink, and white colonies for [psi−], weak [PSI+], and strong [PSI+], respectively. Here our research focused on inducing strong [PSI+] and weak [PSI+] prion states from [psi−] cells without the use of preformed prion seeds. We have found that exposure of mid-exponential phase cultures of [psi−] 74-D694 yeast to a 4°C environment for an extended period of time induced de novo an array of [PSI+] phenotypes. Our current focus is on purifying the amyloids of these phenotypic variants and analyzing their secondary structure and conformations using a variety of techniques, including transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. We will also compare the structural data from the de novo amyloid with those of amyloid fibers that formed in vitro from bacterially-expressed Sup35NM.
USING SYNOPTIC CLIMATOLOGY TO DEFINE REPRESENTATIVE DISCHARGE EVENTS

Hydroclimatic modellers presently have no well-established methodology either to identify representative scenarios or to confirm that their model output agrees with observation. To fill this gap, this research presents a synoptic climatological framework that distinguishes typical storm systems associated with above-average discharge from Pennsylvania's Susquehanna River basin (SRB) and establishes the characteristic hydrographic responses to those systems. To determine the effect of basin scale on the results, these responses are stratified by sub-basin size. The results show that those storm systems tapping into Atlantic Ocean moisture usually produce above-average discharge in the SRB. Hydrographic responses vary with the storm trajectory and type. However, within a sub-basin scale and for any storm type, these hydrographic responses are the same from sub-basin to sub-basin. Thus, almost any basin is representative of its scale. Additional findings suggest that conventional single-day synoptic types are inappropriate for many types of research. Still, it is concluded that a synoptic climatological framework can be valuable for defining model scenarios and confirming model experiments. © 1997 by the Royal Meteorological Society.
Israeli Deportation of Palestinians from the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, 1967-1978

(1979). Israeli Deportation of Palestinians from the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, 1967-1978. Journal of Palestine Studies: Vol. 8, No. 2, pp. 101-131.
Differential alterations of NF-κB to oxidative stress in primary basal forebrain cultures

Abstract Oxidative stress has been linked to neuronal cell death resulting from either acute insults due to ischemia, trauma, excitotoxicity, or chronic neurodegenerative diseases. Cholinergic basal forebrain neurons (CBFNs) compete for nerve growth factor (NGF) synthesized in the hippocampus and cortex via retrograde transport. NGF affects CBFN survival and cholinergic function via activation of the NF-κB transcription factor and this signaling pathway appears to be impaired in aged rats. Here, we demonstrate that activation of NF-κB in basal forebrain primary culture via treatment with hydrogen peroxide or TNF-alpha is predominantly restricted to CBFNs, and that NF-κB activation appears to mostly affect p65 translocation to the nucleus, but not the p50 subunit. These results are consistent with NF-κB activation being a part of recovery processes after acute oxidative stress. Since p50 or p49 (also called p52) binding to promoter sites does not stimulate transcription — both p50 and p49 lack an activating domain — and p65 does contain an activating domain and thus can act as a transcription enhancer, differential translocation of different NF-κB dimers can act as repressors of constitutive activity or enhancers. These results are in agreement with the hypothesis that p50/p65 is the active trans-activating species of NF-κB, as compared to p50/p50 homodimers which bind to NF-κB binding sites but do not trans-activate promoters. Our results also suggest that selective activation of different NF-κB dimer species may have regulatory significance in neuronal responses to acute or chronic insults to CNS. Thus, increased p65 translocation could have enhancing effects while increased p50 translocation could have a repressor role. Manipulation of the types of NF-κB species being translocated could provide a basis for therapeutic strategies.
Viral dsRNA activates mucin transcription in airway epithelial cells

Double-stranded (ds) RNA is a biologically active component of many viruses including rhinoviruses infecting the upper respiratory tract. Mucus production is a common symptom of such infections. Here, we show that mucin, the glycoprotein subunit of mucus gels, is transcriptionally upregulated in an NF-kappaB- and p38-dependent manner when homogeneous cultures of epithelial cells are exposed to dsRNA. Furthermore, upstream of p38 in this system, dsRNA stimulates the extracellular release of ATP and activation of cell surface ATP receptors, which are G protein-coupled. This results in the stimulation of phospholipase C and protein kinase C. These findings suggest that ATP receptor antagonists could be used to modulate mucus production induced by virus.
SPLENIC CLEARANCE MECHANISMS OF REHYDRATED, LYOPHILIZED PLATELETS

A variety of platelet substitutes (e.g. rehydrated lyophilized (RL) platelets thromboerythrocytes plateletsomes infusible platelet membranes synthocytes fibrinogen-coated microcapules) are potentially useful as hemostatic agents in transfusion medicine. However, as “foreign” particles, platelet substitutes interact to varying extents with elements of the reticulo-endothelial system for clearance, reducing hemostatic efficacy. Experiments were performed to better understand the interaction of RL platelets with elements of the innate and acquired immune systems. The infusion of heterologous RL platelets into rats resulted in rapid clearance from the free circulation with half-life values of minutes. The clearance of RL platelets was inhibited when macrophages were rendered apoptotic with gadolinium. Transmission EM analysis of splenic tissue after infusion of lyophilized cells, as well as in vitro mixing studies with splenic macrophages and RL platelets, indicated that macrophage-mediated phagocytosis mecha...
Long-term effects of beclomethasone dipropionate on prednisone dosage in the corticosteroid-dependent asthmatic

The average prednisone dosage of 54 corticosteroid-dependent asthmatics was computed for one year prior to initiation of beclomethasone dipropionate. This was compared to the average prednisone dosage after nine months on the beclomethasone with progressive tapering of prednisone to either dose compatible with control of asthma or discontinuation. Beclomethasone was found clinically useful in the great majority of these patients because it permitted a significant decrease in dosage of prednisone, a change from daily to alternate-day prednisone, or discontinuation of prednisone after cautious tapering. The first two advantages were most evident in those asthmatics who initially required higher doses of oral steroids while the latter was evident in those requiring lower doses. Those patients whose prednisone dosage does not appear to be beneficially affected by the use of beclomethasone should be suspect as to adherence to proper medical dosage schedule.
Acoustic admittance and the aging ear.

Tympanograms were acquired from 60 subjects, 20 through 79 years of age, with normal hearing and no history of otic pathology. Acoustic conductance and acoustic susceptance at the tympanic membrane...
Herman Melville: A Writer and His Books

MLA 2009—Philadelphia Herman Melville: A Writer and His Books CHAIR: PETER NORBERG, SAINT JOSEPH’S UNIVERSITY From left to right: Ida Rothschild, Brian Yothers, Shelly Jarenski, Dennis Berthold, Peter Norberg. Photo courtesy of Wyn Kelley. In 1868, as he began to read again the major poets of the British romantic tradition, Melville acquired a copy of Lady Jane Shelley’s Shelley Memorials (Boston, Ticknor and Fields, 1859). Among the numerous passages he marked in this book is a description of reading in a letter from William Godwin to Percy Shelley that bears directly on Melville’s own habits of reading and writing. Godwin wrote: “A true student is a man seated in his chair, and surrounded with a sort of intrenchment and breastwork of books. It is for C © 2010 The Authors Journal compilation C © 2010 The Melville Society and Wiley Periodicals, Inc. L E V I A T H A N A J O U R N A L O F M E L V I L L E S T U D I E S 111
Mechanisms controlling neurite outgrowth in a pheochromocytoma cell line: the role of TRPC channels.

Transient Receptor Potential Canonical (TRPC) channels are implicated in modulating neurite outgrowth. The expression pattern of TRPC changes significantly during brain development, suggesting that fine-tuning TRPC expression may be important for orchestrating neuritogenesis. To study how alterations in the TRPC expression pattern affect neurite outgrowth, we used nerve growth factor (NGF)-differentiated rat pheochromocytoma 12 (PC12) cells, a model system for neuritogenesis. In PC12 cells, NGF markedly up-regulated TRPC1 and TRPC6 expression, but down-regulated TRPC5 expression while promoting neurite outgrowth. Overexpression of TRPC1 augmented, whereas TRPC5 overexpression decelerated NGF-induced neurite outgrowth. Conversely, shRNA-mediated knockdown of TRPC1 decreased, whereas shRNA-mediated knockdown of TRPC5 increased NGF-induced neurite extension. Endogenous TRPC1 attenuated the anti-neuritogenic effect of overexpressed TRPC5 in part by forming the heteromeric TRPC1–TRPC5 channels. Previous reports suggested that TRPC6 may facilitate neurite outgrowth. However, we found that TRPC6 overexpression slowed down neuritogenesis, whereas dominant negative TRPC6 (DN-TRPC6) facilitated neurite outgrowth in NGF-differentiated PC12 cells. Consistent with these findings, hyperforin, a neurite outgrowth promoting factor, decreased TRPC6 expression in NGF-differentiated PC12 cells. Using pharmacological and molecular biological approaches, we determined that NGF up-regulated TRPC1 and TRPC6 expression via a p75NTR-IKK2-dependent pathway that did not involve TrkA receptor signaling in PC12 cells. Similarly, NGF up-regulated TRPC1 and TRPC6 via an IKK2 dependent pathway in primary cultured hippocampal neurons. Thus, our data suggest that a balance of TRPC1, TRPC5, and TRPC6 expression determines neurite extension rate in neural cells, with TRPC6 emerging as an NGF-dependent “molecular damper” maintaining a submaximal velocity of neurite extension.
Botulinum Neurotoxin Serotype A Suppresses Neurotransmitter Release from Afferent as Well as Efferent Nerves in the Urinary Bladder

Abstract Background Botulinum neurotoxin A (BoNTA), which alleviates overactive bladder symptoms, is thought to act predominantly via the inhibition of transmitter release from parasympathetic nerves. However, actions at other sites such as afferent nerve terminals are possible. Objective To evaluate the effects of BoNTA on bladder afferent neuropeptide release and firing. Design, setting, and participants One side of the bladder of control and chronic (1–2 wk) spinal cord transected (SCT; T 8 -T 9 ) adult female mice was injected with BoNTA (0.5 U/5μl saline). After 48h, bladders with L 6 -S 2 spinal nerves were prepared for in vitro recordings. Outcome measurements and statistical analysis In bladder preparations, tension and optical mapping of Ca 2+ transients were used to measure intrinsic contractions, those evoked by capsaicin or the electrical stimulation of spinal nerves. Afferent firing was evoked by stretch or intrinsic bladder contractions. The numbers of responding units and firing rates were measured. Animal numbers were used to detect moderate to large between-group differences based on Cohen's criteria. Two-way analysis of variance was used to test spatial/temporal differences in Ca 2+ signals as mean plus or minus standard deviation. Differences between data sets were tested with the student t test and skewed data sets with a Mann-Whitney U test (significant when p Results and limitations In control and SCT bladders, BoNTA treatment decreased the contractions evoked by electrical stimulation of spinal nerves without altering intrinsic contractions. Afferent firing on untreated sides in response to stretch/intrinsic contractions was increased in SCTs versus controls. On BoNTA-treated sides, afferent firing rates were greatly attenuated in response to mechanical stimulation as were the capsaicin-evoked optical signals mediated by neuropeptide release. Conclusions SCT caused an increased sensitivity of afferent nerves to mechanical stimulation that was reduced by BoNTA treatment. Increased intrinsic activity after SCT was unaffected by the toxin. Thus BoNTA suppresses neurogenic detrusor overactivity by targeting afferent as well as efferent pathways in the bladder.
Anticocaine catalytic antibodies.

Abstract Cocaine mediates its reinforcing and toxic actions through a “loss of function” effect at multiple receptors. The difficulties inherent in blocking a pleiotropic blocker pose a great obstacle for the classical receptor–antagonist approach and have contributed to the failure (to date) to devise specific treatments for cocaine overdose and addiction. As an alternative, we have embarked on an investigation of catalytic antibodies, a programmable class of artificial enzyme, as “peripheral blockers”—agents designed to bind and degrade cocaine in the circulation before it partitions into the central nervous system to exert reinforcing or toxic effects. We synthesized transition-state analogs of cocaine's hydrolysis at its benzoyl ester, immunized mice, prepared hybridomas and developed the first anticocaine catalytic antibodies with the capacity to degrade cocaine to nonreinforcing, nontoxic products. We subsequently identified several families of anticocaine catalytic antibodies and found that the most potent antibody possessed sufficient activity to block cocaine-induced reinforcement, organ dysfunction and sudden death in rodent models of addiction, toxicity and overdose, respectively. With the potential to promote cessation of use, prolong abstinence and provide a treatment for acute overdose, the artificial enzyme approach comprehensively responds to the problem of cocaine.
Privatization in Developing Countries: A Summary Assessment

In the last 25 years many thousands of formerly state-owned firms have been privatized in transition economies, generating over U.S. $400 billion in sales proceeds. In addition, thousands of firms have been privatized by methods in which no money was raised. The vast majority of economic studies praise privatization's positive impact at the level of the firm, as well as its positive macroeconomic and welfare contributions. Even so, public opinion in the developing world is quite hostile to privatization. The process has proven harder to launch, and more likely to produce errant results in institutionally weak states. A successful privatization process requires mechanisms that give private investors incentives and comfort, that create and sustain the policies and regulatory institutions that make governments competent and honest partners with private partners, and that protect consumers, particularly the most disadvantaged, from abuse.
A novel chymotrypsin-like component of the multicatalytic proteinase complex optimally active at acidic pH.

Abstract The multicatalytic proteinase complex (MPC) or proteasome is a multimeric, high-molecular-weight (700,000), extralysosomal proteolytic enzyme found in eukaryotes and in archaebacteria. Its multiple catalytic sites grant it a broad cleavage specificity toward short peptides and protein substrates. The pH optima of the catalytic activities of MPC are in the neutral or slightly alkaline range. We present here evidence for cryptic catalytic components of MPC optimally active at an acidic pH. Studies with a hydrophobic fluorescent probe provide direct evidence for conformational changes brought about by exposing the complex to an acidic environment. One of the newly described components, designated "acidic chymotrypsin-like activity," cleaves the Leu-2-naphthylamide bond in the substrate Boc-Val-Glu-Ala-Leu-2-naphthylamide. Compared with the classical "neutral" chymotrypsin-like activity defined by cleavage of the Leu- p -nitroanilide bond in Z-Gly-Gly-Leu- p -nitroanilide, the newly described component is not inhibited by monovalent cations and is less sensitive to the peptidyl aldehyde Z-Gly-Gly-leucinal, an inhibitor of the neutral chymotrypsin-like activity. In addition, we describe the properties of a novel potent peptidyl aldehyde, Z-Ile-GIu(OtBu)-Ala-leucinal, which is an inhibitor of both the acidic and neutral chymotrypsin-like activities of MPC, with IC 50 values of 0.25 and 6.5 μM, respectively. In the presence of 65 μM of the newly synthesized peptidyl aldehyde, other MPC components such as the trypsin-like and peptidyl-glutamyl peptide hydrolyzing activities were decreased only by 14 and 9%, respectively. The hydrophobicity, potency, and specificity of Z-Ile-GIu(OtBu)-Ala-leucinal toward the chymotrypsin-like activities of the complex make it a valuable pharmacological tool with which to investigate the physiological roles of MPC.
Evidence for Co-evolution of West Nile Virus and House Sparrows in North America

West Nile virus (WNV) has been maintained in North America in enzootic cycles between mosquitoes and birds since it was first described in North America in 1999. House sparrows (HOSPs; Passer domesticus) are a highly competent host for WNV that have contributed to the rapid spread of WNV across the U.S.; however, their competence has been evaluated primarily using an early WNV strain (NY99) that is no longer circulating. Herein, we report that the competence of wild HOSPs for the NY99 strain has decreased significantly over time, suggesting that HOSPs may have developed resistance to this early WNV strain. Moreover, recently isolated WNV strains generate higher peak viremias and mortality in contemporary HOSPs compared to NY99. These data indicate that opposing selective pressures in both the virus and avian host have resulted in a net increase in the level of host competence of North American HOSPs for currently circulating WNV strains.
New graphical method for the iteration of one-dimensional maps

Abstract We present the “inverse-curve method” which (1) simplifies a graphical iteration of the logistic map by avoiding the use of the diagonal; (2) naturally demonstrates the first period-doubling bifurcation; and (3) allows one to read immediately the stable pair of the two-point cycle off from the graph of the recursive function. Cycles of order m ⩾ 2 are reduced to graphs of k - and l -iterate functions with k + l = m . The method can easily be applied to other one-dimensional maps with more complicated recursion relations.
Initial internal energy distributions of ZnH (ZnD) produced in the reaction of Zn(4s4p3P1) with H2, D2, and HD

Abstract Initial rotational quantum-state distributions of CdH (CdD) formed in the endoergic reactions of Cd(5s5p3P1) with H2, HD, and D2 were determined for reactants under thermal conditions at 325 K. Unusual isotope effects were observed, very similar to those reported for the analogous exoergic reactions of Zn(4s4p3P1). The results were successfully rationalized by a simple transition-state model in which small, “late” activation barriers for the decomposition of H—Cd—H, H—Cd—D, and D—Cd—D insertion intermediates were postulated.
Some remarks on longitudinal mixing or diffusion in fixed beds

It has been shown both theoretically and experimentally that the radial Peclet number in a packed bed approaches about 11. If it is assumed that the interstitial volume of the bed forms mixing cells, then a comparison of the solutions obtained from the mixing and turbulent diffusive mechanisms shows that the axial Peclet number for agreement of the two must be about 2, as a limiting case for high Reynolds numbers. This is substantiated by experiment.
On the Subjective Partitioning of Space

Abstract This paper comments on some fundamental concerns associated with the subjective partitioning of space. In particular, we discuss some basic assumptions and epistemological positions that are both implicitly and explicitly assumed in the partitioning process. A brief discussion of scale follows to make the point that the epistemological assumptions involved in the transitions from personal to cognitive space have not always been fully appreciated by geographic researchers. The final section discusses some major problems associated with subjective partitioning and briefly selected recent publications that appear to fit this research area. Most of these selections are drawn from the United States research arena.
Weak anion-exchange high-performance liquid chromatography of peptides

Abstract In this survey, the principles and applications of a method recently developed for peptide separations are given. This method uses a bonded weak anion-exchange column and mixtures of volatile triethylammonium acetate buffer and acetonitrile as eluent. Its applications to the separation of a large number of peptides including diastereomeric and other closely related peptides are discussed. Separation of the enzymatic digests of some proteins is also presented. The complementary use of this method to the reversed-phase methods is outlined and their combined use for separation of enzymatic digests of proteins and assessment of purity of synthesized peptides is demonstrated. The results reviewed show that the weak anion-exchange method is an excellent approach for peptide separations and could be an important partner of reversed-phase methods for achieving optimal results.
Integration of the dynamic thermoelastic equations

Abstract For quasi-static problems in uncoupled thermoelasticity the analysis can be simplified through the use of Goodier's method. This method, however, is not applicable to dynamic problems. In this paper a generalization of Goodier's method to dynamic thermoelasticity is established. By the introduction of an adjunct problem and an associated elastic problem in a five dimensional space, instead of the original four dimensional space, the analysis of a thermoelastic problem of dynamic nature can be simplified. Two such associated elastic problems are introduced to meet the requirements of various boundary and initial conditions that may be encountered in thermoelasticity. The second associated elastic problem also includes Goodier's method as a special case. To demonstrate the use of the method, an illustrative example is given.
Proctosigmoidoscopy and polypectomy in reducing the incidence of rectal cancer

A 25-year study of the results of periodic proctosigmoidoscopy has been done at the University of Minnesota Cancer Detection Center. Participants in the program demonstrated a marked reduction in the incidence of lower bowel cancers: 85% of the statistically anticipated adenocarcinomas did not develop, and each of those that did appear was found while yet early and sharply localized to the bowel wall. The suggestion is made that periodic proctosigmoidoscopy of the high-risk group of patients could very nearly eliminate lower bowel cancer as a cause of death at a cost no greater than that required in the treatment of patients as currently seen with this disease.
A less biased analysis of metalloproteins' coordination geometries

Metalloproteins are essential to all domains of life. The structure of the metalloproteins, especially the metal ion's coordination geometry (CG), needs to be carefully studied, because it provides a strong bridge between metal-binding protein sequences and their functions. Our previous study has shown that new CGs can be classified in zinc metalloproteins via a less biased analysis, and these new CGs also demonstrated distinct functional propensity. Applying the methodology to all metalloproteins will greatly help us in better understanding metalloproteins' structure and their contribution to the protein functions.
Organising AIDS in the borderless world: A case study from the Indonesia–Malaysia–Singapore Growth Triangle*

Tropes of borderlessness are pervasive both in discourses concerning the spread of HIV/AIDS and the Growth Triangle, a transnational economic zone that ideally binds together the Indonesian island of Batam, the Malaysian province of Johor and Singapore. This paper considers how the emergence of HIV as a problem in the Growth Triangle, and on Batam in particular, has been framed as a problem to be addressed in context of the nation-state rather than as a transnational problem that demands cooperation across borders. In conjunction with this, it focuses on further attempts to create boundaries around HIV, through the identification of risk groups, the localisation of prostitutes and the distribution of condoms. The paper focuses particular attention on the rela- tionship between Batam and Singapore, and how non-governmental organisations and governments have dealt with HIV/AIDS issues in both places. Furthermore, it problematises these activities by paying ethnographic attention to other forms of cultural and economic logics that often are odds with prevention models. This raises important questions concerning, most specifically, the problems of HIV prevention and cross-border cooperation, and, more generally, the regulation and formation of new kinds of borders in a 'borderless world'.
Long-term electric system investments to support Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles

Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) represent a promising pathway to reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with the U.S. transportation sector. A large-scale shift from gasoline-powered automobiles to PHEVs would inextricably link the U.S. transportation system with its electric system. We build on [4] to perform a regional emissions analysis of a PHEV use pattern where PHEVs are charged at night and discharged during the day. We find that in some coal-intensive regions like the Midwest, charging PHEVs by burning coal may produce more emissions than burning gasoline. Overnight charging of PHEVs will deteriorate the system load factor by increasing off-peak demand. This may have deleterious effects on system infrastructure. We perform some simple simulations looking at the effect of off-peak PHEV charging on the performance of oil-cooled substation transformers.
Exercise electrocardiography and vasoregulatory abnormalities

Abstract A group of 40 patients who have “ischemic” electrocardiographic (that is, 1 mm flat S-T segment depression) responses to exercise but who do not fulfill the usual criteria for ischemic heart disease are discussed. These patients have been followed up for a minimum of 3 years and clinical findings of ischemic heart disease have not developed. It is suggested that they have vasoregulatory abnormalities. Vasoregulatory abnormalities include an unusual increase in heart rate on standing, ST-T segment changes on standing, “ischemic” electrocardiographic changes unaccompanied by chest discomfort occurring early in exercise and disappearance of “ischemic” changes as exercise proceeds. Propranolol administration tends to abolish the changes, and the Valsalva maneuver temporarily restores the electrocardiographic changes toward normal. Recognition of this syndrome, its possible causes, and the importance of proper counseling and recommendations in management are discussed briefly.
Physiological benefits as precursors of sociality: why banded geckos band

Aggregating has been widely studied in a variety of animals and found to have important benefits in terms of sociality, courtship, predator avoidance and physiology. Several species of nocturnal geckos form diurnal aggregations; however, little is known about the benefits of these groupings. We conducted a series of experiments to determine the benefit of aggregation for the desert-dwelling western banded gecko, Coleonyx variegatus. We found that banded geckos benefit from aggregation by a reduction in evaporative water loss (EWL). No social or mating benefits were detected, and geckos did not group to avoid predators. Geckos did not select diurnal retreat sites based solely on the scent of conspecifics, although they aggregated readily when conspecifics were present. Thus, C. variegatus appear to achieve physiological but not social benefits from grouping. Banded geckos belong to an ancestrally tropical lineage whose descendants invaded present-day North American deserts at a time when these regions were more mesic. This may explain their relatively high rate of EWL. Aggregating seems to be a solution to this physiological handicap. Our study also suggests a path for the evolution of social behaviour: as animals aggregate for physiological benefits, the stage is set for the evolution of more complex social interactions.
Effects of forebrain circumventricular organ ablation on drinking or salt appetite after sodium depletion or hypernatremia

In many previous studies, one or the other forebrain circumventricular organ, the subfornical organ (SFO) or organum vasculosum laminae terminalis (OVLT), was lesioned to test whether it was critical for the behavioral or physiological responses to sodium depletion and hypernatremia. These studies conflict in their conclusions. The present study was designed to create discrete lesions of both the SFO and OVLT in the same animals and to compare these with rats having a lesion of only the SFO or OVLT. Both the OVLT-lesioned group and the combined SFO + OVLT-lesioned group drank significantly more water and saline on a daily basis than Controls or SFO-lesioned rats. In both sodium depletion and hypertonic saline testing, rats with SFO lesions displayed transient deficits in salt appetite or thirst responses, whereas the rats with single OVLT lesions did not. In the sodium depletion test, but not in the hypernatremia test, rats with lesions of both the SFO and OVLT exhibited the largest deficit. The data support the hypothesis that a combined lesion eliminates redundancy and is more effective than a single lesion in sodium depletion tests. The interpretation of the OVLT lesion-only data may have been complicated by a tendency to drink more fluid on a daily basis, because some of those animals drank copious water in addition to saline even very early during the salt appetite test.
Quality of life of patients with endometrial cancer undergoing laparoscopic international federation of gynecology and obstetrics staging compared with laparotomy: a Gynecologic Oncology Group study.

Purpose The study's objective was to compare the quality of life (QoL) of patients with endometrial cancer undergoing surgical staging via laparoscopy versus laparotomy. Patients and Methods The first 802 eligible patients (laparoscopy, n = 535; laparotomy, n = 267) participated in the QoL study in a Gynecologic Oncology Group (GOG) randomized trial of laparoscopy versus laparotomy (GOG 2222). Patients completed QoL assessments at baseline; at 1, 3, and 6 weeks; and at 6 months postsurgery. Results In an intent-to-treat analysis, laparoscopy patients reported significantly higher Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy–General (FACT-G) scores (P = .001), better physical functioning (P = .006), better body image (BI; P < .001), less pain (P < .001) and its interference with QoL (P < .001), and an earlier resumption of normal activities (P = .003) and return to work (P = .04) over the 6-week postsurgery period, as compared with laparotomy patients. However, the differences in BI and return to work between g...
Renal baroreceptor-stimulated renin in the eNOS knockout mouse.

The role of endothelium-derived nitric oxide (NO) in renal baroreceptor stimulation of renin was tested comparing endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS)-deficient mice with C57BL/6J (C57) control...
Thermal re-emission of trapped hot electrons in NMOS transistors

Summary form only given. A simple model of injection and thermal re-emission is shown to be adequate for predicting the hot-electron-injection-induced degradation on submicrometer NMOS technology under AC stress. Hot-carrier stressing has been carried out on LDD NMOS transistors under various AC use conditions. An example of the results shows that a 14% degradation in drain current is fully recovered after 3500 min at 70 degrees C. From the Arrhenius plot of the recovery phase, a 1.5-eV activation energy of the trapped electrons in SiO/sub 2/ has been extracted. >
Petroleum Coke in the Urban Environment: A Review of Potential Health Effects

Petroleum coke, or petcoke, is a granular coal-like industrial by-product that is separated during the refinement of heavy crude oil. Recently, the processing of material from Canadian oil sands in U.S. refineries has led to the appearance of large petcoke piles adjacent to urban communities in Detroit and Chicago. The purpose of this literature review is to assess what is known about the effects of petcoke exposure on human health. Toxicological studies in animals indicate that dermal or inhalation petcoke exposure does not lead to a significant risk for cancer development or reproductive and developmental effects. However, pulmonary inflammation was observed in long-term inhalation exposure studies. Epidemiological studies in coke oven workers have shown increased risk for cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, but these studies are confounded by multiple industrial exposures, most notably to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons that are generated during petcoke production. The main threat to urban populations in the vicinity of petcoke piles is most likely fugitive dust emissions in the form of fine particulate matter. More research is required to determine whether petcoke fine particulate matter causes or exacerbates disease, either alone or in conjunction with other environmental contaminants.
74 Pre- and Post-Operative Risk Factors Associated with Neurological Complications in Patients Supported by Ventricular Assist Device

Purpose Neurological complications (NC) are a major adverse event following left ventricular assist device (LVAD) surgery. Pre- and post-operative factors associated with NC were investigated. Methods and Materials We reviewed 287 consecutive patients who underwent LVAD surgery [167 Heart Mate (HM) I and 121 HM II] at Columbia University Medical Center between November 2000 and June 2010. Clinical characteristics, hemodynamic and laboratory indexes were analyzed. The NC was defined according to the INTERMACS definition of neurological dysfunction including transient ischemic attack (TIA) and ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke. Results In total, 43 (15.0%) patients developed NC at 145±218 days after surgery, including 28 infarcts, 5 hemorrhages, and 14 TIAs. Six patients developed multiple events. The type of NC was not different between HM I and HM II patients. Preoperative factors that were different between patients with and without NC included: serum albumin (pre-alb, 3.3±0.6 vs. 3.5±0.5 mg/dL; p=0.015); sodium (pre-Na, 127±9 vs. 132±8 mg/dL, p=0.001), and the history of stroke (pre-stroke, 37.2% vs. 17.1%, p=0.003). Postoperative factors associated with NC again included lower albumin (post-alb, 3.4±0.7 vs. 3.9±0.7 mg/dL, p=0.001); sodium (post-Na, 128±8 vs. 132±7 mg/dL, p=0.003) and hematocrit (post-Hct, 31.8±6.1 vs. 35.3±6.6 %, p=0.001). The incidence of LVAD-related infection (post-Inf) was higher (39.5% vs. 20.8%, p=0.008) in patients with NC than without NC. Multiple regression analysis revealed that pre-stroke [odds ratio (OR) 3.0, 95% confidential interval (CI), 1.2-7.3, p=0.002], post-Na (OR, 0.9, 95%CI, 0.90-0.99, p=0.002), and post-Infect (OR, 2.9, 95%CI, 1.24-6.67, p=0.001) were highly associated with NC development. The combination of pre-Alb, pre-stroke, post-Alb, post-Na, post-Hct and post-Inf could predict NC with a probability of 76.4%. Conclusions Persistent malnutrition, severity of heart failure, previous stroke and post LVAD infections were the key factors associated with NC development post LVAD.
General intelligence and modality-specific differences in performance: a response to Schellenberg (2008)

Tierney et al. (2008) reported that musicians performed better on an auditory sequence memory task when compared to non-musicians, but the two groups did not differ in performance on a sequential visuo-spatial memory task. Schellenberg (2008) claims that these results can be attributed entirely to differences in IQ. This explanation, however, cannot account for the fact that the musicians' advantage was modality-specific. Submitted 2009 February 17; accepted 2009 February 18.