cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Role of dimethylnitrosamine-demethylase in the metabolic activation of dimethylnitrosamine

In vivo administration to rats of the mixed-function oxidase modifiers 3-methylcholanthrene (MC), pregnenolone-16 alpha-carbonitrile (PCN) or beta-naphthoflavnoe (beta-f) inhibits the hepatic microsome-catalyzed in vitro binding of dimethylnitrosamine (DMN) to DNA. This parallels their effect on DMN-demethylase I, regarded to be the sole activating step in DMN carcinogenesis and fails to account for the previously observed anomaly that MC and PCN inhibit, while beta-NF enhances, the hepatocarcinogenic activity of DMN. The in vitro binding of DMN is clearly dependent on microsomes and NADPH, and is strongly enhanced by soluble cytoplasmic proteins; the presence of the latter has no effect. however, on the relative response to pretreatment by the modifiers. In mice beta-NF enhances and PCN inhibits DMN-demethylase I; beta-NF has no effect on either the cytochrome P-450 level or on the LD50, while PCN strongly increases the cytochrome P-450 level but without influencing the LD50. Neither of the two modifiers has any effect in mice on the host-mediated mutagenicity of DMN in a dose-response study, except for the highest dose of DMN (200 mg/kg) where PCN pretreatment significantly enhanced mutagenicity. To account for the anomalous observations, other potential pathways of DMN metabolism have been explored. Whole rat liver nuclei or isolated nuclear membrane fractions contain no DMN-demethylase or diethylnitrosamine-deethylase activity. In a microsomal mixed-function amine-oxidase assay system neither purified enzyme preparations nor whole microsomes catalyze NADPH oxidation in the presence of DMN as substrate. In addition, the purified enzyme does not catalyze formaldehyde production in the DMN-demethylase assay system. Benzylamine, a typical inhibitor of mitochondrial monoamine oxidase (MAO), is a potent inhibitor of DMN-demethylase activity, but microsomes are devoid of MAO activity. Furthermore, purified MAO has no DMN-demethylase activity. The differential effect of modifiers on the carcinogenicity of DMN probably involves pathways other than DMN metabolism.
A computer program for component life estimation using multiply censored system life data

Abstract A QuickBASIC program called WEIBSYS.BAS is presented which enables the user to estimate component life distributions from a pooled set of multiply-censored series-system life data. The program yields maximum likelihood estimates (MLEs) of Weibull scale and shape parameters for each type of component in the systems along with associated confidence limits. It then allows the user to predict the fraction failure expected for a new series-configuration of the components.
Prevalence of symptoms consistent with a diagnosis of vulvodynia: population-based estimates from 2 geographic regions

Objective We used validated sensitive and specific questions associated with clinically confirmed diagnoses of unexplained vulvar pain (vulvodynia) to compare the cumulative incidence of vulvar pain and prevalence of care-seeking behavior in Boston metropolitan area (BMA) and in Minneapolis/Saint Paul metropolitan area (MSP) from 2001 through 2005 using census-based data, and 2010 through 2012, using outpatient community-clinic data, respectively. Study Design We received self-administered questionnaires from 5440 women in BMA and 13,681 in MSP, 18-40 years of age, describing their history of vulvar burning or pain on contact that persisted >3 months that limited/prevented intercourse. Results By age 40 years, 7-8% in BMA and MSP reported vulvar pain consistent with vulvodynia. Women of Hispanic origin compared to whites were 1.4 times more likely to develop vulvar pain symptoms (95% confidence interval, 1.1–1.8). Many women in MSP (48%) and BMA (30%) never sought treatment, and >50% who sought care with known health care access received no diagnosis. Conclusion Using identical screening methods, we report high prevalence of vulvar pain in 2 geographic regions, and that access to health care does not increase the likelihood of seeking care for chronic vulvar pain.
Optimal outlier removal in high-dimensional

We study the problem of finding an outlier-free subset of a set of points (or a probability distribution) in n-dimensional Euclidean space. A point x is defined to be a β-outlier if there exists some direction w in which its squared distance from the mean along w is greater than β times the average squared distance from the mean along w [1]. Our main theorem is that for any e>0, there exists a (1-e) fraction of the original distribution that has no O(\frac{n}{e}(b+log \frac{n}{e))-outliers, improving on the previous bound of O(n^7b/e). This bound is shown to be nearly the best possible. The theorem is constructive, and results in a \frac{1}{1-e} approximation to the following optimization problem: given a distribution μ (i.e. the ability to sample from it), and a parameter e>0, find the minimum β for which there exists a subset of probability at least (1-e) with no β-outliers.
Imipenem therapy of experimental Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus faecalis endocarditis

Imipenem was very active in vitro against 36 Staphylococcus aureus isolates from cases of infective endocarditis; the MBC90 was 0.06 mg/l (four- to eight-fold more active than nafcillin). The in-vitro activity of imipenem against 22 Streptococcus faecalis isolates from proven endocarditis cases was similar to that of penicillin G (MBC90 = 8 mg/l). Imipenem was compared with nafcillin and with penicillin plus gentamicin in the therapy of experimental endocarditis induced in rabbits by Staph. aureus and Str. faecalis, respectively. The dosages were chosen to simulate closely serum antibiotic concentrations found in humans receiving standard parenteral regimens. Imipenem was more rapidly bactericidal than nafcillin in experimental staphylococcal endocarditis. The mean +/- S.D. Staph. aureus concentrations within aortic valve vegetations (log10 cfu/g) after 5 days of therapy were as follows: imipenem = 1.39 +/- 0.61 versus nafcillin 2.39 +/- 0.36 (P less than 0.02). Both the imipenem and nafcillin regimens resulted in 'sterile' vegetations in congruent to 50% of rabbits with experimental staphylococcal endocarditis after 5 days of therapy (P greater than 0.05). Imipenem was also equivalent to penicillin plus gentamicin in the therapy of experimental enterococcal endocarditis for 5 days, as assessed by the mean cfu/g vegetation and the percentage of vegetations rendered sterile. However, 7 days of therapy cured experimental enterococcal endocarditis in 72% of rabbits receiving penicillin plus gentamicin versus 20% for imipenem alone (P less than 0.05). Imipenem deserves further evaluation in the therapy of infective endocarditis, both in experimental animal models of infection and in humans. This agent may prove useful in the therapy of staphylococcal endocarditis in a variety of difficult clinical situations. Therapy of enterococcal endocarditis with imipenem alone is not advisable, pending further data.
The molecular basis for electrogenic computation in the brain: you can't step in the same river twice

Neural computation has classically been considered to be a process that depends, in large part, on the integration of excitatory and inhibitory synaptic signals by postsynaptic neurons; these cells generate sequences of action potentials that convey their messages, in turn, to still other neurons. We now appreciate that synaptic activity is a dynamic process that can be altered by mechanisms that include sprouting, pruning, facilitation, potentiation, and depression. But what about the electrogenic properties of neurons, ie the capability of these cells to generate all-or-non action potentials? Recent work indicates that the electrogenic machinery within neurons is also dynamic as a result of plasticity in the expression of sodium channels within the neuronal membrane. Molecular and functional remodeling of electrogenic membrane has been most extensively studied in developing and diseased neurons, but also occurs in the normal brain. The molecular plasticity of electrogenic membrane has important functional implications, since it can retune the neuron, changing its input-output relations.
A conserved poxvirus NlpC/P60 superfamily protein contributes to vaccinia virus virulence in mice but not to replication in cell culture

Of the vaccinia virus genes that are conserved in all sequenced poxviruses, each one except for VACWR084 (G6R) has been at least partially characterized. The poxvirus protein encoded by G6R belongs to the NlpC/P60 superfamily, which consists of proteins with a papain-like fold and known or predicted protease, amidase or acyltransferase activity. The G6 protein was synthesized late in infection and localized to the interior of virions, primarily between the membrane and core. Unlike other conserved poxvirus genes, G6R was not required for virus propagation and spread in a variety of cells. Nevertheless, G6R null mutants caused less severe disease in mice than the parent or revertant virus. Moreover, mutation of the predicted catalytic cysteine led to the same level of attenuation as a null mutant, suggesting that the G6 protein has enzymatic activity that is important in vivo. Conservation of G6R amongst poxviruses and the disparity between its role in vitro and in vivo imply that the protein is involved in an aspect of the virus-host interaction that is common to vertebrates and insects.
Pseudocompactness and extension of functions in Franklin-Rajagopalan spaces

Abstract Compactifications of the set of integers whose remainders are [0, ω 1 ] are studied. Conditions assuring the existence of such spaces with certain pseudocompact subspaces are given. Extension of functions on N in such compactifications is discussed.
Lacunarity and Fractal Analyses of Soil Macropores and Preferential Transport Using Micro-X-Ray Computed Tomography

Quantification of soil macropore networks and solute transport patterns is important to enhance our understanding of preferential flow in structured soils. We investigated soil macropore structure and solute transport dynamics in an intact soil column of 76-mm diameter and 265-mm length. Five positions (each with a thickness of 10.7 mm) in the soil column were scanned with a voxel resolution of 78.1 by 78.1 by 86.7 μm using micro-x-ray computed tomography. The scanning was done at three stages after the soil column was satiated: (i) before tracer (KI) introduction, (ii) 6 min after tracer introduction, and (iii) 78 min after tracer introduction. The macropore network and tracer distribution were reconstructed at the five scanned positions. Relative lacunarity functions (RLFs) and pore fractal dimensions, in both two and three dimensions, were calculated. Distinct macropore characteristics and flow patterns were observed at the five positions. The biopores were active in solute transport because of their high continuity and low tortuosity. Positive logarithmic trends were found between the fractal dimension and the volume percentage of the macropores and tracer distribution. Generally, the lacunarity function reflected the size distribution of macropores and the spatial pattern of flow and transport. The RLFs indicated that the tracer distributions exhibited more self-similarity than the macropore networks and that the representative elementary volume had not been reached for the three-dimensional macropore networks within the size range investigated (cube size ≤63). Lacunarity has diagnostic value in characterizing soil macropore structure and flow pattern and may be coupled with the fractal dimension to better describe and model soil structural properties.
Assessment of the stability of the individual-based correction of QT interval for heart rate.

Background: Modeling the relationship between QT intervals and previous R-R values remains a challenge of modern quantitative electrocardiography. The technique based on an individual regression model computed from a set of QT–R-R measurements is presented as a promising alternative. However, a large set of QT–R-R measurements is not always available in clinical trials and there is no study that has investigated the minimum number of QT–R-R measurements needed to obtain a reliable individual QT–R-R model. In this study, we propose guidelines to ensure appropriate use of the regression technique for heart rate correction of QT intervals. Method: Holter recordings from 205 healthy subjects were included in the study. QT–R-R relationships were modeled using both linear and parabolic regression techniques. Using a bootstrapping technique, we computed the stability of the individual correction models as a function of the number of measurements, the range of heart rate, and the variance of R-R values. Results: The results show that the stability of QT–R-R individual models was dependent on three factors: the number of measurements included in its design, the heart-rate range used to design the model, and the T-wave amplitude. Practically our results showed that a set of 400 QT–R-R measurements with R-R values ranging from 600 to 1000 ms ensure a stable and reliable individual correction model if the amplitude of the T wave is at least 0.3 mV. Reducing the range of heart rate or the number of measurements may significantly impact the correction model. Conclusion: We demonstrated that a large number of QT–R-R measurements (∼400) is required to ensure reliable individual correction of QT intervals for heart rate.
Reliability improvements to DSN 20kW transmitters

In 2006 the Deep Space Network (DSN) project office approved changes to the 20kW transmitters used on the 70m antennas to improve the overall reliability and to make the 20kW transmitters used on the 70m antennas more like the 20kW transmitters used on the Beam Waveguide (BWG) antennas. Modifications to the automation portion of the transmitter and the heat exchanger have been built and installed. This paper describes the goals, problems encountered, and implementation of the modifications. 1 2
Common component classification: What can we learn from machine learning?

Machine learning methods have been applied to classifying fMRI scans by studying locations in the brain that exhibit temporal intensity variation between groups, frequently reporting classification accuracy of 90% or better. Although empirical results are quite favorable, one might doubt the ability of classification methods to withstand changes in task ordering and the reproducibility of activation patterns over runs, and question how much of the classification machines' power is due to artifactual noise versus genuine neurological signal. To examine the true strength and power of machine learning classifiers we create and then deconstruct a classifier to examine its sensitivity to physiological noise, task reordering, and across-scan classification ability. The models are trained and tested both within and across runs to assess stability and reproducibility across conditions. We demonstrate the use of independent components analysis for both feature extraction and artifact removal and show that removal of such artifacts can reduce predictive accuracy even when data has been cleaned in the preprocessing stages. We demonstrate how mistakes in the feature selection process can cause the cross-validation error seen in publication to be a biased estimate of the testing error seen in practice and measure this bias by purposefully making flawed models. We discuss other ways to introduce bias and the statistical assumptions lying behind the data and model themselves. Finally we discuss the complications in drawing inference from the smaller sample sizes typically seen in fMRI studies, the effects of small or unbalanced samples on the Type 1 and Type 2 error rates, and how publication bias can give a false confidence of the power of such methods. Collectively this work identifies challenges specific to fMRI classification and methods affecting the stability of models.
Methylphenidate and cocaine have a similar in vivo potency to block dopamine transporters in the human brain

The reinforcing effects of cocaine and methylphenidate have been linked to their ability to block dopamine transporters (DAT). Though cocaine and methylphenidate have similar in vitro affinities for DAT the abuse of methylphenidate in humans is substantially lower than of cocaine. To test if differences in in vivo potency at the DAT between these two drugs could account for the differences in their abuse liability we compared the levels of DAT occupancies that we had previously reported separately for intravenous methylphenidate in controls and for intravenous cocaine in cocaine abusers. DAT occupancies were measured with Positron Emission Tomography using [11C]cocaine, as a DAT ligand, in 8 normal controls for the methylphenidate study and in 17 active cocaine abusers for the cocaine study. The ratio of the distribution volume of [11C]cocaine in striatum to that in cerebellum, which corresponds to Bmax/Kd +1, was used as measure of DAT availability. Parallel measures were obtained to assess the cardiovascular effects of these two drugs. Methylphenidate and cocaine produced comparable dose-dependent blockade of DAT with an estimated ED50 (dose required to block 50% of the DAT) for methylphenidate of 0.07 mg/kg and for cocaine of 0.13 mg/kg. Both drugs induced similar increases in heart rate and blood pressure but the duration of the effects were significantly longer for methylphenidate than for cocaine. The similar in vivo potencies at the DAT for methylphenidate than for cocaine are in agreement with their reported relative in vitro affinities (Ki 390 nM and 640 nM respectively), which is likely to reflect the similar degree of uptake (8-10% of the injected dose) and regional distribution of these two drugs in the human brain. Thus, differences in the in vivo potency of these two drugs at the DAT cannot be responsible for the differences in their rate of abuse in humans. Other variables i.e. longer duration of methylphenidate's side effects may counterbalance its reinforcing effects.
Comments upon ``the thermoelectric power of some ThCe alloys'' and an alternate suggestion

Cooper and Rizzuto reported the thermoelectric power ofThCe and interpreted the behavior as the sole consequence of an impurity diffusion contribution. We note thatPdRh andPtIr have similar qualitative behavior. The behavior of thePdRh system is quantitatively analyzed and produces results quite similar to those forThCe. The larger context of several systems suggests that phonondrag terms are important inThCe.
Effects of H+ Liberated from Hydrolytic Cleavage of Polyester Microcapsules on Their Permeability and Degradability

□ Microcapsules prepared from blends of poly(d,I-lactide-co-glycolide) with a lactide:glycolide ratio of 75:25 (PLGA75:25) and poly-(d,I-lactide) (PLA5000) or poly (d,I-lactic acid-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA5000) were dispersed in phosphate-buffered saline, and their hydrolytic rates were investigated. Using the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation and an L-lactic acid experiment, the concentration of hydrogen ions released into the bulk medium was calculated from the change in buffer pH. The rate of H+ formation was found to be dependent upon the polymer composition of the microcapsules. The incorporation of PLGA5000 or PLA5000 into PLGA75:25 microcapsules drastically enhanced hydrolytic rates of microcapsules and resulted in controlled release of hydrogen ions generated from carboxyl end groups of both intact and degrading polymers. In contrast to microcapsules prepared with PLGA75:25 only, which liberated a negligible amount of H+ ions after a 21-day incubation, the microcapsules prepared from polymer blends released approximately (19.2-42.0) (x10− 3) mmol of H+ ions. It has been found that the amount of hydrogen ions liberated into the bulk can be used as a qualitative indicator to monitor the change in microcapsule permeability to protein as well as polymer degradation.
Institutions, routines, and crises: Post-earthquake housing recovery in Mexico City and Los Angeles

This is a study of how planning institutions deal with crisis recovery; that is, recovery from situations marked by complexity, uncertainty, and sudden change that increasingly characterize contemporary cities. Based on an analytical framework derived from institutional literature and planning theory, the study examines two successful housing recovery programs during crisis situations: the Renovacion Habitacional Popular program in Mexico City following the 1985 earthquake, and the Ghost Town program in Los Angeles following the 1994 earthquake. The study addresses the following research questions: In what manner were the planning institutions successful, if at all? Which familiar and established institutional arrangements, policies, programs, and practices (ie routines) did they adopt when faced with large, unexpected shocks (ie crises)? How do institutional actors in different political-economic contexts respond to similar crisis situations? What are the lessons of these institutional actions for future crises, and for normal operations in planning? The study argues that planning institutions perform successfully during crises due primarily to routines, which are usually overlooked or decried as being bureaucratic. Planning institutions responded effectively to the crises by adapting institutional routines quickly and efficiently to new circumstances. While these routines can be constraints under normal conditions, they also act as powerful tools during exceptional times, serving as catalysts to release the disciplined energy of institutions to perform effectively, resolve problems, and re-establish order.
Engagement versus Participation: A Difference that Matters

The kind of engagement that transforms a person is more than mere participation. It is risk-taking, spontaneous, socially supported, heart-pounding co-creation. Some campuses, the University of Maryland Baltimore County for one, are taking small steps to foster this kind of engagement. They've found that it's good, hard work.
GW112, A Novel Antiapoptotic Protein That Promotes Tumor Growth

GW112 is a novel gene that has little homology to other known genes. It is overexpressed in a number of human tumor types, especially in those of the digestive system. We show here that GW112 is associated with GRIM-19, a protein known to be involved in regulating cellular apoptosis. Functionally, GW112 could significantly attenuate the ability of GRIM19 to mediate retinoic acid-IFN-β-mediated cellular apoptosis and apoptosis-related gene expression. In addition, GW112 demonstrated strong antiapoptotic effects in tumor cells treated with other stress exposures such as hydrogen peroxide. Finally, forced overexpression of GW112 in murine prostate tumor cells led to more rapid tumor formation in a syngeneic host. Taken together, our data suggest that GW112 is an important regulator of cell death that plays important roles in tumor cell survival and tumor growth.
War and strong states, peace and weak states?

For most of the twentieth century, international politics were dominated by World Wars I and II and by the cold war. This period of intense international security competition clearly strengthened states, increasing their scope and cohesion. However, the end of the cold war may represent a “threat trough”—a period of significantly reduced international security competition. If so, the scope and cohesion of many states may likewise change. Although this change will not be so great as to end the state or the states system, the state as we know it surely will change. Some states will disintegrate, many will cease growing in scope and may even shrink a little, and few will remain unaffected.
Changes over time in addiction security index problem dimensions among cocaine abusers treated in community settings

Clinical trials have yielded evidence for the efficacy of treatment for cocaine dependence but are limited in their ability to generalize their results to those attending community treatment programs for drug dependence. This study aimed to determine whether 223 cocaine-dependent males attending one of three different residential community treatment centers in Miami-Dade County, Florida exhibited change in Addiction Severity Index (ASI) problem dimensions similar to those participating in clinical trials. Results of repeated-measures analysis of variance yielded evidence for reductions over time in six of seven ASI dimensions. These results are similar to those found in clinical trials of treatments for cocaine dependence.
High and low hemoglobin levels during pregnancy: differential risks for preterm birth and small for gestational age.

Abstract Objective: To examine the association of maternal hemoglobin during pregnancy with preterm birth and small for gestational age (SGA). Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort analysis of hemoglobin and birth outcome among 173,031 pregnant women who attended publicly funded health programs in ten states and delivered a liveborn infant at 26–42 weeks’ gestation. We defined preterm as less than 37 weeks’ gestation and SGA as less than the tenth percentile of a US fetal growth reference. Results: Risk of preterm birth was increased in women with low hemoglobin level in the first and second trimester. The odds ratio (OR) for preterm birth with moderate-to-severe anemia during the first trimester (more than three standard deviations [SD] below reference median hemoglobin, equivalent to less than 95 g/L at 12 weeks’ gestation) was 1.68 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.29, 2.21). Anemia was not associated with SGA. High hemoglobin level during the first and second trimester was associated with SGA but not preterm birth. The ORs for SGA in women with very high hemoglobin level during the first and second trimester (more than three SDs above reference median hemoglobin, equivalent to greater than 149 g/L at 12 weeks’ gestation and greater than 144 g/L at 18 weeks’) were 1.27 (95% CI 1.02, 1.58) and 1.79 (95% CI 1.49, 2.15), respectively. Conclusion: These data highlight the importance of considering anemia and high hemoglobin level as indicators for adverse pregnancy outcome. An elevated hemoglobin level (greater than 144 g/L) is an indicator for possible pregnancy complications associated with poor plasma volume expansion, and should not be mistaken for good iron status.
Poly(A) RNA in Escherichia coli: nucleotide sequence at the junction of the lpp transcript and the polyadenylate moiety.

Abstract Although it has been known for some time that bacterial mRNA molecules carry polyadenylate moieties at their 3' ends, nothing is known about the molecular structure of bacterial poly(A) RNA. To define the polyadenylylation site of a specific bacterial mRNA, we took advantage of the presence of elevated levels of poly(A) RNA in cells of Escherichia coli deficient in exoribonucleases and synthesized DNA complementary to polyadenylylated lipoprotein mRNA, encoded by the lpp gene, by using avian myeloblastosis virus reverse transcriptase and an oligo(dT)-containing primer. The 5'-terminal portion of the cDNA was amplified by the polymerase chain reaction and appropriate oligonucleotide primers, and the amplified DNA was cloned in pUC18 and subjected to nucleotide sequence analysis. Four clones were found to contain the entire 3'-terminal coding region of lpp mRNA, with poly(A) attached to either of two sites in the downstream untranslated region of the transcript. In one type of clone, the polyadenylate moiety was attached at the putative transcription termination site of lpp mRNA, whereas other clones lacked the stem-loop structure of the rho-independent transcription terminator and the polyadenylate moiety was attached to the residue just preceding the terminal stem-loop of the primary transcript. A model for the polyadenylylation of bacterial mRNA is proposed in which poly(A) polymerase and exonucleases compete for the 3' ends of mRNA molecules.
Differential Equation and Recursive Formulas of Sheffer Polynomial Sequences

We derive a differential equation and recursive formulas of Sheffer polynomial sequences utilizing matrix algebra. These formulas provide the defining characteristics of, and the means to compute, the Sheffer polynomial sequences. The tools we use are well-known Pascal functional and Wronskian matrices. The properties and the relationship between the two matrices simplify the complexity of the generating functions of Sheffer polynomial sequences. This work extends He and Ricci's work (2002) to a broader class of polynomial sequences, from Appell to Sheffer, using a different method. The work is self-contained.
Dense cores in dark clouds. VIII - Velocity gradients

An analysis of motions consistent with uniform rotation in dense cores is presented. Twenty-nine of the 43 cores studied have a statistically significant gradient. Some gradients are spatially continuous and are consistent with uniform rotation, but other apparent gradients are caused by clump-clump motion, or sharp localized gradients, within a map. The motions in L1495, B217, L1251, L43, B361, and L1551 are discussed in detail. In L1551, the residuals of the fit to the NH3 velocity field indicate an outflow from IRS5 in the same direction as the CO outflow. Gradient orientation appears to be preserved over a range of density, as evidenced by comparing results of NH3 to fits of (C-18)O and CS maps. The specific angular momentum is found to scale roughly as F exp 3/2, where R represents the diameter of the FWHM intensity contour in a map.
Hybrid simulations of intermediate shocks : coplanar and noncoplanar solutions

A hybrid code is used to investigate the kinetic structure and stability of subfast intermediate shocks (IS) formed dynamically by the interaction between a flowing plasma and a stationary piston. Results of the kinetic simulation of noncoplanar ISs are compared with predictions of the MHD theory. The relevance of the results of the study to observations of the magnetopause is discussed.
Inhibitor of Glucose-6-phosphate Dehydrogenase Activity in the Erythrocytes of Macaca nemestrina Monkeys

DATA are available on the activity of G-6-P dehydrogenase in the erythrocytes of different species of monkeys1, using the dye decoloration method of Motulsky and Campbell2. In M. nemestrina the test did not clear after 5 h while in four other species the decoloration time was normal. We have further examined this phenomenon. Blood of seven individuals of M. nemestrina, seven M. mulatta and three Presbytis entellus in acid citrate dextrose inosine (ACDI) was examined. In agreement with earlier findings, M. nemestrina is the only species in this group which gave abnormal results. When fresh haemolysate (±14 g per cent) of M. nemestrina was used in the test instead of erythrocytes, some haemolysates cleared within normal time, others did not. In contrast, hundreds of normal human haemolysates gave normal results. Starch gel electrophoresis of the G-6-P dehydrogenase3 showed a large amount of enzyme in all the monkey haemolysates, including those of M. nemestrina (Fig. 1). The mobility of the enzyme is similar to the fast-moving A type of human G-6-P dehydrogenase. Some factor must therefore have been present which prevented reduction of the dye in the test system, either by inhibition of the activity of G-6-P dehydrogenase or by continuous oxidation of the brilliant cresyl blue.
Efficient Uncertainty Quantification for the Design of a Supersonic Pressure Probe

The Point-Collocation Non-Intrusive Polynomial Chaos (NIPC) method utilizing Euler CFD simulations has been applied to the stochastic analysis of a pressure probe designed for Mach number measurements in three-dimensional supersonic flows with moderate swirl. The probe is in the shape of a truncated cone with a flat nose opening for total pressure measurement and includes four holes on the cone surface for static pressure measurements. The present stochastic CFD study is performed to provide information for further refinement of the supersonic pressure probe design in the presence of geometric uncertainties and to quantify the variation in the pressure measurements and the Mach number due to the uncertainty in the cone angle, the nose diameter, and the location of the static pressure port on the cone surface. Each uncertain parameter was modeled as a uniform random variable with a specified range and mean value based on the tolerances supplied by the manufacturer. The uncertainty information for various output variables obtained with a second order polynomial chaos expansion fell within the confidence interval of the Latin Hypercube Monte Carlo statistics. The second order NIPC required only 20 CFD solutions to obtain the uncertainty information, whereas the Monte Carlo simulations were performed with 1000 samples (CFD solutions), indicating the computational efficiency of the polynomial chaos approach. The relative variation in the Mach number due to the specified geometric uncertainty was found to be less than 1%. The sensitivity analysis obtained from the polynomial chaos expansions revealed that the Mach number is an order of magnitude more sensitive to the variation in the cone angle than the uncertainty in the other geometric variables. The stochastic results also showed that the uncertainty in the cone pressure measurement remains constant and minimum as long as the static pressure holes are located beyond 20% of the truncated cone surface length indicating the possibility for a smaller-size probe design by moving the static pressure ports further upstream on the cone surface.
School-Based Mental Health Professionals' Bullying Assessment Practices: A Call for Evidence-Based Bullying Assessment Guidelines.

A sample of 483 school-based mental health professionals completed a survey about the training they have received related to conducting bullying assessments in schools, competence in conducting an assessment of bullying, and the bullying assessment methods they used. Results indicate that school counselors were usually informed about incidents of bullying more frequently than school psychologists. Whereas the majority of school-based mental health professionals surveyed reported some level of competence in using assessment tools for bullying, few reported using empirically based instruments to assess for bullying. This article discusses results and implications, namely, the need to identify clinically meaningful tools for the assessment of bullying and the need to adopt more formal and empirically based methods of assessment in schools.
Lattice tiling and the Weyl-Heisenberg frames

LetL andK be two full rank lattices inR d . We prove that if v(L )=v (K), i.e. they have the same volume, then there exists a measurable set such that it tilesR d by both L andK. A counterexample shows that the above tiling result is false for three or more lattices. Furthermore, we prove that if v(L) v(K) then there exists a measurable set such that it tiles byL and packs byK. Using these tiling results we answer a well known question on the density property of Weyl-Heisenberg frames.
Evaluating geoscience information systems in the classroom: A case study of Discover Our Earth

Internet-based information and knowledge systems developed under the umbrella of geoinformatics have the potential to revolutionize traditional classroom practice. As the availability of computers and Internet connections in classrooms increases, the potential of harvesting such resources to advance teaching and learning provides unprecedented opportunities for both researchers and educators. Currently, numerous online resources are utilized in classrooms. This study focuses on such a resource, Discover Our Earth (http://www.discoverourearth. org), and evaluates its uses in classroom environments at the undergraduate and middle school levels. Discover Our Earth is designed around the theme of plate tectonics and covers topics such as earthquakes, volcanoes, topography, and sea level change. It is designed to promote hands-on experiences and inquiry-based learning. Users can access relevant data, mapping tools, and additional interactive virtual experiments from Web browsers without any additional required software installation. In order to fully understand the impact of technology tools in the classroom, it is critical that they be evaluated thoroughly. To evaluate the effectiveness of this online resource, we undertook both formative and summative mixed-method evaluations. Using a combination of quantitative (pretests and posttests) and qualitative (questionnaires and observations) methods in our evaluation design enabled us to evaluate the Discover Our Earth tools in our targeted user groups. We found that Discover Our Earth resources are more valuable and have signifi cant advantages over using commercially available software. Formative evaluations in undergraduate classes helped us correct a series of user interface design issues at the early stages of software development. We also observed that Discover Our Earth resources enabled students to engage in inquiry and to develop their own understanding of plate tectonics through the exploration and visualization of the data sets. Summative tests conducted at middle schools showed that students paid more attention to interactive tools, and they continued to be engaged in learning activities even after the class was over.
The role of the oligosaccharide chains of thyrotropin alpha- and beta-subunits in hormone action.

TSH, a dimeric glycoprotein hormone, has two N-linked complex-type oligosaccharide chains on the alpha-subunit and one on the beta-subunit. The oligosaccharide chains of TSH are important for the expression of hormonal activity, but the contribution of those on each of the subunits to the activity is not clear. In the current study we have determined the relative importance of the oligosaccharide chains of TSH subunits using a recently reported method of enzymatic deglycosylation. The alpha- and beta-subunits of bovine TSH were deglycosylated with endoglycosidase-F and recombined to obtain differentially deglycosylated TSH. The derivatives showed no differences in their receptor-binding activities. The in vitro bioactivity of these derivatives was assessed by measuring adenylyl cyclase activity in bovine thyroid membranes and stimulation of cAMP production and growth in FRTL-5 cells. In the adenylyl cyclase assay, deglycosylation of the alpha-subunit alone had a more profound effect on the activity [maxim...
Basic Mechanisms of Sleep and Epilepsy

The existence of a relationship between epilepsy and sleep has been realized since ancient times. Despite extensive clinical observations and experimental investigations, the precise nature of this relationship however remains unclear and the mechanisms responsible for this are poorly understood. In this study, the authors review the neurophysiology of sleep, concentrating on the various oscillations and electrographic activities associated with different stages of sleep. The authors also review how sleep affects both epileptic seizures and interictal epileptiform discharges. Finally, they discuss the mechanisms, both confirmed and theoretical, which are thought to be responsible for the effect of sleep on epileptic seizures and epileptiform discharges.
Legal Pluralism in Light of the Federal and State Constitutions of Ethiopia:A Critical Appraisal

This thesis aims at analyzing the functioning and implementation of legal pluralism within the multinational federal setting of Ethiopia. Through the study of the institutional (constitutional) devolution or decentralization of legislative and adjudicatory authority that is taking place in the country, elements of legal pluralism will be identified and explained. Furthermore, through the study of empirical findings in addition to others’, coupled with established theory and generalizations, it shall attempt to explore the structure of the Ethiopian legal system. The relationship among the multiple layers of the country’s legal structure is also examined, including the chief challenges posed by the fact of legal pluralism.The first objective was to see if the new constitutional order furnishes public space necessary for the play of nonstate actors, particularly ethnic and religious groups. In so doing, it has unraveled the constitutive layers of the country’s legal structure ,and hence, its pluralist framework. The second objective was to examine the prevalent condition of legal pluralism under the present constitutional order. On the one hand, it has presented the ways in which the state actors have brought about pluralism in the law. On the other hand, it has discussed how and to what extent state constitutionalism can serve as an institutional modality for implementing legal pluralism. The third objective was to explore the current frontiers of formal legal pluralism. Fourthly, it has put forth arguments, based on an empirical case - the abbo-gerreb of Wejerat and Raya-Azebo in Tigray, for extending full public recognition to the dominant customary law systems, at least the abbo-gerreb. Stated differently, arguments have been marshaled in favor of the need to redraw the present frontiers of formal legal pluralism to accommodate at least some of the well-established customary criminal processes. Finally, it has called particular attention to two major threats that the fact of legal pluralism presented to both the rule of law and the smooth operation of law in the Ethiopian multinational federal set-up.
Highly diverse and spatially heterogeneous mycorrhizal symbiosis in a rare epiphyte is unrelated to broad biogeographic or environmental features.

Symbiotic interactions are common in nature. In dynamic or degraded environments, the ability to associate with multiple partners (i.e. broad specificity) may enable species to persist through fluctuations in the availability of any particular partner. Understanding how species interactions vary across landscapes is necessary to anticipate direct and indirect consequences of environmental degradation on species conservation. We asked whether mycorrhizal symbiosis by populations of a rare epiphytic orchid (Epidendrum firmum) is related to geographic or environmental heterogeneity. The latter would suggest that interactions are governed by environmental conditions rather than historic isolation of populations and/or mycorrhizal fungi. We used DNA-based methods to identify mycorrhizal fungi from eleven E. firmum populations in Costa Rica. We used molecular and phylogenetic analyses to compare associations. Epidendrum firmum exhibited broad specificity, associating with diverse mycorrhizal fungi, including six Tulasnellaceae molecular operational taxonomic units (MOTUs), five Sebacinales MOTUs and others. Notably, diverse mycorrhizal symbioses formed in disturbed pasture and roadside habitats. Mycorrhizal fungi exhibited significant similarity within populations (spatial and phylogenetic autocorrelation) and significant differences among populations (phylogenetic community dissimilarity). However, mycorrhizal symbioses were not significantly associated with biogeographic or environmental features. Such unexpected heterogeneity among populations may result from complex combinations of fine-scale environmental factors and macro-evolutionary patterns of change in mycorrhizal specificity. Thus, E. firmum exhibits broad specificity and the potential for opportunistic associations with diverse fungi. We suggest that these characteristics could confer symbiotic assurance when mycorrhizal fungi are stochastically available, which may be crucial in dynamic or disturbed habitats such as tropical forest canopies.
Data Management in Support of Environmental Monitoring, Research, and Coastal Management

Abstract Environmental monitoring is both a scientific and management imperative for effective coastal and estuarine resources research, management, and education. The establishment of monitoring programs provides for baseline studies, trend analyses, and impact assessments as related to both short-term variability and long-term change within estuarine environments. The effectiveness of these programs is dependent not only on the data collection but also on the implementation and maintenance of procedures to ensure access to high-quality data, data documentation, and derived products. Advances in information technology are improving the way resource managers and researchers can assimilate, manage, disseminate, and share environmental data and information. The Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) initiative is developing an integrated national system for the United States' coastal zone built upon federal monitoring efforts and regional coastal observing systems that monitor the state and variability of...
Fourier Pulse-Shaper Based Programmable DGD Emulator

We developed and tested a deterministic differential group delay (DGD) emulator based on a VIPA Fourier pulse-shaper. The DGD emulator can be programmed to generate essentially arbitrary frequency dependent DGD profiles.
Flight control for target seeking by 13 gram ornithopter

Recent advances in small-scale flapping-wing micro aerial vehicles have extended the capabilities of flight control for a number of applications, such as intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance activities. In this work, we demonstrate autonomous flight control of a 13 gram ornithopter capable of flying toward a target without remote assistance. For autonomous flight control, we developed 1.0 gram control electronics integrated with a microcontroller, inertial and visual sensors, communication electronics, and motor drivers. We also developed a simplified aerodynamic model of ornithopter flight to reduce the order of the control system. With the aerodynamic model and the orientation estimation from on-board inertial sensors, we present flight control of an ornithopter capable of flying toward a target using onboard sensing and computation only. To this end, we developed a dead-reckoning algorithm to recover from the temporary loss of the target which can occur with a visual sensor with a narrow field of view. As a result, the 28 cm wing-span ornithopter flying toward a target landed within a radius of 0.5 m from the target with more than 85% success (N = 20).
Random yield and uncertain demand in decentralised supply chains under the traditional and VMI arrangements

Both random yield and uncertain demand are common occurrences in the semiconductor industry. This paper studies a decentralised supply chain comprised of a single manufacturer and a single distributor for a short life-cycle product with random yield and uncertain demand. We analyse two alternatives for doing business. One alternative is the traditional supply chain arrangement, where the distributor is fully responsible for the inventory decision whereas the manufacturer is fully responsible for the production decision. The other alternative is the vendor-managed-inventory (VMI) arrangement, where the manufacturer (vendor) is fully responsible for the entire production and inventory decisions in the supply chain. We characterise the optimal production and inventory decisions under both arrangements. We also compare the individual firms and supply chain performance under the traditional and VMI arrangements. Our results provide insights into how firms can choose the right supply chain arrangement to improve supply chain efficiency.