cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Suppression of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis by restraint stress: sex differences.

Abstract We have recently reported that female Lewis rats exhibit significantly higher basal circadian levels of corticosterone (Cort) than male Lewis rats. The studies reported here were designed to explore whether male and female Lewis rats demonstrate a differential suppression of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) following exposure to an identical regimen of repetitive restraint stress. Rats were restrained for 1 or 9 h/day beginning 5 days before myelin basic protein (MBP) challenge and extending through the recovery period (18 days post challenge). Both clinical signs and histopathological changes of EAE were more significantly suppressed in 9-h-stressed females relative to male Lewis rats. Investigation of the mechanism underlying the stress-induced suppression of EAE revealed that restraint stress did not alter the clinical course of EAE in rats challenged with MBP 68–88 encephalitogenic peptide, suggesting that restraint stress may affect processing and/or presentation of the MBP molecule. Stressed rats exhibited decreased interleukin-2 and interferon γ production, and the frequency of MBP-reactive lymphocytes was reduced in comparison to non-stressed rats. Finally, repetitive restraint stress had no effect on blood-spinal cord permeability during EAE. The results presented here underscore the importance of such experimental variables as sex, strain, time of day, and the kinetics of immune response development.
Ionoregulatory responses of the hypophysectomized turtle Chrysemys picta to osmotic stresses.

Abstract The effects of dehydration and hydration on sodium and potassium levels of plasma and urine were studied in sham-operated and hypophysectomized winter turtles. Hydration resulted in a decrease in plasma sodium whereas dehydration produced an increase in both sodium and potassium. Plasma electrolyte concentrations of hypophysectomized turtles were similar to sham-operated controls under all environmental conditions studied. In urine, concentrations of sodium and potassium were temporarily elevated by dehydration but unaffected by hydration. Hypophysectomy had no effect on urine electrolytes except during dehydration, where hypophysectomized turtles produced urine with low sodium and high potassium. We conclude that the pituitary has little influence on osmoregulation in Chrysemys picta belli during the winter.
Governmental Policy and Poultry Research

Abstract Primus interpares – first among equals! Unexcelled. The USDA for a hundred years has not been excelled by any other Federal agency in the productivity of the research conducted in its laboratories nor the research it has supported in State Experiment Stations and in other cooperating institutions. This assertion is true of poultry research: primus interpares.
Simultaneous and Successive Cognitive Processing and Writing Skills: Relationships Between Proficiencies.

This pilot study investigated relationships between individual differences in levels of writing skills and proficiencies at simultaneous and successive cognitive processing. Data from a group of 46...
R&B Rhetoric and Victim-Blaming Discourses: Exploring the Popular Press's Revision of Rihanna's Contextual Agency

This article offers a contextual perspective on the rhetorical mechanisms of victim blaming in public sphere discourses. By supplementing Burke's dramatistic rhetorical analysis with critical race theory, I trace the changing popular press conversation from Chris Brown's 2009 assault on Rihanna through coverage of their relationship in 2012. In doing so, I identify both the racial undertones of reductionist interpretations of R&B culture and the shift from supporting to blaming the victim. The popular press contextualized Brown's attack and the subsequent events through a racially stereotypical discussion of Brown and Rihanna's R&B performances. Though initially this press framing emphasized Brown's guilt, Rihanna's career advancements eventually recontextualized her performance as a manipulation of Brown, conjuring historical imagery of the racist Jezebel archetype. By examining this transformation, this article aims to intervene into both popular press constructions of victim as agent and racially reduc...
Water in New Mexico: A History of Its Management and Use

Originally published in 1987, 'Water in New Mexico' remains one of the most comprehensive studies of a natural resource for any state. It contains material from the earliest pueblo irrigation systems to recent judicial decisions. Clark explores the issues of land-grant water rights, the effects of coal and uranium mining on water quality, the allocation of groundwater, as well as the interstate and federal-state conflicts over land and water. These issues reflect the competing demands for private control, environmental quality, recreational access, and commercial use that influence the management of water to this day. This volume brings together in one source a wealth of historical and contemporary material of great importance to lawyers, engineers, historians, economists, political scientists, environmentalists, and policy makers. Clark has effectively narrated a complex and tangled history in a style that is accessible to lay readers as well as to specialists.
Commitment Compliance in G-7 Summit Macroeconomic Policy Coordination

Conventional wisdom suggests that the G-7 summit makes few substantive decisions and lacks effective monitoring and sanctioning mechanisms to enforce individual countries' commitments. However, evidence exists that G-7 countries do honor their commitments announced in summit declarations. In this article, I offer and test for the period from 1975 to 1989 several causal explanations for compliance with non-binding commitments dealing with inflation control: institutional constraints on monetary and fiscal policymaking, electoral politics, uncertainty, and reciprocity Reciprocating behaviors, independent central banks, and high current inflation rates correlate positively with compliance over inflation-control commitments. In addition, there is some evidence that divided/coalition governments and uncertainty reduce compliance. Theoretical and policy implications of the findings are discussed.
The effect of grain boundary engineering on the oxidation behavior of INCOLOY alloy 800H in supercritical water

Grain boundary engineering (GBE) was applied to INCOLOY alloy 800H by means of thermomechanical processing. The oxidation behavior of GBE-treated alloy 800H exposed in supercritical water (SCW) with 25 ppb dissolved oxygen at 500 °C and 25 MPa was significantly improved as compared to 800H in the annealed condition. Gravimetry, optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) were employed in this study to analyze the oxidation behavior of control (annealed) and GBE-treated samples. GBE improves the protective oxidation behavior by enhancing spallation resistance and reducing oxidation rate. Spallation resistance correlates with a reduction in texture of the oxide layers.
Rethinking STEM Education: An Interdisciplinary STEAM Curriculum☆

Abstract The State University of New York at Potsdam, with support from Lockheed Martin, has developed a multidisciplinary program intended to foster creative thinking by combining studies in the arts, humanities, and STEM fields. The College has a long tradition of innovative education in the arts, natural and social sciences, computer science, and mathematics. This “STEAM” approach will support the development of versatile professionals for the evolving workplace. To develop this program, a team of STEAM faculty members examined existing literature on the development of creativity as well as multidisciplinary models in industry, business, and education. Through academic restructuring of traditional educational models, this curriculum will be at the forefront of engaging learners in team-based multidisciplinary problem solving through mentoring, learning communities, research projects, and partnerships with outside agencies. The program is a model for the education of scientists who will be able to create innovations in modern science and technology necessary to address the complex problems facing human society.
Laparoscopic ventral hernia repair: does primary repair in addition to placement of mesh decrease recurrence?

Background The advent of laparoscopic ventral hernia repair (LVHR) not only reduced the morbidity associated with open repair but also led to a decrease in the hernia recurrence rate. However, the rate continues to remain significant.
Monoclonal Antibodies Specific for Discontinuous Epitopes Direct Refolding of Influenza A Virus Hemagglutinin

Antibodies (Abs) specific for the globular domain of influenza A virus hemagglutinin (HA) efficiently neutralize viral infectivity and provide the most effective protection against influenza following infection or vaccination. Nearly all neutralizing Abs recognize discontinuous determinants formed by residues present on different stretches of the HA primary structure. Here, I show that approximately 25% of a large panel of neutralizing monoclonal Abs (mAbs), including Abs specific for each of the four major antigenic sites, can bind to completely denatured HA. Binding of these mAbs to denatured HA occurs much more slowly than binding to native HA, but bound mAbs dissociate from denatured and native HA with similar kinetics, and amino acid substitutions that reduce mAb binding to native HA have a similar effect on mAb interaction with denatured HA. HA refolding induced by mAb binding facilitated the binding of mAbs to other antigenic sites, indicating that refolding was not limited to the antibody-interaction domain. These findings validate the localization of antigenic sites by identifying amino acid substitutions selected in mAb escape mutants. Further, they demonstrate that Abs can facilitate the refolding of denatured proteins, which suggests a number of practical applications for optimizing antibody based assays, and also for potentially using Abs as specific chaperones for protein refolding.
Design and synthesis of dual inhibitors of HIV reverse transcriptase and integrase : Introducing a diketoacid functionality into delavirdine

Cost and toxicity problems associated with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in HIV/AIDS treatment could be alleviated by using designed multiple ligands (DMLs). Dual inhibitors of HIV reverse transcriptase (RT) and integrase (IN) were rationally designed by introducing a diketoacid (DKA) functionality into the tolerant C-5 site of RT inhibitor delavirdine. The resulting compounds all demonstrate good activity against both RT and IN in enzymatic assays and HIV in cell-based assay, whereas their C-7 regioisomers are all inactive in these assays. Balanced activities were observed with C-3 halogenated inhibitors.
Effects of hip-loading input on simulated wear of Al2O3–PTFE materials

Abstract The objective of this study was to compare the effects of static, sinusoidal and physiological load-profiles on wear of Al 2 O 3 –PTFE materials. This was an accelerated wear model of clinical relevance. In nine experiments, the peak load-levels were varied from 1 to 4 kN in a hip simulator with multi-directional kinematics and with bovine serum used as the lubricant. Systematic wear differences were checked using three sizes of femoral heads in each experiment. The Paul load-profile used was found to be more aggressive than sinusoidal, raising the polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) wear-rates by 28%. The PTFE cups showed a very mild response to increased load magnitudes, only 11–20% increase evident in volumetric wear per 1 kN increase in load. One recommendation was that simulator wear-studies adopt a 0.25–2.5 kN Paul load-profile as their standard. An experiment with 0.84 kN constant-load also performed satisfactorily, with PTFE wear-rates actually higher than with the 1 kN sine and Paul load-profiles. Some wear anomalies were encountered due to the use of serum lubrication. Combinations of large head size, high load-magnitudes, the Paul load-profile and the high serum protein concentrations used in this study were at times contributing factors. Use of low-protein serum solution may be advisable for wear studies, not only to properly simulate the polymeric wear characteristics but also to minimize the degradation artifacts more prevalent in higher protein-concentrations.
Short telomeres flirt with stem cell commitment.

High expression of telomerase in embryonic stem cells (ESCs) is important for their maintenance, but whether telomere length affects lineage commitment is unknown. In this issue of Cell Stem Cell , Pucci et al. (2013) reveal that ESCs with short telomeres exhibit unstable differentiation by inducing altered DNA methylation.
A Preconceptual Accelerator-Breeder Design for Fissile Material and Energy Production

A preconceptual accelerator-breeder design has been developed with improved capability to produce fissile material and thermal power. These improvements allow the design to have the dual role of fissile material and electricity production.
The E Box Motif CAGGTG Enhances Somatic Hypermutation without Enhancing Transcription

Abstract The frequency of somatic hypermutations of an Ig κ transgene with an artificial test insert, RS, is at least 4-fold higher than that of three related transgenes. The four transgenes differ only in the sequence of a 96 bp insert within the variable region. RS is hypermutable over the total 625 nucleotides of the variable/joining region. The RS insert contains two CAGGTG sequences, potential binding sites for basic helix-loop-helix proteins. Changing CAGGTG to AAGGTG reduces the mutability to that of the non-RS transgenes without altering the mutation pattern. The CAGGTG motif enhances somatic hypermutation without enhancing transcription. A DNA probe containing the two CAGGTG sites, but not AAGGTG, binds E47 and gives rise to two specific EMSA bands with nuclear extracts from mutating cells. Possible actions of this enhancer of somatic hypermutation are discussed.
A photoelectron spectroscopy study of Pt particles supported on α-Al2O3{0001}

Abstract X-ray and ultraviolet photoelectron spectra of Pt films evaporated onto α-Al2O2{0001} were measured as a function of Pt coverage and following exposure to CO. Previous characterization of these films by Auger electron spectroscopy and CO adsorption had shown that the Pt forms particles on the sapphire crystal at 300 K, with the particle size dependent on the metal coverage, and that the desorption rates for CO on these Pt particles are very similar to those observed for bulk Pt [E.I. Altman and R.J. Gorte, Surface Sci. 195 (1988) 392]. The present results show that, for Pt coverages less than 5 × 10 14 cm 2 (∼ 2.5 nm), there is a reduced intensity and a broadening of the Fermi edge, consistent with an incompletely developed, metallic band structure for very small particles. However, following exposure to CO, the CO induced features in UPS are always identical, independent of metal coverage, indicating that differences between the electronic structure of small particles and bulk metals do not strongly affect CO adsorption. In XPS, low Pt coverages resulted in a 0.3 eV shift to higher binding energy for the Pt4f 5 2 core level, and no changes were observed following CO adsorption.
Radiologic findings in the lungs of prematureinfants

A study of serial roentgenograms in a group of premature infants who required increasedenvironmental oxygen for at least 5 days was carried out. Forty-eight of 52 infants with birth weights under 1,300 grams had abnormal roentgenograms; of these 35 had definite or probable Wilson-Mikity syndrome. Two subjects had lung biopsies at the height of respiratory difficulty in order to clarify the disease process. Several infants with birth weights over 1,500 grams who required supplemental oxygen because of hyaline membrane disease or meconium aspiration also developed Wilson-Mikity syndrome. It is suggested on clinical and pathological grounds that oxygen toxicity may be responsible for some of the pulmonary disease noted.
Ancestors, the sacred and God: Reflections on themeaning of the sacred in Zimbabwean death rituals

This paper holds that the sacred refers to the central and most fundamental reality for believers which, although wholly other, is manifested through worldly objects or events (hierophanies). In this view, the concept of God also becomes a hierophany of the sacred through symbols and is neither higher nor lower than the hierophanies of the sacred which do not refer to a Supreme Being. An examination of three contemporary field descriptions of traditional death rituals in Zimbabwe shows that although references to the Supreme Being (Mwari) are entirely lacking, the sacred reality is overwhelmingly present through ancestral spirits mediated largely through religious specialists. In contrast to this view, African Christian theologians have stressed the central role of God in African l∽eligions in part as a reaction to misrepresentations by Westerners of African rehgiosity. The emphasis by scientists and historians of religion on Mwari in Zimbabwe, however, is not as easily explained and may represent differe...
Enhanced hepatotoxicity of carbon tetrachloride, thioacetamide, and dimethylnitrosamine by pretreatment of rats with ethanol and some comparisons with potentiation by isopropanol.

Abstract Elevated plasma glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (GPT) activity induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4 ), thioacetamide, or dimethylnitrosamine in male rats was increased by pretreatment with four doses (each 5 ml/kg) of ethanol orally 48, 42, 24, and 18 hr before the hepatotoxic agent. The potentiated hepatotoxicity of CCl 4 was confirmed by histologic evaluation. During the pretreatment, blood ethanol concentrations fluctuated between 0 and 300 mg/100 ml, but were less than 5 mg/100 ml when a hepatotoxic agent was injected ip. Pretreatment with ethanol did not affect the hepatic concentrations of CCl 4 or its metabolite, chloroform (CHCl 3 ), at 1 hr after administration of CCl 4 . The CCl 4 -induced diene conjugation tended to increase after ethanol pretreatment and was significantly potentiated by pretreatment with isopropanol or pyrazole and a single dose of ethanol. In rats pretreated with ethanol, covalent binding of 14 CCl 4 to liver protein and lipid in vivo was significantly greater at 6 and 24 hr, but not during the first 3 hr, than in control rats. The in vitro binding of 14 CCl 4 , 14 CHCl 3 , and 14 CBrCl 3 to hepatic microsomal protein was increased by ethanol pretreatment. Ethanol pretreatment also doubled the in vitro rate of demethylation of dimethyl-nitrosamine by liver microsomes, but did not affect the amount of microsomal protein and cytochrome P-450, NADPH c reductase activity nor the rate of N-demethylation of ethylmorphine. The similarities in microsomal effects of pretreatment with isopropanol and pretreatment with four doses of ethanol suggest that similar mechanisms are involved in their potentiation of CCl 4 -induced hepatotoxicity. The potentiation by pretreatment with ethanol, but not with isopropanol, of the hepatotoxicity of thioacetamide and dimethylnitrosamine suggests that ethanol pretreatment also activates some additional mechanisms.
THE SANDWICHED GENERATION: MULTIPLE CAREGIVING RESPONSIBILITIES AND THE MISMATCH BETWEEN ACTUAL AND PREFERRED WORK HOURS

We examine the intersection of the “Overworked American” and the “Sandwiched Generation.” Recent studies indicate that many U.S. workers would prefer to work shorter hours. For workers who are sandwiched between childcare and eldercare or who expect to be in the future, questions remain about work hour preferences. We use a representative sample and distinguish between currently sandwiched workers and those who expect to be in five years. The proportion of workers who are currently sandwiched has increased from 1992 to 2002. Further, workers who expect to be sandwiched are less likely to want to reduce their workweek hours than others.
An empirically based estimate of home range

The minimum-convex-polygon method for estimating home-range area, in which the outermost points are connected in a particular way, is extremely sensitive to sample size. Existing methods for estimating home-range area that correct for sample size fail to encompass all the important kinds of biological variation in the home-range utilization. (The home-range utilization describes the relative degree to which different units of space are frequented by an animal.) Although previous methods have assumed specific unimodal distributions, such as the bivariate normal, home-range utilizations may resemble funnels or pies as well as hills. A regression method is introduced that uses data from well-sampled individuals whose true home ranges are assumed approximately known to predict home-range areas for less well-sampled individuals. Appendix 5 summarizes this method. Sizes of home ranges estimated by the regression method are half or less than sizes estimated by previous methods in which utilization distributions are assumed to be all of a particular statistical type.
Inter-subunit disulfide bonds in soluble HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein trimers.

Abstract Soluble forms of the trimeric human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) envelope glycoproteins are important tools for structural studies and in the construction of improved immunogens. We found that a substantial fraction of soluble envelope glycoprotein trimers contain inter-subunit disulfide bonds (inter-S–S bonds) that render the trimers resistant to heat and denaturing agents. These inter-S–S bonds can be reduced without disrupting the trimers by treatment with a low concentration of β-mercaptoethanol or DTT. Antibody mapping studies suggest that the soluble HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein trimers lacking the inter-S–S bonds exhibit a conformation closer to that of the native HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein complex. However, reducing these inter-S–S bonds had only modest effects on the inefficient elicitation of neutralizing antibodies by the soluble trimers. These studies provide guidance in improving the resemblance of tractable, soluble forms of the HIV-1 envelope glycoproteins to the native virion spikes.
Error-Associated Behaviors and Error Rates for Robotic Geology

This study explores human error as a function of the decision-making process. One of many models for human decision-making is Rasmussen's decision ladder [9]. The decision ladder identifies the multiple tasks and states of knowledge involved in decision-making. The tasks and states of knowledge can be classified by the level of cognitive effort required to make the decision, leading to the skill, rule, and knowledge taxonomy (Rasmussen, 1987). Skill based decisions require the least cognitive effort and knowledge based decisions require the greatest cognitive effort. Errors can occur at any of the cognitive levels.
An immobilized naphthylamide substrate for proteinases with tryptic-like specifleity

An immobilized amino acid napbthylamide substrate for proteinases with tryptic-like specificity was prepared by reacting L-arginine P-naphthylamide with an N-hydroxysuccinimide-activated derivative of agarose. Hydrolysis of the immobilized substrate (AlO-Arg-PNA) was followed by monitoring the increase in fluorescence accompanying the release of /3-naphthylamine. Assays using AIO-Arg-PNA were designed for quantitatively determining the presence of l-2 pmol of trypsin and 15 pmol of thrombin. Profibrinolysin, fibrinolysin, and urokinase have either no or very low activities with AlO-Arg-PNA. Trypsin complexed with a,-macroglobulin has no activity (~0.5%) toward AlO-Arg-PNA. The use of AlO-Arg-PNA for monitoring trypsin-a,-macroglobulin titrations was demonstrated. Soluble naphthylamide derivatives of amino acids and peptides have been used widely as substrates in assays of proteolytic enzymes (e.g., l-3), since the P-naphthylamine released on hydrolysis can be determined fluorometrically or calorimetrically, after a diazocoupling reaction. In this study, we describe the preparation and use of a naphthylamide substrate (AlO-Arg+NA) linked to a solid support. Well-defined chromoNH2
The Long-Term Environmental Degradation of Zirconium Alloys in Contact With Spent Nuclear Fuel: A Review

Zirconium (Zr) alloys were mostly developed for nuclear power applications. The most common commercial alloys are Zircaloy, which are used as cladding for fuel pellets in water-cooled reactors. These alloys have adequate corrosion resistance in service under irradiation in presence of high-purity water at approximately 300–350°C but in a few cases they may suffer environmental degradation. The most common types of degradation are hydriding, shadow corrosion and nodular corrosion. After the fuel rod bundles are removed from the reactors they are temporarily stored in water pools until their permanent disposition nuclear waste repositories. Simulated laboratory testing and modeling show that the long-term storage in the sealed containers would not cause further damage to the cladding material until the waste containers are breached by corrosion many thousands of years later. And even after water incursion, since the temperature will be low, it is predicted that the cladding material would survive for many thousands of years more, thus delaying the release of the radionuclides to the atmosphere.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
An artificial immune system model for intelligent agents

Abstract This paper describes the human immune system and its functionalities from a computational viewpoint. The objective of this paper is to provide the biological basis for an artificial immune system. This paper will also serve to illustrate how a biological system can be studied and how inferences can be drawn from its operation that can be exploited in intelligent agents. Functionalities of the biological immune system (e.g., content addressable memory, adaptation, etc.) are identified for use in intelligent agents. Specifically, in this paper, an intelligent agent will be described for task allocation in a heterogeneous computing environment. Initial implementation of the agents will be described along with preliminary results. This research is not intended to develop an explicit model of the human immune system, but to exploit some of its functionalities in designing agent-based parallel and distributed control systems.
Vehicle-and-trajectory optimization of nuclear electric spacecraft for lunar missions

A new combined vehicle-and-trajectory optimization problem is solved for a low-thrust nuclear-electricpropulsion spacecraft whose motion is governed by restricted three-body-problem dynamics for the Earth-moon system. The problem involves computing the optimal spacecraft sizing parameters and trajectory design variables that result in the maximum payload for a fixed-trip-time, planar transfer from circular low Earth orbit to circular low-lunar orbit. In particular, the optimal specific impulse and input power are computed. The detailed vehicleand-trajectory optimization approach is effective in solving a complex interactive problem that is important to both spacecraft and mission designers. Several numerical solutions are obtained for a wide range of trip times.
Design of a simplified pipeline processor for floating point addition (SFPA)

The SPFA processor is a pipeline processor for floating point addition. The arithmatic unit, as well as the memory unit, have been pipelined, and thus, constitute four basic modules on which four sets of data are operated upon simultaneously. Apart from these, there is a control unit which performs the sequencing of operations, a latch enable unit and an input unit with a keyboard which allows human interface.
DNA-induced size-selective separation of mixtures of gold nanoparticles.

We present a novel method for size-selectively separating mixtures of nanoparticles in aqueous media utilizing the inherent chemical recognition properties of DNA and the cooperative binding properties of DNA-functionalized gold nanoparticles. We have determined that the melting temperatures (Tms) of aggregates formed from nanoparticles interconnected by duplex DNA are dependent upon particle size. This effect is proposed to derive from larger contact areas between the larger particles and therefore increased cooperativity, leading to higher Tms. The separation protocol involves taking two aliquots of a mixture of particles that vary in size and functionalizing them with complementary DNA. These aliquots are mixed at a temperature above the Tm for aggregates formed from the smaller particles but below the Tm for aggregates formed from the larger particles. Therefore, the aggregates that form consist almost exclusively of the larger particles and can be easily separated by sedimentation and centrifugation ...
Correcting for the effects of location and atmospheric conditions on air pollution exposures in a case–crossover study

A limitation of most air pollution health effects studies is that they rely on monitoring data averaged over one or more ambient monitors to represent daily air pollution exposures for individuals. Such data analyses therefore implicitly require the assumption of a homogeneous spatial distribution for particulate matter (PM). This assumption may be suspected in the Pacific Northwest because of its hilly topography and local variations in wood burning. To examine the bias from substituting regional PM (i.e., the average of three ambient monitor measurements) for individual PM exposure, we conducted an exposure substudy to identify the influence of location factors, specifically urban versus suburban classification and topographic features ("upstream" versus "downstream"), on local ambient measurements. Using nephelometer measurements collected over 1 year in four locations, we developed regression models to predict local PM as a function of regional PM, atmospheric stagnation, temperature, and location. We found a significant interaction between atmospheric stagnation and topography, with the most upstream site having reduced PM levels on high stagnation days after controlling for regional PM. We also found a significant interaction with temperature at one downstream site thought to be heavily exposed to wood smoke in the winter. These results are consistent with the physics of surface radiation inversions. The interactions reordered the index versus referent exposures in a case-crossover analysis of out-of-hospital primary cardiac arrest for subjects living in specific locations, but did not meaningfully change the associations with PM from the analysis using regional PM as the exposure. The lack of change in these results may be due to limitations in the data used to correct the exposure estimates or to the absence of a PM effect among persons without prior heart disease who experienced a primary cardiac arrest.
Thermodynamics of Fab−ssDNA Interactions: Contribution of Heavy Chain Complementarity Determining Region 3†

The recombinant anti-ssDNA Fab, DNA-1, and 16 heavy chain complementarity determining region 3 (HCDR3) mutant variants were selected for thermodynamic characterization of ssDNA binding. The affinity of Fab to (dT)(15) under different temperatures and cation concentrations was measured by equilibrium fluorescence quenching titration. Changes in the standard Gibbs free binding energy (DeltaG degrees ), enthalpy (DeltaH degrees ), entropy (DeltaS degrees ), and the number of ionic pairs (Z) formed upon interaction were determined. All Fab possessed an enthalpic nature of interaction with ssDNA, that was opposite to the previously reported entropically driven binding to dsDNA [Tanha, J., and Lee, J. S. (1997) Nucleic Acids Res. 25, 1442-1449]. The contribution of separate residues of HCDR3 to ssDNA interaction was investigated. Analysis of the changes in DeltaH degrees and TDeltaS degrees, induced by substitutions in HCDR3, revealed a complete entropy/enthalpy compensation. Mutations R98A and D108A at the ends of the HCDR3 loop produced increases in TDeltaS degrees ( )()by 10.4 and 15.9 kcal/mol, respectively. Substitution of proline for arginine at the top of HCDR3 resulted in a new electrostatic contact with (dT)(15). The observed linear correlation of Z and DeltaG degrees ( )()of nonelectrostatic interactions (DeltaG degrees (nonel)) at the anti-ssDNA combining site was used for the estimation of the specific DeltaG degrees (nonel) [-20 to -25 cal/(mol.A(2))], the average contact area (450-550 A(2)), the maximal Z (6-7), and the limit in affinity under standard cation concentrations [(0.5-1) x 10(8) M(-)(1)] for this family of Fab. Results suggested that rational engineering of HCDR3 could be utilized to control the affinity and likely the specificity of Ab-DNA interactions.
Planning and control of UGV formations in a dynamic environment: A practical framework with experiments

Abstract This paper provides a practical framework for planning and control of formations of multiple unmanned ground vehicles to traverse between goal points in a dynamic environment. This framework allows on-line planning of the formation paths using search algorithm based on the current sensor data. The formation is allowed to dynamically change in order to avoid obstacles in the environment, while minimizing a cost function aimed at obtaining collision- and deadlock-free paths. Based on a feasible path for a leader of the group, the trajectory planner satisfies the kinematic constraints of the individual vehicles, while accounting for inter-vehicle collision and path constraints. Two algorithms are provided to generate smooth trajectories from discrete path sequences. A Lyapunov-based controller is designed to keep the vehicles on their planned trajectories. Illustrative simulations of groups of unmanned ground vehicles and their laboratory implementations with three unmanned ground vehicles are presented.
Large Class Iconic Pattern Recognition An OCR Case Study

New large class filters are used for the automatic recognition of characters. A special set of multi-level multi-filters (referred to as "iconic filters") is described for use in the super-class recognition problem. Dif-ferent types of iconic filters are considered and the results of such tests are reported. System performance under simulated nonideal conditions is detailed. The observed behavior of iconic filters is quantified, and an initial explanation for the effect of a large number of training set images is provided. New solutions are advanced, and the the utility of iconic filters for large multi-class problems is demonstrated. This is the first data to be reported on the use of multi-level multi-filters for a large class pattern recognition problem.
Foundations of a strong monotonicity theorem

Abstract Current monotonicity analysis of optimization problems has loose ends andloopholes which confuse the understanding, teaching and use of the techniques.These embarrassments are removed in this article by redefining slightly thedomain, the objective and constraint functions, and even the notion of criticalityitself. This leads to a simple and clear "Strong" Monotonicity Theorem givingextensions of the two monotonicity principles as straightforward corollaries.This theorem not only incorporates Hansen, Jaumard and Lu's extensions to non-monotonic functions, but also clarifies the special elimination rules applicable to variables in the constraints but not the objective. This sets the stage for analyzing optimization problems with non-monotonic functions.Keywords: optimization, monotonicity analysis, nonlinear programming,monotonicity principles, strong monotonicity, criticality, semicriticality, non-monotonic Introduction. Monotonicity analysis, one of the earliest axiomatic
Automatic location of microscopic focal planes for computerized stereology

When applying design-based stereology to biological tissue, there are two primary applications for an auto-focusing function in the software of computerized stereology system. The system must first locate the in-focus optical planes at the upper and lower surfaces of stained tissue sections, thus identifying the top and bottom as well as the thickness of the tissue. Second, the system must find the start and end along the Z-axis of stained objects within a Z-stack of images through tissue sections. In contrast to traditional autofocus algorithms that seek a global maximum or peak on the focus curve, the goal of this study was to find the two "knees" of the focus curve that represent the "just out-of-focus" focal planes. The upper surface of the tissue section is defined as the image just before focus is detected moving down the Z-stack. Continuing down, the lower surface is defined as the first image of the last set of adjacent images where focus is no longer detected. The performance of seven focus algorithms in locating the top and bottom focal planes of tissue sections was analyzed by comparing each algorithm on 34 Z-stacks including a total of 828 images. The Thresholded Absolute Gradient algorithm outperformed all others, correctly identifying the top or bottom focal plane within an average of 1 μm on the training data as well as the test data.
Evaluation of Three Simulation Exercises in an Introductory Statistics Course.

Abstract This study evaluates the effect of participation in three computer simulation exercises on performance of students enrolled in an introductory statistics class. One-half of the students were required to participate in three computer exercises: means, normal curve, and correlation coefficient estimation. At a later date all students were given a paper-and-pencil test of their ability to quickly estimate statistics. Results demonstrated that the students who participated in the exercises attempted significantly more exercises with greater success than those who did not. Questionnaire results indicated that the students felt that the exercises were useful.
Targeted cancer treatment: resisting arrest

Many individuals with chronic myeloid leukemia have benefited from the drug imatinib (Gleevec)—but if they are taken off the drug, relapse occurs. Two mathematical models to explain this phenomenon, one described in this issue, have come to different conclusions (1181–1184).
Incentive Contracts in Serial Stochastic Projects

In this paper we propose an incentive payment contract for stochastic projects defined by a series of stages or tasks that are outsourced to independent subcontractors. Projects defined by sequentially completed independent stages are common in new product development and other high-risk projects. Our goal is to maximize the client's expected discounted profit. Our proposed contract reflects the convex time-cost trade-off that is well known in the project scheduling literature. We show that this type of contract dominates a fixed price contract with respect to expected client's profit and schedule performance, regardless of payment timing considerations. Using a piecewise linear approximation, we show that our contract is a generalization of an incentive/disincentive contract that is frequently used in practice. We show how our contract can be used to find the optimal due date and penalties/bonuses in an incentive/disincentive contract. We compare this contract with several variations and discuss implications for both the client and subcontractors.
The Spark Spread as a Measure of Economic Viability for a Combined Heating and Power Application With Ideal Loading Conditions

“Spark spread” refers to the difference between the cost of electricity and the cost of fuel on a per-MMBTU basis. This metric is often considered when recommending equipment retrofits that require fuel switching. A spark spread of at least $12 per MMBTU is considered the threshold for economic viability of Combined Heat and Power (CHP) systems. However, this study shows that an increase in the electric utility rate has an impact on the spark spread required to maintain the economic viability of a CHP project. This challenges the paradigm that a single value for spark spread can be used as a “rule of thumb” for determining the economic viability of CHP projects. As utility rates increase, so does the importance of understanding the relationship between spark spread and the economic viability of projects.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
ERK activation is required for hydrostatic pressure-induced tensile changes in engineered articular cartilage.

The objective of this study was to identify ERK 1/2 involvement in the changes in compressive and tensile mechanical properties associated with hydrostatic pressure treatment of self-assembled cartilage constructs. In study 1, ERK 1/2 phosphorylation was detected by immunoblot, following application of hydrostatic pressure (1 h of static 10 MPa) applied at days 10–14 of self-assembly culture. In study 2, ERK 1/2 activation was blocked during hydrostatic pressure application on days 10–14. With pharmacological inhibition of the ERK pathway by the MEK1/ERK inhibitor U0126 during hydrostatic pressure application on days 10–14, the increase in Young's modulus induced by hydrostatic pressure was blocked. Furthermore, this reduction in Young's modulus with U0126 treatment during hydrostatic pressure application corresponded to a decrease in total collagen expression. However, U0126 did not inhibit the increase in aggregate modulus or GAG induced by hydrostatic pressure. These findings demonstrate a link between hydrostatic pressure application, ERK signalling and changes in the biomechanical properties of a tissue-engineered construct. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A novel role for retrograde transport of microtubules in the axon.

Short microtubules move within the axon in both directions. In the past, it had been assumed that all of the short moving microtubules are oriented with their plus-ends distal to the cell body, regardless of their direction of movement. The anterogradely moving microtubules were posited to play critical roles in the establishment, expansion, and maintenance of the axonal microtubule array. There was no known function for the retrogradely moving microtubules. In considering the mechanism of their transport, we had assumed that all of the short microtubules have a plus-end-distal polarity orientation, as is characteristic of the long microtubules that dominate the axon. Here we discuss an alternative hypothesis, namely that the short microtubules moving retrogradely have the opposite polarity orientation of those moving anterogradely. Those that move anterogradely have their plus-ends distal to the cell body while those that move retrogradely have their minus ends distal to the cell body. In this view, retrograde transport is a means for clearing the axon of incorrectly oriented microtubules. This new model, if correct, has profound implications for the manner by which healthy axons preserve their characteristic pattern of microtubule polarity orientation. We speculate that pathological flaws in this mechanism may be a critical factor in the degeneration of axons during disease and injury, as well as in neuropathy caused by microtubule-active drugs. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
PATIENTS UNDERGOING CORONARY ANGIOGRAPHY BECAUSE OF CHEST PAIN WITH HEPATITIS C VIRUS SEROPOSITIVITY HAVE A HIGHER PREVALENCE OF OBSTRUCTIVE CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE THAN A CONTROL GROUP

Introduction: The aim of the study was the relationship between hepatitis c virus and coronary disease needed investigation. Material and methods: The patients included 31 men and 5 women, mean age 53±9 years, seropositive for hepatitis C virus and 31 men and 5 women, mean age 53±9 years, seronegative for hepatitis C virus undergoing coronary angiography because of chest pain. Results: Coronary risk factors were not significantly different between the 2 groups. Obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) (>50% obstruction of at least 1 major coronary artery) was present in 32 of 36 patients (89%) seropositive for hepatitis C virus and in 21 of 36 patients (58%) seronegative for hepatitis C virus (P<0.005). 3-vessel obstructive CAD was present in 9 of 36 patients (25%) seropositive for hepatitis C virus and in 2 of 36 patients (6%) seronegative for hepatitis C virus (P<0.025). 2-vessel or 3-vessel obstructive CAD was present in 21 of 36 patients (58%) seropositive for hepatitis C virus and in 9 of 36 patients (25%) seronegative for hepatitis C virus (P<0.005). Conclusions: In conclusion, patients undergoing coronary angiography for chest pain have a significantly higher prevalence of obstructive CAD, of obstructive 3-vessel CAD, and of obstructive 2-vessel or 3-vessel CAD if they are seropositive for hepatitis C virus than if they are seronegative for hepatitis C virus.
Misoprostol in the Prevention of Postpartum Hemorrhage

OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the data regarding the use of misoprostol in the prevention of postpartum hemorrhage.DATA SOURCES:Pertinent literature was identified through a MEDLINE search (1966–January 2001) and through other secondary literature databases and/or bibliographies of pertinent articles.DATA SYNTHESIS:New strategies in the prevention of postpartum hemorrhage are being evaluated due to the obstacles surrounding conventional therapies. One therapeutic option is the use of misoprostol. This literature review evaluates the published clinical data involving misoprostol in the prevention of postpartum hemorrhage. Current data suggest that the use of misoprostol for the prevention of postpartum hemorrhage reduces mean estimated blood loss compared with placebo. However, no clinical trials have detected a statistically significant decrease in the incidence of postpartum hemorrhage in misoprostol-treated subjects. There is conflicting evidence regarding the efficacy of misoprostol compared with conventional ...
Toxic and inflammatory properties of two antibiotics: Muconomycin A and B

Toxicological investigations were conducted on two new antibiotics, Muconomycin A and Muconomycin B. These non-nitrogenous antibiotics were found to be highly toxic and capable of inducing profound inflammation in the peritoneal cavity of male albino rats. Either antibiotic produced large volumes (10–20 ml) of inflammatory exudate even when injected intraperitoneally in quantities of 1.6 × 10−10 moles. An extensive profile of the electrolytes and proteins found in inflammatory exudates was developed. Simultaneous assays of the blood serum of treated rats provided a basis for comparing the concentrations of constituents of serum with those of the exudate. The results of these assays showed that the exudate contained lower concentrations of sodium and proteins, and greater amounts of potassium, calcium, and phosphorus than the serum. Chloride ion concentrations were variable. Since previous work showed that one of the manifestations of toxicity of these substances was the production of creatinuria, further studies were carried out with ATP/Creatine Phosphotransferase. These studies show that these antibiotics are potent in vitro inhibitors of the enzyme ATP/Creatine Phosphotransferase.
On the Abundance of a Pelagic Sea Snake

Abstract We quantified the abundance of pelagic sea snakes, Hydrophis (= Pelamis) platurus, while following slicks that formed drift lines during 3 yr of research in the Golfo de Papagayo, Costa Rica. The number of snakes we observed floating on slicks varied greatly and ranged from 0 to 1,029 per hour. The largest number we observed was highly unusual in recent experience but comparable to earlier reports of sea snake aggregations in the historical literature. Snakes were more abundant on slicks with flotsam during early morning hours on clear, calm days. However, ‘decisions' of sea snakes to spend time floating on slicks are also influenced by other factors that are not known or are poorly understood. Neither temperature nor salinity influenced the number of snakes we observed within the range of the parameters we encountered. We observed only a single snake during 13 days of searching during which there were red tide conditions with cold and turbid water disturbed almost daily by high winds. We also co...