cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Affinity labeling of chicken liver fatty acid synthase with chloroacetyl-CoA and bromopyruvate

Abstract Fatty acid synthase of chicken liver is inactivated rapidly and irreversibly by incubation with chloroacetyl-CoA or with bromopyruvate. Inactivation by both reagents follows saturation kinetics, indicating the formation of an E ⋯ I complex (dissociation constants of 0.36 μM for chloroacetyl-CoA and 31 μM for bromopyruvate) prior to alkylation. The limiting rate constants are 0.15 s−1 for bromopyruvate and 0.041 s−1 for chloroacetyl-CoA. Inactivation by both reagents is protected by NADPH and 200 mM KCl, and by saturating amounts of thioester substrates which reduced the limiting rate constants 6.5–30-fold. Active-site-directed reaction of chloroacetyl-CoA is supported by the ability of this compound to form a kinetically viable complex with the enzyme as competitive inhibitor of acetyl-CoA. Chloroacetyl-CoA interacts initially at the CoA binding pocket, since the nucleotide afforded competitive protection of inactivation and caused a large decrease in its affinity. Subsequently, the phosphopantetheine prosthetic group is alkylated. Evidence is presented to show that bromopyruvate competes with chloroacetyl-CoA for the same target site.
Unscheduled DNA synthesis assay in mammalian spermatogenic cells: an update.

The unscheduled DNA synthesis (UDS) assay measures DNA repair in response to DNA damage. To date, 59 chemicals plus UV and X rays have been tested for UDS in spermatogenic cells of humans, rabbits, rats, and mice. In vivo, in vitro, and combined in vivo/in vitro procedures have been used. UDS has been shown to occur in spermatogonia, meiotic spermatocytes, and early spermatid stages. Fifty-nine percent of the agents tested gave a positive UDS response in one or more germ-cell stages. Results show 95% concordance (positive or negative) between different mammalian species. Some well-known genotoxic chemicals, for example, aflatoxin B 1 (AFB 1 ), benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P), and N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-ni-trosoguanidine (MNNG), did not induce significant levels of UDS. Possible explanations are discussed. Results from the UDS assay were compared with those from the mouse specific-locus mutation (SLM) test to determine correlations between the two assays. Only two chemicals, ethyl- and methyl-nitrosourea (ENU and MNU), have been tested for UDS and SLM induction in spermatogonial stages. Results show full concordance between the two assays. In post-spermatogonial stages, 25 chemicals and X rays have been tested for UDS and SLM induction. Seventy-seven percent of these agents showed similar results (positive or negative) in these germ-cell stages. Although the UDS assay cannot replace the SLM test, the strong correlations between the two assays suggest the usefulness of the UDS assay as a predictor of germ-cell mutations in mammalian systems. Environ. Mol. Mutagen. 36:255-265, 2000. Published 2000 Wiley.Liss, Inc.
Politics of Presence? Congresswomen and Symbolic Representation:

Gender politics literature stresses the symbolic importance of electing more women to high-level political office. Despite references to the heightened legitimacy that women in politics bring to the political process, and the manner in which they affect constituents’ political attitudes and behavior, little empirical evidence exists regarding the actual benefits of symbolic representation. Using pooled National Election Study data from 1980 to 1998, I attempt to fill a void in the literature, exploring whether the presence of women officeholders affects constituents’ evaluations of their members of Congress, levels of political efficacy and trust in government, and propensity to participate politically. After controlling for party congruence between the representative and his/her constituent, I uncover little evidence of the independent symbolic effects scholars typically ascribe to women’s presence in Congress. Women represented by women tend to offer more positive evaluations of their members of Congres...
A new SPIN on horizontal transfer

The regular and predictable inheritance of genetic material from parent to offspring is a cornerstone of the modern theory of evolutionary biology. However, most rules in biology are broken, at least sometimes. Horizontal gene transfer (HT) is the movement of genes between reproductively isolated species. It is common in prokaryotes, to the extent that some researchers refer to phylogenies of these species as a web, rather than a tree of life (1). In general, HT becomes progressively less frequent as organisms become more complex (2). However, there have been several well-documented examples of transfers involving both plants and animals (3). The vast majority of examples in complex animals have involved invertebrates (4). In this issue of PNAS, a new report (5) demonstrates the first evidence of recurrent HT among tetrapods, including several mammals.
Estimation of nonlinear kinetic parameters for propylene disproportionation

Abstract Differential rate data were obtained for the disproportionation of propylene over a CoOMoO 3 Al 2 O 3 catalyst at conversion levels ranging from 5 to 23%,and at temperatures of 250, 325, and 400 °F and at pressures ranging from 1 to 5 atm. This data was combined with initial rate data reported previously and the complete set of parameters for a dual site kinetic model was determined as a function of temperature level by a nonlinear least-squares procedure.
Lymphatic, tooth and skin manifestations in Turner syndrome

Abstract Turner syndrome is a chromosomal disorder due to an absent or abnormal X chromosome. The two most typical features are short stature and gonadal dysgenesis. There is a wide range of other phenotypic features, many of which are thought secondary to lymphedema during embryogenesis. Reviewed are common sequelae of lymphatic obstruction, as well as common tooth and skin findings.
Competitive stereochemical control operative during conrotatory electrocyclization of helically equilibrating diquinanyl-substituted 1,3,5,7-octatetraenyl bisenolates.

Activation of the squarate ester cascade by adding the lithiated bicyclo[3.3.0]octene 20 and vinyllithium sequentially to 1 results in the isolation of the four tetracyclic products 21−24. The stru...
Dynamics of diffusion with reversible binding in microscopically heterogeneous membranes: General theory and applications to dermal penetration

Abstract Essentially all biological membranes and tissues exhibit microscopic heterogeneity in the form of cellular, lamellar or other organization, and molecular diffusion in these materials is frequently slowed by binding to elements of the microstructure (“trapping”). This paper addresses situations where binding is describable as a linear reversible process at the microscale, with forward (“on”) and reverse (“off”) rate constants k f ( x ) and k r ( x ) that vary with position. Very commonly it is tacitly assumed that the macroscopically observable binding behavior should follow the same rate law with the substitution of appropriate effective (tissue-average) rate constants k ¯ f and k ¯ r . This assumption is probed theoretically for spatially periodic microstructures using a judicious application of numerical calculations and asymptotic analysis to prototypical one-dimensional transport problems. We find that smooth microscopic variations produce an anomalous macroscopic exchange between free and bound solute populations that is not well described by a single pair of forward and reverse rate constants, i.e., violates the usual paradigm. In contrast, discontinuous variations (as in two-phase composite media) are evidently well described by the usual paradigm. For the latter case we derive simple and general algebraic equations giving k ¯ f and k ¯ r , and generalize them to any three-dimensional unit cell representing the tissue microstructure. Validity of the formulas is demonstrated with reference to a concrete example describing molecular diffusion through the stratum corneum (barrier) layer of skin, comprising lipid (intercellular) and corneocyte (cellular) phases. Our analysis extends coarse-graining (homogenization, effective transport) theory for irreversible trapping systems to the reversible case.
Premature mortality among males with substance use disorders.

OBJECTIVE:: Previous studies have demonstrated that substance use disorders (SUD) are associated with premature mortality in clinical populations, though findings regarding the effect of antisocial personality disorder (ASP) on mortality among persons with SUD are less clear. However, it is unclear to what extent that finding generalizes to persons with SUD in the community, because very little work has been done involving mortality in longitudinal studies of mortality associated with SUD. The objective of this study was to assess whether the presence of SUD or ASP is associated with early mortality among males (fathers) in a predominantly community sample, using a 15-year prospective longitudinal study design. METHOD:: We conducted a prospective longitudinal study of adolescents and their fathers. The adolescent subjects were recruited at age 10-12 years, with follow-up evaluations at ages 14, 16, 19, 22, and 25. Questions were asked about paternal mortality during each of those visits. The study sample for this study was the 769 fathers of the adolescent subjects, who included N=341 fathers with a DSM-III-R diagnosis of SUD and N=428 control fathers without a SUD. 89% of these fathers were recruited from the community, and 11% were recruited from clinical sources. Comorbidity patterns were described. A multivariate Cox regression analysis was performed with the father's age at death or last assessment as the dependent variable, and education, SUD, and ASP as the independent variables. RESULTS:: Lower education level, the presence of a substance use disorder, and the presence of antisocial personality disorder were significantly associated with earlier mortality (Wald=5.1, df=1, p=0.024; Wald=5.1, df=1, p=0.024, and Wald=5.5, df=1, p=0.019, respectively). Most subjects died from medical illnesses, as opposed to drug overdoses or accidents, which is different from the pattern often noted in clinical samples. CONCLUSIONS:: The results of this study demonstrate that the presence of SUD, the presence of ASP, and a lower education level were associated with early mortality in our primarily community-based sample, which extends previous reports of similar findings in clinical samples. The magnitude of the prematurity of the deaths was less than that generally noted in previous studies involving clinical samples, and the causes of death were also somewhat different from those noted in clinical samples. The majority of cases of mortality in our SUD sample resulted from medical illnesses rather than from accidents or overdoses. Language: en
Analytical calculation of the quantum 1/f coherence parameter for HFETs

The ratio s of the coherent magnetic energy term and the incoherent mechanical kinetic energy terms of the drift motion in the hamiltonian of a current carrying system is calculated for the special cases of a HFET or FET. This ratio defines the resulting quantum 1/f noise from the coherent and conventional quantum 1/f effects. In this case of FETs and HFETs of much larger width w>>L DS >t, the kinetic energy E k of average motion with drift velocity v d per unit length in the direction of the drain-source distance L DS in the channel of thickness t, is still given by Nmv d 2 /2, but the magnetic energy E m per unit length in the direction of L DS is roughly proportional with the first power of w only, instead of w 2 , and can be approximated by E m = π[ln(w/2L DS )]L DS [nevS/c] 2 /w. Here S=wt is the cross section though which current flows this indicates field-decoherence along the large device width w. This yields a coherence ratio of s ≡ E m /E k ≈ πnr o tL DS ln(w/2L DS ), which shows that only an effective width w=w eff about equal to L DS should be used in the calculation of s in this special case; larger widths are subject to de-coherence. This favors lower, mainly conventional, quantum 1/f noise in these devices, in spite of the large values of w. It also explains for the first time why the huge widths are possible with impunity, i.e., without causing the much larger coherent quantum 1/f noise to appear. For non-uniform current distribution across t, and for piezoelectric coupling, improved forms are derived for s. Specifically, the coherence parameter, called s' for the piezo case, is given by s' = (gN' h /m * v s )( v s /u) 3 F(u/v s )t/12w, where F( u/v s ) = (2/3)( u/v s ) for small drift velocity u , much smaller than the sound velocity v s in the semiconductor. Here N'=nwt .
Ethnicity and the American Cemetery

Cemeteries are open cultural texts, available to be read and appreciated by anyone who takes the time to learn their special language. "Ethnicity and the American Cemetery" explores the manner in which ethnic groups in America have made their cemeteries a most eloquent voice for the expression of values and worldviews. Contributors examine the material objects found within the cemeteries, as well as the customary practices bound to them. Contributors are from the fields of folklore, cultural history, historical archaeology, landscape architecture, and philosophy. Heavily illustrated, the volume also features an extensive annotated bibliography. "
Drink the coffee and see the puffy white clouds

Sometimes, in pursuit of your well percolated vision, you have to break with convention and take a really big risk. In my last column I wrote about taking a risk in the CS classroom, scary events that followed, and the ultimate pedagogical payoff that made it all worth it. This month I introduce you to my latest, and to date largest, plunge off the deep end.
Optimization of width parameters for quantum dynamics with frozen Gaussian basis sets

Abstract Frozen Gaussian wavepackets for simulations of molecular dynamics including quantum effects require specification of the widths of the complex Gaussian functions, which may be viewed as parameters. Motivated by the standardized basis sets used in electronic structure theory, we develop a scheme for optimizing the width parameters for frozen Gaussian nuclear basis functions. The optimization approach maximizes the overlap between a reference ground state vibrational wavefunction in internal coordinates and a wavefunction determined by the product of complex Gaussians in Cartesian coordinates. After optimizing the parameters using a test set of over 100 molecules, the average width parameters are determined for a set of common atoms (H, C, O, N, F, S and Cl). The parameters are tested for excited state dynamics of ethylene and benzene using the ab initio multiple spawning (AIMS) method.
The RLOC is dead - long live the RLOC

Are user specified layout constraints of significant value anymore? Certainly in the past the use of the RLOC layout constraint for Xilinx FPGAs was essential for achieving the best possible performance for many kinds of highly structured designs. However, have CAD tools evolved to the point where they can always compute layouts as good as (if not better than) humans? Or has the introduction of on-chip hard cores, which create an irregular 2D surface for layouts, made layout specification impractical? Or has the varying pitch and types of combinational logic blocks (CLBs) made it intractable to produce layout descriptions that are portable across architectures? We show that the use of layout constraints still delivers a large performance gain for Xilinx's recent Virtex-6 family of FPGAs. The performance gain is sometime large enough to accommodate a reduction of two speed grades.
An adaptive finite element technique for structural dynamic analysis

Abstract An adaptive finite element discretization technique, which utilizes specially derived Ritz vectors, is presented for solving structural dynamics problems. The special Ritz vectors are applied as the bases of transformation in geometric coordinates for mode superposition dynamic analysis. To capture the low frequency response and the high frequency response using multigrid principles, a hierarchical formulation for the formation of the coefficient matrices is proposed and it is utilized in the framework of the adaptive h -refinement. Assuming that the solution can be resolved into a set of orthogonal vectors and the refined mesh which passes the refinement criteria for all the vectors can satisfy the refinement criteria for the solution, the Ritz vectors are used as sources to discretize the continuous spatial domain. An a posteriori energy norm of residual error serves as the error measure. Finally, the performance and the efficiency of the proposed technique is demonstrated by solving several examples.
The Zig-Zag Property and Exponential Cancellation of Ordered Sets

This paper outlines a chapter in the theory of ordered sets that concerns decompositions of ordered sets using various natural operations introduced by Garrett Birkhoff in 1940 – chiefly, the operations of sum (disjoint union), Cartesian product, and exponentiation. This area has seen two brief, four-year flowerings of research activity during the past sixty-four years. Ivan Rival, working with several collaborators around 1978, obtained beautiful results on exponentiation which attracted other researchers to this topic. Altogether, about a dozen people contributed a chain of significant new results between 1978–1982. The subject then lay dormant until a major contribution by Jonathan D. Farley appeared in 1996. This pre-figured the solution, four years later, of a central problem about exponentiation of finite ordered sets that Birkhoff had formulated in 1942. The theory of operations on ordered sets is a beautiful chapter of mathematics. We concentrate on those portions that are most relevant for the solution of the Birkhoff problem, offering (hopefully) accessible proofs of many results, including some new results. We would like to see a new renaissance of activity in this area, which continues to offer many attractive open problems.
Active Nutation Damping Utilizing Spacecraft Mass Properties

Active nutation damping generally requires a unique element to provide the necessary damping torques, plus a nutation-sensing system to properly monitor and control the active element by closed-loop action. This paper describes and analyzes, by computer- assisted mathematical techniques, a nutation damper for a dual-spin spacecraft which does not require an active ?element?. Damping is achieved through the inherent cross-axis torques generated by the spacecraft products of inertia and the existing motor controlling the relative spin rates of the two dynamic components comprising the spacecraft.
Functional observational battery comparing effects of ethanol, 1,1,1-trichloroethane, ether, and flurothyl

Several recent reports have demonstrated that acute solvent exposure in animals produces a profile of neurobehavioral effects similar to that of classical CNS depressant drugs such as the barbiturates and ethanol. The present investigation further delineated the behavioral pharmacology of three solvents [1,1,1-trichloroethane (TCE), ether, and flurothyl] using a functional observational battery (FOB) composed of 21 qualitative and quantitative measures of behavior. The profiles of acute effects produced by TCE and ether were similar to one another and similar to the profile of effects produced by the IP administration of ethanol. This profile of depressant effects included changes in posture, decreased arousal, disturbances in gait, decreased forelimb grip strength, increased landing foot splay, and impaired psychomotor coordination. Flurothyl exposure also produced dose-related effects on many of the measures in the FOB; however, unlike the depressant vapors, flurothyl did not affect measures of muscle tone and equilibrium such as forelimb grip strength and landing foot splay, or measures of sensorimotor reactivity, including the touch response and tail pinch response. In addition, flurothyl produced handling-induced convulsions in some mice. Recovery from the acute effects of these vapors was rapid and began within minutes of removal from the exposure chamber. These results provide further evidence that exposure to certain solvents produces a profile of reversible effects qualitatively similar to that produced by depressant drugs and alcohol, and that the FOB can be used to compare and contrast profiles of depressant and excitatory effects of inhalants.
Sub-Proteomic Fractionation of Rat Cardiac Tissue: Comparing Ischemic Vs Normal Remote Region with In-Solution Based Proteomics

Subcellular fractionation of a complex proteome (cardiac tissue) allows for enrichment of a subset of low abundant proteins. This permits more in depth analysis of the proteome by reducing the complexity. Adult rat cardiac tissue was made ischemic by ligating the left anterior descending coronary artery in vivo for 1 hour with no reperfusion, and the healthy remote area was differentiated from the ischemic tissue by staining with Evans Blue dye after harvesting the heart. A series of differential centrifugation steps produced nuclear, mitochondrial, cytoplasmic, microsomal, and sarcomeric fractions of rat ischemic and remote healthy tissue. The sarcomeric fractions of the remote vs ischemic cardiac tissue were digested with trypsin, and the peptides were labeled with isobaric tags for relative quantitation (iTRAQ). The labeled peptides were then fractionated with an Agilent 3100 OFFGEL fractionator, which separated the peptides in 12 fractions based on their isoelectric point from pH 3-10. The 12 fractions from the OFFGEL were run on a Dionex U-3000 nano LC coupled to a ThermoFinnigan LTQ running in PQD (pulsed Q dissociation) mode to detect the low mass reporter ions of the isobaric tags on the peptides. The peptides were analyzed with MASCOT (MatrixScience), and Scaffold v2.5.2 Q+ with a minimum of two unique peptides and a level of confidence set at 95%. Five-fold more proteins were identified when the labeled digests were fractionated with OFFGEL compared to no fractionation prior to LC-MS/MS. With a one hour ischemic event, we found approximately 11% of the detected proteins in the sarcomeric fraction had changed at least 1.5 fold. Therefore, this in-solution method incorporating sub-proteomic fractionation in conjunction with OFFGEL separation may be an approach for discovery of relative protein changes in cardiac tissue.
Legal constraints on computer data banks: an overview

The intent of this paper is to give an overview of the existing laws and pending legislation related to the regulation of computer data banks. Many computer systems dealing with personal information are now legally required to take into consideration effects on personal privacy, access rights of subjects, and safeguards against unauthorized access.
Substrate-Dependent Inhibition of Human MATE1 by Cationic Ionic Liquids

The multidrug and toxin extruders 1- and 2-K (MATE1 and MATE2-K) are expressed in the luminal membrane of renal proximal tubule cells and provide the active step in the secretion of molecules that carry a net positive charge at physiologic pH, so-called organic cations. The present study tested whether structurally distinct MATE substrates can display different quantitative profiles of inhibition when interacting with structurally distinct ligands. The tested ligands were three structurally similar cationic ionic liquids (ILs, salts in the liquid state: N-butylpyridinium, NBuPy; 1-methyl-3-butylimidazolium, Bmim; and N-butyl-N-methylpyrrolidinium, BmPy). Uptake was measured using Chinese hamster ovary cells that stably expressed MATE1 or MATE2-K. By trans-stimulation, all three ILs were transported by both MATE transporters. The three ILs also inhibited uptake of three structurally distinct MATE substrates: 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP), triethylmethylammonium (TEMA), and N,N,N-trimethyl-2-[methyl(7-nitrobenzo[c][1,2,5]oxadiazol-4-yl)amino]ethanaminium (NBD-MTMA). MATE1 displayed a higher affinity for the pyridinium-based NBuPy (IC50 values, 2–4 µM) than for either the pyrrolidinium- (BmPy; 20–70 µM) or imidazolium-based ILs (Bmim; 15–60 µM). Inhibition of MPP, TEMA, and NBD-MTMA transport by NBuPy was competitive, with comparable Ki values against all substrates. Bmim also competitively blocked the three substrates but with Ki values that differed significantly (20 µM against MPP and 30 µM against NBD-MTMA versus 60 µM against TEMA). Together, these data indicate that renal secretion of ILs by the human kidney involves MATE transporters and suggest that the mechanism of transport inhibition is ligand-dependent, supporting the hypothesis that the binding of substrates to MATE transporters involves interaction with a binding surface with multiple binding sites.
Update on emergency contraception

Abstract Millions of unintended pregnancies occur world wide each year. Several forms of emergency contraception are available that, when used appropriately, can decrease the likelihood of an unintended pregnancy. The two common hormonal regimens include the Yuzpe method and levonorgestrel. Both decrease the likelihood of pregnancy by approximately 75% per cycle when used in the face of unprotected intercourse. Mechanism of action probably includes inhibition of ovulation and creating an environment inhospitable to sperm. The only contraindication to either method is pregnancy. Mifepristone, a progesterone antagonist, is as effective as the other hormonal agents but is more likely to cause a delay in the next menses. Mifepristone’s mechanism of action is cycle-dependent. It either delays or inhibits follicular development and ovulation or has its impact on the endometrium making it inhospitable to implantation. An intrauterine device (IUD) inserted after intercourse and up to 5 days after the presumed ovulation is another option for post-coital contraception. The IUD creates a foreign sterile body reaction in the uterine cavity causing changes toxic to the sperm and head–tail separation. Emergency contraception is currently underutilized particularly in the United States due to numerous factors including lack of patient awareness, physician and pharmacy prescribing practices, and cost barriers including in some cases lack of health insurance coverage.
Observations on prolonged grain storage with forced aeration in Israel

Abstract Observations were carried out for 22 months on 1142 tonnes of wheat stored in a metal bin equipped with an aeration system and a fan withdrawing air at a rate of 5150 ft3/min. The observations comprised temperature measurements of the grain bulk, records of the ambient temperature and humidity and of the hours of fan operation, and examination of grain condition as indicated by moisture content, germination, insect infestation, and the percentage of damaged grains. The observations showed that during the first year beginning in May 1966, 1212 hr of aeration lowered the temperature of different layers of the grain bulk from averages of 26·8–32·2°C to 10·2–13·8°C. During the summer of the second year the grain temperature rose to averages of 18·1–19·2°C. During the second winter of storage, 523 aeration hr cooled the grain bulk to averages of 10·5–14·3°C. The grain remained in excellent condition throughout the almost 2 years storage period.
Probing the viral metallome: searching for metalloproteins in bacteriophage λ-- the hunt begins.

Although the proteome and genome of bacteriophages are well developed, there is little knowledge about metals and their interactions with the phages, even though metals have been observed in stabilizing phage particles. With expanding studies of phage display and its promising applications, metalloprotein investigations in the bacteriophage areas are necessary to understand whether or not metalloproteins are included in the viral coat proteome. Since these virus studies are still in their infancy, lambda phage was chosen due to its high metal-binding potential as suggested by the cysteine/methionine rich proteins in the viral coat. After large-scale preparation and further purification of lambda phage according to standard protocols, state-of-the-art metallomics techniques via combinations of chromatographies and mass spectrometries were utilized for screening metal-associated species in lambda phage. The lambda phage sample was first separated using non-denaturing size exclusion chromatography with selective metal detection by ICPMS for screening associated metals and generating size distribution fractions for the various metal species, some of which include metalloproteins. Various molecular size distribution patterns were exhibited for the metals detected, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu and Zn, at different molecular weight ranges. On the other hand numerous other metals were not associated with the coat proteins, as they were not detected in the different molecular weight fractions. Further identification for putative metallopeptides and metalloproteins was accomplished by collecting various metal species’ fractions offline and subsequently analyzing tryptically-digested fractions via nanoLC-Chip-ESI-MS. By searching appropriate MS databases with both Spectrum Mill and MASCOT search engines, the main capsid protein, gpE, a capsid decoration protein, gpD, and main tail component protein, gpV, were found and are known for associations with the detected transition metals. These findings will likely provide valuable information for lambda phage engineered applications.
Spectral characterization of β-Cyclodextrin : Triton X-100 complexes

The spectral characteristics of the surfactant, Triton X-100, in the absence and presence ofβ-cyclodextrin have been examined. The fluorescence of Triton X-100 is concentration dependent and is markedly enhanced in the presence ofβ-cyclodextrin. Analysis of the variations in the excitation-emission profiles of the surfactant with concentration suggests excimer emission at concentrations above the critical micelle concentration (CMC). Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy suggests that the phenyl group is included inside the CD cavity while a portion of the ethylene oxide chain extends outside the cavity. Benesi-Hildebrand type equations were derived to determine the stoichiometry and to estimate the formation constant of the CD: Sf complex.
Colour pattern and inhibition of aggression in the cichlid fish Astronotus ocellatus

Oscars Astronotus ocellatus defeated in combat often undergo a colour pattern change in which the normal olive-green to brown body coloration darkens to near black, interrupted with irregular white barring. Dummy oscars were used in two complementary tests which showed that the dark-and-banded colour pattern inhibits aggression in conspecifics under two different experimental designs and with two different subject groups.
Some thoughts on the one-sided and two-sided tests

This paper addresses some scientific and regulatory perspectives, insightful regulatory experiences, academic views, and current practices pertinent to one-sided and two-sided tests within the framework of clinical trials designed for specific diseases and drugs. It makes compelling points in favor of applying a two-sided test under a wide variety of situations. Additionally, it discusses situations where one may reasonably argue for use of a one-sided test and concludes by suggesting the use of two-sided tests in controversial situations.
Anxiety, coping strategies, and coping behaviors in patients undergoing head and neck cancer surgery.

BackgroundLittle is reported in the scientific literature about the modulating effect of anxiety on the coping process before and after surgical treatment for head and neck cancer.ObjectivesThe major purpose of this article is to describe the relationships among preoperative anxiety and use of copin
Isolated ramp metering feedback control utilizing mixed sensitivity for desired mainline density and ramp queues

This paper presents a feedback control design for isolated ramp metering control. This feedback control design, unlike the existing isolated feedback ramp controllers, also takes into account the ramp queue length. Using a nonlinear H(infinity) control design methodology, we formulate the problem in the desired setting to be able to utilize the results of the methodology.
xTune: online verifiable cross-layer adaptation for distributed real-time embedded systems

Adaptive resource management is critical to ensuring the quality of real-time multimedia communication, particularly for energy-constrained mobile handheld devices. In this context, a holistic cross-layer optimization considering multiple layers (e.g., application, middleware, operating system) needs to be developed for continuous adaptation of system parameters. This thesis proposes a unified framework that employs iterative policy/parameter tuning by combining light-weight, on-the-fly formal verification with feedback for dynamic adaptation. The integration of formal analysis with dynamic behavior from system execution will result in a feedback loop that enables model refinement and further optimization of policies and parameters. Our unified framework tunes the parameters in a compositional manner allowing coordinated interaction among sub-layer optimizers that enables holistic cross-layer optimization.
Pseudomonas aeruginosa prostatic abscess: case report and review of the literature

Introduction: Prostate abscess (PA) is an uncommonly encountered clinical entity. The most commonly associated organisms have been Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and recently Klebsiella pneumoniae. Pseudomonas aeruginosa has rarely been associated with PA. Case presentation: A 72-year-old developed confusion and hypotension during his hospital stay 2 weeks after an orthotropic heart transplant. P. aeruginosa was identified in his blood and urine. The patient had an ultrasound of the kidneys, which showed bilateral renal cysts, and a transrectal ultrasound, which showed 3 cm fluid in the peripheral zone of the prostate, suggestive of an abscess. The patient was treated with antibiotics for 2 months with resolution of the abscess. Conclusion: The patient was successfully treated with antibiotics without surgical drainage. Clinicians should suspect PA in patients with persistent P. aeruginosa bacteraemia.
From Sombreros to Sincronizadas: Authenticity, Ethnicity, and the Mexican Restaurant Industry

While scholars agree that performances of authenticity and ethnicity express social relations and reveal the socially constructed character of identity, we know little about how these interactions contribute to the politics of everyday life. By engaging in participant observation, drawing on open-ended interviews, and analyzing the content of available data regarding restaurant culture, the author argues that the accomplishment of Mexican authenticity is a social construction. However, despite its socially created qualities, the author contends that performances of authenticity and ethnicity affect not only how individuals understand each other, but illustrate the challenges faced by different groups of people in the commercial production and consumption of identity.
Paravirtualization effect on single- and multi-threaded memory-intensive linear algebra software

Previous studies have revealed that paravirtualization imposes minimal performance overhead on High Performance Computing (HPC) workloads, while exposing numerous benefits for this field. In this study, we are investigating the impact of paravirtualization on the performance of automatically-tuned software systems. We compare peak performance, performance degradation in constrained memory situations, performance degradation in multi-threaded applications, and inter-VM shared memory performance. For comparison purposes, we examine the proficiency of ATLAS, a quintessential example of an autotuning software system, in tuning the BLAS library routines for paravirtualized systems. Our results show that the combination of ATLAS and Xen paravirtualization delivers native execution performance and nearly identical memory hierarchy performance profiles in both single and multi-threaded scenarios. Furthermore, we show that it is possible to achieve memory sharing among OS instances at native speeds. These results expose new benefits to memory-intensive applications arising from the ability to slim down the guest OS without influencing the system performance. In addition, our findings support a novel and very attractive deployment scenario for computational science and engineering codes on virtual clusters and computational clouds.
Obstructive sleep disorders in children with allergic rhinitis

Background: Allergic rhinitis (AR) is the most prevalent chronic disease in children, associated with impairments in quality of life, sleep disorders, emotional problems, and impairment in activities. AR can induce medical complications, learning problems and sleep-related complaints, such as obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). OSAS is characterized by repeated events of partial or complete upper airway obstruction during sleep. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea in children with seasonal and perennial allergic rhinitis together with predictive factors. Methods: We studied children (age 5-17 yrs, N=47) with allergic rhinitis that underwent sleep study using complete polysomnography (PSG) according to standardized protocol. All patients underwent detailed medical and family history, physical examination including ENT examination, and an array of diagnostic tests (skin-prick test, total and specific IgE, cytology of the nasal mucosa, complete and differential blood counts) and Children9s Sleep Habits Questionnaire. Results from our study showed that almost half (46%) of the examined children with allergic rhinitis suffer from obstructive sleep apnea (88% had obstructive hypopnea). Obstructive sleep apnea was significantly associated with: perennial allergies (p=0.018) and nasal congestion (p=0.026), showing a significantly higher apnea/hypopnea index (AHI) in the group with perennial allergy (p Conclusion: Results of this study indicate that significant number of children with allergic rhinitis may develop obstructive sleep apnea. Perennial AR is an independent risk factor for OSAS in children probably because nasal congestion is the most prevalent symptom of it.
Technical and Meteorological Planning to Meet the ALLCAT Program Objectives

The primary objective of the ALLCAT (Critical Atmospheric Turbulence) Program is to obtain a statistically adequate, meteorologically correlated sample of atmospheric turbulence data as required to establish adequate gust design criteria for aerospace vehicles. This information is also useful in the study of a variety of the aeronautical problems including control and stability, human factors, propulsion, and simulator design. A secondary objective is to provide data which will verify old, or establish new, clear air turbulence forecasting techniques.
The Sociology of Swabian Anabaptism

We are better informed about the outlawed Anabaptist sect than any other religious movement of the sixteenth century. While there is a wealth of material on Luther, we badly lack records of the common people who accepted his doctrines. Paradoxically enough, the richness of Anabaptist sources is due to the very fact that Lutheran, Zwinglian, and Catholic authorities did their utmost to suppress the movement.
Seasonal variation of sieving efficiency in a lotic habitat

Summary Sieving efficiency, defined as the percent increase in yield of numbers or biomass of organisms, obtained by use of a sieve with 0-25-mm mesh openings instead of a 0-50-mm meshed sieve, was investigated in a lotic habitat over a 12-month period. Greatest elficiencies obtained were 300 to 600% for mayflies, chironomids, simuliids, ‘other dipterans,’ water mites and plecopterans and 90 and 190% for trichopterans and coleopterans, respectively. For the fauna as a whole, efficiency varied from 95 to 325% over the study period. Efficiency in estimating biomass was not as great as that with numbers and generally was below 10% for trichopterans. mayflies, ‘other dipterans’, coleopterans and the fauna taken as a whole. For chironomids, simuliids and water mites efficiencies generally were higher than 10% and reached as high as 174%, 60% and 80%, respectively. In all groups efficiency varies throughout the year with lowest occurring during winter months. The findings are compared with data found in the literature and discussed in relation to structural, behavioural, and life history characters.
AC Versus DC Distribution SystemsDid We Get it Right

We presently enjoy a predominantly AC electrical distribution system, the engineering basis for which was designed over 100 years ago. While AC distribution systems have served us well, we should periodically pause to assess what opportunities we have accepted or been denied by the overwhelming predominance of AC electrical power distribution systems. What opportunities could be obtained by engineering DC distribution into at least portions of our present system? What advantages of the present AC distribution system should be recognized and protected? This paper will focus on distribution within premise and low-voltage distribution systems. Specifically, we will address the conversion efficiency costs of adopting various premise AC and DC distribution system topologies. According to a simple predictive model formulated in this paper, premise residential DC distribution will incur unfavorable total conversion efficiency compared with existing AC premise distribution. However, if a residence is supplied by a fuel cell or another DC generator, the total conversion efficiency within a residential DC distribution system could be similar to, or even better than, that for AC distribution.
Simulation and Study of Catastrophe Phenomenon in Knowledge Collaboration Complexity Network

Knowledge collaboration network is a kind of complexity network, because of some special reasons, catastrophe phenomenon will appear in the knowledge collaboration complexity network, and the whole system will became low-efficiency or inefficiency. Based on the analysis of catastrophe phenomenon in the knowledge collaboration complexity network, this paper proposed a catastrophe model. Using with the dynamics simulation tool VERSIM, a dynamics model of catastrophe phenomenon in the knowledge collaboration complexity network is built. Moreover, some simulation results is given, which disposed some reasons of catastrophe phenomenon in the knowledge collaboration complexity network.
Empirical research in systems engineering: challenges and opportunities of a new frontier

This paper aims to advance the pedagogy of systems engineering by identifying opportunities and challenges in empirical research in the field. After an introduction to how empirical research could be further utilized in systems engineering, this paper discusses challenges faced when conducting empirical research in the field, threats to validity associated with systems engineering data collection, and considerations for empirical mixed-methods research. Two recently completed systems engineering empirical studies are used to illustrate specific examples. Finally, suggestions are given on how a professional society might provide additional support for researchers completing empirical research in systems engineering. The overarching goal of this paper is to describe how the increased use of empirical methods can be used to enrich the quality of research results which will in turn enhance the position of systems engineering as a widely recognized academic field. It is proposed that utilizing well-grounded, valid theory will improve understanding of systems engineering phenomena and advance the maturity of the field. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Syst Eng
Hybrid FEM-MFCM for 2-D scattering by inhomogeneous anisotropic material cylinders

Hybrid finite element and multifilament current method is presented for the analysis of two dimensional scattering by inhomogeneous anisotropic material cylinders. Sample numerical results for the field distributions and echo widths of both homogeneous and inhomogeneous material cylinders are presented to illustrate the accuracy of this approach. >
Measurement of the local laser intensity by photoelectron energy shifts in multiphoton ionization

We present the use of a new technique to measure the local intensity present at the laser focus. The technique is based on the ponderomotive energy shift of photoelectrons produced by multiphoton ionization with a short laser pulse. If the laser intensity is sufficient to saturate the ionization probability, the technique may be used to determine multiphoton-ionization cross sections accurately. Measurements of cross sections using this technique for the four-photon ionization of krypton at 293 nm are presented.
Genome-wide selection of tag SNPs using multiple-marker correlation

Motivations: The tag SNP approach is a valuable tool in whole genome association studies, and a variety of algorithms have been proposed to identify the optimal tag SNP set. Currently, most tag SNP selection is based on two-marker (pairwise) linkage disequilibrium (LD). Recent literature has shown that multiple-marker LD also contains useful information that can further increase the genetic coverage of the tag SNP set. Thus, tag SNP selection methods that incorporate multiple-marker LD are expected to have advantages in terms of genetic coverage and statistical power. Results: We propose a novel algorithm to select tag SNPs in an iterative procedure. In each iteration loop, the SNP that captures the most neighboring SNPs (through pair-wise and multiple-marker LD) is selected as a tag SNP. We optimize the algorithm and computer program to make our approach feasible on today's typical workstations. Benchmarked using HapMap release 21, our algorithm outperforms standard pair-wise LD approach in several aspects. (i) It improves genetic coverage (e.g. by 7.2% for 200 K tag SNPs in HapMap CEU) compared to its conventional pair-wise counterpart, when conditioning on a fixed tag SNP number. (ii) It saves genotyping costs substantially when conditioning on fixed genetic coverage (e.g. 34.1% saving in HapMap CEU at 90% coverage). (iii) Tag SNPs identified using multiple-marker LD have good portability across closely related ethnic groups and (iv) show higher statistical power in association tests than those selected using conventional methods. Availability: A computer software suite, multiTag, has been developed based on this novel algorithm. The program is freely available by written request to the author at [email protected] Contact: [email protected] Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Paraquat is excluded by the blood brain barrier in rhesus macaque: An in vivo pet study

Environmental factors have long been thought to have a role in the etiology of idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD). Since the discovery of the selective neurotoxicity of MPTP to dopamine cells, suspicion has focused on paraquat, a common herbicide with chemical structure similar to 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+), the MPTP metabolite responsible for its neurotoxicity. Although in vitro evidence for paraquat neurotoxicity to dopamine cells is well established, its in vivo effects have been ambiguous because paraquat is di-cationic in plasma, which raises questions about its ability to cross the blood brain barrier. This study assessed the brain uptake of [(11)C]-paraquat in adult male rhesus macaques using quantitative PET imaging. Results showed minimal uptake of [(11)C]-paraquat in the macaque brain. The highest concentrations of paraquat were seen in the pineal gland and the lateral ventricles. Global brain concentrations including those in known dopamine areas were consistent with the blood volume in those structures. This acute exposure study found that paraquat is excluded from the brain by the blood brain barrier and thus does not readily support the causative role of paraquat exposure in idiopathic Parkinson's disease.