cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of methylglyoxal-bis (guanylhydrazone) and abscisic acid on polyamine metabolism in embryonectomized barley seeds

Incorporation of L-[U-14C] aiginine or L-[U-14C] ornithine into putrescine (Put), spermidine (Spd) and spermine (Spm) in embryonectomized barley seeds(Hordeum vulgare L. cv. Himalaya) was studied following imbibition with methylglyoxal-bis (guanylhydrazone)(MGBG) and abscisic acid (ABA). Both radiolabeled amino acids were incorporated into the amines as a result of: active polyamine biosynthesis in the seed during imbibition. In the aleurone layer, the Spd and Spn existed mainly in the free form (acid soluble). However about 50% of Put was recovered in conjugated form (s) (acid insoluble). Imbibition with 5 and 10μM ABA for 3 days increased the accumulation of the tree form of 14C-Put. probably as a result of inhibition (70%) of 14C-Spd accumulation. The ABA treatment showed no significant effect on levels of the conjugated form of Put and Spd. Imbibition with millimolar concentrations of MGBG resulted in (i) abnormal accumulation of the free form of Put and incorporation of 14C-amino acids into the diamine, (ii) progressive inhibition of the accumulation of the free forms of 14C-Spd and Spm. and (iii) reduction of the 14C incorporation into the conjugated forms of Put and Spd. Uptake of 14C-amino acids was not affected by MGBG treatment. The results indicate that MGBG may inhibit not only the synthesis of Spd and Spm, but the catabolism (e.g. oxidation) of Put in the aleurone layer.
Bahadur representations for the median absolute deviation and its modifications

Abstract The median absolute deviation about the median (MAD) is an important univariate spread measure having wide appeal due to its highly robust sample version. A powerful tool in treating the asymptotics of a statistic is a linearization, i.e., a Bahadur representation. Here we establish both strong and weak Bahadur representations for the sample MAD. The strong version is the first such result in the literature, while the weak version improves upon previous treatments by reducing regularity conditions. Our results also apply to a modified version of sample MAD [Tyler, D.E., 1994. Finite sample breakdown points of projection based multivariate location and scatter statistics. Annals of Statistics 22, 1024–1044; Gather, U., Hilker, T., 1997. A note on Tyler’s modification of the MAD for the Stahel–Donoho estimator. Annals of Statistics 25, 2024–2026] introduced to obtain improved robustness for statistical procedures using sample median and MAD combinations over the univariate projections of multivariate data. The strong version yields the law of iterated logarithm for the sample MAD and supports the study of almost sure properties of randomly trimmed means based on the MAD and development of robust sequential nonparametric confidence intervals for the MAD. The weak version is needed to simplify derivations of the asymptotic joint distributions of vectors of dependent sample median and sample MAD combinations, which arise in constructing nonparametric multivariate outlyingness functions via projection pursuit.
Effect of pregnancy-specific protein B on prostaglandin F2α and prostaglandin E2 release by day 16-perifused bovine endometrial tissue☆

Five normal estrous cycling multiparous non-lactating Brahman cows were utilized to determine if pregnancy-specific protein B (PSPB) would alter prostaglandin F2α (PGF) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE) synthesis/release by endometrial tissue. The uterine horn ipsilateral to the corpus luteum was excised on Day 16 of the estrous cycle. Endometrial tissue (200 mg wet wt) was cultured in Nutrient Mixture F-10 medium in a perifusion system. The tissue and medium were aerated with 95% O2 : 5% CO2 and temperature was maintained at 39%C. The medium flow rate was 100 μl/min and fractions were collected at 20 min intervals. After a 120 min settling period, tissue culture continued with: 1) control (medium only); 2) 2 μg [Asu,1,6]-oxytocin/ml medium for 1 h; 3) 4 or 8 μg PSPB/ml medium for 2 h; or 4) 4 or 8 μg PSPB/ml medium for 2 h plus 2 μg oxytocin/ml medium during the second h. Differences in PGF and PGE secretion rate were not found between 4 and 8 μg PSPB. Therefore, groups were combined and data were analyzed according to tissue not receiving PSPB (control); receiving PSPB and receiving PSPB plus oxytocin. A nonsignificant rise (p > 0.10) in PGF secretion was observed in response to PSPB and PSPB plus oxytocin above the control by the end of the perifusion period (263.7 ± 41.7, 220.0 ± 41.7 and 166.1 ± 41.7 pg/ (100 mg tissue/min), respectively). Treatment with PSPB alone elevated (p < 0.05) PGE secretion rate above control by 100 and 160 min post-removal of PSPB treatment. Treatment with PSPB plus oxytocin elevated (p < 0.05) PGE release above control by 20 min after starting oxytocin treatment and continued throughout the duration of the perifusion. Pregnancy-specific protein B plus oxytocin-induced PGE
Induction of Signal Transduction in Human Neutrophils by Candida albicans Hyphae: The Role of Pertussis Toxin-Sensitive Guanosine Triphosphate-Binding Proteins

Nonopsonized Candida hyphae elicit from human neutrophils a transient rise in cytosolic calcium concentrations and an oxidative burst without a detectable change in membrane potential. To determine if the signal-transduction pathway used by these organisms is mediated by guanine nucleotide-binding proteins (GNPs), we examined the functional responsiveness of neutrophils pretreated with pertussis toxin (PT). In response to serum-opsonized hyphae or zymosan, the rise in cytosolic calcium, membrane depolarization, and the respiratory burst were only partially abrogated. The transient rise in calcium induced by unopsonized hyphae was, however, completely eliminated in PT-treated neutrophils. Despite total abrogation of the calcium response, PT-treated cells could still mount a respiratory burst in response to these nonopsonized hyphae. Thus, neutrophil signaling by both serum-opsonized particles and nonopsonized hyphae is only partially mediated by PT-sensitive GNPs. Furthermore, the ability of unopsonized hyphae to elicit a respiratory burst without a calcium response suggests these events are separable and confirms the versatility of these organisms as probes for investigating neutrophil activation.
Technology and Democracy… You Can't Get There from Here [Wide Angle]

This publication, IEEE Technology and Society Magazine, look at “the social implications of technology.” It is an example of what most professional journals do: they look outward to understand the wider world of which electronics and electrical engineers are a part. It is my belief that Technology and Society should also include the perspectives of non-engineers, looking back at the profession. It should challenge engineering assumptions with other perspectives, running in parallel or even orthogonal to IEEE, and this is what I will try to do in this occasional column.
Genetic predisposition to respiratory diseases: infiltrative lung diseases.

The availability of high-throughput genotyping and large collaborative clinical networks creating well-characterized patient populations with DNA repositories has facilitated genome-wide scans and candidate gene studies to identify susceptibility alleles for the development of interstitial lung disease. The association of pulmonary fibrosis with rare inherited disorders, and the variable susceptibility of inbred mouse strains to this disease indicate that pulmonary fibrosis is determined by genetic factors. Sarcoidosis represents a complex disease with racial and ethnic differences in disease prevalence, and evidence of familial clustering. Familial aggregation of sarcoidosis from ‘A Case-Control Etiologic Study of Sarcoidosis’ (ACCESS) reveals a familial odds ratio (OR) of sarcoidosis of 5.8 (95% CI 2.1–15.9) for sibs and 3.8 (95% CI 1.2–11.3) for parents. Several HLA class II alleles have been associated with either increased or decreased risk of sarcoidosis, and results vary depending on study populations of different ethnicity. Genome-wide screening has conclusively identified linkage to chromosome 5q11and the development of sarcoidosis, and HLA genes and BTNL2 are susceptibility genes located in this region. Familial aggregation of idiopathic interstitial pneumonia (IIP) has been established by several groups, and a large US-based study suggests autosomal dominant inheritance with reduced penetrance; furthermore, cigarette smoking was associated with affection status among siblings (OR = 3.6, 95% CI 1.3–9.8, p = 0.01). Families demonstrate more than one type of IIP, suggesting various subtypes of IIP may share a common pathogenesis. Genome-wide linkage scans in familial interstitial pneumonia demonstrate linkage to chromosomes 4, 5 and 11. Candidate gene studies indicate that surfactant protein C and telomerase are susceptibility genes for the development of pulmonary fibrosis. Future challenges include determining how multiple susceptibility alleles interact with each other and environmental factors resulting in disease risk and multiple phenotypes, and determining the mechanism of action and cellular pathways involving susceptibility alleles. Further insight into these areas may lead to new therapeutic interventions.
Genetic and Financial Considerations of Progeny Testing Programs in an Artificial Dairy Cattle Population

Abstract This study examined several alternatives for increasing rate of selection among progeny tested bulls. A numerical model was developed to simulate the processes by which population regeneration and improvement are achieved through artificial insemination. The model generated a cow population in which the average age at freshening was 4.7 yr with an average of 3.04 lactations per cow. Three methods of increasing rate of selection among progeny tested bulls were analyzed genetically and economically. They were: I)Increasing the fraction of the cow population bred to young bulls from 12% to 35% so a larger number of young bulls could be progeny tested with progeny group size kept constant. II)Decreasing progeny group size from 150 to 50 so a larger number of young bulls could be progeny tested without increasing the fraction of the cow population bred to them. III)Increasing the usage of proven sires from 17,000 inseminations/yr to 43,000 inseminations/yr so fewer of them are needed. For a population similar to this one, the rate of selection among progeny tested bulls could be increased profitably to 1 in 5 by method I and to 1 in 9 by method II. Method III would permit increases in selection at essentially the same cost, and the increase in selection by this method would be limited primarily by the limit on the rate of usage.
PREDICTORS OF LONG–TERM OUTCOMES IN HYBRID CORONARY REVASCULARIZATION

Hybrid Coronary Revascularization (HCR) couples surgical bypass and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) techniques, allowing complete coronary revascularization with a minimally invasive approach. Short and long term outcomes appear similar to multi–vessel open coronary bypass surgery while
Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) and patterns of recurrence: understanding the biology of a unique disease.

BACKGROUND. Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is the most aggressive manifestation of primary breast cancer. The authors compared the prognostic features of IBC and non-IBC locally advanced breast cancer (LABC) to gain insight into the biology of this disease entity. METHODS. This retrospective analysis consisted of 1071 patients, comprising 240 patients with IBC and 831 patients with non-IBC LABC who were enrolled in 10 consecutive clinical trials (5 from each disease group). All patients received similar multidisciplinary treatment. The authors measured time to disease recurrence for each individual site from the start of treatment to the date of disease recurrence or last follow-up (recurrence-free survival) and overall survival rates to the date of last follow-up or death. RESULTS. The median follow-up period was 69 months (range, 1–367 months). Pathologically complete response rates were 13.9% and 11.7% in the IBC and non-IBC LABC groups, respectively (P 5 .42). The 5-year estimates of cumulative incidence of recurrence were 64.8 % and 43.4% (P < .0001), respectively, for IBC and non-IBC LABC. IBC had significantly higher cumulative incidence of locoregional recurrence and distant soft-tissue and bone disease. The 5-year overall survival (OS) rate was 40.5% for the IBC group (95% CI, 34.5%–47.4%) and 63.2% for the non-IBC LABC group (95% CI, 60.0%–66.6%; P < .0001). CONCLUSIONS. IBC was associated with a worse prognosis and a distinctive pattern of early recurrence compared with LABC. These data suggested that investigating factors affecting ‘‘homing’’ of cancer cells may provide novel treatment strategies for IBC. Cancer 2007;110:1436–44. � 2007 American Cancer Society.
Forced convection in a duct partially filled with a porous material

This paper presents a theoretical study of fully developed forced convection in a channel partially filled with a porous matrix. The matrix is attached at the channel wall and extends inward, toward the centerline. Two channel configurations are investigated, namely, parallel plates and circular pipe. For each channel configuration, both the case of constant wall heat flux and constant wall temperature were studied. The main novel feature of this study is that it takes into account the flow inside the porous region and determines the effect of this flow on the heat exchange between the wall and the fluid in the channel. The Brinkman flow model which has been proven appropriate for flows in sparsely packed porous media and for flows near solid boundaries was used to model the flow inside the porous region. Important results of engineering interest were obtained and are reported in this paper. These results thoroughly document the dependence of the Nusselt number on several parameters of the problem. Of particular importance is the finding that the dependence of Nu on the thickness of the porous layer is not monotonic. A critical thickness exists at which the value of Nu reaches a minimum.
Ultrafast spectroscopic study of the photochemistry and photophysics of arylhalodiazirines: Direct observation of carbene and zwitterion formation

Ultrafast photolysis (λex = 270, 350, or 360 nm) of bromophenyl, chlorophenyl, fluorophenyl, and fluoro-para-trifluoromethylphenyl diazirines produces transient species which absorb broadly in the ...
Model order reduction with oblique projections for large scale wave propagation

There are many applications in which it is necessary to solve large scale parametrized wave propagation problems repeatedly. This is still quite a challenging task, even with the largest available computer clusters. In this paper we will discuss the application of Model Order Reduction (MOR) to problems in seismic petroleum exploration, with the aim of diminishing the necessary computing time by a significant factor. We consider POD and some variants. POD is a Model Order Reduction technique that uses snapshots of a few simulations in order to quickly compute related problems with similar accuracy. The method of lines via a Petrov-Galerkin approximation that uses the snapshots as basis functions is the considered approach. The order reduction comes from projecting the wave equation discretized in space to the subspace spanned by the snapshots. This has been shown earlier to work well in two dimensions. The challenge in three dimensions comes from the size of the spatial meshes required and the fact that the method usually requires a number of snapshots that do not fit in fast memory, even for current high end multicore machines. Parallelization is not an option since it is already used for other aspects of this massive problem.
Geophysical studies of crustal structure in the Rocky Mountain region A review

The Rocky Mountains have fascinated the geological community for over 100 years, but crustal-scale geophysical studies are relatively rare in this region. However, a knowledge of crustal structure is essential if we are to fully understand the region's tectonic history. Thus, we have compiled and synthesized existing information on crustal structure in order to provide as complete a picture as possible at this time. We have focused on Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico where there are enough data to make useful correlations with geologic features. The Rocky Mountain region includes the crest of a broad uplift on which the Southern Rocky Mountains are located. In turn, the Southern Rocky Mountains are bisected by the Rio Grande rift. In the Rio Grande rift, distinct crustal thinning (at least 5 km relative to adjacent areas) can be documented from Albuquerque, New Mexico southward. The area of thinned crust widens southward, as does the physiographic expression of the rift. The thinnest crust documented to date (about 28 km) is found west of El Paso, Texas. In contrast with East Africa, the crustal thinning is gradual from the rift valley to the shoulders, perhaps reflecting the back-arc thermal regime that existed prior to rifting. The thickest crust in the region (about 53 km) appears to be associated with both the Southern Rockies in Colorado and the topographically lower Great Plains in Colorado and New Mexico. This lack of correlation between topography and crustal thickness implies that the mantle is playing a major role in the attainment of isostatic balance in this area. Magmatic modification of the crust during rifting appears to have been minor. However, the modification due to the voluminous mid-Tertiary magmatism in the Datil–Mogollon volcanic field (southwestern New Mexico) and San Juan volcanic field (southwestern Colorado) is substantial. In the Datil–Mogollon field, a batholith that accounts for about one fifth of the crustal thickness has been detected in the upper crust, and a feature of similar dimensions is indicated in the San Juan region. There is evidence of the crust thinning northward from Colorado into Wyoming, which could be a relic of Archean rifting of the southern margin of the Wyoming craton.
Intrinsic Optical Absorption in Germanium-Silicon Alloys

The intrinsic optical absorption spectrum for the germanium-silicon alloy system has been measured as a function of temperature and composition. Over the entire composition range the absorption near the threshold ($Kl100$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$) exhibits a temperature dependence which is characteristic of phonon-assisted indirect electronic transitions. There appears to be no temperature-independent component of the absorption attributable to disorder-assisted transitions. When the phonon contribution to the absorption is explicitly taken into account, as in a Macfarlane-Roberts type analysis, the experimental data yield an equivalent phonon temperature which varies from 270\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}20\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K for pure Ge to 550\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}50\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K for pure Si, with most of the variation occurring in the middle of the composition range. The composition dependence of the derived energy gap shows an abrupt change in slope at about 15 atomic percent Si. This is due to a switch from a Ge-like ([111]) to a Si-like ([100]) conduction band structure. The onset of direct electronic transitions (${10}^{2} {\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}lKl{10}^{4} {\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$) was observed as a function of composition in the Ge-rich alloys. The data show that the [000] conduction band minimum moves more rapidly than the [111] minima as Si is added to Ge. In an attempt to account for the observed variation of the phonon equivalent temperature with composition, certain lattice vibrational modes were computed on the basis of a number of simplified models. The one which gives the most realistic results emphasizes the presence of atoms of different masses and some short-range order in the alloy lattice.
A quinol oxidase, encoded by cyoABCD, is utilized to adapt to lower O2 concentrations in Rhizobium etli CFN42.

Bacteria have branched aerobic respiratory chains that terminate at different terminal oxidases. These terminal oxidases have varying properties such as their affinity for oxygen, transcriptional regulation and proton pumping ability. The focus of this study was a quinol oxidase encoded by cyoABCD. Although this oxidase (Cyo) is widespread among bacteria, not much is known about its role in the cell, particularly in bacteria that contain both cytochrome c oxidases and quinol oxidases. Using Rhizobium etli CFN42 as a model organism, a cyo mutant was analysed for its ability to grow in batch cultures at high (21 % O2) and low (1 and 0.1 % O2) ambient oxygen concentrations. In comparison with other oxidase mutants, the cyo mutant had a significantly longer lag phase under low-oxygen conditions. Using a cyo :: lacZ transcriptional fusion, it was shown that cyo expression in the wild type peaks between 1 and 2.5 % O2. In addition, it was shown with quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR that cyoB is upregulated approximately fivefold in 1 % O2 compared with fully aerobic (21 % O2) conditions. Analysis of the cyo mutant during symbiosis with Phaseolous vulgaris indicated that Cyo is utilized during early development of the symbiosis. Although it is commonly thought that Cyo is utilized only at higher oxygen concentrations, the results from this study indicate that Cyo is important for adaptation to and sustained growth under low oxygen.
Frequency and severity of tracheal wash hemosiderosis and association with underlying disease in 96 cats: 2002-2003.

Background: Hemosiderophages may be found in feline tracheal wash specimens in association with various disease conditions, including heart failure, trauma, infection, foreign body migration, lung lobe torsion, pulmonary embolism or infarction, neoplasia, and bleeding diathesis. Based on observations in our laboratory, we hypothesized that tracheal wash specimens from cats with asthma also frequently contain hemosiderophages, even in the absence of other known causes of pulmonary hemorrhage. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine the frequency and severity of hemosiderosis in tracheal wash fluid from cats with various diseases, including asthma. Methods: Feline tracheal wash fluid specimens submitted for cytologic evaluation between March 2002 and August 2003 were included in the study. One hundred and one specimens from 96 cats were examined with both Wright's-Giemsa and Prussian blue stains. Cats were assigned to 6 disease categories: feline asthma, pneumonia, pulmonary neoplasia, rhinitis, heart disease, and other disorders. Based on the percentage of Prussian blue-positive macrophages, hemosiderosis was categorized as negative (0%), mild ( 50%). Results: The frequency of tracheal wash hemosiderosis in the study population was 63.5% (61/96); hemosiderosis was mild (29/96, 30.2%), moderate (22/96, 22.9%), or marked (10/96, 10.4%). Hemosiderosis was found in 85.7% (6/7) of cats with rhinitis, 78.6% (11/14) of cats with pulmonary neoplasia, 75.0% (27/36) of cats with asthma, 71.4% (5/7) of cats with primary or concurrent heart disease, 25.0% (5/20) of cats with pneumonia, and 66.7% (12/18) of cats with other disorders. In cats with asthma, hemosiderosis was usually mild to moderate and frequently was accompanied by increased eosinophils. Conclusions: The results of this study confirm that hemosiderosis is a common finding in tracheal wash specimens collected from cats with diverse disease conditions, including feline asthma syndrome.
Electric Fields across Water-Nitrobenzene Interfaces

Surface-active ions in waternitrobenzene systems accumulate at the interface in electric fields. Two separate mechanisms can be distinguished. One is similar to the classical electrocapillary adsorption and the other is operative when there is appreciable transference across the interface. The magnitude of the interfacial barrier to transport determines which mechanism operates.
Duplication of dental xeroradiographs.

Abstract This study investigates the duplication of dental xeroradiographs using duplicating (copy) film, Polaroid photography, and Xerox photocopying. Quantitative studies of the image quality of duplicated images demonstrate similar image degradation with duplication film and Polaroid photography and gross degradation with a Xerox photocopier. Subjective diagnostic assessments by general dentists and dental specialists indicated that copies made with the use of duplication film or Polaroid photography were adequate for the reproduction of dental xeroradiographs, whereas Xerox paper copying was unacceptably poor. This study was supported in part by funds from Biomedical Research Support Grant No. 4-529075-24187-3, National Institutes of Health, United States Public Health Service, Bethesda, Md.
Intracerebroventricular and septal injections of arginine vasopressin are not antipyretic in the rabbit.

Arginine vasopressin (AVP) has been reported to have an antipyretic effect in the ewe and guinea pig near term. Perfusions with AVP of sites in the septal region also reduced fever in non-pregnant sheep. In the present experiments adult rabbits with third cerebral ventricular or septal cannulas were restrained in a 23°C environment, and rectal temperature was recorded every 10 min. Fever induced by IV administration of leukocytic pyrogen was not reduced by AVP (25–100 ng) given intraventricularly 20 min later. Doses of 1–5 μg AVP injected into the septum likewise were not antipyretic but actually caused an increase in fever. This augmentation of the febrile response is consistent with results of previous studies in this laboratory in which AVP increased hyperthermia in a hot environment and enhanced hyperthermic responses to PGE2. The data from these experiments provide no evidence that central AVP is an endogenous antipyretic in rabbits; rather, it may be that central AVP augments fever in this species.
Mechanization and Control Concepts for Biologically Inspired Micro Air Vehicles

It is possible that micro air vehicle (MAV) designs of the future will exploit flapping flight to perform missions that require extreme agility, such as rapid flight beneath a forest canopy or within the confines of a building. Many of nature's most agile fliers generate flapping motions through resonant excitation of an aeroelastically tailored structure: muscle tissue is used to excite a vibratory mode of their flexible wing structure that creates propulsion and lift. A number of micro air vehicle concepts have been proposed that would operate in a similar fashion. An ongoing research activity is described in which mechanization and control concepts with application to resonant flapping MAVs are being explored. Structural approaches, mechanical design, sensing, and wingbeat control concepts inspired by hummingbirds, bats, and insects are examined. Experimental results from a testbed capable of generating vibratory wingbeat patterns that approximately match those exhibited by hummingbirds in hover, cruise, and reverse flight are presented
D-Xylose and xylitol: previously unrecognized sole carbon and energy sources for chick and mammalian cells.

Summary D-xylose and xylitol, previously considered inert sugars in human and mammalian metabolism, have been found to support excellent growth from small inocular of chick embryo fibroblasts, NIL syrian hamster, chinese hamster ovary cells and human skin fibroblasts. Both, as well as D-ribose, enter cells by simple diffusion and as such exhibit no competition with other pentoses or hexoses. Neither D-ribose nor L-xylose can be used as sole carbon source by the cells cited. Cells grown on glucose possess demonstrable constitutive levels of D-xylulokinase; the enzyme activity is derepressed several-fold by growth of the cells on D-xylose.
Semi-automated Constraint-based Metabolic Model Generation

Genome-scale models of metabolism are becoming increasingly important to understanding the relationship between genotype and phenotype in an organism on a systems level. There are many tools being developed which rely on a genome-scale metabolic reconstruction as input in order to suggest engineering interventions to improve or modify a strain's metabolism. As more organisms are being sequenced, the information available to reconstruct these models also increases. There are relatively few genome-scale models compared to available genome-scale reconstructions due to the difficulty and time required to create one. In a metabolic engineering context, a genome-scale model can be used to predict engineering interventions that will produce a desired change in an organism's metabolism. Such efforts often consist of iterative small engineering changes to an organism which must be individually analyzed and interpreted, and often updated with the results of analysis on a previous strain. Existing tools for semi-automated genome-scale model generation do not address the issue of updating existing genome-scale models to accommodate new data. A common practice in databases representing metabolic reactions is to represent all possible substrates which are compatible with an enzyme as a single generic metabolite representing the class of substrates which bind to the enzyme. These reactions are referred to as generic reactions, and are not suitable for use in genome-scale modeling, which requires only exact metabolite species to be represented. We have developed a new software for generating genome-scale metabolic models. This software facilitates modification of a base version of a Pathway Genome Database (PGDB) to align it with knowledge of a developed strain. It allows a group to maintain customized data content in an existing BioCyc database, while still being able to integrate newly released updates in a semi-automated fashion. Changes made to the engineered strain also need to be added to any metabolic models of that strain for use in constraint-based analysis. This software can be used to generate metabolic models from a strain specific database in a semi-automated process.
Pharmacological comparison of prostaglandin F 2a' serotonin and norepinephrine on cerebrovascular tone of monkey.

Abstract The effects of prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α), serotonin (5-HT) and norepinephrine (NE) on cerebrovascular tone, external carotid pressure, and femoral arterial pressure were compared in the monkey. Cerebrovascular tone was assessed by means of a perfusion technique in which a constant flow of blood was delivered into one internal carotid artery and the perfusion pressure recorded. The drugs were administered into the perfusion system. Prostaglandin F2α (10 μg/kg/min) selectively increased cerebrovascular tone. In most animals it caused the perfusion pressure to rise sooner and far higher than the other pressures. In some, only the perfusion pressure rose. Serotonin (5 μg/kg/min) also selectively increased cerebrovascular tone. However, NE (2 μg/kg/min) failed to have a selective effect, all arterial pressures being similarly elevated. Apparently the receptor responsible for the action of PGF2α on cerebral vessels is different from those for 5-HT and NE since the latter drugs were blocked by methysergide and phenoxybenzamine without preventing the characteristic effect of PGF2α. The possibility that PGF2α may play a role in cerebrovascular autoregulation or in the pathogenesis of vasospasm was proposed.
Predictive Indoor Wheel Testing of Heavy Duty Truck Tires

Abstract An indoor wheel test for heavy duty truck tires has been developed to predict in‐service failures of commercial and developmental tires. The test, run at slow speed and high load to emphasize stress and fatigue rather than heat, is based on the premise that repeated high stress is the principal cause of in‐service tire failure. These stresses occur when dynamic or transient overloads are caused by road bumps, load transfer during braking and cornering, or dual tire configuration on non‐uniform surfaces. Although these overloads may occur infrequently, they can become very significant in the long distances run by truck tires. Other current heavy duty truck tire tests are generally run at higher speeds, emphasizing heat resistance of rubber compounds, or else are low‐speed, much‐overloaded bead tests which are unrealistically severe. Since its development in 1974 the present test has been broadly predictive for many belt, carcass, or fatigue related in‐service failures of both bias and radial comme...
Interaction of the Thermoplasma acidophilum A1A0-ATP synthase peripheral stalk with the catalytic domain.

Abstract The peripheral stalk of the archaeal ATP synthase (A 1 A 0 )-ATP synthase is formed by the heterodimeric EH complex and is part of the stator domain, which counteracts the torque of rotational catalysis. Here we used nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy to probe the interaction of the C-terminal domain of the EH heterodimer (E CT1 H CT ) with the N-terminal 23 residues of the B subunit (B NT ). The data show a specific interaction of B NT peptide with 26 residues of the E CT1 H CT domain, thereby providing a molecular picture of how the peripheral stalk is anchored to the A 3 B 3 catalytic domain in A 1 A 0 . Structured summary MINT- 7260681 : Hct (refseq: NP_393485 ), Ect1 (uniprotkb: Q9HM68 ) and Bnt (uniprotkb: Q9HM64 ) physically interact (MI: 0915 ) by nuclear magnetic resonance (MI: 0077 )
Serenity: Violence, Inequality, and Recovery on the Edge of Mexico City

Over the last decade, there has been a sharp increase in drug addiction in Mexico, especially among the urban poor. During the same period, unregulated residential treatment centers for addiction, known as anexos, have proliferated throughout the country. These centers are utilized and run by marginalized populations and are widely known to engage in physical violence. Based on long-term ethnographic research in Mexico City, this article describes why anexos emerged, how they work, and what their prevalence and practices reveal about the nature of recovery in a context where poverty, drugs, and violence are existential realities. Drawing attention to the dynamic relationship between violence and recovery, pain, and healing, it complicates categories of violence and care that are presumed to have exclusive meaning, illuminating the divergent meanings of, and opportunities for, recovery, and how these are socially configured and sustained.
Concomitant inhibition of HSP90, its mitochondrial localized homologue TRAP1 and HSP27 by green tea in pancreatic cancer HPAF‐II cells

Pancreatic cancer is a deadly disease characterized by poor prognosis and patient survival. Green tea polyphenols have been shown to exhibit multiple antitumor activities in various cancers, but studies on the pancreatic cancer are very limited. To identify the cellular targets of green tea action, we exposed a green tea extract (GTE) to human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma HPAF-II cells and performed two-dimensional gel electrophoresis of the cell lysates. We identified 32 proteins with significantly altered expression levels. These proteins are involved in drug resistance, gene regulation, motility, detoxification and metabolism of cancer cells. In particular, we found GTE inhibited molecular chaperones heat-shock protein 90 (Hsp90), its mitochondrial localized homologue Hsp75 (tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated protein 1, or Trap1) and heat-shock protein 27 (Hsp27) concomitantly. Western blot analysis confirmed the inhibition of Hsp90, Hsp75 and Hsp27 by GTE, but increased phosphorylation of Ser78 of Hsp27. Furthermore, we showed that GTE inhibited Akt activation and the levels of mutant p53 protein, and induced apoptosis and growth suppression of the cells. Our study has identified multiple new molecular targets of GTE and provided further evidence on the anticancer activity of green tea in pancreatic cancer.
Separate regulatory systems for the repression of metE and btuB by vitamin B12 in Escherichia coli.

Synthesis of the btuB-encoded outer membrane receptor for vitamin B12 and the metE-encoded homocysteine methyltransferase is repressed by growth of Escherichia coli in the presence of vitamin B12. The regulation by vitamin B12 of the production of β-galactosidase in strains carrying btuB-lac or metE-lac operon fusions indicated that repression of both genes operates at the transcriptional level. Selection for expression of these fusions under repressive conditions allowed isolation of second-site mutations in which repressibility by vitamin B12 had been lost. Mutations in metH and metF prevented vitamin B12-dependent regulation of metE, but not that of btuB. Mutations in btuB and other genes involved in uptake of the vitamin eliminated or reduced repression. Mutations in the newly identified gene, btuR, controlled the repressibility of btuB, but had no effect on metE regulation. The btuR gene resides at 27.9 min on the genetic map in the gene order cysB-topA-btuR-trp; it acts in a trans-dominant manner and appears to encode a repressor of btuB transcription.
Use of Leontief input-output techniques in allocating indirect costs for instructional systems

Abstract The accurate determination of costs for various instructional programs forms one essential aspect of a PPBS for a school district. How indirect costs are allocated to the various instructional programs, therefore, becomes an important problem. Traditionally, these indirect costs are usually added to the direct costs by means of a constant ratio of indirect to total cost. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate how a modified Leontief input-output model can be used to accurately determine and allocate indirect costs among the various instructional programs. A simple model composed of two indirect cost sectors, and two direct cost sectors is used to illustrate the technique. A comparison of traditional vs. the input-output methods of allocating indirect costs is included. The results obtained in this simple preliminary study strongly suggest future use of this technique as an alternative to the traditional ratio method for allocating indirect costs. Future studies of a large school district are also suggested.
The Diner Off Route 105

You can get your slice of Americana By ordering the hamburger classic With a cold Pabst and a side of whatever it takes To quell the quiet anger you have towards Your job, your boss, this economy. ᅟ Or maybe you should hold the Pabst; Yes, I remember you now as the fellow With the deep yellowish tinge to your eyes and skin; Came in here, alone, last June; I was working a double. I have known so many men like you, Erasing memories and yesterday’s pain with each gulp. ᅟ Now you are back. Sitting on the same cracked plastic stool, Leaning over the same old linoleum countertop, Worn in places where my hands have set down so many hot dishes. Your eyes, now white, but still sad, scan these walls: The old tin Coca-Cola sign, The framed newspaper clippings, The ‘World Champions’ poster, The faded photographs of simpler times. ᅟ Funny how nostalgia can sneak up on you, How we transform dusty throw-aways from another time Into memorabilia too important to cast away. Seems you have a timekeeper, Who steered you back into my diner, alive, heart beating. Life’s lost opportunities, like those days of youth and wild chance, We will cherish and miss, But you are not lost yet.
Precambrian Graphitic Compressions of Possible Biologic Origin from Canada

Further occurrences of elliptical graphitic bodies of possible biologic origin have been recovered from Proterozoic black shales of the Labrador Trough, Quebec. The bodies are plausibly organic because of constancy of form, manner of fossilization, and similarities to Michigan forms associated with extractable organic compounds.
Three-dimensional repositioning tasks show differences in joint position sense between active and passive shoulder motion.

Proprioception is important in maintaining shoulder joint stability. Previous studies investigated the effects of unconstrained multiplanar motion, with subjects able to move freely in space, on repositioning tasks for active shoulder motion but not passive motion. We sought to further explore joint position sense with 3D passive, robot-guided motions. We hypothesized that target repositioning error would be greater in the case of passively placed targets than for actively placed targets. To investigate, 15 healthy individuals participated (8 female, 7 male), who were at most 6 ft (183 cm) tall to accommodate the equipment, and who had no history of shoulder injury, surgery, or significant participation in throwing sports. Target orientations were centered at 44° of elevation and 32° of horizontal rotation from the frontal plane. Two sets of 10 trials were performed. The first set involved active placement followed by active replacement, and the second set involved passive, robot-guided, placement followed by active replacement. Repositioning error was greater following passive placement than active placement (p < 0.001). These results further our understanding of the differences between active and passive joint position sense at the shoulder.
Nondependence of cell pH on sodium transport in rat diaphragm muscle.

Abstract Both sodium and hydrogen ions are in lower concentration in muscle cell water than would be predicted from thermodynamic considerations alone, indicating active transport of these two ions out of muscle cells. To determine whether their transport is coupled, intact rat diaphragms were incubated at an external pH of 7.40, and sodium efflux was altered by exposure to ouabain. Despite a sixfold increase in intracellular sodium concentration, cell pH measured simultaneously by the distribution of both a weak acid (pH DMO) and a weak base (pH nicotine) was unaffected. Similarly, when sodium influx was decreased by incubating intact diaphragms in a low sodium isoosmolar buffer, pH DMO and pH nicotine were unaltered. In addition, a pH-sensitive reaction, the evolution of 14 CO 2 from 1,4- 14 C citrate by rat hemidiaphragm, was not changed by exposure to ouabain or low sodium media. These experiments demonstrate that in diaphragm muscle sodium and hydrogen ion transport appear not to be coupled, since alterations in sodium transport are unaccompanied by a change in cell pH. Although changes in membrane potential may explain part of the results, the data are most consistent with the hypothesis that active hydrogen ion transport in skeletal muscle is directly coupled to metabolic energy-producing reactions.
Conducting the international orchestra: Bank of England leadership under the classical gold standard

Abstract A large literature assigns to the Bank of England a leadership role in the management of the classical gold standard. This paper documents the exceptional behavior of the Bank of England's discount rate — in particular, that it tended to lead discount rates abroad. It then develops a game-theoretic analysis of central bank interaction under the classical gold standard. Sterling's reserve currency status is shown to provide a rationale for Stackelberg leadership by the Bank of England. Contrary to popular notions, however, Britain's foreign creditor status does not provide a basis for the Bank of England's leadership strategy.
Plasticity and mTOR: Towards Restoration of Impaired Synaptic Plasticity in mTOR-Related Neurogenetic Disorders

Objective. To review the recent literature on the clinical features, genetic mutations, neurobiology associated with dysregulation of mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin), and clinical trials for tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC), neurofibromatosis-1 (NF1) and fragile X syndrome (FXS), and phosphatase and tensin homolog hamartoma syndromes (PTHS), which are neurogenetic disorders associated with abnormalities in synaptic plasticity and mTOR signaling. Methods. Pubmed and Clinicaltrials.gov were searched using specific search strategies. Results/Conclusions. Although traditionally thought of as irreversible disorders, significant scientific progress has been made in both humans and preclinical models to understand how pathologic features of these neurogenetic disorders can be reduced or reversed. This paper revealed significant similarities among the conditions. Not only do they share features of impaired synaptic plasticity and dysregulation of mTOR, but they also share clinical features—autism, intellectual disability, cutaneous lesions, and tumors. Although scientific advances towards discovery of effective treatment in some disorders have outpaced others, progress in understanding the signaling pathways that connect the entire group indicates that the lesser known disorders will become treatable as well.
A discrete-time model for binary detection with rectangular hysteresis operators

The operation of a nonlinear binary detector with hysteresis is investigated. Prior models developed for continuous time inputs are extended for the computationally more efficient discrete-time inputs. The input to the rectangular hysteresis detector is modeled to be a binary signal in the presence of additive independent identically distributed noise. The rectangular hysteresis loop models one of a number of rate independent repeaters in an optical communication link. The link is terminated by a binary discriminator that is tuned to a particular bit duration. The study shows that key calculations to compute the bit error probability can be performed by employing the formalism of discrete Markov chains.
The institutional evolution of religion: innovation and entrepreneurship in ancient Israel

AbstractIn light of contemporary advances and in an effort to supplement and add to the vibrant discourse surrounding the evolution of religion, a distinctly sociological theory that returns to and pushes forward the insights of Durkheim and Weber is offered. The unit of evolution is the institutional sphere, or the macro-level structural and cultural sphere of religious action, exchange, and communication; and evolution is the process by which religious entrepreneurs are able to secure material and symbolic independence vis-a-vis other strata and, thereby, carve out an autonomous religious institution to reproduce their symbolic, normative, and organizational innovations. To illustrate the way this sociological theory of institutional evolution works, and how it accounts for multi-linear evolutionary paths, while considering contingencies, the evolution of the Ancient Israelite religion from the late 8th century BCE to the end of the Exile in the late 6th century BCE is examined.
Perinatal photoperiod imprints the circadian clock

Using real-time gene expression imaging and behavioral analysis, we found that the perinatal photoperiod has lasting effects on the circadian rhythms expressed by clock neurons as well as on mouse behavior, and sets the responsiveness of the biological clock to subsequent changes in photoperiod. These developmental gene × environment interactions tune circadian clock responses to subsequent seasonal photoperiods and may contribute to the influence of season on neurobehavioral disorders in humans.
Intramolecular Aromatic 1,5-Hydrogen Transfer in Free Radical Systems

Molecular orbital calculations of the hydrogen-atom transfer between the ortho positions of the rings of the o-benzophenone predict an activation free energy of 8.5 kcal/mol at 298 K. Using transition-state theory, the predicted rate of H-transfer is 7.9 × 106 mol-1, or 4.0 × 10-6 mol -1, per ortho hydrogen, in excellent agreement with experimental reports. A similar H-transfer in the divinyl ketone radical is predicted to have a higher barrier by 1.4 kcal/mol despite the fact that the latter can more easily accommodate a wider C−H−C (142.3° vs 135.2°) angle in the transition state. Critical stabilization it the TS for the benzophenone radical H-transfer appears to be the result of C−H···O H-bonding interactions between the oxygen and the ortho H's that are not involved in the H-transfer. These results are confirmed by the H···O distances and the overlap populations between the H and O orbitals.