cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Monomethyl branched-chain fatty acids are critical for C. elegans survival in elevated glucose conditions

Abstract The maintenance of optimal membrane composition under basal and stress conditions is critical for the survival of an organism. High glucose stress has been shown to perturb membrane properties by decreasing membrane fluidity, and the membrane sensor PAQR-2 is required to restore membrane integrity. However, the mechanisms required to respond to elevated dietary glucose are not fully established. In this study, we used a 13C stable isotope-enriched diet and mass spectrometry to better understand the impact of glucose on fatty acid dynamics in the membrane of Caenorhabditis elegans. We found a novel role for monomethyl branched-chain fatty acids (mmBCFAs) in mediating the ability of the nematodes to survive conditions of elevated dietary glucose. This requirement of mmBCFAs is unique to glucose stress and was not observed when the nematode was fed elevated dietary saturated fatty acid. In addition, when worms deficient in elo-5, the major biosynthesis enzyme of mmBCFAs, were fed B. subtilis (a bacteria strain rich in mmBCFAs) in combination with high glucose, their survival rates were rescued to wildtype levels. Finally, the results suggest that mmBCFAs are part of the PAQR-2 signaling response during glucose stress. Taken together, we have identified a novel role for mmBCFAs in stress response in nematodes and have established these fatty acids as critical for adapting to elevated glucose.
Sustainable development or sacrifice zone? Politics below the surface in post-neoliberal Ecuador

Abstract Ecuador is attempting to build a state-owned metals mining firm with the help of Chile. I will discuss preliminary results from ongoing research on changing land and subsurface rights in the Intag Zone, the location of the first planned state mining project, which Ecuador has recently militarized in the wake of a 20-year campaign of resistance. This research draws on legal geography and political ecology to identify the legal and administrative changes that accompany contemporary geographies of subsurface land grabs, focusing on links between mundane practices (e.g. impact studies, mining law and easements) and overtly antagonistic practices (e.g. criminalization and forced expulsion). Through this analysis I question the state's framing of large-scale mining as a vehicle for sustainable development and buen vivir (living well). I aim to connect everyday experiences of land and ownership to larger questions of state authority, practice, and discourse, taking land rights as a significant point of articulation of the state-territory-citizen apparatus. I will also discuss aspects of my solidarity work as a human rights observer in the Intag mining conflict, which points to the difficulty of active resistance in the context of “post-neoliberal” Ecuador, where activists confront the state directly as opposed to transnational corporations as under neoliberalism.
A mobile gamma scanning system for detecting radiation anomalies

A mobile gamma-ray scanning system has been developed by Oak Ridge National Laboratory for use in the U.S. Department of Energy's remedial action survey programs. The unit consists of NaI(Tl) detectors housed in a specially equipped van. The system is operator controlled through an on-board minicomputer with data output provided on the computer video screen, strip chart recorders, and an on-line printer. Data storage is provided on floppy disk. Multichannel analysis capabilities are included for qualitative radionuclide identification. A /sup 226/Ra-specific algorithm is currently employed to identify locations containing residual radium-bearing materials.
Nutritional aspects of gynecic stress

Abstract Changes which were a result of gynecic surgery in 95 women indicate that the blood levels of ascorbic acid were elevated significantly at the end of surgery and for the first time dropped below the presurgical values by the end of the initial 24 hours postoperatively. Simultaneous serial alterations in blood ascorbic acid, urine ascorbic acid, and urine vanilmandelic acid were studied throughout gynecic surgery in 16 women. Blood and urine ascorbic acid levels were observed to increase progressively during the first 90 minutes of operation, followed by a sharp drop and a secondary rebound in blood ascorbic acid values. Urine vanilmandelic acid levels increased slightly during the first 0 minutes of surgery; then both VMA and ascorbic acid excretion increased another 60 per cent during the succeeding hour of operation. A significant correlation was observed between blood ascorbic acid and urine vanilmandelic acid levels during gynecic surgery.
Intrinsic mode functions for gait recognition

Gait recognition is an attractive biometric as it is unobtrusive and can be used for recognition from a distance. A number of methods have been proposed by different researchers in the recent past for this purpose. Most of these methods analyze gait as a linear and stationary signal. However, recent research shows that gait is nonlinear and non-stationary. Hence, linear analysis would be insufficient for analysis of gait. In this paper, we present a novel recognition algorithm that derives the feature vector by performing nonlinear, non-stationary analysis of gait using a technique called empirical mode decomposition. We test the algorithm with both noise-free and noisy gait sequences and demonstrate its applicability.
Performance of a computer-based assessment of cognitive function measures in two cohorts of seniors.

Background Computer-administered assessment of cognitive function is being increasingly incorporated in clinical trials; however, its performance in these settings has not been systematically evaluated. Design The Seniors Health and Activity Research Program pilot trial (N = 73) developed a computer-based tool for assessing memory performance and executive functioning. The Lifestyle Interventions and Independence for Elders investigators incorporated this battery in a full-scale multicenter clinical trial (N = 1635). We describe relationships that test scores have with those from interviewer-administered cognitive function tests and risk factors for cognitive deficits and describe performance measures (completeness, intraclass correlations [ICC]). Results Computer-based assessments of cognitive function had consistent relationships across the pilot and full-scale trial cohorts with interviewer-administered assessments of cognitive function, age, and a measure of physical function. In the Lifestyle Interventions and Independence for Elders cohort, their external validity was further demonstrated by associations with other risk factors for cognitive dysfunction: education, hypertension, diabetes, and physical function. Acceptable levels of data completeness (>83%) were achieved on all computer-based measures; however, rates of missing data were higher among older participants (odds ratio = 1.06 for each additional year; p < 0.001) and those who reported no current computer use (odds ratio = 2.71; p < 0.001). ICCs among clinics were at least as low (ICC < 0.013) as for interviewer measures (ICC < 0.023), reflecting good standardization. All cognitive measures loaded onto the first principal component (global cognitive function), which accounted for 40% of the overall variance. Conclusion Our results support the use of computer-based tools for assessing cognitive function in multicenter clinical trials of older individuals. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Sorafenib-Induced Apoptosis of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Cells Is Associated with Downregulation of RAF and Myeloid Cell Leukemia Sequence 1 (Mcl-1)

We have previously shown that sorafenib, a multikinase inhibitor, exhibits cytotoxic effects on chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) cells. Because the cellular microenvironment can protect CLL cells from drug-induced apoptosis, it is important to evaluate the effect of novel drugs in this context. Here we characterized the in vitro cytotoxic effects of sorafenib on CLL cells and the underlying mechanism in the presence of marrow stromal cells (MSCs) and nurselike cells (NLCs). One single dose of 10 μmol/L or the repeated addition of 1 μmol/L sorafenib caused caspase-dependent apoptosis and reduced levels of phosphorylated B-RAF, C-RAF, extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) and myeloid cell leukemia sequence 1 (Mcl-1) in CLL cells in the presence of the microenvironment. We show that the RAF/mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK)/ERK pathway can modulate Mcl-1 expression and contribute to CLL cell viability, thereby associating so-rafenib cytotoxicity to its impact on RAF and Mcl-1. To evaluate if the other targets of sorafenib can affect CLL cell viability and contribute to sorafenib-mediated cytotoxicity, we tested the sensitivity of CLL cells to several kinase inhibitors specific for these targets. Our data show that RAF and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) but not KIT, platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR) and FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) are critical for CLL cell viability. Taken together, our data suggest that sorafenib exerts its cytotoxic effect likely via inhibition of the VEGFR and RAF/MEK/ERK pathways, both of which can modulate Mcl-1 expression in CLL cells. Furthermore, sorafenib induced apoptosis of CLL cells from fludarabine refractory patients in the presence of NLCs or MSCs. Our results warrant further clinical exploration of sorafenib in CLL.
Westminster versus PR: Normative and empirical assessments

Proportional voting systems give less clear‐cut results than first‐past the‐post systems, but claims Bingham Powell, on average PR‐produced governments are closer to the views of the average voter.
Long-term Artificial Urinary Sphincter Outcomes Following a Prior Rectourethral Fistula Repair

Objective To determine the long-term outcomes of artificial urinary sphincter (AUS) implantation following a successful rectourethral fistula (RUF) repair. Materials and Methods Between January 1, 2006 and January 1, 2012, a total of 26 patients underwent successful repair of an RUF. Stress urinary incontinence was treated in 6 patients (23%) with implantation of an AUS. Preoperative and postoperative evaluation included demographic variables, voiding diaries, 24-hour pad weight, urodynamic characteristics, operative time, estimated blood loss, complication rates, follow-up time, and cuff selection. Results All 6 patients underwent successful RUF repair using a perineal approach. Mean age was 64.3 years (range 58-74). Mean follow-up after repair was 51.5 months (range 34-64). RUF etiology included radical prostatectomy (4), brachytherapy + external beam radiotherapy (1), and cryotherapy + external beam radiotherapy (1). The median time between RUF repair and AUS placement was 12 months (range 2-41). No intraoperative complications occurred during AUS implantation. The average operative time was 61.8 minutes with an estimated blood loss of 24 mL. The initial cuff size selected was 4.0 or 4.5 cm, and no patient required transcorporal cuff placement. Pad use was reported as ≤1 pad per day in all 6 patients at the initial 3-month follow-up. Median follow-up after AUS placement was 43.5 months (5-55). No patient required revision or removal for mechanical complications, infection, or erosion. No patient had recurrence of their previously repaired RUF or new-onset fecal incontinence. Conclusion Patients who require placement of an AUS after an RUF repair seem to fare just as well as patients who undergo primary AUS implantation with no increased rate of complications postoperatively.
On resilience, homesigns and nativism: a response to Goldin-Meadow

The analysis of structure in a corpus of spoken or signed language is a very difficult process. Alternatives must be argued against and the analysis selected should satisfy a number of criteria, from simplicity of analysis to reflecting accurately the grammar of the language in question. Separate from the question of analysis is the source of the knowledge of the language the speaker possesses. Was it learned or was it somehow hard-wired into the speaker's genome? Goldin-Meadow's description of the resilience of language and home signs falls short both in analysis and in argumentation for the source of the grammatical knowledge of her subjects. Therefore, while it presents an interesting case of children developing a signed communication system in unusual circumstances, it doesn't provide arguments for either the universality of hierarchy in human languages nor the nativist hypothesis that such knowledge is hard-wired.
God of comics: Osamu Tezuka and the creation of post-World War II manga, by Natsu Onoda Power

God of Comics: Osamu Tezuka and the Creation of Post-World War II Manga by Natsu Onoda Power is the 2009 offering from University of Mississippi’s ‘Great Comics Artists Series’. With an extraordina...
The Poetics and Politics of Tuareg Aging: Life Course and Personal Destiny in Niger

The Poetics and Politics of Tuareg Aging: Life Course and Personal Destiny in Niger. Susan J. Rasmussen Dekalb: Northern Illinois University Press, 1997. 188 pp.
Characterization of myxobacterial A-motility: insights from microcinematographic observations

Myxococcus xanthus, a predatory soil bacterium, has long been used as a model organism to study bacterial gliding motility. Research has revealed that two fundamentally distinct motor systems power gliding in this bacterium: repeated extensions and retractions of pili mediate social or (S-) motility, whereas the motor powering adventurous or (A-) motility has not yet been identified with certainty. Several different hypotheses to explain A-motility have been suggested and differ with respect to the involved motor structures as well as the mechanics of motility. As some of the more recent models invoke helically arranged structures and processes that require rotations of the cell, we decided to re-examine myxobacterial motility using microcinematographic techniques. This re-examination was also prompted by the lack of direct experimental data on the rotation of M. xanthus during gliding. Microcinematographic observations of deformed cells and cells containing large stationary intracellular structures reveal clearly that M. xanthus gliding does not require cell rotation.
Racial Bias, Unspoken But Heard

Nonverbal behavior is a powerful form of social influence. People can abstract accurate meaning from even very brief exposures to nonverbal behavior—a facial expression or subtle body language, for example ( 1 ). Across cultures, the ability to understand nonverbal messages occurs quickly; even infants and toddlers demonstrate this capacity. Moreover, nonverbal signals can be especially effective in transmitting social attitudes because they can be spontaneously understood with minimal effort and are perceived as a source of valid information. On page 1711 of this issue, Weisbuch et al. ( 2 ) examine how racial prejudice can be covertly spread and reinforced, and propose that in American society, negative nonverbal behavior modeled by white individuals in popular media critically shapes white viewers' orientations toward black individuals [see ( 3 ) for how race was determined in the study].
Liposome-Mediated transfer of bacterial RNA into carrot protoplasts.

The uptake of liposome-encapsulated E. coli [3H]RNA by carrot (Daucus carota L.) protoplasts was examined. [3H]RNA extracted from protoplasts that had been incubated with [3H]RNA-containing, large, unilamellar lipid vesicles (liposomes) obtained by ether infusion, and examined by sucrose gradient centrifugation and formamide-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, appeared substantially degraded, with a total elimination of 23S RNA and a partial loss of 16S RNA. In contrast, no breakdown of the [3H]RNA was apparent in the liposomes after sequestration, even in the presence of externally added ribonuclease, or in the unfused liposomes remaining after incubation of protoplasts with liposomes. Thus, the degradation of the [3H]RNA extracted from the protoplasts must have occurred within the protoplasts and represents evidence for liposome-mediated RNA uptake. Naked RNA added to the protoplast culture was found to be totally degraded after incubation with the protoplasts. The uptake of liposome-sequestered RNA by protoplasts was demonstrated to be a function both of the lipid composition of the liposomal membrane and of the temperature of incubation of the liposomeprotoplast mixture. Furthermore, the mode of this uptake (fusion versus endocytosis) could be manipulated by adjusting the cholesterol content of the liposomal membrane. The implications of the ability to insert RNA into protoplasts without degradation by extracellular nucleases are discussed.
Interaction energy and the shift in OH stretch frequency on hydrogen bonding for the H2O → H2O, CH3OH → H2O, and H2O → CH3OH dimers

The ability to use calculated OH frequencies to assign experimentally observed peaks in hydrogen bonded systems hinges on the accuracy of the calculation. Here we test the ability of several commonly employed model chemistries--HF, MP2, and several density functionals paired with the 6-31+G(d) and 6-311++G(d,p) basis sets--to calculate the interaction energy (D(e)) and shift in OH stretch fundamental frequency on dimerization (delta(nu)) for the H(2)O --> H(2)O, CH(3)OH --> H(2)O, and H(2)O --> CH(3)OH dimers (where for X --> Y, X is the hydrogen bond donor and Y the acceptor). We quantify the error in D(e) and delta(nu) by comparison to experiment and high level calculation and, using a simple model, evaluate how error in D(e) propagates to delta(nu). We find that B3LYP and MPWB1K perform best of the density functional methods studied, that their accuracy in calculating delta(nu) is approximately 30-50 cm(-1) and that correcting for error in D(e) does little to heighten agreement between the calculated and experimental delta(nu). Accuracy of calculated delta(nu) is also shown to vary as a function of hydrogen bond donor: while the PBE and TPSS functionals perform best in the calculation of delta(nu) for the CH(3)OH --> H(2)O dimer their performance is relatively poor in describing H(2)O --> H(2)O and H(2)O --> CH(3)OH.
Inverse scattering solutions by a sinc basis, multiple source, moment method--Part I: Theory.

A new method for solving the inverse scattering problem for the scalar, inhomogeneous, exact, Helmholtz wave equation is presented. No perturbation approximations are used and the method is applicable even for many cases where weak to moderate attenuation and moderate to strong refraction of incident fields occur. The ill-posed nature of the inverse scattering problem for a single monochromatic source is known. However, the use of multiple sources, the collection of redundant (i.e., overdeter-mined) data, and the constraining of the fields and complex refractive index to be spatially band limited constitutes a new problem, The cases we have tested by computer simulation indicate that the new problem is well posed, has a unique solution, and is stable with noisy data. The method is an application of the well-known method of moments with sine basis and delta testing functions to discretize the problem. The inverse scattering solution may he obtained by solving the resulting set of simultaneous, quadratic, multivariate equations. Several algorithms for solving these equations are given.
Assessment of Supervisee Developmental Level and Supervision Environment Across Supervisor Experience

Supervisors representing different levels of experience viewed videotape vignettes of counselors demonstrating the first three developmental levels of Stoltenberg's (1981) Counselor Complexity Model. Supervisors assessed each counselor on his or her developmental level and on the supervision environment he or she would provide for the trainee. Results indicated that supervisor experience did not influence the assessment of developmental level or the ability to make accurate environmental matches. Nevertheless, supervisors had the most difficulty accurately assessing counselors representing Level 2 in Stoltenberg's model and tended to make relative judgments about counselor developmental level. Implications for training and further research are discussed.
Assessing the Predictive Utility of Logistic Regression, Classification and Regression Tree, Chi-Squared Automatic Interaction Detection, and Neural Network Models in Predicting Inmate Misconduct

This study assesses the relative utility of a traditional regression approach - logistic regression (LR) - and three classification techniques - classification and regression tree (CART), chi-squared automatic interaction detection (CHAID), and multi-layer perceptron neural network (MLPNN)—in predicting inmate misconduct. The four models were tested using a sample of inmates held in state and federal prisons and predictors derived from the importation model on inmate adaptation. Multi-validation procedure and multiple evaluation indicators were used to evaluate and report the predictive accuracy. The overall accuracy of the four models varied between 0.60 and 0.66 with an overall AUC range of 0.60–0.70. The LR and MLPNN methods performed significantly better than the CART and CHAID techniques at identifying misbehaving inmates and the CHAID method outperformed the CART approach in classifying defied inmates. The MLPNN method performed significantly better than the LR technique in predicting inmate misconduct among the training samples.
Porous Optical Composites

ABSTRACT Previous studies have shown that sol-gel matrices are excellent low temperature hosts forvarious optically-active materials, both organic and inorganic. Optical properties of thesecomposites depend upon such factors as the structure of the matrix and size, shape, and degreeof dispersion of the optically-active phase. We discuss factors that control the shrinkage andclarity of silicate aerogel host matrices and report on novel composites in which the opticalproperties are controlled by solid-vapor and/or solid-liquid reactions within the host matrix.1. INTRODUCTIONThe radioluminescent light (RL) program at Sandia National Laboratories and E.G.& G. MoundApplied Technologies is conducting research to improve radioactively-powered light sources andto develop power supplies based on this technology. Current studies have focused on developinga volumetric light source powered by radiation. The volumetric light is intended to improvelight output over current technology while enhancing safety. We report on the results of anoptically active aerogel/phosphor composite in which light output is controlled by aerogelproperties, concentration and dispersion of the phosphor, and source of excitation radiation.Aerogel/phosphor composites are prepared by suspending a commercial phosphor powder in aso!. After gelation, aging, and supercritical solvent extraction, a beta source is placed inproximity to the phosphor grains through the aerogel pores. The beta particles excite thephosphor and cause it to luminesce. This light source should have a higher light output thanconventional surface RL lights because light is emitted not only from the aerogel surface butalso from within some portion of the aerogel volume. Thus, it should have some of theintensity-additive properties of a true volumetric light source.Uses for self-powered radioluminescent lights include emergency lighting for aircraft,submarines, and ships, instrumentation panel and docking lights for space applications, lightingwhere electrical power is difficult or impossible such as remote runway lighting, and low energyradiation detection (e.g., T2 detector).This work is supported by the US DOE under contracts #DE-ACO4-76DP00789 and #DE-
Understanding polyanhydride blend phase behavior using scattering, microscopy, and molecular simulations.

The phase behavior of a biocompatible binary polyanhydride blend system composed of poly[1,6-bis(p-carboxyphenoxy)hexane] (poly(CPH)) and poly(sebacic acid) (poly(SA)) is described. The phase behavior is determined from the CPH-SA segmental interaction parameter, χ, obtained from in situ small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) experiments. The predicted phase diagram has an upper critical solution temperature (UCST) with a critical point of 114 °C. The phase diagram is validated by optical microscopy (cloud point determination) of blend films. However, the full range of blend compositions is not accessible via cloud point measurements, because the melting point of poly(CPH) is above the critical point. Additionally, the poly(CPH) crystallinity interferes with cloud point determination because the length scale of the amorphous phase separation and that of the crystallinity are both near the limit of resolution of the optical microscope. The poly(CPH)-rich region of the phase diagram was investigated by ex situ atomic force microscopy on thin blend films. Finally, in order to validate the use of molecular simulations to study energetic and structural properties of this system, χ is also computed from molecular dynamics both above and below the critical point. Excellent agreement is obtained for all three experimental methods and the computational technique. The results are compared to a simple group contribution method for computing the solubility parameters of the polymers. This technique fails to accurately predict the phase diagram.
A new design and rationale for 3D orthogonally oversampled k-space trajectories.

A novel center-out 3D trajectory for sampling magnetic resonance data is presented. The trajectory set is based on a single Fermat spiral waveform, which is substantially undersampled in the center of k-space. Multiple trajectories are combined in a “stacked cone” configuration to give very uniform sampling throughout a “hub,” which is very efficient in terms of gradient performance and uniform trajectory spacing. The fermat looped, orthogonally encoded trajectories (FLORET) design produces less gradient-efficient trajectories near the poles, so multiple orthogonal hub designs are shown. These multihub designs oversample k-space twice with orthogonal trajectories, which gives unique properties but also doubles the minimum scan time for critical sampling of k-space. The trajectory is shown to be much more efficient than the conventional stack of cones trajectory, and has nearly the same signal-to-noise ratio efficiency (but twice the minimum scan time) as a stack of spirals trajectory. As a center-out trajectory, it provides a shorter minimum echo time than stack of spirals, and its spherical k-space coverage can dramatically reduce Gibbs ringing. Magn Reson Med, 2011. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The Leukemia-associated Fusion Protein Tel-Platelet-derived Growth Factor Receptor β (Tel-PdgfRβ) Inhibits Transcriptional Repression of PTPN13 Gene by Interferon Consensus Sequence Binding Protein (Icsbp)

Icsbp is an interferon regulatory transcription factor with leukemia suppressor activity. In previous studies, we identified the gene encoding Fas-associated phosphatase 1 (Fap1; the PTPN13 gene) as an Icsbp target. In the current study, we determine that repression of PTPN13 by Icsbp requires cooperation with Tel and histone deacetylase 3 (Hdac3). These factors form a multiprotein complex that requires pre-binding of Tel to the PTPN13 cis element with subsequent recruitment of Icsbp and Hdac3. We found that knockdown of Tel or Hdac3 in myeloid cells increases Fap1 expression and results in Fap1-dependent resistance to Fas-induced apoptosis. The TEL gene was initially identified due to involvement in leukemia-associated chromosomal translocations. The first identified TEL translocation partner was the gene encoding platelet-derived growth factor receptor β (PdgfRβ). The resulting Tel-PdgfRβ fusion protein exhibits constitutive tyrosine kinase activity and influences cellular proliferation. In the current studies, we find that Tel-PdgfRβ influences apoptosis in a manner that is independent of tyrosine kinase activity. We found that Tel-PdgfRβ expressing myeloid cells have increased Fap1 expression and Fap1-dependent Fas resistance. We determined that interaction between Tel and Tel-PdgfRβ decreases Tel/Icsbp/Hdac3 binding to the PTPN13 cis element, resulting in increased transcription. Therefore, these studies identify a novel mechanism by which the Tel-PdgfRβ oncoprotein may contribute to leukemogenesis.
Neural-network-based inspection of machined surfaces using laser scattering

Features &e extrzted from the angular specrwn of light scattered fnxn the sur(e of machined surfxes which are then used as inputs to a hrarcha1 neural net. The net is "U1nCd by aselected training set of feures from surfaces whose quality has already been independently establishet These samplessicrepeatedlypresented to the sensors and the network makes a deCISIOn about the surface roughness which is then compared to the rrect answa, and the TOf used to modify the conntion weights. Following this training pcziod, the net is be able to identify the quality of new surfes presented to IL Indeed, it is able to ck, so even in the presence of noise which is likely to be caused by poor illumination. Results, using this laser scattering technique, from a set of prepared sirfaces are dixussed with regard to fusion of different features in der to obtain an adequate measure of surfe roughness ung the harchkal newal nwor
The role of phospholipid metabolism in bromobenzene- and carbon tetrachloride-dependent hepatocyte injury.

Sprague-Dawley rats and cultured rat hepatocytes exposed to bromobenzene (BB) and carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) display rapid and significant increases and decreases in hepatic phospholipase C (PLC) and sn-glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase (GPAT) activities, respectively. Primary cultures of adult rat hepatocytes were used to determine if the BB- and CCl4-dependent alterations in phospholipid metabolism were related to the hepatotoxicity of these agents. Cultured hepatocytes exposed to BB and CCl4 exhibited a rapid (1 to 5 min), PLC-mediated reduction (20 to 80%) in [32P]phosphatidylserine content. Other phospholipids were also reduced; however, phosphatidylserine was preferentially degraded by hepatotoxin-activated PLC. A time course of CCl4-and BB-induced cellular events showed that these agents (1) rapidly activate liver cell PLC activity; (2) accelearate 86Rb release; (3) decrease GPAT acyltransferase activity; and (4) cause a release of intracellular enzymes (GOT and GPT). All of these BB- and CCl4-mediated effects on the functional integrity of liver cells were blocked or reduced by agents (EDTA and chlorpromazine) that reduce the BB- and CCl4-dependent rise in PLC activity. Therefore, BB- and CCl4-dependent alterations in the functional and structural integrity of liver cells may be a result of accelerated phospholipid degradation and a corresponding inability of the cell to repair injured membranes by generating new phospholipids.
INTRAINDUSTRY DIVISION OF LABOR: THE STATES OF MEXICO

Measures of occupational differentiation in each of eight industries vary markedly among the states of Mexico, a finding that is construed as evidence of territorial divergence in economic development. The relation among states between the relative size of an industry and the amount of occupational differentiation is direct for some industries but inverse for others. The interpretation is that industry size and intraindustry division of labor are directly related only to the extent that the labor force is concentrated territorially. Findings for the states of Mexico 1950 and 1960 are consistent with the interpretation.
Circadian control of spermatophore formation in the cricket Teleogryllus commodus Walker.

Abstract The cricket Teleogryllus commodus has a circadian rhythm in spermatophore formation. A spermatophore is present 1–5 hr before the onset of stridulation under LL, DD and LD 12 : 12; it is retained during the whole stridulatory phase and disposed of within a variable time after termination of singing. Overwhelmingly one spermatophore is produced during a 24 hr-period. Severance of the abdominal nerve cord or removal of the accessory glands prevent spermatophore formation, but does not inhibit periodical stridulation; when a spermatophore is removed from a singing male, stridulation continues after a short time. Coagulation of the pars intercerebralis stops spermatophore production and singing; severance of the optic lobes rends both processes arhythmical. The role of the pars intercerebralis as an intermediary link between the timing-device and the effector organs is discussed.
The “Paradox” of Poetic Courage: Hölderlin's Ode “Timidity” and Benjamin's Commentary Reconsidered

This article reconsiders how Friedrich Holderlin addresses the problem of poetic courage in his ode “Timidity” (“Blodigkeit”) on the basis of a new, critical analysis of Benjamin's seminal commentary on the ode and its precursor “The Poet's Courage” (“Dichtermuth”). Benjamin argues that “Timidity” solves what he terms the paradox of courage: that the courageous person must both acknowledge and neglect a danger, being fearful and fearless at the same time. In his view, the poet in Holderlin's ode unites courage and fear or timidity by “surrendering himself wholly to the relationship” and bringing about an “autarchy of relation,” which is marked by a caesura. The present article suggests that, although “Timidity” indeed seeks to dissolve the fateful oppositions between courage and fear, life and death, domination and oppression by establishing universal conciliatory relationships, it does so carefully, moving chiastically from limited timidity and stupidity to fragile wisdom and confidence. A complete surre...
ν-CAx: A Research Agenda for Collaborative Computer-Aided Applications

AbstractA dichotomy exists in the engineering design process between 1) product teams organized to engineer products collaboratively, and 2) the single-user architectures inherent in computers and computer-aided design applications (CAx). Selective design authority is typically assigned to individuals within a product team; they become contributors in a serialized design process largely driven by a set of core CAx applications. Unfortunately, single-user serial architectures inhibit concurrent engineering, in spite of the numerous research efforts into product team cooperation, functional constraints, and data/model propagation and transparency. By surveying modern collaborative technologies, including modern internet gaming, and by also demonstrating our own collaborative CAx prototypes, we draw some interesting conclusions as to collaborative limitations. From these conclusions we propose research that will hopefully formalize and focus the multi-user collaborative agenda, including computer and network...
High dose cyclophosphamide, BCNU, and VP‐16 (CBV) as a conditioning regimen for allogeneic bone marrow transplantation for patients with acute leukemia

A high dose combination chemotherapy regimen (CBV) consisting of cyclophosphamide (1.5 gm/m2 day 1 to day 4); BCNU (300 mg/m2 day 1) and etoposide (100 mg/m2 every 12 hours for 6 doses), followed by bone marrow transplant from human leukocyte antigen (HLA) identical sibling donors, was evaluated in 29 patients in whom acute leukemia was in relapse or remission. Engraftment of donor cell type occurred in all but one of 21 patients, in whom marker differences between donor and recipient were established. Two of 11 patients transplanted during relapse of the disease, lived beyond 1 year after bone marrow transplantation. One patient died free of leukemia, 41 months after transplantation of meningitis. Two of seven patients transplanted during the second remission of the disease, are alive and free of leukemia at 42+, and 8+ months. All patients transplanted during the third or fourth remission of the disease have died from either a further relapse, or transplant related causes. The low incidence of organ toxicity with CBV allows for further dose escalation of its drug components.
Adaptive Bayesian Methods in Manufacturing Process Control With Small Experimental Data Sets

In capital intensive manufacturing processes the amount of experimental data available may not be adequate to build a sufficiently accurate statistical model. This paper presents a new Bayesian predictive approach for sequential experimentation that aims to combine experimentation and optimization stages. A dual control approach that simultaneously considers model estimation and process optimization objectives is adopted. By combining these two goals the objective is to more quickly start production with little or no historical data from the process.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Sires influence fetal death in pigtailed macaques (Macaca nemestrina).

Computerized colony records were used to identify dams and sires whose reproductive histories while breeding in harem groups indicated high or low risk for producing fetal deaths. The monkeys were then singly caged and bred within and between risk conditions during 24- to 72-hour matings. Although the low- and high-risk sires did not differ in ability to achieve conceptions, the results revealed that reproductive history predicted subsequent fetal death rates, and sires made a substantial contribution. Overall, high-risk sires had a 4.86 times higher relative risk of producing fetal death than low-risk sires. Compared with this figure, high-risk dams had only a 2.64 times higher risk for fetal death than low-risk dams. The male effect was most evident in comparisons of between- and within-risk matings. Females with excellent reproductive histories experienced a threefold increase in fetal deaths when mated with high-risk males, whereas females with poor reproductive histories experienced almost a 50% reduction in fetal deaths when mated with low-risk males. The results show that male factors beyond fertility need to be considered when examining the causes of reproductive failure in captive primates.
Enhancement of low bit-rate coded images using edge detection and estimation

Abstract Low bit-rate image coding results in artifacts at reconstruction whose characteristics depend on the form of the coding/decoding algorithm used. A very common and visually objectionable effect of most coding methods is distortion of edges. Classical spatially-invariant filtering techniques are of little use in removing this signal-dependent reconstruction error. We present an algorithm for enhancement of edge quality through nonstationary filtering based on estimates of edge locations. Edge detection and enhancement are performed by a sequence of simple one-dimensional processes. The algorithm yields appreciable improvement when applied to images coded by pixel-domain methods.
Lipid-Induced Insulin Resistance in the Liver Role of Exercise

Hepatic lipid accumulation may be a result of one or several of the following factors: increased delivery of adipose tissue or dietary fatty acids to the liver, increased de novo synthesis of fatty acids in the liver, decreased rate of hepatic fatty-acid oxidation, or decreased rate in the exit of fatty acids from the liver in the form of triglycerides. Delivery of fatty acids to the liver appears to be the most potent mechanism for hepatic lipid accumulation. Hepatic lipid accumulation is linked to the development of hepatic insulin resistance, which is demonstrated by the impaired suppression of hepatic glucose output by insulin. Current evidence suggests that defects associated with the molecular mechanisms responsible for the propagation of the insulin signal in the liver cells are responsible for the impaired insulin effect and that these defects can develop secondary to lipid accumulation in the liver. Hepatic lipid accumulation appears to affect the activity of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, which has a central role in mediating the insulin action in hepatocytes. Generally, exercise has been shown to enhance the insulin action in the liver. Although an exercise-related mechanistic link between attenuation in hepatic lipid accumulation and enhancement in insulin action in the liver has not been described yet, the benefits of exercise on hepatic insulin action may relate to the potential effects of exercise on regulating/preventing hepatic lipid accumulation. However, direct effects of exercise on insulin action in the liver, independent of any effects on hepatic lipid metabolism, cannot currently be excluded. Further research is needed to evaluate the relative importance of exercise in the treatment of hepatic insulin resistance, specifically as it relates to lipid accumulation in the liver.
Quantitative correlation of ethyl acetate diffusion and crystallinity in poly(vinylidene fluoride): photoacoustic FTi.r. approach

Abstract The mobility of ethyl acetate (EAc) as a function of crystallinity in poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVF 2 ) has been quantified utilizing methodology based on the recently developed rheo-photoacoustic Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (RPA FT i.r.). The diffusion measurements obtained with the photoacoustic cell, combined with the independent sorption and X-ray measurements, indicate that the crystalline phase of the polymer is impermeable to EAc. Spectroscopic RPA FT i.r. measurements agree with the independently determined diffusion coefficients and the theoretical predictions relating diffusion to the per cent crystalline phase in PVF 2 . This study indicates that RPA FT i.r. methodology is highly sensitive to the gas phase analysis and, with the use of proper calibration procedures, can be applied to a quantitative analysis of diffusion in polymers.
“Sowing the Seeds of Discontent” Tougaloo College's Social Science Forums as a Prefigurative Movement Free Space, 1952-1964

Based on archival research and in-depth interviews conducted from 1999 through 2007, this article examines the role of Tougaloo College's Social Science Forums as a prefigurative collective free space in Mississippi's civil rights struggles. These Forums offered White and Black integrationists a unique opportunity to come together to hear lectures and discuss provocative ideas, some of which informed and inspired challenges to the state's system of White supremacy. By providing a location where integrationist networks and ideas were established and developed, the Forums helped to sow the seeds of discontent for challenges off campus and offered an interracial microcosm of the world that the Southern civil rights movement was trying to achieve. The article sheds light on specific ways an on-campus free space at a private Black Southern college fostered and mobilized oppositional ideas, interracial networks, and practices prior to and during the development of the Mississippi civil rights movement.
The crystal packing of 4,7-dichloro- and 4,7-dibromobenzo[c]furazan 1-oxide.

The molecular structures of 4,7-di­chloro­benzo­[c]­fur­azan 1-­oxide, C6H2Cl2N2O2, (I), and 4,7-di­bromo­benzo­[c]­fur­azan 1-oxide, C6H2Br2N2O2, (II), are normal. Compound (I) occurs in two polymorphic forms. One polymorph contains one mol­ecule in the asymmetric unit, organized into two-dimensional sheets involving intermolecular N⋯Cl and O⋯Cl inter­actions. The second polymorph has three mol­ecules in the asymmetric unit, organized into two crystallographically different two-dimensional sheets with similar interactions. Compound (II) is isomorphous with the second polymorph of (I). The three two-dimensional sheets in the two polymorphs comprise a set of three two-dimensional polymorphic arrangements.
The Evolution of Preclinical Alzheimer’s Disease: Implications for Prevention Trials

As the field begins to test the concept of a "preclinical" stage of neurodegenerative disease, when the pathophysiological process has begun in the brain, but clinical symptoms are not yet manifest, a number of intriguing questions have already arisen. In particular, in preclinical Alzheimer's disease (AD), the temporal relationship of amyloid markers to markers of neurodegeneration and their relative utility in the prediction of cognitive decline among clinically normal older individuals remains to be fully elucidated. Secondary prevention trials in AD have already begun in both genetic at-risk and amyloid at-risk cohorts, with several more trials in the planning stages, and should provide critical answers about whether intervention at this very early stage of disease can truly bend the curve of clinical progression. This review will highlight recent progress in cognitive, imaging, and biomarker outcomes in the field of preclinical AD, and the remaining gaps in knowledge.
Thermodynamics of the Various High-Temperature Reactions of Kaolinite

In spite of the fact that the kaolinite-mullite reaction series had been the subject of extensive investigations since the work of Le Chatelier in 1887, nevertheless many-problems are still remaining. One of the major problems is the interpretation of the first exothermic peak at 980°C.
Transformation of Thermoanaerobacterium sp. strain JW/SL‐YS485 with plasmid pIKM1 conferring kanamycin resistance

The industrial application of thermophilic (eu)bacteria is hampered by the lack of genetic systems for these bacteria. We report here the first unequivocal transformation of a Gram-positive, thermophilic, anaerobic microorganism, Thermoanaerobacterium, with the kanamycin resistance-mediating plasmid pIKM1. The construct pIKM1 is based on the Escherichia coli–Clostridium acetobutylicum shuttle vector pIMP1 and contains the thermostable kanamycin cassette from S. faecalis plasmid pKD102. Using electrotransformation, plasmid pIKM1 mediated kanamycin resistance in Thermoanaerobacterium sp. strain JW/SL-YS485 up to 400 μg ml−1 at 48°C and 200 μg ml−1 at 60°C.
Teach us to pray: The cognitive power of domain violations

Abstract Durkheim's famous assertion that a person who communes with the gods feels stronger has left unanswered questions about how or why this might be the case. Mary Douglas's argument about the power of classification systems provides an important clue. In her view, power lies not so much on one side of a boundary, but in the boundary itself; or, more precisely, in the act of crossing or violating a boundary. Recent work in cognitive anthropology adds the important insight that symbols representing domain violations stand out and thus may be more easily remembered. This insight suggests that domain violations may play a salient role in accounts about prayer and provide ways of investigating contemporary discourse about God. Exploratory evidence is presented drawing on semi-structured qualitative interviews conducted with 77 church members. Respondents were asked to recall anything about a prayer they could remember from a recent worship service. A majority of the interviewees recalled prayers for and about specific individuals, even though they often did not know these individuals. The language used to describe the prayers frequently included domain juxtapositions that emphasized the fragility of the object of prayer and thus provided ways of implying the power of God without having to include specific descriptions of that power.
Trends in global temperature

Statistical models consisting of a trend plus serially correlated noise may be fitted to observed climate data such as global surface temperature, the trend and noise representing systematic change and other variations, respectively. When such a model is fitted, the estimated character of the noise determines the precision of the estimated trend, and hence the precision of the estimate of the magnitude of the systematic change in the variable considered. The results of fitting such models to global temperature imply that there is uncertainty in the amount of temperature change over the past century of up to ± 0.2 °C, but that the change of around one half of a degree Celsius is significantly different from zero.
Multi-user UWB-over-Fiber System based on High-chip-count Phase Coding

High-chip-count, phase-coded direct-sequence ultra wideband (UWB) signals for multiple access communications are generated in the optical domain, based on which a multi-user UWB-over-fiber system is proposed. A dual-user system is experimentally demonstrated.