cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
[3H]Dansyl chloride: a useful reagent for the quantitation and molecular weight determination of nanogram amounts of protein.

Abstract A simple, rapid, and reproducible method is described for the quantitation of submicrogram amounts of protein. This method is based upon the reaction of 3H-labeled 1-dimethylaminonaphthalene-5-sulfonyl chloride ([3H]dansyl chloride) with protein under denaturing conditions. As little as 50 ng of protein can be detected under the experimental conditions described, and the assay is linear over the range 50 to 5000 ng of protein. Furthermore, this method has been used for the electrophoretic determination of molecular weights of proteins available in submicrogram amounts.
The effect of Mo2C synthesis and pretreatment on catalytic stability in oxidative reforming environments

Abstract The role of catalyst pretreatment on the stability of Mo 2 C catalysts in oxidative reforming environments has been studied. Catalysts were produced by both the temperature programmed reaction (TPR) and a solution-derived (SD) synthesis method, and compared to a low surface area commercial catalyst. Using a variety of techniques, including in situ dynamic X-ray diffraction (DXRD), the effects of various hydrogen pretreatment protocols were evaluated, including catalyst thermal stability, oxidation resistance and susceptibility to coking. The high surface areas produced by the SD synthesis is attributed to the presence of excess synthesis carbon and, whereas the presence of excess synthesis carbon enhances thermal stability, it also appears to accelerate coking. It is pointed out that the lowered oxidation resistance of the high surface area catalysts is due to a combination of smaller crystallite sizes and competitive oxidation of the excess synthesis carbon, which alters the oxidation mechanism. In addition, it was also found that incomplete carburization during TPR synthesis, forms an oxycarbide and its acidity also promotes coking. Hydrogen pretreatment at 700 °C not only removes all excess synthesis carbon, but it also reduces the oxycarbide to Mo, which is easily carburized under reforming conditions. Pretreatment at 600 °C, was largely ineffective and it is concluded that high temperature pretreatment is necessary to form the stoichiometric carbide, which is required for stability during reforming. Both the TPR and SD catalysts pretreated at 700 °C, were found to be stable over a 72 h period, whereas the commercial carbide had almost identical activity but slowly deactivated over the same period, probably because of its low surface area. Finally, labeled isotope experiments revealed that carbon exchange occurs readily with bulk Mo 2 C at temperatures above 550 °C, lending credence to a reforming redox mechanism.
A Reply to the Comments of Keith Chesterton, Robert Goodsman, Jonathan Rosenhead and Colin Thunhurst

(1975). A Reply to the Comments of Keith Chesterton, Robert Goodsman, Jonathan Rosenhead and Colin Thunhurst. Journal of the Operational Research Society: Vol. 26, Volume 26, issue 1, pp. 96-99.
The peroxisome and the eye

Several childhood multisystem disorders with prominent ophthalmological manifestations have been ascribed to the malfunction of the peroxisome, a subcellular organelle. The peroxisomal disorders have been divided into three groups: 1) those that result from defective biogenesis of the peroxisome (Zellweger syndrome, neonatal adrenoleukodystrophy, and infantile Refsum's disease); 2) those that result from multiple enzyme deficiencies (rhizomelic chondrodysplasia punctata); and 3) those that result from a single enzyme deficiency (X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy, primary hyperoxaluria type 1). Zellweger syndrome, the most lethal of the three peroxisomal biogenesis disorders, causes infantile hypotonia, seizures, and death within the first year. Ophthalmic manifestations include corneal opacification, cataract, glaucoma, pigmentary retinopathy and optic atrophy. Neonatal adrenoleukodystrophy and infantile Refsum's disease appear to be genetically distinct, but clinically, biochemically, and pathologically similar to Zellweger syndrome, although milder. Rhizomelic chondrodysplasia punctata, a peroxisomal disorder which results from at least two peroxisomal enzyme deficiencies, presents at birth with skeletal abnormalities and patients rarely survive past one year of age. The most prominent ocular manifestation consists of bilateral cataracts. X-linked (childhood) adrenoleukodystrophy, results from a deficiency of a single peroxisomal enzyme, presents in the latter part of the first decade with behavioral, cognitive and visual deterioration. The vision loss results from demyelination of the entire visual pathway, but the outer retina is spared. Primary hyperoxaluria type 1 manifests parafoveal subretinal pigment proliferation. Classical Refsum's disease may also be a peroxisomal disorder, but definitive evidence is lacking. Early identification of these disorders, which may depend on recognizing the ophthalmological findings, is critical for prenatal diagnosis, treatment, and genetic counselling.
Margaret Mead: From a Cultural/Historical Perspective

Margaret Mead: From a Cultural/Historical Perspective presents a special opportunity for anthropologists to examine the ideologies within American culture that influenced Dr. Mead's perception of Third World people. Within this analystical study of Dr. Mead's work we find that the philosphy of humanism popularly associated with her may in fact have been less influential than her Freudian biological view of human behavior.
Intensity modulated radiation therapy provides excellent local control in high-risk abdominal neuroblastoma†

Background Locoregional failure is a significant concern in patients with high-risk abdominal neuroblastoma (NB) receiving radiotherapy. Locoregional control outcomes were studied in children with NB receiving intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT). Procedure Twenty children (11 females, 9 males) with NB (median age at diagnosis 3.4 years) receiving IMRT were analyzed for locoregional failure, outcomes, and toxicities. IMRT doses were 23.4 Gy (n = 12), 30 Gy (n = 1), 30.6 Gy (n = 5), and 36.0 Gy (n = 2) based on extent of resection. Five patients had tumors with MYCN amplification, and 19 had metastatic disease. All patients were treated consistently using reproducible immobilization techniques; physiological motion was assessed by 4D-CT, and target localization by cone-beam computed tomography. ICRU 62 volumetric conventions were employed based on institutional data for pediatric target volume and organ motion. Results No patient developed primary site infield or locoregional failure at a median follow-up of 2.2 years. Distant failure (median time to distant failure 1.6 years) occurred in the brain, lungs, or skeletal sites in eight patients, five of whom died. The 2-year event-free survival was 58.5 ± 13.3% and cumulative incidence of local and distant failures was 0% and 41.5 ± 11.9%, respectively. Asymptomatic loose stool during RT occurred in nearly all patients, but required no intervention. Conclusions IMRT is feasible, safe in the short term, and yields excellent locoregional control. Despite subtotal resection in some cases, locoregional control appeared to be increased by conformal radiotherapy with ICRU 62-compliant volumes. Dose escalation beyond 30.6 Gy may be unnecessary with improved target volume coverage. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2013; 60: 761–765. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Gonadotropins decrease estrogen receptor-beta messenger ribonucleic acid stability in rat granulosa cells.

We have previously shown that the preovulatory LH surge down-regulates estrogen receptor-β (ERβ) messenger RNA (mRNA) levels selectively in the granulosa cells of preovulatory follicles. To gain insight into the underlying mechanisms, we examined whether the LH-induced loss of ERβ mRNA expression in rat granulosa cells is attributable to the hormone-induced changes at the level of transcription and/or mRNA degradation. When the rate of ERβ gene transcription was assessed in cultured granulosa cells, by nuclear run-off assays, we observed only a marginal effect of hCG on ERβ gene transcription. In contrast, when ERβ mRNA levels were estimated in granulosa cells that were cultured in the presence of 5,6-dichloro-1-β-d-ribofuranosylbenzimidazole (DRB), an RNA synthesis inhibitor, we observed a significant inhibitory effect of human CG (hCG) on ERβ mRNA expression at a magnitude similar to that observed in the absence of DRB. Forskolin (FSK) and 2-O-tetradecanol-phorbol-13-acetate (TPA), pharmacological agent...
Toxicity of Tobacco Smoke to the Spotted Alfalfa Aphid Therioaphis maculata (Buckton)

WE have been attempting to rear the spotted alfalfa aphid, biotype ENT B (ref. 1), on artificial diets after the manner of Auclair2 and Dadd and Mittler3. Our initial unsuccessful attempts were conducted in an entomology laboratory. It was then observed that adults placed on potted alfalfa plants (Medicago sativa L.) in the laboratory did not produce viable nymphs, and that some of the adults crawled from the plants. Removal of the plants to a small greenhouse enabled normal nymph production after 2 to 3 h. We suspected two factors to explain this : the differences in the illumination or in the atmosphere between the laboratory and the greenhouse. In the laboratory, even with overhead fluorescent light, the aphids were phototropic to daylight. Because of the temperature and humidity fluctuations that occur normally in the field, we ruled out these variables from our consideration.
A survey of public sector use of federally generated innovations

Several agencies of the U.S. Government make available technical information in hopes that it will be used by the public and/or private sector. This paper is a study of the awareness and/or use of such technical information by the managers in small city and/or county governments. Five technical sources were used in the survey. In general it was found that the managers of city, county and special districts in Central California had very limited knowledge about the five information sources.
Centralized Packaging of Beef Loin Steaks with Different Oxygen‐Barrier Films: Microbiological Characteristics

Vacuum packaged beef strip loins (n = 72) were stored (2° 1°C) for either 0,12 or 24 days before fabrication; steaks were packaged and displayed (2°C or 7°C) up to 6 days in oxygen-permeable film or up to 30 days in vacuum packages (medium or high oxygen-barrier film). For steaks displayed in oxygen-permeable film, Pseudomonas spp. were a considerable (25–49%) or dominant (>50%) part of the microflora. The microflora of vacuum-packaged steaks from 0 day loins was dominated by a combination of hetero- and homofermentative Lactobacillus spp.; when vacuum-packaged steaks were from 12 and 24 day loins, the microflora was in most cases dominated by the heterofermentative Lactobacillus cellobiosus.
Aspiring to leadership--identifying teacher-leaders.

Educational institutions need effective leaders at many levels. This paper explores the applicability of the Porter/Mazlow need-priority and Herzberg maintenance-motivation models to the challenge ...
UNIFORM SPATIAL PRICING

Uniform spatial pricing means that a firm delivers its product to any customer at a fixed price, independent of location. Economic theory explains the use of uniform pricing by the added profit generated by absorbing freight charges of distant customers. I extend this insight by demonstrating that when demand elasticity and transportation cost are positively enough correlated, uniform pricing generates higher profits than mill pricing. I show that this result can better explain observed patterns of price policy choice by mail order and web firms. A second result is application of this idea to firms with many shipping facilities.
Synthesis of radioarsenic labeled dimethylchloroarsine for derivation of a new group of radiopharmaceuticals

Abstract A method for the production of radioarsenic-labeled dimethylchloroarsine (a key intermediate) was developed, and utilized with 76 As. The radioarsenic-labeled dimethylchloroarsine was then used for derivation of labeled dimethylarsinopenicillamine and dimethylarsinomercaptoethanol. These compounds, which represented examples of a new group of radiopharmaceuticals, were used for tracer studies in experimental animals.
Brain Metastasis: An Unusual Complication From Prostatic Adenocarcinoma

A 61-year-old man with known prostatic carcinoma presented with acute mental status changes. Radiographic evaluation revealed a large intraparenchymal brain mass. Surgical biopsy demonstrated metastatic adenocarcinoma of the prostate. Our review of the literature reveals that cerebral metastasis is a rare complication of prostate cancer.
Dimethyl Sulfoxide for the Treatment of Intracranial Hypertension: A Preliminary Trial

Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) has shown promise as a drug for the treatment of intracranial hypertension. In this report, we describe our experience in six patients, two who received a bolus administration of 10% DMSO and four who received a 20% solution titrated against the intracranial pressure (ICP). Five of the patients in this series suffered from severe head injury, and one had a cortical venous thrombosis associated with pregnancy. The first two patients were treated with a rapid infusion of a 10% solution of DMSO. Initially, the ICP was satisfactorily controlled using this method. Over time, however, fluid overload, severe electrolyte disturbances, and an ultimate loss of ICP control occurred. In subsequent patients, a 20% solution titrated against the ICP was used. Although ICP control was better achieved using this method of administration, problems with fluid management and electrolytes occurred again despite a high level of vigilance. In addition, because of the solvent properties of DMSO and its propensity over time to dissolve most standard intravenous infusion systems, mechanical difficulties in its administration were encountered in all six patients. The mechanism of action of DMSO is not well understood. It differs from the barbiturates, but acts too rapidly to function solely as a diuretic. The drug is extremely complex to use, and difficulties with its administration may make its risks ultimately greater than its potential benefits. Until more laboratory data are available concerning its use and better delivery systems are developed, neurosurgeons are cautioned against treating intracranial hypertension with DMSO.
Antitumor T-cell responses contribute to the effects of dasatinib on c-KIT mutant murine mastocytoma and are potentiated by anti-OX40.

Targeted and immune-based therapies are thought to eradicate cancer cells by different mechanisms, and these approaches could possibly complement each other when used in combination. In this study, we report that the in vivo antitumor effects of the c-KIT inhibitor, dasatinib, on the c-KIT mutant P815 mastocytoma tumor were substantially dependent on T cell–mediated immunity. We found that dasatinib treatment significantly decreased levels of Tregs while specifically enhancing tumor antigen-specific T-cell responses. We sought to further enhance this therapy with the addition of anti-OX40 antibody, which is known to provide a potent costimulatory signal to T cells. The combination of dasatinib and anti-OX40 antibody resulted in substantially better therapeutic efficacy compared with either drug alone, and this was associated with enhanced accumulation of tumor antigen-specific T cells in the tumor microenvironment. Furthermore, the combination regimen inhibited the function of Tregs and also resulted in significantly up-regulated expression of the IFN-γ–induced chemokines CXCL9, 10, and 11 in the tumor microenvironment, which provides a feasible mechanism for the enhanced intratumoral CTL infiltration. These studies delineate a strategy by which targeted therapy and immunotherapy may be combined to achieve superior antitumor responses in cancer patients.
Image (and) nation: The Russian exotic in 19th-century French travel narratives

Drawing from a variety of nineteenth-century French travel narratives on Russia, the paper “Image (and) Nation: The Russian Exotic in Nineteenth-Century French Travel Narratives” explores the idea of nation as a cultural construction and narrative. The paper attempts to address in particular the role of ``exotic othering'' in creating French national identity in the decades following the Revolution. Where post-Revolutionary France discovered a formidable political and military enemy in tsarist Russia, the French likewise viewed the continued enslavement of the Russian peasants as the example par excellence of tyrannical government. Russia thus appeared in the eyes of many a French traveler as the diametrical opposite of post-Revolutionary France founded on liberal Enlightenment ideals. In bringing to light both widely-read and lesser-known French accounts of travel to Russia, this paper suggests how a developing French national identity coalesced in part around the articulation of cultural difference from the Russian Other. Evoking the critical work of Homi K. Bhaba, Edward Said, Benedict Anderson and Lisa Lowe, the paper describes tropes of the exotic as they appear in these nineteenth-century French travel narratives on Russia and suggests how such narrative depictions of the Russian landscape, the Russian woman, and Russians in general established and reaffirmed – through an implicit cultural comparison – the idea of the French nation.
Congenital subclavian arterial stenosis.

We describe a 2-year-old boy with a non-palpable right radial pulse associated with underdevelopment of the arm. An arteriogram showed a narrowing of the distal part of the right subclavian, axillary and brachial arteries, and poor collateral circulation. This patient illustrates a rare cause of an absent radial pulse, other than Takayasu's disease.
‘DD’ as a Means of Controlling Heterodera rostochiensis (Woll.)

Investigations during the past four years into the chemical control of H. rostochiensis have revealed that chloropicrin, ethylene dibromide, ‘Dowfume G’, 1–2 dichloropropene and 1–3 dichloropropane (crude ‘DD’) and two high boiling-point fractions of crude ‘DD’ are all effective soil fumigants. Because of its efficacy, ease in handling and comparative low cost, crude ‘DD’ is outstanding among these.
Simulations of microchannel plate sensitivity to <20 keV x-rays as a function of energy and incident angle

We present results of Monte Carlo simulations of microchannel plate (MCP) response to x-rays in the 250 eV to 20 keV energy range as a function of both x-ray energy and impact angle. The model is based on the model presented in Rochau et al. However, while the Rochau et al. model was two-dimensional, and their results only went to 5 keV, our results have been expanded to 20 keV, and our model has been incorporated into a three-dimensional Monte Carlo MCP model that we have developed over the past several years. X-ray penetration through multiple MCP pore walls is increasingly important above 5 keV. The effect of x-ray penetration through multiple pores on MCP performance was studied and is presented.
Effect of carbon addition on the creep of molybdenum disilicide composites

Abstract The effect of carbon addition on the creep deformation behavior of molybdenum disilicides was examined. It is shown that with the addition of carbon, the amorphous silica phase present at the grain boundaries is reduced to SiC, which forms particulates at the grain boundaries. These particulates (a) inhibit further coarsening of grains and (b) serve as reinforcements to enhance creep resistance. Since creep deformation rates are extremely sensitive to grain size in these materials, to observe reinforcement effect the creep rates need to be compensated for the grain size effects. On the basis of the grain size compensated creep rates, it was found that an addition of 2 wt.% carbon is as effective as 20–30 vol.% reinforcement of SiC. The effect of particulate reinforcement on creep of MoSi 2 is examined after compensating for grain size effects. It is shown that (a) volume fractions greater than 20% are needed to have a noticeable effect of reinforcement, and (b) among all reinforcement examined so far SiC provides the best reinforcement.
Spin-glass theory in the Bethe approximation: Insights and problems

We set up and solve the Bethe approximation for a spin-glass with finite-range interactions. We obtain the finite-$z$ analog of the Thouless-Anderson-Palmer equations and the free-energy functional at all $T$. In the configuration-averaged theory the entropy $\overline{S}(T)$ and all other properties are well behaved on a Cayley tree. For real lattices $\overline{S}(0)=0$, but the specific heat is negative near $T=0$ for all but small values of $z$.
An analysis of antiplane shear crack growth in a rate sensitive elastic-plastic material

The problem of steady growth of an antiplane shear crack in a strain rate sensitive elastic-plastic material is considered. It is assumed that the material is elastic-perfectly plastic under slow loading conditions, but that the inelastic strain rate is proportional to the difference between the stress and the yield stress raised to some power. In earlier work on this problem in which the possibility of an elastic region in stress space was not considered, it was concluded that the asymptotic crack tip field is completely autonomous, but the local field could not be shown to reduce to a generally accepted rate independent limit as the rate sensitivity of the material vanished. It is shown here that, if the possibility of elastic unloading is admitted in the formulation, the asymptotic crack tip solution does indeed approach the correct rate independent limit as the rate sensitivity of the material vanishes. Furthermore, the crack tip field loses the feature of complete autonomy under these conditions. That is, the crack tip field involves an undetermined parameter that can be determined only from the remote fields. In the analysis, both dynamic and quasistatic growth are considered.
The Trypanosoma brucei Life Cycle Switch TbPTP1 Is Structurally Conserved and Dephosphorylates the Nucleolar Protein NOPP44/46

Trypanosoma brucei adapts to changing environments as it cycles through arrested and proliferating stages in the human and tsetse fly hosts. Changes in protein tyrosine phosphorylation of several proteins, including NOPP44/46, accompany T. brucei development. Moreover, inactivation of T. brucei protein-tyrosine phosphatase 1 (TbPTP1) triggers differentiation of bloodstream stumpy forms into tsetse procyclic forms through unknown downstream effects. Here, we link these events by showing that NOPP44/46 is a major substrate of TbPTP1. TbPTP1 substrate-trapping mutants selectively enrich NOPP44/46 from procyclic stage cell lysates, and TbPTP1 efficiently and selectively dephosphorylates NOPP44/46 in vitro. To provide insights into the mechanism of NOPP44/46 recognition, we determined the crystal structure of TbPTP1. The TbPTP1 structure, the first of a kinetoplastid protein-tyrosine phosphatase (PTP), emphasizes the conservation of the PTP fold, extending to one of the most diverged eukaryotes. The structure reveals surfaces that may mediate substrate specificity and affords a template for the design of selective inhibitors to interfere with T. brucei transmission.
Coalitional instability of the distributive Lindahl equilibrium

Bergstrom [3] has showed that the Lindahlian approach to the analysis of public goods may also be used to analyze a model of wide-spread externalities in which agents have preferences defined on allocations rather than on individual commodity bundles. He has provided versions of the first and second welfare theorem for adistributive Lindahl equilibrium and also presented sufficient conditions for its existence. However, we shall show that, in contrast to Foley's [4] result on the core stability of a Lindahl equilibrium, a distributive Lindahl equilibrium need not satisfy coalitional stability. We will provide a robust example in which the unique, distributive Lindahl equilibrium does not belong to the α-core defined either as in Scarf [11] or as in Yannelis [12].
Architecting for power management: The IBM® POWER7™ approach

The POWER7 processor is the newest member of the IBM POWER® family of server processors. With greater than 4X the peak performance and the same power budget as the previous generation POWER6®, POWER7 will deliver impressive energy-efficiency boosts. The improved peak energy-efficiency is accompanied by a wide array of new features in the processor and system designs that advance IBM's EnergyScale™ dynamic power management methodology. This paper provides an overview of these new features, which include better sensing, more advanced power controls, improved scalability for power management, and features to address the diverse needs of the full range of POWER servers from blades to supercomputers. We also highlight three challenges that need attention from a range of systems design and research teams: (i) power management in highly virtualized environments, (ii) power (in)efficiency of systems software and applications, and (iii) memory power costs, especially for servers with large memory footprints.
Creating Open Government Ecosystems: A Research and Development Agenda

In this paper, we propose to view the concept of open government from the perspective of an ecosystem, a metaphor often used by policy makers, scholars, and technology gurus to convey a sense of the interdependent social systems of actors, organizations, material infrastructures, and symbolic resources that can be created in technology-enabled, information-intensive social systems. We use the concept of an ecosystem to provide a framework for considering the outcomes of a workshop organized to generate a research and development agenda for open government. The agenda was produced in discussions among participants from the government (at the federal, state, and local levels), academic and civil sector communities at the Center for Technology in Government (CTG) at the University at Albany, SUNY in April 2011. The paper begins by discussing concepts central to understanding what is meant by an ecosystem and some principles that characterize its functioning. We then apply this metaphor more directly to government, proposing that policymakers engage in strategic ecosystems thinking, which means being guided by the goal of explicitly and purposefully constructing open government ecosystems. From there, we present the research agenda questions essential to the development of this new view of government's interaction with users and organizations. Our goal is to call attention to some of the fundamental ways in which government must change in order to evolve from outdated industrial bureaucratic forms to information age networked and interdependent systems.
Enhanced tree quorum algorithm for replica control in distributed database systems

Abstract In this paper, new replica control algorithms, called the enhanced tree quorum (ETQ) algorithm and the multiple tree quorum (MTQ) algorithm, are proposed to manage replicated data in distributed database systems. These algorithms provide high availability for read and write operations by imposing a logical structure of modified tree with a backup root on data copies in ETQ, and multiple trees on data copies in MTQ. With ETQ algorithm, a read operation is limited to a data copy in the best case, and a write operation is allowed as long as one of the roots and the majority of the children of each node selected are available in the tree. With MTQ algorithm, a read operation is limited to a couple of data copies, and a write operation is allowed as long as the majority of the roots of the trees and the majority of the children of each node selected are available. Compared to other algorithms, ETQ and MTQ require lower message cost for an operation, while providing higher availability.
Irreducibility of theta lifting for unitary groups

Abstract This article shows that for unitary dual reductive pairs the first occurrence of theta lift of an irreducible cuspidal automorphic representation is irreducible. It also proves a refined tower property for theta lifts and the involutive property for twisted theta lifts.
Role of the INK4a locus in tumor suppression and cell mortality

The cell cycle inhibitor p16INK4a is inactivated in many human tumors and in families with hereditary melanoma and pancreatic cancer. Tumor-associated alterations in the INK4a locus may also affect the overlapping gene encoding p19ARF and the adjacent gene encoding p15I1NK4b, both negative regulators of cell proliferation. We report the phenotype of mice carrying a targeted deletion of the INK4a locus that eliminates both p16INK4a and p19ARF. The mice are viable but develop spontaneous tumors at an early age and are highly sensitive to carcinogenic treatments. INK4a-deficient primary fibroblasts proliferate rapidly and have a high colony-formation efficiency. In contrast with normal cells, the introduction of activated Ha-ras into INK4a-deficient fibroblasts can result in neoplastic transformation. These findings directly demonstrate that the INK4a locus functions to suppress neoplastic growth.
Understanding the Plant Immune System

Plant immunity is controlled by a complex signaling network. Here, we discuss how the complexity of the network affects our views and approaches in studying the plant immune network. We propose that the mode of plant immunity is mainly determined by how the shared signaling network is used rather than by a signaling machinery specific to each mode, that balancing the robustness of immunity and the negative effect of immunity on plant fitness is a key driver in evolution of the immune network, that comparisons of plant mutant to wild-type phenotypes may not be very effective in elucidating the underlying signaling mechanisms, and that mechanistic understanding of the network can improve our ability to predict the performance of immunity.
Species differences in the disposition of acyclovir

The disposition of acyclovir was investigated in several species. The drug was well distributed into all the tissues, including the brain, in mice and rats. Binding of acyclovir to plasma proteins was 36 percent or lower. After intravenous bolus dosing (20 mg/kg) in dogs, the plasma acyclovir concentration-time profile, determined by radioimmunoassay, showed a biphasic decline with a half-life in the elimination phase of 2.3 +/- 0.1 hours. The volume of distribution (Vd beta) of 1.2 +/- 0.2 liters/kg indicated distribution of drug into the tissues. Marked species differences were observed in the gastrointestinal absorption and biotransformation of acyclovir. Oral dosing produced better absorption in dogs and mice than in rats and rhesus monkeys. More than 95 percent of the radioactivity in the urine derived from a 14C-acyclovir parenteral dose was recovered as the unchanged drug in mice, rats, and dogs. Minor urinary metabolites were characterized by high-performance liquid chromatography as 9-carboxymethoxymethylguanine (CMMG) and 8-hydroxy-9-(2-hydroxyethoxymethyl)guanine. In other species--guinea pig, rabbit, and rhesus monkey--up to 40 percent of the radioactivity in the urine consisted of these metabolites.
Teacher salaries and teacher quality

Abstract Recently public schools have increased teacher salaries in an apparent effort to recruit higher quality teachers. This paper finds a significant relationship between teacher salaries and quality (measured by undergraduate college selectivity and subject matter expertise) within local teacher labor markets.
A postulated role for 16α-hydroxydehydroepiandrosterone in the prevention of respiratory distress syndrome

Summary The concentrations of 16-hydroxylated steroids, especially 16α-hydroxydehydroepiandrosterone (16α-hydroxyDHEA) in amniotic fluid and infants’ blood are elevated many fold at normal birth time as compared with mid-term concentrations and those found in prematurely born infants. It is logical to postulate that 16α-hydroxyDHEA may be the natural inducer of lung maturation and preventor of respiratory distress syndrome. Because the infant born at normal gestational terminus has a very high concentration of blood 16α-hydroxyDHEA, treating premature infants with amounts of this steroid to provide blood concentrations that are normal in full-term infants should be a well-tolerated procedure and should avoid the developmental problems associated with glucocorticoid treatments.
Variations in intensity statistics for representational and abstract art, and for art from the Eastern and Western hemispheres.

Two recent studies suggest that natural scenes and paintings show similar statistical properties. But does the content or region of origin of an artwork affect its statistical properties? We addressed this question by having judges place paintings from a large, diverse collection of paintings into one of three subject-matter categories using a forced-choice paradigm. Basic sta- tistics for images whose caterogization was agreed by all judges showed no significant differences between those judged to be 'landscape' and 'portrait/still-life', but these two classes differed from paintings judged to be 'abstract'. All categories showed basic spatial statistical regularities similar to those typical of natural scenes. A test of the full painting collection (140 images) with respect to the works' place of origin (provenance) showed significant differences between Eastern works and Western ones, differences which we find are likely related to the materials and the choice of background color. Although artists deviate slightly from reproducing natural statistics in abstract art (compared to representational art), the great majority of human art likely shares basic statistical limitations. We argue that statistical regularities in art are rooted in the need to make art visible to the eye, not in the inherent aesthetic value of natural-scene statistics, and we suggest that variability in spatial statistics may be generally imposed by manufacture.
Influence of particle size and antacid on release and stability of plasmid DNA from uniform PLGA microspheres

PLGA microspheres are attractive DNA delivery vehicles due to their controlled release capabilities. One major problem with PLGA microspheres is that they develop an acidic microclimate as the polymer degrades, lowering the intraparticle pH, and potentially damaging the DNA. Antacids have recently shown promise in buffering this acidic microclimate and enhancing protein stability. We manufactured uniform plasmid DNA-encapsulating PLGA microspheres of two sizes (47, 80 μm diameter) and antacid concentrations (0, 3% Mg(OH)2). Microspheres with antacid had a homogeneous surface coverage of small pores, which resulted in a significant reduction of the burst effect. The 47 μm microspheres exhibited complete release of plasmid DNA over the course of two months. Incomplete release was observed from 80 μm spheres, though microspheres with 3% Mg(OH)2 showed a higher cumulative release, suggesting that the antacid at least partially aids in increasing the stability of DNA. SEM was used to visualize the surface pore evolution and cross-sectional microsphere structure over time. Subsequent image analysis was used to quantify the increase of surface pore sizes. Cross-sectional images showed increasing internal degradation and erosion, which resulted in a hollowing-out of microspheres. Our studies show that the incorporation of antacid into the microsphere structure has potential in addressing some of the major problems associated with DNA encapsulation and release in PLGA microspheres.
Screen for portopulmonary hypertension, especially in liver transplant candidates

Pulmonary artery hypertension may develop in some patients with liver disease and portal hypertension. Although pulmonary artery hypertension may be asymptomatic in its early stages, it should be looked for especially if a patient is a candidate for liver transplantation, as it may make transplantation riskier.
Note on a Conjecture of Gopakumar-Vafa

We rephrase the Gopakumar-Vafa conjecture on genus zero Gromov-Witten invariants of Calabi-Yau threefolds in terms of the virtual degree of the moduli of pure dimension one stable sheaves and investigate the conjecture for K3 fibred local Calabi-Yau threefolds.
Dependence of drag on a Galilean invariance-breaking parameter in lattice Boltzmann flow simulations.

We present two-dimensional lattice Boltzmann simulations of flow past a cylinder which show that the drag coefficient is proportional to the factor multiplying the convective term in the Navier-Stokes-like equations obtained for Boolean lattice gases and for certain lattice Boltzmann models. With the correct expression for the drag coefficient, we show that the results of previous Boolean lattice-gas studies of drag agree with experiment and with each other.
Arrogance among physicians.

Arrogance among physicians is, regrettably, common and violates the benevolent spirit of medicine-its very soul -as well the quality of medical care. The need for humility in the physician warrants greater emphasis in medical training, both in the classroom and, more critically, by example. Arrogance persists because of intersecting and mutually enhancing sociologic and psychological pressures. Regarding the sociologic elements, in earlier times, the great respect and prestige accorded physicians could foster arrogance in some. Today, physicians as a group are less likely to be idealized, but the health care system has depersonalized the doctor-patient relationship and created a kind of "system arrogance" in which the patient is seen not as a person but merely as a job to be done cost-effectively. As for psychological aspects, physicians are sometimes drawn to medicine by their unconscious concerns about illness and mortality-they become health experts in the hope of extending their own lives. Such physicians treat death as the enemy, and may practice unwarranted heroic measures. But the most critical variable in the development of arrogance is a physician's knowledge and thereby his or her power over the patient. This can delude some physicians into imagining that they are all-powerful. Seriously ill or injured patients tend to view the physician as an omnipotent parent and savior, and in this way unwittingly tempt physicians to be arrogant. The author concludes by reminding his fellow physicians that "we should not exaggerate our own importance. we are but an instrument of healing and not its source."
Multidimensional/multiresolution Fourier estimation of signals

We generalized the short time Fourier transform and the cross spectral methods developed by the author and others over the past two decades. The method presented is based on application of a multidimensional Fourier transform. Each iteration of the Fourier transform channelizes the signal into successively narrower channels, and a single application of phase differentiation stabilizes the Fourier phase and effectively places all the signal component in their correct location in the spectrum. Finally, it is shown that it is possible to recover spectral components from spectral observations which are remote from the components being estimated.
Chemical composition of atmospheric nanoparticles formed from nucleation in Tecamac, Mexico : Evidence for an important role for organic species in nanoparticle growth

[1] We report Thermal Desorption Chemical Ionization Mass Spectrometer (TDCIMS) measurements of the composition of ambient 10–33 nm diameter particles formed from nucleation on 16 March 2006 in Tecamac, Mexico during the Megacity Initiative: Local and Global Research Observations (MILAGRO) field study. On this day, nucleated particles contained far more organics than sulfates: average ion molar ratios with measurement uncertainties for nitrate, organics and sulfur species were 6 ± 2%, 84 ± 5%, and 10 ± 1%, respectively. The measured organic species include nitrogen-containing organic compounds, organic acids, and hydroxy organic acids. Independent calculations show that sulfuric acid condensation could have accounted for only 10 ± 2% of the growth that was observed on this day, which is consistent with the TDCIMS measurements of composition. It follows that organic compounds play a dominant role the high growth rates that were observed.
Crystal Structures of Acetobacter aceti Succinyl-Coenzyme A (CoA):Acetate CoA-Transferase Reveal Specificity Determinants and Illustrate the Mechanism Used by Class I CoA-Transferases.

Coenzyme A (CoA)-transferases catalyze transthioesterification reactions involving acyl-CoA substrates, using an active-site carboxylate to form covalent acyl anhydride and CoA thioester adducts. Mechanistic studies of class I CoA-transferases suggested that acyl-CoA binding energy is used to accelerate rate-limiting acyl transfers by compressing the substrate thioester tightly against the catalytic glutamate [White, H., and Jencks, W. P. (1976) J. Biol. Chem. 251, 1688–1699]. The class I CoA-transferase succinyl-CoA:acetate CoA-transferase is an acetic acid resistance factor (AarC) with a role in a variant citric acid cycle in Acetobacter aceti. In an effort to identify residues involved in substrate recognition, X-ray crystal structures of a C-terminally His6-tagged form (AarCH6) were determined for several wild-type and mutant complexes, including freeze-trapped acetylglutamyl anhydride and glutamyl-CoA thioester adducts. The latter shows the acetate product bound to an auxiliary site that is required ...
Two-dimensional echocardiographic identification of pulmonary artery branch stenosis

Pulmonary artery branch stenosis is a not uncommon congenital lesion, noted in approximately 4% of children at the time of cardiac catheterization. Real-time 2-dimensional echocardiography was used to examine 10 patients with angiographically documented pulmonary branch stenosis. Five cases of pulmonary artery branch narrowing were identified by echocardiography without prior knowledge of angiographic findings. In 5 other patients whose angiographic results were known, the narrowings were identified in 4 of 5 cases. These results demonstrate the feasibility of evaluating pulmonary branch stenosis with the nonionizing, noninvasive method of 2-dimensional echocardiography.
Genome-Wide Local Ancestry Approach Identifies Genes and Variants Associated with Chemotherapeutic Susceptibility in African Americans

Chemotherapeutic agents are used in the treatment of many cancers, yet variable resistance and toxicities among individuals limit successful outcomes. Several studies have indicated outcome differences associated with ancestry among patients with various cancer types. Using both traditional SNP-based and newly developed gene-based genome-wide approaches, we investigated the genetics of chemotherapeutic susceptibility in lymphoblastoid cell lines derived from 83 African Americans, a population for which there is a disparity in the number of genome-wide studies performed. To account for population structure in this admixed population, we incorporated local ancestry information into our association model. We tested over 2 million SNPs and identified 325, 176, 240, and 190 SNPs that were suggestively associated with cytarabine-, 5′-deoxyfluorouridine (5′-DFUR)-, carboplatin-, and cisplatin-induced cytotoxicity, respectively (p≤10−4). Importantly, some of these variants are found only in populations of African descent. We also show that cisplatin-susceptibility SNPs are enriched for carboplatin-susceptibility SNPs. Using a gene-based genome-wide association approach, we identified 26, 11, 20, and 41 suggestive candidate genes for association with cytarabine-, 5′-DFUR-, carboplatin-, and cisplatin-induced cytotoxicity, respectively (p≤10−3). Fourteen of these genes showed evidence of association with their respective chemotherapeutic phenotypes in the Yoruba from Ibadan, Nigeria (p<0.05), including TP53I11, COPS5 and GAS8, which are known to be involved in tumorigenesis. Although our results require further study, we have identified variants and genes associated with chemotherapeutic susceptibility in African Americans by using an approach that incorporates local ancestry information.
Petty Traders, Gender, and Development in a South Indian Fishery*

Abstract: In this paper I examine the impact of mechanization and commercialization on small-scale fish traders in Kerala, India, with special emphasis on gender and the impact of economic transformation on women fish traders. I explore the relationship of women's work in distribution to production and how this has changed with capitalist development. I argue that because women's roles in the fish economy have been overlooked, they have experienced economic marginalization at the same time that their labor has become increasingly important for household survival. Such marginalization stems from a qualitative change that has taken place in their relationship to production and marketing as a result of capitalist development and the ecological crisis it has engendered.
The ‘sinew of development’: Cold War geopolitics, technical expertise, and water resource development in Southeast Asia, 1954–1975

One of the most significant yet largely hidden outcomes of the Cold War was the proliferation of hundreds of large, multipurpose dams throughout Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America under the auspices of programs of water resource development. These programs were the result of technical assistance programs created and guided by various organs of the US government. Carried out as an effort to convince newly independent states of America’s support and good intentions, this proliferation of water expertise was spearheaded by the US Bureau of Reclamation – an agency of the Department of Interior that became embroiled within efforts of the State Department to achieve specific geopolitical goals by containing the spread of global communism. This paper examines the evolution of a technopolitical network constructed around the Bureau’s most intensive engagement in supervising water resource development overseas, the promotion and design of the Pa Mong dam on the Mekong River during the 1960s. This cas...
A nonlinear stochastic model of fatigue crack length for on-line damage sensing

This paper presents a nonlinear stochastic model of fatigue crack length in metallic materials for damage estimation and life prediction of machinery components. The model structure is built upon on the underlying principle of the Karhunen-Loeve (K-L) expansion. The statistic of the (non-stationary) crack length process is generated without solving the extended Kalman filter equation in the Wiener integral setting or the Kolmogorov forward equation in the Ito integral setting. The model results have been verified with experimental data of time-dependent fatigue crack statistics for 2024-T3 and 7075-T6 aluminum alloys.
820-GHz imaging array using diode-connected NMOS transistors in 130-nm CMOS

An 820-GHz 8×8 imaging array using diode-connected NMOS transistor detectors is demonstrated in 130-nm CMOS process. Measured mean responsivity of 3.4 kV/W and mean NEP of 28 pW/Hz1/2 at 1MHz modulation frequency are achieved. The NEP is 3.5X lower than that of NMOS and slightly lower than that of Schottky diode terahertz imaging arrays implemented in CMOS. The minimum NEP is 15.5 pW/Hz1/2, which is the lowest for THz detector arrays fabricated in CMOS. The imaging array occupies 2.0×1.7mm2 and the power consumption is 9.6 mW.