cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An Automated Design Framework for Floating Point Scientific Algorithms using Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) (Abstract Only)

This paper presents a reconfigurable computing environment while addressing the problem of porting High Performance Computing (HPC) applications directly to Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs)-based architectures. The objectives of this research are developing a comprehensive floating point library of essential functions for scientific applications; demonstrate order of magnitude speedup of reconfigurable computing applications, demonstrating the effectiveness of automated design framework for both development and test of scientific algorithms. The developed framework can be reused in various scientific applications which shares kernel functions. The study of this research has identified an exponential function as a kernel for cellular ophthalmoscopy camera processing, traffic monitoring and light wave simulation. The paper demonstrates 30x speedup of these kernels in three algorithms using its novel architecture and its automated toolset. Exponential kernel generation case study and its flexible hardware implementation on an FPGA has been validated onto a Xilinx LX-100 device and the Nallatech H101-PCIXM FPGA board.
On the congruence extension property

It is shown that a quasivariety has the extension property for all relative congruences if it has the extension property for principal relative congruences. This generalizes the analogous result for varieties, due to A. Day. The proof differs from Day's in that it avoids the use of Zorn's Lemma.
Neural Plasticity After Acquired Brain Injury: Evidence from Functional Neuroimaging

Abstract The reorganization of the adult central nervous system after damage is a relatively new area of investigation. Neuroimaging methods, such as functional magnetic resonance imaging, diffusion tensor imaging, and positron emission tomography, have the ability to identify, in vivo, some of the processes involved in these neuroplastic changes and can help with diagnosis, prognosis, and potentially treatment approaches. In this article, traumatic brain injury and stroke are used as examples in which neural plasticity plays an important role in recovery. Basic concepts related to brain remodeling, including spontaneous reorganization and training-induced recovery, as well as characteristics of reorganization in successful recovery, are reviewed. The microscopic and molecular mechanisms that underlie neural plasticity and neurogenesis are briefly described. Finally, exciting future directions for the evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of severe brain injury are explored, with an emphasis on how neuroimaging can help to inform these new approaches.
Physiologically Based Pharmacokinetic Modeling: From Regulatory Science to Regulatory Policy

Assessment of controllable sources of intra- and interpatient variability in drug response is of critical importance in the regulatory evaluation of new drugs.(1) Although determinants of response variability would ideally be understood and accounted for before approval of a new pharmaceutical product, this is rarely the case for all; clinical trials in specific populations that definitively test optimal dosing in patient management strategies are not routinely performed prior to drug approval.
Microstructure and topography of vapor deposited, sputtered and annealed (111) palladium films

Abstract The microstructural effects of argon ion bombardment and thermal annealing on vapor deposited (111) Pd films on mica substrates have been studied. Sputtering resulted in surface roughening as well as in the formation of an amorphous phase and double positioned twins. In the higher fluence zones, relatively large blisters were formed. Moderate annealing of the sputtered film did not restore the original smoothness of the surface. The hillocks became larger while their density decreased.
Effects of beta-blockade and atropine on ischemic responses in left ventricular regions subtending coronary stenosis during dobutamine stress echocardiography.

Objectives This study was designed to examine the effects of a beta-adrenergic blocking agent on the ischemic response to dobutamine stress and to determine the degree to which these effects can be abolished by the addition of atropine. Background Whether beta-blockade affects the sensitivity of dobutamine stress echocardiography for the diagnosis of coronary artery disease has been controversial. Methods In nine pigs, a left anterior descending coronary artery stenosis was created to reduce flow reserve (maximal/rest flow) to 1.1 to 1.9 without baseline regional wall motion abnormalities. This corresponded to a 50% to 90% diameter stenosis. Wall thickening was measured using epicardial echocardiography. Regional lactate production and coronary venous pH were monitored from an adjacent cardiac vein. A standard protocol of dobutamine stress echocardiography was first performed. After normalization of the ischemic abnormalities elicited with this infusion, esmolol was infused at 50 μg/kg body weight per min and the dobutamine test was repeated, with 1.0 mg of atropine added at the maximal dobutamine dose. Results Without esmolol, dobutamine stress induced myocardial ischemia with a reduction in regional wall thickening and lactate production in all nine pigs. Multiple regression analysis revealed that coronary flow per heartbeat (p Conclusions A correlation between regional wall thickening and coronary flow per heartbeat was demonstrated during baseline dobutamine stress. Beta-blockade shifted this relation so that dobutamine stress-induced myocardial ischemia was attenuated. The mechanisms by which beta-blockade prevents dobutamine-induced ischemia appeared to be mainly through decreases in heart rate and rate of rise in left ventricular pressure, improvement of regional coronary flow per heartbeat and attenuation of regional ischemic lactate production. Adding atropine in conventional doses enhanced the ability of dobutamine stress to induce myocardial ischemia but did not completely abolish the effects of beta-blockade on either the severity of dobutamine-induced wall thickening abnormalities or regional metabolic disturbances.
Design and use of tailored hard‐pulse trains for uniformed saturation of myocardium at 3 Tesla

Complete and uniform saturation of myocardium is essential for quantitative myocardial perfusion imaging using the first pass of a contrast agent. At 3 T, inhomogeneities of both the static (B(0)) and radiofrequency (B(1)) magnetic fields have led to the use of adiabatic B(1)-insensitive rotation type 4 (BIR-4) pulses, which in practice are constrained by radiofrequency (RF) heating. In this study, we propose the use of trains of weighted hard pulses that are optimized for the measured variation of B(0) and B(1) fields in the myocardium. These pulses are simple to design, and require substantially lower RF power when compared with BIR-4 pulses. In volunteers, at 3 T, we demonstrated that the proposed saturation pulse with three subpulses results in lower peak and lower average residual longitudinal magnetization over the heart, as compared with 8-msec BIR-4 pulses and conventional hard pulse trains (P < 0.05).
A test of the cosmopolitan distribution of fresh-water protozoans

The cosmopolitan distribution and invasion of fresh-water protozoans were examined on Abaco Island, Bahamas by comparing: (1) samples from surface waters; (2) containers of sterile water exposed to colonization; and (3) cultured soil samples. The distributional pattern of protozoans in the various surface waters was not uniform; the number of species found varied widely (from 1–32 sp.). Out of 74 species from surface waters and 119 species from the soil cultures, 20 species were common to both studies. Other species common only to soil samples may act as a reservoir group which furnishes colonizing species should a suitable aquatic habitat be present. Very few species (range of 0–6 per container) were collected from jars of exposed sterile water. The variation in numbers and kinds of species found in surface waters may be due to variations in water quality or variation of invaders, while differences in number of species found in the containers may indicate some variation in air-borne invasion rate since water quality was essentially the same.
Viz-R: Using Recency to Improve Student and Domain Models

We describe a new method to troubleshoot and improve domain and student models from interactive learning environments. The method applies as long as the models can generate predictions of student behavior. The method is a visualization of model predictions, categorized using a metric of recent performance. We describe the method, its application in prior work to student models, and a proposed extension to domain models.
Tragedy After Darwin: Timberlake Wertenbaker Remakes "Modern" Tragedy

None of the plays in this volume has easy answers, none had an easy reception, and they are permeated with sadness: the sadness I have felt that in this twenty-first century, in this third millennium, human beings are in trouble in some way. They have lost their certainty. Perhaps it was never really there .... Perhaps this was lost with Darwin, then lost more profoundly in the twentieth century, partly through an awareness of the limits of science, its own uncertainty; and partly because of the savagery of the wars; then lost again with the fall of political ideologies in 1989; and now with 11 September, when even the rules of hostility have changed. Indeed, when there seem to be no rules. --Timberlake Wertenbaker, Plays Two (1) What type of play can a playwright compose that adequately reflects this c they are exercises in cultural diagnostics, more or less disguised." (5) What consistently remains important about tragedy, then, is not its literary structure, but the sense that Western culture employs tragedy to understand itself when it is in crisis and that the literary structure therefore comes to reflect the culture's modes of exploring and, depending on the view of catharsis, its mode of confronting its crises and upheavals. Even though it premiered three years before September 11, 2001, Wertenbaker's After Darwin follows "after" tragedy in this vein, seeking a form that will allow the contents of contemporary crises to be explored and dealt with by an audience, all the while asking: how does tragedy persist, though changed, after Darwin? As Stuart Young, Maya Roth, and I have argued elsewhere, in her plays Timberlake Wertenbaker insistently reworks dramatic form. (6) Greek plays, as well Racine's Phedre, stand prominent among the tragic texts to which Wertenbaker (re)turns. Her translations/adaptations of Sophocles' Theban plays and Euripides' Hecuba exert impact on not only Love of the Nightingale, but also Credible Witness. Dianeira works with and through Sophocles' Women of Trachis while Three Birds Alighting on a Field writes "after" the Philoctetes myth (also dramatized in Sophocles). Wertenbaker's own commentary, "The Voices We Hear" articulates how fully Greek tragedy inspires her theatrical mindscape. (7) Meanwhile, Wertenbaker's version of Phedre was workshopped and performed at Canada's Stratford Theatre Festival during the summer of 2009, before moving to San Francisco's American Conservatory Theatre in early 2010. …
Expectant management versus labor induction for suspected fetal macrosomia: a systematic review

Abstract OBJECTIVE: To systematically review and summarize the medical literature regarding the effects of expectant management and labor induction on mode of delivery and perinatal outcomes in patients with suspected fetal macrosomia. DATA SOURCES: We supplemented a search of entries in electronic databases with references cited in original studies and review articles to identify studies assessing management of patients with suspected fetal macrosomia. METHODS OF STUDY SELECTION: We evaluated, abstracted data, and performed quantitative analyses in studies assessing the outcome of patients with suspected fetal macrosomia. Observational studies and randomized trials were included in this systematic review. TABULATION, INTEGRATION, AND RESULTS: Twenty-nine studies were identified, 11 of which met our criteria for systematic review and meta-analysis. These 11 studies included 3751 subjects. Of these, 2700 were managed expectantly, and 1051 underwent labor induction. We calculated an estimate of the odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for dichotomous outcomes, using random- and fixed-effects models for outcomes. Summary statistics for the nine observational studies showed that, compared with those whose labor was induced, women who experienced spontaneous onset of labor had a lower incidence of cesarean delivery (OR 0.39, 95% CI 0.30, 0.50) and higher rates of spontaneous vaginal delivery (OR 2.07, 95% CI 1.34, 3,19); however, significant differences in these outcomes were not noted when the two randomized trials were assessed. No differences were noted in rates of operative vaginal deliveries, incidence of shoulder dystocia, or abnormal Apgar scores in the analyses of the observational or randomized studies. CONCLUSION: Based on data from observational studies, labor induction for suspected fetal macrosomia results in an increased cesarean delivery rate without improving perinatal outcomes. Although their statistical power is limited, randomized clinical trials have not confirmed these findings.
Introduction to special issue on biodiversity1

The study of biodiversity is fundamental to our understanding of life on Earth and to confronting some of the problems caused by our own species. Further, we increasingly count on biodiversity for a wide variety of ecosystem functions and services amid a gauntlet of anthropogenic changes, including exploding human population levels; global climate change; the spread of invasive species, pests, and pathogens; and overharvesting ( Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, 2005 ). In fact, biodiversity is diminishing at a rate even faster than the last mass extinction at the end of the Cretaceous Period, 65 million years ago, with possibly two-thirds of existing terrestrial species likely to become extinct by the end of this century — the vast majority of them unknown to science at the time they disappear ( Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, 2005 ). The term biodiversity, coined after the National Academy of Sciences/Smithsonian Institution symposium in 1986 ( Wilson, 1988 ), evokes a great number of perspectives among the general populace and academic sectors. To most laypeople and in colloquial terms, biodiversity implies some indication of the numbers and types of species, genes, and/or species functions. Tropical areas are generally taken to be more biodiverse than temperate and arctic regions; national parks and other protected areas strive to preserve areas of high or unique biodiversity; zoos and botanical gardens make the concept of biodiversity accessible to and appreciated by millions of visitors on a daily basis. The academic study of biodiversity can be roughly divided into four categories, each of which is essential to our understanding, and ultimately, the preservation, of this essential feature of life. (1) Taxonomy and systematics. The categorization and description of species, how they are related to one another, and how they are distributed across the globe are essential components of biodiversity studies. Fewer scientists are being trained in this area, however, and funding and other opportunities are somewhat limited. Fortunately, museums and botanical gardens continue to provide leadership in this venue, although training opportunities for students are somewhat limited. Other programs, including the National Science Foundation ’ s Tree of Life program, provide incentives and opportunities to move this area forward. (2) Evolutionary biology and biogeography. Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace, among other early evolutionary biologists, showed how the powerful study of biogeographic patterns of species biodiversity, as well as patterns of species traits and distributions, within and among taxonomic groups can shed light onto important evolutionary processes. This area of study remains a mainstay of evolutionary studies, including macroevolutionary and phylogeographic approaches, and has been greatly enhanced in the recent past by the advent of powerful molecular and statistical approaches (e.g., Wiens and Donoghue, 2004 ).
Optimal load flow—a condensed formulation

Abstract This paper presents a formulation of the optimal load flow problem in which all the equality constraints are eliminated by including the weighted sum of their infeasibilities in the objective function. The only remaining constraints are the inequalities and bounds on the variables. This reduces the computer memory requirement considerably. Test results on the IEEE 30-bus system are presented.
Synthesis of Telechelic Polyphosphazenes via the Ambient Temperature Living Cationic Polymerization of Amino Phosphoranimines

A method for the synthesis of well-defined mono-, di-, and mixed-telechelic polyphosphazenes produced via a living cationic polymerization of phosphoranimines is described. Amino phosphoranimines R−NH(CF3CH2O)2PNSiMe3 (R = Ph−, p-BrPh−, p-H3CPh−, CH2CHCH2−, and CH2CHPh−) were synthesized via a reaction between a bromophosphoranimine and the appropriate organic amine. Ditelechelic polymers [R−NH]2−[Cl2PN]n were prepared by quenching living poly(dichlorophosphazene) chains, [Cl3PN(Cl2PN)n−PCl3]+[PCl6]- with small quantities of the amino phosphoranimines. Cationic initiators of the amino phosphoranimines were also generated using PCl5 and were used to polymerize Cl3PNSiMe3, to give monotelechelic poly(dichlorophosphazenes). In addition, a mixed telechelic system was produced by the termination of an allylamino monotelechelic poly(dichlorophosphazene) chain with a bromoanilino phosphoranimine. In all cases, displacement of the chlorine atoms with sodium trifluoroethoxide yielded hydrolytically stable telechel...
Murine strain differences in the volume effect and incidence of radiation-induced colorectal obstruction

Abstract Purpose: Interindividual variation in the level of normal tissue damage after radiotherapy has been clinically observed. Murine models have suggested that there may be a genetic component to the variation in susceptibility of different radiation-induced normal tissue complications. Currently, there are no experimental data available describing interstrain differences in the "volume effect" for irradiated normal tissues, such as the colorectum. The aims of this study are to determine if there are strain differences in: 1. the incidence of colorectal obstruction; and 2. the volume effect, after irradiation of the colorectum using two mouse strains that are known to vary in their susceptibility for developing pulmonary fibrosis. Methods and Materials: Various lengths (5.2 to 22.9 mm) of the colorectum of male C57B1/6 and C3Hf/Kam mice were irradiated with a single dose (30 Gy) of 137 Cs γ rays. Also, various doses (20 to 35 Gy) were given to a single length (22.9 mm) of colorectum. The incidence of obstruction was determined as a function of length and dose at 6 months after irradiation. The Threshold Probability model was fit to the length-response data. Results: C57B1/6 mice developed colorectal obstruction at significantly higher incidence than C3Hf/Kam mice at all lengths after a single dose of 30 Gy. In addition, the data showed a strain difference in the threshold length of colorectum that had to be irradiated before obstructions were observed. Conclusion: Strain differences in the incidence of radiation-induced colorectal obstruction were observed, consistent with previous studies that showed a strain difference in radiation-induced pulmonary fibrosis. The presence of a threshold length of colorectum that was different for the two strains is consistent with the concept that there may be a critical threshold amount of colorectal tissue that can tolerate a high dose without complication, and that the dimensions of the threshold may vary among individuals.
A Decomposition of Feedback Contributions to Polar Warming Amplification

AbstractPolar surface temperatures are expected to warm 2–3 times faster than the global-mean surface temperature: a phenomenon referred to as polar warming amplification. Therefore, understanding the individual process contributions to the polar warming is critical to understanding global climate sensitivity. The Coupled Feedback Response Analysis Method (CFRAM) is applied to decompose the annual- and zonal-mean vertical temperature response within a transient 1% yr−1 CO2 increase simulation of the NCAR Community Climate System Model, version 4 (CCSM4), into individual radiative and nonradiative climate feedback process contributions. The total transient annual-mean polar warming amplification (amplification factor) at the time of CO2 doubling is +2.12 (2.3) and +0.94 K (1.6) in the Northern and Southern Hemisphere, respectively. Surface albedo feedback is the largest contributor to the annual-mean polar warming amplification accounting for +1.82 and +1.04 K in the Northern and Southern Hemisphere, respe...
Multimedia retrieval through indexing speech: an enterprise perspective

The institutional memory of enterprises is increasingly comprised of digital multimedia content, such as online lecture videos and presentations, archived meetings or conference calls, and voicemail. A key technology for efficiently managing such content is keyword search into the spoken audio content using automatic speech recognition (ASR).A key learning for deploying ASR-based indexing in enterprises is that multimedia content is often not stored in a centralized hosting application, but in a "long tail' of small teams' intranet sites, often built by technology enthusiasts who like to tinker and make creative use of technology. This calls for an indexing platform rather than a standalone app, audio indexing being one feature, easy to deploy with limited IT skills in a "do-it-yourself"-manner, and integrating with the existing information-management infrastructure.We will present approaches to three enterprise-characteristic challenges arising from these requirements: (1) Probabilistic indexing of word lattices instead of speech-to-text transcripts, to address the limited recognition accuracy (often in the 50% range due to lack of matching acoustic/domain corpora); (2) phonetic search and vocabulary adaptation for indexing person names, domain terminology, and code names missing in a standard recognizer; and (3) approximations to implement probabilistic lattice indexing on top of existing industry-strength full-text search engines, for maximal reuse and integration with existing tools and deployments to reduce cost, and to enable non-speech experts to manage and operate indexing/search system and build/mesh-up line-of-business applications around it.
The effect of temperature on the elastic properties of polymer melts

A correlation is developed between the melt elasticity and temperature, the melt elasticity being defined by the normal stress difference. The correlation follows the form of the Arrhenius equation, for the temperature range tested, for high density polyethylene and polypropylene melts. Measurements were taken using the capillary rheometer which is described in detail in the author's earlier publications. The author further presents a correlation between the pressure drop at the entrance of a capillary and the residual pressure at the exit of the capillary (exit pressure). The correlations presented in the paper support the author's earlier contention that the exit pressure is indeed a manifestation of elastic behavior.
Segmentation and communication in the industrial marketplace

Abstract This article reports the results of a study undertaken in an intensely competitive industrial market in which the sponsoring company needed to identify those segments of the market that would lead to sales growth. The marketing planning and segmentation literature is used to provide conceptual guidance in developing a viable marketing strategy. Commercially available data were combined with data obtained from a telephone survey to identify potential new customers and to test a series of hypotheses. The results of the study suggest that 1) awareness of the company by potential buyers, 2) the size of the buyer's firms, and 3) the geographic location of the buyer's firms are all related to the buyers' interest in the company's products and their willingness to receive both impersonal and personal communications from the company.
Advanced materials for drop in solution to Pb in high temp solders: The next generation of zinc based solder alloy

The search for an acceptable die attach solution to the European End of Life Vehicle RoHS Directive has proven problematic for the industry with several potential materials being evaluated. The mandate affects a full array of semiconductor device types from Power Modules, Smart Power ASICs to Power MOS-FETs & IGBTs in SMD and Through-Hole packages, which all contain high temperature lead containing solders until the RoHS exemption expires. Several IDMs have looked at four base material technologies: adhesives, Ag sintering, hybrid materials and solders with each one posing hurdles for mass production. The adhesives can use current equipment but are costly and have low thermal conductivity. Ag sintering has shown promising temperature cycle result but is costly and requires development of new equipment and processes. Hybrid materials can use established equipment sets but are also costly and have not been proven in high volume. There has been extensive development of solder technologies as it poses the highest likelihood of delivering a “drop in” solution to lead. Companies have spent years developing a solution that performs similarly to lead in all of the different applications. One of those solutions is Zn based alloys which have shown potential to provide a nearly drop-in solution to lead-based materials without the use of expensive precious metal or capital expenditure. Prior generations of solder development initially looked at Bismuth alloys due to the material similarities with Lead. Although Bismuth alloys are available on the market, they have two flaws that prevent them from mass adoption. The first flaw is the low thermal conductivity, achieving only 12 to 17 W/m-K. The second is the process requirement of surviving three times reflow at 260C. Since Bismuth alloys melt from 255 to 275C, they are unable to meet the reflow process constraint. This paper will focus on the development of Zn alloys for the replacement of lead in high temperature solders. Zinc solders overcome the two hurdles Bismuth encounters and offer a solution with thermal conductivity more than 100W/m-K and melting temperature higher than 300C. In addition, the solder material has cost benefits compared to the alternative solutions while providing improved thermal conductivity and resistivity over current lead solders. The process window of the Zn alloys are not as wide as its lead solder counterparts, requiring substantial composition and process development, and depending on device type and use, metallization requirements. Material development has lead to further understanding of intermetallic compound (IMC) formation and impacts to bond lines during reliability evaluation while using bare copper lead frames and nickel plated lead frames. Following the recommended guidelines, Zn based alloys are an acceptable alternative to lead for use within high temperature solders.
Air flight disaster, post- traumatic stress, and post- ventive rescue and response: the aftermath of the San Diego PSA 182 plane crash recovery operation, 20 years on

San Diego in 1978 was the scene of one of the USA's most tragic and traumatic air flight disasters, when an inbound Boeing 727 collided with a small private Cessna 172. The collision occurred in the vicinity of North Park, a suburb of San Diego. All aircraft occupants were killed or injured and many residents were injured. The wreckage was mainly concentrated in an area about the size of a city block, in a temperature of 100 degrees F or more. The whole experience was unlike anything any of the professionals involved had been prepared for, and beyond anything the civilians involved could have imagined. Many sought out intervention and help and counselling, and this paper examines the implications of the event 20 years on.
Sexually Transmitted Diseases in Pregnancy in Urgent Care Setting

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are a major public health concern in the US and around the world. Pregnant women comprise a particularly vulnerable group of patients. Some of the common STDs are human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), herpes simplex virus (HSV), chlamydia, gonorrhea, hepatitis B, trichomoniasis, syphilis, human papilloma virus (HPV), and bacterial vaginosis (BV). It is common to see patients with STDs in an urgent care setting and can be a challenge for medical personnel to recognize and treat these problems. Health care professionals in urgent care settings need to recognize the signs and symptoms of these infections to appropriately screen, diagnose, and treat these conditions in pregnant women in order to prevent both maternal and neonatal complications. J Clin Gynecol Obstet. 2014;3(4):123-128 doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.14740/jcgo277w
Ten years of career success in relation to individual and situational variables from the employee development literature

Abstract Individual, situational, and socio-demographic variables from the employee development literature were combined with theory and research on career success in a ten-year study of 289 workers from across many jobs and industries in the workforce. Support for employee development by one's employer ten years prior and a trend of increasing/accumulating support contributed to career success, providing the first long-term confirmation of the value to careers from support for development by employers. Proactive personality had unique effects on success not accounted for by a broad array of other variables, strengthening conclusions from prior research about the predictive value of proactive personality which were based on data not controlling for these variables. Finally, achievement goal orientation influenced success in a unique way via “profile effects:” Goal orientation dimensions interacted to predict success, suggesting simple linear effects (e.g. being more learning-oriented) may be inadequate in explaining career success. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.
How the Reflection of Linear Correlation in Odds Ratios Depends on the Cut-Off Points

When an OR is calculated based on data measured on continuous scales, the magnitude of the OR is dependent on the cut-offs chosen for dichotomizing both dependent and independent variables even when the relationship is strictly linear. Cuts away from the median on either or both dependent and independent variables increase the expected OR. This increase is quite substantial when the cut-off is made at the extremes. Illustrations of the consequences of cut-off on OR for populations with varying values of linear correlation are provided in simulated and real data. Potential circumstances and motivations for such dichotomizations are discussed.
Reproduction and estrogen-induced vitellogenesis in Dipsosaurus dorsalis.

1. 1. The ovarian cycle of female Dipsosaurus dorsalis was studied during June through October. A peak of vitellogenesis occurred in late June. 2. 2. Ovarian maturation was accompanied by significant increases in oviduct weight, plasma protein fraction 4 (the “beta-globulin”) and total plasma calcium. 3. 3. Ovulation was followed first by a decrease in calcium and later by a decrease in plasma fraction 4. 4. 4. Oviduct and adrenal weight decreased from peak summer levels by October. 5. 5. A single injection of estradiol 17β in post-reproductive females was followed by significant increases in plasma protein fraction 4 and calcium. 6. 6. This response did not occur in the absence of the pituitary gland.
Coxsackie B3 myocarditis in athymic mice.

AbstractCoxsackie B3 virus produces myofiber necrosis and mononuclear infiltration in the hearts of both BALB/c and athymic mice within 8 days after infection. Viral clearance time from the myocardium of both athymic and BALB/c mice did not differ. Within 2 weeks of infection both strains of mice develop chronic inflammatory infiltrates comprised of cells that were diffusely and intensely acid-α-naphthyl esterase positive and characteristic of monocytes or showed only focal esterase staining characteristic of T-lymphocyte lineage.
Prospecting for Unannotated Enzymes: Discovery of a 3',5'-Nucleotide Bisphosphate Phosphatase within the Amidohydrolase Superfamily.

In bacteria, 3',5'-adenosine bisphosphate (pAp) is generated from 3'-phosphoadenosine 5'-phosphosulfate in the sulfate assimilation pathway, and from coenzyme A by the transfer of the phosphopantetheine group to the acyl-carrier protein. pAp is subsequently hydrolyzed to 5'-AMP and orthophosphate, and this reaction has been shown to be important for superoxide stress tolerance. Herein, we report the discovery of the first instance of an enzyme from the amidohydrolase superfamily that is capable of hydrolyzing pAp. Crystal structures of Cv1693 from Chromobacterium violaceum have been determined to a resolution of 1.9 A with AMP and orthophosphate bound in the active site. The enzyme has a trinuclear metal center in the active site with three Mn(2+) ions. This enzyme (Cv1693) belongs to the Cluster of Orthologous Groups cog0613 from the polymerase and histidinol phosphatase family of enzymes. The values of kcat and kcat/Km for the hydrolysis of pAp are 22 s(-1) and 1.4 × 10(6) M(-1) s(-1), respectively. The enzyme is promiscuous and is able to hydrolyze other 3',5'-bisphosphonucleotides (pGp, pCp, pUp, and pIp) and 2'-deoxynucleotides with comparable catalytic efficiency. The enzyme is capable of hydrolyzing short oligonucleotides (pdA)5, albeit at rates much lower than that of pAp. Enzymes from two other enzyme families have previously been found to hydrolyze pAp at physiologically significant rates. These enzymes include CysQ from Escherichia coli (cog1218) and YtqI/NrnA from Bacillus subtilis (cog0618). Identification of the functional homologues to the experimentally verified pAp phosphatases from cog0613, cog1218, and cog0618 suggests that there is relatively little overlap of enzymes with this function in sequenced bacterial genomes.
Seasonal and interannual variation in nutrient fluxes from tributary inputs, consumer recycling and algal growth in a eutrophic river impoundment

We measured tributary inputs, algal nutrient demand and excretion rates of consumers (gizzard shad and zooplankton) at a eutrophic river impoundment. During two summers with contrasting flow regimes, tributary inputs accounted for 38% (1998) and 3% (1999) of algal N demand and 95% (1998) and 17% (1999) of algal P demand. Gizzard shad contributions averaged 14% and 20% of algal demand for N whereas P contributions were 31% and 58% (1998, 1999; respectively). Zooplankton recycling accounted for a comparable fraction of algal P demand (47%) but a larger fraction of N demand (43%) because their excretia were N rich (N:P = 13:1) compared to fish (7:1). Nutrient release by one of the consumers (gizzard shad) was compared with tributary loading over a nine-year period to assess inter-annual variation in their relative importance. Historical records of inflow chemistry, discharge and gizzard shad biomass showed that variation in tributary inputs was the primary determinant of seasonal and inter-annual variation in nutrient loading. Consumer-derived nutrients were important in late-summer and during years when tributary inputs were low. We propose a conceptual model in which primary production is regulated by external nutrient loading and consumer recycling acts to stabilize and sustain production during periods of diminished external inputs.
Major transitions in histone gene expression do not occur during development in Xenopus laevis

In light of the parallels that exist in the structure of histone genes in sea urchins and in the frog, Xenopus laevis, and in the early development of these animals, it has been thought that Xenopus histone gene expression might be subject to the type of developmental regulation observed in sea urchins. We have examined the patterns of histone mRNA accumulation in Xenopus oocytes and embryos by primer extension and S1 nuclease protection techniques. The data demonstrate that histone genes which are active in Xenopus oocytes, and which contribute to large pools of histone mRNA in the absence of DNA replication, are also transcriptionally active in late embryos and in cultured cells. These results suggest that, rather than activating distinct sets of histone genes at different developmental stages, the developing frog embryo reprograms the expression of histone genes active in nondividing oocytes so that their expression becomes coupled to DNA replication subsequently during embryogenesis.
Immunoreactive substance P in sympathetic ganglia: distribution and sensitivity towards capsaicin.

Abstract The distribution of immunoreactive substance P was studied in sympathetic ganglia of guinea-pigs and rats. In both species the highest concentration was found in the coeliac-superior mesenteric ganglion. Guinea-pigs had three times higher concentrations of immunoreactive substance P than rats in all ganglia studied. Pretreatment of guinea-pigs with capsaicin (125 mg/kg; s.c.), an agent shown to deplete immunoreactive substance P only from primary sensory neurons, caused a 63–96% depletion of immunoreactive substance P in sympathetic ganglia and the splanchnic nerve. Superfusion of coeliac ganglia with capsaicin (3.3 × 10−5M) in vitro led to a calcium-dependent release of immunoreactive substance P. The findings that capsaicin causes release and depletion of immunoreactive substance P from sympathetic ganglia support the hypothesis that substance P-containing fibers in sympathetic ganglia are primary sensory neurons.
PROTECTION AGAINST ACETAMINOPHEN-INDUCED LIVER INJURY BY ALLOPURINOL IS DEPENDENT ON ALDEHYDE OXIDASE-MEDIATED LIVER PRECONDITIONING

Acetaminophen (APAP) overdose causes severe and occasionally fatal liver injury. Numerous drugs that attenuate APAP toxicity have been described. However these compounds frequently protect by cytochrome P450 inhibition, thereby preventing the initiating step of toxicity. We have previously shown that pretreatment with allopurinol can effectively protect against APAP toxicity, but the mechanism remains unclear. In the current study, C3HeB/FeJ mice were administered allopurinol 18h or 1h prior to an APAP overdose. Administration of allopurinol 18h prior to APAP overdose resulted in an 88% reduction in liver injury (serum ALT) 6h after APAP; however, 1h pretreatment offered no protection. APAP-cysteine adducts and glutathione depletion kinetics were similar with or without allopurinol pretreatment. The phosphorylation and mitochondrial translocation of c-jun-N-terminal-kinase (JNK) have been implicated in the progression of APAP toxicity. In our study we showed equivalent early JNK activation (2h) however late JNK activation (6h) was attenuated in allopurinol treated mice, which suggests that later JNK activation is more critical for the toxicity. Additional mice were administered oxypurinol (primary metabolite of allopurinol) 18h or 1h pre-APAP, but neither treatment protected. This finding implicated an aldehyde oxidase (AO)-mediated metabolism of allopurinol, so mice were treated with hydralazine to inhibit AO prior to allopurinol/APAP administration, which eliminated the protective effects of allopurinol. We evaluated potential targets of AO-mediated preconditioning and found increased hepatic metallothionein 18h post-allopurinol. These data show metabolism of allopurinol occurring independent of P450 isoenzymes preconditions the liver and renders the animal less susceptible to an APAP overdose.
Drosophila p120catenin plays a supporting role in cell adhesion but is not an essential adherens junction component.

Cadherin–catenin complexes, localized to adherens junctions, are essential for cell–cell adhesion. One means of regulating adhesion is through the juxtamembrane domain of the cadherin cytoplasmic tail. This region is the binding site for p120, leading to the hypothesis that p120 is a key regulator of cell adhesion. p120 has also been suggested to regulate the GTPase Rho and to regulate transcription via its binding partner Kaiso. To test these hypothesized functions, we turned to Drosophila, which has only a single p120 family member. It localizes to adherens junctions and binds the juxtamembrane region of DE-cadherin (DE-cad). We generated null alleles of p120 and found that mutants are viable and fertile and have no substantial changes in junction structure or function. However, p120 mutations strongly enhance mutations in the genes encoding DE-cadherin or Armadillo, the β-catenin homologue. Finally, we examined the localization of p120 during embryogenesis. p120 localizes to adherens junctions, but its localization there is less universal than that of core adherens junction proteins. Together, these data suggest that p120 is an important positive modulator of adhesion but that it is not an essential core component of adherens junctions.
The autodigestion hypothesis and receptor cleavage in diabetes and hypertension

One of the key features of cardiovascular complications, such as hypertension or diabetes, is that they often appear at the same time in the same individual together with other forms of co-morbidities. While clinically a recognized phenomenon, no molecular mechanism for such co-morbidities has received universal acceptance. We propose a new hypothesis that provides a molecular basis for co-morbidities in hypertension due to unchecked proteolytic activity and receptor destruction. Testing of the hypothesis in the spontaneously hypertensive rat reveals an unchecked matrix metalloproteinase and serine protease activity in plasma and on several cardiovascular and parenchymal cells. The elevated proteolytic activity causes extracellular cleavage of multiple receptor types, such that cleavage of one receptor type leads to loss of the function carried out by this receptor. Proteolytic cleavage of the extracellular domain of the β(2) adrenergic receptor in arteries and arterioles causes vasoconstriction and elevation of the central blood pressure while cleavage of the extracellular domain of the insulin receptor leads to insulin resistance and lack of transmembrane glucose transport. A diverse set of cell dysfunctions in the spontaneously hypertensive rat are accompanied by cleavage of the membrane receptors that are involved in these functions. Chronic inhibition of the unchecked protease activity in the spontaneously hypertensive rat serves to restore the extracellular receptor density and alleviates the corresponding cell dysfunctions. The mild unchecked proteolytic activity in the spontaneously hypertensive rat points towards a chronic autodigestion process as a contributor to the end organ injury encountered in this rat strain. The presence of various soluble receptors, which consist of extracellular fragments of membrane receptors, in the plasma of hypertensive and diabetic patients suggest that the autodigestion process may also be present in man.
What are comparative studies telling us about the mechanism of ERβ action in the ERE-dependent E2 signaling pathway? ☆

Estrogen hormone (E2) signaling is primarily conveyed by the estrogen receptors (ER) alpha and beta. ERs are encoded by two distinct genes and share varying degrees of domain-specific structural/functional similarities. ERs mediate a complex array of nuclear and non-nuclear events critical for the homeodynamic regulation of various tissue functions. The canonical nuclear signaling involves the interaction of ERalpha and ERbeta with specific DNA sequences, the so-called estrogen responsive elements (EREs). This interaction constitutes the initial step in ERE-dependent signaling in which ERbeta is a weaker transcription factor than ERalpha in response to E2. However, it remains unclear why transactivation potencies of ER subtypes differ. Studies suggest that the amino-terminus, the least conserved structural region, of ERbeta, but not that of ERalpha, impairs the ability of the receptor to bind to ERE independent of E2. Although the impaired ERbeta-ERE interaction contributes, it is not sufficient to explain the weak transactivation potency of the receptor. It appears that the lack of transactivation ability and of the capability of the amino-terminus of ERbeta, as opposed to that of ERalpha, to functionally interact with the carboxyl-terminal hormone-dependent activation domain is also critical for the receptor-specific activity. Thus, the structurally distinct amino-termini of ERs are important determinants in defining the function of ER-subtypes in the ERE-dependent pathway. This could differentially affect the physiology and pathophysiology of E2 signaling.
Mouse model of touch-evoked itch (alloknesis)

Lightly touching normal skin near a site of itch can elicit itch sensation, a phenomenon known as alloknesis. To investigate the neural mechanisms of alloknesis, we have developed an animal model. Low-threshold mechanical stimulation of the skin normally does not elicit any response in naive C57/BL6 mice. Following acute intradermal (i.d.) injection of histamine in the rostral back, mechanical stimulation 7 mm from the injection site elicited discrete hindlimb scratch bouts directed toward the stimulus. This began at 10 minutes and peaked 20-40 minutes post histamine injection, declining over the next hour. Histamine itself elicited bouts of scratching not associated with the mechanical stimulus, which ceased after 30 minutes. Histamine- and touch-evoked scratching was inhibited by the μ-opiate antagonist naltrexone. Touch-evoked scratching was observed following i.d. 5-HT (5-hydroxytryptamine), a protease-activated receptor (PAR)-4 agonist, and an MrgprC11 agonist BAM8-22, but not chloroquine or a PAR-2 agonist. The histamine H1 receptor antagonist terfenadine prevented scratching and alloknesis evoked by histamine, but not 5-HT, a PAR-4 agonist or an MrgprC11 agonist. In mice with experimental dry skin, there was a time-dependent increase in spontaneous and touch-evoked scratching. This animal model appears to be useful to investigate neural mechanisms of itch and alloknesis.
Continued volcanic inflation at the Three Sisters

As early as the summer of 1996, a 20- × 30-kilometer patch of earth lying just west of the South Sister volcano in central Oregon began to rise. The Three Sisters volcanoes, which comprise North Sister, Middle Sister, and South Sister, are the most prominent peaks in that stretch of the Cascade Mountains, a landscape littered with the remnants of volcanic activity. Although there has not been an eruption in the region in at least 1200 years, the detected deformations caused concern, and the region was put under continuous monitoring. Riddick and Schmidt, continuing the work initiated by other researchers, report on 14 years of satellite-based monitoring, describing the variable rate of the ground's movements and the likely cause of the activity—a sizeable magma intrusion lying 5–7 kilometers underground.