cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
RAFOS Floats: Defining and Targeting Surfaces of Neutral Buoyancy

Abstract For timescales much greater than the local buoyancy period, the buoyant response of a RAFOS float is virtually dictated by its compressibility. As the compressibility of a thermally inert RAFOS float increases from zero, its oceanic equilibrium surface undergoes a smooth continuous deformation starting from an in situ density surface, eventually merging with an isopycnal surface and finally with a neutral surface. Thus there is a continuum of operational modes available to RAFOS floats; each mode is associated with a critical compressibility. Hypothetically, the compressee that transforms an isobaric RAFOS float into an isopycnal float can be modified to make a neutral-surface drifter by altering the critical value of its compressibility. The ballast procedure used to target a float to a prescribed equilibrium surface can be viewed as an accurate (±3%) laboratory measurement of the float's compressibility. For current “isobaric” RAFOS floats, the mean measured compressibility was approximately 2....
Knight shift of adsorbed hydrogen on RuCu bimetallics

Abstract The Friedel sum rule has been applied successfully to calculate and interpret the experimental proton Knight shift resulting from hydrogen chemisorbed on RuCu bimetallic particles. Knight shifts have been calculated as a function of surface site occupancy for a very dilute concentration of Cu in Ru. With a full monolayer of Cu atoms on Ru the Knight shift, K, is found to be ≈-7 ppm in contrast with the value K≈94 ppm for hydrogen on pure Cu. The theoretical results indicate that except for very large concentrations of Cu in Ru, when 2-dimensional Cu island formation takes place, the protons resonate at frequencies closer to the frequency for the H/Ru system in qualitative agreement with the experimental findings.
Simple Models for Surface Cracking

A simple model for crack growth in thin films deposited onto a substrate has been developed. This model results in the generation of cracking patterns which have a remarkably realistic appearance. In the simulations a slow crack initiation period is followed by a period of rapid crack growth in which quite linear cracks are formed. Later on the crack growth process becomes slower and less regular as the cracking process relieves much of the stress in the surface layer. In this model pre-existing defects have a large effect on the crack growth kinetics and morphology.
Discrepancies between MIC and MLC values of amphotericin B against isolates of Aspergillus species.

There is little information addressing the phenomena of discrepancy between minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) and minimal lethal concentrations (MLC) values of amphotericin B (AMB) to clinical isolates of fungi. This study assessed in vitro activity of AMB against 70 clinical isolates of aspergilli: 30 strains ofAspergillus fumigatus, 20 strains ofAspergillus flavus and 20 strains ofAspergillus niger. Susceptibility tests were accomplished using a macro broth dilution procedure, with special emphasis on ascertainment of MLCs. AMB exhibited low MIC values against all clinical isolates. While we did not identify any AMB resistant isolates among 70Aspergillus spp. studied as judged by MIC levels, analysis of the data demonstrated a clear discrepancy between the MIC and MLC levels of AMB obtained against clinical isolates ofAspergillus spp. The MLC values of AMB were significantly higher than the MIC values with MIC 50 and MIC 90 of 0.29 and 0.5 µg/ml, respectively, at the second reading time, and MLC 50 and MLC 90 of 2.31 and 9.24 µg/ml, respectively (p<0.001). Additionally, minimal lethal concentrations in 36/70 (51%) of aspergillal isolates studied produced drug concentrations above those which can usually be sustained in patient plasma or tissue.
AN UNUSUAL NEW SPECIES OF DRAPARNALDIA FROM LAKE CHAMPLAIN1,2,3

SUMMARY Draparnaldia champlainensis sp. nov. is described and compared with other species of the genus and with Draparnaldiopsis. It closely resembles certain species described by Meyer from Lake Baikal and also Draparnaldiopsis simplex Jao. Its distinguishing features are (1) determinate branches borne in whorls on nearly every cell of the main axis; (2) one or a few broad hairs originating near the base of the determinate branch system; (3) a well-defined group of meristematic cells at the base of the hair; and (4) extensive rhizoidal cortication in the lower portions of the plants and at the base of the main branches. Draparnaldiopsis simplex Jao is transferred to the genus Draparnaldia and renamed Draparnaldia jaoi nom. nov.
Thermotropic properties of human erythrocyte membrane proteins as affected by hydroxychloroaromatic compounds.

Abstract The thermal stability of the anion transport protein (band 3) and other proteins of the human erythrocyte membrane, as influenced by hydroxychloroaromatic (HO-Clx-Ar) compounds, was studied by differential scanning calorimetry. Various hydroxychlorodiphenyl ethers (HO-Clx-DPEs) and hexachlorophene, but not pentachlorophenol, caused a marked decrease in the thermal stability of band 3. Most of the other calorimetric transitions of the erythrocyte membrane were only slightly affected. The activity of HO-Clx-DPEs toward lowering the transition temperature of band 3 generally increased with the degree of chlorination, and was somewhat dependent on the position of hydroxyl substitution. At higher concentrations of HO-Clx-DPEs, there was a decrease in the enthalpy change and a broadening of the endothermic transition of band 3. The order of effectiveness of these compounds, as determined from band 3 denaturation temperatures, was similar to the order of potency previously observed for hemolysis of human erythrocytes.
The Effect Of Speckle On The Segmentation Of Synthetic Aperture Radar Images

The presence of speckle in Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) images makes segmentation of such images difficult either by gray levels or by texture. A natural way to segment an image by gray level is to select thresholds at the valleys of its multi-modal histogram if it exists. This paper will investigate the existence of histogram valleys in SAR images, the classification errors and devise a procedure for multi-level thresholding of SAR images.
The R3O+···H+ Hydrogen Bond: Toward a Tetracoordinate Oxadionium(2+) Ion

Oxatriquinanes are tricyclic oxonium ions which are known to possess remarkable solvolytic stability compared to simple alkyl oxonium salts. Their rigid, hemispherical structure presents an oxygen at the apex of three fused five-membered rings. While trivalent oxygen species like these have been well described in the literature, the ability of oxygen to enter into a fourth covalent bonding relationship has been visited in theory and suggested by the outcome of certain reactions conducted in superacidic media, but has never been established by the characterization of a stable, persistent R3OH2+ or R4O2+ ion. In this study, the nucleophilicity of the oxatriquinane oxygen was evaluated first by a series of protonation studies using the Bronsted superacid H(CHB11Cl11) both in the solid state and in liquid HCl solution. The interaction of the oxatriquinane oxygen with a bridging carbocation was also examined. A strong case could be made for the occurrence of hydrogen bonding between H(CHB11Cl11) and oxatriquin...
An Experimental Study of Transvenous Defibrillation Using a Coronary Sinus Catheter

Sinus Catheter. The efficacy of a transvenous defibrillating system, utilizing bipolar right ventricular andcoronary sinus catheters was evaluated in 14 normal mongrel'dogs. Tivo groups of seven animals each werestudied^ During all shocks, the right ventricular apex electrode sensed as the anode. In both groups, defihrillationwas performed using the proximal pole of the right veritricular catheter (superior vena cava), as the cathodeserved as a control (configuration A). In group 1, a coronanj sinus cathode (configuration B) was compyaredto control. The mean energy at which 50% or more of the shocks were successful was similar for configura-tion B (20.7 ± 7.9 joules) and for configuration A (18.8 ± 9.4 joules). In group 2, the superior vena cavaand coronary sinus electrodes served as a common cathode (configuration C). Mean defibrillation energyat which 50% or more of the shocks loas successful was 21.4 ± 9.0 joules for configuration C and 27.1 ±9.5 joules for configuration A (P < 0.01). Leading edge voltage was similar for all three configurations, butshock duration was longer for configuration A (11.3 ± 2.8 msec) than configuration B (6.6 ± 1.8 msec)or C(6.1 ± 1.5; P < 0.05). Nonsustained ventricular tachycardia and transient heart block were common,but no damage to the coronary sinus ivas noted despite the delivery of up to 38 shocks. Conclusions: (Vmth the catheter system used] coronary sinus to right ventricular apex defibrillation system offered no ad-vantages over a superior vena cava to right ventricular apex system; (2) A three-electrode system zoith thehigh right atrium and coronary sinus serving as the common cathode reduced defibrillation thresholdssignificantly without any severe short-term adverse consequences; and (3) Improvements in catheter designmay make a coronary sinus catheter part of a feasible transvenous defibrillating system. (J Electrophysiol
Organism losses during ice melting: A serious bias in sea ice community studies

When ice samples are melted, microorganisms living within the brine inclusions are subjected to rapid and extreme changes in salinities. This procedure results in substantial losses of flagellates and ciliates. Most of these losses can be prevented if ice samples are melted in larger volumes of sterile sea water to buffer salinity and osmotic changes. Since most studies on the ice biota have ignored, or have been unable to avoid this bias, current views of the composition and activity of sea ice communities are based on assemblages over-representing organisms with rigid cell material.
Simultaneous switching ground noise calculation for packaged CMOS devices

Here, it is assumed that the internal switching current is small compared to the output driver switching current. In the past, it was assumed that simultaneous switching noise created by CMOS outputs was directly proportional to the number of outputs switching simultaneously. Recent studies indicate that CMOS circuits exhibit sublinear behavior (due to the negative feedback influence) of power/ground noise (or bounce) as a function of the number of outputs switching simultaneously. Detailed electrical models, equations, and a trial architecture for calculating the switching noise are included. The results are compared to SPICE simulations and conventional power/ground noise calculations. The behavior of simultaneous switching noise as a function of constant-voltage (CV) device scaling is explained for small-geometry CMOS output drivers. >
Carnitine Palmitoyltransferase II Deficiency: A Clinical, Biochemical, and Molecular Review

Congenital deficiency of carnitine palmitoyltransferase (CPT) II has been known for at least 30 years now, and its phenotypic variability remains fascinating. Three distinct clinical entities have been described, the adult, the infantile, and the perinatal, all with an autosomal recessive inheritance pattern. The adult CPT II clinical phenotype is somewhat benign and requires additional external triggers such as high-intensity exercise before the predominantly myopathic symptoms are elicited. The perinatal and infantile forms involve multiple organ systems. The perinatal disease is the most severe form and is invariably fatal. The introduction of mass spectrometry to analyze blood acylcarnitine profiles has revolutionized the diagnosis of fatty acid oxidation disorders including CPT II deficiency. Its use in expanded neonatal screening programs has made presymptomatic diagnosis a reality. An increasing number of mutations are being identified in the CPT II gene with a distinct genotype-phenotype correlation in most cases. However, clinical variability in some patients suggests additional genetic or environmental modifiers. Herein, we present a new case of lethal perinatal CPT II deficiency with a rare missense mutation, R296Q (907G>A) associated with a previously described 25-bp deletion on the second allele. We review the clinical features, the diagnostic protocol including expanded neonatal screening, the treatment, and the biochemical and molecular basis of CPT II deficiency.
Sources of Information that Influence Social Service Public Policy Decisions

To effectively advocate with local level policy makers it is important for social workers to understand how social services boards are structured as well as the factors that influence their decision-making process. This study explores these factors. Members of the 72 Wisconsin county human/social service boards were surveyed and 223 human/social service board members responded to the survey. Survey participants reported that they primarily use social service agency reports, social service agency staff consultation, and other board members' opinions when making decisions regarding service delivery and social service policy. Recommendations for social workers advocating for their clients are suggested.
Case-Kelly's Class Scheduling

Kelly is a senior majoring in finance at Smith University with one more semester left to go. After a graduation audit, she was told she has five more courses she needs to take: Business Strategy (MGT 490), International Finance (FIN 358), one service-learning course, and any two finance elective courses. A servicelearning course is a requirement at the university that has a community service component. Many of the service-learning courses are offered by the Computer Information Systems Department, and Kelly would like to take one of those. In particular, two courses she finds interesting are Intergenerational Computing (CIS 102T), which involves teaching senior citizens how to use the computer, and Web Design for Nonprofit Organizations (CIS 102W). After looking at the finance course offerings, she noticed four potential finance elective courses: Data Analysis in Finance (FIN 325); Risk Management (FIN 352); Options, Futures, and Swaps (FIN 356); and Fixed Instruments and Markets (FIN 359). Kelly would like to avoid morning classes because her internship requires her to work a few hours most weekday mornings. As she makes up her schedule, Kelly would like to keep in mind her priorities. Her priorities are first, the content of the course, second, the reputation of the instructor, and third, the timing of the course. She decided she will assign a rating between 1 and 5 to each course section under consideration. From the online class schedule, she has made a list of course sections offered, as shown in Table 1. All of the courses have at least two sections. Some sections meet once a week for three hours, and some meet twice a week alternating between one-hour and two-hour periods. An “hour” at Smith University is 55 minutes long. Rating the course sections, Kelly took into account three factors: content, instructor, and timing. The rating is the weighted average of the three factor ratings. She rated the content of the course based on her interest in it, using a scale from 1 (poor) to 5 (extremely interested). The reputation of the instructor is also a value from 1 to 5, coming from published student comments (http://www.ratemyprofessors.com) and word of mouth from classmates. The timing of the course is also a number from 1 to 5, and takes into account things such as the times that most of the senior class gets together in the common rooms to watch shows such as Glee, The Walking Dead, and The Big Bang Theory. Kelly wonders how to use this information to obtain a good schedule.
The Spatial Mismatch Hypothesis: Three Decades Later

Abstract This paper provides a comprehensive review of the extensive scholarly literature dealing with the effect of housing market discrimination on the employment and earnings of Afro‐American workers. From a historical perspective, it examines a variety of empirical studies that are as relevant today (particularly in light of recent events in Los Angeles) as they were when this discussion began nearly 30 years ago. More specifically, it reviews studies that have attempted to determine the extent to which serious limitations on black residential choice, combined with the steady dispersal of jobs from central cities, are responsible for the low rates of employment and low earnings of Afro‐American workers. The paper concludes with a discussion of policy recommendations and suggestions for continued areas of research. Three major categories in need of policy prescriptions are examined: housing, employment, and schooling. There is an assessment of the gains made since the inception of the spatial mismatch ...
Condensation on polymethylmethacrylate, acrylic polymer, and silicone intraocular lenses after fluid-air exchange in rabbits.

Purpose: Condensation occurs rapidly on silicone intraocular lenses (IOLs) after vitrectomy and fluid-air exchange in the presence of a posterior capsulotomy, severely limiting the retinal view. Foldable IOLs made of an acrylic polymer are now available. The authors compare the condensation and subsequent retinal view degradation after vitrectomy and fluid-air exchange in rabbit eyes implanted with polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), soft acrylic polymer (ACRYSOF®), and silicone IOLs. Methods: Thirty rabbits underwent bilateral lens removal. Twenty PMMA, 20 acrylic polymer, and 20 silicone IOLs were implanted into the capsular bag. After three-port vitrectomy, eyes were randomly assigned to undergo a posterior capsulotomy or to an intact posterior capsule. Fluid-air exchange was performed, and the amount of condensation on the IOL surface and resultant retinal view was graded. Surgical maneuvers then were performed to decrease the condensation. These maneuvers included wiping the IOL surface with a soft-tipped cannula and coating it with viscoelastic. Results: No condensation occurred on IOLs in eyes with an intact posterior capsule. Significantly more condensation occurred on IOLs in eyes with a capsulotomy, regardless of IOL type ( P P Conclusions: Condensation and subsequent retinal image degradation occurs uniformly after vitrectomy, posterior capsulotomy, and fluid-air exchange in eyes with PMMA, acrylic, and silicone IOLs. Because the condensation can be eliminated most easily on acrylic IOLs compared with silicone IOLs, when foldable IOL techniques are used it is likely that an acrylic polymer IOL would be advantageous for those patients at risk for future vitreous procedures requiring fluid-air exchange.
Phylogenetic Analysis of Polyomavirus BK Sequences

Polyomavirus BK (BKV) has emerged as an important pathogen in kidney transplant patients. Existing taxonomic classifications of BKV come from conventional DNA sequence alignments based on limited data derived from the VP1 gene. We have used a phylogenetic whole-genome approach to examine the pattern of diversity and evolutionary relationships between 45 BKV strains isolated from multiple clinical settings. This analysis supports the classification of BKV into six genotypes, of which types V and VI have not been previously recognized. BKV strains hitherto classified as type I are, in fact, quite heterogeneous, and several cluster with our newly defined genotypes V and VI. The sequence information needed for assigning genotypes can be captured by VP1, VP2, VP3, or large T-gene sequencing. The most polymorphic coding region in the viral genome is VP1, but significant variation is also present in the large T-antigen gene, wherein polymorphisms are found in 11.39% of all nucleotide sites, 46.22% of which are cluster specific. Type-specific amino acid changes within the VP1 region are predicted to map to the BC and DE loops. The number of taxonomically informative amino acid changes in the large T antigen exceeds even that of the VP1 region. Viral strains isolated from healthy subjects and from patients with human immunodeficiency virus infection, Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome, and vasculopathy with capillary leak syndrome formed distinct subclusters. However, within the kidney transplant population, BKV strains derived from patients with asymptomatic viruria did not show complete separation from strains associated with allograft nephropathy.
Abstract A62: Secular trends and disparity of adjuvant hormone therapy use for ductal carcinoma in situ: National Cancer Database, 1998–2007

Background: Randomized trials have shown clinical benefit for tamoxifen for patients with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). We surveyed the secular trend and disparities of adjuvant hormone therapy (AHT) utilization for DCIS for the decade following dissemination of these trials. Methods: We utilized the National Cancer Database, a joint project of the American College of Surgeons and the American Cancer Society to examine secular trends of AHT use among 1,735,160 breast cancer patients diagnosed with breast cancer during 1998–2007. Trends of AHT use were evaluated in DCIS cases, and we stratified the analysis by race/ethnicity, age of diagnosis, and estrogen receptor (ER)/progresterone receptor (PR) status. ER/PR status was available for 2004–2007 only. The general estimating equation (GEE) model with logit link was performed to assess the odds of AHT treatment as a function of the aforementioned variables, clustering on facility to account for within-group correlations. Results: 258,593 DCIS and 1,360,235 invasive breast cancer cases were included in the analysis. The use of AHT has increased in DCIS patients over time, from 11.7% in 1998, to 23.6% in 1999, and 29.7% in 2007 despite only a 4% increase in the number of DCIS cases over the same time period. Among ER/PR-positive DCIS patients, 37.2% received AHT, whereas only 6.9% ER/PR-negative patients received AHT. Among the ER/PR-positive DCIS patients, we observed a significant disparity of AHT use by race/ethnicity in 2004, but this disparity lost significance in 2006 and 2007; 36.0% white, 31.4% black and 29.9% Hispanic patients used AHT treatment in 2004 (p=0.001), compared to 38.6% white, 37.1% black and 39.5% Hispanic patients in 2007 (p=0.4). Racial disparity also diminished in the GEE model, which removes between-facility differences. AHT use was significantly less in academic/research oriented facilities than in community hospitals (OR=0.74, 95% CI: 0.66–0.83, p Conclusions: AHT utilization nearly doubled from 1998 to 1999 presumably because of the randomized trials but has only slightly increased from 1999–2007. Racial disparities in AHT use among DCIS patients disappeared from 2004 to 2007 but AHT use still varies by patient age, facility type and location. Citation Information: Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2011;20(10 Suppl):A62.
“Above all Greek, above all Roman fame”: Classical Rhetoric in America during the Colonial and Early National Periods

The broad and profound influence of classical rhetoric in early America can be observed in both the academic study of that ancient discipline, and in the practical approaches to persuasion adopted by orators and writers in the colonial period, and during the early republic. Classical theoretical treatises on rhetoric enjoyed wide authority both in college curricula and in popular treatments of the art. Classical orators were imitated as models of republican virtue and oratorical style. Indeed, virtually every dimension of the political life of early Ameria bears the imprint of a classical conception of public discourse. This essay marks the various specific aspects of the reception and influence of the classical rhetorical tradition in the learning, speaking and writing of Americans in the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries.
Verrucous carcinoma of the lip originating on the vermilion border.

A 57-year-old white man with a long history of smoking presented with a warty growth on his lower lip that had been slowly enlarging for several years. The tumor had replaced the entire vermilion border of the lip but did not appear to invade the deeper tissues or the mucosa (Fig. 1). A biopsy was consistent with verrucous carcinoma. Excision via Mohs micrographic surgery was performed and examination of the tissue confirmed the diagnosis of verrucous carcinoma (Fig. 2).
An improved synthesis of 4-aminotetrolic acid

ABSTRACT An improved and efficient one pot synthesis of 4-aminotetrolic acid 1 from protected propargyl amine 2 is described.
The influence of chair height on lower limb mechanics during rising

The mechanics of the lower limb were analyzed in young, adult normal subjects when rising from a seated position. Limb mechanics were described in terms of flexion-extension motion and moments at the hip, knee and ankle while rising from four seat heights corresponding to 65, 80, 100, and 115% of the subject's knee joint height. The results indicate that the maximum moment tending to flex the hip joint was higher than that occurring at the knee or ankle. The magnitude of the maximum flexion moment at the hip was not substantially influenced by chair height, changing by less than 12% between the highest and lowest chair heights. Conversely, the maximum knee flexion moments were found to be highly dependent on chair height and nearly doubled from the highest to the lowest position. The magnitude of the moments at the ankle did not change with chair height and were significantly lower than the magnitude of the moments found during normal walking. The magnitude of motion and moments at the hip were greater during chair-rising than during stair-climbing or walking. The range of motion required at the knee for the lower chair heights was also greater than was reported during stair-climbing studies. Thus, the combination of moments in joint angles during chair-rising are unique among common activities of daily living and should be considered in chair selection as well as in the guidelines for prosthetic devices.
Economics of Declining Water Supplies in the Ogallala Aquifera

A large portion of northwest Oklahoma is situated over the Ogallala Aquifer. Economic growth in the region has been tied closely to irrigated agriculture which depends on declining ground-water resources in the Ogallala formation. As part of an integrated six-State study, Oklahoma researchers developed a computer model of the agricultural sector of northwestern Oklahoma and estimated irrigated and dryland cropping patterns, farm output and farm income over a 40-year planning horizon. Projections were made for a “baseline” situation, and the sensitivity of these results to alternative assumptions on energy costs, commodity prices and technological development was also analyzed. Preliminary results of the baseline analysis suggest a favorable outlook for irrigated agriculture in the area through the near to mid-term, with increases in irrigated acreage, production, and returns to land and management. However, the baseline case is dependent on several relatively optimistic assumptions regarding future fuel prices, yields, and agricultural commodity prices. Even fairly large changes in fuel prices and yields are not particularly critical for model results, but if agricultural commodity prices are substantially lower than projected, the outlook for irrigated agriculture in the area is not favorable.
Arse and ass

Anglo-Saxon had a word œrs, meaning ‘rump, podex, buttocks,’ which evolved into Early Modern English arse, pronounced approximately [aɹs]. Normally, this evolution would have eventually produced a word spelled arse and pronounced [ɑːs] in Southern British and [ɑɹs] in General American. In Southern British, this development followed its normal course. In Anglophone North America, however, the word developed differently. In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, a tendency appeared in America to level the combination ar = [aɹ], when followed by a voiceless lingual in certain combinations, with ‘short a’ = [ae]. Hence, for cartridge, hearth, parcel, appeared the pronunciations [ˈkaetrιdƷ, haeθ, ].
‘That/which/he/hid/reveal I’: uncovering the infinite in Tom Phillips' A Humument

This project examines the ways in which Tom Phillips' A Humument – his massive and ongoing project in artistic erasure of W.H. Mallock's 1892 novel A Human Document – functions as a postmodern experiment in the secularization of hermeneutics. It is argued that Phillips' conception of text as at once infinitely interpretable and infinitely generative has roots in ancient rabinnical conceptions of textuality, but that Phillips recasts such notions in secular terms by shifting focus away from a divinity perceived to be latent within the text and onto the latency of his own subjectivity which, as per Paul Ricoeur, is constituted and re-constituted via its interpretive engagement with text. Parallels are drawn between Phillips' relationship to the book as entity and that of Edmond Jabes, who casts the profane book as the nearest point of access to the ever-receding infinitude of the sacred Book. It is argued that Phillips' pursuit of his own ever-shifting and thus ever-retreating selfhood through his perpetual...
Economic freedom, culture, and growth

How do economic freedom and culture impact economic growth? This paper argues that culture, as measured by the World Values Surveys, and economic institutions associated with economic freedom are both independently important for economic prosperity, but the strength of their impact can be better understood only when both are included in the growth regression. Our results indicate that economic freedom is more important than culture for growth outcomes, suggesting substitutability between the two. We posit that culture is important for growth when economic freedom is absent, diminishing in significance once economic freedom is established.
Cloning and sequencing of the Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis groESL operon

The operon (groESL) coding for the Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis heat-shock proteins GroEL and GroES, has been isolated and its complete nucleotide (nt) sequence determined. A set of degenerate PCR primers, deduced from amino acids which are conserved in a number of prokaryotic GroELs, were synthesized and used to amplify a 957-bp fragment. This PCR fragment was used as a probe to isolate a 5.0-kb EcoRI chromosomally derived fragment. A region of this 5.0-kb EcoRI fragment was sequenced and revealed that the groES gene was located 5' to groEL. This sequence was then used to design a set of inverse PCR primers and a 2.5-kb HindIII fragment was cloned which contained the region 5' to groEL. The complete nt sequence of the groESL operon was determined from overlapping fragments. It revealed that the groESL operon was preceded by a stem-loop structure and the promoter appears similar to most L. lactis subsp. lactis and other Gram+ bacterial promoters. Northern analysis demonstrated that the groESL operon is under tight regulation and a dramatic induction of mRNA synthesis occurs within 15 min after heat shock.
The Role of the Nerve Growth Factor Carboxyl Terminus in Receptor Binding and Conformational Stability

Abstract The role of the nerve growth factor (NGF) carboxyl terminus in the function of NGF is not well understood. Previous work showed that deletion of residues 112–120 abolished NGF bioactivity. Several mutagenesis studies, however, have localized the binding sites of the two NGF receptors, p75 and TrkA, to other regions of the NGF molecule. To investigate the role of the NGF COOH terminus, we performed a detailed structure-function analysis of this region by deleting stepwise each of the nine COOH-terminal residues as well as constructing six point mutants. We found that point mutations within the 111–115 region, but not deletion of residues 116–120, significantly decreased NGF bioactivity, as determined by TrkA tyrosine phosphorylation and neurite outgrowth from PC12 cells. Mutation of the absolutely conserved Leu112 led to severely disrupted p75 binding on A875 cells but had only a modest effect on TrkA binding to MG87-TrkA fibroblasts. This suggests that the p75 binding surface is more extended than previously believed and includes not only charged residues within loops 1 and 5 but also spatially discontinuous, uncharged residues in a region where the NH2 and COOH termini are in close proximity. Unexpectedly, deletion of COOH-terminal residues beyond Ala116 led to significantly decreased stability. These results demonstrate that residues 111–115, but not residues 116–120, are important for both the structural stability and biological activity of NGF.
Neural transplantation using temperature-sensitive immortalized neural cells: a preliminary report.

Current approaches to neural transplantation–adrenal medullary and fetal brain–suffer from limitations in tissue availability, cellular uniformity, and general applicability. The system described here uses temperature-sensitive immortalized clonal neural cells to address these limitations. Cerebellar cells, immortalized with a temperature-sensitive tumor virus, are transformed at 34°C, but differentiate at 38°C. The cells were genetically engineered to express beta-galactosidase, providing a tag to study their fate in the host. The cells were then successfully transplanted to the cerebellum of adult rats.
Congestive Heart Failure After Surgical Correction of Mitral Regurgitation A Long-term Study

Background In patients with mitral regurgitation, surgical intervention produces immediate improvement in symptoms, but the long-term incidence and significance of postoperative congestive heart failure are unknown. Methods and Results The long-term outcome of 576 operative survivors of surgical correction of pure mitral regurgitation performed between 1980 and 1989 was analyzed. Survival was 77±2% and 56±3% at 5 and 10 years, respectively. Cumulative incidence of congestive heart failure was 23±2%, 33±3%, and 37±3% at 5, 10, and 14 years, respectively. Survival after the first episode of congestive heart failure was dismal, 44±4% at 5 years. Cause of congestive heart failure was left ventricular dysfunction in two thirds of the patients and valvular dysfunction in the other third. With multivariate analysis, the independent predictors of postoperative heart failure were preoperative ejection fraction (P=.0001), coronary artery disease (P=.0017), and New York Heart Association functional class (P=.012), w...
Long-run purchasing power parity during the recent float

Abstract This paper examines the relevance of long-run purchasing power parity (PPP), which allows for measurement errors, during the recent floating exchange rate period. Previous empirical studies generally fail to find support for long-run PPP over this period. In this paper. In this paper the cointegration property of exchange rates and prices is examined using maximum likelihood procedure, and we find significant evidence favorable to long-run PPP. Further tests for symmetry and proportionality indicate that these two conditions are not generally with the data. The results support the hypothesis of long-run PPP with measurement errors in prices.
Assessing the Effects of Epikarst on Groundwater Recharge and Regional Fast-Flow Pathways in a Karstic Aquifer via Impulse-Response Functions

AbstractA statistical impulse-response model based on multiple-lag correlations was constructed to determine the delayed aquifer response of precipitation events due to the epikarst in a karstic aquifer. The model was used to identify the direction and travel time of slow-diffuse flows and bimodal flows including slow-diffuse and fast-concentrated flows in wet years. Fast-concentrated flows with 0–15-day delays between precipitation events and aquifer response indicated rapid drainage of recharged water from the epikarst. A computed 46–75-day delay in the aquifer response in slow-diffuse flows was the upper bound for the epikarst retention time. The model identified the activation of a new fast-concentrated flow path due to subsurface water storage beneath the precipitation-fed recharge area when the system had high antecedent moisture. For the wettest year following moderately low antecedent moisture conditions, the model identified regional flow pathways extending over a 50–180-km distance. These result...
The Public Policy Exception to Recognition and Enforcement of Judgments in Cases of Copyright Infringement

In recent years proposals have been made for an international convention that would facilitate a smooth recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments in intellectual property matters. Like all of these proposals, the American Law Institute’s preliminary version, short titled "Draft Principles" published in March 2007, strives to eliminate most hurdles to recognition and enforcement by providing rules for jurisdiction, choice of law and coordination of multi-territorial actions. As long as the rules are applied by the court that issues a judgment (the “rendering court”), most of the obstacles to recognition and enforcement − differing jurisdictional rules and choice of law rules of various countries − are eliminated. Therefore, absent some fundamental problems in the legal system of the rendering court, such as its lack of impartiality or integrity, the only remaining possible defense to recognition and enforcement of the judgment is the public policy exception.
An endogenous circannual rhythm of reproduction in a tropical bat, Anoura geoffroyi, is not entrained by photoperiod

Most species of mammals live in the tropics, and many breed seasonally, but little is known about the regulation of their seasonal cycles. Males of a tropical bat, Anoura geoffroyi (Order Chiroptera, Family Phyllostomidae), from 100 latitude in Trinidad, were studied to test the role of photoperiod in regulating seasonal reproduction in the deep tropics. Groups of males were subjected to five treatments: 1) constant photoperiod; 2) a 12-mo cycle of civil twilight photoperiods mimicking those occurring at 100 latitude; 3) civil twilight photoperiods of 100 latitude, but accelerated to a 9-mo cycle; 4) civil twilight photoperiods characteristic of 30 ° latitude, but accelerated to a 9-mo cycle; and 5) constant photoperiod, but with the timing of dark onset varied to match the timing of darkness at 10 ° latitude, and accelerated to a 9-mo cycle. In all treatments, the first cycle of testis growth and regression matched that expected in the wild population, as reported previously for some of these groups. Subsequently, the testis cycle of bats in constant conditions free-ran for 20 mo with a peak-to-peak period of 7.3 ± 0.3 mo. Period lengths in the four nonconstant groups, 7.2-7.7 mo, were not significantly different from that under constant conditions. Bats failed to entrain to any photoperiod cycle, including those mimicking changes at 10 ° or 30' latitude. They also failed to entrain to the cycle in which day length was held constant while time of sunset was varied, as occurs at the equator. This study provides the first evidence for deep tropical mammals of a truly seasonal and endogenous reproductive rhythm that is not regulated by photoperiod. By extension, these results imply that effective seasonal timing can be achieved in the deep tropics by use of a nonphotoperiodic predictive cue.
Ring-fracture eruption of the Bishop Tuff

Lithic fragments of precaldera basement rocks in the Plinian fallout deposit of the Bishop Tuff indicate that the eruption began in what is now the south-central part of Long Valley caldera, along or adjacent to the Hilton Creek fault. The earliest ash flows originated there as well, but contrasting lithic contents in several later ash flows indicate ring-fault propagation and incorporation of fragments of locally distinctive, caldera-margin lithologies into successive outflow sheets. The change from a single-vent Plinian mode of eruption to multiple vents along the ring fault took place after emplacement of as little as 20% of the total Bishop ejecta. Approximately two-thirds of the total eruptive volume was trapped within the subsiding caldera.
Functional Characterization of the Andersen-Tawil Syndrome Associated Mutation (M307I) in KCNJ2

Background: Inward rectifier potassium channels play a key role in setting and maintaining the resting membrane potential and regulating excitability in various tissues. Kir2.x subfamily members mediate the cardiac inward rectifier potassium current (IK1). KCNJ2 encodes Kir2.1, pore-forming alpha subunit of cardiac IK1, and the mutations in this gene are associated with type 1 Andersen-Tawil Syndrome (ATS1). The aim of this study was to characterize the electrophysiological features of a Kir2.1 missense mutation, M307I, found previously in a Korean family with ATS. Methods and Results: Site-direct mutagenesis and heterologous expression system was used for functional study. Kir2.1-M307I and Kir2.1 or Kir2.2 wild type (WT) channels were expressed individually and together in HEK293 cells to measure IK1 by voltage clamp. After 24h of incubation, the whole cell patch clamp technique revealed a 100% loss of outward current over the voltage range of −60 mV to −20 mV for Kir2.1-M307I alone and when co-expressed with WT channels (current density at −40 mV was 9.6 ±3.6 pA/pF for Kir2.1-WT and 3.0 ±1.6 pA/pF for Kir2.2-WT, n=4-10, p<0.001). The inward current over the voltage range of −140 mV to −80 mV was also reduced significantly in mutant co-expressed with WT channels. We further tested an action potential (AP) voltage clamp protocol in the HEK293 cells expressed the Kir2.1-WT and Kir2.1-WT co-expressed with Kir2.1-M307I. It shows the Ba2+-sensitive IK1 current was lost during the terminal repolarization and diastolic phase of the AP when the mutation was co-expressed with Kir2.1-WT. Conclusions: M307I is a ATS1-associated, loss-of-function missense mutation in KCNJ2 that mediates a dominant-negative effect on both Kir2.1 and Kir2.2 WT channels. The detailed mechanisms for this effect need further investigation.
Performance evaluation of vaned pipe bends in turbulent flow of liquid propellants

Abstract Computational fluid dynamics techniques were used to analyze turbulent, incompressible flow in a vaned pipe bend that is being considered for use in the liquid propellant feed lines of the space shuttle main engine. The design is an 80° bend that incorporates two turning vanes. Computations were performed using a finite difference code for solving the Navier-Stokes equations in three dimensions using the method of pseudocompressibility, a flux-splitting upwind differencing scheme, and a Baldwin-Barth one-equation turbulence model. To compare and evaluate the performance of the bend under consideration, two other bend designs—an unvaned 80° bend and a simplified 80° vaned bend—were also analyzed. Evaluation of the bend designs was accomplished by comparing the predicted streamwise and cross-stream velocity distributions at the symmetry plane at several streamwise stations and the predicted mean pressure drops. It was observed that the vaned bend under consideration effectively provides uniform streamwise velocity distributions downstream of the bend, reduces cross-stream velocities, and significantly reduces pressure losses.
Quantification of photoacoustic microscopy images for ovarian cancer detection

In this paper, human ovarian tissues with malignant and benign features were imaged ex vivo by using an opticalresolution photoacoustic microscopy (OR-PAM) system. Several features were quantitatively extracted from PAM images to describe photoacoustic signal distributions and fluctuations. 106 PAM images from 18 human ovaries were classified by applying those extracted features to a logistic prediction model. 57 images from 9 ovaries were used as a training set to train the logistic model, and 49 images from another 9 ovaries were used to test our prediction model. We assumed that if one image from one malignant ovary was classified as malignant, it is sufficient to classify this ovary as malignant. For the training set, we achieved 100% sensitivity and 83.3% specificity; for testing set, we achieved 100% sensitivity and 66.7% specificity. These preliminary results demonstrate that PAM could be extremely valuable in assisting and guiding surgeons for in vivo evaluation of ovarian tissue.
On computing accurate singular values and eigenvalues of matrices with acyclic graphs

Abstract It is known that small relative perturbations in the entries of a bidiagonal matrix only cause small relative perturbations in its singular values, independentof the values of the matrix entries. In this paper we show that a matrix has this property if and only if its associated bipartite graph is acyclic. We also show how to compute the singular values of such a matrix to high relative accuracy. The same algorithm can compute eigenvalues of symmetric matrices with acyclic graphs with tiny componentwise relative backward error. This class includes tridiagonal matrices, arrow matrices, and exponentially many others.
Oligoclonal immune response in cerebral cavernous malformations : Laboratory investigation

Object Mechanisms of cerebral cavernous malformation (CCM) pathogenesis include genetic predisposition in some cases, but other factors are likely to be involved in lesion proliferation and clinical manifestations. Given the unique antigenic milieu of CCMs, there may be a characteristic immune response in these lesions. We hypothesize that the immunoglobulin (Ig) fraction in CCMs reflects an oligoclonal immune response not present in paired sera from the same patients or in other types of cerebrovascular malformations. Methods Surgically excised lesions from five patients with CCMs, three patients with arteriovenous malformations (AVMs), and four normal brain control specimens obtained at autopsy were homogenized and extract tested for IgG clonality by isoelectric focusing in parallel with each patient's serum. Results The authors detected B cells in all three lesions examined, and plasmacytes in two out of three lesions examined. Four of five extracts of homogenized CCMs showed an oligoclonal pattern of ...
Respiratory infections: their role in airway responsiveness and the pathogenesis of asthma.

Abstract The effects of RVIs on airway reactivity are multiple but do not necessarily include direct changes in the intrinsic contractile properties of airway smooth muscle. Rather, respiratory viruses influence bronchial smooth muscle function through a variety of other mechanisms: production of virus-specific IgE antibodies, epithelial injury, polymorphonuclear-dependent inflammation, and enhanced mediator release. Thus, a common pathway to airway hyperreactivity during respiratory viral illnesses is an overall enhancement of factors that cause or lead to inflammation. When the airways become the target of enhanced inflammation, bronchial reactivity and obstruction are accentuated. Although many questions remain to be answered, future studies to evaluate the biology of respiratory virus effects on mechanisms of allergic sensitization and airway responsiveness promise to provide a greater understanding of the pathogenesis of asthma.
Rate limits of sensorimotor synchronization

Empirical evidence for upper and lower rate limits of sensorimotor synchronization (typically, finger tapping with an auditory or visual event sequence) is reviewed. If biomechanical constraints are avoided, the upper rate limit can be as high as 8–10 Hz (sequence event inter-onset intervals of 100–125 ms) with auditory stimuli, but has been found to be less than 2.5 Hz (> 400 ms) with simple visual stimuli (flashes of light). The upper rate limit for auditory stimuli varies with task difficulty and musical experience; that for visual stimuli requires further investigation. The lower rate limit, according to one definition, tends to be at about 0.56 Hz (1800 ms), regardless of modality. Attentional, perceptual, and sensorimotor explanations of these limits are considered. Rate limits of sensorimotor synchronization place important constraints on musical ensemble performance and other forms of rhythmic coordination.