cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Experimental investigation of excited states in atomic dysprosium.

A pair of closely lying states of opposite parity and the same total electronic angular momentum (J=10) at 19797.96 ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1}$ in dysprosium is experimentally investigated with the goal of evaluating parameters relevant to parity and parity--time-reversal violation experiments. An atomic beam apparatus is used. The states of interest are populated with a sequence of two laser pulses, and a third laser pulse and fluorescence detection are used to probe the state population. Their lifetimes are determined from the dependence of the fluorescence signal on the time delay between the pump and probe pulses. The lifetime of the even-parity state was also measured by a different method involving detection of cascade fluorescence. Spectroscopy of radio-frequency E1 transitions between the opposite-parity states is performed when one of the states is populated and the population of the other is probed. This determines precise energy separations between various isotope and hyperfine structure components, and allows extraction of the corresponding isotope shift and hyperfine structure parameters. Electric polarizability is determined from radio-frequency line shapes in the presence of a dc electric field. As part of the preparation of a parity violation experiment, level-crossing signals which occur when various Zeeman components of the closest hyperfine components (isotope 163, F=10.5; initial separation 3.1 MHz) are brought together in the presence of collinear electric and magnetic fields were studied. These measurements provide an independent determination of the E1 matrix element between the opposite-parity states. In addition, lifetimes, isotope, and hyperfine structure of other dysprosium states are obtained and a number of narrow autoionization resonances (\ensuremath{\Gamma}10 ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1}$) are observed.
A c-rasHa mutation in the metastasis of a human papillomavirus (HPV)-18 positive penile squamous cell carcinoma suggests a cooperative effect between HPV-18 and c-rasHa activation in malignant progression.

BACKGROUND Human papillomaviruses (HPV) have been implicated in the etiology of anogenital squamous epithelial tumors. Of the 65 HPV strains, subtypes HPV-16 and HPV-18 frequently are associated with malignant conditions and are capable of transforming keratinocytes in vitro. However, additional cellular changes are necessary to confer tumorigenicity to HPV-infected cells. Secondary events implicated in the progression to malignancy include loss of tumor suppressor genes such as p53 and/or activation of cellular oncogenes such as c-rasHa. METHODS Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to identify HPV-16 or HPV-18 genetic sequence in primary penile squamous cell carcinoma and two inguinal lymph node metastases. p53 and c-rasHa loci were analyzed by sequencing of PCR-amplified genomic DNA. RESULTS HPV-18 but not HPV-16 infection was found in the primary carcinoma and in inguinal metastases occurring 5 and 7 years after the initial lesion. Sequence analysis did not identify any p53 mutations in the primary carcinoma or its metastases. However, although the primary lesion and the 5-year metastasis encoded wild-type c-rasHa, the 7-year metastasis had a missense mutation within c-rasHa codon 61. CONCLUSIONS To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of an activating c-rasHa mutation associated with squamous cell carcinoma of the penis. The presence of activated c-rasHa in the second metastasis but not in the first metastasis or the primary lesion suggests that activation of c-rasHa may be a late event in the malignant progression of HPV-18-associated penile squamous cell carcinoma. Analysis of additional samples from primary lesions and their resultant metastases is necessary to elucidate the incidence and significance of c-rasHa activation in penile squamous cell carcinoma. Cancer 1998;83:122-129. © 1998 American Cancer Society.
Omphalocele: clinical outcomes in cases with normal karyotypes.

Abstract Objective This study was undertaken to examine neonatal outcomes in karyotypically normal cases of omphalocele with respect to mode of delivery, presence of associated anomalies, presence of extracorporeal liver, and method of abdominal wall closure. Study design We reviewed 36 cases of omphalocele with delivery at University of North Carolina Hospitals between 1988 and 2001. Elective terminations and pregnancies resulting in miscarriage before 20 weeks' gestation were excluded. Results Perinatal mortality rate was 19%. Rate of composite neonatal morbidity was 25%. Associated major anomalies were present in 11 (31%) cases and were associated with increased neonatal mortality. Cesarean deliveries were performed in 21 (58%) cases and were not associated with increased primary closure rates or decreased neonatal morbidity and mortality. Extracorporeal liver was present in 27 (75%) cases and was associated with decreased rates of primary closure but did not affect neonatal outcome. Conclusion In cases of ongoing omphalocele, perinatal mortality rates are low in the absence of associated anomalies or genetic defects. Intracorporeal liver was not associated with increased rates of associated anomalies or was it associated with increased neonatal morbidity or mortality.
Hardware Assisted Clock Synchronization for Real-Time Sensor Networks

Time synchronization in wireless sensor networks is important for event ordering and efficient communication scheduling. In this paper, we introduce an external hardwarebased clock tuning circuit that can be used to improve synchronization and significantly reduce clock drift over long periods of time without waking up the host MCU. This is accomplished through two main hardware sub-systems. First, we improve upon the circuit presented in [1] that synchronizes clocks using the ambient magnetic fields emitted from power lines. The new circuit uses an electric field front-end as opposed to the original magnetic-field sensor, which makes the design more compact, lower-power, lower-cost, exhibit less jitter and improves robustness to noise generated by nearby appliances. Second, we present a low-cost hardware tuning circuit that can be used to continuously trim a micro-controller's low-power clock at runtime. Most time synchronization approaches require a CPU to periodically adjust internal counters to accommodate for clock drift. Periodic discrete updates can introduce interpolation errors as compared to continuous update approaches and they require the CPU to expend energy during these wake up periods. Our hardware-based external clock tuning circuit allows the main CPU to remain in a deep-sleep mode for extended periods while an external circuit compensates for clock drift. We show that our new synchronization circuit consumes 60% less power than the original design and is able to correct clock drift rates to within 0.01 ppm without power hungry and expensive precision clocks.
Molecular Dynamics Predictions of Thermal Conductivity in Graphene for Phase Change Energy Storage Applications

Additives of highly-conducting nanoparticles such as graphene to a phase change material (PCM) improves PCM heat diffusion, which in turn produces better energy storage than pure PCM. Equilibrium Molecular Dynamics (EMD) simulations with Green-Kubo relations are used to predict the thermal conductivity of graphene sheets of various sizes and using different ensemble formulations. The Tersoff potential function has been implemented to model the covalent bonds between carbon atoms. The MD simulations predict an increase in thermal conductivity with graphene sheet size, and the predictions for the canonical (NVT) ensemble are consistently larger than those using the microcanonical (NVE) ensemble. The autocorrelation functions for the NVT simulations converge to zero for large sampling periods, which is not the case for NVE simulations.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Pediatric traumatic brain injury

Pediatric traumatic brain injury is a challenge to critical care practitioners. The prevention of secondary injury is key to improving morbidity and mortality outcomes. Interventions are targeted at maintaining adequate cerebral blood flow and minimizing oxygen consumption by the brain. The anticipation and prevention of systemic complications are also of vital importance. The impact that nursing judgment has on outcomes is notable. Pediatric traumatic brain injury is described, current treatments and issues are discussed, and an overview of outcomes related to morbidity are presented.
Comparison of δ13C values for seagrasses in experimental cultures and in natural habitats

Abstract For seagrasses of 11 genera, most species in experimental cultures had δ 13 C values that were more negative than those in natural habitats. In the experimental cultures, 21 out of 25 species had values in the range from −12.0 to −16.9%, but in natural habitats 18 of the 25 species had values in the range from −3.6 to −12.5%. Zostera americana den Hartog from Washington had nearly identical values under both conditions, −15.3 and −16.3 (field) and −16.9 (laboratory), but Enhalus acoroides (L. f ) Royle, Thalassia hemprichii (Ehrenb.) Aschers. and Cymodocea serrulata (R.Br.) Aschers. & Magnus from the Palau Islands (Belau) had values of −4.9, −5.7 and −8.0%, respectively, in the field and −12.3, −12.9 and −15.6% in the cultures. The values that were lowwer in the laboratory than in the natural habitats probably reflect differences in the isotopic composition of the inorganic carbon pools as well as differences in refixation of respired and photorespired carbon dioxide.
Branched activation- and catalysis-specific pathways for electron relay to the manganese/iron cofactor in ribonucleotide reductase from Chlamydia trachomatis.

A conventional class I (subclass a or b) ribonucleotide reductase (RNR) employs a tyrosyl radical (Y•) in its R2 subunit for reversible generation of a 3′-hydrogen-abstracting cysteine radical in its R1 subunit by proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) through a network of aromatic amino acids spanning the two subunits. The class Ic RNR from the human pathogen Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct) uses a MnIV/FeIII cofactor (specifically, the MnIV ion) in place of the Y• for radical initiation. Ct R2 is activated when its MnII/FeII form reacts with O2 to generate a MnIV/FeIV intermediate, which decays by reduction of the FeIV site to the active MnIV/FeIII state. Here we show that the reduction step in this sequence is mediated by residue Y222. Substitution of Y222 with F retards the intrinsic decay of the MnIV/FeIV intermediate by ∼10-fold and diminishes the ability of ascorbate to accelerate the decay by ∼65-fold but has no detectable effect on the catalytic activity of the MnIV/FeIII–R2 product. By contrast, substitution of Y338, the cognate of the subunit interfacial R2 residue in the R1 ⇔ R2 PCET pathway of the conventional class I RNRs [Y356 in Escherichia coli (Ec) R2], has almost no effect on decay of the MnIV/FeIV intermediate but abolishes catalytic activity. Substitution of W51, the Ct R2 cognate of the cofactor-proximal R1 ⇔ R2 PCET pathway residue in the conventional class I RNRs (W48 in Ec R2), both retards reduction of the MnIV/FeIV intermediate and abolishes catalytic activity. These observations imply that Ct R2 has evolved branched pathways for electron relay to the cofactor during activation and catalysis. Other R2s predicted also to employ the Mn/Fe cofactor have Y or W (also competent for electron relay) aligning with Y222 of Ct R2. By contrast, many R2s known or expected to use the conventional Y•-based system have redox-inactive L or F residues at this position. Thus, the presence of branched activation- and catalysis-specific electron relay pathways may be functionally important uniquely in the Mn/Fe-dependent class Ic R2s.
ON THE PERFORMANCE OF KOLMOGOROV‐SMIRNOV TESTS ON STABLE RANDOM VARIABLES1

Summary This paper provides two procedures to perform the Kolmogorov–Smirnov (K-S) tests on stable random variables. One utilizes the integral representation of the cumulative distribution function of this random variable to perform the K-S test; the other utilizes the Gil-Pelaez-Rosen transformation of data (Csorg(1983)) to test uniformity on (0,1) for the transformed sample. Both procedures are examined and evaluated by a simulation study.
Hybrid routing concept for dense WDM ring networks

A new breed of dense WDM add/drop ring networks with high wavelength efficiency, flexible node capacity allocation capability, and a simple node design is introduced. Two key techniques are developed for improving the wavelength efficiency by up to 60% under practical conditions.
THE MOORE-PENROSE INVERSE OF PARTICULAR BORDERED MATRICES

The Moore-Penrose inverse of a general bordered matrix is found under various conditions. The Moore-Penrose inverses obtained by Hall and Hartwig (1976) are shown to be special cases of these more general results.
Cross-reactivity of monospecific anti-HL-A antisera.

. 32 ‘monospecific’ anti-HL-A alloantisera were absorbed in separate tests with platelets from a maximum of 56 different persons and examined for residual cytotoxicity against target lymphocytes from one or two unrelated persons having the homologous (or test) antigen. Of the 799 combinations in which platelets had the test antigen, 715 (90%) were specifically inhibited; of the 720 combinations in which platelets had the cross-reactive antigen(s) (but not the test antigen), 417 (58%) were specifically cross-inhibited; and of the 1,839 combinations in which platelets had neither the homologous nor a discernable cross-reactive antigen, 133 (7%) were cross-inhibited ‘nonspecifically’. Earlier findings of cross-reactivity were confirmed, and results suggested that HL-A1, HL-A10 and W30 on platelets may cross-inhibit anti-HL-A2 antibodies; HL-A7 and W21 may cross-inhibit anti-HL-A5 and anti-W5 antibodies; W16 may cross-inhibit anti-HL-A5 antibodies; and W22 may cross-inhibit anti-HL-A13 antibodies.
A prototype rule-based front end expert system for integrity enforcement in relational data bases: An application to the naval aircraft flight records data base

Abstract An important goal of any data base system is to model the real world accurately in a manner consistent with the user's perception of the data. One way to accomplish the accuracy of information in relational data bases is through the enforcement of integrity constraints that represent rules pertaining to the organization. Unfortunately, most DBMSs today do not provide adequate integrity features to ensure the accuracy of data in their databases. This paper discusses the design and implementation of a prototype rule-based front end expert system for integrity enforcement for the Naval Aircraft Flight Record relational data base. The expert system includes a set of rules that define (a) the update operation that triggers the testing of an integrity rule, (b) a specification of the condition to be tested, and (c) the action to be taken in case of attempted violation. These rules are stored in a knowledge base, which the inference engine of the expert system uses to enforce data base integrity.
Heel Pain in Sarcoidosis

Excerpt Acute and chronic polyarthritis are well recognized characteristics of sarcoidosis. However, except for the mention of heel pain as a clinical feature in 2 of 45 cases of sarcoid arthritis ...
Four-dimensional image-based treatment planning: Target volume segmentation and dose calculation in the presence of respiratory motion.

Purpose: To describe approaches to four-dimensional (4D) treatment planning, including acquisition of 4D-CT scans, target delineation of spatio-temporal image data sets, 4D dose calculations, and their analysis. Methods and Materials: The study included patients with thoracic and hepatocellular tumors. Specialized tools were developed to facilitate visualization, segmentation, and analysis of 4D-CT data: maximum intensity volume to define the extent of lung tumor motion, a 4D browser to examine and dynamically assess the 4D data sets, dose calculations, including respiratory motion, and deformable registration to combine the dose distributions at different points. Results: Four-dimensional CT was used to visualize and quantitatively assess respiratory target motion. The gross target volume contours derived from light breathing scans showed significant differences compared with those extracted from 4D-CT. Evaluation of deformable registration using difference images of original and deformed anatomic maps suggested the algorithm is functionally useful. Thus, calculation of effective dose distributions, including respiratory motion, was implemented. Conclusion: Tools and methods to use 4D-CT data for treatment planning in the presence of respiratory motion have been developed and applied to several case studies. The process of 4D-CT-based treatment planning has been implemented, and technical barriers for its routine use have been identified.
Optimizing Material Procurement and Storage on Construction Sites

Efficient planning of materials procurement and storage on construction sites can lead to significant improvements in construction productivity and project profitability. Existing research studies focus on material procurement and storage layout as two separate planning tasks without considering their critical and mutual interdependencies. This paper presents the development of a new optimization model for construction logistics planning that is capable of simultaneously integrating and optimizing the critical planning decisions of material procurement and material storage on construction sites. The model utilizes genetic algorithms to minimize construction logistics costs that cover material ordering, financing, stock-out, and layout costs. The model incorporates newly developed algorithms to estimate the impact of potential material shortages on-site because of late delivery on project delays and stock-out costs. An application example is analyzed to demonstrate the capabilities of the construction logistics planning model in simultaneously optimizing material procurement decisions and storage layout plans.
Triplet state properties of the methylmercury(II)-tyrosine complex

Abstract CH 3 Hg(II)OH forms complexes at pH 8 with tyrosine and with tyrosine ethyl ester (TEE) that are detected by ultraviolet difference absorption spectra. With K f defined by CH 3 HgOH + HB CH 3 HgB + H 2 O, we find log K f = 3.61 (tyrosine) and 3.36 (TEE). A heavy-atom effect is observed in frozen glasses of the complexes; this indicates a close interaction between Hg and the chromophore. No UV difference spectrum or heavy-atom effect is observed with N -acetyl tyrosine ethyl ester, indicating that complexing at the phenol O does not occur, and suggesting that binding occurs at the amine N. Zero field optically detected magnetic resonance (ODMR) measurements of the CH 3 Hg(II)-tyrosine triplet state give (D, E) = (0.129, 0.047) or (0.134, 0.041) cm −1 depending upon assignment of transitions. D of tyrosine is relatively unaffected, but E is reduced by CH 3 Hg(II) complexing. Low-temperature kinetic measurements show that the shortest lived sublevel of the complex is T z , where z lies along the phenol long axis in tyrosine. A dominant 11.6-msec component in the 77 K decay of the phosphorescence is consistent with the individual sublevel lifetimes obtained by ODMR.
CT-directed diagnosis of peripheral lung lesions suspicious for cancer.

Small peripheral pulmonary nodules continue to be a diagnostic challenge, and because of improved technology are also being identified with increased frequency. Transthoracic needle biopsy, performed properly, is a highly accurate procedure and with careful attention to technical factors, nodules of any size in any location may undergo biopsy. A skilled cytologist is an essential part of the team. Continued advances in molecular diagnostics will allow for an expanded role of the usefulness of this procedure.
Strong anion exchange for studying protein-DNA interactions by H/D exchange mass spectrometry.

The use of mass spectrometry to study protein—ligand interactions is expanding into more complex systems including protein—DNA interactions. The excess amount of a model DNA or, more typically, an oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN), needed to study such interactions in an amide hydrogen-deuterium (H/D) exchange experiment, for example, causes serious signal suppression in the protein analysis. We describe here a modification of the traditional H/D exchange protocol whereby we utilize a strong anion exchange column to rapidly remove the ODN from solution before MS analysis. We showed the successful incorporation of such a column in a study of two protein—ODN systems: (1) the DNA-binding domain of human telomeric repeat binding factor 2 with a telomeric oligodeoxynucleotide and (2) thrombin with the thrombin-binding aptamer. The approach gave no appreciable difference in back-exchange compared to a method in which no strong anion exchange (SAX) is used.
Stray Thoughts on Transgender Feminism and the Barnard Conference on Women

This article discusses the importance of the 1982 Barnard Conference on Women for the development of transgender feminism.
A fast computation of pairwise sequence alignment scores between a protein and a set of single-locus variants of another protein

Recently we have developed a new algorithm, PROVEAN (Protein Variation Effect Analyzer), for predicting the functional effect of protein sequence variations, including single amino acid substitutions and small insertions and deletions [2]. The prediction is based on the change, caused by a given variation, in the similarity of the query sequence to a set of its related protein sequences. For this prediction, the algorithm is required to compute a semi-global pairwise sequence alignment score between the query sequence and each of the related sequences. Using dynamic programming, it takes O(n · m) time to compute alignment score between the query sequence Q of length n and a related sequence S of length m. Thus given l different variations in Q, in a naive way it would take O(l · n · m) time to compute the alignment scores between each of the variant query sequences and S. In this paper, we present a new approach to efficiently compute the pairwise alignment scores for l variations, which takes O((n + l) · m) time when the length of variations is bounded by a constant. In this approach, we further utilize the solutions of overlapping subproblems, which are already used by dynamic programming approach. Our algorithm has been used to build a new database for precomputed prediction scores for all possible single amino acid substitutions, single amino acid insertions, and up to 10 amino acids deletions in about 91K human proteins (including isoforms), where l becomes very large, that is, l = O(n). The PROVEAN source code and web server are available at http://provean.jcvi.org.
Why Susceptibility to Interpersonal Influence Ought to Be Used to Segment Consumer Markets

Abstract Based on a long-standing tradition of research in the academic marketing literature on Anglo-American consumer susceptibility to interpersonal influence (see e.g., Park & Lessig 1977) we now know what the mean levels of susceptibility are to informational and normative interpersonal-influence in this population. However, unfortunately, in this same literature we know practically nothing about the mean levels of these two types of influence in the African-, Asian-, and Hispanic-American populations in the U.S. This issue is investigated in this paper by assessing the mean levels of these types of influence in comparable samples of African-, Chinese-, Hispanic-, and Anglo-Americans in the U.S. using the measure of Bearden, Netemeyer and Teel (1989). When we compared these four samples on the level of their susceptibility to informational and normative interpersonal-influence, we found the following. Chinese-Americans were far more susceptible and Hispanic-Americans far less susceptible to normative...
Persistent sodium current, membrane properties and bursting behavior of pre-bötzinger complex inspiratory neurons in vitro.

We measured persistent Na+current and membrane properties of bursting-pacemaker and nonbursting inspiratory neurons of the neonatal rat pre-Botzinger complex (pre-BotC) in brain stem slice preparat...
Heteroepitaxial nucleation and oriented growth of manganese oxide islands on carbonate minerals under aqueous conditions.

Manganese redox cycling and the accompanying dissolution and precipitation reactions are important processes in natural waters. In the present study, Mn2+(aq) is reacted with O2(aq) at circumneutral pH to form manganese oxide islands on the (1014) surface of MnCO3. The islands grow heteroepitaxially. The effects of the substrate surface morphology, the substrate atomic structure, and the aqueous concentration of Mn2+ are investigated. On terraces, rhombohedral oxide islands form with 90° rotation relative to the crystallographic axis of the underlying carbonate substrate. Although the island heights self-limit between 2 and 3 nm depending on reaction conditions, the islands grow laterally to several square microns before separate islands collide and coalesce. The islands do not grow over substrate steps or down dissolution-pit edges. Comparison studies done with MgCO3 and CaCO3 show that the former also promotes heteroepitaxial growth whereas the latter does not. This difference is explained by the relat...
Determining substrate temperature in an AC inverted cylindrical magnetron sputtering PVD system

Abstract The substrate temperature achieved during physical vapor deposition significantly affects the properties and phases of thin films. An Isoflux ICM-10 Dual Target Inverted Cylindrical Magnetron Sputtering system is used to deposit low temperature alpha-phase alumina, for which an experimentally determined substrate temperature is desired. Constraints inherent to the Isoflux system limit the use of a thermocouple. Instead, a pressure vessel containing numerous samples of temperature indicating liquids is placed in the chamber during operation. These indicator paints are observed upon completion of the deposition process to record the substrate temperature. Measurements indicate a temperature range of 343 °C to 399 °C for our alpha-phase alumina films deposited at a pressure of 0.27 Pa (2 mTorr), a substrate bias of − 35 V, and a power of 5 kW. Theoretical heat transfer calculations support the experimental measurements. A parametric investigation showed that the removal of the − 35 V substrate bias decreases the substrate temperatures by approximately 35 °C and that the substrate temperature increases about 50 °C for each additional kilowatt of power in the range of 1 kW to 6 kW.
Implausibility and Evidentiality in Schizophrenic Delusions: A Case of High Risk of Suicide

This article presents the case of a patient who, tormented by auditory hallucinations, made an almost fatal suicide attempt by shooting himself. He expressed the firm conviction that traumatic events in his life, including his suicide attempt, were going to occur again in the same form. The case was conceptualized in terms of phenomenological, psychodynamic, and linguistic concepts that informed his psychotherapeutic treatment. He was also treated with standard pharmacological intervention. This case uses previously neglected insights from linguistics to illustrate how implausibility of delusions can best be understood in terms of competing rules of evidentiality rather than abnormal reasoning and faulty interpretations of experience. The favorable outcome is explained by the replacement of delusional with nondelusional ways of making sense of the world, the decrease of hyperreflexivity, and the restoration of the patient’s sense of power over his life.
Adaptive multiple-band CFAR detection of an optical pattern with unknown spectral distribution

A constant false alarm rate (CFAR) detection algorithm (see J.Y. Chen and I.S. Reed, IEEE Trans. Aerosp. Electron. Syst., vol.AES-23, no.1, Jan. 1987) is generalized to a test which is able to detect the presence of known optical signal pattern which has nonnegligible unknown relative intensities in several signal-plus-noise bands or channels. This test and its statistics are analytically evaluated, and the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) performance improvement is analyzed. Both theoretical and computer simulation results show that the SNR improvement factor of this algorithm using multiple band scenes over the single scene of maximum SNR can be substantial. The SNR gain of this detection algorithm is compared to the previously published one. It illustrates that the generalized SNR of the test using the full data array is always greater than that of using partial data array. The database used to simulate this adaptive CFAR test is obtained from actual image scenes. >
Dysmyelinogenesis in caprine β-mannosidosis: Ultrastructural and morphometric studies in fetal optic nerve

The optic nerves from a goat fetus affected with beta-mannosidosis and a control fetus were analysed morphologically in order to investigate developmental aspects of beta-mannosidosis-associated myelin deficits. In the affected fetus, the number of myelinated axons per unit area was about 25% of the control values. Histograms of axonal diameter indicated that a greater percentage of the myelinated and unmyelinated axons were of larger caliber in the affected fetus than in the control fetus and that very few small axons were myelinated in the affected animal. The mean values of myelin sheath thickness in the affected and control animals did not differ significantly. Ultrastructural analysis revealed a decreased proportion of oligodendrocytes and an increased proportion of astrocytes in the affected fetus. These results indicate that the pathogenetic process leading to cellular abnormalities and myelin deficits in beta-mannosidosis has been initiated prior to 124 days gestation, during an early stage of myelination in the goat optic nerve. The decrease in number of oligodendrocytes suggests that early cell death and/or change in oligodendrocyte proliferation contribute to the myelin deficit. Analysis of the prenatal development of lesions will help clarify the pathogenesis of dysmyelinogenesis in beta-mannosidosis.
Biosensing Paraoxon in Simulated Environmental Samples by Immobilized Organophosphorus Hydrolase in Functionalized Mesoporous Silica

There is a critical need for highly sensitive, cost-effective sensors to conduct ecological analyses for environmental and homeland security related applications. We report here on a method which significantly overcomes this difficulty, and demonstrate its application in a biosensor for aquatic environmental applications. A fast-responding and stable biosensor was developed via immobilization of organophosphorus hydrolase (OPH) in functionalized mesoporous silica (FMS) with pore sizes in tens of nanometers. The sensor was tested for detection of paraoxon in simulated environmental samples, under wide ranging physico-chemical conditions.
Keepin' It Real: Semi-Supervised Learning with Realistic Tuning

We address two critical issues involved in applying semi-supervised learning (SSL) to a real-world task: parameter tuning and choosing which (if any) SSL algorithm is best suited for the task at hand. To gain a better understanding of these issues, we carry out a medium-scale empirical study comparing supervised learning (SL) to two popular SSL algorithms on eight natural language processing tasks under three performance metrics. We simulate how a practitioner would go about tackling a new problem, including parameter tuning using cross validation (CV). We show that, under such realistic conditions, each of the SSL algorithms can be worse than SL on some datasets. However, we also show that CV can select SL/SSL to achieve "agnostic SSL," whose performance is almost always no worse than SL. While CV is often dismissed as unreliable for SSL due to the small amount of labeled data, we show that it is in fact effective for accuracy even when the labeled dataset size is as small as 10.
An array of scarlet and grey booklets: 65 years of the Symposium on Molecular Spectroscopy

A history of the OSU International Symposium on Molecular Spectroscopy is presented with a broad brush, inspired by looking at the evolution of the program booklets of the meeting, and drawing upon a selection of abstracts, all of which are now accessible on-line, and on reminiscences. The important and enduring aspects of the meeting from the perspective of the author are identified, and a few of the changes traced. The essential contributions of the founders and successive official hosts of the meeting, Harald H. Nielsen, David Dennison, K. Narahari Rao, and Terry A. Miller are acknowledged.
On the Source of Entropic Elastomeric Force in Polypeptides and Proteins: Backbone Configurational vs. Side-Chain Solvational Entropy

At physiological temperature In water, the relaxed state of the protein, elastin, and model elastomeric sequential polypeptides derived from this biological elastomer is the result of an inverse temperature transition. At lower temperatures, say at 20°C. the hydrophobic side chams of the elastomers are hydrated with a low-entropy net of water. On raising the temperature, the more ordered waters of hydrophobic hydration are converted to less ordered bulk water as the polypeptide chains fold increasing intra- and intermolecular hydrophobic contacts. Following Flory and colleagues, thermoelasticity studies suggests that these polypeptide elastomers are dominantly entropic elastomers above the temperature of the inverse temperature transition. A central question becomes the source of the entropic elastomeric force. On stretching, hydrophobic side chains become exposed to water, resulting in an exothermic reaction of hydrophobic hydration. The issue addressed by the present report is whether this decrease in solvent entropy on stretching might make a major contribution to the entropic elastomeric restoring force. It has previously been argued that the free energy of solvation can be made very small by a 30% ethylene glycol (EG):70% water solvent mixture. This is demonstrated here using the repeating pentapeptide sequence of elastin (Val '-Pro2-Gly'-Va14-Gly '). or poly( VPGVG) and its 7-irradiation cross-linked elastomeric matrix. Differential scanning calorimetry of the inverse temperature transition of poly( VPGVG) shows the endothermic heat of the transition to become very small in EG/HZO when compared with H20 alone, which also indicates a very small entropy change for the transition on exposure of the hydrophobic side chains to the EG/H20 solvent mixture. A similar result is found for the crosslinked elastomeric matrix. Significantly, however, in spite of the lower heats for hydrophobic solvation. the elastic modulus and the entropic elastomeric forces generated are greater in EG/H2O. Thus, even though the heat of the transition and the entropy change on solvation are markedly reduced, the entropic elastomeric force is increased. Accordingly, it is argued that the entropy change due to hydrophobic sidechain solvation on extension is considered not to be a primary source of the entropic elastomeric force.
Growth factors in acute myeloid leukaemia.

Abstract Clinical trials of colony-stimulating factors (CSFs) have been conducted for over 10 years. Initially, these agents, generally either granulocyte-macrophage (GM)- or granulocyte (G)-CSF, were hypothesized to reduce rates of major infection and/or death in the initial weeks after administration of chemotherapy. Although trials have consistently shown that both cytokines accelerate neutrophil recovery, only 1 out of 5–10 large randomized trials has reported that a decrease in major infection occurs as a result. While some of these trials have found that the use of cytokines lowers days in hospital, on antibiotics, or with fever, it is unclear whether the magnitude of these effects outweighs the expense currently entailed in CSF administration; indeed it appears that estimates of cost are themselves quite variable. The second major use of cytokines has been in priming acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) blasts to the cytotoxic actions of chemotherapy. Here again, the results of several randomized trials do not justify application of this strategy. It remains possible that there are subsets of AML patients who would benefit from priming. However, the identification of such patients might require years of accrual into clinical trials from which the majority of patients would not benefit. Future years may see trials of cytokines (e.g. pegylated recombinant human megakaryocytic growth and development factor +G- or GM-CSF) in patients in remission and as a means to increase the number of normal granulocytes that can be given to patients with infections. Further therapies may target cytokine receptors on AML blasts, to improve anti-leukaemia therapy.
A comparative study of insecticide metabolism in photoperiod-entrained and unentrained bollworm larvae Heliothis zea (Boddie)

Abstract 1. 1. The metabolism of P32-labelled Di-systonR (O,O-diethylS-2(ethylthio)ethyl phosphorodithioate) in fifth instar bollworms, Heliothis zea (Boddie) from unentrained and light-synchronized populations was compared by the use of radiometric procedures. 2. 2. Larvae were treated by injection at consecutive 2-hr intervals for 24 hr and then analyzed to determine the concentrations of hydrolytic and oxidative metabolites of Di-systonR that were formed in 4 hr. 3. 3. Differences in metabolite concentrations in unentrained larvae were not significant; however, in entrained larvae variations were significantly different and followed a cyclic pattern. 4. 4. Maxima of hydrolysis product concentrations occurred at 24-hr intervals in internal extracts and at 12-hr intervals in excreta. 5. 5. Peak concentrations of oxidation products occurred at 12-hr intervals in internal extracts but did not follow a definite pattern in excreta.
Genetics and blood pressure response to exercise, and its interactions with adiposity.

Regular aerobic exercise has the potential to induce several beneficial health effects, including a decrease in blood pressure level, especially in hypertensive patients and in subjects with high-normal blood pressure. However, it is also well documented that some people show more pronounced blood pressure responses to endurance training than others, despite identical training programs and similar initial blood pressure levels. This kind of variation is an example of normal biologic diversity and most likely originates from interactions with genetic factors. Data from genetic epidemiologic studies indicate that there is a genetic component that affects both resting blood pressure and blood pressure responses to acute exercise. Evidence from molecular genetic studies is scarce, but the first reports suggest that DNA sequence variation in the hypertension candidate genes, such as angiotensinogen, also modify blood pressure responses to endurance training. The current knowledge regarding the role of genetic factors in the modification of blood pressure responses to endurance training will be summarized and discussed.
Weighted Tardiness Single Machine Scheduling with Proportional Weights

This paper considers Arkin and Roundy's single machine weighted tardiness scheduling model with tardiness penalties proportional to the processing times. It presents a two-stage decomposition mechanism that proves to be powerful in solving the problem completely or reducing it to a much smaller problem. Three types of orderings of adjacent jobs are derived that play a crucial role in problem decomposition. The decomposition method solves 155 out of 320 test problems with job sizes ranging from 20 to 150. It reduces 163 unsolved problems to smaller subproblems with sizes not exceeding 25 jobs. The job sizes of the remaining two unsolved subproblems are 30 and 45.
Noninvasive indices of repolarization and its dispersion.

Abstract In experimental studies using Langendorff perfused, isolated canine hearts immersed in a torso-shaped electrolytic tank we studied repolarization and its dispersion using direct epicardial measurements and newly derived, noninvasive body surface indices. Activation recovery intervals (ARIs) measured from 64 epicardial sites based on differences between activation times (ATs) and recovery times (RTs) provided direct measures of repolarization. The indirect, torso surface indices were derived from inflections of the root-mean-square (RMS) voltage of the torso tank surface electrocardiograms recorded simultaneously with the epicardial data. For cycle lengths ranging from 300 to 900 ms, and electrolyte temperatures ranging from 32°C to 40°C we calculated mean, variance, and range of ATs, RTs, and ARIs from the epicardium. From epicardial and torso surface RMS waveforms, we used times of R and T peaks and their differences to estimate mean ATs, RTs, and ARIs, respectively. The RMS T wave width as determined from the second derivative inflections on either side of the T peak served as an estimate of the dispersion of RTs. In parallel studies, we showed that the direct measures of repolarization and its dispersion were reflected in RMS waveforms generated from the epicardial electrograms themselves. In this study, we confirm that the torso and epicardial RMS waveforms reflect comparable information for estimating repolarization and its dispersion. Furthermore, the derived measures provide a method to assess mean ARIs and dispersion of RTs on a beat-to-beat basis and during abnormal (ectopic ventricular) activation sequences.
Engineered biosynthesis of medium-chain esters in Escherichia coli.

Abstract Medium-chain esters such as isobutyl acetate (IBAc) and isoamyl acetate (IAAc) are high-volume solvents, flavors and fragrances. In this work, we engineered synthetic metabolic pathways in Escherichia co li for the total biosynthesis of IBAc and IAAc directly from glucose. Our pathways harnessed the power of natural amino acid biosynthesis. In particular, the native valine and leucine pathways in E. coli were utilized to supply the precursors. Then alcohol acyltransferases from various organisms were investigated on their capability to catalyze esterification reactions. It was discovered that ATF1 from Saccharomyces cerevisiae was the best enzyme for the formation of both IBAc and IAAc in E. coli. In vitro biochemical characterization of ATF1 confirmed the fermentation results and provided rational guidance for future enzyme engineering. We also performed strain improvement by removing byproduct pathways (Δ ldh , Δ poxB , Δ pta ) and increased the production of both target chemicals. Then the best IBAc producing strain was used for scale-up fermentation in a 1.3-L benchtop bioreactor. 36 g/L of IBAc was produced after 72 h fermentation. This work demonstrates the feasibility of total biosynthesis of medium-chain esters as renewable chemicals.
The Deterrence Effect of SEC Enforcement Intensity on Illegal Insider Trading: Evidence from Run-up before News Events

We examine whether public enforcement of U.S. insider trading laws affects price discovery. Examining insider trading civil cases filed by the SEC from 2003 to 2011, we find that the price impact on insider trading days is much smaller than the effect documented by Meulbroek (1992) for the 1980s, consistent with increased fear of prosecution. Moreover, we find that pre-announcement anticipatory run-up in comprehensive samples of takeover bids and earnings announcements is negatively related to resource-based measures of public enforcement intensity, suggesting that aggressive enforcement deters illegal activity.
Women and Waqf: Toward a Reconsideration of Women's Place in the Mamluk Household

ʿUthman Katkhuda, Ibrahim Katkhuda, ʿAbd al-Rahman al-Katkhuda, ʿAli Bey al-Kabir, Muhammad Bey Abu Dhahab, Ibrahim Bey, and Murad Bey will be familiar to students and scholars of Ottoman Egypt as the names of men who were in the forefront of the Mamluk resurgence and the leaders of the bayt, the Qazdughli, that became the dominant household from the mid-18th century to the French invasion of 1798. Less familiar—indeed, almost unknown—are the names of women such as Shawikar Qadin, the favorite concubine of ʿUthman Katkhuda and the wife and widow of three powerful Qazdughli amirs, including Ibrahim Katkhuda, the architect of Qazdughli dominance; Amnatullah al-Bayda, widow of ʿAbd al-Rahman al-Katkhuda; and Nafisa al-Bayda, the beautiful, intelligent, and literate widow of ʿAli Bey al-Kabir and wife of Murad Bey, who was also admired by the French during their occupation of the country.
Computer-assisted analysis of particulate axoplasmic flow in organized CNS tissue cultures.

Using organized nervous system tissue cultures of embryonic mouse spinal cord, time-lapse motion pictures of intra-axonal particle movements were made using Nomarski optics. The paths of 272 particles were followed and analyzed using digital computer methods. Particles had a bidirectional saltatory motility with net anterograde and retrograde velocities which were shown to be the same (about 1 micron per second). When anterograde moving and retrograde moving particles were analyzed separately for anterograde and retrograde saltations, the velocities of saltations in the direction of net movement were found to be 1.5 times greater than saltations against the direction of net movement. These differences were statistically significant. In addition, it was shown that there were regions within the axon where variations in particle motion were similar from particle to particle as they passed, and that more disturbed motion was found to occur near intra-axonal objects which were judged to be mitochondria. No decrease of particle velocity was noted in regions away from mitochondria nor was an increase in velocity noted near them. Computer-drawn particle plots illustrate the various facets of particle motion.
‘Do what I mean, not what I say!’. Changes in mothers' action-directives to young children

This study investigated mothers' notions of appropriate speech to 40 children aged 1; 6 to 3; 6. Spontaneous maternal action-directives were analysed in terms of the explicitness with which they expressed syntactic and lexical clues to action-directive intentions. Cross-sectional and longitudinal changes, and progressions within maternal repetition sequences, indicated that the children perceived as most limited in inferential skills elicited the most restricted input. Most of the action-directives they heard could be interpreted non-inferentially, because syntactic and lexical clues to intentions were explicitly expressed. External supports were removed gradually in response to the mother's perception of her child's increasing ability to draw extra-linguistic inferences. Several theoretical models of non-literal speech-act comprehension are supported. It is argued that the differences in language use reflect the mother's notions of the speech a listener is likely to understand.