cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Role of Sodium/Calcium Exchange in the Regulation of Vascular Contractility

A rise in the cytosolic free calcium concentration, [Ca2+]c, is the immediate trigger for an increase in tension in vascular smooth muscle (VSM). Ca2+ can enter the cytosol from the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) when it is released by inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) and, perhaps, by Ca2+-induced Ca2+ release as a result of agonist activation. Ca2+ can also enter the cytosol from the extracellular fluid via voltage-gated and/or agonist receptor-operated Ca2+-sensitive channels, as well as via Na/Ca exchange (see below). These features have led to several interesting and controversial, unresolved questions about Ca2+ metabolism in VSM: Is the SR store of Ca2+ modulated? And if so, how? How is Ca2+ extruded and Ca2+ balance maintained? And, how is supra-threshold [Ca2+]c and tonic tension maintained in VSM that exhibits tonic contractions? The answers to these questions are essential for understanding how tension is regulated in VSM.
Kinases and Phosphatases in Hedgehog Signaling

The study of posttranslational regulation of proteins has occupied biochemists for well over a half century. Understanding balanced phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of the proteins may be the key to meeting some of the most pressing scientific challenges. A detailed examination of the phosphorylation of many components in Hedgehog (Hh) pathway is leading to a better understanding of the Hh signaling mechanisms. This chapter describes the precise phosphorylation that evolves the phosphorylation/dephosphorylation of the players in Hh signaling cascade, including the signal transducer Smoothened and the transcription factor Ci/Gli.
Met-Cars: A New Family of Metal - Carbon Clusters

Matter of nanoscale dimensions often displays properties unlike those of isolated gas-phase molecules, liquids or solids. Sometimes this is due to their bonding, structure and morphology, while in other cases it is because the small dimensions bring with it new phenomena arising from quantum confinement. Work is in progress in our group to investigate the changing properties of matter at different degrees of aggregation to provide a physical basis for interpreting the unique behavior of such systems. Studying cluster materials comprised of metals and metal compounds is a particularly promising avenue of approach to ascertain when discrete molecular properties begin to coalesce and display collective behavior characteristic of solids.
An optimally efficient limited inference system

This paper descnbes a knowledge representation and reasoning system that performs a limited but interesting class of inferences over a restricted class of first-order sentences with optimal efficiency. The proposed system can answer yes-no as well as wh-queries in time that is only proportional to the length of the shortest derivation of the query and is independent of the size of the knowledge base. This work suggests that the expressiveness and the inferential ability of a representation and reasoning systems may be limited in unusual ways to arrive at extremely efficient yet fairly powerful knowledge based systems.
A Headache of a Diagnosis.

A Headache of a Diagnosis A 24-year-old man presented to a university health center in January with a persistent headache that had begun abruptly 6 days earlier.
Regulatory impact assessment for implementing energy efficient lighting standards in the small island developing state of Antigua & Barbuda

Abstract A regulatory impact assessment (RIA) was conducted to provide information and analyses to support government decision-making on policy and conformity assessment options for adoption of proposed energy efficient lighting standards in the Caribbean island nation of Antigua and Barbuda. The methodology comprised of a multi-criteria assessment methodology coupled with perceptual cost effectiveness assessment, based on primary data obtained from an expert panel. Findings suggest that a voluntary incentive policy with intervention in the consumer market such as a product subsidy possibly coupled with a product exchange scheme in phased approach towards a mandatory obligation to energy efficient lighting products could be the way forward. Findings also suggest suitability of a third-party conformity assessment approach whereby manufacturers/suppliers/importers will require certification for energy efficient lighting products by an approved, accredited entity before or upon local market entry. The RIA is useful to government policy makers seeking to justify and prioritize their available options for efficient and effective adoption of the proposed lighting standards. This study also introduces the RIA as an approach that should be institutionalized in the Caribbean region as a tool for data driven and evidence based policy decisions.
Video transmission robot vision motion-noise separation

In this research paper we examine the vision, between visit comparison, and transmission aspect of a robot used for remote medical hospital visits. The vision of the robot consists of two or more cameras, calibrated to resolve distances with centimeter to sub millimeter accuracy depending on the number of cameras used. The robot wirelessly transmits the lossy compressed ROY and lossy compressed the remaining of multiple images to a file server maintained in the hospital. The hospital file server transmits to the physician's office real time or store and forward, and provides a comparison of the present images with the images of the previous visit. The software of our intelligent system provides a quantized comparison. In this research paper we address issues related to video capture for multiple cameras, noise reduction, de-interlacing, camera calibration, distance resolution, network programming, secure transmission, video compression, and video comparison.
Isolated mechanism study on in situ CO2 EOR

Abstract In situ CO2 enhanced oil recovery (ICE) has great potential for the mature oil field. ICE can deliver CO2 to the targeted formation by the injection of CO2 producing agents which decompose in the reservoir to release CO2 and other oil recovery enhancing compounds. The mechanism of the ICE system was evaluated experimentally. Alkali and hydrotrope induced interfacial tension (IFT) reduction were studied with crude oils that have different acid numbers and also dodecane. The independent and combined effect of the ICE system on wettability reversal was quantified by contact angle measurement with different fluid systems and lithology. Ten one-dimensional sand pack flooding tests with different lithology and fluid systems were designed to isolate the different recovery mechanisms and study their individual contribution to the final tertiary recovery. From the experimental results, the highest IFT reduction by alkali effect was from 21 mN/m to 0.77 mN/m. The wettability of clean sandstone and sandstone aged in crude oil were responsive to different concentrations of NH3 solution. The sandstone surface became more water-wet with increase in NH3 (aq) concentration. The wettability of carbonate core samples were not strongly affected by the NH3 solution. Both aged sandstone and carbonate core samples showed significant wettability reversal from oil-wet to water-wet after the ICE treatment. After a series of sand pack flooding tests, it was shown that the effect of CO2 was more dominant in carbonate reservoirs and NH3 (aq) contribution to the tertiary recovery increased with the increase of the crude oil acid number. The results help elucidate the mechanisms in ICE and their contribution to the final oil recovery.
Pros and Cons of Chaperone-Mediated Autophagy in Cancer Biology

Autophagy contributes to cellular quality control and energetics through lysosomal breakdown and recycling of essential cellular components. Chaperone-mediated autophagy (CMA) adds to these autophagic functions the ability to timely and selectively degrade single tagged proteins to terminate their cellular function and, in this way, participate in the regulation of multiple cellular processes. Many cancer cells upregulate CMA for protumorigenic and prosurvival purposes. However, growing evidence supports a physiological role for CMA in limiting malignant transformation. Understanding the mechanisms behind this functional switch of CMA from antioncogenic to pro-oncogenic is fundamental for targeting CMA in cancer treatment. We summarize current understanding of CMA functions in cancer biology and discuss the basis for its context-dependent dual role in oncogenesis.
A Solution Framework Based on Process Mining, Optimization, and Discrete-Event Simulation to Improve Queue Performance in an Emergency Department

Long waiting lines are a frequent problem in hospitals’ Emergency Departments and can be critical to the patient’s health and experience. This study proposes a three-stage solution framework to address this issue: Process Identification, Process Optimization, and Process Simulation. In the first, we use descriptive statistics to understand the data and obtain indicators as well as Process Mining techniques to identify the main process flow; the Optimization phase is composed of a mathematical model to provide an optimal physician schedule that reduces waiting times; and, finally, Simulation is performed to compare the original process flow and scheduling with the optimized solution. We applied the proposed solution framework to a case study in a Brazilian private hospital. Final data comprised of 65,407 emergency cases which corresponded to 399,631 event log registries in a 13-month period. The main metrics observed were the waiting time before the First General Assessment of a physician and the volume of patients within the system per hour and day of the week. When simulated, the optimal physician scheduling resulted in more than 40% reduction in waiting times and queue length, a 29.3% decrease of queue occurrences, and 54.2% less frequency of large queues.
Understanding access to genomics in an ethnically diverse south Florida population: A comparison of demographics in odyssey and rapid whole genome sequencing programs

Advances in genomic medicine have evolved to include rapid whole genome sequencing (rWGS) in pediatric intensive care settings. Traditionally, genetic testing was conducted in outpatient clinics, with stepwise genetic testing occurring over several years. This delayed the time to diagnosis, making it more difficult to include underrepresented groups, such as those who identify as Black and Latinx. National genetic sequencing programs have also struggled to engage these participants in their studies, leading to a significant disparity in access to new genetic technologies. The purpose of our study was to compare the demographic characteristics of families enrolled in both an Odyssey Program (N = 46), defined as outpatients in the Genetics Clinic who have had prior genetic testing, and a newly implemented rWGS (N = 52) sequencing program. Despite living in a large, ethnically diverse city, our results indicated that parents in the Odyssey program differed significantly from parents in the rWGS program in level of education, family income, and insurance status. For example, 71.5% of parents in the diagnostic Odyssey program had a college or advanced degree, whereas 42% of parents in the rWGS program had this level of education. Family income and insurance also differed, with 48.6% of families in the Odyssey program earning $100,000 or more versus 28.2% in rWGS; 56% of parents in the Odyssey program had private insurance with 26% on Medicaid whereas only 23% of parents in rWGS had private insurance, with the vast majority of children on Medicaid (69%). Thus, our Odyssey program illustrates some of the common pitfalls in implementing genomic testing in an ethnically diverse community, including lack of referrals, travel to outpatient visits, and a cultural mismatch with providers. The successful enrollment of underrepresented groups in the rWGS program demonstrates that given the opportunity to participate in genetic testing, families are interested and aware of the potential benefits of this testing for their child. As genomic sequencing transitions from outpatient to inpatient settings, an opportunity arises to close the health disparity gap. Recommendations for implementing rWGS in pediatric, intensive care settings that address the common barriers faced by underrepresented families are discussed.
Herpes Simplex Virus: A Versatile Tool for Insights Into Evolution, Gene Delivery, and Tumor Immunotherapy.

Herpesviruses are prevalent throughout the animal kingdom, and they have coexisted and coevolved along with their host species for millions of years. Herpesviruses carry a large (120-230 kb) double...
Workforce preparedness for disasters: perceptions of clinical and non-clinical staff at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

Most U.S. studies on workforce preparedness have a narrow scope, focusing primarily on perceptions of clinical staff in a single hospital and for one type of disaster. In contrast, this study compares the perceptions of workplace disaster preparedness among both clinical and non-clinical staff at all U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical facilities nationwide for three types of disasters (natural, epidemic/pandemic, and manmade). The VA Preparedness Survey used a stratified simple random, web-based survey (fielded from October through December 2018) of all employees at VA medical facilities. We conducted bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses to compare the sociodemographic characteristics and perceptions of disaster preparedness between clinical and non-clinical VA staff. The study population included 4026 VA employees (2488 clinicians and 1538 non-clinicians). Overall, VA staff were less confident in their medical facility’s ability to respond to epidemic/pandemics and manmade disasters. Depending on the type of disaster, clinical staff, compared to non-clinical staff, were less likely to be confident in their VA medical facility’s ability to respond to natural disasters (OR:0.78, 95% CI:0.67–0.93, p < 0.01), pandemics (OR:0.82, 95% CI:0.70–0.96, p < 0.05), and manmade disasters (OR: 0.74, 95% CI: 0.63–0.86, p < 0.001). On the other hand, clinicians, compared to non-clinicians, were 1.45 to 1.78 more likely to perceive their role in disaster response to be important (natural OR:1.57, 95% CI:1.32–1.87; pandemic OR:1.78, 95% CI:1.51–2.10; manmade: OR:1.45; 95% CI: 1.23–1.71; p’s < 0.001), and 1.27 to 1.29 more likely to want additional trainings to prepare for all three types of disasters (natural OR:1.29, 95% CI:1.10–1.51; pandemic OR:1.27, 95% CI:1.08–1.49; manmade OR:1.29; 95% CI:1.09–1.52; p’s < 0.01). Clinicians were more likely to be women, younger, and more educated (p’s < 0.001) than non-clinicians. Compared to clinicians, non-clinical staff had been employed longer with the VA (p < 0.025) and were more likely to have served in the U.S. Armed Forces (p < 0.001). These findings suggest both a desire and a need for additional training, particularly for clinicians, and with a focus on epidemics/pandemics and manmade disasters. Training programs should underscore the importance of non-clinical roles when responding to disasters.
Challenges of Modeling Outcomes for Surgical Infections: A Word of Caution.

Background: We developed a novel analytic tool for colorectal deep organ/space surgical site infections (C-OSI) prediction utilizing both institutional and extra-institutional American College of S...
When Defects Dominate: Rheology of Nanofibrillated Cellulose Suspensions

Conventional rheological tests can be difficult to carry out in the case of suspensions of nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC). Such suspensions tend to migrate away from the walls of a rheometer device, leaving a low-viscosity layer. The very high aspect ratio of typical nanofibrillated cellulose particles favors formation of tangled clusters. But application of hydrodynamic shear can cause fragmentation of those clusters. It is proposed in this essay that some focus be placed on the fragments of entangled clusters of NFC and interactions between them at their fractured surfaces. The condition of near-uniform, defect-free structures of nanocellulose spanning the volume within a sheared suspension might be regarded as an unlikely circumstance. Isaac Newton started with a very simple equation to start to understand rheology. It is proposed that a similarly bold and simplified approach may be needed to account for the effects of broken entangled clusters of NFC on flow phenomena, their assessment, and their consequences related to industrial processes.
Strong fatigue-resistant nanofibrous hydrogels inspired by lobster underbelly

Summary Nanofibrous hydrogels are pervasive in animal and plant bodies and have been widely seen in engineering applications. Electrospinning is one of the most widely used methods for the fabrication of nanofibrous hydrogels. Whereas the biological nanofibrous hydrogels can maintain high strength and high toughness under multiple cycles of mechanical loads, such fatigue-resistant properties have not been achieved in electrospun nanofibrous hydrogels. Here, we report a bioinspired design of strong and fatigue-resistant nanofibrous hydrogels that can closely mimic the bouligand structure of the natural hydrogel in the lobster underbelly. The resultant nanofibrous hydrogel can reach high nominal strength up to 8.4 MPa and high fatigue threshold up to 770 J/m2. We further demonstrate the superior impact resistance of the bioinspired bouligand-type nanofibrous hydrogel with specific penetration energy of 40 kJ/kg. We show that it is critical to weld the interfaces between nanofibers and introduce intrinsically high-energy phases (nanocrystalline domains) into nanofibers.
Abiotic stress triggers ROS-mediated programmed cell death in banana (Musa sp., AAA group, Cavendish sub-group) fruit

Abstract Degradative processes of fleshy fruit adapt depending on environmental conditions. Exposure of banana fruit to abiotic stress during ripening accelerates degradative processes that resemble Programmed Cell Death (PCD). This research evaluated the connection between Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) production and PCD processes during ripening and over-ripening of banana fruit after exposure to abiotic stress at the pre-climacteric phase (before exogenous ethylene treatment). Mature-green banana exposed to 1 °C for 7 d exhibited severe chilling damage. During ripening and over-ripening, epidermis cells in chilled peel developed evident browning since 2 d compared to non-chilled peel, as well as loss of cell structure and accelerated collapse. During the evaluation period H2O2 production was higher in chilled peel (˃31% of maximum) than in non-chilled (
Thermographic Detection of Delaminations in Laminated Structures

The detection of disbonds in a laminated structure is the focus of many nondestructive techniques.One of the promising techniques is thermography, where heat is applied to a structure, and the subsequent temperature profiles are detected with an infrared (IR) imager.If there is an even application of heat, an elevated temperature profile will appear, as a result of the reduction in heat flow from the surface layer to subsurface layers.Two advantages of the thermographic technique over more conventional ultrasonic techniques are that it can be easily made noncontacting and that large areas can be inspected in a short period of time.
Transplacental passage of nucleotides, nucleosides, and bases

Abstract When C 14 -labeled nucleotides, nucleosides, and bases were administered intravenously to near-term pregnant rats, the transfer of radioactive material across the placenta was observed with both purine and pyrimidine series. There was proportionately higher counts in the pyrimidine series; moreover, cytidine and orotic acid showed the highest incorporation into maternal liver. Colchicine and 5-fluorouracil also displayed transplacental passage. The intraperitoneal administration of C 14 -labeled precursors to near-term pregnant rats without anesthesia showed rapid and sizeable transfer of materials within few minutes followed by decline over period of hours. The phenomenon was observed in nucleotides, nucleosides, and bases. Analysis of acid-insoluble fraction with labeled orotic acid suggests that there has been incorporation of the material into maternal liver RNA, fetal RNA, and to a lesser degree into placental RNA.
"With All My Oldest and Native Friends". Joseph Parkes: Warwickshire Solicitor and Electoral Agent in the Age of Reform

Joseph Parkes, Birmingham solicitor, electoral agent, whig party advisor and secretary to the Parliamentary Municipal Corporation Commission was a modern master of exposing corrupt and fraudulent electioneering and using it as a catalyst for the election of reform and Liberal politicians immediately following the 1832 Reform Act. Warwickshire's own political and legal history was the foundation for Parkes's understanding of how politics worked in Britain and what was wrong with it, and helped forge his vision for an effective reform in parliamentary and local government. This essay examines Joseph Parkes's understanding of national electoral politics, informed by his work in Warwickshire. As a local solicitor, Parkes gained the wisdom of controlling electoral registration, canvassing in a routine and orderly manner and establishing a network of professionals to secure that registrations turned into votes at elections. This experience would culminate in the formation of the Reform Club, a national organisation of whigs, Liberals and radicals, that would, eventually, become the base of the Liberal Party in modern British politics. In short, Joseph Parkes was a man who could not, and did not wish to, escape where he came from, at least in terms of his political education. His Warwickshire experiences and lessons learned, solidified a series of political reform goals that he pragmatically approached as a political advisor, operative and attorney, rather than an elected public servant, and marked the direction of politics for the rest of the century.
Invariance Principles for Non-Uniform Random Mappings and Trees

In the context of uniform random mappings of an n-element set to itself, Aldous and Pitman (1994) established a functional invariance principle, showing that many n → ∞ limit distributions can be described as distributions of suitable functions of reflecting Brownian bridge. To study non-uniform cases, in this paper we formulate a sampling invariance principle in terms of iterates of a fixed number of random elements. We show that the sampling invariance principle implies many, but not all, of the distributional limits implied by the functional invariance principle. We give direct verifications of the sampling invariance principle in two successive generalizations of the uniform case, to p-mappings (where elements are mapped to i.i.d. non-uniform elements) and P-mappings (where elements are mapped according to a Markov matrix). We compare with parallel results in the simpler setting of random trees.
Reduce: Software for Algebraic Computation

CONTRIBUTED BY DR. ANTHONY C. HEARN THE RAND CORPORATION, SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA REDUCE is a computer program for algebraic computation that IS III world-wide use by thousands of scientists, engineers, and mathematicians. Although it traces its beginnings to 1963, until recently it has only been available on main-frame computers because of its relatively large resource requirements. In 1980 I predicted (1) that by the mid-1980's it would be possible to obtain personal computers in the $10,000 $20,000 range capable of running REDUCE. I am therefore delighted to see that machines of the power of the IBM PC can now run this system, even though these computers are more modestly priced than my 1980 vision of the personal algebra machine. In addition to the need for the more widespread access that personal computers can now provide, there has been a longstanding need for a textbook to help the beginning user become better acquainted with the system. I am therefore very glad that Dr. Rayna has undertaken to write such a book, just as the era of the REDUCE personal algebra machine is beginning. In order to understand the nature of REDUCE, a little history is in order. In 1963 I met Dr.John McCarthy, the inventor of LISP.
Mountain Pine Beetle Infestation: Cycling and Succession in Lodgepole Pine Forest

A research project was initiated in 1980 to study the effects of outbreaks of the mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae) on lodgepole pine forests (Pinus contorta spp. latifolia) in Yellowstone National Park and surrounding areas. This native bark beetle recently has killed millions of trees over thousands of square kilometers in the central and northern Rocky Mountains. Major outbreaks first occurred in Grand Teton National Park in the 1950's and in Yellowstone National Park in the 1960's. The outbreak in Yellowstone Park is still spreading.
Growth and characterization of (110) InAs quantum well metamorphic heterostructures

An understanding of the growth of (110) quantum wells (QWs) is of great importance to spin systems due to the observed long spin relaxation times. In this article, we report on the metamorphic growth and characterization of high mobility undoped InAs (110) QWs on GaAs (110) substrates. A low-temperature nucleation layer reduces dislocation density, results in tilting of the subsequent buffer layer and increases the electron mobility of the QW structure. The mobility varies widely and systematically (4000–16 000 cm2/Vs at room temperature) with deposition temperature and layer thicknesses. Low-temperature transport measurements exhibit Shubnikov de-Haas oscillations and quantized plateaus in the quantum Hall regime.
Parameterization of a ruminant model of phosphorus digestion and metabolism.

Abstract The objective of the current work was to parameterize the digestive elements of the model of Hill et al. (2008) using data collected from animals that were ruminally, duodenally, and ileally cannulated, thereby providing a better understanding of the digestion and metabolism of P fractions in growing and lactating cattle. The model of Hill et al. (2008) was fitted and evaluated for adequacy using the data from 6 animal studies. We hypothesized that sufficient data would be available to estimate P digestion and metabolism parameters and that these parameters would be sufficient to derive P bioavailabilities of a range of feed ingredients. Inputs to the model were dry matter intake; total feed P concentration ( f PtFd ); phytate (Pp), organic (Po), and inorganic (Pi) P as fractions of total P ( f PpPt , f PoPt , f PiPt ); microbial growth; amount of Pi and Pp infused into the omasum or ileum; milk yield; and BW. The available data were sufficient to derive all model parameters of interest. The final model predicted that given 75g/d of total P input, the total-tract digestibility of P was 40.8%, Pp digestibility in the rumen was 92.4%, and in the total-tract was 94.7%. Blood P recycling to the rumen was a major source of Pi flow into the small intestine, and the primary route of excretion. A large proportion of Pi flowing to the small intestine was absorbed; however, additional Pi was absorbed from the large intestine (3.15%). Absorption of Pi from the small intestine was regulated, and given the large flux of salivary P recycling, the effective fractional small intestine absorption of available P derived from the diet was 41.6% at requirements. Milk synthesis used 16% of total absorbed P, and less than 1% was excreted in urine. The resulting model could be used to derive P bioavailabilities of commonly used feedstuffs in cattle production.
Sex differences in the activity wheel and open field as a function of fetal x-irradiation

Female rats fetally irradiated on gestation days 19 and 21 make significantly more turns in the wheel than comparable males. The activity pattern as a function of dose level was similar for all 21 day Ss. This was not true of the 19 day Ss. Fewer squares in the open field were entered by females as a function of dose received. The reverse was true of males.
Depoliticizing land and water “grabs” in Colombia: the limits of Bonsucro certification for enhancing sustainable biofuel practices

As concerns heighten over links between biomass production and land grabs in the global south, attention is turning to understanding the role of governance of biofuels systems, whereby decision-making and conduct are not solely determined through government regulations but increasingly shaped by non-state actors, including multi-stakeholder initiatives (MSI). Launched in 2005, Bonsucro is the principal MSI that focuses on sustainability standards for sugar and sugarcane ethanol production. Bonsucro claims that because it is free from government interference and draws on scientific metrics, their standards transcend localized, political–economic contexts. In this paper, we illustrate how the local context shapes the prospects for Bonsucro sustainably certified biofuel production in relation to land and water grabs. To accomplish this, our case focuses on Colombia, which has used a range of national policy mandates to establish itself as one of the larger producers of agrofuels in Latin America. We draw on interviews with stakeholders in the sugar and ethanol industries, paired with an examination of Bonsucro principles on land rights and water use, to illustrate how the sugar industry is framing their participation in Bonsucro, and the effects of the increasing intensification of sugarcane for ethanol production on land and water access for communities. We find that within the context of Colombia, efforts such as Bonsucro provide a veil of legitimacy and authority to a system that is premised on deeply entrenched historical patterns of inequitable land ownership patterns and access to natural resources.
Vitamin B12 and the lipids of the central nervous system

Summary 1. A vitamin B 12 deficient diet containing antibiotic to inhibit intestinal flora and endogenous B 12 was fed to female Wistar rats for four weeks. The rats were then bred and the newborn were divided into two groups one of which continued to receive the B 12 deficient antibiotic supplemented regimen. The second group was fed the identical diet plus vitamin B 12 (Merck Sharp and Dohme). This group served as a control to the experimental group with which they were paired. 2. Attempts to produce a B 12 deficiency with neurological complications such as subacute combined degeneration of the spinal cord, have not been successful in rats. It was postulated that maternal dietary deficiency of B 12 would sufficiently deprive the fetus during the period of maximum growth and nutritional demand, to result in initial nerve damage such that a lesion resembling the histology observed in pernicious anaemia in man would result if the newborn were continued on the B 12 deficient diet in the postnatal period. 3. B 12 concentration of brain, spinal cord, sciatic nerve, plasma, spleen, liver, and kidney was measured at four, eight, and twelve months of age. Lipid analyses were confined to brain, spinal cord, and sciatic nerve tissue. 4. B 12 concentration was markedly diminished in all tissues of the deficient animals, compared to the controls, and weight gain was greatly reduced. 5. At four months of age a marked decrease in the cephalin and lecithin fractions of the brain and spinal cord was observed in the B 12 deficient animals. No additional fall occurred at eight and twelve months of age. The triglyceride concentration of sciatic nerve was markedly decreased during the entire study. 6. Gas chromatography analysis of the total lipid extracts from these tissues showed the fatty acids were not significantly different between the test and control groups in any period. 7.Histological examination failed to show any change in the myelin. 8. The administration of inorganic phosphorus (P 32 ) eight days prior to terminating each experimental period indicated decreased incorporation of P 32 into all of the phospholipids. 9. Vitamin B 12 deficiency in rats from the fetal stage for one year failed to produce any clinical symptoms in the rat resembling those observed in B 12 deficiency in man. Significant changes in the phospholipid fractions were not coincident with measurable clinical symptoms suggesting that the biochemical lesion must be extensive to produce symptoms and must precede the clinical findings by a lengthy period of time.
The Release and Detection of Endotoxin from Liposomes

Incorporation of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) into liposomes dramatically reduces its ability to coagulate Limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL). The coagulation of LAL is commonly used to signal the presence of endotoxin in vitro. This study demonstrates a simple method to release masked endotoxin from liposomal dispersions using moderate amounts of detergent to form mixed micelles containing lipid, detergent, and LPS. Several parameters were found to affect the degree of liposome solubilization and/or the sensitivity of the LAL assay. These included detergent type and concentration, temperature for solubilization, lipid composition, liposome morphology, and time for test incubation. The nonionic detergent polyoxyethylene 10 lauryl ether (C12E10) proved to be unique in its ability to solubilize liposomes and minimally interfere with endotoxin detection. The LAL endotoxin detection limit for samples dispersed in C12E10 varied with the phospholipid component; the sensitivity decreased in the order DSPC > DPPC = EPC >> DMPC. Cholesterol lowered the solubility limit of the liposomes, but did not appear to affect the LAL assay sensitivity once the liposomes were completely solubilized. The presence of negatively charged phospholipids, DSPG and Pops, also lowered the solubility limit. Pops, but not DSPG, at 10 mol% further decreased the LAL endotoxin detection limit. This detergent-solubilization method should be useful in liposomal LPS immunological studies or in other situations where accurate determination of endotoxin concentration is important.
Mechanotransduction in development: a growing role for contractility

Mechanotransduction research has focused historically on how externally applied forces can affect cell signalling and function. A growing body of evidence suggests that contractile forces that are generated internally by the actomyosin cytoskeleton are also important in regulating cell behaviour, and suggest a broader role for mechanotransduction in biology. Although the molecular basis for these cellular forces in mechanotransduction is being pursued in cell culture, researchers are also beginning to appreciate their contribution to in vivo developmental processes. Here, we examine the role for mechanical forces and contractility in regulating cell and tissue structure and function during development.
High-power optically pumped semiconductor lasers

Optically pumped, external-cavity, surface emitting semiconductor lasers (also known as optically pumped semiconductor lasers, OPS lasers, and vertical external cavity surface emitting lasers, VECSELs) generate near-diffraction limited beams from low brightness diode-array pumps. We have demonstrated 30 W cw at 980 nm and 15 W cw at 488 nm in a single spatial mode from these emitters and believe they can be scaled to > 100 W. Potential applications we have explored for such devices include wavelength conversion, spectral and spatial brightness conversion.
Dissemination in action research

Lewin proposed three goals for action research: to advance knowledge; to improve a concrete situation; and to improve behavioral science methodology. The three objectives cannot be met by a single mode of dissemination. Innovative dissemination strategies will be necessary. Action researchers should publish substantive articles in technical journals to reach colleagues; applied articles in periodicals read by practitioners and the public; and methodological and reflective articles in associational and professional journals designed to improve the practice of action research.
Neck, Back, and Shoulder Pain Complaints in Urban Firefighters: The Benefits of Aerobic Exercise

Objectives: The goals of this investigation were to document the prevalence of, and the risk factors for, neck, back, and shoulder [NBS] muscle pain in urban firefighters.Methods: A sample of employed urban firefighters [N = 382] completed surveys documenting the frequency of their NBS pain complaints [past week] and their health habits.Results: Nearly 80 percent of the firefighter respondents reported at least one NBS pain complaint. Reported frequency of aerobic exercise was significantly and negatively correlated with the respondents' NBS pain complaints.Conclusions: Urban firefighters, who have high rates of injury and an elevated risk of regional body pain symptoms, may benefit from regular aerobic exercise.
History of cryogenics: the epoch of the pioneers from the beginning to the year 1911

Abstract The invention of the thermometer by Galileo in 1592 may be considered as the start of the science of thermodynamics. Guillaume Amontons predicted for the first time the existence of an absolute zero in 1702, which marks the beginning of the science of low temperatures. Around 1780, the liquefaction of a gas was achieved for the first time. It took almost another 100 years before a so-called “permanent” gas, i.e. oxygen, was successfully liquefied. Thereafter Linde and Claude founded the cryogenic industry, which today has annual sales of more than 30 billion US $. Kamerlingh Onnes and his Cryogenic Laboratory in Leiden worked in the field of low temperature physics, which contributed to the experimental proof of the quantum theory.
Happiness Proportioned to Virtue: Kant and the Highest Good

This paper considers two contenders for the title of highest good in Kant's theory of practical reason: happiness proportioned to virtue and the maximization of happiness and virtue. I defend the ‘proportionality thesis’ against criticisms made by Andrews Reath and others, and show how it resolves a dualism between prudential and moral practical reasoning. By distinguishing between the highest good as a principle of evaluation and an object of agency, I conclude that the maximization of happiness and virtue is a corollary of the instantiation of the proportionality thesis.
Readers' Trait-Based Models of Characters in Narrative Comprehension☆

Abstract Our experiments explore readers' application of trait-based situation models for narrative characters. In the first episode of each of our experimental stories, characters performed behaviors that allowed readers to construct trait inferences (e.g., Albert's shoes were “buried under old candy wrappers, crumpled magazines, and some dirty laundry.”). Control stories omitted trait-relevant information. The second episode of each story gave readers an opportunity to apply the trait inference to generate expectations about story outcomes. In Experiment 1, participants agreed more readily to explicit outcomes that were consistent with their trait-based models. Experiment 2 demonstrated that readers' expectations were narrowly defined by specific traits (e.g., Albert is sloppy) rather than by more general inferences (e.g., Albert is not a good person). Experiments 3 and 4 suggested that trait-based models have an impact on moment-by-moment reading: Participants were slowed in their reading when story completions were inconsistent with specific trait-based models. Our results have implications both for theories of situation models and readers' causal analyses of narrative texts.
Hypothalamic regulation of hepatic hexobarbital metabolizing enzyme system.

Abstract Bilateral electrolytic lesions in posterior hypothalamus of male rats have been shown to suppress the activity of the liver microsomal enzyme system metabolizing hexobarbital. Lesions in the caudate nucleus, hippocampus, preoptic area or cerebral cortex did not influence the enzyme activity. The in vitro enzyme measurements in the post hypothalamic lesioned animals have been supported by in vivo measurements of hexobarbital sleep time. In the case of caudate and hippocampal lesions, barbiturate sleep time was modified without any changes in the activity of the metabolizing enzyme. It is suggested that the activity of the enzyme system is under the regulatory control of posterior hypothalamus possibly through the release of specific hypophyseal tropic hormones. This interpretation is consistent with the results from lesions, head x-radiation and hypophysectomy.
A quantum-chemical study of the chemisorption of ammonia, pyridine, formaldehyde, formate, and methoxy on ZnO(0001)

Abstract The chemisorption of ammonia, pyridine, formaldehyde, formate and methoxy on the Zn-terminated (0001) surface of zinc oxide is examined employing semiempirical quantum-chemical calculations (INDO/S) and a ZnO cluster of limited size (Zn 10 O 10 ). The results indicate that upon adsorption on ZnO(0001), ammonia, pyridine and formaldehyde are moderate electron donors and that formate and methoxy are reasonably strong acceptors. H 2 CO and C 5 H 5 N can be essentially considered as σ-donors, and HCOO is a σ-acceptor and a τ-donor. In the cases of ammonia, pyridine and formaldehyde, the contribution of the LUMO of the free molecule to the chemisorption bond is neglible. For the adsorption geometries examined here, it was found that the CH bond orders in C 5 H 5 N, H 2 CO, HCOO and H 3 CO, and the NH bond order in NH 3 , are almost not affected upon adsorption. The chemisorption effects on the molecular orbitals and their energy positions are examined for all of the adsorbates studied. Based on these INDO/S results, the experimental UPS spectrum of NH 3 on ZnO(0001) is discussed. For each adsorbed molecule, charge transfers and dipole moments important to the change in work function are presented. Qualitative trends in the heat of adsorption of CO, H 2 CO, NH 3 and HCOO on ZnO(0001) are discussed.
Aromatic biosynthesis. XIII. Conversion of quinic acid to 5-dehydroquinic acid by quinic dehydrogenase.

Abstract Quinic dehydrogenase, which catalyzes the conversion of quinic acid to 5-dehydroquinic acid, has been extracted from cells of an Aerobacter mutant and partially purified. The enzyme is DPN-specific. With initial extracts TPN also promotes the reactin, but its activity has been shown to be due to coupling with DPN by pyridine nucleotide transhydrogenase. Quinic dehydrogenase activity is conveniently measured by spectrophotometric determination of DPNH (using cyanide to inactivate DPNH oxidase). However, initial extracts also contain the necessary enzymes for further converting 5-dehydroquinic acid to 5-dehydroshikimic acid, and for reducing the latter compound (with TPNH) to shikimic acid. The coupling of this last reaction (via transhydrogenase) reoxidizes the DPNH formed by quinic dehydrogenase, and hence interferes with the spectrophotometric assay. This interference can be eliminated by removing TPN through pretreatment of the extract with charcoal, or by conventional methods of enzyme purification. Alternatively, enzyme activity can be determined by a bioassay method which is not affected by the coupled reaction. Certain properties of quinic dehydrogenase are described. No cofactor requirement (other than DPN) could be detected. In the series of coupled reactions, the overall equilibrium constant for shikimic/quinic is approximately i.o. The limited distribution of quinic dehydrogenase, compared with the broader distribution of known enzymes of aromatic biosynthesis, supports the conclusion that quinic acid is probably not an intermediate in this biosynthetic sequence.
“Lawfully Made Under This Title”: The Implications of Costco v. Omega and the First Sale Doctrine on Library Lending

ABSTRACT While initially it seems that libraries would have no interest in a case involving a big-box company and a luxury watch manufacturer, the outcome of Costco v. Omega will have important implications for libraries' ability to lend the foreign-printed, imported materials in their collections that were lawfully acquired.
Work is money an introductory note to ergonic analysis

Abstract Man has (or has not) at his disposal a certain number of mechanical slaves which are his beasts of burden and his machines. Beasts of burden and machines consume measurable quantities of energy and give back to man measurable quantities of physical (useful) work: these quantities provide man with an “income”, which is generally monetary, but may be non-monetary (barter). This income may be expressed in units (Universal Monetary Units, UMU), which represent measurable quantities of useful work. It is intended here to introduce the notion of “ergonic” analysis into the field of energy analysis. Ergonic analysis is analysis of the efficient part (useful work, W) of the energy used. The UMU represents any exchangeable good or service issued from one unit of useful work. It is also suggested that actual prices of goods and services express variations (due to the law of supply and demand) around their actual (intrinsic) value (expressed itself in UMUs).
Mobile Target Scenario Recognition Via Low-Cost Pyroelectric Sensing System: Toward a Context-Enhanced Accurate Identification

Distributed binary pyroelectric sensor network (PSN) is a low-cost alternative to video systems for human monitoring applications. This paper presents a PSN-based mobile target recognition system, which aims to achieve multitarget, complex scenario recognition. In this system, a novel pseudorandom visibility mode is designed for the sensor arrays to help capture statistical information of scenarios, and a sensor array fusion scheme is adopted to facilitate discriminative feature extraction. Moreover, we propose a statistical subspace representation model called probabilistic nonnegative matrix factorization (PNMF) to seek the scenario patterns rather than the object characteristics. We also further prove that our PNMF model is a generic model for NMF based algorithms. Original NMF, sparse NMF, and smooth NMF are special cases of the PNMF model. The simulation and experimental results demonstrate the advantages of our proposed method. Our system can be further developed to function as an independent facility for intelligent monitoring applications, especially under poor illumination circumstances.
Psychosocial aspects of breast cancer

Over the past year, several research areas have been noteworthy. This article discusses several reports on psychiatric morbidity and psychological factors of breast cancer, quality-of-life issues related to breast cancer treatment, and psychological factors in breast cancer screening. An area of increasing interest includes studies examining the psychological status and breast cancer screening practices of women at increased risk of developing breast cancer, primarily as a function of family history.