cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sorting Out Algorithms: What Makes One Better than Another?

For many years, beginning computer science students have been asked the seemingly simple question: what makes one algorithm better than another? Usually, this concept of "best-ness" is introduced with the many algorithms that are used to sort data. Thus, students are overwhelmed by the intricacies of sorting while simultaneously trying to understand one of the greatest questions in computer science. In this work we take inspiration from embodied cognition and describe a new, constructionist curriculum for approaching algorithmic efficiency. In order to help students construct understandings of both sorting algorithms and algorithmic efficiency, we present a curriculum that focuses around participatory simulations (PartSims) where students "play as" datapoints and experience sorting algorithms from an entirely different perspective. Instead of first experiencing the usual top-down approach to sorting where datapoints are manipulated by an "observer," each student follows a simple set of rules which, collectively, end in an emergent sorting algorithm. In this way, instead of talking in the abstract about the different pros and cons of sorting algorithms, students have different physical experiences across the different algorithms. With this embodied, grounded experience, students then construct for themselves metrics for comparing the different algorithms by evaluating the differences in their physical experiences. This two-week curriculum is targeted towards beginning computer science students (high-school or collegiate level) and utilizes the Parallax hackable Electronic Conference Badge and NetLogo to track the students experience in the PartSims throughout the curriculum.
Abstract 014: Interferon-induced Transmembrane 3 (IFITM3) on Megakaryocytes and Platelets Regulates Fibrinogen Endocytosis and Thrombosis During Inflammation

Introduction: IFITM3, an interferon (IFN) responsive gene, restricts pathogen replication through vesicular trafficking mechanisms. IFITM3 in megakaryocytes (MKs) and platelets has not been examine...
Cardiac Transplantation Primary Graft Dysfunction Incidence and Predictors

Purpose Primary graft dysfunction (PGD) is the leading cause of mortality within 30 days following heart transplantation (HT). We sought to identify the incidence and outcomes of PGD in our HT population. Methods We reviewed peri-operative clinical data of consecutive patients who underwent HT at our center (10/2012 - 12/2016). Using the 2014 ISHLT PGD definition and classification, PGD patients were identified and further classified into mild (MILD-PGD), moderate (MOD-PGD), and severe (SEV-PGD) left ventricular PGD. For each PGD patient, further data obtained included comorbidities, pre-transplant hemodynamics, donor information (comorbidities, hemodynamics cause of death), ischemic time, intra-operative bleeding and transfusion requirements, and peri-operative renal and hepatic function. RADIAL scores were calculated for all studied PGD patients. Results Of our 181 HT patients, 29 patients developed PGD (16%), of which 21% were MILD-PGD, 27% were MOD-PGD, and 52% were SEV-PGD. Before HT, 17/29 of patients were on amiodarone. Further, 7/15 of the SEV-PGD patients had mechanical circulatory support (MCS; 6 LVAD/ 1 TAH), and 4/8 of MOD-PGD patients had MCS (3 LVAD/ 1 TAH). The pre-operative right atrial pressures were higher in SEV-PGD patients when compared to MILD-PGD (p=0.003) and when compared to MOD-PGD (p=0.004). More SEV-PGD patients had a higher donor inotrope requirement (87%) than the MOD-PGD patients (38%; p=0.026) or the MILD-PGD patients (33%; p=0.031). They also had a higher intra-operative blood loss than the MILD-PGD group (p=0.0197). With respect to MOD-PGD, SEV-PGD had a higher pulmonary vascular resistance (p=0.0481). There was no difference in RADIAL scores between groups. Survival to hospital discharge was 79%. Three of the 29 PGD patients died within 30 days; and within one year, 7/29 patients died. Of the 7 deceased patients, 6 had SEV-PGD and 1 had MOD-PGD. In addition, SEV-PGD had earlier post-operative hemodynamic decline compared with MILD-PGD (p Conclusion Among HT patients with PGD, pre-operative right atrial pressure, pulmonary vascular resistance, donor inotrope requirement, and intra-operative blood loss are predictive of the development of SEV-PGD. No differences in RADIAL scores were found.
Feelings of incompleteness explain symptoms of OCD and OCPD beyond harm avoidance

Abstract Traditional models of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) suggest that neutralizing behaviors are motivated by harm avoidance. However, some individuals with OCD report an experience of discomfort, rather than anxiety per se, as motivating their behavior. Incompleteness has been proposed as another potential motivator of compulsive behaviors. We examined the relative strength of harm avoidance and incompleteness in predicting OCD symptom dimensions in a nonclinical sample (n = 238). We also examined the relationship between incompleteness and symptoms of two conditions with phenotypic similarity to OCD—Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Each involves patterns of repetitive, rigid behavior. Hierarchical regressions returned that incompleteness significantly predicted OCD and OCPD symptoms after controlling for harm avoidance; in some cases, the magnitude of association was stronger for incompleteness than for harm avoidance. We suggest that a better understanding of incompleteness may help to advance conceptualization of OCD and other symptoms.
How Robust is the Evidence for a Role of Oxidative Stress in Autism Spectrum Disorders and Intellectual Disabilities

Growing interest in the pathogenesis of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) and other intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) has led to emerging evidence implicating a role for oxidative stress. However, understanding the strength of this association is made challenging by the use of a variety of purported biomarkers of oxidative stress, many of which have either uncertain specificity or flawed methods of analysis. This review aims to address this issue, which is widespread in the ASD and IDD literature, by providing readers with information concerning the strengths and limitations of the choice and analysis of biomarkers of oxidative stress. We highlight that biomarkers and assays should be specific, sensitive, reproducible, precise, robust, and chosen with careful consideration. Future studies should be sufficiently powered and address sample collection, processing, and storage which are, additionally, poorly considered, sources of bad practice, and potential errors. Only with these issues considered, will the data lead to conclusions as to the precise role of oxidative stress in ASDs and IDD.
Density functional study of relaxation of adsorbate vibration modes: Dominance of anharmonic interaction

Formulation and density functional workflow for calculating the lifetime of vibrational modes of molecular adsorbates on solid surfaces due to vibration-phonon coupling are presented. The anharmonic coupling is invoked to give the correct description of the origin of temperature dependence. Using pyrrolidine (C4H9N) absorbed on the Cu(001) surface as a concrete example, we show that the anharmonic coupling can be one to two orders more significant than the harmonic interaction for the broadening of vibrational spectra, especially as temperature increases. These results challenge the common assumption that the anharmonic interaction is weak and call for attention of considering its effect in quantum relaxation and related problems.
Risk Assessment in Ukraine: New Approaches and Strategy of Development

Risk assessment in the Ukraine has undergone an essential evolution from the concept of “zero risk” to the concept of acceptable minimum risks and to the concept of sequential approximation of absolute safety. However the approaches utilized in risk assessment do not take into account the unique characteristics of catastrophes such as Chernobyl. Such examples demonstrate that the risk assessment’s theory of probability cannot be correctly utilized in unique disaster situations.
Epidural steroid injections for the treatment of lumbosacral radiculopathy.

Objective While there is an extensive body of literature concerning the use of epidural steroid injections in the treatment of sciatica, most of the literature is descriptive or anecdotal. There are few controlled studies regarding efficacy of this treatment modality. While there are few published reports of serious complications of this therapy, warnings about the hazards of epidural steroid injections occasionally appear in both medical and lay literature. It is the purpose of this review to assess the existing evidence for efficacy of epidural steroid injections for sciatica and to assess the risks of this procedure. Data sources Peer reviewed medical literature from 1930 to the present was reviewed in order to survey reports regarding pathophysiology of radiculopathy, mechanism of action of epidural corticosteroids, controlled efficacy studies, reports on series of epidural steroid injections for sciatica, reports of adverse effects of epidural and intrathecal steroid injections, review articles of epidural and intrathecal steroid injections, and studies of the behavioral and histological effects of epidural steroids and their vehicle in animals. Study selection Studies and review articles were selected from Medline search and from the author's files of older literature. Data synthesis RESULTS of this review are qualitative. It was felt that there was insufficient controlled data to analyze efficacy or safety studies in a quantitative fashion. Results Radiculopathy following disc herniation appears to produce either mechanical or chemical nerve root inflammation. Epidurally injected corticosteroids most likely exert a beneficial effect through anti-inflammatory rather than direct analgesic mechanisms. Most descriptive studies report beneficial effects of epidural steroids in the majority of cases of radiculopathy, but not for other causes of low back pain. Most of the few controlled studies report epidural steroids to be more efficacious than placebo or epidural local anesthetic alone. Most patients who respond favorably continue to show improvement for many months. Several neurologic complications have been reported after intrathecal steroid injections, most following multiple intrathecal injections. Four cases of epidural abscess, one case of bacterial meningitis, and one case of aseptic meningitis have been reported following epidural steroid injections. Conclusions The majority of the published literature supports the notion that epidural steroids provide relief of pain from lumbosacral radiculopathy. There is anecdotal evidence that multiple intrathecal steroid injections may be associated with neurological dysfunction, but there is very little evidence that epidural steroids are neurotoxic.
Alternative splicing and differential gene expression in colon cancer detected by a whole genome exon array

Alternative splicing is a mechanism for increasing protein diversity by excluding or including exons during post-transcriptional processing. Alternatively spliced proteins are particularly relevant in oncology since they may contribute to the etiology of cancer, provide selective drug targets, or serve as a marker set for cancer diagnosis. While conventional identification of splice variants generally targets individual genes, we present here a new exon-centric array (GeneChip Human Exon 1.0 ST) that allows genome-wide identification of differential splice variation, and concurrently provides a flexible and inclusive analysis of gene expression. We analyzed 20 paired tumor-normal colon cancer samples using a microarray designed to detect over one million putative exons that can be virtually assembled into potential gene-level transcripts according to various levels of prior supporting evidence. Analysis of high confidence (empirically supported) transcripts identified 160 differentially expressed genes, with 42 genes occupying a network impacting cell proliferation and another twenty nine genes with unknown functions. A more speculative analysis, including transcripts based solely on computational prediction, produced another 160 differentially expressed genes, three-fourths of which have no previous annotation. We also present a comparison of gene signal estimations from the Exon 1.0 ST and the U133 Plus 2.0 arrays. Novel splicing events were predicted by experimental algorithms that compare the relative contribution of each exon to the cognate transcript intensity in each tissue. The resulting candidate splice variants were validated with RT-PCR. We found nine genes that were differentially spliced between colon tumors and normal colon tissues, several of which have not been previously implicated in cancer. Top scoring candidates from our analysis were also found to substantially overlap with EST-based bioinformatic predictions of alternative splicing in cancer. Differential expression of high confidence transcripts correlated extremely well with known cancer genes and pathways, suggesting that the more speculative transcripts, largely based solely on computational prediction and mostly with no previous annotation, might be novel targets in colon cancer. Five of the identified splicing events affect mediators of cytoskeletal organization (ACTN1, VCL, CALD1, CTTN, TPM1), two affect extracellular matrix proteins (FN1, COL6A3) and another participates in integrin signaling (SLC3A2). Altogether they form a pattern of colon-cancer specific alterations that may particularly impact cell motility.
The Dating Game, Survivor, and other war games: interesting, enjoyable and effective methods for conducting collaborative research

The paper discusses the collaborative research methodologies and techniques developed by the Naval War College's Decision Strategies Department (DSD), and how these techniques have allowed the DSD to meet the diverse research requirements of senior naval and government decision makers. The Decision Strategies Departments "experts at talking to experts" collaborative research process is discussed, as are some of the techniques the department employs to make this research approach interesting and enjoyable for their "decision event" participants, as well as effective at generating the research data necessary to address the decision maker or research sponsor's questions. The paper describes how this research approach evolved, why it is different from traditional research or war gaming, and the type of research requirements that caused this approach to be developed. The paper discusses the lessons learned from using this research process, and some of the ways that the department disseminates the results of its work. Also discussed are two DSD research projects that illustrate different approaches to this type of collaborative research, and that contain examples of techniques that can even make this type of collaborative research fun!.
Difficulties in detecting chaos in a complex system

Abstract The sequences, given by a 7D map, are analysed by means of the methods, widely used to detect chaos in the real world in order to test their sensitivity to chaotic features of a non-linear system, determined by comparatively high number of parameters. The same diagnostic approaches are applied to the 3D Lorenz map for comparison. The results show that for some of the sequences yielded from the 7D map, the adopted methods are not able to give a straightforward answer to the question if the system is chaotic as in the 3D case. Since the sequences, subject to the analysis, are not contaminated by noise and are sufficiently long, it could be assumed that such difficulties arise likely due to specific internal features of the more complex system. It is found also that an increase from 0.01 to 0.5 of the sampling step, determining the sequences obtained from the 7D map, masks the chaos in some of them.
Regulation of naïve fetal T-cell migration by the chemokines Exodus-2 and Exodus-3.

We and other workers have recently isolated three novel CC chemokines termed Exodus-1/LARC/Mip-3alpha, Exodus-2/6Ckine/SLC/TCA4, and Exodus-3/Mip-3beta/CKbeta11/ELC. These chemokines share an amino terminal Asp-Cys-Cys-Leu sequence, unique among all chemokines. They also selectively regulate migration of adult T cells. Indeed, there is evidence that Exodus-2 and -3 are critical for adult T-cell adhesion to high endothelial venules in lymph nodes, a rate-limiting step for T-cell trafficking through nodal tissue. Less is known of the factors controlling migration of naive human fetal T cells. We tested whether these chemokines could regulate chemotaxis in cord blood T-cell populations, and compared that efficacy with normal peripheral blood adult T cells. The findings indicated that naive CD45RA+ cord blood T-cell migration is stimulated by Exodus-2 and -3, and CD4+ cord blood T cells are attracted preferentially by Exodus-2 or -3 as compared with CD8+. Exodus-2 and -3 are likely to be critical in regulating the flux of naive CD4 + fetal T-cell population of secondary lymphoid tissue.
Identification of the types of insulin-like growth factor-binding proteins that are secreted by muscle cells in vitro.

Abstract We have previously shown that muscle cells secrete insulin-like growth factor-binding proteins. In the present study, BC3H-1 cells were shown to secrete one binding protein of Mr 32,000, whereas L6 cells secreted two binding proteins of Mr 31,000 and 24,000, as determined by ligand blotting. Subconfluent proliferating L6 cells secrete more of the Mr 24,000 binding protein, relative to the Mr 31,000 form. In contrast, differentiated L6 myotubes secreted similar quantities of the two forms. Insulin-like growth factor I preferentially stimulated secretion of the Mr 31,000 versus the Mr 24,000 binding protein from L6 cells and caused an increase in the secretion of the Mr 32,000 binding protein from BC3H-1 cells. The Mr 31,000 binding protein from L6 cells had a greater affinity for insulin-like growth factor II compared with insulin-like growth factor I, as did the Mr 32,000 binding protein of BC3H-1 cells. In contrast, the Mr 24,000 binding protein of L6 cells preferred insulin-like growth factor I. Neither porcine insulin nor relaxin competed for 125I-IGF-I binding. In conclusion, these muscle cell lines secrete only one or two forms of insulin-like growth factor-binding proteins. L6 cell differentiation is associated with a relative increase in the secretion of the Mr 31,000 binding protein compared with the Mr 24,000 form. Insulin-like growth factor I stimulates the secretion of its own binding proteins from muscle cells, and this may be an important mechanism for modulating cellular responsiveness to this growth factor.
Compartmentation of Folate Metabolism in Rat Pancreas: Nitrous Oxide Inactivation of Methionine Synthase Leads to Accumulation of 5-Methyltetrahydrofolate in Cytosol

Folate-dependent one-carbon metabolism and methylation reactions have been implicated in the secretory function of the pancreas. Because vitamin B-12 deficiency perturbs folate metabolism, we determined the effects of nitrous oxide inactivation of methionine synthase on the compartmentation of folate metabolism in rat pancreas. Rats were exposed to an atmosphere of nitrous oxide and oxygen (80 and 20%, respectively) for 18 h; control rats breathed air. Folate coenzyme concentrations were determined by HPLC and Lactobacillus casei microbiological assay of the cytosolic and mitochondrial fractions of pancreas, which contained 62 and 46%, respectively, of the total folate. In pancreas of control rats, cytosolic folates were 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (31% of total folates), tetrahydrofolate (54%) and 5- and 10-formyltetrahydrofolate (6 and 8%, respectively). In the rats exposed to nitrous oxide, cytosolic 5-methyltetrahydrofolate concentrations were significantly greater (59% of total folates) and tetrahydrofolate concentrations were significantly lower (32%) than in controls; however, total cytosolic folate levels were unaffected by nitrous oxide exposure. In controls, mitochondrial folates were composed of 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (9% of total folates), tetrahydrofolate (60%) and 5- and 10-formyltetrahydrofolate (22 and 10%, respectively). Exposure to nitrous oxide led to significantly lower total mitochondrial folates (1.49 +/- 0.18 vs. 0.75 +/- 0.29 nmol/g, control vs. nitrous oxide, P < 0.05). This was due to a significantly lower concentration of tetrahydrofolate and 5-formyltetrahydrofolate, but not of 5-methyl- or 10-formyltetrahydrofolate. The activity of methionine synthase was 85% lower (P < 0.001) in pancreatic extracts of rats exposed to nitrous oxide than in controls. These results show that cytosolic folates accumulate in pancreas as the 5-methyl derivative at the expense of other reduced folates, as happens in liver. However, in contrast to results in liver, the mitochondrial folate concentration was lower in the pancreas of rats exposed to nitrous oxide, and this decline was limited to the 5-formyl- and tetrahydrofolate derivatives.
The Piano and Female Subjectivity: Kate Chopin’s The Awakening (1899) and Jane Campion’s The Piano (1993)

Critical discussion of Jane Campion’s 1993 film The Piano has elicited important comparative analysis with other feminist works (such as Julie Dash’s 2000 film, Daughters of the Dust) as well as ot...
Regulation of the Dictyostelium cAMP-induced, prestalk-specific DdrasD gene: identification of cis-acting elements

We have shown previously that expression of the Dictyostelium ras gene DdrasD (previously denoted Ddras) is induced during multicellular development and in single-cell shaking culture in response to cAMP (1). Analysis of transformants carrying DdrasD/lacZ reporter constructs showed DdrasD expression to be prestalk-specific (2). The gene is transcribed from three start sites with transcription from the distal site producing an approximately 1.2 kb transcript, which is expressed at low levels in growing cells and is subsequently induced late in aggregation. This promoter is also induced to high levels by cAMP. Transcription from the two more proximal sites is coregulated and is induced during development, resulting in approximately 1.0 kb transcripts. In this study, we examine cis-acting regions required for proper regulation of DdrasD expression using a DdrasD/beta-glucuronidase reporter gene construct. We have identified distinct sequence elements required for developmental and vegetative expression of DdrasD. A domain containing a CA repeat, similar to ones found in other late, cAMP-induced Dictyostelium genes, is required for cAMP-induced and developmental expression.
Modeling Water Distribution for Irrigation Machine with Small Spray Nozzles

A model and computer program were developed to calculate water application depth and uniformity coefficient for small spray nozzles mounted on a center-pivot irrigation system. The program requires...
Comparative analysis of teleost fish genomes reveals preservation of different ancient clock duplicates in different fishes

Clock (Circadian locomotor output cycle kaput) was the first vertebrate circadian clock gene identified in a mouse forward genetics mutagenesis screen. It encodes a bHLH-PAS protein that is highly conserved throughout evolution. Tetrapods also have the second Clock gene, Clock2 or Npas2 (Neuronal PAS domain protein 2). Conversely, the fruit fly, an invertebrate, has only one clock gene. Interrogation of the five teleost fish genome databases revealed that the zebrafish and the Japanese pufferfish (fugu) each have three clock genes, whereas the green spotted pufferfish (tetraodon), the Japanese medaka fish and the three-spine stickleback each have two clock genes. Phylogenetic and splice site analyses indicated that zebrafish and fugu each have two clock1 genes, clock1a and clock1b and one clock2; tetraodon also have clock1a and clock1b but do not have clock2; and medaka and stickleback each have clock1b and one clock2. Genome neighborhood analysis further showed that clock1a/clock1b in zebrafish, fugu and tetraodon is an ancient duplicate. While the dN/dS ratios of these three fish clock duplicates are all <1, indicating that purifying selection has acted upon them; the Tajima relative rate test showed that all three fish clock duplicates have asymmetric evolutionary rates, implicating that one of these duplicates have been under positive selection or relaxed functional constraint. These results support the view that teleost fish clock genes were generated from an ancient genome-wide duplication, and differential gene loss after the duplication resulted in retention of different ancient duplicates in different teleost fishes, which could have contributed to the evolution of the distinct fish circadian clock mechanisms.
Intimacy patterns among Black, middle-class, single parents

Based on a study of college-educated, Black, single parents living in urban areas, the author explores the problems and experiences peculiar to women with children who must fulfill roles of worker, parent, and romantic companion. While the existence of children complicates the normative problems associated with heterosexual intimacy, they also give these women a mechanism for coping with their single status. Children do impose a different single lifestyle on single mothers and impose constraints on their time, sexual behavior, desirability, and mate selection standards.
MATLAB and graphical user interfaces: tools for experimental management.

MATLAB is a convenient platform for the development and management of psychological experiments because of its easy-to-use programming language, sophisticated graphics features, and statistics and optimization tools. Through implementation of the Brainard-Pelli Psychophysics Toolbox, the MATLAB user gains close temporal and spatial control over the CRT, while retaining the simplicity of an interpreted language conducive to rapid program development. MATLAB’s abilities can be further utilized through easily programmable graphical user interfaces (GUIs). We illustrate how a GUI can serve as a powerful and intuitive tool for organizing and controlling all aspects of a psychological experiment, including design, data collection, data analysis, and theory fitting.
Testing Theoretical Evolutionary Models with AB Doradus C and the Initial Mass Function

We assess the constraints on the evolutionary models of young low-mass objects that are provided by the measurements of the companion AB Dor C by Close and coworkers and by a new comparison of model-derived IMFs of star-forming regions to the well-calibrated IMF of the solar neighborhood. After performing an independent analysis of all of the imaging and spectroscopic data for AB Dor C that were obtained by Close, we find that AB Dor C (which has no methane) is not detected at a significant level (S/N ~ 1.2) in the SDI data when one narrowband image is subtracted from another but that it does appear in the individual SDI frames, as well as the images at J, H, and Ks. Although our broadband photometry for AB Dor C is consistent with that of Close, the uncertainties that we measure are larger. Using the age of τ = 75-150 Myr recently estimated for AB Dor by Luhman and coworkers, the luminosity predicted by the models of Chabrier and Baraffe is consistent with the value that we estimate from the photometry for AB Dor C. We measure a spectral type of M6 ± 1 from the K-band spectrum of AB Dor C, which is earlier than the value of M8 ± 1 reported by Close and is consistent with the model predictions when a dwarf temperature scale is adopted. In a test of these evolutionary models at much younger ages, we show that the low-mass IMFs that they produce for star-forming regions are similar to the IMF of the solar neighborhood. If the masses of the low-mass stars and brown dwarfs in these IMFs of star-forming regions were underestimated by a factor of 2 as suggested by Close, then the IMF characterizing the current generation of Galactic star formation would have to be radically different from the IMF of the solar neighborhood.
SFBC design tradeoffs for mobile SC-FDMA with application to LTE-advanced

Single-carrier frequency-division multiple-access (SC-FDMA) has been adopted in the uplink of the LTE standard due to its lower peak-to-average-power ratio (PAPR) compared to orthogonal frequency-division multiple access (OFDMA). Recent activities in the LTE-advanced (LTE-A) standardization have focused on effective uplink transmit diversity schemes with low PAPR [1] but without considering the performance degradation due to Doppler despite the fact that LTE-A is required to support high mobility. In this paper, we present an open-loop space-frequency block coding (SFBC) scheme for the SC-FDMA uplink and demonstrate its robustness to high Doppler and large multipath delay spread while enjoying full spatial diversity, low PAPR and practical decoding complexity by a suitable design of the frequency span of each SFBC codeword. In this paper, we study the design tradeoffs involved in SFBC design for mobile SC-FDMA.
Domains of Rat Heme Oxygenase-2: The Amino Terminus and Histidine 151 Are Required for Heme Oxidation

Cleavage of heme b (Fe-protoporphyrin IX) at the alpha-meso carbon bridge is catalyzed by heme oxygenase isozymes, HO-1 and HO-2, to form biliverdin IX alpha. Currently, we have examined the requirement for the amino terminus and the hydrophobic carboxy terminus of rat HO-2 expressed in Escherichia coli for heme degradation activity and have assessed the importance of His 151 for this activity. His 151 is in the longest span of amino acids (24 residues) which are present, with only a single conservative substitution, in seven cloned heme oxygenases including the apparent single isozyme in chicken. We show His 151 is essential for cleavage of heme, as substitution of alanine for this residue by site-directed mutagenesis resulted in expression of an inactive protein with immunoreactivity toward antibody to rat HO-2. A cDNA construct in which nucleotides encoding the 33 N-terminal amino acid residues were deleted, when expressed, produced a protein of predicted size and immunoreactivity with antibody to HO-2 but also devoid of heme degrading activity. The presence of additional residues at this terminus, for the most part, accounts for the larger size of HO-2 compared to HO-1. Conversely, the hydrophobic region at the carboxy terminus did not appear to be essential for heme degradation. A construct in which the sequence encoding the primarily hydrophobic amino acids of the carboxy terminus was replaced by a sequence encoding predominantly hydrophilic residues expressed a protein which retained full capability to convert heme to biliverdin. Further, the construct with a hydrophilic carboxy terminus was not appreciably associated with bacterial membranes, suggesting that the carboxy terminus in the wild-type protein serves as a membrane anchor for this enzyme.
EUS in pediatric patients

Background The knowledge of EUS use in children is limited. Objective We investigated the indications, feasibility, safety, and clinical utility of EUS in the management of pediatric GI, pancreatobiliary, and mediastinal diseases. Design Retrospective study. Setting Two tertiary referral university hospitals. Patients Consecutive children age younger than 18 years referred over a 7-year period for EUS evaluation. Results Forty EUS scans were performed in 38 children with a mean age of 13.5 years. The indications for pancreatobiliary endosonography were pancreatitis (n = 10), solid pancreatic mass (n = 7), cystic pancreatic mass (n = 1), cyst in the setting of chronic pancreatitis (n = 1), suspected annular pancreas (n = 1), celiac plexus block (n = 1), suspected common bile duct stone (n = 1), abdominal pain and atrophic pancreas (n = 1), ampullary adenoma (n = 1), and abnormal MRCP in a patient with jaundice (n = 1). The indications for gastric EUS were mucosal lesions (n = 2) and subepithelial lesions (n = 4). The indications for mediastinal endosonography were mediastinal masses/lymph nodes (n = 5). The remaining evaluations were performed for esophageal stricture (n = 1), unexplained abdominal pain (n = 1), unexplained abdominal pain with celiac axis block (n = 1), and perirectal fluid collection (n = 1). EUS-guided FNA (EUS-FNA) was performed in 12 (30%) cases and established the correct diagnosis in 9 (75%). EUS-guided fine-needle injections for celiac axis block were performed in 2 (5%) cases. The procedure was successful in all patients, and no complications related to sedation, EUS, or EUS-FNA were encountered. Limitation Retrospective study. Conclusion EUS and EUS-FNA are feasible and safe and have a significant impact on the management of pediatric GI, pancreatobiliary, and mediastinal diseases.
Experimental designs for constrained regions

The familiar factorial, fractional factorial, and response surface designs are designs for regularly-shaped regions of interest, typically cuboidal regions and spherical regions. An irregularly shaped region of experimentation arises in situations where there are constraints on the factor level combinations that can be run or restrictions on portions of the region of exploration. Computer-generated designs based on some optimality criterion are a logical alternative for these problems. We give a brief tutorial on design optimality criteria and show how one of these, the D-optimality criteria, can lead to very reasonable designs for constrained regions of interest. We show through a simulation study that D-optimal designs perform very well with respect to the capability of selecting the correct model and accurately estimating the design factor levels that result in the optimal response.
Construction cost of loblolly and ponderosa pine leaves grown with varying carbon and nitrogen availability

We grew loblolly and ponderosa pine seedlings in a factorial experiment with two CO 2 partial pressures (35 and 70 Pa), and two nitrogen treatments (1.0 and 3.5 mol m -3 NH 4 + ), for one growing season to examine the effects of carbon and nitrogen availability on leaf construction cost. Growth in elevated CO 2 reduced leaf nitrogen concentrations by 17 to 40%, and increased C :N by 22 to 68%. Elevated N availability increased leaf N concentrations and decreased C :N. Non-structural carbohydrates increased in high-CO 2 -grown loblolly seedlings, except in fascicles from low N, and in ponderosa primary and fascicle leaves grown in high N. In loblolly, increases in starch were nearly 2-fold greater than the increases in soluble sugars. In ponderosa, only the soluble sugars were affected by CO 2 . Leaf construction cost (g glucose g -1 dm) varied by 9.3% across all treatments. All of the variation in loblolly leaf construction cost could be explained by changes in non-structural carbohydrates. A model of the response of construction cost to changes in the mass of different biochemical fractions suggests that the remainder of the variation in ponderosa, not explained by non-structural carbohydrates, is probably attributable to changes in lignin, phenolic or protein concentrations.
Expanding the Substrate Scope for C−H Amination Reactions: Oxidative Cyclization of Urea and Guanidine Derivatives

Oxidative C−H amination of N-trichloroethoxysulfonyl-protected ureas and guanidines is demonstrated to proceed in high yield for tertiary and benzylic-derived substrates. The success of these reactions is predicated on the choice of the electron-withdrawn 2,2,2-trichloroethoxysulfonyl (Tces) protecting group, the commercial catalyst Rh2(esp)2 (1−2 mol %), and toluene as solvent. The frequency with which the heterocyclic imidazolidin-2-ones and 2-aminoimidazolines appear as structural elements in both natural products and therapeutically designed molecules confers these methods with a large number of potential applications.
Effect of large-amplitude perpendicularly propagating radio frequency waves on the interchange instability

Results are presented from hybrid 2‐D quasineutral Darwin simulations of the interchange instability in the presence of a large rf wave in the ion‐cyclotron frequency range. The simulation models the plane perpendicular to the background magnetic field using cold particle ions and a cold E×B electron fluid. Related theory is also discussed. Fluid equations appropriate to the simulation model are derived and their properties demonstrated and compared to simulation. A method for solving for the rf‐modified growth rates from the fluid equations is described. It is generally expected that the current component associated with the mean, rf‐induced ion drift is capable of influencing the stability of the interchange mode; however, no modification of the mean ion drift is observed in simulations in which rf is present. Instead, in both the theory and simulation, an electron rf‐field oscillation current dominates the modification to the gravitational current. As a result, even in the presence of large rf fields (...
N-Terminal Intramolecularly Conserved Histidines of Three Domains in Gonylaulax Luciferase Are Responsible for Loss of Activity in the Alkaline Region †

Gonyaulax luciferase is a single-chain (∼137 kDa) polypeptide comprising 111 N-terminal amino acids followed by three contiguous homologous domains (377 amino acids each). Each domain has luciferase activity, accounting for the earlier observation that proteolytic fragments (∼35 kDa) of luciferase are active. The activity of the full-length native enzyme is maximal at pH 6.3, dropping to near zero at pH 8; the activity of fragments also peaks at pH 6.3 but remains high at 8. While the activity loss at higher pH might be thought to be associated with the conformation of the full-length protein, we show here that this is a property of individual domains. The three intramolecularly homologous domains, separately cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli as fusion proteins, exhibit pH−activity curves similar to that of the full-length enzyme. For each domain the removal of approximately 50 N-terminal amino acids resulted in an increase in the ratio of luciferase activity at pH 8 relative to that at pH 6.3, suc...
Diastereoselection in rhodium-mediated intramolecular C-H insertion: preparation of a trans-3,4 dialkyl cyclopentane

Abstract Transition state analysis suggests that substantial 1,2 asymmetric induction could be observed in the course of rhodium-mediated intramolecular C-H insertion. This analysis successfully predicts predominant formation of the trans 3,4-dialkyl cyclopentane when an α-diazo β-ketoester having a δ-phenyl substituent is cyclized.
Neuronal Heterotopias in the Developing Cerebral Cortex Produced by Neurotrophin-4

The marginal zone (MZ) of embryonic neocortex is crucial to its normal development. We report that neurotrophin-4 (but not NT3 or NGF), applied to embryonic rodent cortex in vitro or in vivo, produces heterotopic accumulations of neurons in the MZ. Although heterotopia production is TrkB mediated, BDNF is >10-fold less effective than NT4. Heterotopic neurons have the same birth date and phenotype as normal MZ neurons; they are not the result of NT4-induced proliferation or rescue from apoptosis. We suggest that NT4 causes excess neurons to migrate into the MZ and thus may play a role in normal MZ formation as well as in the pathogenesis of certain human cortical dysplasias.
Duality for generalized fractional programs involving n-set functions

Abstract Making use of a strong duality theorem for nonlinear programs involving n-set functions, we first establish a Gordan-type transposition theorem which is then utilized to construct a dual problem for a class of generalized fractional programming problems with n-set functions. As special cases of the main result, we also obtain dual problems for discrete minmax and fractional programming problems.
The economic interdependence of contiguous border cities: The twin city multiplier

Twin cities on international borders are common throughout the world. Although located in different countries their economic growth and current levels of income and employment are typically jointly determined through not only each city's basic economic activity but also international trade and resource flows. This paper combines elements of the regional economic multiplier and the foreign trade multiplier models to formulate a twin city multiplier model which shows the levels of income and changes in the levels of income in each border city as a result of changes in economic activity in one twin city.
Thermogravimetric investigation of scandium, yttrium and the rare earth metal diliturates

Abstract Thermolysis curves for scandium, yttrium, lanthanum, cerium(III), neodymium, samarium, gadolinium, dysprosium and erbium diliturates are described, Scandium diliturate forms a 15-hydrate which dehydrates in 3 steps. The other diliturates all form 12-hydrates which dehydrate smoothly. All of the anhydrous diliturates are thermally stable to about 240°. Solubilities in water for scandium, yttrium, lanthanum, cerium(lll), neodymium, samarium. gadolinium, dysprosium and erbium diliturates are given. Scandium diliturate is the most soluble and neodymium diliturate the least soluble. Solubilities of rare earth diliturates not investigated can be predicted approximately. Methods for thermogravimetric determination of yttrium, lanthanum, neodymium, samarium, gadolinium, dyprosium, and erbium as the diliturates have been developed. The precipitates are quite dense, easily handled and filterable. Weighing as the diliturate salts gives these determinations a very favorable gravimetric factor.
Clinical evaluation of microbicide formulations

The clinical evaluation of microbicide formulations presents variable and interacting challenges. Specific domains of acceptability, pharmacokinetics, and toxicity interact with each other to potentially inhibit or enhance a microbicide's efficacy. Each of these is further influenced by application and use parameters in the relative presence (or absence) of vaginal and/or seminal fluids, ultimately impacting effectiveness. Historically, acceptability of formulation and use parameters, and their concomitant behavioral influences, have been considered separately from pharmacokinetics and toxicity. While independent evaluation of these elements is necessary in some respects, we must acknowledge that this approach is not sufficient for the successful development of microbicides. Each needs to be considered in an integrated clinical evaluation strategy. This article presents the rationale for such an approach. This article forms part of a special supplement covering two presentations on clinical evaluation of microbicides from the symposium on "Recent Trends in Microbicide Formulations" held on 25 and 26 January 2010, Arlington, VA.
Processes of fluvial island formation, with examples from Plum Creek, Colorado and Snake River, Idaho

A fluvial island is a landform, elevated above and surrounded by stream-channel branches or waterways, that persists sufficiently long to establish permanent vegetation. Natural fluvial islands occur in any part of a drainage network but most commonly in montane, piedmont-valley, and coastal flood-plain environments. Processes, often interactive, by which islands form include avulsion (the sudden separation of land by a flood or by an abrupt change in the course of a stream), rapid and gradual channel incision, channel migration, dissection of both rapidly and slowly deposited bed sediment, and deposition of bed sediment on a vegetated surface or behind a channel obstruction. Products of high-energy conditions, fluvial islands typically lack stability over decades to millennia. Fluvial islands in Plum Creek, Colorado, USA, results of sorting processes following a recent high-magnitude flood, and in the Snake River, Idaho, USA, partly results of the Pleistocene Bonneville Flood, Illustrate how islands form, develop, and disappear. The examples consider differing conditions of island shape, size, height, sediment, and vegetation.
Helix bundles and coiled coils in α‐spectrin and tropomyosin: A theoretical CD study

The dipole interaction model is used to investigate the effects of interactions between helices and supertwisting of helices by determining whether the predicted UV absorption and CD spectra for the three-helix bundle and coiled coil are significantly different from spectra for the single straight alpha-helix. Crystallographic data by Yan et al. for alpha-spectrin are used to construct a three-helix bundle of poly(L-alanine) modeling the protein. Backbone torsion angles represented by Fourier series are used to generate supertwisted helices and coiled coil models of poly(L-alanine) that have pitch, radius, and residue repeat similar to experimental crystallographic data on tropomyosin. Calculated CD spectra are compared with available experimental data. Theoretical spectra for the three-helix bundle and the supertwisted structures are quite similar to predictions for the straight alpha-helix of the same length with similar torsion angles, suggesting that CD is primarily dependent on the average backbone conformation and would not be a sensitive tool for distinguishing between single straight helices and closely packed or twisted alpha-helices.
Dendritic Cell Immunoreceptor Regulates Chikungunya Virus Pathogenesis in Mice

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a mosquito-borne alphavirus responsible for recent epidemic outbreaks of debilitating disease in humans. Alphaviruses are known to interact with members of the C-type lectin receptor family of pattern recognition proteins, and given that the dendritic cell immunoreceptor (DCIR) is known to act as a negative regulator of the host inflammatory response and has previously been associated with rheumatoid arthritis, we evaluated DCIR's role in response to CHIKV infection. Although we observed an increase in the proportion of dendritic cells at the site of CHIKV infection at 24 to 36 h postinfection, these cells showed decreased cell surface DCIR, suggestive of DCIR triggering and internalization. In vitro, bone marrow-derived dendritic cells from DCIR-deficient (DCIR(-/-)) mice exhibited altered cytokine expression following exposure to CHIKV. DCIR(-/-) mice exhibited more severe disease signs than wild-type C57BL6/J mice following CHIKV infection, including a more rapid and more severe onset of virus-induced edema and enhanced weight loss. Histological examination revealed that DCIR-deficient animals exhibited increased inflammation and damage in both the fascia of the inoculated foot and the ankle joint, and DCIR deficiency skewed the CHIKV-induced cytokine response at the site of infection at multiple times postinfection. Early differences in virus-induced disease between C57BL6/J and DCIR(-/-) mice were independent of viral replication, while extended viral replication correlated with enhanced foot swelling and tissue inflammation and damage in DCIR(-/-) compared to C57BL6/J mice at 6 to 7 days postinfection. These results suggest that DCIR plays a protective role in limiting the CHIKV-induced inflammatory response and subsequent tissue and joint damage.
Seasonal and geographic variation in chlorophyll level of Elysia tuca (Ascoglossa: Opisthobranchia)

Elysia tuca Marcus were collected from the Florida Keys (USA) during 1978–1979, with the aim of clarifying the physiological significance of their kleptoplastids by studying variations in the chlorophyll content of the slugs. The chlorophyll levels in the field populations varied seasonally, with peak levels in autumn. Peak reproductive activity coincided with maximum chlorophyll levels, carbon fixation, and rate of macromolecular conversion of kleptoplastid (= “symbiotic chloroplast”) photosynthates. Changes in chlorophyll level are probably controlled by rate of feeding, which is in turn governed by such factors as algal density and climatic factors (light and temperature). Chlorophyll level and individual weight varied with location, with significant differences between sites in the Upper Keys and the Lower Keys. Environmental factors control benefits of kleptoplastid retention, and suggest that photosynthate yield is an important subsidy of reproductive output.