cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chimera in Virga and Voice

mercury will merge this startle ravening in clouds a poem not Nature cannot be half-murmuring the elements I think the mountains for love sleep and hover above the lawns in havoc those poppies you small doors you roses unlocked by wind if worthy? if worthy, let me in? blossoms unpetaled but thunder blooms my child awake she's thirsty always she is not for crying she asks How I am not, not born, not yet, and why her empty bed my eye become the cloud in darkening volumes a promise above the blank parch of prairie where no peace save rainburst sings lullaby unstable in deep layers storm swallowing itself as no drop falls the whole symphony narrowing deluge into one cello note less heat than melody not heard in dust my ear the half deaf earth
Invariant subspaces of the harmonic Dirichlet space with large co-dimension

In this paper, we comment on the complexity of the invariant subspaces (under the bilateral Dirichlet shift f -* (f) of the harmonic Dirichlet space D. Using the sampling theory of Seip and some work on invariant subspaces of Bergman spaces, we will give examples of invariant subspaces .F C D with dim(.F/(F) = n, n E N U foo}. We will also generalize this to the Dirichlet classes D,, 0 < a < 0o, as well as the Besov classes Bp, 1 < p < 00, 0 < a < 1.
Integrated file-level cryptographical access control

In this paper, we propose the design of the Integrated File Level Cryptographical Access Control (IFLCAC) system, which makes file security much easier for the end user to utilize. The proposed system combines the benefits of the traditional file-level cryptography and the full-disk cryptography system, making it both secure and easy to use. We first investigate the existing file cryptography systems, comparing their pros and cons, and then describe the components of the Integrated File Level Cryptographical Access Control system, and interactions among the components. We also discuss in brief how the system may be used in classroom teaching.
The sociobiology of everyday life

The 1000-year-old novel The Tale of Genji, written by Murasaki Shikibu around 1002 CE, shows the operation of general principles of sociobiology. Isolated from western influences and cloaked in Japanese traditions, the common traits associated with reproductive processes are clearly evident. The novel depicts the differential investment of males and females in offspring, male competitive behaviors, and concerns for paternity, kin selection, reciprocal social exchange, species-typical emotional expression, female mate choice, positive assortative mating, and acknowledgment of hereditary transmission of physical and psychological traits. The nature of human behavior in Genji’s time seems little different than now and has all the attributes of species-specific and universal traits. Indeed, it can be argued that the fundamental characteristics of Homo sapiens have never changed, being influenced only in form by culture. The qualitative and quantitative evaluation of ancient texts is a strong methodology for understanding the invariant nature of human behavior.
Infectious Drug Resistance Among Clinically Isolated Escherichia coli

Abstract Of 398 strains of clinically isolated Escherichia coli from three Birmingham, Alabama, hospitals, 38% were found to be resistant to one or more drugs tested. Fifty-seven per cent of the resistant strains transferred all or a part of their resistance pattern to sensitive cells during mixed cultivation. Of the 152 resistant strains, 29.1% were singly resistant, and 70.5% were resistant to more than one drug. Of the multiply resistant strains, 61% transferred all or a part of their pattern. Strains isolated from Veterans Hospital patients demonstrated higher percentages of resistance than strains isolated from Children's Hospital patients. An extremely low incidence of infective drug resistance was noted among E. coli isolated from the stools of healthy hospital employees.
Rhythms of Enzyme Activity Associated with Circadian Conidiation in Neurospora crassa

The mycelial growth front of the band strain of Neurospora grown on a solid surface exhibits a circadian rhythm of conidiation. Enzyme assays on extracts from that mycelium have shown that the activities of 6 of 13 enzymes (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide nucleosidase, isocitrate lyase, citrate synthase, glyceraldehydephosphate dehydrogenase, phosphogluconate dehydrogenase, and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase) and soluble-protein content oscillate with the visible morphological change. The rhythmic enzymes associated with the Krebs and glyoxylate cycles are more active during conidiogenesis, whereas the activities of the rhythmic enzymes of glycolysis and the hexose monophosphate shunt are reduced during that phase. The absence of enzyme oscillations in wild-type and fluffy strains which do not form conidia under the conditions employed suggests that the enzyme fluctuations are associated with conidiogenesis itself. Oscillations of enzyme activity as a function of time are restricted to the growth front. A permanent record of rhythmicity associated with conidial and nonconidial regions does, however, exist in the mycelial mat behind the growth front. The activities of three enzymes (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide nucleosidase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, and phosphogluconate dehydrogenase) are not directly influenced by CO(2) concentration, but are correlated with the prescence or absence of conidiation which is controlled by CO(2) concentration. In contrast, citrate synthase and malate dehydrogenase activities are correlated with changes in CO(2) concentration.
The Empirical Average Cost of Capital

This paper develops a new measure of the cost of capital, the empirical average cost of capital (EACC), which is based on microeconomic theory and uses information from the firm’s financial statements as opposed to the subjective estimates and use of market-based proxies inherent in the calculation of the weighted average cost of capital. Our model combines the regression-based approach of the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) with the implied cost of capital’s reliance on accounting data. The EACC can be estimated using firm level as well as industry data. Estimates of the EACC for 58 U.S. industries during the 1990 to 2012 period are compared to five estimates of the weighted average cost of capital published by Ibbotson Associates. We find the EACC yields better forecasts of future net operating profit after taxes compared to the five published measures of the weighted average cost of capital, as well as the average and median of these measures. Overall, the results suggest the EACC can be a more precise and less subjective measure for academics, accountants, financial analysts, and regulators in deriving estimates of an industry (or firm’s) average cost of capital.
A cooperative approach to large knowledge based systems

Conventional expert systems based on a single flat knowledge base have fared well in solving a narrow range of problems. Their architectures, however, do not extend to large applications like automated factories, which require multidisciplinary knowledge and are geographically distributed. To solve multidisciplinary problems, a knowledge-based system must be able to: reason about the need for cooperation, understand global knowledge to locate relevant expert systems and select appropriate cooperation plans. Cooperations models to characterize three essential decisions in the cooperation process are proposed. A computational method is devised to decide if an expert system has enough knowledge to solve a given problem or if it needs to consult with other expert systems. The use of a yellow-pages technique to represent global knowledge and to select appropriate cooperation plans is proposed. The approach lets expert systems autonomously resolve the three fundamental decisions in cooperation at run time, in contrast to contemporary approaches in which the decisions are made at design time by the programmers. >
The co-precipitation of cations with CaCO3—IV. The co-precipitation of Sr2+ with aragonite between 16° and 96°C

Calcium carbonate was precipitated from sea water by the slow addition of dilute Na2CO3 solutions. The distribution coefficient kSrA, defined by the ratio of mSr2+mCa2+in precipitated aragonite tomSr2+mCa2+ in the solutionfrom which the aragonite was precipitated, was found to decrease linearly with increasing temperature from 1·17 ± 0·04 at 16°C to 0·88 ± 0·03 at 80°C. Above 30°C aragonite was the only phase precipitated; at 16°C a calcite containing 8–10 mol % MgCO3 commonly accompanied aragonite; at 3°C calcite containing less than 1 mol % MgCO3, vaterite, or CaCO3·H2O were dominant phases, while aragonite was usually absent. It is shown that the value of kSrA depends on the kinetics and mechanism of crystal growth, and that this must be true for all distribution coefficients determined under conditions in which the rate of crystal growth is greater than the rate of diffusion within growing crystals. Although the kinetic dependence of distribution coefficients limits the usefulness of the chemical composition of minerals in interpreting the chemistry of the environment in which they were formed, some distribution coefficients appear to be sufficiently insensitive to rates of crystal growth, so that their use is virtually exempt from this limitation.
Prenatal lorazepam exposure: 4. Persistent alterations in pentylenetetrazole-induced seizure threshhold and GABA-dependent chloride uptake after prenatal lorazepam exposure

Abstract Prenatal benzodiazepine exposure is associated with behavioral and neurochemical alterations in the early postnatal period. To determine the persistence of these effects, we evaluated pentylenetetrazole-induced seizure threshhold and GABA-dependent chloride uptake in mice at 6 and 12 months of age after prenatal lorazepam exposure. Seizure threshhold was reduced after acute lorazepam pretreatment in mice exposed to lorazepam prenatally, compared to control groups, at 6 and 12 months of age. Maximal GABA-dependent chloride uptake was also reduced in exposed mice at 6 and 12 months of age. These data indicate that behavioral and neurochemical alterations persist well into maturity after prenatal lorazepam exposure.
Gene expression polymorphisms and ESTs associated with gravitropic response of subterranean branch meristems and growth habit in Leymus wildryes

Negatively orthogeotropic (NOGT) tiller and diageotropic (DGT) rhizome meristems develop from the same type of lateral axillary meristems and phytomer structure. Although subterranean NOGT and DGT buds appear similar, they display different responses to gravity and perhaps other cues governing branch angle and overall growth habit (GH). Leymus wildryes show remarkable variation in GH and include some of the largest native grasses in western North America. Previous studies detected GH QTLs on homoeologous regions of LG3a and LG3b controlling differences between caespitose Leymus cinereus and rhizomatous Leymus triticoides allotetraploids. Heterologous barley and wheat microarrays in conjunction with bulk segregate analysis were used to find gene expression polymorphisms associated with GH QTLs. Approximately 34% and 25% of the probe sets showed detectable signals on the barley and wheat arrays, respectively. Overall gene expression patterns of NOGT and DGT meristems were remarkably similar, consistent with the assertion that Leymus NOGT and DGT buds develop from homologous meristems. Only 28 and 27 genes on barley and wheat gene chips, respectively, showed more than twofold differential expressions between NOGT and DGT tissues. One expression polymorphism genetically mapped in the Leymus LG3 rhizome QTL region.
Carbon Dioxide Sensing Modulates Lifespan and Physiology in Drosophila

For nearly all life forms, perceptual systems provide access to a host of environmental cues, including the availability of food and mates as well as the presence of disease and predators. Presumably, individuals use this information to assess the current and future states of the environment and to enact appropriate developmental, behavioral, and regulatory decisions. Recent work using the nematode worm, Caenorhabditis elegans, and the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, has established that aging is subject to modulation through neurosensory systems and that this regulation is evolutionarily conserved. To date, sensory manipulations shown to impact Drosophila aging have involved general loss of function or manipulation of complex stimuli. We therefore know little about the specific inputs, sensors, or associated neural circuits that affect these life and death decisions. We find that a specialized population of olfactory neurons that express receptor Gr63a (a component of the olfactory receptor for gaseous phase CO(2)) affects fly lifespan and physiology. Gr63a loss of function leads to extended lifespan, increased fat deposition, and enhanced resistance to some (but not all) environmental stresses. Furthermore, we find that the reduced lifespan that accompanies exposure to odors from live yeast is dependent on Gr63a. Together these data implicate a specific sensory cue (CO(2)) and its associated receptor as having the ability to modulate fly lifespan and alter organism stress response and physiology. Because Gr63a is expressed in a well-defined population of neurons, future work may now be directed at dissecting more complex neurosensory and neuroendocrine circuits that modulate aging in Drosophila.
Sucrose intake functions of rat and cockroach for single and six solution presentations

Intake of sucrose solution was studied in a comparative experiment in which roaches and rats were given access to one or to six concentrations for a single 23 hr. test. Intake was an inverted-U shaped function of concentration in the single bottle test and a monotonic increasing function in the six bottle test. The relevance of choice behavior was discussed in relation to the multiple bottle procedure.
A Bioenergetics Simulation of the Potential Effects of Angler Harvest on Growth of Largemouth Bass in a Catch-and-Release Fishery

Abstract Catch-and-release regulations in warmwater fisheries have the potential to limit growth and reduce the average size of harvestable fish as a result of density-dependent interactions. We assessed the effect of angler harvest on growth of largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides in Stonewall Jackson Lake where fishing for black bass Micropterus spp. was regulated with a no-harvest restriction. Using bioenergetic simulations, we estimated the amount of prey that would be made available for growth of remaining fish at harvest rates of 28.4 and 56.8% of the population. Simulation results indicated that consumption by age- 1 through age-6 largemouth bass in Stonewall Jackson Lake was 41 metric tons of forage in 1990. Juvenile largemouth bass (ages 1–3) consumed 57% of the forage eaten. Except for brief time periods for age-4 fish, foraging success for all age-classes of harvestable largemouth bass was relatively low; consumption rates were below 50% of maximum potential. Modeling showed that increasing fi...
An empirical note on entrepreneurial activity, intrinsic religiosity and economic growth

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine and test the relationship and interaction between “intrinsic” religiosity, entrepreneurial activity, and economic growth.Design/methodology/approach – The paper selects 23 countries that are predominately Christian and examine the connection between country‐wide religious orientation, entrepreneurial activity, and economic growth. It specifically examines “intrinsic” religiosity, and defines entrepreneurial activity as either total start‐up entrepreneurial activity or opportunity‐based entrepreneurial activity. It is hypothesized that there is a direct relationship between religious attitudes and both economic growth and entrepreneurial activity, with entrepreneurial activity also acting as an intervening variable. The empirical relationship between “intrinsic” religiosity, entrepreneurial activity, and economic growth is then examined.Findings – The findings suggest that while “intrinsic” religiosity is positively related to economic growth, the key relat...
The Compassion Strategy Race and the Gender Gap in Campaign 2000

Recent studies have shown that social "compassion" issues, and not those directly linked to women's interests, seem to drive the gender gap in presidential vote choice. Some of these compassion issues are associated with the plight of racial minorities in the media and in the minds of average citizens. Drawing on theories of gender role socialization, we predict that traditional partisan stands on racial issues may help to explain the gender gap. Specifically, we hypothesize that the gap emerges because men and women react differently to cues about how compassionate candidates are toward vulnerable social groups. In one experiment, we manipulate news information regarding George W. Bush's commitment to blacks versus women. The gender gap is maximized when Bush takes the traditional Republican stance, while it is reduced significantly when Bush espouses a more moderate position. The gender gap is unaffected by variation in the position that Bush takes on women's issues. In another experiment, we also find that the gender gap emerges when traditional partisan appeals are racialized. Finally, exposure to the 2000 Republican National Convention, with its message of racial inclusion, boosted evaluations of Bush among women but not men.
The secondary structure of two recombinant human growth factors, platelet-derived growth factor and basic fibroblast growth factor, as determined by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy.

Abstract The secondary structures of two recombinant human growth factors, platelet-derived growth factor and the basic fibroblast growth factor, have been quantitatively examined by using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. These studies, carried out in D 2 O, focus on the conformation-sensitive amide I region. Resolution enhancement techniques, including Fourier self-deconvolution and derivative spectroscopy, were combined with band fitting techniques to quantitate the spectral information from the broad, overlapped amide I band. The results presented here indicate that both proteins are rich in β-structures. The remainder of the platelet-derived growth factor exists largely as irregular or disordered conformations with a moderate amount of α-helix and a small portion of reverse turns. By contrast, the basic fibroblast growth factor is much richer in reverse turn structures and contains a lesser portion of irregularly folded or disordered structures. Based on circular dichroism studies which indicate no α-helix in bFGF, components near 1655 cm −1 in the bFGF spectra are tentatively assigned to loops. The results of this study emphasize the need for using a combination of circular dichroism and infrared studies for spectroscopic characterization of protein secondary structure.
Preparing for Prescriptive Privileges: A CNS-Physician Collaborative Model. Expanding the Scope of the Psychiatric-Mental Health Clinical Nurse Specialist

Advanced practice nurses throughout the United States have been successful in securing prescriptive privileges and the related accountability for independent practice. As their authority for the medication management of patients increases, opportunities for practice in expanded nursing roles als
Validating a method for transferring social values of ecosystem services between public lands in the Rocky Mountain region

Abstract With growing pressures on ecosystem services, social values attributed to them are increasingly important to land management decisions. Social values, defined here as perceived values the public ascribes to ecosystem services, particularly cultural services, are generally not accounted for through economic markets or considered alongside economic and ecological values in ecosystem service assessments. Social-values data can be elicited through public value and preference surveys; however, limitations prevent them from being regularly collected. These limitations led to our three study objectives: (1) demonstrate an approach for applying benefit transfer, a nonmarket-valuation method, to spatially explicit social values; (2) validate the approach; and (3) identify potential improvements. We applied Social Values for Ecosystem Services (SolVES) to survey data for three national forests in Colorado and Wyoming. Social-value maps and models were generated, describing relationships between the maps and various combinations of environmental variables. Models from each forest were used to estimate social-value maps for the other forests via benefit transfer. Model performance was evaluated relative to the locally derived models. Performance varied with the number and type of environmental variables used, as well as differences in the forests׳ physical and social contexts. Enhanced metadata and better social-context matching could improve model transferability.
Phase I study of a lipooligosaccharide-based conjugate vaccine against nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae.

Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) accounts for about one-third of purulent otitis media (OM) in children and is a common cause of pulmonary infection in adults with decreased resistance. Based upon sero-epidemiological data in humans and immunochemical data in laboratory animals, a lipooligosaccharide (LOS)–tetanus toxoid (TT) conjugate was prepared and evaluated for its safety and immunogenicity in a Phase I study of 40 healthy adults. The conjugate was injected intramuscularly into all volunteers: 28 of them received a second injection 14 weeks later. Local and systemic reactions were monitored and sera, taken before and 2, 6, 14, 16, and 38 weeks after injection, were assayed for IgG, IgA, and IgM antibodies to the LOS by ELISA and for bactericidal activity. The results indicate that there were no significant local or systemic reactions after either injection. All volunteers had pre-existing IgG anti-LOS. The geometric mean (GM) level rose from 14 to 40 at 2 weeks, remained at 35 at 6 weeks (40 or 35 versus 14, P<0.01) and dropped to 27 at 14 weeks after the first injection. There was also a rise 2 weeks after the second injection (27 versus 37, P<0.05). A total of 52.5% of subjects showed serum-conversion (greater than four-fold increase) after one and two injections. At 38 weeks, the GM IgG anti-LOS was still higher than before initial injection (20 versus 14, P<0.05). A similar pattern of reactivity was observed for IgA and IgM anti-LOS. Similar to that observed in mice, but not in rabbits, the conjugate-induced antibodies did not yield significant bactericidal activity in vitro. The LOS–TT conjugate is well tolerant in adults and a Phase II evaluation of the conjugate in children is planned.
Taking the modern for nature: methodological individualism as an interesting mistake

Abstract Marx claims that what early modern writers took as the isolated individual in nature, was actually the individual in modern civil society. This is a mistake, but an interesting one. The paper traces the idea of the methodological individualist isolated individual in Hobbes, Locke, Bentham, Austrian and neoclassical economics. The idea is untenable because it prevents a distinction between the individual and the economy in which it supposedly pursues its interest. But the mistake pushes beyond itself, pointing to a tenable alternative, plural individuality. The alternative view is thus grounded in its contrary, rather than simply rejecting it.
Functional expression of a Drosophila odor receptor.

Insect olfaction has been a field of intense interest for two reasons. First, insect olfactory systems are well suited for investigating basic principles of olfactory system function and development, which are remarkably well conserved across phylogeny (1). Second, insects cause enormous losses to world agriculture and carry some of the world's most devastating diseases. Because many insects locate their plant and human hosts via olfactory cues, understanding the molecular basis of insect olfaction may lead to new approaches to insect control.
Stability constraints in the formulation of viscoelastic constitutive equations

Abstract This paper discusses the criteria for both global Hadamard and dissipative stabilities of viscoelastic constitutive equations (CEs) with instantaneous elasticity. In order to formulate as generally as possible the conditions of stability analyses, we used some unified forms for CEs of differential Maxwell-like and factorable single integral types. The obtained criteria formulate the constraints which have to be imposed on parameters or functions in CEs to avoid the unphysical instabilities in the whole range of Deborah numbers, independent of the flow situation. The problem of Hadamard stability for the viscoelastic CEs is reduced to that well known in the theory of nonlinear elasticity where the complete solution of the problem was found recently in an algebraic form. The criteria of dissipative stability, which have been established previously, are also discussed. When applied to many popular viscoelastic models, the combined stability criteria impose a set of such severe constraints that no single integral CE with time-strain separability proposed in the literature, could satisfy them, and only few differential models have proved to be stable.
Transoceanic bird migration: Evidence for detection of wind direction

Further analysis of radar tracks of migrating birds over the Atlantic Ocean (Larkin et al., 1979) indicates that birds sometimes fly at lower air speeds when winds are in the direction of flight than in crosswinds or head winds. The birds are able to estimate wind direction over open ocean by a mechanism which is presently open to speculation.
Rationale for a consistent "powerhouse" approach to vegetable and fruit messages

N C t is becoming increasingly clear that specific vegetables and fruits are unique in their ability to reduce risk for multiple chronic diseases. The scientific evidence is xpanding beyond the role of cancer and heart disease revention and suggests that certain vegetables and ruits may reduce the risk for other diseases such as ataract formation, chronic obstructive pulmonary disase, diverticulosis, and hypertension (1,2). Epidemioogic data published from large longitudinal cohort studes such as the Women’s Health Study, Health rofessionals Follow-Up Study, Physician’s Health tudy, and National Health and Nutrition Examination urvey (NHANES) have helped to identify food constitunts (dietary folate, vitamin C) (3-6), food patterns (cruiferous vegetables) (4,7,8), and specific food outcomes carrots, tomatoes) (6,8,9-12) as more directly linked to educed risk for selected chronic diseases. For example, onsumption in the highest quintiles of green leafy vegeables is associated with a risk reduced by 6% to 30% for ardiovascular disease and stroke (4,7,8). High intakes of roccoli and spinach are associated with reduced risk for ome cancers (11,12) and cataract formation (13-15). The etherlands Cohort Study on Diet and Cancer (1986992; n 62,573) further specified that women with the ighest consumption of cooked cauliflower and cooked pinach were associated with 38% to 49% risk reduction n colon cancer (11). Results are statistically significant ven after controlling for a variety of potential confoundrs. The select vegetables and fruits most strongly assoiated with decreased risk are described as green leafy eg, spinach, greens), yellow/orange (eg, carrots, winter quash), cruciferous (eg, cauliflower, brussels sprouts), nd citrus (eg, oranges) patterns, hereafter identified as owerhouse, and are particularly rich in nutrients, phyochemicals, and other properties (1,2,16). This suggests
Object ownership profiling: a technique for finding and fixing memory leaks

We introduce object ownership profiling, a technique forfinding and fixing memory leaks in object-oriented programs. Object ownership profiling is the first memory profiling technique that reports both a hierarchy of allocated objects along with size and time information aggregated up that hierarchy. In addition, it reveals the cross-hierarchy interactions that areessential to pinpointing the source of the leak. We identify five memory management anti-patterns, including two that involve rich heap structure and object interactions, and are novel contributions of this work. We apply object ownership profiling to find and fix memory leaks in the Alloy IDE v3 that users had complained about for years, and that had eluded detection by code reviews and type-based commercial memory profilers.
Somatostatin: occurrence in urinary bladder epithelium and renal tubules of the toad, Bufo marinus

Immunohistochemical techniques were used to detect immunoreactive somatostatin-like material in toad urinary bladder epithelium and in kidney distal tubules and collecting ducts. This material has immunological and chromatographic properties identical to those of synthetic cyclic somatostatin. The occurrence of somatostatin-like material in antidiuretic hormone-sensitive portions of the renal urinary system suggests a local regulatory or paracrine role for somatostatin.
Buddy Support among Older Smokers in a Smoking Cessation Program

Use of buddy support in a minimal-contact smoking cessation program using a manual and television segments was assessed among 313 participants aged 50 and older. Almost one fourth engaged a buddy, and those aged 50 to 59 were more likely to have engaged a buddy than those 60 and older. Having a buddy was associated with better use of the manual among both age groups. Participants who needed help from others to quit smoking were less likely to have quit than those who did not need help from others. Overall, participants with a buddy were almost twice as likely to quit as those without a buddy, but with age controlled, the association held only for those aged 50 to 59. Among participants who made at least one attempt to quit during the previous year, those who engaged a buddy were more than twice as likely to quit smoking than were those without a buddy.
Mass spectrometric characterization of a series of adenosylated peptides acting as bisubstrate analogs of protein kinases.

We are currently developing strategies to synthesize bisubstrate analogs as potential inhibitors of serine and tyrosine protein kinases; several such analogs have been synthesized. The initial target proteins were the cAMP dependent protein kinase (cAPK) and the Ca(+2)/calmodulin dependent protein kinase (CaM kiiase II). These bisubstrate analogs were based on either known peptide substrates such as kemptide, a seven amino acid peptide substrate of cAPK, or on inhibitory peptides such as a seventeen amino acid peptide encompassing the autoinhibitory domain of CaM kinase II. Peptides containing a single phosphoserine group were first synthesized and then adenosine 5'-monophosphate (AMP), adenosine 5'-diphosphate (ADP), or adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) was coupled through the serine phosphate with prior activation by 1,1-carbonyldiimidazole using either a solution or solid phase reaction scheme. In this current study, we report the characterization of the bisubstrate analogs by liquid secondary ionization mass spectrometry (LSIMS), matrix-assisted laser desorption mass spectrometry (MALDI), and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS).In the positive-ion mode, the LSIMS spectra of the bisubstrate analogs yielded a series of molecular ions containing mono-, di-, and trivalent cation adducts. Cation adducts were absent in the negative-ion mode where the dominant species were deprotonated molecular ions, [M - H](-), making this latter technique more useful for confirming product identity and assessing purity. Analysis of these compounds by MALDI in both the positive- and negative-ion modes yielded molecular ions which also contained metal ion adducts, although they were limited primarily to Fe(+2) adducts. Unlike LSIMS, the MALDI spectra showed no evidence for the elimination of the phosphoadenosine or other structural moieties. When these compounds were subjected to high energy collision-induced dissociation (CID), the dominant fragmentation pathways under positive-ion MS/MS conditions resulted from cleavage of the phosphate linkages to the adenosine moiety with charge retention on the peptide, although a major peak for 5'-deoxyadenosine was also seen at m/z 250. Charge retention in the negative-ion mode was most pronounced for ion fragments containing the highly acidic phosphate moieties and yielded phosphoadenosine related ions, for example, (AMP-H)(-), (AMP-H-H2O)(-), (ADP-H)(-), etc., as well as ions originating from the phosphate linker such as PO3 (-), H2PO4 (-), HP2O6 (-), H3P2O7 (-), and H2P3O9 (-). The largest phosphoadenosine ion in the negative-ion CID spectra for each bisubstrate analog, for example, m/z 426 (ADP-H)(-), m/z 506 (ATP-H)(-), or m/z 586 (AP4-H)(-), indicated that the desired covalent modification had been formed between the phosphoserine and APn moieties.
Effects of obesity and stable weight reduction on UCP2 and UCP3 gene expression in humans.

VIDAL-PUIG, ANTONIO, MICHAEL ROSENBAUM, ROBERT C. CONSIDINE, RUDOLPH L. LEIBEL, G. LYNIS DOHM, AND BRADFORD B. LOWELL. Effects of obesity and stable weight reduction on UCP2 and UCP3 gene expression in humans. Obes Res. Objectives: The molecular determinants of energy expenditure are presently unknown. Recently, two uncoupling protein homologues, UCP2 and UCP3, have been identified. UCP2 is expressed widely, and UCP3 is expressed abundantly in skeletal muscle. Both could be important regulators of energy balance. In this paper, we investigated whether altered UCP2 and UCP3 mRNA levels are associated with obesity or weight reduction. Research Methods and Procedures: UCP2, UCP3 long and short mRNA levels were examined in skeletal muscle and in white adipose tissue of lean, obese, and weight-reduced individuals by RNase protection assay. Results: Expression of UCP2, UCP3S, and UCP3L mRNA in skeletal muscle was similar in lean individuals and in individuals with obesity at stable weight. In contrast, UCP3L and UCP3S mRNAs were decreased by 38% (p < 0.0059) and 48% (p<0.0047), respectively, in 20% weight-reduced patients with obesity at stable weight. In contrast, UCP2 mRNA levels were increased by 30% in skeletal muscle of 20% weight-reduced subjects with obesity. In a different set of patients, mostly lean, UCP3L mRNA in skeletal muscle was decreased by 28% (p = 0.0425) after 10% weight reduction at stable weight. Expression of UCP2 mRNA in subcutaneous adipose tissue was similar in lean individuals and in individuals with obesity, and was increased by 58% during active weight loss. Discussion: Stabilization at reduced body weight in humans is associated with a decrease in UCP3 mRNA in muscle. It is possible that reduced UCP3 expression could contribute to decreased energy expenditure in weight-stable, weight-reduced individuals.
A piecewise function-to-structure registration algorithm for image guided cardiac catheter ablation

An extensive simulation study was performed to examine different point-to-surface registration techniques for intraoperative registration of preoperative patient data to points collected with electrophysiologic anatomy mapping systems. Three point-to-surface registration methods were evaluated using simulated points sampled from a preoperative heart model. Downhill Simplex (DS) based method outperformed the Iterative Closest Point (ICP) method and a chamfer transform based method. One hundred simulations were performed under a variety of noise and sampling conditions. Less than four pixels root mean squared distance (RMSD) error was observed when there was a 2-pixel standard deviation Gaussian noise in the point cloud coordinates. This registration error was mainly due to the added noise in the sampled points. A near optimal registration can be achieved when 50 or more points randomly sampled on the surface are used as point samples. Reasonable registration can be achieved when 25 points are used. A motion-compensating approach to registration was evaluated in order to account for the different transformation that each anatomical structure may undergo during the procedure due to respiratory motion and other factors. A piecewise registration method, which registers different anatomical structure independently, was evaluated, and favorable results were obtained as compared to a global registration approach. Further validation is in progress to evaluate the piecewise registration using realistic dynamic phantoms and in vivo animal studies.
Distribution of organic carbon in physical fractions of soils as affected by agricultural management

Soil organic carbon (SOC) is distributed heterogeneously among different-sized primary particles and aggregates. Further, the SOC associated with different physical fractions respond differently to managements. Therefore, this study was conducted with the objective to quantify the SOC associated with all the three structural levels of SOC (particulate organic matter, soil separates and aggregate-size fractions) as influenced by long-term change in management. The study also aims at reevaluating the concept that the SOC sink capacity of individual size-fractions is limited. Long-term tillage and crop rotation effects on distribution of SOC among fractions were compared with soil from adjacent undisturbed area under native vegetation for the mixed, mesic, Typic Fragiudalf of Wooster, OH. Forty five years of no-till (NT) management resulted in more SOC accumulation in soil surface (0–7.5 cm) than in chisel tillage and plow tillage (PT) treatments. However, PT at this site resulted in a redistribution of SOC from surface to deeper soil layers. The soils under continuous corn accumulated significantly more SOC than those under corn–soybean rotation at 7.5–45 cm depth. Although soil texture was dominated by the silt-sized particles, most of the SOC pool was associated with the clay fraction. Compared to PT, the NT treatment resulted in (i) significantly higher proportion of large macroaggregates (>2,000 μm) and (ii) 1.5–2.8 times higher SOC concentrations in all aggregate-size classes. A comparative evaluation using radar graphs indicated that among the physical fractions, the SOC associated with sand and silt fractions quickly changed with a land use conversion from native vegetation to agricultural crops. A key finding of this study is the assessment of SOC sink capacity of individual fractions, which revealed that the clay fraction of agricultural soils continues to accumulate more SOC, albeit at a slower rate, with progressive increase in total SOC concentration. However, the clay fraction of soil under native woodlot showed an indication for SOC saturation. The data presented in this study from all the three structural levels of SOC would be helpful for refining the conceptual pool definitions of the current soil organic matter prediction models.
Base Noun Phrase translation using web data and the EM algorithm

We consider here the problem of Base Noun Phrase translation. We propose a new method to perform the task. For a given Base NP, we first search its translation candidates from the web. We next determine the possible translation(s) from among the candidates using one of the two methods that we have developed. In one method, we employ an ensemble of Naive Bayesian Classifiers constructed with the EM Algorithm. In the other method, we use TF-IDF vectors also constructed with the EM Algorithm. Experimental results indicate that the coverage and accuracy of our method are significantly better than those of the baseline methods relying on existing technologies.
Treatment of infantile Blount disease with lateral tension band plating.

BACKGROUND Growth manipulation has had increasing popularity in the treatment of lower extremity angular deformities in children. This paper discusses the use of growth manipulation for the treatment of infantile Blount disease as an alternative to proximal tibial osteotomy. METHODS A retrospective chart and radiographic review was carried out for 12 children (18 limbs) who had treatment of infantile Blount disease with application of lateral proximal tibial tension band plates. Some children also had distal femoral lateral plates applied. Serial radiographs were measured to show response to growth manipulation. RESULTS The success rate of growth manipulation in this group was 89%. Failures and delayed correction were attributed to wound infection that required plate removal and broken screws. Some recurrence of varus has occurred in a few patients. CONCLUSIONS Growth manipulation is an effective means of treating infantile Blount disease in appropriate patients. Patients must be monitored for screw breakage after surgery. After removal of the plates, the risk of recurrent varus is attributed to the poor growth potential of the proximal medial tibial physis. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Therapeutic study, Level IV.
MEKK4 Stimulation of p38 and JNK Activity Is Negatively Regulated by GSK3β

The MAPK kinase kinase MEKK4 is required for neurulation and skeletal patterning during mouse development. MEKK4 phosphorylates and activates MKK4/MKK7 and MKK3/MKK6 leading to the activation of JNK and p38, respectively. MEKK4 is believed to be auto-inhibited, and its interaction with other proteins controls its dimerization and activation. TRAF4, GADD45, and Axin each bind and activate MEKK4, with TRAF4 and Axin binding to the kinase domain and GADD45 binding within the N-terminal regulatory domain. Here we show that similar to the interaction with TRAF4 and Axin, the kinase domain of MEKK4 interacts with the multifunctional serine/threonine kinase GSK3β. GSK3β binding to MEKK4 blocks MEKK4 dimerization that is required for MEKK4 activation, effectively inhibiting MEKK4 stimulation of the JNK and p38 MAPK pathways. Inhibition of GSK3β kinase activity with SB216763 results in enhanced MEKK4 kinase activity and increased JNK and p38 activation, indicating that an active state of GSK3β is required for binding and inhibition of MEKK4 dimerization. Furthermore, GSK3β phosphorylates specific serines and threonines in the N terminus of MEKK4. Together, these findings demonstrate that GSK3β binds to the kinase domain of MEKK4 and regulates MEKK4 dimerization. However, unlike TRAF4, Axin, and GADD45, GSK3β inhibits MEKK4 activity and prevents its activation of JNK and p38. Thus, control of MEKK4 dimerization is regulated both positively and negatively by its interaction with specific proteins.
Evidence for developmental hypopituitarism in ill preterm infants.

OBJECTIVE: The relationship between the concentrations of cortisol and T4 with outcome in the preterm infants has not been well studied. STUDY DESIGN: Mean cortisol (days 2, 4, and 6) and T4 values were correlated to gestational age, illness, and outcome in 210 infants using ANOVA. RESULTS: Cortisol significantly decreased and T4 increased across gestational age. For both hormones, higher values were found in infants on low ventilatory settings. Combined lower cortisol (mean <5 μg/dl (138 nmol/l)) and T4 concentrations (<4 μg/dl) were found in 20/210 (9.5%) infants; 11/20 in a high-acuity group (22% of total) including 48% (12/25) of the deaths. Lower cortisol values were found in infants who died (p<0.005) in contrast to a lack of relationship with T4. CONCLUSIONS: Lower cortisol values in infants who died are consistent with the role for cortisol in survival. Combined lower cortisol and T4 concentrations in infants who failed to improve clinical status may suggest that these hormones are markers of a poor physiological state. In contrast, we suggest that these results reflect a developmental hypopituitarism, a necessary role for cortisone and T4 in successful early neonatal transition. Treatment of hypothyroidism in the setting of coexistent low cortisol concentrations (central dysfunction of the hypothalamic–pituitary axes) is known to precipitate cortisol crisis in older populations. Therefore, we caution against treatment of low neonatal thyroid concentrations until more is known about the relationship between cortisol and T4 preterm infant population.
Studies upon DNA synthesis during multiplicity reactivation of T2r+ bacteriophage.

Studies of the synthesis of bacteriophage T2r^+ deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) in bacterial cells multiply infected with either ultraviolet (uv)-irradiated or normal T2r^+ particles indicate that there is a lag of 8–10 minutes in the production of viral DNA in the former case as compared to the latter. Premature lysis of the cells reveals that a similar 8–10 minute lag is present in the appearance of active intracellular phage in these instances. This result is observed using conditions in which multiplicity reactivation can be demonstrated. By using 5-methyltryptophan as an inhibitor of protein synthesis in cultures of phage-infected cells, it was determined that protein synthesis is necessary soon after infection with uv-irradiated as well as with unirradiated T2r^+ in order for production of phage DNA to take place. Protein synthesis is necessary for the initiation of DNA synthesis, but not for its continuation. Evidence was obtained that some of the steps in the multiplicity reactivation process, subsequent to the initial steps, may not require protein synthesis.
The Distribution of Lead and Zinc in the Human Skeleton

Abstract An atomic absorption method developed for determination of trace metals has been in a study of the distribution of lead and zinc in over forty samples of bone from a single skeleton. The data have been evaluated by statistical methods to obtain quantitative factors for the between-bone and within-bone relationships. Results calculated on the basis of mineral content generally are not significantly different from the skeletal average. Teeth are confirmed to have a higher concentration of lead than any of the bones, and the average lead concentration shows an increase with age. In the case of lead, teeth may provide an indicator for exposure, but they will not necessarily reflect the general bone burden. The knowledge of the normal distribution of trace elements throughout the skeleton provides a means of obtaining burden estimates on the basis of a single portion of bone.
High-Frequency and Low-Frequency Chest Compression: Effects on Lung Water Secretion, Mucus Transport, Heart Rate, and Blood Pressure Using a Trapezoidal Source Pressure Waveform

High-frequency chest compression (HFCC), using an appropriate source (pump) waveform for frequencies at or above 3 Hz, can enhance pulmonary clearance for patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Using a trapezoidal HFCC source pressure waveform, secretion of water from epithelial tissue and transport of mucus through lung airways can be enhanced for patients with CF and COPD. At frequencies below 3 Hz, low-frequency chest compression (LFCC) appears to have a significant impact on the cardiovascular system. For a trapezoidal source pressure waveform at frequencies close to 1 Hz, LFCC produces amplitude or intensity variations in various components of the electrocardiogram time-domain waveform, produces changes at very low frequencies associated with the electrocardiogram frequency spectra (indicating enhanced parasympathetic nervous system activity), and promotes a form of heart rate synchronization. It appears that LFCC can also provide additional cardiovascular benefits by reducing peak and average systolic and diastolic blood pressure for patients with hypertension.
Demethylation of ripening specific genes in tomato fruit

Abstract To assess whether demethylation might play a role in the regulation of genes involved in ripening we investigated the changes in methylation levels of two ripening specific genes. DNA was extracted from tomato fruit (Lycopersicon esculentum, var. Castelemart) at progressive stages of ripening and digested with the isoschizomer pair HpaII/MspI. Southern blot analyses revealed a decrease in methylation of sequences containing the genes encoding polygalacturonase and cellulase coincident with the onset of ripening. No differences in methylation levels were observed when LHA1, a constitutively expressed gene not likely subject to changes in methylation, was used as a probe. It would appear that demethylation of specific genes may be involved in the epigenetic control of fruit ripening.