cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Notch3 signaling in vascular smooth muscle cells induces c-FLIP expression via ERK/MAPK activation. Resistance to Fas ligand-induced apoptosis.

Mutations in the Notch3 receptor result in the cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephelopathy (CADASIL) syndrome, a heritable arteriopathy predisposing to early onset stroke. Based upon clinical evidence that CADASIL arteriopathy results in degeneration and loss of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) from the arterial wall, we postulated that Notch3 signaling is a critical determinant of VSMC survival. We initially established that both transient and constitutive Notch3 signaling promoted VSMC survival in response to the proapoptotic Fas ligand (FasL). Resistance to FasL-induced apoptosis was associated with the induction of c-FLIP, a primary inhibitor of the FasL signaling pathway. We determined that Notch3's regulation of c-FLIP was independent of the activity of the classical DNA-binding protein, RBP-Jk, but dependent upon cross-talk activation of the ERK/MAPK pathway. We extended our observations to the in vivocontext by determining a coordinate regulation of Notch3and c-FLIP within the arterial wall in response to injury. Furthermore, we defined that expression levels ofNotch3 and c-FLIP are coordinately up-regulated within the neointima of remodeled arteries. Taken together, these findings provide initial evidence that Notch3 signaling may be a critical determinant of VSMC survival and vascular structure by modulating the expression of downstream mediators of apoptosis via signaling cross-talk with the ERK/MAPK pathway.
Analysis of ligand binding to a ribose biosensor using site-directed mutagenesis and fluorescence spectroscopy.

Computational design of proteins with altered ligand specificity is an emerging method for the creation of new biosensing systems. In this work, we investigated the outcome of site-directed mutagenesis on the Escherichia coli ribose binding protein (RBP), which is frequently used as a design scaffold for computational searches. A ribose biosensor was first constructed whereby an environmentally sensitive fluorescent probe was covalently attached to RBP at position S265C. This protein conjugate displayed a 54% decrease in emission intensity upon the addition of saturating ribose concentrations and exhibited an apparent dissociation constant (Kd) of 3.4 μM. Site-directed mutants within the RBP binding pocket were created and examined for ribose binding ability and overall structural stability. Because as many as 12 mutations are needed to alter ligand specificity in RBP, we measured the effect of single and multiple alanine mutations on stability and signal transduction potential of the ribose biosensor. Single alanine mutations had significant impact on both stability and signaling. Mutations of N190A and F214A each produced melting temperatures >8°C below those observed for the wild-type protein. Residue Q235, located in the hinge region of RBP, appeared to be a hot spot for global protein stability as well. Additional single alanine mutations demonstrated as much as 200-fold increase in apparent Kd but retained overall protein stability. The data collected from this study may be incorporated into design algorithms to help create more stable biosensors and optimize signal transduction properties for a variety of important analytes.
Dusky salamanders (Desmognathus, Plethodontidae) from the Coastal Plain: Multiple independent lineages and their bearing on the molecular phylogeny of the genus

Recent phylogenetic reassessment of the lungless salamanders (Plethodontidae) confirmed a major life-history reversal-from direct development to an aquatic larval stage-in the dusky salamanders (Desmognathus) of eastern North America. This reversal initiated high rates of lineage accumulation, reputedly generating the species richness and ecological breath that now characterize Desmognathus. Certain important aspects of the radiation, e.g., ecomorphological evolution, have been identified through intense sampling effort of Appalachian Highland lineages. However, the research preoccupation on montane species has left overlooked a significant component of dusky salamander distribution-the Coastal Plain. We present the first molecular phylogeny for Desmognathus to incorporate extensive coverage from the Atlantic and Gulf coastal plains. We examined 38 Coastal Plain populations in conjunction with 45 additional populations, representing 16 of the 19 nominal species. Bayesian analysis of 88 mitochondrial cox1 haplotypes diagnosed eight independent population lineages within the Coastal Plain, a number at odds with the region's three currently recognized species. Desmognathus has apparently experienced a complex biogeographic history in this physiographic region, one involving multiple invasions and several ecological transitions from lotic to lentic habitats.
Spongivory in Hawksbill Turtles: A Diet of Glass

The hawksbill(Eretmochelys imbricata), an endangered marine turtle associated with coral reefs throughout the tropics, feeds almost exclusively on sponges in the Caribbean, and possibly throughout its range. It is one of fewer than a dozen vertebrates that are known to specialize on this widely distributed but well-defended food resource. The diet is taxonomically narrow and highly uniform geographically, includes sponges that are toxic to other vertebrates, and contains more silica than that of other vertebrates. By affecting space competition, spongivory by hawksbills may influence succession and diversity of reef communities.
Penicillin in Treatment of Experimental Clostridium welchii Infection

Conclusions1. Penicillin is far superior to sulfonamides in the treatment of CI. welchii infection in mice. A single injection of 50 Florey units of penicillin administered subcutaneously at the time of intramuscular inoculation with CI. welchii protects 98% of the infected animals. 2. Repeated small doses of penicillin give as good protection as single large doses. 3. Delay in the institution of therapy lowers the survival rate, but not appreciably unless the delay is over 3 hours. 4. Local lesions were completely healed within 3 weeks if penicillin was injected repeatedly into the site of infection. 5. Response to the treatment of this infection in guinea pigs seems to be as good as that in mice.
A critique of the official report on the evacuation of the World Trade Center: continued doubts

This paper criticises the conclusions and the unanswered questions in the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)'s official report on the evacuation of the World Trade Center in New York City, United States, on 11 September 2001. It reviews the extent to which the report disregards several conventional statistical methods and comments on the NIST's refusal to share the machine-readable data file with the scientific community for replication and further analysis. Problems lie in the sampling methods employed, the treatment of missing data, the use of ordinary least squares (OLS) with binary dependent variables, the failure to document the scalability of the scales used, the lack of tests to check for constant error variance, and the absence of overall fit tests of the model. There are also conceptual and theoretical issues, such as the absence in the report of considerations of the influence of group-level processes and their impact on the collective behaviour of evacuating collectivities.
Shor and Preskill's and Mayers's security proof for the BB84 quantum key distribution protocol

We review two security proofs for the BB84 quantum key distribution protocol: Mayers's security proof and the more recent proof of Shor and Preskill. We focus on the basic principles and the intuition in Mayers's proof instead of technical details. We present a variation on Shor's and Preskill's proof which is convenient for purpose of comparison. We explain the connection between these two proofs.
Activity‐Based Management in a Medical Practice: A Case Study Emphasizing the AICPA's Core Competencies

ABSTRACT: Activity‐based management uses information from an activity‐based costing (ABC) system for both recurring and nonrecurring management decisions. In this case study, an ABC system that assigned only indirect costs to the final cost objects has already been created and students must expand this ABC system to include the assignment of direct costs to the cost objects, and then compare these total unit costs to the revenue collected for each cost object. Students then analyze this cost and revenue information to give advice to management about case mix, capacity constraints, and mergers. In the health care industry, most medical practices have little control over customer demand for services or the amount that a practice will be reimbursed for its services. Students are asked to comment on the ethical and social implications of this fact, in the context of the results of their profitability analyses for a particular thoracic surgery practice. This case assists students in the development of a large ...
Noise removal and compression using a wavelet transform

Wavelet transforms are a general class of transforms which have had extensive development recently (Daubechies, 1992; Wang and Nguyen, 1996). Finite Fourier transforms are a subset of wavelet transforms, with sines and cosines as the wavelet functions. In this work the use of wavelet transforms for noise removal and the concomitant data compression are examined. This paper shows the application of these techniques first to noisy synthetic data to illustrate the procedures, and then to seismic data.
Pulsed laser ablation of calcified tissue: physical mechanisms and fundamental parameters

Based upon a consideration of the morphology of calcified tissue, a two component picture of ablation is postulated in which the soft connective tissue matrix is vaporized and entrains and removes the hard calcium salts. The dependence of the ablation process on laser irradiance, fluence and wavelength is discussed, including estimates of optimal ranges of those parameters for practical applications.
Screening Method for the Discovery of Potential Cancer Chemoprevention Agents Based on Mass Spectrometric Detection of Alkylated Keap1

Natural products are important sources of drugs such as cancer chemopreventive agents, but most assays for the discovery of compounds in natural product extracts are low throughput and provide little information about lead compounds in these complex mixtures. The induction of enzymes such as quinone reductase, glucuronyl transferases, glutathione S-transferases, and sulfotransferases can protect cells against the toxic and neoplastic effects of carcinogens. An increase in the concentration of Nrf2 in the nucleus of a cell upregulates the antioxidant response element and induces the expression of these chemopreventive enzymes. Based on the hypothesis that ubiquitination and proteosome-mediated degradation of Nrf2 in the cytoplasm decreases upon the covalent modification of 1 or more of the 27 cysteine sulfhydryl groups on Keap1 (a protein that sequesters Nrf2 in the cytoplasm) and results in higher Nrf2 levels both in the cytoplasm and in the nucleus, a high-throughput mass spectrometry-based screening ass...
Cross Cultural Learning and the Role of Reverse Knowledge Flows in Vietnam

Knowledge transfer has long been a topic within the literature on multinational companies (MNCs), although there has been less focus on non-MNC settings and on transition or developing economies. Here the assumption has been that foreign ‘experts’ offer knowledge, skills and talents to local ‘learners’. Yet cross cultural adaptation and learning may also flow in a reverse direction: from ‘learners’ to ‘experts’. Locals may possess unanticipated pockets of knowledge useful for foreigners. This article tackles the question: what conditions appear to enhance the possibility of knowledge flow from locals to experts and what appears to encourage cultural adaptation and learning by foreigners in transition economies? It proposes a tentative framework relating to reverse flow of knowledge. It concludes that factors like dramatic economic change and increased sophistication of local managers generate conditions that are ripe for reverse flow of knowledge and learning. For foreigners and locals to succeed in meeti...
TUTOR301-a successful application of CAI for electrical engineering problem solving

A computer-assisted instruction (CAI) system was developed to teach electrical engineering problem solving at West Point, in an introductory course for nonengineers. The system, known as TUTOR301, takes the place of an individual tutor or coach in problem-solving methods. The simple form of solution text used minimized faculty time required to prepare solution scripts for the computer. The system's basic solution structure and program structure are described along with results gathered from five semesters of using this system. >
Clinical profile of injection drug users presenting to the ED.

Abstract Background Injection drug users (IDUs) commonly use the emergency department (ED) as their primary health care access point. Objective We sought to characterize infectious disease clinical presentations and laboratory results of IDUs admitted to the hospital from the ED and contrast them with those of non-IDUs. Methods We enrolled all admitted adult patients with infectious disease–related diagnoses at a county level 1 trauma center from June 2010 to January 2011 and used a structured chart abstraction tool to record patient characteristics and clinical outcomes. We compared clinical presenting features, laboratory data, and microbiological culture results of IDUs with concomitantly enrolled non-IDUs. Results Of 603 total participants, 189 were IDUs, and 414 were non-IDUs. Injection drug users had higher rates of skin and soft tissue infection admission but had similar hospital length of stay (7.5 vs 6.1 days) and mortality (2.1% vs 2.9%). Compared with non-IDUs, IDUs more commonly had hyponatremia, 38.1% vs 27.1% (mean difference, 11.4%; 95% confidence intervals [CIs], 3.4%-19.6%) and thrombocytopenia, 18.5% vs 11.0% (mean difference, 7.5%; 95% CI, 1.5%-14.2%) but less frequently had leukocytosis, 36.0% vs 52.7% (mean difference, 16.7%; 95% CI, 8.2%-24.8%). Injection drug users and non-IDUs had similar rates of positive ED-derived blood cultures, 16.5% vs 22.6% (mean difference, 6.1%; 95% CI, −13.3 to 1.7%). Conclusions When admitted from the ED for infectious disease–related diagnoses, IDUs had similar rates of fever, higher rates of hyponatremia and thrombocytopenia, and lower rates of leukocytosis than non-IDUs. Although they had similar rates of bacteremia, only IDUs were positive for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus .
Incorporation of the human erythrocyte sialoglycoprotein into recombined membranes containing cholesterol

Glycophorin, the major sialoglycoprotein from the human erythrocyte membrane, has been isolated and recombined with phosphatidylcholine and cholesterol. Sucrose density gradient analysis of the recombinants shows that it is possible not only to recombine this protein with phospholipid, but also with phospholipid-cholesterol mixtures. Surprisingly, by the same analysis, it was possible to make a recombinant with cholesterol and glycophorin, only, in the absence of added phospholipid. The accessibility of the protein to trypsin was tested in each of these recombinants. In all the recombinants which contained either phospholipid, or phospholipid and cholesterol, the protein was protected from extensive hydrolysis. This is consistent with closed vesicles and incorporation of the protein into the recombinant membrane. Extensive hydrolysis of the protein occurred in the cholesterol-glycophorin recombinant indicating some differences in structure. Freeze-fracture electron microscopy of the phospholipid and the phospholipid-cholesterol recombinants showed mostly unilamellar vesicles, 1000 to 5000 A in diameter. Intramembranous particles were observed on both fracture faces, and the fracture planes were those expected for phospholipid bilayers. The glycophorin-cholesterol recombinants also showed fracture planes consistent with bilayers, and revealed intramembranous particles. Pieces of membrane-like structures as well as apparent vesicular structures were observed. Finally in the recombinants of glycophorin with phospholipid and cholesterol, cholesterol is shown to reduce the population of the motionally restricted phospholipid headgroup environment, in proportion to the mole percent cholesterol content.
31p nme spectroscopic study of the effects of γ-irradiation on rif-1 tumor cells perfused in vitro

In order to examine the mechanisms underlying radiation-induced changes in phosphorus metabolite levels observed in RIF-1 tumors in vivo, RIF-1 cells in culture were perfused for up to 70 h following gamma-irradiation with 0-25 Gy and monitored continuously by 31P NMR spectroscopy at 8.5 T. Cells immobilized in the sample volume by incorporation into calcium alginate beads were bioenergetically stable, but did not replicate at the cell density used. Following an initial increase in PCr and NTP, which occurred in both control and irradiated cells, a dramatic decline in high-energy phosphates was detected beginning 24-30 h after irradiation with 15 or 25 Gy. In contrast, unirradiated cells or cells treated with 10 Gy remained metabolically stable for up to 72 h. The metabolic changes induced by irradiation of the cultured cells, which reflected cell death and lysis, were distinctly different from those observed in RIF-1 tumors in vivo during the same postirradiation time interval--an increase in high-energy relative to low-energy phosphates. This suggests that the spectral changes in vivo do not result from direct modification of cellular energy metabolism by radiation injury.
Effects of Bile Acids and Steroid/Thyroid Hormones on the Expression of Cholesterol 7α-Hydroxylase mRNA and the CYP7 Gene in HepG2 Cells

The expression of cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase mRNA levels in confluent HepG2 cultures was reduced by tauro- or glyco-conjugates of deoxycholate and chenodeoxycholate, but not by cholate. Ursodeoxycholates, on the other hand, stimulated the mRNA level. The 5'-upstream regions of rat cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase gene (CYP7) were fused to luciferase reporter gene and the constructs, p-3616/Luc, p-224/Luc and p-160/Luc, were transiently transfected into HepG2 cells. Tauro-conjugates of deoxycholate and chenodeoxycholate inhibited the transcriptional activities of the gene constructs in the confluent cells, but not in subconfluent cells. These results reveal that bile acid responsive elements are located in the -160 fragment and also between nt -3616 and -224. Thyroid and steroid hormones stimulated transcriptional activity expressed in the confluent cells and their responsive elements are located upstream of nt -224. It appears that adult phenotypes are responsible for bile acid feedback and hormone response in HepG2 cells.
Impact perforation of sandwich panels with Coremat

Analytical solutions for the quasi-static and low-velocity perforation of sandwich panels with woven roving E-glass/vinyl ester facesheets and Coremat were derived. A multi-stage perforation process involving delamination, debonding, core shear fracture and facesheet fracture was used to predict the quasi-static failure load and ballistic resistance of the panel. The high core-crushing resistance and damping of the Coremat resulted in rupture of the distal facesheet before the incident facesheet during panel perforation because they limited the amount of local indentation compared with global panel deformation. Analytical predictions of the quasi-static load-deflection response and the dynamic contact force history were within 10% of the test results.
Compatibility Studies of Pairs of Polymers by Viscometric Measurements on Ternary Solutions of the Two Polymers

Dilute solution viscometry results at 30.0°C are reported for three ternary solvent(1)/polymer(2)/polymer(3) systems involving tetrahydrofuran (THF), polystyrene (PS), polybutadiene (PBD), poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS), and poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC), specifically for the systems THF/PS/PBD, THF/PDMS/PVC, and THF/PVC/PS. Interaction parameters determined for both these ternary systems and binary solvent–polymer combinations were used to estimate degrees of compatibility. A number of criteria were applied and the results analyzed and compared. Compatibility was found for the THF/PS/PBD and THF/PDMS/PVC systems, but incompatibility for THF/PVC/PS system, results which should help clarify compatibilities of the corresponding polymer pairs in blends. Dedicated to Professor John L. Stanford on the occasion of his 60th birthday.
Non-Family Directed Donation: The Perils of Policy-Making

Zink et al. (2005) address two important challenges to UNOS's system of organ distribution in the United States: multiple listing and directed donation to nonfamily members. Their thesis is that bo...
1H and 13C NMR assignments with coordination‐induced shift calculations of carbon σ‐bonded ortho‐metalated rhodium(III) and iridium(III) complexes

Complete 1H and 13C NMR assignments and coordination-induced shift [CIS, δ(complex) – δ(free ligand)] calculations for carbon σ-bonded ortho-metalated rhodium(III) and iridium(III) complexes are described. NMR parameters are used as probes of van der Waals interactions and ring current anisotropy in the ligand's environmental framework and to monitor σ-donation and π-back-bonding within the ligand in this family of ortho-metalated complexes. CIS measurements indicate large charge redistribution within the ligands as a result of ortho-metalation to the rhodium(III) or iridium(III) cationic metal centers. The pulse sequences, attached proton test (APT), 1H1H homonuclear correlation spectroscopy (COSY), single-frequency off-resonance decoupling (SFORD) and 1H13C heteronuclear correlation spectroscopy (HETCOR), were utilized to assign all proton and carbon resonances of [Rh(ppy)2Cl]2, [Ir(ppy)2Cl]2, [Ir(ptpy)2Cl]2, [Ir(mppy)2Cl]2, [Rh(ppy)2bpy]+, [Ir(ppy)2bpy]+, [Ir(ptpy)2bpy]+ and [Ir(mppy)2bpy]+, where ppy is 2-phenylpyridine, ptpy is 2-(p-tolyl)pyridine, mppy is 3-methyl-2-phenylpyridine and bpy is 2,2′-bipyridine.
Estimation of the distortion of the geometry of nucleic-acid bases in the excited electronic state from the ultraviolet resonance Raman intensity of certain normal modes

Abstract A new method is presented for estimating changes in bond lengths in an excited electronic state over the ground state of a molecule from a measurement of the resonance Raman spectrum, a normal coordinate analysis of the ground state vibrations and a quantum mechanical description of the resonant electronic state. The method is applied to uridine monophosphate (UMP) using an exciting wavelength of 275 nm.
Experimental observations on the scaling of adsorption isotherms for nonionic surfactants at a hydrophobic solid-water interface.

The self-assembly of nonionic surfactants in bulk solution and on hydrophobic surfaces is driven by the same intermolecular interactions, yet their relationship is not clear. While there are abundant experimental and theoretical studies for self-assembly in bulk solution and at the air−water interface, there are only few systematic studies for hydrophobic solid−water interfaces. In this work, we have used optical reflectometry to measure adsorption isotherms of seven different nonionic alkyl polyethoxylate surfactants (CH3(CH2)I-1(OCH2CH2)JOH, referred to as CIEJ surfactants, with I = 10−14 and J = 3−8), on hydrophobic, chemically homogeneous self-assembled monolayers of octadecyltrichlorosilane. Systematic changes in the adsorption isotherms are observed for variations in the surfactant molecular structure. The maximum surface excess concentration decreases (and minimum area/molecule increases) with the square root of the number of ethoxylate units in the surfactant (J). The adsorption isotherms of all s...
ANTI-PORNOGRAPHY CAMPAIGNS: A CASE STUDY

(1982). ANTI-PORNOGRAPHY CAMPAIGNS: A CASE STUDY. Free Speech Yearbook: Vol. 21, No. 1, pp. 27-39.
Race, homophily, and purchase intentions and the Black consumer

Black consumers are an important market for advertisers to reach. However, designing effective communication strategies is difficult. This study examines the moderation effect of ethnic identification (strength of identity with other blacks) on the tie between advertising stimuli (with racially congruent or incongruent actors) and the subject's perceived homophily (similarity) toward actors featured in ads, and if perceived homophily influences purchase intentions regarding advertised products. ANOVA found a significant interaction between ethnic identity and racial congruity on the perceived level of homophily. In addition, a simple effect for racial congruity on perceived homophily was found. Regression analysis subsequently found a significant effect for the level of perceived homophily on the level of purchase intent. Strategic considerations for marketing advertisers and future research ideas are also presented. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Extreme self-adjoint extensions of a semibounded q-difference operator

For a certain q-difference operator introduced and studied in a series of articles by the same authors, we investigate its extreme self-adjoint extensions, i.e., the so-called Friedrichs and Kreĭn extensions. We show that for the interval of parameters under consideration, the Friedrichs extension and the Kreĭn extension are distinct and give values of the parameter in the von Neumann formulas that correspond to those extensions and describe their resolvent operators. A crucial role in our investigation plays the fact that both the Friedrichs and the Kreĭn extensions are scale invariant.
Functionalization of magnetic nanoparticles with organic molecules: loading level determination and evaluation of linker length effect on immobilization.

A general method is introduced to immobilize organic molecules on magnetic nanoparticles through silanization reactions and determine the maximum loading level by UV–vis spectroscopy. Loading levels of 1.5 × 10−3 mol per gram of nanoparticle were obtained with structurally diverse compounds such as rhodamine B and glucosamine. The length of the linker did not have a significant effect on loading as comparable maximum amounts of rhodamine B were immobilized on magnetic nanoparticles regardless of the linker length. Interestingly, rhodamine B derivatives lost conjugation during synthetic manipulations due to reversible spiroisobenzofuran formation. Full regeneration of conjugation was found to be slow with rhodamine B attached on magnetic nanoparticles. The results obtained from these studies will be useful for studying surface functionalization of MNPs in general. Chirality, 2008. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
The use of clickers to assess knowledge in foreign language classes and their failure to increase reading compliance

This is the firstquantitative research on reading compliance in FL courses. It investigated theeffect of clickers on learning gains for regularly assigned readings, determinedby 16 quiz grades during a semester. 38 intermediate L2 Spanish studentsassigned to two group conditions also completed a questionnaire at the end ofthe semester about their preparedness for the quizzes and their opinions aboutthe use of clickers. Results indicated that participants in the Clickercondition obtained significantly lower grades in the quizzes than those in thePaper and Pencil one, despite clickers receiving positive feedback andcomments, and even though students in the Clicker condition reported preparingfor class more often than those in the Paper and Pencil condition.
Sticks, Stones, Words, and Broken Bones: New Field and Lab Evidence on Stereotype Threat

Stereotype threat is frequently purported to be an important determinant of gender gaps in math. Unlike prior studies, which mostly occur in lab settings, I use data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)—a large, representative assessment of U.S. children—where through a design quirk, students are randomly assigned test blocks, some of which include gender prime questions while others do not. I exploit this natural field experiment by comparing the gender gap in math scores of students receiving primes to those who do not. I find that girls actually perform better relative to boys for some primes (stereotype reactance) and no worse for others. These findings suggest that stereotype priming effects are relevant outside of lab settings, and that consistent with findings from a companion lab experiment and other lab studies from the stereotype literature, the effects appear to depend on the exact phrasing of the primes.
Evaluation of Growth and Disease Resistance of USDA103, USDA303, USDA102, and USDA102 × USDA103 Strains of Channel Catfish, Ictalurus punctatus

USDA103, USDA303, USDA102, and USDA102 × USDA103 strains of channel catfish (27.7 ± 0.7 g/fish) were fed daily for 6 wk. Feed consumption and weight gain were highest (P 0.05) among strains when final weight was used as a covariate. USDA103, USDA303, and USDA102 × USDA103 strains had higher (P < 0.01) protein efficiency ratios compared to USDA102. In a second study, the four groups of catfish (22.2 ± 1.9 g/fish) were challenged with Edwardsiella ictaluri and mortality was recorded for 3 wk postchallenge. Survival was higher (P < 0.02) for USDA303 and USDA102 × USDA103 fish. Results of these studies demonstrate that the USDA103 and USDA303 strains of catfish were superior in growth performance. Results of the bacterial challenge show that the USDA303 and USDA102 × USDA103 strains of fish exhibited increased survival. Continued selection of the USDA103 line and crossing this line of fish with lines of fish such as the USDA102 strain may produce fish with desirable growth and disease characteristics.
Progress in Epitaxial Oxides on Semiconductors

In this paper, we review the recent progress in the area of epitaxial oxides on semiconductors at Motorola Labs. Critical issues such as surface preparation, initial nucleation and growth behaviors of SrTiO3 (STO) thin film epitaxy on Si(001) are addressed. Using a systematic approach, high-quality epitaxial STO films are successfully grown on semiconductor substrates such as Si, silicon-on-insulator (SOI) and Ge. Amorphous interfacial layer between the epitaxial STO and the semiconductor can be eliminated or tailored by controlling oxide growth process and parameters. STO-based metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) capacitors and transistors are fabricated and tested, in order to explore the potential of STO as high-k gate dielectrics for future generation CMOS transistor technology. In addition, high-quality STO epitaxial films are utilized as thin buffer layers for fabricating integrated oxide heterostructures on semiconductors. Various perovskite oxide films such as SrZrO3, LaAlO3 and Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 are deposited epitaxially on STO-buffered Si(001) for potential high-k gate dielectrics and surface-acoustic-wave (SAW) device applications.
Image registration of multimodality 3-D medical images by chamfer matching

Images from computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, positron emission tomography (PET), and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), etc., provide complementary characteristic and diagnostic information. A parametric Chamfer Matching method is used for fast and accurate registration of the images from different medical imaging modalities. Surfaces are initially extracted from two images to be matched using semi-automatic segmentation software, and then these surfaces are used as common features to be matched. A distance transformation is performed for one surface image, and an error function is developed using the distance-image to evaluate the matching error. The geometric transformation includes three-dimensional translation, rotation, and scaling parameters to accommodate images of different position, orientation, and size. The matching process involves searching the multi-parameter space to find the fit which will minimize the error function. The local minima problem is addressed by using a large number of starting points. A pyramid multiresolution approach is employed to speed up both the distance transformation and the multi-parameter minimization processes. Robustness in handling noise is enhanced by using multiple thresholds approach imbedded in the multi-resolution process. Human intervention is not necessary.
The FAD-Dependent Tricarballylate Dehydrogenase (TcuA) Enzyme of Salmonella enterica Converts Tricarballylate into cis-Aconitate

Tricarballylate is the causative agent of grass tetany, a ruminant disease characterized by acute magnesium deficiency. Tricarballylate toxicity has been attributed to its ability to chelate magnesium and to inhibit aconitase, a Krebs cycle enzyme. Neither the ruminant nor the normal rumen flora can catabolize tricarballylate to ameliorate its toxic effects. However, the gram-negative enterobacterium Salmonella enterica can use tricarballylate as a carbon and energy source, providing an opportunity to study the genes and enzymes required for tricarballylate catabolism. The tricarballylate utilization (tcu) genes are organized into two transcriptional units, i.e., tcuR and tcuABC. Here, we report the initial biochemical analysis of TcuA. TcuA catalyzed the oxidation of tricarballylate to cis-aconitate. The apparent Km of TcuA for tricarballylate was 3.8 ± 0.4 mM, with a Vmax of 7.9 ± 0.3 mM min−1, turnover number (kcat) of 6.7 × 10−2 s−1, and a catalytic efficiency (kcat/Km) of 17.8 M−1 s−1. Optimal activity was measured at pH 7.5 and 30°C. The enzyme was inactivated at 45°C. One mole of FAD was present per mole of TcuA. We propose a role for TcuB as an electron shuttle protein responsible for oxidizing FADH2 back to FAD in TcuA.
A Phase II Study of High-Dose Tamoxifen in Patients with Hormone-refractory Prostate Cancer

Micromolar concentrations of tamoxifen inhibit the activity of protein kinase C and were recently shown to inhibit prostate cancer cell growth in preclinical studies. Because micromolar concentrations can be attained with high-dose therapy, the clinical activity of high-dose tamoxifen was evaluated in patients with metastatic adenocarcinoma of the prostate. Between December 1993 and February 1997, 30 patients with hormone-refractory metastatic adenocarcinoma of the prostate were continuously administered tamoxifen at 160 mg/m2/day. Therapy was continued until disease progression. All study patients had failed prior treatment with combined androgen blockade, had castrate levels of testosterone, and were heavily pretreated, having received a median of three prior regimens. The average steady-state plasma concentration of tamoxifen was 2.96+/-1.32 microM (mean +/- SD). Grade 3 neurotoxicity was observed in 29% of patients and was rapidly reversible and readily managed with dose modification. Otherwise, grade 3 toxicities were rare. One partial response (80% decline in prostate-specific antigen) was observed (3.3%), whereas disease stabilization was observed in six patients (20%), for a combined partial response/stable disease response rate of 23%. Median time to progression was 2.1 months, and median survival time was 10.5 months. High-dose tamoxifen therapy was well tolerated and associated with micromolar concentrations of tamoxifen in human plasma, and it demonstrated activity, albeit limited, in a heavily pretreated patient cohort with hormone-refractory prostate cancer. These findings suggest that further investigation of the role of protein kinase C modulation in prostate cancer is warranted.
Isolation of Sn-α-Monolinolein from Soybean Oil and Its Effect on Oil Oxidative Stability

SN-α-monolinolein was isolated from refined. bleached and deodorized soybean oil by silicic acid column chromatography and low temperature fractional crystallization. The concentration of this compound in soybean oil was 0.01%. The compound was identified by a combination of infrared. mass and NMR spcctrometry. The effect of SN-α-monolinolein on the oxidative stability of soybean oil was determined by measuring peroxide values and volatile compounds formation by gas chromatography. It had prooxidant activity in soybean oil.
Probabilistically-robust performance optimization for controlled linear stochastic systems

This study discusses a robust controller synthesis methodology for linear time invariant systems characterized by probabilistic parameter uncertainty. The optimization of the robust performance is considered. The extension of pre-existing, synthesis approaches, such as multi-objective H 2 design, to account for probabilistic uncertainty is investigated. A design based on the concept of the reliability of the system response output is also considered. Analysis and synthesis methodologies based on stochastic simulation techniques are discussed. The design approach is applied in a structural control example. The results illustrate the differences between the various probabilistic performance objectives and the importance of adopting a probabilistic characterization for model uncertainty when compared to nominal design or to the design using a worst-case scenario approach.
Combining Dynamic Modeling With Geometric Constraint Management to Support Low Clearance Virtual Manual Assembly

This research presents a novel approach to virtual assembly that combines dynamic modeling with geometric constraint-based modeling to support low clearance manual assembly of CAD models. This is made possible by utilizing the boundary representation solid model data available in most contemporary CAD representations, which enables (a) accurate collision/physics calculations on exact model definitions, and (b) access to geometric features. Application of geometric constraints during run-time, aid the designer during assembly of the virtual models. The feasibility of the approach is demonstrated using a pin and hole assembly example. Results that demonstrate the method give the user the ability to assemble parts without requiring extensive CAD preprocessing and without over constraining the user to arrive at predetermined final part orientations. Assembly is successful with diametral clearance as low as 0.0001 mm, as measured between a 26 mm diameter hole and pin.
ECOLOGICAL DIVERGENCE ASSOCIATED WITH MATING SYSTEM CAUSES NEARLY COMPLETE REPRODUCTIVE ISOLATION BETWEEN SYMPATRIC MIMULUS SPECIES

Speciation often involves the evolution of numerous prezygotic and postzygotic isolating barriers between divergent populations. Detailed knowledge of the strength and nature of those barriers provides insight into ecological and genetic factors that directly or indirectly influenced their origin, and may help predict whether they will be maintained in the face of sympatric hybridization and introgression. We estimated the magnitude of pre- and postzygotic barriers between naturally occurring sympatric populations of Mimulus guttatus and M. nasutus. Prezygotic barriers, including divergent flowering phenologies, differential pollen production, mating system isolation, and conspecific pollen precedence, act asymmetrically to completely prevent the formation of F1 hybrids among seeds produced by M. guttatus (F1g), and reduce F1 hybrid production among seeds produced by M. nasutus (F1n) to only about 1%. Postzygotic isolation is also asymmetric: in field experiments, F1g but not F1n hybrids had significantly reduced germination rates and survivorship compared to parental species. Both hybrid classes had flower, pollen, and seed production values within the range of parental values. Despite the moderate degree of F1g hybrid inviability, postzygotic isolation contributes very little to the total isolation between these species in the wild. We also found that F1 hybrid flowering phenology overlapped more with M. guttatus than M. nasutus. These results, taken together, suggest greater potential for introgression from M. nasutus to M. guttatus than for the reverse direction. We also address problems with commonly used indices of isolation, discuss difficulties in calculating meaningful measures of reproductive isolation when barriers are asymmetric, and propose novel measures of prezygotic isolation that are consistent with postzygotic measures.
Ultrafast photoinduced electron transfer reactions in supramolecular arrays: From charge separation and storage to molecular switches

Photochemical electron transfer reactions on a picosecond time scale have been studied in two covalently-linked donor-acceptor systems. The first molecule is a chlorophyll-porphyrin-quinone triad that closely mimics photosynthetic charge separation by undergoing picosecond electron transfer in low temperature glasses to yield a radical ion pair that lives for 2 ms and exhibits spin-polarization. The second molecule is an electron donor-acceptor-donor molecule, consisting of two porphyrin donors rigidly attached to opposite ends of the two-electron acceptor N,N’-diphenyl3,4,9,1O-perylenebis(dicarboximide). This molecule acts as a light intensity dependent molecular switch on a picosecond time scale.
Cervical epidural arteriovenous fistula presenting with radiculopathy: transvenous embolization using Onyx.

We present an uncommon case of cervical epidural arteriovenous fistula presenting with radiculopathy that was successfully treated with transvenous embolization using Onyx
From Tragic Mulatta to Grotesque Racial Horror: Epic/Exceptionalism and Larsen’s Quicksand

This article re-examines Nella Larsen’s Quicksand (1928), a major Harlem Renaissance and African-American literary canon novel, against the tendency to focus on it as a tragic mulatta story. Instead, I argue that Larsen—like African-American authors dating back to Charles W. Chesnutt and Pauline Hopkins of the turn-of-the-century—challenged the trans-Atlantic racial exceptionalism by using a far more expansive critical lens that recognized a different mode of being. This being, defined by the literary category of the grotesque (popular in the 1920s and 1930s), recognizes ancient (African) times and a biomorphic mode in which humans, animals, and nature overlapped ontologically. The unique aspect of this article is that it reveals how Larsen also taps Danish literature as part of her critique of normative modern modes of thought, esthetics, politics, and spirituality. Ultimately, Larsen uses Quicksand to expose Western myths, including the stork myth, as deleterious to the more ancient myths that she excavates.
Automated detection of hydrogen sulfide release from thiosulfate by Salmonella spp

Hydrogen sulfide production is used in conventional tests for identification and differentiation of Salmonella spp. from other species of Enterobacteriaceae, and a black precipitate on agar media is the indicator of the reaction. Selective liquid media were formulated for automated optical detection of H2S in salmonellae using the BioSys instrument. The media contained thiosulfate and ferric ammonium citrate, and production of H2S caused copious black pigmentation of the broth. Combination of the H2S indicators with dulcitol or xylose as fermentable carbohydrate, lysine, ornithine or arginine to induce decarboxylase activity, and Tergitol 4 as inhibitor selectively identified six Salmonella spp. by a sharp drop in transmittance at 585 nm. The time for detection of transmittance changes was inversely proportional to initial numbers of CFU in the media: 10 h for 10(5) CFU/ml and 17 h for 10(1) CFU/ml. No detection was observed in six non-Salmonella species of Enterobacteriaceae tested.
The root microbiome influences scales from molecules to ecosystems: The unseen majority1

Plants are teeming with microbial organisms including those that colonize internal tissues as well as those that adhere to external surfaces. In the rhizosphere, the plant-associated microbiome is intricately involved in plant health and serves as a reservoir of additional genes that plants can access when needed. Microbiome regulation of plant trait expression affects plant performance, which in turn influences various ecosystem functions, such as primary productivity and soil health. Understanding these plant- and microbe-driven interactions requires a study of the nature and effects of the plant microbiome. Conceptualizing the microbiome requires a synthesis of microbial ecology, physiology, and bioinformatics, integrated with insight into host biology and ecology. Microbiome structure and function analyses are recognized as essential components to understand the genetic and functional capacity of the host (previously assigned solely to the host) and include vital aspects of metabolism and physiology. Here, as a special section, we present a set of papers that address the complex interactions between plants and root microbiomes in the rhizosphere. This unseen majority spans scales; with its microorganisms numerically dominant in terrestrial ecosystems, the root microbiome is also involved in plant genetics through integral roles in plant trait expression that can effect community composition and ecosystem functions, such as soil health.
Crystal growth and characterization of PdTe2

Abstract Single crystals of PdTe2 have been grown from the melt at a temperature of 800°C by means of a modified Bridgeman technique. Characterization studies of the crystals included density determinations and x-ray analysis. The crystals were found to be metallic, and the sign of the carriers from Seebeck measurements was ascertained to be positive.
The Economics of Partnership

This paper, prepared for The New Palgrave Dictionary of Economics and the Law, discusses the partnership form of business association as a type of standard form contract. It analyzes the role of partnership statutory provisions in supplying default contract terms, the economic rationales for specific default rules on management, fiduciary duties, exit and other matters, and the relationship between partnerships and other types of business associations.
3 – MARKETING HARVESTED FORAGES

Hay has traditionally been priced and sold on the basis of visual criteria alone. Classification systems based entirely on appearance of the hay have provided a rapid and helpful means of evaluating forage quality; they have been used in lieu of more direct chemical analyses that have a high cost in both time and resources. United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) hay grades provided for 11 hay groupings and four quality grades within each group. Grade criteria emphasize primarily leafiness, greenness, and content of foreign matter such as weeds, but are also based on moisture content, odor, and dustiness. Even though sampling and testing lots of harvested forages hold the key to intelligent buying/selling and management decisions, only a small fraction of the U.S. hay crop is evaluated for nutritive properties. The laboratory method usually considered to be superior for estimating the digestibility (primarily energy) of hay and other forage samples is the use of in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDDM). This IVDDM procedure, however, is not recommended for routine, commercial hay-quality testing, because it is difficult to standardize and is expensive to run.
Effect of Reactant Inlet Temperature on Passive Mitigation of Thermo-acoustic Instabilities by Implementation of 3D Additive Manufactured Metallic Porous Insert

Lean premixed (LPM) combustion, although very effective in reducing harmful emissions, is susceptible to developing thermoacoustic instabilities which can negatively affect the structural rigidity of the mechanical components. A passive mitigation technique involving a porous, ring-shaped insert, which has previously demonstrated efficacy in reducing or prohibiting instabilities, is further investigated in this study. Experiments are conducted with preheated reactants at different equivalence ratios. Pressure fluctuations are recorded simultaneously at two locations within the mixing tube and at another location outside the combustor. Time-resolved particle image velocimetry is used to measure the flow field with oscillatory, turbulent vortical structures which are dependent upon the operating conditions. The porous insert is found to have a clear, discernable effect on the flow field, which is further examined for proper characterization.