cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Translation inhibition by an mRNA coding region secondary structure is determined by its proximity to the AUG initiation codon

Abstract In the present study we investigate the impact of highly stable coding region secondary structures on mRNA translation efficiency. By introducing antisense segments into the 3′ non-translated region of human α-globin mRNA we are able to synthesize a series of transcripts in which site-specific secondary structures are introduced without altering the primary structure of the 5′ non-translated region, the coding region, or the encoded protein product. Coding region duplexes in close proximity to the AUG initiation codon are found to inhibit translation severely to a degree equal to that of a duplex that extends into the 5′ non-translated region. In contrast, mRNAs containing duplexes positioned further 3′ in the coding region translate at levels that are significantly higher although are still below those of native α-globin mRNA. The primary determinant of translation inhibition by coding region duplexes appears to be the proximity of the duplex to the AUG initiation codon and reflects a parallel inhibition of monosome formation. These data demonstrate that extensive coding region secondary structures suppress translation to a minimal or to a substantial degree depending on their distance from the initiation codon.
Morphology and relationships of the orangutan fatty cheek pads

The present paper examines the anatomical relationships as well as possible developmental and functional relationships of the fatty cheek pad characteristic of the adult male orangutan. The research involves the dissection of 11 orangutans of both sexes in a variety of age categories. All specimens possess either a fat pad or a subcutaneous connective tissue fascial compartment in the lateral face extending superiorly from slightly above the inferior border of the mandible to the temporal region. In immature specimens as well as adult females, fat deposits within the connective tissue compartment are scarce or nonexistent, whereas pubescent male specimens or older possess accumulations of fibro-fatty tissues in this region. The extensive fat accumulations of the adult male cheek flange are related to age and sex and to modifications in related facial musculature, especially mm. platysma, zygomaticus, orbicularis oculi, and orbitotemporalis and frontalis. These muscles are clearly related to the cheek pad structures in both sexes but appear to assume a supportive role in the males. The cheek pad has no direct bony attachments, but its mass may have a significant effect on facial morphology. The development of the cheek pad is temporally variable and its function remains speculative although the presence of a fully developed flange may be related to behavioral modifications.
Combinatorial auctions using rule-based bids

The migration of auctions to the Internet provides a unique opportunity to harness the power of computing to create new auction forms that were previously impossible. We describe a new type of combinatorial auction that accepts rule-based bids. Allowing bids in the form of high-level rules relieves the buyer from the burden of enumerating all possible acceptable bundles. The allocation of goods requires solving a complex combinatorial problem, a task that is completely impractical in a conventional auction setting. We describe simplifying winner determination heuristics developed in this study to make large problems of this nature manageable.
A study of wide gap spark chambers

Abstract Those properties of a wide gap spark chamber which determine its utility as a momentum measuring device have been investigated in a study performed at the Princeton-Pennsylvania Accelerator (PPA). In addition, measurements have been made on the efficiency with which a vertex event occuring within the chamber gap can be observed. The spark chamber used in this investigation had a gap of 41 cm and each electrode was made of 0.001″ aluminium foil. High efficiency for detection of single charged particles has been obtained both inside and outside a magnetic field and for angles up to 30° relative to the chamber axis. The momentum resolution for charged particles was measured to be ±1.1% at 395 MeV/c in a magnetic field of 5.2 kG. The limit of this resolution was set by the method of measurement and not by performance of the spark chamber. When compared with observations in conventional narrow gap spark chambers, no inefficiency was observed for detecting vertex events originating within the wide gap chamber.
Strategic sequential bidding in auctions using dynamic programming

We develop a general framework in which real-time Dynamic Programming (DP) can be used to formulate agent bidding strategies in a broad class of auctions characterized by sequential bidding and continuous clearing. In this framework, states are represented primarily by an agent's holdings, and transition probabilities are estimated from the market event history, along the lines of the "belief function" approach of Gjerstad and Dickhaut [7]. We use the belief function, combined with a forecast of how it changes over time, as an approximate state-transition model in the DP formulation. The DP is then solved from scratch each time the agent has an opportunity to bid. The resulting algorithm optimizes cumulative long-term discounted profitability, whereas most previous strategies such as Gjerstad-Dickhaut (GD) merely optimize immediate profits.We test our algorithm in a simplified model of a Continuous Double Auction (CDA). Our results show that the DP-based approach reproduces the behavior of GD for small discount parameter g, and is clearly superior for large values of g close to 1. We suggest that this algorithm may offer the best performance of any published CDA bidding strategy. The framework our algorithm provides is extensible and can accommodate many market and research aspects.
Interannual evolution of multiple longshore sand bars in a mesotidal environment, Truro, Massachusetts, USA

Abstract Multiple longshore bars, 0.30–1.5 m in amplitude, are present in the nearshore zone off Truro, MA in Cape Cod Bay. These bars exist in a mesotidal environment with a tidal range of 3.0 m. A detailed interannual investigation of these bars over a 16-year time period using orthorectified vertical aerial photography has been carried out to characterize the behavior of multiple bars forming in a mesotidal environment over a temporal scale of observation not generally achieved by direct field study. This investigation reveals that the bars are dynamic over the time interval studied with offshore extents of up to 660 m and wavelengths of 45–150 m, generally increasing in the seaward direction. At any one location 4 to 10 bars are present, with an apparent addition of bars at the southern end of the study area. In addition, the bars are consistently parallel to offshore bathymetric contours and comparison of more recent photographs with a 1960 image reveals a ∼0.5-km alongshore zone without bars that has persisted and grown since 1960. The characteristics of the Truro multiple bar field are consistent with several existing theories of multiple bar formation, including formation by breaking waves, standing infragravity waves, and edge waves. The demonstrated dynamic nature of the Truro multiple bar field over a long temporal scale suggests that field experiments designed to distinguish between possible formation theories may provide an explanation for the continuing modern creation and modification of this and similar multiple bar fields occurring in mesotidal environments.
Adsorption of CO2 on molecular sieves and activated carbon

Pressure swing adsorption (PSA) and temperature swing adsorption (TSA) are some of the potential techniques that could be applicable for removal of CO2 from high-pressure fuel gas streams. Molecular sieves and activated carbons are some of the sorbents that could be utilized in the PSA process. Volumetric adsorption studies of CO2, N2, or H2 on molecular sieve 13X, molecular sieve 4A, and activated carbon were conducted at 25 °C up to a pressure of 300 psi (∼2× 106 Pa). Preferential adsorption of CO2 was observed with all three sorbents. The adsorption capacity of CO2 for molecular sieve 13X was higher than that for molecular sieve 4A at all pressures up to 300 psi. At low pressures ( 25 psi) activated carbon exhibited significantly higher CO2 capacities than were found for molecular sieves. Competitive adsorption of CO2 from gas mixtures also indicated that both molecular siev...
Comments on electronic transport in transition metal oxides

Several aspects of electronic transport in nonmagnetic and magnetic transition metal oxides are reviewed. These include high- and low-temperature measurements of conductivity, the Hall effect and the Seebeck effect, and their analysis in terms of the electronic energy structure. Particular emphasis is put on the temperature dependence of the Hall mobility, which gives essential information concerning the correct description of the energy states and the scattering of the charge carriers. The second half of the paper discusses the relation between the transport properties and the magnetic ordering. The properties of LaCoO3 together with an interpretation suggested by Goodenough are presented to illustrate this point.
Repair sequences in dysarthric conversational speech: A study in interactional phonetics

This paper presents some findings from a case study of repair sequences in conversations between a dysarthric speaker, Chris, and her interactional partners. It adopts the methodology of interactional phonetics, where turn design, sequence organization, and variation in phonetic parameters are analysed in unison. The analysis focused on the use of segmental and prosodic variation found during attempts by Chris to repair a previously identified trouble source. The results indicate that trouble sources were extremely common in the recorded conversations, but that repair attempts were almost always communicatively successful. Analysis of the fragments revealed that repair sequences are often collaborative achievements, with the participant's conversational partners signalling the specific trouble source within a turn, or providing feedback about repair attempts. It was also observed that successful repair attempts were not always simple repetitions of the trouble source, but varied in other linguistic areas. It is suggested that intelligibility repairs should be studied using both experimental and qualitative methods.
The Bacteroides fragilis P20 scavengase homolog is important in the oxidative stress response but is not controlled by OxyR

The oxidative stress response of obligate anaerobe, Bacteroides fragilis, is partially controlled by the redox regulator OxyR but an oxyR null mutant maintains a high level of aerotolerance. Studies using two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed that a thiol peroxidase-scavengase, Tps, was induced during oxygen exposure of an oxyR mutant. Tps is similar to ‘atypical 2-cysteine peroxidases’ such as scavengase p20 and it demonstrated catalytic activity against t-butyl hydroperoxide and H2O2. A second gene, oim, encoding a putative membrane protein, was divergently transcribed from tps. Transcriptional analysis indicated that tps and oim were coordinately regulated by oxygen induction via an OxyR-independent mechanism. H2O2 was a less potent inducer than oxygen exposure and in an oxyR mutant the mRNA levels were slightly reduced compared with the wild type. A null mutant of tps had increased sensitivity to killing by t-butyl hydroperoxide and oxygen but an oim mutant was similar to wild type. These data indicate that Tps is important for protection against some forms of oxidative stress.
Programmable RF waveform generation with thermo-optically tunable multi-channel micro-ring resonators on a silicon chip

We demonstrate ultra-compact spectral shaping via thermo-optically tunable multiple-channel micro-ring resonators on a silicon chip, and combine it with frequency-time mapping to achieve controllable photonic radio-frequency waveform generation.
High-resolution TLC mapping and characterization of 32P-postlabeled monophosphate 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]— DNA adducts

Previous work has shown that 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA)-DNA adducts can be converted by 32P-postlabeling to different types of radiolabeled derivatives (nucleoside 3',5'-bisphosphates, nucleoside 5'-monophosphates and dinucleotides), and that the 32P-labeled 3',5'-bisphosphate derivatives can be further characterized by cross-referencing with 3H-labeled nucleoside DMBA adducts, for which structural information is available. This work has now been extended by TLC comparisons of 5'-monophosphate and 3',5'-bisphosphate DMBA adducts. To this end, DMBA-modified DNA was enzymatically hydrolyzed to 3'-monophosphates (Xp + Np) or to dinucleotides (XpN), and these digestion products were 32P-postlabeled by published procedures to yield 3',5'-bisphosphate (*pXp) or 5'-monophosphate (*pX) adducts. Individual *pXp and *pX fractions were isolated from polyethyleneimine (PEI)-cellulose TLC maps and chromatographically compared after enzymatic 3'-dephosphorylations of the 3',5'-bisphosphate (*pXp) derivatives (*pXp----*pX + Pi). Four reactions were standardized and employed for this purpose: (i) 3'-dephosphorylation by extensive digestion with nuclease P1; (ii) 3'-dephosphorylation catalyzed by polynucleotide kinase; (iii) partial dephosphorylation by bacterial alkaline phosphatase; and (iv) partial dephosphorylation by prostatic acid phosphatase. Individual DMBA adducts displayed marked differences with regard to their susceptibility to enzymatic dephosphorylation. The three major and most minor postlabeled 5'-monophosphate DMBA adducts were cross-referenced this way with 3',5'-bisphosphate and nucleoside adducts, so that specific dihydrodiol epoxide-nucleoside 5'-monophosphate adducts can now be identified and measured by 32P-postlabeling.
Bacterial DNA activates human neutrophils by a CpG-independent pathway

Bacterial DNA stimulates macrophages, monocytes, B lymphocytes, NK cells, and dendritic cells in a CpG-dependent manner. In this work we demonstrate that bacterial DNA, but not mammalian DNA, induces human neutrophil activation as assessed by L-selectin shedding, CD11b upregulation, and stimulation of cellular shape change, IL-8 secretion, and cell migration. Induction of these responses is not dependent on the presence of unmethylated CpG motifs, as neutrophil stimulatory properties were neither modified by CpG-methylation of bacterial DNA nor reproduced by oligonucleotides bearing CpG motifs. We found that human neutrophils express Toll-like receptor (TLR) 9 mRNA. However, as expected for a CpG-independent mechanism, activation does not involve a TLR9-dependent signaling pathway; neutrophil stimulation was not prevented by immobilization of bacterial DNA or by wortmannin or chloroquine, two agents that inhibit TLR9 signaling. Of note, both single-stranded and double-stranded DNA were able to induce activation, suggesting that neutrophils might be activated by bacterial DNA at inflammatory foci even in the absence of conditions required to induce DNA denaturation. Our findings provide the first evidence that neutrophils might be alerted to the presence of invading bacteria through recognition of its DNA via a novel mechanism not involving CpG motifs.
The Sensory Aspects of Electrical Stimulation

Resume LES ASPECTS SENSORIELS DE LA STIMULATION ELECTRIQUE Le probleme ici rapporte a ete une enquěte exploratrice, designee pour donner une evaluation et une orientation des phenomenes de la stimulation electrique de la peau comparee avec d'autres formes de stimulation. L'index de la main droite a ete stimule au moyen d'un courant alternatif de 60 cycles a environ un milliampere. L'experimentateur a regule l'intensite et la duree de la stimulation. On a etudie les aspects sensoriels suivants des phenomenes: (a) les attributs qualitatifs de l'experience, (b) le locus de l'excitation par stimulation electrique, (c) la relation entre l'intensite du stimulus et le temps de l'adaptation complete pour les stimuli tres faibles, et (d) le cours temporel de l'adaptation a un stimulus constant. Deux observateurs entraǐnes et deux non entraǐnes ont rapporte les attributs qualitatifs. Les resultats montrent que la stimulation electrique donne une experience de type caracteristique, mais non autrement differenciee d'...
An energy efficient model for monitoring and detecting atrial fibrillation in wearable computing

Current portable healthcare monitoring systems are small, battery-operated electrocardiograph devices that are used to record the heart's rhythm and activity. These on-body healthcare devices fall short on delivering real-time continuous monitoring of early detection of cardiac atrial fibrillation (A-Fib) when the symptoms last only a short period of time and require a long battery life. The focus of this paper is the design of an energy efficient model for real-time early detection of A-Fib in a wearable computing device. The design is realized by incorporating an A-Fib risk factor and a real-time A-Fib incidence-based detection algorithm. The results of the design show that the proposed energy efficient model performs better than a telemetry energy model. The design shows promising results in meeting the energy needs of real-time monitoring, detecting and reporting required in wearable computing healthcare applications.
Cohesive Failure in Partially Cured Epoxies

The critical stress intensity factors of partially cured epoxies were measured with notched three-point bend fracture specimens and exhibited a strong dependence upon cross-link density, increasing by more than an order of magnitude over the wide range in extent of reaction probed. In fact, the critical stress intensity factor appears to vanish at the gel point with a critical exponent, reminiscent of predictions from percolation theories of gelation.
A brief history of Pelizaeus–Merzbacher disease and proteolipid protein

In 1885, Pelizaeus [1] described the clinical findings in his five patients in meticulous detail, and, in retrospect, little doubt exists about X-linked recessive inheritance of the disease. He observed that all patients were males and sons of healthy sisters. The children of the brothers in the same generation were normal. Pelizaeus cited the saying in the family that the bdisease goes through the mother but does not do anything to her.Q The cases reported in 1910 by Merzbacher [2] belonged to the same family, although the author at first did not realize this relationship. Merzbacher illustrated the pedigree that displayed two sisters with the same illness. He also provided the first autopsy study of the disease in a man and confirmed it as a disease of the white matter, as predicted by Pelizaeus [1]. The occurrence of the disease in girls and women was unusual, but, in 1928, Liebers [3] performed a brain autopsy on one of these female patients, and the lesion was identical to that in the male reported in 1910. The tigroid appearance of the white matter due to alternating loss and retention of myelin
Inverse TMR in a nominally symmetric CoFe/AlOx/CoFe junction induced by interfacial Fe3O4 investigated by STEM-EELS

Abstract We have found inverse tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) with a non-symmetric bias voltage dependence in a nominally symmetric Si (001)/Ag/CoFe/AlO x /CoFe/IrMn/Ag magnetic tunnel junction after field cooling. The O K edge fine structure extracted from electron energy loss spectroscopy spectrum images taken at the interfaces of junctions with inverse TMR shows a thin, discontinuous Fe 3 O 4 layer at the CoFe/AlO x interfaces. The Fe L 2,3 edge core level shifts are also consistent with those of Fe 3 O 4 . We find no Fe 3 O 4 layer in junctions with normal TMR. We believe this Fe 3 O 4 layer is responsible for the inverse TMR.
Architecture-based self-protection: composing and reasoning about denial-of-service mitigations

Security features are often hardwired into software applications, making it difficult to adapt security responses to reflect changes in runtime context and new attacks. In prior work, we proposed the idea of architecture-based self-protection as a way of separating adaptation logic from application logic and providing a global perspective for reasoning about security adaptations in the context of other business goals. In this paper, we present an approach, based on this idea, for combating denial-of-service (DoS) attacks. Our approach allows DoS-related tactics to be composed into more sophisticated mitigation strategies that encapsulate possible responses to a security problem. Then, utility-based reasoning can be used to consider different business contexts and qualities. We describe how this approach forms the underpinnings of a scientific approach to self-protection, allowing us to reason about how to make the best choice of mitigation at runtime. Moreover, we also show how formal analysis can be used to determine whether the mitigations cover the range of conditions the system is likely to encounter, and the effect of mitigations on other quality attributes of the system. We evaluate the approach using the Rainbow self-adaptive framework and show how Rainbow chooses DoS mitigation tactics that are sensitive to different business contexts.
Lake Hoare, Antarctica: sedimentation through a thick perennial ice cover

Lake Hoare in the Dry Valleys of Antarctica is covered with a perennial ice cover more than 3 m thick, yet there is a complex record of sedimentation and of growth of microbial mats on the lake bottom. Rough topography on the ice covering the lake surface traps sand that is transported by the wind. In late summer, vertical conduits form by melting and fracturing, making the ice permeable to both liquid water and gases. Cross-sections of the ice cover show that sand is able to penetrate into and apparently through it by descending through these conduits. This is the primary sedimentation mechanism in the lake. Sediment traps retrieved from the lake bottom indicate that rates of deposition can vary by large amounts over lateral scales as small as 1 m. This conclusion is supported by cores taken in a 3 x 3 grid with a spacing of 1.5 m. Despite the close spacing of the cores, the poor stratigraphic correlation that is observed indicates substantial lateral variability in sedimentation rate. Apparently, sand descends into the lake from discrete, highly localized sources in the ice that may in some cases deposit a large amount of sand into the lake in a very short time. In some locations on the lake bottom, distinctive sand mounds have been formed by this process. They are primary sedimentary structures and appear unique to the perennially ice-covered lacustrine environment. In some locations they are tens of centimetres high and gently rounded with stable slopes; in others they reach approximately 1 m in height and have a conical shape with slopes at angle of repose. A simple formation model suggests that these differences can be explained by local variations in water depth and sedimentation rate. Rapid colonization of fresh sand surfaces by microbial mats composed of cyanobacteria, eukaryotic algae, and heterotrophic bacteria produces a complex intercalation of organic and sandy layers that are a distinctive form of modern stromatolites.
Morphology of Thin Films of Diblock Copolymers on Surfaces Micropatterned with Regions of Different Interfacial Energy

Self-assembled (SA) films of octadecyltrichlorosilane were patterned by exposure to X-rays in air through a mask to produce chemically patterned surfaces. The irradiated regions of the SA films und...
Effect of enzymatic treatment on cotton fiber dissolution in NaOH/urea solution at cold temperature

Abstract In this communication, the dissolution behavior of enzyme pretreated cotton fibers in NaOH/urea solution is reported. The experimental results indicated that although the crystallinity of cotton linter almost did not change during the enzymatic pretreatment, the solubility of cellulose in cold NaOH/urea solution increased from 30% for original cotton fibers to 65% for enzymatic treated fibers, which was mainly attributed to the reduction of cellulose’s molecular weight by the enzymatic treatment. Moreover, the dissolution time was also greatly shortened by the enzymatic pretreatment. The results suggest that the effect of crystallinity of the cellulose on the cellulose dissolution in NaOH/urea solution is much less than that of molecular weight. It was found that the temperature plays a dominating role to the cellulose fiber solubility in NaOH/urea solution.
Ignition of fuel sprays: Deterministic calculations for idealized droplet arrays

One-dimensional unsteady calculations have been performed to study a spray ignition process. A monodisperse fuel-air spray in contact with a planar hot wall is considered. A hybrid Eulerian-Lagrangian numerical scheme has been used to solve the two-phase equations. The studied parameters are the droplet size, hot wall temperature, cold gas temperature, initial fuel vapor concentration, distance between the hot wall and the nearest droplets, equivalence ratio, and fuel type. The effect of different droplet heating models is discussed. It is shown that, at certain equivalence ratios, ignition delays and ignition energies can be less in heterogeneous situations than in the limitings premixed case. The critical dependence of ignition upon the distance of the heat source to the nearest droplet indicates that, in practice, ignition of heterogeneous mixtures is probabilistic. That is, ignition criterion are not precisely determined by fuel type, droplet size distribution, and equivalence ratiol a range of ignition delays or ignition energies is found.
Some Statistical Aspects of Waterspout Formation

(1973). Some Statistical Aspects of Waterspout Formation. Weatherwise: Vol. 26, No. 3, pp. 108-117.
Repudiations and Confiscations by the Medieval State

Loan repudiations and property confiscations were common between medieval kings and individuals. Traditional accounts of these confiscations focus on factors affecting the kings, ignoring the motivations of the victims. This deficiency may be remedied by considering the problems faced on both sides of any agreement between a king and a group of citizens. A model is presented which explains the timing and the form of repudiations and confiscations without resorting to an assumption of irrationality by either party. It is general enough to address a persistent problem in the property rights view of government: How can an individual protect himself from abuses by his protector?
Computer simulation of FDK reconstruction with the in-line holographic projection data

Phase-contrast imaging uses the phase coefficient rather than the attenuation coefficient alone to image objects. Consequently, it may resolve some structures that have similar attenuation coefficients but different phase coefficients as their surroundings. Phase contrast imaging is also an edge-enhanced imaging technique. With this method, the boundary of inside small structures could be easily determined. In this paper, the possibility of incorporating the phase contrast in-line method into the current cone beam CT (CBCT) system was explored. Starting from the interference formula of in-line holography, some mathematical assumptions were made and thus, the terms in the interference formula could be approximately expressed as a line integral that is the requirement for all CBCT algorithms. So, the CBCT reconstruction algorithms, such as the FDK algorithm could be applied for the in-line holographic projections, with some mathematical imperfection. A point x-ray source and a high-resolution detector were assumed for computer simulation. The reconstructions for cone-beam CT imaging were studied. The results showed that all the lesions in the numerical phantom could be observed with an enhanced edge. However, due to the edge-enhancement nature of the inline holographic projection, the reconstructed images had obvious streak artifacts and numerical errors. The image quality could be improved by using a hamming window during the filtering process. In the presence of noise, the reconstructions from the in-line holographic projections showed clearer edges than the normal CT reconstructions did. Finally it was qualitatively illustrated that small cone angle and weak attenuation were preferred in this method.
Association of vasectomy and prostate cancer among men in a Maryland cohort.

Objectives To evaluate the association of vasectomy with prostate cancer. Methods Participants were male members of the CLUE II cohort followed since 1989. On a questionnaire mailed in 1996, the men were asked if they had had a vasectomy and their age at vasectomy. Between 1996 and April 2004, 78 prostate cancer cases were confirmed among the 3373 men who were at least 35 years old at baseline and who completed the questions about vasectomy. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to estimate age-adjusted hazard ratios (HR) of prostate cancer. Results The HR for prostate cancer for men who had had a vasectomy was 2.03 (95% CI: 1.24–3.32). Risk of low-grade disease (HR=2.87; 95% CI 1.49–5.54), but not high-grade disease (HR=0.99; 95% CI 0.36–2.76), was higher in men who had had a vasectomy. No statistically significant associations were observed for low- or high-stage disease. The association for vasectomy was more pronounced in men who were 40 years at the time of vasectomy (HR=2.63; 95% CI 1.40–4.94) than in men who were younger at vasectomy. Conclusions The results from this prospective study suggest a positive association between vasectomy and prostate cancer, especially low-grade disease.
BRDF and surface-surround effects on SPOT-HRV vicarious calibration

Typically, the surfaces used in radiative transfer codes to predict the radiance at a satellite sensor are assumed to be lambertian and spatially-homogeneous. Of course, surface bidirectionality and surface-surround effects are second order terms, but improvements in vicarious calibration procedures, as well as more challenging accuracy requirements, require that these effects be included. This paper examines the effect of surface BRDF and spatial inhomogeneity on retrieved calibration coefficients for the SPOT HRV cameras from the well-known reflectance-based calibration approach. This calibration method has primarily relied on test sites at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, USA and La Crau, France. BRDF effects are studied using multispectral measurements of the bi-directional reflectances of both sites used in a Fourier series expansion in azimuth to model the surface BRDF. This Fourier series expansion follows the architecture of the successive- orders-of-scattering radiative transfer code and is easily introduced as a new boundary condition. These BRDF models are used to reprocess past calibration data and the results are compared to those obtained by assuming the surface to be lambertian. In addition to surface BRDF, spatial- inhomogeneity of the surface reflectance is examined. The surrounding area's surface reflectance is derived from the SPOT imagery and included in the radiative transfer computations suing in house modifications to the 6S code. These results are compared to those which exclude adjacency effects.
Analysis of a rotary task following total knee arthroplasty: Stair descent with a cross-over turn

Leg loading and knee angle differences have been reported in total knee replacement individuals during straight gait; however, little is known about the impact on the knee during turning. Rotary mo...
Variable intracavity spectral windowing in a synchronously pumped femtosecond cw dye laser.

An aperture of variable width has been placed within an intracavity prism sequence in a synchronously pumped femtosecond dye laser. This is shown to permit direct control of the output pulse width in the range ~100–500 fsec. Wavelength tunability is achieved by translating the aperture transversely.
Transcription of the uvrD gene of Escherichia coli is controlled by the lexA repressor and by attenuation

The nucleotide sequence of the control region and the presumptive N-terminal portion of the uvrD gene of Escherichia coli K-12 has been determined. The 1190 base pairs of DNA examined include the likely coding sequence for the first 258 amino acids of the uvrD protein. The transcription promoter for the uvrD gene was identified upstream of the protein coding region. Synthesis of messenger RNA in vitro from this promoter was inhibited by purified lexA protein. The lexA protein was found to bind downstream from the promoter at a sequence, CTGTATATATACCCAG, which is homologous to other known lexA protein binding sites. In the absence of the lexA protein, approximately half of the messages initiated in vitro at the uvrD promoter terminate after about 60 nucleotides at a sequence which resembles a rho-independent terminator. These results indicate that the uvrD gene is induced during the SOS response, and that the expression of the gene may also be regulated by transcription attenuation.
SAFARI: a meta-tooling framework for generating language-specific IDE's

Getting a new programming language into the hands of users is still a huge undertaking. SAFARI is an Eclipse-based meta-tooling framework for generating language-specific IDEs that greatly accelerates that process. It exploits common themes and structures that recur in many languages and language tools. It supports the generation of language-dependent IDE services, while allowing developers to focus on the language-specific aspects of their environments rather than the surrounding IDE framework. SAFARI has been used to generate IDEs for several languages. These IDEs include such features as parser generation; editors with keyword highlighting, text folding, text completion, hyperlinking and so on; outline views, project building; and more.
Evaluation of Local Media Surveillance for Improved Disease Recognition and Monitoring in Global Hotspot Regions

Digital disease detection tools are technologically sophisticated, but dependent on digital information, which for many areas suffering from high disease burdens is simply not an option. In areas where news is often reported in local media with no digital counterpart, integration of local news information with digital surveillance systems, such as HealthMap (Boston Children's Hospital), is critical. Little research has been published in regards to the specific contribution of local health-related articles to digital surveillance systems. In response, the USAID PREDICT project implemented a local media surveillance (LMS) pilot study in partner countries to monitor disease events reported in print media. This research assessed the potential of LMS to enhance digital surveillance reach in five low- and middle-income countries. Over 16 weeks, select surveillance system attributes of LMS, such as simplicity, flexibility, acceptability, timeliness, and stability were evaluated to identify strengths and weaknesses in the surveillance method. Findings revealed that LMS filled gaps in digital surveillance network coverage by contributing valuable localized information on disease events to the global HealthMap database. A total of 87 health events were reported through the LMS pilot in the 16-week monitoring period, including 71 unique reports not found by the HealthMap digital detection tool. Furthermore, HealthMap identified an additional 236 health events outside of LMS. It was also observed that belief in the importance of the project and proper source selection from the participants was crucial to the success of this method. The timely identification of disease outbreaks near points of emergence and the recognition of risk factors associated with disease occurrence continue to be important components of any comprehensive surveillance system for monitoring disease activity across populations. The LMS method, with its minimal resource commitment, could be one tool used to address the information gaps seen in global 'hot spot' regions.
Isolated human growth hormone deficiency. III. Insulin secretion in sexual ateliotic dwarfism

Abstract Among 24 subjects with monotropic HGH deficiency, two groups can be defined on the basis of sensitivity to exogenous insulin and of the plasma insulin response to provocative stimuli. The majority (Group I) exhibit insulin sensitivity, and insulinopenia after intravenous arginine administration and after ingestion of glucose. Short term growth hormone treatment augments the insulin response to glucose, an effect which is not accountable for by the degree of peripheral hyperglycemia. Results from Group I sexual ateliotics are in agreement with the previously suggested insulinotropic effect of HGH, and suggest that in addition to its anti-insulin action, HGH may have a direct insulinotropic effect upon the pancreatic beta cell. Four sexual ateliotics (Group II) show greater than normal insulin responses to glucose and to arginine, and do not exhibit sensitivity to exogenous insulin. The circulation of an altered growth hormone molecule, possessing selective biological activity but being undetectable by immunological assay, could account for these findings.
World slope map

A colored slope map (scale 1:80,000,000) was generated from digital land and sea floor elevations at 5-min spacings from data tapes from the National Geophysical Data Center. Slope analysis is facilitated by examining the average slope in 250-m altitude-depth intervals both globally and in each of eight tectonic plates. The most striking feature of the map is the multiple parallel bands of steep slope at subduction zones. Submarine volcanic chains produce zones of steep slope that show little degradation at the scale of the map since the Cretaceous. The average slope, or roughness, of spreading ridges decreases exponentially with increasing spreading rate. The passive continental margins generate a steep zone at 1–2 km depth. The lowest average global slope (0.2°) occurs at sea level and reflects the base level that the sea provides for subaerial erosion and the upper limit for marine sedimentation. Slope minima also are caused by the abyssal plains at 4–6 km depth and by glacial ice caps at 3 km elevation.
Optimality conditions and comparative statics for horizon and endpoint choices in optimal control theory

Abstract First-order necessary conditions for choosing the horizon and endpoints are wellknown in the optimal control literature. We derive second-order necessary and sufficient conditions for such choices, and provide an economic interpretation of them in the context of two well-known economic models. The comparative static properties of the endpoint and horizon choices are then characterized, via primal and primal-dual methods, and an economic example of the comparative static results is also given.
Stress proteins elicited by cold shock in the biting midge, Culicoides variipennis sonorensis wirth and jones

Abstract In vivo protein expression in the abdominal viscera of C. v. sonorensis was examined from adult flies that were cold shocked for various lengths of time at 0, -10, or -15°C and labelled at 25°C with 35 S-methionine at 0, 2, 4 and 6 hr during the recovery period. In vitro labelling showed that seven unique proteins (23, 40, 43, 48, 60, 70 and 92 kDa) were produced in C. v. sonorensis exposed to low temperatures in vivo . In general, the rate of expression and quality of stress proteins were directly proportional to both the severity and duration of the cold shock. A polyclonal antibody to the moth hsp 60/63 crossreacted with antigen from the viscera of the 60 kDa protein that was expressed during recovery from cold shock. This crossreaction with C. v. sonorensis suggests that the 60 kDa protein expressed during recovery from cold shock in the midge is immunologically related to the moth heat shock protein (hsp). Weather records from central Wyoming suggest that if the stress proteins produced by C. v. sonorensis enhance survival of the earliest, normally lethal temperatures (e.g., -5°C), populations of these insects can persist for an additional 20–30 d in an average year and thus extend the time they can transmit bluetongue virus.
Carbonate apatite crystals in primary normophosphatemic tumoral calcinosis

A 66-year-old woman developed firm, painless, slowly growing nodular masses over her elbows, fingers, toes, and left hip over four years. Aspiration of the elbow mass revealed a white chalky material that was shown to be carbonate apatite on infrared spectroscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. We discuss the classification of tumoral calcinosis and the nature of the calcium deposits. Tumoral calcinosis should be differentiated from tophaceous gout and calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate crystal deposition disease. Polarizing light microscopy and crystal analysis by X-ray and infrared spectroscopy, electron or X-ray diffraction will confirm the diagnosis. Secondary causes of tumoral calcinosis should also be excluded.
Lectin Binding Characteristics of the Olfactory Mucosa of Channel Catfish: Potential Factors in Attachment of Edwardsiella ictaluri

Abstract The olfactory organ is a primary infection site for Edwardsiella ictaluri, the etiologic agent of enteric septicemia of channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus. The olfactory mucosal surface is a major interface between host and pathogen where commonly occurring carbohydrates may act as receptors for bacterial attachment. In this study, d-mannose, N-acetylgalactosamine, N-acetylglucosamine, N-acetylneuraminic acid, d-galactose, and l-fucose were histochemically localized in the olfactory mucosa of channel catfish by using lectins that preferentially bind these carbohydrates. These lectins were Concanavalin A (ConA), soybean agglutinin (SBA), pokeweed agglutinin (PWA), wheat germ agglutinin (WGA), peanut agglutinin (PNA), and Ulex europaeus agglutinin I (UEA-I), respectively. The olfactory mucosa expressed d-mannose ubiquitously, whereas l-fucose and N-acetylneuraminic acid expression was specific to the apical mucosal surface. The carbohydrates d-galactose, N-acetylgalactosamine, and N-acetylglucosam...
Role of the Flavin Midpoint Potential and NAD Binding in Determining NAD Versus Oxygen Reactivity of Xanthine Oxidoreductase

Abstract Xanthine oxidoreductase from bovine milk can be prepared in two interconvertible forms, xanthine oxidase (XO) and xanthine dehydrogenase (XDH), depending on the number of protein cysteines versus cystines. Enzyme forms differ in respect to their oxidizing substrates; XDH prefers NAD to molecular oxygen, whereas XO only reacts significantly with oxygen. The preference for oxidizing substrate is partially explained by thermodynamics. Unlike XDH, the midpoint potential of the FAD, the center at which oxygen and NAD react, is too high in XO to efficiently reduce NAD (Hunt, J., Massey, V., Dunham, W.R., and Sands, R.H. (1993) J. Biol. Chem. 268, 18685–18691). To distinguish between changes in thermodynamics and in substrate binding, samples of both XO and XDH have been prepared in which the native FAD has been replaced with an FAD analog of different redox potential, 1-deaza-FAD or 8-CN-FAD. Reductive titrations indicate that both 1-deaza-XO and 1-deaza-XDH have a flavin midpoint potential similar to native XDH and that 8-CN-XO and 8-CN-XDH each have a flavin potential higher than XO. Both the low potential 1-deaza-XO and the high potential 8-CN-XDH contain essentially no xanthine/NAD activity. However, 1-deaza-XDH does exhibit xanthine/NAD activity, and 8-CN-XO has normal xanthine/oxygen activity. The binding of NAD to oxidized XO and XDH was investigated by ultrafiltration and isothermal titration calorimetry. TheK d for the binding of NAD to XDH was determined to be 280 ± 145 μm by ultrafiltration and 160 ± 40 μm by isothermal titration calorimetry. No evidence for the binding of NAD to XO by either method could be obtained. A low flavin midpoint potential is necessary but not sufficient for dehydrogenase activity.
Effect of evaporation step on macrovoid formation in wet-cast polymeric membranes

Abstract A systematic study was carried out of the effect of the initial casting solution concentration, film thickness, and duration of the evaporation step on the occurrence and prominence of macrovoid pores in cellulose acetate membranes cast from acetone solutions via the dry/wet phase-inversion process. The duration of the evaporation step is shown to have a strong influence on macrovoid formation mainly through its influence on the solvent concentration gradient and casting solution viscosity at the instant of immersion into the precipitation bath. The results of this study are interpreted using predictive models for the evaporative casting process and for macrovoid formation
Continuum Approaches to Understanding Ion and Peptide Interactions with the Membrane

Experimental and computational studies have shown that cellular membranes deform to stabilize the inclusion of transmembrane (TM) proteins harboring charge. Recent analysis suggests that membrane bending helps to expose charged and polar residues to the aqueous environment and polar head groups. We previously used elasticity theory to identify membrane distortions that minimize the insertion of charged TM peptides into the membrane. Here, we extend our work by showing that it also provides a novel, computationally efficient method for exploring the energetics of ion and small peptide penetration into membranes. First, we show that the continuum method accurately reproduces energy profiles and membrane shapes generated from molecular simulations of bare ion permeation at a fraction of the computational cost. Next, we demonstrate that the dependence of the ion insertion energy on the membrane thickness arises primarily from the elastic properties of the membrane. Moreover, the continuum model readily provides a free energy decomposition into components not easily determined from molecular dynamics. Finally, we show that the energetics of membrane deformation strongly depend on membrane patch size both for ions and peptides. This dependence is particularly strong for peptides based on simulations of a known amphipathic, membrane binding peptide from the human pathogen Toxoplasma gondii. In total, we address shortcomings and advantages that arise from using a variety of computational methods in distinct biological contexts.
(1SR,8aRS)-1,2,3,5,6,7,8,8a-Octahydro-3-oxonaphthalene-1-carboxylic acid: catemeric hydrogen bonding in a bicyclic unsaturated γ-keto acid

The title racemate (C11H14O3) aggregates in the solid as acid-to-ketone hydrogen-bonding catemers [O⋯O = 2.6557 (13) A and O—H⋯O = 170°], whose components are glide-related. The stereochemistry of the carboxyl group arises spontaneously during the synthesis. One inter­molecular C—H⋯O=C close contact was found.