cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Enrichment of G-protein Palmitoyltransferase Activity in Low Density Membranes IN VITRO RECONSTITUTION OF Gαi TO THESE DOMAINS REQUIRES PALMITOYLTRANSFERASE ACTIVITY

Abstract Many signaling proteins are targeted to low density, sphingomyelin- and cholesterol-enriched membranes, also called lipid rafts. These domains organize receptor-mediated signaling events at the plasma membrane. Fatty acylation is one mechanism for targeting proteins to rafts. It was therefore of interest to determine if protein palmitoyltransferase activity is also present in these domains. In this study, protein palmitoyltransferase activity, assayed using G-protein alpha subunits as a substrate, was found to be highly enriched in low density membranes derived from cells that express caveolin as well as those that do not. Depletion of cellular cholesterol with the drug methyl-β-cyclodextrin resulted in inhibition of palmitoyltransferase activity and a redistribution of the remaining activity to membranes of higher density. This effect was reversed by adding cholesterol to cyclodextrin-treated cells. When reconstituted into cell membranes, the population of purified recombinant Gαi that was palmitoylated was highly enriched in the low density membrane fractions, whereas the bulk unmodified Gαi-protein was largely excluded. This effect required palmitoyltransferase activity and was abolished if the palmitoylated cysteine was mutated. Thus, palmitoyltransferase facilitates the enrichment of fatty acylated signaling molecules in plasma membrane subdomains.
A software fault tree key node metric

Analysis of software fault trees exposes failure events that can impact safety within safety-critical software product lines. This paper presents a software fault tree key node safety metric for measuring software safety within product lines. Fault tree structures impacting the metric's composition are provided, and the mathematical basis for the metric is defined. The metric is applied to an embedded control system as well as to a series of experiments expected to either improve or degrade system safety. The effectiveness of the metric is analyzed, and lessons learned during the application of the metric are discussed.
Structure of the time-optimal control law for multiple arms handling a common object along specified paths

The structure of the time-optimal control law for multiple robot arms cooperatively moving a common object along a specified path with the control torque constraints is addressed. The overall mechanical system is modeled by considering the arms as closed kinematic chains using the Lagrange formulation. This results in a reduced-order dynamic model of the multi-arm system. By parameterizing the resulting dynamic model along a given path, the original higher order optimal control problem with state constraints (path constraints) is transformed into a problem of a double integrator system with state-dependent control constraints that are determined by a linear programming approach. It is then shown that the number of saturated actuators on any finite time interval along the optimal trajectory is (1+3(D-1)(m-1)), where D=2 in 2-dimensional Cartesian space, D=3 in 3-dimensional space, and m is the number of robot arms in the system. The theoretical result is validated by a numerical example. >
Acute toxicity of some perhalogenated acetones.

Abstract The acute LD50's of several perhalogenated acetones and their hydrates by oral, percutaneous, and inhalation routes are presented. The compounds were administered orally and by inhalation to rats, and by dermal application to rabbits. All these compounds caused some depression of the central nervous system, but, otherwise, no specific toxic signs were associated with lethal doses. Pulmonary edema is a prominent feature of the response to inhalation of hexachloroacetone, but only minor or negligible lung-irritant effects were observed from exposure to the other compounds. The mechanism of the lethal action of the latter compounds is not apparent in these studies.
Modification of Monte Carlo codes for use with sharply peaked phase functions

Monte Carlo and approximate radiative transfer equation solutions predict different amounts of scattering for large aerosols. A new Monte Carlo scattering algorithm alleviates this discrepancy.
Usefulness of mathematics in engineering

Mr. C. J. Holslag's letter in the May 1938 issue of Electrical Engineering on “Preparation of Manuscripts” calls for comments particularly since he himself invites them.
How Chinese e-public feel and think about corruption: A case study of Audit Storm (Shenji fengbao – – Part I)

Abstract Corruption is pervasive, rampant, enduring, and above all else a tolerated and taken for granted social problem in China. Still, corruption is a major concern for the political leaders, general public and foreign observers. Foreigners complained about the corruption cost of doing business in China. Students took to the street and peasants staged violent protest against government corruption. The consensus is that corruption challenges CPC's legitimacy and threatens China's stability. A systematic review of the literature uncovers no investigation on the Chinese people's reception and reaction to the corruption, on the internet. This is a first attempt to do so. This is a research into the “feelings” and “thinking” of Chinese internet users (e-public) on (anti)corruption in China. Specially, it tries to document and analyze the comments–reaction of the e-public to news articles on various aspects of “Audit Storm” in June–July 2004.
The Proliferation and Consolidation of Word Processing Software: 1985-1995

Following development of the early word processing software packages $Electric Pencil, EasyWriter, and WordStar - and the IBM PC's arrival, the race among vendors began in earnest to win market share. Of the more than 400 software packages available in the mid-1980s, only a scant few survived. This article tells the story of how word processing software evolved in response to market pressures, new hardware capabilities, user demand, and corporate decision making
Analysis of biological motors via multidimensional fractionation: A strategy

Past strategies for the analysis of ATP-fueled motors include single-motor analysis. Single-motor analysis bypasses limitations caused by motor asynchrony during the traditional ensemble averaging analysis. The present communication describes revised ensemble averaging analysis that also can bypass asynchrony-derived limitations. This revised analysis makes measurements of one motor variable dependent on the others. One example is nondenaturing gel electrophoresis with more than one dimension. Each dimension measures one of the motor variables. This multidimensional procedure is used to obtain the values of "conformational" motor variables as a function of a "clock" motor variable. In theory, the cycle of the motor can be analyzed from a single multidimensional analysis of a collection of asynchronous motors sampled at only one time. That is to say, motor asynchrony becomes an asset, rather than a liability.
Achieving smoking abstinence is associated with decreased cocaine use in cocaine-dependent patients receiving smoking-cessation treatment.

Background Past research suggests that a significant relationship exists between cigarette smoking and illicit-stimulant abuse. The present study evaluated the association between achieving smoking abstinence in response to smoking-cessation treatment (SCT) and illicit-stimulant abstinence in cocaine- and/or methamphetamine-dependent participants.
3H-imipramine binding in blood platelets of schizophrenic patients.

Abstract 3 H-Imipramine binding was studied in the blood platelets of 51 unmedicated chronic schizophrenic patients. Univariate analyses of log-transformed data revealed that B max was significantly lower in shcizophrenic patients than normal volunteers; K d was nonsignificantly higher in the schizophrenics. A multivariate analysis of variance indicated the K d and B max both differ significantly between normal controls and shcizophrenic patients in the direction of increased K d and decreased B max in the schizophrenics. These results indicate that decreased platelet imipramine binding is not specific for major depression.
Effects of hyperbaric oxygenation metabolism. II. Oxidative phosphorylation in rat brain, liver and kidney.

Summary1 Respiration and oxidative phosphorylation (using succinate and alpha-ketoglutarate as substrates) and succinic dehydrogenase activities were determined in homogenates of the cerebral hemisphere, liver and kidney cortex from rats previously exposed to normal air, and to 100% O2 for 2 hours at 1 and 3 atmospheres and for 1.5 hours at 5 atmospheres. 2 Increased respiration with both substrates was observed with increased exposure pressure in liver and cerebral hemisphere homogenates while efficiency of oxidative phosphorylation was retained. 3 Kidney homogenates showed decreased respiration with both substrates with normal efficiency for oxidative phosphorylation at all elevated oxygen pressure exposures. 4 Succinic dehydrogenase activity decreased in all 3 tissues with increasing pressure of O2 exposure. 5 Succinic dehydrogenase concentration is in excess of the amount required to maintain maximum respiration in all 3 tissues with succinate as the substrate. 6 Any inhibition of respiration and oxid...
Coronary flow reserve, esophageal motility, and chest pain in patients with angiographically normal coronary arteries.

Abstract purpose and methods: To ascertain the relative prevalence of abnormalities of coronary flow reserve and esophageal function in patients with chest pain despite angiographically normal coronary arteries, 87 patients underwent invasive study of coronary flow reserve and, during the same week, esophageal testing. results: Sixty-three of the 87 patients (72%) demonstrated abnormalities of coronary flow reserve, as evidenced by an increase in coronary resistance during the stress of rapid atrial pacing after administration of ergonovine 0.15 mg intravenously (1.33 ± 0.36 mm Hg·minute/mL), compared with pacing at the same heart rate before ergonovine administration (1.10 ± 0.33 mm Hg·minute/mL). This higher coronary vascular resistance occurred in the absence of significant epicardial coronary artery luminal narrowing. Fifty-seven of these 63 patients (90%) with a coronary vasoconstrictor response to ergonovine described their typical chest pain during pacing stress, compared with only six of 24 patients (25%) who demonstrated no coronary flow abnormality (p Twenty of 87 patients (23%) had abnormal esophageal motility [nutcracker esophagus (11), nonspecific motility disorder (seven), and diffuse esophageal spasm (two)], including 16 of the 63 patients (25%) with abnormal coronary flow reserve. Twenty-four (28%) patients experienced their typical chest pain during motility testing, but only five of these patients met criteria for abnormal esophageal motility. Nine of 75 patients tested (12%) had their typical chest pain during Bernstein testing, and 18 of 38 patients (47%) tested had their typical chest pain provoked by intraesophageal balloon distention. conclusion: Seventy-one of 87 patients (82%) with anginal-like chest pain and normal epicardial vessels in our series had a disorder of either coronary flow reserve, esophageal motility, and/or reproduction of typical chest pain during acid infusion. Of interest, chest pain was commonly encountered during cardiac and esophageal testing (85% of patients), regardless of the ability to demonstrate an abnormality of coronary flow reserve or abnormal esophageal function. This suggests that pain experienced by these patients may be a consequence of myocardial ischemia, esophageal dysfunction, abnormal visceral nociception, or a combination of any or all of these entities.
Limonoid content of sour orange varieties.

BACKGROUND: Modern Citrus cultivars are thought to have arisen from three parents: the pummelo, the mandarin, and citron. Taxological and genetic data support that sweet and sour oranges share a common parentage. However, as their name suggests, the organoleptic properties of the fruit from these two families is distinctly different. Analysis of the limonoid content of sour orange varieties has been limited. RESULTS: Juice samples prepared from a selection of sour orange cultivars were evaluated for their limonoid A-ring lactone, aglycone, and glucoside contents. Limonoate A-ring lactone concentrations ranged from 11.1 to 44. 9 mg L−1, whereas nomilinoate A-ring lactone levels were found not to exceed 1.2 mg L−1. Total limonoid aglycone and total limonoid glucoside concentrations varied from 2.4 to 18.4 mg L−1 and from 149.0 to 612.3 mg L−1, respectively. Limonoid glucoside profiling by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry suggest that the sour oranges are distinctly different from sweet oranges and other citrus species. CONCLUSION: Limonoid aglycone and A-ring contents across sweet and sour oranges are similar, whereas limonoid glucoside profiles are distinctly different. Juice prepared from Citrus maderaspatana had the highest limonoid concentrations among the samples tested and could potentially be used for the isolation of limonoid A-ring lactones and glucosides. Published 2011 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Bounding fault detection probabilities in combinational circuits

This paper focuses on the problem of bounding fault detection probabilities in combinational circuits. Two algorithms, the complete cutting algorithm and the gate blocking algorithm, are presented that always produce true lower bounds on the detection probability of a fault. Both algorithms can be used to identify difficult-to-test faults and to quickly construct test sets for specific faults. Both algorithms have qualitative versions which provide insight into a circuit while avoiding arithmetic calculation. Both algorithms resulted from research in trying to determine the accuracy of the safety factor heuristic of Jacob Savir.
NUCLEAR CHANGES IN THYROIDAL EPITHELIUM FOLLOWING RADIATION FROM RADIOIODINE

A quantitative histochemical method was used to measure desoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) in the nuclei of rat thyroid cells after the animals had been subjected to varying doses of radioiodine (I131). Only nuclei with diploid values for DNA were found in the normal thyroid. The administration of thiouracil to nonradiated rats produced nuclei containing increased amounts of DNA, up to twice the diploid value—the level at which cell division normally occurs. After moderate doses of radiation, bizarre nuclear forms containing unusually large quantities of DNA were found. These forms were also observed after very small doses of radiation followed by administration of thiouracil. Thus, seemingly insignificant doses of radiation, which did not impair physiologic function, produced latent changes which became evident only with an added stimulus for cell division. To complement these observations, it was found that even small amounts of radiation impaired the ability of the gland to hypertrophy when a goitrogen was g...
Is infection risk linked to exercise workload

Anecdotal, survey, and epidemiological data suggest that endurance athletes are at an increased risk for upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) during periods of heavy training and the 1 - to 2-wk period after race events. The majority of athletes, however, who participate in endurance race events do not experience illness. Of greater public health importance is the consistent finding of a reduction in URTI risk reported by fitness enthusiasts and athletes who engage in regular exercise training while avoiding overreaching/overtraining. Although it naturally follows that infection risk should in some way be linked to acute and chronic exercise-induced alterations in immunity, attempts thus far to measure this association have been unsuccessful. There is growing evidence that for several hours subsequent to heavy exertion, several components of both the innate and adaptive immune system exhibit suppressed function. The immune response to heavy exertion is transient, however, and further research on the mechanisms underlying the immune response to prolonged and intensive endurance exercise is necessary before meaningful clinical applications can be drawn. Some attempts have been made through chemical or nutritional means (e.g., indomethacin, glutamine, vitamin C, and carbohydrate supplementation) to attenuate immune changes after intensive exercise to lower the risk of infection. No consistent relationship between nutritional interventions, exercise immunology, and alteration in URTI risk has yet been established.
Participation bias in AIDS‐related telephone surveys: Results from the national AIDS behavioral survey (NABS) non‐response study

A study of nonrespondents from the National AIDS Behavioral Survey (NABS) was conducted in 1990 to attempt to identify potential differences in participants and non‐participants that may influence ...
Conjugated block copolymers and co-oligomers: from supramolecular assembly to molecular electronics

This article reviews the progress in conjugated block copolymers and co-oligomers. The discussion focuses on recent advances in the synthesis and supramolecular assemblies of conjugated diblock copolymers. New knowledge in supramolecular chemistry learned from studies of rod–coil conjugated diblock copolymers is discussed. This article also points out the limited success in obtaining unique electronic properties brought about by the conjugated nanostructures and discusses progress in another important class of block copolymers, rod–rod diblock copolymers. Progress in synthesis and characterization of the rod–rod block co-oligomers is summarized. Unique rectification effects in conjugated diblock co-oligomers are illustrated with several molecular systems.
Decentralized Estimation Under Correlated Noise

In this paper, we consider distributed estimation of an unknown random scalar by using wireless sensors and a fusion center (FC). We adopt a linear model for distributed estimation of a scalar source where both observation models and sensor operations are linear, and the multiple access channel (MAC) is coherent. We consider a fusion center with multiple antennas and single antenna. In order to estimate the source, best linear unbiased estimation (BLUE) is adopted. Two cases are considered: Minimization of the mean square error (MSE) of the BLUE estimator subject to network power constraint, and minimization of the network power subject to the quality of service (QOS). For a fusion center with multiple antennas, iterative solutions are provided and it is shown that the proposed algorithms always converge. For a fusion center with single antenna, closed-form solutions are provided, and it is shown that the iterative solutions will reduce to the closed-form solutions. Furthermore, the effect of noise correlation at the sensors and fusion center is investigated. It is shown that knowledge of noise correlation at the sensors will help to improve the system performance. Moreover, if correlation exists and not factored in, the system performance might improve depending on the correlation structure. We also show, by simulations, that when noise at the fusion center is correlated, even with knowing the correlation structure, the system performance degrades. Finally, simulations are provided to verify the analysis and present the performance of the proposed schemes.
Chemical and physical studies of type 3 chondrites—V: The enstatite chondrites

Abstract We report instrumental neutron activation analysis determinations of 19 major, minor and trace elements in three enstatite chondrites. Based on these, and literature data on the bulk and mineral composition of enstatite chondrites, we discuss the history of the type 3 or unequilibrated enstatite chondrites, and their relationship with the other enstatite chondrites. The type 3 enstatite chondrites have E chondrite lithophile element abundances and their siderophile element abundances place them with the EH chondrites, well resolved from the EL chondrites. Moderately volatile chalcophile elements are at the low end of the EH range and Cr appears to be intermediate between EH and EL. We suggest that the type 3 enstatite chondrites are EH chondrites which have suffered small depletions of certain chalcophile elements through the loss of shock-produced sulfurous liquids. The oxygen isotope differences between type 3 and other enstatite chondrites is consistent with equilibration with the nebula gas ~30° higher than the others, or with the loss of a plagioclase-rich liquid. The mineral chemistry of the type 3 chondrites is consistent with either low temperature equilibration, or, in some instances, with shock effects.
Evaluating and comparing discovery tools: how close are we towards next generation catalog?

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to evaluate and compare open source and proprietary discovery tools and find out how much discovery tools have achieved towards becoming the next generation catalog.Design/methodology/approach – The paper summarizes characteristics of the next generation catalog into a check‐list of 12 features. This list was checked against each of seven open source and ten proprietary discovery tools to determine if those features were present or absent in those tools.Findings – Discovery tools have many next generation catalog features, but only a few can be called real next generation catalogs. Federated searching and relevancy based on circulation statistics are the two areas that both open source and proprietary discovery tools are missing. Open source discovery tools seem to be bolder and more innovative than proprietary tools in embracing advanced features of the next generation catalog. Vendors of discovery tools may need to quicken their steps in catching up.Originality/val...
Effects of Endotoxins on Susceptibility to Infections

Endotoxins can alter susceptibility to many infections and have provided an important tool for investigation of the mechanisms of host resistance. These bacterial toxins may enhance or inhibit the pathogenicity of infection, depending upon the infecting microorganism, dose and route of injection of endotoxin, and the interval between administration of toxin and initiation of infection. Other substances besides endotoxin, including thorotrast, sulfur, heated albumin-globulin, levans, dextran, and microbial acid polysaccharides, have similar effects upon host resistance [1, 2]. The colloidal or high molecular weight of these substances and of endotoxin has suggested the possibility that size of the particle may be one determinant of their action [3, 4]. No physicochemical or biological characteristics of these materials, however, provides a satisfactory explanation for their effects upon host resistance. Some investigations suggest but do not establish a dissociation between some of the toxic effects of endotoxin
Karyotype of Friend virus-induced mouse erythroleukemia cells

Abstract Banded karyotypes were prepared for three independent sublines of clone 745A, a Friend virus-induced erythroleukemia cell line originally produced by Dr. C. Friend. Each subline had the same chromosome complement, with a near-diploid number of chromosomes, two-thirds of which appeared normal. The remaining one-third were structurally rearranged marker chromosomes, including eight whose origins could be determined from their banding patterns. A fourth subclone of line 745A, under different selection pressure, showed changes in five marker chromosomes but no changes in the normal chromosomes, suggesting that the markers contained unstable sites, perhaps viral integration sites. Another Friend virus-induced erythroleukemia cell line, FSD-1/F4, developed independently by Dr. W. Ostertag, had a near-diploid number of chromosomes, about one-fourth of which were abnormal chromosomes. The only similarity between these markers and those in subclones of 745A, other than participation of some of the same chromosomes in centric fusion, was the inclusion of the proximal two-thirds of chromosome 15 in one of the markers of each line. This adds to the number of mouse tumor cells or cell lines in which No. 15 is altered or duplicated. In FSD-1/F4 cells there was a striking increase in the size of the secondary constriction of one of the two chromosomes 19, suggesting that the rRNA genes on this chromosome had been amplified.
Diabetic Neuropathy in Older Adults

Diabetic neuropathy is a heterogeneous disease with diverse pathology. Recognition of the clinical homolog of these pathologic processes is necessary in achieving appropriate intervention. Treatment should be individualized so the particular manifestation and underlying pathogenesis of each patient's clinical presentation are considered. In older adults, special care should be taken to manage pain while optimizing daily function and mobility, with the fewest adverse medication side effects. Older adults are at great risk for falling and fractures because of instability and weakness, and require strength exercises and coordination training. Ultimately agents that address large fiber dysfunction will be essential to reduce the gross impairment of quality of life and activities of daily living that neuropathy visits older people who have diabetes.
Cognitive-behavioral treatment for alcohol dependence: A review of evidence for its hypothesized mechanisms of action.

Objective. This review examined support for the hypothesis that cognitive-behavioral treatment (CBT) for alcohol dependence works through increasing cognitive and behavioral coping skills. Method. Ten studies were identified that examined the hypothesized mechanisms of action of CBT. These studies involved random assignment (or its near equivalent) of participants to CBT and at least one comparison condition. Results. Although numerous analyses of the possible causal links have been conducted to evaluate whether CBT works through increasing coping, the results indicate little support for the hypothesized mechanisms of action of CBT. Conclusions. Research has not yet established why CBT is an effective treatment for alcohol dependence. Negative findings may reflect methodological flaws of prior studies. Alternatively, findings may indicate one or more conceptual assumptions underlying CBT require revision.
A Powerful Statistical Approach for Large-Scale Differential Transcription Analysis

Next generation sequencing (NGS) is increasingly being used for transcriptome-wide analysis of differential gene expression. The NGS data are multidimensional count data. Therefore, most of the statistical methods developed well for microarray data analysis are not applicable to transcriptomic data. For this reason, a variety of new statistical methods based on count data of transcript reads have been correspondingly proposed. But due to high cost and limitation of biological resources, current NGS data are still generated from a few replicate libraries. Some of these existing methods do not always have desirable performances on count data. We here developed a very powerful and robust statistical method based on beta and binomial distributions. Our method (mBeta t-test) is specifically applicable to sequence count data from small samples. Both simulated and real transcriptomic data showed mBeta t-test significantly outperformed the existing top statistical methods chosen in all 12 given scenarios and performed with high efficiency and high stability. The differentially expressed genes found by our method from real transcriptomic data were validated by qPCR experiments. Our method shows high power in finding truly differential expression, conservatively estimating FDR and high stability in RNA sequence count data derived from small samples. Our method can also be extended to genome-wide detection of differential splicing events.
Imitative Competition and Product Innovation in a Duopoly Model

This paper investigates imitative competition in a two-stage game of strategic product choice in a vertically differentiated market. The innovator chooses its product strategy anticipating the subsequent entry of a rival firm. The rival firm chooses the degree to which it is profitable to differentiate its product from the innovator. It has the second mover advantage that its costs are lower the more closely it copies the innovator’s product. But against this advantage is the drawback that the more similar the two products are, the more intense is the price competition between the two firms. The trade-off between imitation and differentiation is affected by the degree of consumer heterogeneity in the market. Consumers differ by income. The relationship between the incentive to imitate and the distribution of income is important, particularly in evaluating the welfare effects of two different policy responses, patent policy and cooperative alliances.
Aspirin overutilization for the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease.

BACKGROUND Aspirin is commonly used for the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in the US. Previous research has observed significant levels of inappropriate aspirin use for primary CVD prevention in some European populations, but the degree to which aspirin is overutilized in the US remains unknown. This study examined the association between regular aspirin use and demographic/clinical factors in a population-based sample of adults without a clinical indication for aspirin for primary prevention. METHODS A cross-sectional analysis was performed using 2010-2012 data from individuals aged 30-79 years in the Marshfield Epidemiologic Study Area (WI, USA). Regular aspirin users included those who took aspirin at least every other day. RESULTS There were 16,922 individuals who were not clinically indicated for aspirin therapy for primary CVD prevention. Of these, 19% were regular aspirin users. In the final adjusted model, participants who were older, male, lived in northern Wisconsin, had more frequent medical visits, and had greater body mass index had significantly higher odds of regular aspirin use (P<0.001 for all). Race/ethnicity, health insurance, smoking, blood pressure, and lipid levels had negligible influence on aspirin use. A sensitivity analysis found a significant interaction between age and number of medical visits, indicating progressively more aspirin use in older age groups who visited their provider frequently. CONCLUSION There was evidence of aspirin overutilization in this US population without CVD. Older age and more frequent provider visits were the strongest predictors of inappropriate aspirin use. Obesity was the only significant clinical factor, suggesting misalignment between perceived aspirin benefits and cardiovascular risks in this subgroup of patients. Prospective studies that examine cardiac and bleeding events associated with regular aspirin use among obese samples (without CVD) are needed to refine clinical guidelines in this area.
Omega-Hydroxyceramides are Required for Corneocyte Lipid Envelope (CLE) Formation and Normal Epidermal Permeability Barrier Function

Omega-hydroxyceramides (ω-OHCer) are the predominant lipid species of the corneocyte lipid envelope in the epidermis. Moreover, their ω-esterified-derivatives (acylCer) are major components of the stratum corneum extracellular lamellae, which regulate cutaneous permeability barrier function. Because epidermal ω-OHCer appear to be generated by a cytochrome P450-dependent process, we determined the effects of a mechanism-based inhibitor of ω-hydroxylation, aminobenzotriazole (ABT), on epidermal ω-OH Cer formation and barrier function. We first ascertained that ABT, but not hydroxybenzotriazole (OHBT), a chemical relative with no P450 inhibitory activity, inhibited the incorporation of [ 14 C]-acetate into the ω-OH-containing Cer species in cultured human keratinocytes (68.1% ± 6.9% inhibition versus vehicle-treated controls; p versus vehicle-treated animals), assessed as increased transepidermal water loss. The ABT–induced barrier abnormality was associated with: (i) a significant decrease in the quantities of ω-OHCer in both the unbound and the covalently bound Cer pools; (ii) marked alterations of lamellar body structure and contents; and (iii) abnormal stratum corneum extracellular lamellar membrane structures, with no signs of cellular toxicity. Furthermore, pyridine-extraction of ABT- versus vehicle-treated skin, which removes all of the extracellular lamellae, leaving the covalently attached lipids, showed numerous foci with absent corneocyte lipid envelope in ABT- versus vehicle-treated stratum corneum. These results provide the first direct evidence for the importance of ω-OHCer for epidermal permeability function, and suggest further that acylCer and/or corneocyte lipid envelope are required elements in permeability barrier homeostasis.
Using an MHD simulation to interpret the global context of a coronal mass ejection observed by two spacecraft

[1] In late February 1999 the ACE spacecraft observed a coronal mass ejection (CME) at 1 AU, in the ecliptic plane. Thirteen days later, Ulysses observed a CME at 5 AU and 22°S. We present a detailed analysis of the plasma, magnetic field, and composition signatures of these two events. On the basis of this comparison alone, it is not clear that the two spacecraft observed the same solar event. However, using a generic MHD simulation of a fast CME initiated at the Sun by magnetic flux cancellation and propagated out into the solar wind, together with additional evidence, we argue that indeed the same CME was observed by both spacecraft. Although force-free models appear to fit the observed events well, our simulation results suggest that the ejecta underwent significant distortion during its passage through the solar wind, indicating that care should be taken when interpreting the results of force-free models. Comparison of composition measurements at the two spacecraft suggests that significant spatial inhomogeneities can exist within a single CME.
Feedback control for a class of pest management problems modeled by a noninteractively distributed system

A class of distributed-parameter optimal control problems whose system dynamics are more akin to those of systems of ordinary differential equations is presented together with a set of necessary conditions for optimality. It is shown that certain insect pest management problems fall within the ambit of this theory, which is then used to investigate the properties of the optimal pesticide application schedule and to synthesize a part-feedback control strategy. This latter strategy is presented in a way which makes it applicable to devising strategies for the application of pesticides in agricultural systems that are too complex to be easily modeled, but for which correlations are available between pest levels at certain points during the growing season and yield losses.
Influence of Context on the Production of Complex Sentences by Typically Developing Children

Purpose This study was designed to identify types of complex-sentence meanings (i.e., content) produced in selected elicitation contexts by typically developing children within 3 different age groups. The research was motivated by the need for additional evidence-based assessments and interventions for children with language disorders. Method Participants included 3 groups of typically developing children, mean ages 2;8 (years;months; Cohort 1), 3;4 (Cohort 2), and 4;7 (Cohort 3). Four elicitation contexts distinguished on the basis of degree of spontaneity and the potential for eliciting complex sentences were used: free-play, script-play, elicited description, and story retelling. Tasks within these contexts were presented to each child over two 1-hr sessions. Results Significant differences were found among the cohorts for proportion of complex-sentence productions overall, across contexts, and across content categories. Significant relationships were found between content and contexts and between adul...
The Cult of Macintosh

In this study, we introduce the notion of a brand cult in an effort to better understand the extreme devotion consumers have toward certain brands. We use historical images plus interviews and observations with current Macintosh computer users to explore the cultic quasi‐religious aspects of this consumption. We find several key sustaining myths, including a creation myth, a messianic myth, a satanic myth, and a resurrection myth. The accompanying video offers an account of what it means when a brand becomes a religion to its true believers.
Gender wage inequality and export‐led growth in South Korea

This article investigates the relationship between gender, wage inequality, and export‐led growth in South Korea. The persistent gender wage gap in Korea's manufacturing sector is found to be linked to women's segregation in the country's major export industries where real wage growth has lagged productivity growth, despite favorable market conditions that might drive up women's wages relative to those of men. The interaction of state‐ and firm‐level hiring, training, and promotion practices that structure women's and men's employment opportunities differently appear to have resulted in a relatively weaker fall‐back position for women in labour markets. Econometric results are consistent with the hypothesis that women's weaker fall‐back position limits their ability to bargain for wage increases commensurate with productivity growth. Further, evidence is presented which links gender wage inequality to the growth of Korean exports.
A Tale of Two Disasters

The report to the U.S. president entitled The Federal Response to Hurricane Katrina concludes that in the event of catastrophic disasters the traditional intergovernmental response to disaster should give way to a more dominant role of the national government. This article considers whether it is possible to respond effectively to disaster in the traditional, intergovernmental mode by comparing the response to Katrina with the response, which was widely considered to be successful, to another disaster, in Grand Forks, North Dakota. The research suggests that an intergovernmental response can be successful if those who respond to the disaster interact in a collaborative network. The article considers whether such collaborative networks can be created and evaluates some of the recommendations from The Federal Response to Hurricane Katrina as potentially helping to create collaborative networks. Copyright 2006, Oxford University Press.
The quality of care for patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair is a complex surgical procedure and is commonly performed in a variety of practice settings across the United States. The quality of surgical care is neither ideal nor uniform across medical centers with documented variation in both utilization and outcomes. Recent data document that screening, though effective in reducing AAA-related deaths, may have only small contributions to population mortality. Large randomized trials have provided evidence regarding the timing of AAA repair and provide strong evidence for the development of appropriateness criteria. In general, lower mortality rates have been consistently associated with higher provider volume (surgeon and hospital) and specialization in vascular surgery. Current health policy initiatives suggest referral of several complex procedures to high volume centers based on minimum volume standards. Processes of care of high-volume providers and vascular surgeons should be studied and used to guide quality improvement efforts for lower volume providers and surgeons of other specialties performing AAA repair.
Conflict Management—What Principals Should Know About It

Schofield briefly outlines the results and implica tions of some sample research dealing with conflict theory.
Worries of College Freshmen

* Accepted for publication by Leonard Carmichael of the Editorial Board, and received in the Editorial Office on June 23, 1938.
Endogenous event-related potentials in monkey: the role of task relevance, stimulus probability, and behavioral response.

Monkeys were trained in auditory discrimination tasks resembling human paradigms in which long-latency endogenous components, such as P300, are typically recorded. Morphological, topographical, and functional properties of the monkey event-related potentials (ERPs) were analyzed to determine similarities and differences with human ERPs reported in the literature. ERPs were recorded from epidural electrodes in monkeys trained to produce operant responses. In a conditional discrimination (CD) task, tone pips (2 kHz or 6 kHz, 40 msec duration, and 60 dB above nHL) were presented every 4–8 sec. Target tones presented during ‘time-in’ (TI) were rewarded when followed by a response in the correct post-stimulus interval (400–3000 msec). In contrast, tones presented during ‘time-out’ (TO) were not rewarded. Under both conditions, tones elicited an initial frontally dominant triphasic complex (P56-N92-P157). Additionally, TI target tones followed by a response elicited a large negativity (N358) having maximal amplitude over mid-frontal regions and followed by a parietally distributed positivity (P658). The scalp distribution and covariation with task requirements of N358 resemble those reported for the human ‘O’ wave. ERPs were also recorded in an auditory oddball paradigm in which tone pips (2 kHz and 6 kHz, 40 msec duration, and 60 dB above nHL) were presented in random order every second. Monkeys trained in the CD paradigm, along with additional subjects, were trained to make delayed responses following target tones embedded in a background of different-pitch tones. Tone probabilities were varied in different sessions from 90-10, 70-30, to 50-50 to assess the effects of probability. Background and target tones elicited a triphasic complex (P52-N110-P159) similar in latency and distribution to that recorded in the CD task. Additionally, target tones in this paradigm elicited a long-latency positive component (LPC) that exhibited an inverse relationship with stimulus probability. LPC had an onset latency of approximately 150–200 msec, a duration of approximately 300 msec, and multiple peaks (P244 and P376). These data indicate the importance of stimulus context in eliciting long-latency endogenous activity. It further suggests that strong analogies exist between monkey and human potentials recorded under similar paradigms. The effects of task relevance, stimulus probability, and the act of producing behavioral responses are similar to the effects of these variables on analogous human potentials. Therefore, this monkey model would allow for future invasive studies of the neural substrates underlying complex cognitive functions, given the relationship between human ERP components, such as P300, and specific cognitive processes.
A converse to the Sholander embedding

Abstract It is both a well-known and useful fact that every median semilattice M may be embedded into a distributive lattice D so that M is an order ideal of D , and every element of M is the join of finitely many elements of D . However, the converse of this assertion is false. The present paper establishes several sets of necessary and sufficient conditions for an order ideal of a distributive lattice to be a median semilattice.
On the use of the directional derivative in obtaining multivariate extreme values

Abstract Current use of the directional derivative appears, with notable exceptions such as Whittle (1971, 1973) and Vainberg (1973), to be limited largely to textbooks on advanced calculus, and to spaces of at most three dimensions. The present paper develops a calculus of the directional derivative for arbitrary finite dimensional vector spaces. Applications are made to classical maximum likelihood estimation in the case of the multivariate normal density and to other multivariate problems involving stationary points.
A comment on plasma 'pile-up' in the F-region

At ionospheric heights, the geomagnetic field is virtually incompressible. In consequence, an electromagnetic drift can only compress the F-region plasma by moving it in a direction in which the field becomes stronger. This paper examines the rate of compression at mid-latitudes for three different assumptions about the ion motion.
LIPIDS OF DEVELOPING BRAIN OF TWITCHER MOUSE: AN AUTHENTIC MURINE MODEL OF HUMAN KRABBE DISEASE

Brains of the newly discovered neurological mutant of the mouse, twitcher, were analysed from birth to the terminal stage of the disease for major tissue constituents and the lipid composition. A genetic deficiency of galactosylceramidase is the underlying cause of this mutant. The affected mice failed to gain body weight after 20 days (30 per cent of normal at 42 days) but the brain weight was much less affected (85 per cent of normal at 42 days). The water content and the four major fractions, chloroform-methanol insoluble residue, chloroform-methanol soluble protein, upper phase solids and total lipid, were essentially unaltered except that the total lipid was reduced slightly towards the terminal stage. Among lipids, only galactolipids, galactosylceramide and sulphatide were abnormal in the twitcher brain. Galactosylceramide was decreased at 37 and 42 days whereas decrease in sulphatide occurred earlier from 25 days, resulting in an increased ratio of galactosylceramide to sulphatide. The analytical abnormalities found in the twitcher brain are qualitatively similar to and quantitatively milder than those in the brain of human patients with globoid cell leukodystrophy (Krabbe disease), of which the twitcher is an enzymatically authentic animal model. The secondary abnormalities observed in brains of human patients as the result of tissue devastation were generally not present in the twitcher brain. Mouse brains contain relatively little myelin. As the pathology in twitcher is greatest in the spinal cord and brainstem (Duchen el al ., 1980), the fact that the changes in twitcher brains are quantitatively milder than those of human patients may partly reflect the relative amount of myelin in the two species. While more detailed studies of some specific constituents, such as galactosylsphingosine, and of other tissues, such as the peripheral nervous system and the kidney, will have to be performed, the present results serve as the reference for comparison between the human and murine galactosylceramidase deficiency states and for future experiments with the twitcher mutant, which is an invaluable tool for studies of globoid cell leukodystrophy.
Incremental non-backtracking focusing: a polynomially bounded generalization algorithm for version spaces

The candidate elimination algorithm for inductive learning with version spaces can require both exponential time and space. This article describes the Incremental Non-Backtracking Focusing (INBF) algorithm which learns strictly tree-structured concepts in polynomial space and time. Specifically, it learns in time O(pnk) and space O(nk) where p is the number of positives, n the number of negatives, and k the number of features. INBF is an extension of an existing batch algorithm, Avoidance Focusing (AF). Although AF also learns in polynomial time, it assumes a convergent set of positive examples, and handles additional examples inefficiently; INBF has neither of these restrictions. Both the AF and INBF algorithms assume that the positive examples plus the near misses will be sufficient for convergence if the initial set of examples is convergent. This article formally proves that for treestructured concepts this assumption does in fact hold.