cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Effect of Photoperiod on Growth and Survival of Juvenile Freshwater Prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii in Nursery Tanks

Abstract To achieve marketable size (> 30 g) in the limited growing season available in temperate areas, post-larval freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii must be grown to a larger size (from 0.01 to > 0.2 g) prior to pond stocking. This is known as the nursery phase. Little research has been conducted on the effects of different management and environmental factors on juvenile prawn growth and survival during this 30-60 day period. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of three different photoperiods on growth and survival of juvenile freshwater prawn during nursery production. Four hundred post-larval (PL) freshwater prawns (0.025io.04 g) were stocked into nine 170-L nursery tanks at 2.3 PL/L with artificial substrate added to each tank at a rate to achieve a density of 430 PL/m2 of substrate. Tanks were randomly assigned to one of the following photoperiod regimens: 24 hours darkness (L0:D24); 12 hours light: 12 hours darkness (L12:D12); or 24 hours light (L24:D0), with three re...
ON THE IMPORTANCE OF TOPOLOGICAL INDICES IN RESEARCH OF α- AND γ-TERPINENE AS WELL AS α- AND β-PINENE SEPARATED BY TLC

ABSTRACT α- and γ-terpinene, as well as α- and β-pinene were separated on silica gel and on silica gel impregnated with various percentages of silver nitrate. It was stated that argentation thin-layer chromatography is an efficient technique for separation of isomeric α- and γ-terpinene as well as α- and β-pinene. The optimal conditions of separation of these compounds were determined. The electrotopological states of carbon atoms forming double bonds explain the separation of the terpenes. Qualitative relationships between physical and chromatographic parameters and topological indices, based on adjacency matrix and distance matrix, were formulated.
A comparative study of the branchial epithelium in fishes, with special reference to extrarenal excretion

A study of the brinchial epithelium in representative specimens of Cyclostomata Elasmobranchii and Teleostei fishes has been made, with special reference to the following: 1) the importance of physiological role of osmotic regulation effected by the gills; 2) the presence or absence of specialized secretory tissue; 3) progressive evolution of the fishes and the possible phylogenetic difference between them. In regard to these topics we find: 1) There is no indication of any specialization in the branchial epithelium of fishes indicating a special role in extrarenal excretion. 2) In the respiratory epithelium of fishes widely separated phylogenetically or in fishes in living in fresh or salt water, the only significant differences are that in general the teleosts have a squamous type of epithelium, whereas, the elasmobranchs have in general a thicker polyhedral investment. 3) Mucous cells appear large and numerous on the filament proper, smaller and less numerous in the interlamellar spaces, and on the free surface of the lamellae. These are the only specialized secretory cells which occur in the gills.
Conference Scene: Fighting a smarter war against cancer

Molecular Profiling in Cancer: Research or Practice, Georgetown University Hotel and Conference Center, Washington, DC, USA, 6–7 December 2013 On the 6th and 7th of December 2013, the Ruesch Center for the Cure of Gastrointestinal Cancers (DC, USA) hosted its fourth annual symposium entitled Molecular Profiling in Cancer: Research or Practice. This topic was selected for the 2013 symposium because of the explosion of molecular profiling assays that are available to us as practicing oncologists, which are believed, by most, to be a significant advancement in cancer care innovation. The Ruesch Center has been hosting topical symposia for the last 4 years. We have focused on: biomarker use in cancer medicine (2010); defining value in cancer care (2011); how to engage the ‘other 97%’ of patients in clinical trial enrollment, when currently we capture only 3% of patients on average (2012); and, of course, molecular profiling in cancer care (2013).
Skills necessary for contemporary health professionals.

Summary. There is a constant need for all doctors to be ‘renaissance health professionals’, to have a mastery of a broad set of medical, communication and information-processing skills. Education in these areas must continue after graduation to produce the most effective medical care. With the changing face of medicine in the next few years, these skills will be more vital than ever before. Hence doctors and institutions of medical education must encourage the development of a wide range of skills as part of the learning and practice of medicine.
Mechanism of HIV-1 Neutralization by Antibodies Targeting a Membrane-Proximal Region of gp41

Induction of broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) is an important goal for HIV-1 vaccine development. Two autoreactive bNAbs, 2F5 and 4E10, recognize a conserved region on the HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein gp41 adjacent to the viral membrane known as the membrane-proximal external region (MPER). They block viral infection by targeting a fusion-intermediate conformation of gp41, assisted by an additional interaction with the viral membrane. Another MPER-specific antibody, 10E8, has recently been reported to neutralize HIV-1 with potency and breadth much greater than those of 2F5 or 4E10, but it appeared not to bind phospholipids and might target the untriggered envelope spikes, raising the hope that the MPER could be harnessed for vaccine design without major immunological concerns. Here, we show by three independent approaches that 10E8 indeed binds lipid bilayers through two hydrophobic residues in its CDR H3 (third heavy-chain complementarity-determining region). Its weak affinity for membranes in general and preference for cholesterol-rich membranes may account for its great neutralization potency, as it is less likely than other MPER-specific antibodies to bind cellular membranes nonspecifically. 10E8 binds with high affinity to a construct mimicking the fusion intermediate of gp41 but fails to recognize the envelope trimers representing the untriggered conformation. Moreover, we can improve the potency of 4E10 without affecting its binding to gp41 by a modification of its lipid-interacting CDR H3. These results reveal a general mechanism of HIV-1 neutralization by MPER-specific antibodies that involves interactions with viral lipids.
The flash number dependence of EPR Signal II decay as a probe for charge accumulation in Photosystem II

Abstract The decay kinetics of EPR Signal II has been used to monitor accumulation of positive charge in dark-adapted O2-evolving and inhibited PS II preparations from spinach. In fully active samples the Signal II transients following four saturating flashes exhibit periodic oscillations in amplitude and decay time. These oscillations result because electron transfer from the O2-evolving complex to Z+, the species giving rise to Signal II, becomes slower in the higher S-states. A small signal is induced following the first flash because of rapid rereduction of Z+ in the S1 state, but transients are resolved following the second and third flash, corresponding primarily to the S2 and S3 states, respectively, with half-times of 0.6 and 1.3 ms. The oscillatory pattern and decay times are similar to those previously reported in whole chloroplasts (Babcock, G.T., Blankenship, R.E. and Sauer, K. (1976) FEBS Lett. 61, 286–289). The period-four behavior is confirmed by extension of our observations to eight flashes. Upon partial inhibition of O2-evolution by NaCl washing, which extracts the 16 and 24 kDa peptides, or upon incubation at pH 7.75, a large transient is observed following the first flash, and subsequent flashes induce signals of similar amplitude and decay time. Extraction of the 16, 24 and 33 kDa peptides by CaCl2 washing also eliminates the oscillations and markedly slows the decay kinetics. The absence of period-four oscillations in these inhibited samples indicates that turnover of the O2-evolving complex is blocked. Furthermore, the large signals induced following the first flash indicate slow rereduction of Z+ in the lower S-states, suggesting that even partial advancement is inhibited. Addition of Ca2+ to NaCl-washed preparations restored the period-four oscillations. Thus, the 16 and 24 kDa peptides are not necessary for turnover of the O2-evolving complex, but in their absence Ca2+ is required for electron transfer from the O2-evolving complex to Z.
The next best touch for model-based localization

This paper introduces a tactile or contact method whereby an autonomous robot equipped with suitable sensors can choose the next sensing action involving touch in order to accurately localize an object in its environment. The method uses an information gain metric based on the uncertainty of the object's pose to determine the next best touching action. Intuitively, the optimal action is the one that is the most informative. The action is then carried out and the state of the object's pose is updated using an estimator. The method is further extended to choose the most informative action to simultaneously localize and estimate the object's model parameter or model class. Results are presented both in simulation and in experiment on the DARPA Autonomous Robotic Manipulation Software (ARM-S) robot.
High voltage electron stereomicroscopy of the cilium-stereociliary complex of perioral sensory cells in Hydra.

Abstract The cilium-stereociliary complex in perioral neurons of Hydra was examined by electron microscopy, with emphasis on stereomicrographs of serial, 0.5 μm thick, longitudinal and transverse sections. Longitudinal sections revealed (1) flat-topped cones in which the cilium was bent and the ciliary chamber appeared heart-shaped, and (2) pointed cones in which the cilium was straight and the ciliary chamber appeared triangular. Transverse sections revealed 10–12 stereocilia forming a cone over a central cilium with nine peripheral doublets of microtubules but with often more than two central microtubules. The ciliary membrane was fluted; fine filaments connected the outfoldings of membrane with the center of the microtubule doublets. Thin sections revealed 7 nm microfilaments in the stereocilia cores which branched basally into thick and thin roots; the thick roots surrounded the base of the central cilium. The cilium-stereociliary complex was enveloped by an epitheliomuscular cell sheath with a free margin distally and a septate junction proximally. In flat-topped cones the free margin of the enveloping epitheliomuscular cell was closely applied to the top of the cilium-stereociliary complex, whereas in pointed cones the cilium-stereociliary complex projected above the free margin of the sheath. Thus, the 7 nm actin-like filaments in the stereocilia might function to contract and open the complex in response to favorable stimuli so that the cilium is in contact with the aqueous environment.
Interplay of Troponin- and Myosin-Based Pathways of Calcium Activation in Skeletal and Cardiac Muscle: The Use of W7 as an Inhibitor of Thin Filament Activation

To investigate the interplay between the thin and thick filaments during calcium activation in striated muscle, we employed n-(6-aminohexyl) 5-chloro-1-napthalenesulfonamide (W7) as an inhibitor of troponin C and compared its effects with that of the myosin-specific inhibitor, 2,3-butanedione 2-monoxime (BDM). In both skeletal and cardiac fibers, W7 reversibly inhibited ATPase and tension over the full range of calcium activation between pCa 8.0 and 4.5, resulting in reduced calcium sensitivity and cooperativity of ATPase and tension activations. At maximal activation in skeletal fibers, the W7 concentrations for half-maximal inhibition (KI) were 70–80 μM for ATPase and 20–30 μM for tension, nearly >200-fold lower than BDM (20 mM and 5–8 mM, respectively). When W7 (50 μM) and BDM (20 mM) were combined in skeletal fibers, the ATPase and tension-pCa curves exhibited lower apparent cooperativity and maxima and higher calcium sensitivity than expected from two independent activation pathways, suggesting that the interplay between the thin and thick filaments varies with the level of activation. Significantly, the inhibition of W7 increased the ATPase/tension ratio during activation in both muscle types. W7 holds much promise as a potent and reversible inhibitor of thin filament-mediated calcium activation of skeletal and cardiac muscle contraction.
Lipid monolayers: Mechanisms of protein penetration with regard to membrane models

The influence of lipid and protein on the properties of the air-water interface is analyzed with the view to formulate a mechanism of interaction of protein with lipid monolayers. The increase in surface pressure (ΔΠ) and the quantity of protein incorporated in the lipid film after injection of protein under lipid monolayers were studied as a function of both lipid structure and protein structure. With rabbit γ-globulin, the values of ΔΠ were cholesterol > phosphatidyl choline > sphingomyelin. Similar results were obtained with ribonuclease, lysozyme and serum albumin. The quantities of protein found in films of either cholesterol or phosphatidyl choline (egg lecithin) were much larger than those calculated from a geometric model in which a protein monolayer occupies the area made available by the compressed lipid. Arguments are produced against penetration based on simple mechanisms of compressibility of the lipid film. The mechanisms operating in the incorporation of protein into lipid monolayers are grouped into three categories: (a) free penetration, typical of lecithin; (b) binding-mediated penetration, typical of cholesterol and some glycosphingolipids; and (c) binding-inhibited penetration, typical of the albumin-ganglioside system and a specific lipid hapten-antibody system. A model is described in which nonspecific protein interacts with polymeric lecithin structures (surface micelles). In the sequence of events X»Y»Z, the globular protein X is activated into the expanded or extended form Y by contact with the lipid and then restructured into a compact form Z with release of water and free energy. The resulting lipid-protein assembly has a mosaic structure in which lipid and protein polar surfaces are exposed to water. Accessibility of lecithin to phospholipase A is consistent with the model and with current views on the state of protein in biological membranes; according to such views, protein is more likely structured inside the lipid milieu and not simply denatured on the lipid-water interface.
Multiscale Uncertainty Quantification Based on a Generalized Hidden Markov Model

Variability is the inherent randomness in systems, whereas incertitude is due to lack of knowledge. In this paper, a generalized hidden Markov model (GHMM) is proposed to quantify aleatory and epistemic uncertainties simultaneously in multiscale system analysis. The GHMM is based on a new imprecise probability theory that has the form of generalized interval. The new interval probability resembles the precise probability and has a similar calculus structure. The proposed GHMM allows us to quantify cross-scale dependency and information loss between scales. Based on a generalized interval Bayes' rule, three cross-scale information assimilation approaches that incorporate uncertainty propagation are also developed.
The Brave New World of Organ Transplantation: Issues and Challenges from a Consumer Affairs Perspective

Policy makers are trying to narrow the widening gap between the demand and the supply of transplantable organs. They are doing so largely without contributions from consumer affairs specialists. This article establishes the need for involvement of consumer affairs scholars and suggests directions for further empirical and critical inquiry. Substantive research must be grounded more firmly in established theoretical constructs and behavioral theories.
A Review of Insulin Pen Devices and Use in the Elderly Diabetic Population

The prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) in the elderly population currently represents almost one-half of the overall diabetic population. Treatment of DM often requires a multidrug regimen that includes insulin therapy; however, due to concomitant comorbidities such as dementia, vision loss, neuropathies, poor mobility, and poor manual dexterity, elderly patients may be at increase risk for hypoglycemia and other dosing errors that are associated with insulin administration. Insulin pen devices have been shown to provide more reliable, accurate, and simplified dosing, and therefore may be a safer, easier, and more acceptable method of insulin delivery in the elderly population. This review will describe the various insulin pen devices available today, as well as discuss the potential advantages of these devices in the elderly population.
Validity of Teacher Ratings in Selecting Influential Aggressive Adolescents for a Targeted Preventive Intervention

This study describes a method for using teacher nominations and ratings to identify socially influential, aggressive middle school students for participation in a targeted violence prevention intervention. The teacher nomination method is compared with peer nominations of aggression and influence to obtain validity evidence. Participants were urban, predominantly African American and Latino sixth-grade students who were involved in a pilot study for a large multi-site violence prevention project. Convergent validity was suggested by the high correlation of teacher ratings of peer influence and peer nominations of social influence. The teacher ratings of influence demonstrated acceptable sensitivity and specificity when predicting peer nominations of influence among the most aggressive children. Results are discussed in terms of the application of teacher nominations and ratings in large trials and full implementation of targeted prevention programs.
Roles for noncoding RNAs in cell-fate determination and regeneration.

Cellular fate is determined by transcriptional networks and epigenetic states. In addition to protein factors, noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs), particularly microRNAs and long ncRNAs, are able to remodel transcriptional circuits and reshape epigenetic landscapes. This Commentary highlights the emerging roles of these ncRNAs in cellular reprogramming, transdifferentiation and organ regeneration.
Interaction of Dietary Factors with Oral Anticoagulants: Review and Applications

Abstract This article reviews the published original sources of information on interactions of oral anticoagulants with dietary factors, points out deficiencies in our knowledge of these interactions, and suggests applications for this information in the clinical setting. As with many drug-nutrient interactions, the original references include a few experimental studies and many case reports. Deciding which interactions of oral anticoagulants with dietary factors are clinically relevant and determining the appropriate dietary prescription concerning each interaction involves, in most cases, an educated opinion rather than a conclusion based on extensive research. Enough information exists on the vitamin K content of foods and the quantity of vitamin K that alters coagulation status from the therapeutic range to provide the patient with advice concerning a group of foods to avoid and a group of foods to limit to one serving per day. With respect to other dietary factors that may interact with oral anticoagulants, the patient should be cautioned concerning supplements of vitamins A, E, and C and alcohol used chronically or ingested in large quantities. J Am Diet Assoc. 1995; 95:580-584 .
Linkage analysis and long QT syndrome. Using genetics to study cardiovascular disease.

BACKGROUNDRecombinant DNA technologies have facilitated the development of a set of polymorphic DNA markers covering the human genome. General linkage analysis in families predisposed to inherited disease is now feasible. Linkage analysis can help identify a disease gene even when relatively little is known about the disorder.METHODS AND RESULTSUsing this approach, we have identified linkage between a gene that causes the long QT syndrome and DNA markers on chromosome 11.CONCLUSIONSThe identification of the chromosomal location of the long QT locus is the first step in defining the specific mutations that cause this disease.
Accumulation and composition of total organic carbon in reclaimed coal mine lands

Reclaimed coal mine lands have the potential to sequester atmospheric carbon (C); however, limited information exists for the western USA coalfields. This study was carried out on two chronosequences (BA-C3 grasses and DJ-shrubs) of reclaimed sites at two surface coal mines to determine the effects of vegetation, soil texture, and lignin content on soil total organic carbon (TOC) accumulations. In the BA chronosequence, TOC increased over 26 years at an average rate of 0·52 Mg C ha−1 yr−1 in the 0–30 cm depth and was significantly correlated with clay content. Comparison between < 1 and 16-year-old stockpile soils indicated TOC content did not differ significantly. In the DJ chronosequence, TOC content in the 0–30 cm depth declined from 31·3 Mg ha−1 in 5-year-old soils to 23·4 Mg ha−1 in 16-year-old soils. The C:N ratios suggested that some (up to 2·0 per cent) of the TOC was potentially derived from coal particles in these reclaimed soils. Soil total N (TN) contents followed a similar trend as TOC with TOC and TN concentrations strongly correlated. Lignin contents in TOC of all reclaimed soils and topsoil stockpiles (TSs) were higher than that of nearby undisturbed soils, indicating the recalcitrant nature of TOC in reclaimed soils and/or possibly the slow recovery of lignin degrading organism. Results indicated that TOC accumulations in DJ were largely controlled by its composition, particular lignin content. In BA sites TOC accumulation was strongly influenced by both clay and lignin contents. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Two conceptions of sparse properties

: Are the sparse properties drawn from all the levels of nature, or only the fundamental level? I discuss the notion of sparse property found in Armstrong and Lewis, show that there are tensions in the roles they have assigned the sparse properties, and argue that the sparse properties should be drawn from all the levels of nature. The issue has direct bearing on reductionism. If the sparse properties are drawn from all the levels of nature, then macro-scientific properties are just as primary as micro-scientific properties, and do not need to be reduced to them.
Polarography of a cobalt(III) complex of poly(4-vinylpyridine)

Abstract Polarograms for solutions of a Co(III) complex of poly(4-vinylpyridine) exhibit substantially smaller limiting currents than those for the corresponding complex of monomeric pyridine. The difference reflects more than a simple difference in diffusion coefficients because the ratio of the two limiting currents is a function of the concentration of the complex. It is explained in terms of self-inhibition of the electrode reaction of the polymeric complex by adsorption of its reduction products of the electrode surface. The inhibition can be overcome by addition of small, rapidly reacting metal complexes that serve to catalyze the reduction of the polymeric complex.
The methodology of gait analysis and gaits of monkeys.

Motion pictures were taken of two subadult monkeys (Macaca and Lagothrix) running and walking on level ground. The film strips were analyzed to determine the timing of the limb contacts with the surface. Generalizations and associations from the film analysis were used to construct a model system which categorizes gait types for quadrupedal running and walking. Some of the major conclusions derived from the analysis of the film segments were: 1. Simultaneous contacts or withdrawals were artifacts of recording precision. 2. The most frequent footfall order types were: right hind (Rh), left front (Lf), left hind (Lh), right front (Rf); RhRfLhLf; RhLhRfLf. 3. The most frequent support combinations, and those having the longest relative durations, were: RhLf and LhRf. 4. The number of frames for a single contact varied directly as the number of frames during which the body (head-rump length) simultaneously passed over a stationary ground point. The number of frames for non-contacts had a relative function which is similar to that of a constant.
Serotonin receptor binding in a colony model of chronic social stress

Male rats housed in mixed-sex groups quickly established dominance hierarchies in which subordinates appeared severely stressed. Subordinate rats had elevated basal corticosterone (CORT) levels relative to dominants and individually housed controls. Several subordinates had blunted CORT responses to a novel stressor, leading to the classification of subordinates as either stress-responsive or nonresponsive. Binding to 5-HT1A receptors was reduced in stress-responsive subordinates compared to controls throughout hippocampus and dentate gyrus. Decreased binding was observed in nonresponsive subordinates only in CA3 of hippocampus. In addition, 5-HT1A binding was decreased in CA1, CA3, and CA4 in dominants compared to controls. Binding to 5-HT2 receptors was increased in parietal cortex in both responsive and nonresponsive subordinates compared to controls. No changes were observed in binding to 5-HT1B receptors. These results are discussed in the context of regulation of the serotonergic system by stress and glucocorticoids and possible relevance to the pathophysiology of depression.
Induction of oviposition in the domestic hen by prostaglandins

Abstract Single intrauterine injection of prostaglandins E1, E2, and F2α in this order of potency induce premature oviposition in the hen within a few minutes. Similarly, arachidonic acid, a prostaglandin precursor, was also effective in initiating egglaying. PGE1 and PGE2 are about 10–20 times more potent than oxytocin, suggesting a possible physiological role in the regulation of oviposition.
Visualization: expanding scientific and engineering research opportunities

The use of scientific visualization to represent the solutions obtained in computational science and engineering is discussed. The short- and long-term needs of those who use visualization tools and those who create them are addressed. For the user a three-tiered model environment is beginning to emerge that categorizes visualization systems by such factors as power, cost, and software support. Workstations with access to supercomputers are also required. The need to educate the scientific and engineering research communities about the available equipment is also discussed, and the available software and hardware are described. >
A systematic study of the reaction dynamics of aluminium, thorium, group IV A and V A metal-oxygen active combustion systems

Abstract The measured burning rates vs. oxygen pressure of Al, Th, Group IV A and V A metals, are found to exhibit the same characteristic behavior. This is shown to result from the fact that the reaction dynamics are diffusion-limited. The single-strand technique is shown to enable observation of the heretofore unresolved inner-flame zone. The marked difference between Al and the other systems studied, is clearly demonstrated and related to the occurrence of superheating. In addition, heat conduction in these high-temperature, active combustion systems is shown to be inadequately explained on the basis of a conventional Fickian analysis.
COCA: online distributed resource management for cost minimization and carbon neutrality in data centers

Due to the enormous energy consumption and associated environmental concerns, data centers have been increasingly pressured to reduce long-term net carbon footprint to zero, i.e., carbon neutrality. In this paper, we propose an online algorithm, called COCA (optimizing for COst minimization and CArbon neutrality), for minimizing data center operational cost while satisfying carbon neutrality without long-term future information. Unlike the existing research, COCA enables distributed server-level resource management: each server autonomously adjusts its processing speed and optimally decides the amount of workloads to process. We prove that COCA achieves a close-to-minimum operational cost (incorporating both electricity and delay costs) compared to the optimal algorithm with future information, while bounding the potential violation of carbon neutrality. We also perform trace-based simulation studies to complement the analysis, and the results show that COCA reduces cost by more than 25% (compared to state of the art) while resulting in a smaller carbon footprint.
Coffee intake, variants in genes involved in caffeine metabolism, and the risk of epithelial ovarian cancer

We evaluated whether genetic variability, as well as menopausal status, modify the association between coffee intake and risk of ovarian cancer. Risk factor information and biologic specimens from three large epidemiological studies, the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS), NHSII, and the New England based Case-Control Study of ovarian cancer (NECC) were pooled resulting in 1,354 ovarian cancer cases and 1,851 controls for analysis. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated using conditional (NHS/NHSII) and unconditional (NECC) logistic regression. Coffee consumption was not associated with overall risk (OR = 0.99; 95% CI 0.77–1.28); however, there was a suggested increased risk of ovarian cancer among premenopausal women in the NECC only and an inverse association among postmenopausal women. Carrying one or both of the variant CYP19013 A or CYP19027 G alleles was associated with an 18% increased (P for trend = 0.02) and 15% decreased (P for trend = 0.05) risk of ovarian cancer, respectively. Variation in CYP1A1, CYP1A2, or CYP2A6 did not explain the inconsistent reports of coffee intake and risk. Furthermore, we did not observe any clear gene–environment interactions between caffeine metabolizing genes and ovarian cancer. Future studies evaluating mechanisms by which coffee mediates this relationship are warranted.
Sequential design of linear quadratic state regulators with prescribed eigenvalues and specified relative stability

This paper considers the problem of optimal regulator design of linear multivariable systems with prescribed pole locations and/or poles corresponding to specified relative stability. A sequential method based on the frequency-domain optimality condition is proposed for achieving the desired pole assignment and determination of the corresponding quadratic performance index. This design method enables the retention of some stable open-loop poles and the associated eigenvectors in the closed-loop system. An illustrative example is provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Hypercalcemia in the etiology of puerperal psychosis

Abstract The serum calcium of 53 recently delivered mothers hospitalized for severe puerperal psychiatric illness, which represented the whole intake from a defined catchement area, was compared with that of 35 female psychiatric patients and that of 49 normal postnatal women. The mean corrected and ionized serum calcium values of the puerperal psychiatric patients with no personal or family history of psychiatric disorder were markedly above the normal range. They were also significantly higher than those of the puerperal psychiatric patients with a personal or family history of pscychiatric illness and those of the two control groups. There was a modest positive correlation between the degree of hypercalcemia and the severity of the psychiatric illness. The follow-up of 16 puerperal psychiatric patients indicated that the fall in ionized serum calcium levels correlated positively and significantly with the improvement in rated symptomatology. Patients with severe puerperal psychiatric disorder can be divided etiologically into two groups. The larger proportion is psychiatrically vulnerable, but in the remainder (about a third of the total number), the psychiatric illness appears to be related to a disorder of calcium homeostasis in the puerperium.
Aortoesophageal fistula: Case report and literature review

Abstract Fistulous communication between the aorta and esophagus is a rare but usually fatal disorder. Esophageal foreign bodies have been reported to cause aortoesophageal fistula rarely. Spontaneous aortoesophageal fistula as a result of atherosclerotic disease of the aorta has not been reported. This article describes a case of aortoesophageal fistula caused by an ulcerated atherosclerotic plaque, which we believe is the first case report implicating such an etiologic factor. (J VASC SURG 1987;6:379-82.)
Interseeding Warm‐season Grasses Followed by High Intensity Grazing Enhances Pasture Productivity

Pasture renovation by interseeding can be an efficient way to introduce native warm-season grasses into low-producing cool-season pastures, provided that the existing sod can be managed to favor establishment and stand persistence. The objectives were to test interseeding warm-season grasses into cool-season pasture using grazing or herbicide sod suppression treatments and the effects of prescribed grazing events on stand development. The grazing treatment was applied using sheep at a high stocking rate to achieve a residual grazing height of < 2.5 cm in autumn and in the spring prior to seedling emergence. The herbicide treatment was an application of glyphosate in early October. Native warm-season grasses were seeded in mid-March (2004 and 2005). Warm-season grass biomass harvested the year after establishment was greater (P < 0.01) for the herbicide sod suppression treatment (5700 kg/ha) than the grazing treatment (20 kg/ha). Three years of prescribed grazing significantly (P < 0.01) enhanced the warmseason grass composition from 56 to 70% and from 1 to 12% in the herbicide and grazed sod suppression plots, respectively. Herbicides are integral to successfully interseeding warm-season grasses into cool-season pastures. Shortduration, high-density grazing can be appropriately timed to increase the competitiveness of warm-season grasses and decrease the cool-season grasses of interseeded stands.
Some notes on Z-matrices

Abstract An inequality is obtained relating the eigenvalue of minimum modulus of an N0-matrix A to the eigenvalue of minimum modulus of (A⧸A11)—the Schur complement of A11 in A—where A11 is an M-matrix. Similar results are obtained for irreducible M-matrices and irreducible nonsingular F0-matrices. Circulant N0-matrices of order three are characterized in terms of their spectrum. Matrices whose inverses are F0-matrices are shown to have nonpositive almost principal minors.
Water level records used to evaluate deformation within the Yellowstone caldera, Yellowstone National Park

Abstract Water level records from gages on the shore of Yellowstone Lake and at its outlet are used to evaluate deformation year-by-year since 1923 on the southeastern flank of Yellowstone caldera. There is good agreement with deformation as measured by precise benchmark leveling surveys in 1923, 1976, 1983, 1984 and 1985. The water level record provides documentation of historical deformation of a large, dynamic, silicic caldera available by no other means, and it gives detail lacking from benchmark leveling prior to 1983 when annual surveys began. The data from southwest of Fishing Bridge suggest that this portion of the caldera has undergone relatively monotonic inflation since 1923 (0.4 μ radian/a up to the northeast) with a small, quasi-oscillatory variation superimposed. North of Fishing Bridge, the data suggest a higher rate with onset of quasi-oscillatory uplift ca. 1940 and a leveling-off since ca. 1965. Of particular importance are: the suggestion of episodic uplift and subsidence; the apparent lack of significant devation at the time of the M = 7.5 Hebgen Lake earthquake (1959); and the apparent subsidence of the intra-caldera area north of Fishing Bridge at the time of the M = 6.1. Norris earthquake (1975) with concurrent inflation of the flank of the caldera to the southwest.
Glycerol 3-phosphate dehydrogenase gene expression in cultured 3T3-L1 adipocytes: regulation by insulin, dexamethasone and dibutyryl cAMP at the level of mRNA abundancem transcription and mRNA stability

Abstract In fully differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes, glycerol 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (G3PDH:Sn-glycerol 3-phosphate:NAD+ oxidoreductase, EC 1.1.1.8) is subject to regulation by hormones and dibutyryl cAMP. An increase by insulin (4-fold) and decrease by dexamethasone (by 50%) and dibutyryl cAMP (by 70%) was observed for G3PDH mRNA abundance as analyzed by Northern blot hybridization. In addition, incubation of adipocytes with dibutyryl cAMP resulted in 3-fold increase in G3PDH gene transcription as measured by nuclear transcript elongation assay. The effects of these modulators on the control of G3PDH mRNA stability were also investigated. The G3PDH mRNA has a half-life of about 125 min. Dibutyryl cAMP caused an increase in G3PDH mRNA degradation by > 2-fold ( t 1 2 = 55 min ) whereas insulin had an opposite effect ( t 1 2 = 240 min ) and dexamethasone was without any effect on G3PDH mRNA stability. Taken together, our results directly demonstrate that in fully differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes the regulation of G3PDH gene expression by dibutyryl cAMP and insulin is exerted by alterations in transcription as well as mRNA stability.
Convex Formulations of Air Traffic Flow Optimization Problems

The problem of regulating air traffic in the en route airspace of the National Airspace System is studied using a Eulerian network model to describe air traffic flow. The evolution of traffic on each edge of the network is modeled by a modified Lighthill-Whitham-Richards partial differential equation. The equation is transformed with a variable change, which makes it linear and enables us to use linear finite difference schemes to discretize the problem. We pose the problem of optimal traffic flow regulation as a continuous optimization program in which the partial differential equation appears in the constraints. We propose a discrete formulation of this problem, which makes all constraints (the discretized partial differential equations, boundary, and initial conditions) linear. Corresponding linear programming and quadratic programming based solutions to this convex optimization program yield globally optimal solutions to various air traffic management objectives. The proposed method is applied to the maximization of aircraft arrivals and minimization of delays in the arrival airspace due to exogenous capacity reductions. The corresponding linear and quadratic programs are solved numerically using CPLEX for a benchmark scenario in the Oakland Air Route Traffic Control Center. Several computational aspects of the method are assessed-in particular, accuracy of the numerical discretization, computational time, and storage space required by the method.
Nd3+ laser crystal efficiency

Abstract Characteristic laser efficiency parameters important to Nd 3+ doped in various crystalline materials are analyzed. Nd 3+ : LaF 3 was used as a comparative example. Overall laser-crystal performance contributions are emphasized in discussing each parameter. An overview table was compiled containing parameters for comparison of a wide range of crystalline hosts, according to groups of references.
Type X Collagen Degradation in Long-Term Serum-Free Culture of the Embryonic Chick Tibia Following Production of Active Collagenase and Gelatinase

Type X collagen has a very limited distribution during skeletal development in regions of hypertrophic cartilage destined for degradation. In solution assay, type X collagen is degraded to a 32-kDa cleavage product which is resistant to further degradation, suggesting this product may have a function in skeletal development. In this study, we have identified the 32-kDa cleavage product of type X collagen present in the conditioned media (CM) during incubation of isolated 12-day chick tibiae in the absence of serum. In this culture system, chondrocytes throughout the tibial cartilages hypertrophied and deposited type X collagen within their matrix. During culture, the cartilage matrix was degraded in two stages. First proteoglycan was lost followed by degradation of the collagenous components. Collagen degradation was accompanied by the release of active interstitial collagenase and gelatinase into the CM. Purified type X collagen incubated in this CM was cleaved to form a 32-kDa product which was resistant to further degradation. This cleavage product has the same electrophoretic mobility as the 32-kDa chain produced by purified human collagenase.
Modulation, photoluminescence, and Raman spectroscopy of semiconductor heterostructures

Abstract Using illustrative examples from the investigations of the author and his collaborators, it is shown that (1) piezo-modulated reflectivity (2) photoluminescence and (3) Raman spectroscopy can be effectively used in the study of collective and localized excitations in semiconductor heterostructures. Results on epilayers of Cd 1−x Mn x Te:In and ZnSe and quantum well structures of GaAs/Al x Ga 1−x As; Cd 1−x Mn x Te/Cd 1−y Mn y Te; Cd 1−x Mn x Te/CdTe; Cd 1−x Mn x Te:In/CdTe are discussed.
A simplified method for the computation of Burke-Schumann flames in infinite atmospheres

Highly overventilated laminar coflow diffusion flames in axisymmetric geometry are addressed for Lewis numbers of unity in the reaction-sheet approximation with effects of buoyancy taken into account. A simple method of numerical integration with the boundary-layer approximation in stream-function coordinates is given, and results for flame structures and for Lagrangian histories are presented for hydrocarbon-air flames. Computed flame heights are shown to be in good agreement with experiment. The computational approach can efficiently employ standard routines on low-power work stations and personal computers.
Chiral O-(Z-α-Aminoacyl) Sugars: Convenient Building Blocks for Glycopeptide Libraries

1,2:3,4-Di-O-isopropylidene-alpha-D-galactopyranose (2), 1,2:5,6-di-O-isopropylidene-d-glucose (5), and 2,3:5,6-di-O-isopropylidene-alpha-D-mannofuranose (7) are efficiently O-acylated in 78-96% yields with readily available N-(Z-alpha-aminoacyl)benzotriazoles 1a-e, 1d+1d' under microwave irradiation to give chiral 3a-d, 4, 6a-d, 8a,b and diastereomeric mixtures (3d+3d'), (6a+6a'), and (6d+6d'). The original chirality was retained as evidenced by HPLC. The diisopropylidene protecting groups were removed from compounds 3a,d, 6d to give the free O-(Z-alpha-aminoacyl) sugars 9a,b, 10.
AN EXPERIMENT IN DETERMINISTIC WATERSHED MODELING

An experimental three-dimensional finite-difference watershed model in the form of a Fortran IV program was constructed. The model was an oversimplified one which divided the watershed volume into layers of cells which represented the overland flow, the vadose, and the phreatic zones. Water budget equations which utilized such formulas as Darcy's law and Manning's equation were applied to each interior cell. The resulting set of simultaneous equations was solved for heads at the end of successive time increments. This information was transformed to streamflow and other hydrologic output. Input was weather data, which effected appropriate adjustments in the cells representing the surface-water and vadose zones. After testing the model, it was concluded that this type of model is undesirably sensitive to cell size and length of time increment. In spite of the deficiencies of this primitive model, this general kind of approach to modeling seems promising, but it may be necessary to devise new transport equations which apply to more natural divisions of watersheds.
Human SWI/SNF directs sequence-specific chromatin changes on promoter polynucleosomes

Studies in humans and other species have revealed that a surprisingly large fraction of nucleosomes adopt specific positions on promoters, and that these positions appear to be determined by nucleosome positioning DNA sequences (NPSs). Recent studies by our lab, using minicircles containing only one nucleosome, indicated that the human SWI/SNF complex (hSWI/SNF) prefers to relocate nucleosomes away from NPSs. We now make use of novel mapping techniques to examine the hSWI/SNF sequence preference for nucleosome movement in the context of polynucleosomal chromatin, where adjacent nucleosomes can limit movement and where hSWI/SNF forms altered dinucleosomal structures. Using two NPS templates (5S rDNA and 601) and two hSWI/SNF target promoter templates (c-myc and UGT1A1), we observed hSWI/SNF-driven depletion of normal mononucleosomes from almost all positions that were strongly favored by assembly. In some cases, these mononucleosomes were moved to hSWI/SNF-preferred sequences. In the majority of other cases, one repositioned mononucleosome appeared to combine with an unmoved mononucleosome forming a specifically localized altered or normal dinucleosome. These effects result in dramatic, template-specific changes in nucleosomal distribution. Taken together, these studies indicate hSWI/SNF is likely to activate or repress transcription of its target genes by generating promoter sequence-specific changes in chromatin configuration.
The dynamics of the Mississippi River plume: Impact of topography, wind and offshore forcing on the fate of plume waters

[1] High-resolution numerical simulations of the northern Gulf of Mexico region using the Hybrid Coordinate Ocean Model (HYCOM) were employed to investigate the dynamical processes controlling the fate of the Mississippi River plume, in particular the conditions that favor cross-marginal transport. The study focuses on the effects of topography, wind-driven and eddy-driven circulation on the offshore removal of plume waters. A realistically forced simulation (nested in a data-assimilative regional Gulf of Mexico HYCOM model) reveals that the offshore removal is a frequent plume pathway. Eastward wind-driven currents promote large freshwater transport toward the shelf break and the DeSoto Canyon, where eddies with diameters ranging from 50 to 130 km interact with the buoyant plume and effectively entrain the riverine waters. Our estimates show that the offshore removal by eddies can be as large as the wind-driven shelf transport. The proximity of eddies to the shelf break is a sufficient condition for offshore removal, and shelf-to-offshore interaction is facilitated by the steep bottom topography near the delta. Strong eddy-plume interactions were observed when the Loop Current System impinged against the shelf break, causing the formation of coherent, narrow low-salinity bands that extended toward the gulf interior. The offshore pathways depend on the position of the eddies near the shelf edge, their life span and the formation of eddy pairs that generate coherent cross-shelf flows. This study elucidates the dynamics that initiate a unique cross-marginal removal mechanism of riverine low-salinity, nutrient-rich waters, allowing their export along connectivity pathways, induced by a large-scale current system.