cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Two distinct cinnamoyl-CoA reductases in Selaginella moellendorffii offer insight into the divergence of CCRs in plants

Two distinct cinnamoyl-coenzyme A reductases (CCRs) from Selaginella moellendorffii were evaluated, and of these, SmCCR2-1, which has both distinct sequence motifs and catalytic properties, was clustered into a new CCR subgroup. Cinnamoyl-coenzyme A reductases (CCRs) have been reported in many land plants to have critical functions in monolignol biosynthesis. In this study, we performed a genome-wide screen and obtained two distinct SmCCRs from S. moellendorffii. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that SmCCR2 (both SmCCR2-1 and 2-2) and SmCCR3 together with PpaCCR belong to a distinct subgroup of genuine CCRs with variations in the NAD(P)H-binding motif. Enzymatic assays showed detectable activity by both SmCCR1 and SmCCR2-1 toward four hydroxycinnamoyl-CoA esters. SmCCR1, which clustered with reported CCRs from angiosperms and gymnosperms, exhibited specificity toward feruloyl-CoA, while SmCCR2-1 showed a preference for sinapoyl-CoA. Interestingly, the reaction temperature profiles for SmCCR1 and SmCCR2-1 are complementary. Homology models and molecular simulations suggest that the variations in NADPH-binding motifs, especially R(X)6K instead of R(X)5K, affect the NADP+ conformation. Notably, the signature motif NWYCY was replaced with NGYCL in SmCCR1 and with EWYCL in SmCCR2-1, while the signature residues H202 and R253, reported in a previous study, were conserved in SmCCR1 and SmCCR2-1 but varied in SmCCR-like genes. It is likely that NWYCY is not a reliable signature for CCRs in plants. The detectable activity of site-direct mutant S123T of SmCCR1 suggested that S123 which consists of catalytic triad is changeable. Possible evolution process for the emergence of two subgroups of genuine CCRs was also revealed. Altogether, these findings revise our understanding of CCRs with regard to divergence and active sites.
General principles for a Generalized Idea Garden

Many systems are designed to help novices who want to learn programming, but few support those who are not necessarily interested in learning programming. This paper targets the subset of end-user programmers (EUPs) in this category. We present a set of principles on how to help EUPs like this learn just a little when they need to overcome a barrier. We then instantiate the principles in a prototype and empirically investigate them in three studies: a formative think-aloud study, a pair of summer camps attended by 42 teens, and a third summer camp study featuring a different environment attended by 48 teens. Finally, we present a generalized architecture to facilitate the inclusion of Idea Gardens into other systems, illustrating with examples from Idea Garden prototypes. Results have been very encouraging. For example, under our principles, Study #2s camp participants required significantly less in-person help than in a previous camp to learn the same amount of material in the same amount of time. The Idea Garden, based on 7 principles, supports several dimensions of diversity.The Idea Garden helps stuck EUPs by providing just-in-time problem-solving support.Three separate environments have hosted versions of the Idea Garden.Each version was empirically evaluated for effectiveness.The Idea Garden can be ported to other environments via a generalized architecture.
Inclusion is dead: long live inclusion

This is a very powerful little book (just 102 pages of well-crafted, pointed text, followed by references and both author and subject indexes). The authors are English and write from the perspectiv...
Institutional Scientific Review of Cancer Clinical Research Protocols: A Unique Requirement That Affects Activation Timelines

Purpose:The National Cancer Institute (NCI) requirement that clinical trials at NCI-designated cancer centers undergo institutional scientific review in addition to institutional review board evaluation is unique among medical specialties. We sought to evaluate the effect of this process on protocol activation timelines.Methods:We analyzed oncology clinical trials that underwent full board review by the Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center Protocol Review and Monitoring Committee (PRMC) from January 1, 2009, through June 30, 2013. We analyzed associations between trial characteristics, PRMC decisions, protocol modifications, and process timelines using the χ2 test, Fisher’s exact test, Wilcoxon rank sum test, Kruskal-Wallis test, and logistic regression.Results:A total of 226 trials were analyzed. Of these, 77% were industry sponsored and 23% were investigator initiated. The median time from submission to PRMC approval was 55 days. The length of review was associated with trial phase, timing of a...
The 'Familization' of the Professional Family Firm: A theoretical recruiting framework

Integrating the theories of attraction-selection-attrition and stewardship, I propose a theoretical framework for family firm recruiting of nonfamily employees, demonstrating how the unique goals a...
Disease of mRNA Regulation: Relevance for Ischemic Brain Injury

In this mini-review we give an overview of the role of mRNA-binding proteins and their associated messenger ribonucleoprotein complexes (mRNPs) in several disease states, and bring this information to bear on the pathophysiology of brain ischemia. One conclusion reached is that mRNPs may play a causal role in proteotoxicity instead of being merely passive targets. Ischemia therapies targeting mRNPs have advantages over targeting single pathways, but the behavior of mRNPs needs to be considered in the design of therapies.
Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma

Mycosis fungoides and its leukemic variant, Sezary syndrome, are malignancies of skin-homing T-cells that represent the most common types of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL). Treatments of CTCL reviewed are those current and emerging therapies for CTCL that modify the host biologic response and address the immune dysregulation that occurs in these patients.
Hydrothermal Germination Models: Assessment of the Wet-Thermal Approximation of Potential Field Response

Hydrothermal (HT) models can be used to characterize seed germination response to field-variable conditions of temperature (T) and water potential (Ψ). Hydrothermal response data are relatively difficult to generate, which limits their utility for large-scale comparisons of inter- and intraspecies germination response. Previous studies have hypothesized that HT germination response can be estimated using a simple model for thermal-time accumulation above a fixed threshold of environmental Ψ (wet-thermal [WT] model). The purpose of this study was to test this hypothesis by explicitly comparing HT and WT germination rates and estimated cumulative germination response of 13 rangeland grass seedlots under simulated conditions of field-variable T and Ψ. We used a 44-yr weather record to parameterize a seedbed-microclimate model for estimation of hourly T and Ψ at seeding depth for a sandy loam soil type at the Orchard field test site in southwestern Ada County, Idaho. Hydrothermal and WT germination responses for each hour of the simulation were estimated for 13 range grass seedlots. We found that overestimation of germination rate by thermal accumulation at low Ψ contributed relatively little to WT model error rates, and that >95% of the variability in predicted germination response could be explained by WT germination response above a Ψ threshold of −0.3 to −0.5 MPa. Given the pulse-like nature of favorable germination conditions in the field, this modeling approach may have immediate and wide potential application, as there are a relatively large number of thermal-germination datasets currently available for rangeland plant species.
A Comparison of the Roles of Calcium in Biomineralization and in Cytosolic Signalling

Calcium serves at least two very significant and distinct functions in Biology—one as a structural component, the other in information transfer. We are seeking unifying principles or a general conceptual framework within which we can study these phenomena. The following observations should be relevant.
The Significance of Gene Duplication in Immunoglobulin Evolution (Epimethean Natural Selection and Promethean Evolution)

Antibodies produced by B cells of man and other mammals are specified by three autosomally inherited gene clusters that are not linked to each other. The first cluster is for κ-type light (L) chains, while the second is for λ-type L chains. The third specifies various classes of heavy (H) chains (Grubb, 1970; Mage et al., 1973). Each cluster apparently contains a small number (1–10 or so) of constant (C)-region genes and a greater number (up to the order of 102) of variable (V)-region genes (Hood et al., 1975). Inasmuch as L and H chains are the components of a single antibody molecule, the observed nonlinkage of relevant genes reveals that vertebrates are perfectly capable of coordinating the activities of nonlinked genes. In fact, the nonlinkage of coordinatedly regulated genes is a rule rather than an exception; i.e., hemoglobin α- and β-chain genes are not linked. Furthermore, even the observed close linkage between V-region and C-region genes within each cluster may be no functional prerequisite, merely reflecting their evolutionary origin in that they arose as tandem repeats of an ancestral gene. It now appears (see Greaves, 1975) that for their cell-bound antibodies or receptors, T cells also utilize the sameset of V-region genes as B cells, but they make use of an entirely different set of C-region genes that may reside within the major histocompatibility locus, i.e., H-2 of mice and HLA of man (Gally and Edelman, 1972). Indeed, the HLA gene complex of man, which is carried by chromosome 6, is not linked to any of the three gene clusters for immunoglobulins (Ig’s). Furthermore, the s 2-microglobulin locus is on yet another chromosome: chromosome 15 (Goodfellow et al., 1975).
Should all colorectal cancer patients over age 60 be screened for prostate cancer

Two large, randomized studies have demonstrated a prostate cancer-specific survival benefit to prostate cancer screening using the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) assay. Yet, the US Preventive Services Task Force recently recommended against PSA-based screening for prostate cancer, claiming it results in more harm than good, given concerns regarding overtreatment. The purpose of this article is to characterize the patients with colorectal cancer who are most likely to benefit from PSA-based screening for prostate cancer. Because the survival benefit due to PSA-based screening does not manifest until 7 years after screening is initiated, we conclude that PSA screening is most appropriate for men with a remaining life expectancy of at least 10 years. Accordingly, younger men with stage I-II colorectal cancers at diagnosis (or stage III colorectal cancer that has not recurred 5 years after treatment) who have no or minimal comorbidities and who are at increased risk for either a diagnosis of prostate cancer or mortality secondary to prostate cancer (patients who have a positive family history or are African-American, respectively) are most likely to experience more good outcomes than harmful ones as a result of undergoing PSA-based screening.
Analysis of multiple physiological sensor data

Physiological measures offer many benefits to psychological research including objective, non-intrusive assessment of affective and cognitive states. However, this utility is limited by analysis techniques available for testing data recorded by multiple physiological sensors. The present paper presents one set of data that was attained from a repeated measures design with a nominal independent variable for analysis. Specifically, the International Affective Picture System (IAPS; Lang, Bradley, & Cuthbert, 2008), a series of images known to convey seven different emotions, was presented to participants while measures of their neurological activity (Electroencephalogram; EEG), heart rate (Electrocardiogram; ECG), skin conductance (Galvanic Skin Respond; GSR), and pupillary response were taken. Subsequently, a discussion of statistics available for analyzing responses attained from the various sensors is presented. Such statistics include correlation, ANOVA, MANOVA, regression, and discriminant function analysis. The details on design limitations are addressed and recommendations are given for employing each statistical option.
The USDA perspective on dioxin concentrations in dairy and beef.

The major dioxin-related research activities in the United States Department of Agriculture are 1) a survey of dioxin levels in beef samples collected at 13 experiment stations throughout the United States, 2) a feeding study of eight dioxins, four furans, and three PCB at levels equal to or above levels expected at highly industrialized locations, and 3) metabolism studies of 14 C-labeled dioxin congeners. Preliminary results indicate that geographical location may influence dioxin concentrations in beef and that bulls may have concentrations higher than those in other slaughter animals. Metabolism of nontoxic congeners seems to be rather complex, involving the arene oxide pathway, NIH type shifting of chlorine, and conjugation with sulfuric acid and glucuronic acids.
How Children Piece Together Culture through Relationships

This chapter provides an overview of Gestalt theory and its relevance to psychological anthropology. Drawing on Gestalt principles, the chapter introduces the concept of configurational learning. It argues that this learning facilitates children’s sense-making capacities as they are mentored into culturally resonant ways of attending to, and aligning, dimensions of experience in conjunction with one another. On this view, children actively assemble culturally salient information into an intelligible, culturally patterned “whole.” The chapter provides a comparative analysis of such learning by examining children’s sleep practices in two diverse cultural settings: the Beng people of Cote d’Ivoire and middle-class families in Los Angeles, California. It proposes that configurational learning depends, first, on the cultural shaping of attentional processes. Concurrently, intersubjective attunement facilitates this learning as caregiver and child orchestrate a consensually shared frame of reference that sets a feeling tone and moral valence for apperception, understanding, and action. The chapter asserts that psychocultural Gestalt processes of configurational learning are pivotal in composing culturally emergent selves and sensibilities, and, thus, are central for understanding how cultural practices operate from the ground up. The chapter concludes with a discussion about the utility of Gestalt theory to contemporary psychological anthropology and allied fields.
Development of a Biolabeling System Using Ferromagnetic Nanowires

This paper presents the development of a biolabeling system using different ferromagnetic nanowire types. The proposed biolabeling system concept includes a cell separation procedure description using magnetic nanowires and how nanowires can be used and identified as biolabels. A study on single magnetic nanowire behavior is performed, and the algorithm used to characterize and identify each nanowire type separately and from a mix of multiple types is described. The algorithm is verified using measurement data from individual nanowire array samples and stacked combinations of cobalt, iron, and nickel. From the strong correlation between the measured transmission coefficient data of magnetic nanowire arrays and a mathematical model, the potential of interpreting multiple magnetic nanowire types inside cells is confirmed.
Cystine-glutamate antiporter xCT deficiency suppresses tumor growth while preserving antitumor immunity.

T cell-invigorating cancer immunotherapies have near-curative potential. However, their clinical benefit is currently limited, as only a fraction of patients respond, suggesting that these regimens may benefit from combination with tumor-targeting treatments. As oncogenic progression is accompanied by alterations in metabolic pathways, tumors often become heavily reliant on antioxidant machinery and may be susceptible to increases in oxidative stress. The cystine–glutamate antiporter xCT is frequently overexpressed in cancer and fuels the production of the antioxidant glutathione; thus, tumors prone to redox stress may be selectively vulnerable to xCT disruption. However, systemic inhibition of xCT may compromise antitumor immunity, as xCT is implicated in supporting antigen-induced T cell proliferation. Therefore, we utilized immune-competent murine tumor models to investigate whether cancer cell expression of xCT was required for tumor growth in vivo and if deletion of host xCT impacted antitumor immune responses. Deletion of xCT in tumor cells led to defective cystine uptake, accumulation of reactive oxygen species, and impaired tumor growth, supporting a cancer cell-autonomous role for xCT. In contrast, we observed that, although T cell proliferation in culture was exquisitely dependent on xCT expression, xCT was dispensable for T cell proliferation in vivo and for the generation of primary and memory immune responses to tumors. These findings prompted the combination of tumor cell xCT deletion with the immunotherapeutic agent anti–CTLA-4, which dramatically increased the frequency and durability of antitumor responses. Together, these results identify a metabolic vulnerability specific to tumors and demonstrate that xCT disruption can expand the efficacy of anticancer immunotherapies.
Structural, Magnetic and Electrical Properties of Bi1.4La0.6Sr2CaCu2‐x MnxOy Compounds.

Title compounds with a Mn content of x ≤ 4.5% are prepared by a sol—gel method from aqueous solutions of the metal nitrates followed by sintering at 840—866 °C for 10 h.
ASMR: bodily pleasure, online performance, digital modality

A woman taps her fingernails against the bristles of a hairbrush. A young man snaps his fingers on either side of a visible binaural microphone. A girl speaks softly, almost whispering; each of her...
High Adsorption of Benzoic Acid on Single Walled Carbon Nanotube Bundles.

Removal of harmful chemicals from water is paramount to environmental cleanliness and safety. As such, need for materials that will serve this purpose is in the forefront of environmental research that pertains to water purification. Here we show that bundles of single walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs), synthesized by direct thermal decomposition of ferrocene (Fe(C5H5)2), can remove emerging contaminants like benzoic acid from water with high efficiencies. Experimental adsorption isotherm studies indicate that the sorption capacity of benzoic acid on these carbon nanotubes (CNTs) can be as high as 375 mg/g, which is significantly higher (in some cases an order of magnitude) than those reported previously for other adsorbents of benzoic acid such as activated carbon cloth, modified bentonite and commercially available graphitized multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWNTs). Our Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulation studies of experimental scenarios provided major insights related to this process of adsorption. The MD simulations indicate that, high binding energy sites present in SWNT bundles are majorly responsible for their enhanced adsorptive behavior compared to isolated MWNTs. These findings indicate that SWNT materials can be developed as scalable materials for efficient removal of environmental contaminants as well as for other sorption-based applications.
Fast oscillations, collisionless relaxation, and spurious evolution of supernova neutrino flavor

Mounting evidence indicates that neutrinos likely undergo fast flavor conversion (FFC) in at least some core-collapse supernovae. Outcomes of FFC, however, remain highly uncertain. Here we study the cascade of flavor-field power from large angular scales in momentum space down to small ones, showing that FFC enhances this process and thereby hastens relaxation. Cascade also poses a computational challenge, which is present even if the flavor field is stable: When power reaches the smallest angular scale of the calculation, error from truncating the angular-moment expansion propagates back to larger scales, to disastrous effect on the overall evolution. Essentially the same issue has prompted extensive work in the context of plasma kinetics. This link suggests new approaches to averting spurious evolution, a problem that presently puts severe limitations on the feasibility of realistic oscillation calculations.
Preparing Future UX Professionals: Human Skills, Technical Skills, and Dispositions

The field of user experience (UX) is growing and rapidly evolving. As instructors who teach in and help design UX programs for students in higher education, we are interested in developing compelling and relevant educational experiences for our students who aim to work as UX professionals. To gain a better understanding of the current expectations for working in the UX industry, we conducted 64 interviews with 71 senior UX industry professionals to learn about their current practices and their expectations of what skills new employees need to be successful working in UX. In this paper, we present a subset of findings from the study that focus on desired skills (both human and technical) and dispositions of UX employees. We discuss the implications of this research for teachers and students and a call for future work.
Nonlinear Particle Acceleration in Oblique Shocks

The solution of the nonlinear diffusive shock acceleration problem, where the pressure of the non-thermal population is sufficient to modify the shock hydrodynamics, is widely recognized as a key to understanding particle acceleration in a variety of astrophysical environments. We have developed a Monte Carlo technique for self-consistently calculating the hydrodynamic structure of oblique, steady state shocks, together with the first-order Fermi acceleration process and associated nonthermal particle distributions. This is the first internally consistent treatment of modified shocks that includes cross-field diffusion of particles. Our method overcomes the injection problem faced by analytic descriptions of shock acceleration and the lack of adequate dynamic range and artificial suppression of cross-field diffusion faced by plasma simulations; it currently provides the most broad and versatile description of collisionless shocks undergoing efficient particle acceleration. We present solutions for plasma quantities and particle distributions upstream and downstream of shocks, illustrating the strong differences observed between nonlinear and test particle cases. It is found that, for strong scattering, there are only marginal differences in the injection efficiency and resultant spectra for two extreme scattering modes, namely large-angle scattering and pitch-angle diffusion, for a wide range of shock parameters, i.e., for nonper-pendicular subluminal shocks with field obliquities less than or equal to 75° and de Hoffmann-Teller frame speeds much less than the speed of light.
Infrared Generalized Uncertainty Principles Applied To LRS Bianchi I Quantum Cosmology

We propose two higher order generalized uncertainty principles(GUPs) which predict a minimum uncertainty in momentum and apply the deformations that they entail of the Heisenberg algebra to one half of the phase space of the LRS Bianchi I models. After numerically solving the resultant Wheeler Dewitt equations we analyze our solutions and provide evidence that potential IR effects of quantum gravity could have played a role in selecting an overwhelmingly likely geometrical configuration that a quantum universe can possess. In addition we propose a GUP which predicts both a minimum uncertainty in momentum and a maximal measurable length scale which can be interpreted as a fixed maximum cosmological horizon. The results contained in this work provide further incentives to study what effects higher order GUP(s) have on quantum cosmology so we can obtain a better understanding of how quantum gravity could have impacted cosmological evolution.
Analyzing a human-in-the-loop's decisions for the detection of data poisoning

Human-in-the-loop (HITL) is the process of combining the power of a machine or computer system and human intelligence to develop human-aware machine learning (ML) models. The HITL process creates a continuous feedback loop between human and machine, enabling the trained model to continuously improve as edge cases present themselves without the need to fine-tune the model from scratch. Several advantages of utilizing HITL ML systems are to avoid bias, ensure consistency and accuracy, improve efficiency, and provide transparency. However, adding human involvement also invites human mistakes. Occasionally, a HITL system may actually degrade the algorithm rather than improve it: mislabeling an object in an object detection algorithm, incorrectly scoring an algorithm’s output, making misclicks and typos, and other human errors cause the HITL to make a mistake based on the facts presented to it. These errors being made by the user, intentional or not, can be considered a form of data poisoning. To understand the effects of a HITL’s choices on an ML model, several pieces of information during the HITL process can be observed, i.e.,: the time taken by the user to provide input on an output or on a specific object class, as well as an evaluation of the consistency of submitted valid inputs, among other factors. Information extracted from the HITL’s decision-making process can provide insights into whether poor choices are being made by the user (i.e., data poisoning) and identify where, when, and why these choices are being made. Many state-of-the-art models can be utilized for this work, such as ResNet-50, DarkNet-53, Xception, among others. However, for this work, we are less focused on the model being used and more focused on the procedure for tracking HITL performance to maximize model improvement. Nevertheless, this work will consider a pretrained model, though the approach will be model agnostic. The dataset used in this research is the publicly available “Flowers Recognition” dataset available on Kaggle.1
Segmentation of Equity and Options Markets

Investors can reflect their negative information by short selling and (or) options trading. This paper examines whether the equity and option markets are segmented by testing if options trading and stock shorting are driven by the same set of negative information. We find that the option market based signals predict future returns more reliably than the short-sale based signals. Short-sellers in the stock market only profit when their convictions line-up with negative signals in the options market. Our tests indicate that short sellers are less rational than option market traders and they are also slower at incorporating information. Our findings are consistent with behavioral finance theories of market segmentation and short-seller overconfidence.
Structural features of the metal binding site and dynamics of gallium putidaredoxin, a diamagnetic derivative of a Cys4Fe2S2 ferredoxin.

The first reconstitution of an Fe2S2ferredoxin with a diamagnetic prosthetic group was recently described[Kazanis et al. (1995) J. Am. Chem. Soc., 117, 6625–6626]. Thereplacement of the iron–sulfur cluster of the bacterial ferredoxinputidaredoxin (Pdx) by gallium (Ga3+) renders the proteindiamagnetic and permits the use of high-resolution NMR methods to identifyresonances near the metal binding site. We now describe structural featuresof the metal binding site that are not observable by standard NMR methods innative Pdx due to paramagnetic line broadening. These results provide thefirst example of high-resolution NMR-derived structural data concerning themetal binding domain of an Fe2S2 ferredoxin, andthe first structural information of any sort for the metal binding site of aferredoxin from this class, which includes adrenodoxin, placental ferredoxinand terpredoxin. Assignments were obtained by applying multidimensional NMRmethods to a series of selectively and nonselectively 15N- and13C/15N-labeled GaPdx samples. For mostexperiments, a mutant of Pdx was used in which a nonligatingCys85 is replaced by serine. All of the major structuralfeatures that were identified in native Pdx are conserved in GaPdx. Theoverall protein dynamics is considerably faster in GaPdx than in the nativeprotein, as reflected by amide proton exchange rates. The C-terminalresidue, Trp106, also exhibits considerable mobility, asindicated by 15N{1H} NOE and 15NT1 values of the C-terminal residue of the protein.
Starting to Write: Planning the Aims and Overcoming Writer’s Block

Starting to write is the most difficult part of the whole application for most people, especially those who are new to the process. It may seem overwhelming to sit down with a blank document and blinking cursor, and come up with the first words for what will be a 10 or 20 page application. You may have a good overall idea of what you want to do in your research, but translating that into a formal written research plan is a completely different skill.
Microbiological production of lactic acid.

Publisher Summary The chapter focuses on the production of lactic acid by microbiological processes. It discusses the chemical and physical properties of the acid followed by its commercial uses. Lactic acid, 2-hydroxypropanoic acid or α-hydroxypropanoic acid, is served as a food preservative in fermented milks, fruits, vegetables, meats, and breads. Various carbohydrate raw materials are used for lactic acid production by bacteria and molds such as refined carbohydrate raw materials; glucose, sucrose, and starch; complex carbohydrates—cellulose, cereal grains, corn, Jerusalem artichokes, and potatoes; and waste materials—cheese whey and permeate, municipal solid waste, and wood molasses. Factors affecting lactic acid concentrations, productivities, and yields include types of process (batch, fed-batch, or continuous), microorganism, strain, inoculum size and nutritional state, temperature, pH, substrate concentration and pretreatment, the presence of competing contaminants in non sterile systems, the presence of bacteriophages, and inhibition by lactic acid with increasing concentrations and by toxic products from substrate pretreatment such as furfural and hydroxymethylfurfural. The chapter also discusses various methods of product recovery and purification namely precipitation and acidification, centrifugation and microfiltration/ultrfiltration, distillation, ion exchange and adsorption, reverse osmosis, and solvent extraction and extractive fermentation. Various types of process controls are also summarized.
Banking the bear: Financial marketization in Russia

Abstract The world's view of the former Soviet Union since its disintegration in late 1991 has been shaped largely by media coverage of Russia's troubled political landscape: attempted coups, tanks on Red Square, inflammatory nationalistic rhetoric of Vladimir Zhirinovsky, and general uncertainty. To the outsider, chaos seems to reign. Yet economic progress has been made in the last three years. Behind this chaotic democracy lie strong roots for enormous growth in its fledgling financial markets. By adopting Western standards, Russia is cultivating market driven access to capital, the key to any serious economic transformation.
Criteria for Representations of Shape

Three criteria for judging representations of shape are proposed. The criteria are illustrated for the Generalized Cylinder representation of three-dimensional volumes and the Smoothed Local Symmetries representation of planar shapes. A representation for the shape of surfaces is proposed, called Curvature Patches. It is used to extend Smoothed Local Symmetries to a novel three-dimensional representation.
Pore structure analysis by water vapor adsorption

New methods of pore structure analysis have made a complete analysis of the pore systems of solids possible. Nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherms have been used in the analysis to date. There are many important adsorbents that have part of their pore systems, often the major part, inaccessible to nitrogen but accessible to water vapor. The methods used for complete analysis are equally applicable for both adsorbates, but a prerequisite to the use of water vapor is to have t-curves, i.e., curves that give the statistical thickness of the film adsorbed on nonporous adsorbents as a function of the relative pressure. Several t-curves were published for nitrogen, but the first t-curves for water vapor are those presented in this paper. The thickness of the adsorbed film at a given relative pressure depends on the heat of adsorption; consequently, the t-curve to be used is that which matches the heat of adsorption of water on the adsorbent to be analyzed. The C constant of the BET equation is an adequate measure of the heat of adsorption for the purpose of the analysis. Several t-curves are offered, depending on the C constants.
Black Paris: The African Writers' Landscape

Black Paris: The African Writers' Landscape. Bennetta Jules-Rosette. Urbana and Chicago, IL: University of Illinois Press, 1998. 350 pp., illustrations. (US$34.95 Cloth)
The adverse effect of perioperative brimonidine tartrate 0.2% on flap adherence and enhancement rates in laser in situ keratomileusis patients.

Abstract Purpose To investigate the effect of perioperative brimonidine tartrate 0.2% on postoperative flap adherence and enhancement rates in patients undergoing laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK). Design Noncomparative interventional case series. Participants Records of 279 eyes of 144 consecutive patients who underwent LASIK between June 17, 1999, and March 1, 2000, were retrospectively reviewed. Methods From September 28, 1999, to November 4, 1999, 39 eyes of 20 consecutive patients had a single drop of brimonidine tartrate 0.2% instilled into their operative eye(s) before LASIK. This group was interposed in time between two nonbrimonidine groups, one before the use of brimonidine, "prior nonbrimonidine group" (107 eyes of 56 patients), and one after the use of brimonidine, "post nonbrimonidine group" (133 eyes of 68 patients). All 279 eyes in the study were examined after surgery to identify flap folds and dislocations. Enhancement rates and visual outcomes for the brimonidine and nonbrimonidine groups were also documented. Main outcome measures Comparison of the incidence of abnormal flap appearance and enhancement rates between the brimonidine and the nonbrimonidine groups. Results In the brimonidine treated group, 6 of 39 eyes (15.4%) had an abnormal flap appearance after LASIK, although no flap folds or dislocations were noted in the nonbrimonidine groups. The difference in incidence of abnormal flap appearance between the brimonidine group and the prior and post nonbrimonidine groups was statistically significant ( P = 0.0008 and P = 0.0003, respectively). When the prior and post nonbrimonidine groups were combined and compared with the brimonidine group, the difference in flap adherence was highly statistically significant ( P = 0.00001). The enhancement rate was significantly higher in the brimonidine group at 36% compared with 14% in the prior nonbrimonidine group ( P = 0.01) and 9% in the post nonbrimonidine group ( P = 0.0004). The mean 3-month postoperative spherical equivalent was significantly greater at −0.88 diopters (D) in the brimonidine group compared with −0.24 D ( P = 0.0008) and −0.15 D ( P = 0.0001) in the prior nonbrimonidine and post nonbrimonidine groups, respectively. Conclusions In this study, when perioperative topical brimonidine was used in LASIK patients, an increase in the incidence of abnormal flap adherence and an increase in enhancement rates was observed.
Effects of synapsin I and calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II on spontaneous neurotransmitter release in the squid giant synapse

The molecular events that control synaptic vesicle availability in chemical synaptic junctions have not been fully clarified. Among the protein molecules specifically located in presynaptic terminals, synapsin I and calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaM kinase II) have been shown to modulate evoked transmitter release in the squid giant synapse. In the present study, analysis of synaptic noise in this chemical junction was used to determine whether these proteins also play a role in the control of spontaneous and enhanced spontaneous transmitter release. Injections of dephosphorylated synapsin I into the presynaptic terminal reduced the rate of spontaneous and enhanced quantal release, whereas injection of phosphorylated synapsin I did not modify such release. By contrast CaM kinase II injection increased enhanced miniature release without affecting spontaneous miniature frequency. These results support the view that dephosphorylated synapsin I "cages" synaptic vesicles while CaM kinase II, by phosphorylating synapsin I, "decages" these organelles and increases their availability for release without affecting the release mechanism itself.
Room-temperature deformation and stress-induced phase transformation of laves phases in Fe-10 At. Pct Zr alloy

The microstructure within particles of the Laves phase Fe2Zr in a two-phase Fe-10 at. pct Zr alloy after compression was investigated using X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy. Stressinduced phase transformation between C36 and C15 structures was found to be a major deformation mode for the Laves phase. Twinning and stacking faults were also found within C15 regions. Phase transformation models based on partial dislocations are discussed.
Register allocation by priority-based coloring

The classic problem of global register allocation is treated in a heuristic and practical manner by adopting the notion of priorities in node-coloring. The assignment of priorities is based on estimates of the benefits that can be derived from allocating individual quantities in registers. Using the priorities, the exponential coloring process can be made to run in linear time. Since the costs involved in register allocation are taken into account, the algorithm does not over-allocate. The algorithm can be parameterized to cater to different fetch characteristics and register configurations among machines. Measurements indicate that the register allocation scheme is effective on a number of target machines. The results confirm that, using priority-based coloring, global register allocation can be performed practically and efficiently.
Influence of molecular weight on nanoscale modification of poly(methyl methacrylate) due to simultaneous mechanical and chemical stimulation.

We report observations of poly(methyl methacrylate) films modified by the synergistic effect of solvent exposure and mechanical stress applied by the tip of an atomic force microscope (AFM). We sho...
Monomer and dimer complexes of copper(II) acetate with pyridine and picolines. Part I. Synthesis and characterization

Abstract Synthetic investigations of copper(II) acetate addition compounds with pyridine and picolines have led to the isolation of the 1:2 adducts with pyridine and γ-picoline in addition to the known dimeric 1:1 adducts. The two new compounds have magnetic moments and electronic and epr spectral properties characteristic of monomeric copper complexes. Solutions of the dimeric 1:1 adducts with pyridine, β- and γ-picoline in their respective ligands have spectral and magnetic properties identical to those of the monomers, while traces of the dimer persist in solutions of the α-picoline analog. This is discussed in terms of the steric requirements of the ligands. The large nmr isotropic shift of the acetate-methyl protons in solutions of the dimeric complexes suggests a greater contribution from superexchange mechanism to the magnetic coupling. Isotropic shifts of the coordinated ligands in solutions of the monomeric complexes are analyzed and the contact contributions are dicussed in terms of σ- and π-delocalization mechanisms.
Predictors of family‐size preferences, 1945–1977: A multivariate analysis

This paper focuses on a set of substantive and methodological problems in the study of family size preferences. Substantively we ask whether traditional sociodemographic variables explain proportionately more or less variance in family size preference during the mid-1970s than during the period following WW 2. Additionally we inquire whether individual variables such as race religion education and community size perform differently in recent years than they did in the postwar period. Methodologically the authors question whether analogous trends emerge from including diverse indicators of family size preferences. Using Multiple Classification Analysis no diminution over the tiem period is found in the proportion of variance explained by the sociodemographic predictors considered. In fact these variables appear to increase in predictive power over time. However some variables have clearly changed in marginal importance the WW 2. Religious affiliation and community size have declined and race has increased. Educational level has maintained a major position throughout. Finally the differentials in reproductive preferences are very congruent regardless of the dependent variable used--family size ideals preferences intentions or ideals for the average American family. (Authors modified)
Postoperative Cognitive Dysfunction in the Elderly

Despite improvement in surgical techniques, anesthetic management, and intensive care, a significant number of elderly patients develop postoperative cognitive decline. Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is a postoperative memory or thinking impairment that has been corroborated by neuropsychological testing, for which increasing age is the leading risk factor. POCD is multifactorial in origin, but it remains unclear whether its occurrence is a result of surgery or general anesthesia. This article discusses the incidence, assessment, consequences, and prevention of POCD, as well as anesthetic strategies to improve cognitive outcome in elderly patients.
A Coulomb force reconfigurable system

Coulomb forces can be created by placing non-volatile packets of charge on at least two opposing insulated Coulomb plates. Arrays of Coulomb plates can be formed near the surface of several substrates (chips). The Coulomb forces can be used to levitate and move any top substrates juxtaposed and placed over a bottom substrate by dynamically charging/discharging selected plates in the array of Coulomb plates of each opposing substrate. The charge on these plates can be altered using a control unit that dynamically forms a minimum energy surface that allows the elevated substrates to slide into new positions. A larger top substrate can be artificially formed by forcing adjacent elevated substrates together in a patterned sequence to form reconfigurable systems that can be physically adjusted to operate at a particular frequency range or to perform manipulative functions. For instance, Coulomb Force Levitated Systems can allow different antenna structures to be generated on-the-fly.
Protein-protein interactions of the light-harvesting chlorophyll ab protein. II. Evidence for two stages of cation independent association

In a previous paper, we observed a two-stage cation-independent association of the light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b protein from spinach chloroplasts based on concentration-dependent changes in the sedimentation coefficient. The two stages of association occurred between (2-4) and (4-7) mug/ml chlorophyll. In this paper, we provide further evidence for this association. This includes: (1) A decrease in the number of divalent cation binding sites in the second stage of association. (2) A corresponding decrease in the extent of the cation-dependent association. (3) A positive deviation from Beer's law for chlorophyll b for both stages of the cation-independent association and a positive deviation for chlorophyll a for the second stage of association only. (4) A change in the fluorescence emission of both chlorophyll a and b. The change for chlorophyll b was observed for both steps of association whereas that for chlorophyll a was observed for the second step of association only. Therefore, the first stage of association affects only chlorophyll b whereas the second stage alters the environment of both chlorophyll a and b. (5) In addition, divalent cations quenched chlorophyll fluorescence. However, the quenching which required 200-300 muM divalent cation for half-maximal effects was related neither to divalent cation binding nor to the divalent cation-induced association of the protein.
Characterization of a novel human mast cell line that responds to stem cell factor and expresses functional FcεRI

Background Studies of human mast cells (MCs) are constrained by the paucity of functional cell lines, the expense of maintaining MCs in culture, and technical complexities. Objective We derived and characterized a human MC line that arose spontaneously from a culture of nontransformed hematopoietic progenitor cells. Methods CD34 + enriched mononuclear cells derived from a donor with aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease were cultured for 8 weeks with stem cell factor and IL-6 and with IL-3 for the first week only. The cells (termed LUVA cells) survived and proliferated without further addition of any growth factors and have been maintained in culture for approximately 2 years. Results LUVA cells possess metachromatic cytoplasmic granules that are immunoreactive for tryptase, cathepsin G, and carboxypeptidase A3. They express transcripts encoding FceRI, c-kit, chymase, tryptase, histidine decarboxylase, carboxypeptidase A3, and the type 1 receptor for cysteinyl leukotrienes. Flow cytometry confirmed uniform expression of FceRI, c-kit, and FcγRII. FceRI cross-linkage induced the release of β-hexosaminidase, prostaglandin D 2 , thromboxane A 2 , and macrophage inflammatory protein 1β. Immortalization was not associated with either a known genomic mutation of c-kit in the donor or a somatic mutation of c-kit within the cells, and it was not associated with c-kit autophosphorylation. Conclusions LUVA cells are an immortalized human MC line that can be maintained without stem cell factor and display high levels of normally signaling c-kit and FceRI. These cells will prove valuable for functional human MC studies.
Robust face detection using discriminating feature analysis and Bayes classifier

This paper presents a novel face detection method, which integrates the discriminating feature analysis of the input image, the statistical modeling of face and nonface classes, and the Bayes classifier for multiple frontal face detection. First, feature analysis derives a discriminating feature vector by combining the input image, its 1-D Haar wavelet representation, and its amplitude projections. Second, statistical modeling estimates the conditional probability density functions, or PDFs, of the face and nonface classes, respectively. Finally, the Bayes classifier applies the estimated conditional PDFs to detect multiple frontal faces in an image. Experimental results using 853 images (containing a total of 970 faces) from diverse image sources show the feasibility of the proposed face detection method.
Practice and Training in Family Therapy: A Known Group Study

The present study reports on a comparative survey of the belief and action systems of graduates who had been intensively trained in one of three of the major models of family therapy: Bowenian, communications, and strategic. An analysis of the factor-analyzed assumptions (belief system) and style (action system) items showed consistently greater divergence among the three models than convergence, as well as a remarkable synchronicity between the respective literature on these three models and their implementation, as represented by family therapists intensively trained in each model. A comparison of the present study's findings with previous research strongly supports the potency of formal and intensive training for developing adherents of a particular model and suggests that the distinctiveness of each model needs to be more fully developed in preference to premature attempts to develop generic or inclusive models that may become internally inconsistent and therefore difficult to operationalize in practice.