cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Revoking the Cellular License to Replicate: Yet Another AAA Assignment

In this issue of Molecular Cell, Raman et al. (2011) and Franz et al. (2011) establish the AAA ATPase CDC-48/p97 as an essential regulator of eukaryotic DNA replication that coordinates the release of chromatin-bound CDT1 with its degradation by the proteasome.
Thermal and visceral hypersensitivity in irritable bowel syndrome patients with and without fibromyalgia.

Background: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a chronic gastrointestinal disorder characterized by both visceral and somatic hyperalgesia, producing a similar effect seen with the central hypersensitivity mechanism in fibromyalgia (FM). Objectives: The aim of the current study was to compare magnitudes of visceral and thermal hypersensitivity in IBS patients and FM patients with IBS (FM + IBS) compared with healthy controls. Methods: Female patients with IBS (n = 12), FM+IBS (n = 12), and control participants (n = 13) rated pain intensity to hot water immersion (45 and 47°C) of the hand/foot and to phasic distension of the rectum (35, 55mm Hg) on a Mechanical Visual Analog Scale. The data were analyzed with 3 separate 1-way analyses of variance with post hoc Tukey tests. Results: For both thermal and visceral stimuli, the control group had lower pain ratings than either the IBS or FM + IBS groups (P < 0.001). IBS patients rated rectal distension as more painful than the FM+IBS group (P = 0.005). During hot water immersion of the foot, the FM + IBS group had higher pain ratings than the IBS group (P < 0.001). During hand immersion, FM + IBS and IBS patients did not significantly differ in their pain intensity ratings (P = 0.4). Conclusions: FM + IBS patients show greater thermal hypersensitivity compared with IBS patients. However, IBS patients exhibit higher pain ratings to rectal distension compared with FM + IBS patients. This data suggests that regions of primary and secondary hyperalgesia are dependent on the primary pain complaint.
Positive operators and elliptic eigenvalue problems

On considere le probleme aux valeurs propres Lu=κmu sur Ω et u=0 sur ∂Ω dans un domaine borne lisse ΩCR n . L est une expression differentielle uniformement elliptique a coefficients a valeurs reels, continus de Holder, le coefficient de u dans L est non negatif est nu(x) est une fonction continue a valeur reelle. On utilise la theorie abstraite des operateurs positifs pour retrouver certains resultats
A review and comparison of four commonly used Bayesian and maximum likelihood model selection tools

Abstract Many tools have become available for biologists for evaluating competing ecological models – models may be judged based on the fit to data alone (e.g. likelihood), or more formal statistical criteria may be used. Because of the implied assumptions of each tool, model selection criteria should be chosen a priori for the problem at hand, – a model that is considered ‘good’ in its explanatory power may not be the best choice for a problem that requires prediction. In this paper, I review the behavior and assumptions of the four most commonly used statistical criteria (Akaike's Information Criterion, AIC; Schwarz or Bayesian Information Criterion, BIC; Deviance Information Criterion, DIC; Bayes factors). Second, I illustrate differences in these model selection tools by applying the four criteria to thousands of simulated abundance trajectories. With the simulation model known, I examine whether each of the criteria are useful in selecting models to evaluate simple questions, such as whether time series support evidence of density dependent population growth. Across simulations, the maximum likelihood criteria consistently favored simpler population models when compared to Bayesian criteria. Among the Bayesian criteria, the Bayes factor favored the correct simulation model more frequently than the Deviance Information Criterion. There was considerable uncertainty in the ability of the Bayes factor to discriminate between models, this tool selected the simulation model slightly more frequently than other approaches.
Action spectrum for DMA damage in alfalfa lowers predicted impact of ozone depletion

DEPLETION of stratospheric ozone will increase the intensity of solar mid-ultraviolet (280–320 nm) radiation reaching the biosphere1. Predictions of increases in biologically effective ultraviolet radiation require knowledge of both the solar spectral intensity and the wavelength-dependent sensitivity (action spectrum) for damaging the biological target2. A generalized action spectrum for plant damage encompassing wavelengths from 280 to 313 nm3–5 has been widely used to predict the consequences of ozone depletion. Calculations6 based on this spectrum and new satellite measurements of atmospheric ozone suggest that plants will be among those organisms most severely affected. Here we report an absolute action spectrum for cyclobutyl pyrimidine dimer induction in DNA in intact alfalfa seedlings, which reveals damage by wavelengths as long as 365 nm. Calculations based on this new action spectrum predict significantly smaller increases in biologically effective ultraviolet radiation resulting from ozone depletion, particularly at high latitudes, than calculations based on either the generalized plant action spectrum or the action spectrum for damaging unshielded DNA.
Mechanism of CDK activation revealed by the structure of a cyclinA-CDK2 complex

The crystal structure of the human cyclinA-cyclin-dependent kinase2 (CDK2)-ATP complex has been determined at 2.3 A resolution. CyclinA binds to one side of CDK2's catalytic cleft, inducing large conformational changes in its PSTAIRE helix and T-loop. These changes activate the kinase by realigning active site residues and relieving the steric blockade at the entrance of the catalytic cleft.
Localized intrauterine inflammation elicits a brain-specific TH1/TH2 response and results in neuronal damage

SPECIFIC TH1/TH2 RESPONSE AND RESULTS IN NEURONAL DAMAGE MICHAL ELOVITZ, ZHAO WANG, University of Pennsylvania, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Philadelphia, PA OBJECTIVE:Neonates born in the setting of intrauterine inflammation are at increased risk for adverse neurological outcome including IVH, PVL, and cerebral palsy. These studies investigate the ability of localized intrauterine inflammation to activate a TH1/TH2 response, promote cell death and alter neurotrophic factors in the fetal brain. STUDY DESIGN: Using a mouse model of localized intrauterine inflammation, animals were randomized to receive intrauterine saline or lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Six hours after intrauterine infusion, fetal tissue was harvested. Molecular techniques, including gene array analysis, QPCR, ELISAs, and Western blots, were performed. RESULTS: Exposure to intrauterine LPS had only a marginal effect on TH1/TH2 gene expression in the fetus proper but elicited a robust activation of the TH1/TH2 response in the fetal brains. 78% of TH1 and 92% of TH2 genes investigated were up-regulated 2-fold or greater. 66% of cell death genes investigated were up-regulated in fetal brains in response to intrauterine LPS. 87% of genes belonging to the TNF receptor gene family and 40% of genes in the caspase family were up-regulated in fetal brains. Exposure to intrauterine LPS significantly altered gene expression of neuronal growth factors involved with neuronal development (BDNF and CNF) and CNS inflammation (GMF). CONCLUSION: These studies demonstrate that localized intrauterine inflammation can activate a potent TH1/TH2 response in the fetal brain in the absence of a systemic fetal inflammatory response. The activation of a TH1/TH2 response may be a key mechanism for brain injury in the setting of localized intrauterine inflammation. Further understanding of the early pathways activated in the fetal brain in response to intrauterine inflammation may allow for interventions to prevent adverse neurological outcome.
A Common Pharmacophore for Taxol and the Epothilones Based on the Biological Activity of a Taxane Molecule Lacking a C-13 Side Chain†

Extensive structure−activity studies done with Taxol have identified the side chain at C-13 as one of the requirements for biological activity. Baccatin III, an analogue of Taxol lacking the C-13 side chain, has none of the biological characteristics of Taxol. Since 2-m-azido Taxol, a Taxol derivative with a m-azido substituent in the C-2 benzoyl ring, has greater activity than Taxol, we questioned whether 2-m-azido baccatin III might be active. 2-m-Azido baccatin III inhibited the proliferation of human cancer cells at nanomolar concentrations, blocked cells at mitosis, and reorganized the interphase microtubules into distinct bundles, a typical morphological change induced by Taxol. In contrast to 2-m-azido baccatin III, 2-p-azido baccatin III was similar to baccatin III, having no Taxol-like activity, further indicating the specificity and significance of the 2-meta position substituent. Molecular modeling studies done with the C-2 benzoyl ring of Taxol indicated that it fits into a pocket formed by Hi...
Usefulness of procainamide challenge for electrophysiologic arrhythmia risk stratification

Among 58 consecutive patients who underwent electrophysiologic testing for risk assessment and who subsequently received a third-generation implantable cardioverter-defibrillator, 39 had ventricular tachycardia induced in the baseline state and 19 had ventricular tachycardia induced only after administration of intravenous procainamide, increasing the yield of electrophysiologic risk assessment by 49%. At follow-up, ventricular arrhythmias requiring implantable cardioverter-defibrillator termination occurred in 14 of 39 patients inducible in the baseline state and in 7 of 19 patients inducible only with intravenous procainamide. The provocative use of intravenous procainamide during electrophysiologic risk assessment increases the detection rate for risk of sustained ventricular arrhythmias with no loss of positive predictive value.
What The Affordable Care Act Means For People With Jail Stays

About one in six people expected to enroll in Medicaid under health reform expansions and nearly one in ten expected to enroll in qualified health plans through the health insurance Marketplaces will have spent some time in jail during the past year. People who have spent time in jail frequently cycle in and out of incarceration; have high rates of chronic physical, mental health, and substance use conditions; and historically have been uninsured and without access to continuous health care. The Affordable Care Act may not change the quality of health care in jails, but its provision of better access to care before and after people are incarcerated could have positive long-term effects on both the health of those individuals and overall health care costs. Achieving these results will require careful planning and coordination among jail health care programs, Medicaid, and Marketplace health plans. The use of electronic health records by jails and community providers could help ensure that treatments are co...
Surface flocking as a possible anti-biofoulant

Abstract Fouling organisms create difficulties for aquaculturists by weighing down materials and constricting net openings. Research on anti-fouling began with toxic chemicals and has more recently moved to non-toxic methods focusing on settlement cues of invertebrates. Surface texture is one physical cue to which both invertebrate larvae and algal spores respond. Flocking is a process that makes smooth surfaces fibrous by adding electrostatically charged fibers to an adhesive coated surface. To test the effects of flocking on recruitment, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic panels that were untreated, primed with adhesive, and flocked were deployed subtidally in the Westport River estuary, Westport, MA, USA for 1 month exposure periods in 1998. Species composition was determined and compared among treatments. To test for effects only on barnacle recruitment, wood panels were deployed subtidally in Clarks Cove, New Bedford, MA and PVC panels were deployed in the subtidal of Eel Pond, Woods Hole, MA; Cape Cod Canal at Massachusetts Maritime Academy, Bourne, MA; and in Point Judith Pond, RI. Flocking surfaces resulted in lower recruitment of green and brown algae, but had no effect on red algae. For invertebrates, flocking was effective at inhibiting the recruitment of encrusting animals, had no effect on stoloniferous animals, and increased the abundance of tube-building polychaetes and solitary ascidians.
The X˜1A1, a˜3B1, a˜1B˜1, and B˜1A1 electronic states of SiH2

Four electronically low-lying states of silylene (SiH2) have been studied systematically using high level ab initio electronic structure theory. Self-consistent field (SCF), two-configuration (TC) SCF, complete active space (CAS) SCF, configuration interaction with single and double excitations (CISD), and CASSCF second-order (SO) CI levels of theory were employed with eight distinct basis sets. The zeroth-order wave functions of the ground (X˜ 1A1 or 1 1A1) and B˜ 1A1 (or 2 1A1) excited states are appropriately described by the first and second eigenvectors of the TCSCF secular equations. The TCSCF-CISD, CASSCF, and CASSCF-SOCI wave functions for the B˜ 1A1 (or 2 1A1) state were obtained by following the second root of the CISD, CASSCF, and SOCI Hamiltonian matrices. At the highest level of theory, the CASSCF-SOCI method with the triple zeta plus triple polarization augmented with two sets of higher angular momentum functions and two sets of diffuse functions basis set [TZ3P(2f,2d)+2diff], the energy separation (T0) between the ground (X˜ 1A1) and first excited (a˜ 3B1) states is determined to be 20.5 kcal/mol (0.890eV,7180cm−1), which is in excellent agreement with the experimental T0 value of 21.0 kcal/mol (0.910eV,7340cm−1). With the same method the T0 value for the a˜ 1B1−X˜ 1A1 separation is predicted to be 45.1 kcal/mol (1.957 eV,15780 cm−1), which is also in fine agreement with the experimental value of 44.4 kcal/mol (1.925 eV,15530 cm−1). The T0 value for the B˜ 1A1−X˜ 1A1 separation is determined to be 79.6 kcal/mol (3.452 eV,27 840 cm−1). After comparison of theoretical and experimental T0 values for the a˜ 3B1 and a˜ 1B1 states and previous studies, error bars for the B˜ 1A1 state are estimated to be ±1.5 kcal/mol (±525 cm−1). The predicted geometry of the B˜ 1A1 state is re(SiH)=1.458 and θe=162.3∘. The physical properties including harmonic vibrational frequencies of the B˜ 1A1 state are newly determined.
Metabolic changes in ribosomes of Escherichia coli during prolonged culture in different media

The metabolism of ribosomes during the exponential growth and post-exponential phase of Escherichia coli cells was investigated. Incubation of E. coli cells in two rich media: L-broth and phosphate medium, up to stationary phase shows no drop in viability or any changes in ribosomes. However, the survival rate during prolonged culture of the post-stationary-phase cells has been found to be a function of the incubation medium. The decline in viability is only slight in phosphate medium but very rapid in L-broth. So long as the viability is maintained, the level of ribosomes and the relative abundance of rRNA and ribosomal proteins in ribosomes of the post-stationary cultures are remarkably stable and are similar to exponentially growing cells. On the other hand, post-stationary cultures undergoing a rapid drop in cell viability lose 95% of the original ribosomes. These cultures accumulate a large pool of 30s and 50s subunits and a few 70s monosomes, all of which show deficiency in the various ribosomal proteins. No differences in rRNA can be detected but the number and the relative stoichiometry of individual ribosomal proteins are drastically altered. Only 13 of the 53 proteins known in the E. coli ribosome appeared in the same relative amounts as in the ribosomes of the exponentially growing cells. Six proteins (S12, S21, L2, L16, L20, L34) are completely lost and all others undergo partial loss. An analysis of the number and relative abundance of ribosomal proteins in the whole cells, as oppossed to isolated ribosomes, suggests that during the initial stages of the catabolism of ribosomes a crucial step is the formation of ribosomal-subunit-membrane complexes. The data emphasize the role of the constituents of ribosomes not only for the growth but also for the survival of E. coli cells. A model for the metabolism of ribosomes during the exponential growth and post-exponential phase of E. coli is presented.
The prostatic epithelial cell in dysplasia: an ultrastructural perspective.

The histologic features of prostatic duct-acinar dysplasia have been difficult to analyze ultrastructurally, because of the difficulty in properly selecting and processing such small, randomly situated grossly invisible lesions. We have succeeded in identifying dysplastic foci by examination of the cut surfaces of tissue slices under low magnification. Dsyplasia foci were excised from the slices and were compared to adjacent normal tissue by both light and electron microscopy. By electron microscopy (EM), normal secretory cells were filled with myriad tiny clear vacuoles, which were markedly diminished to absent in the cytoplasm of dysplastic cells. Both apocrine and eccrine secretion characterized normal epithelium and were diminished in dysplasia. EM showed striking features of nuclear abnormality more prominently than light microscopy, and qualitative basement membrane abnormalities were revealed. By EM analysis, dysplastic epithelium resembled that of invasive carcinoma more than normal epithelial cells.
Measurements of attention deficits and impulsivity: a Swedish study of the Gordon Diagnostic System.

The Gordon Diagnostic System (GDS) is a portable easily operated computerized tool developed to measure impulse control, attention and vigilance. In 1988, it was standardized for use among American children. The aim of this study was to evaluate the GDS for use among Swedish children. A clinical sample of 71 Swedish children, mean age 10.5 y, fulfilling the ADHD criteria according to the DSM-IV was compared with a control sample of 88 children, mean age 10.2 y, with no known psychiatric diagnosis. The clinical sample showed lower GDS scores in all age groups, with some exceptions. The GDS scores were not associated with gender, but strongly associated with age, especially in the control sample. The accuracy of the GDS referring a specific child to either of the samples was, as expected, not impressive. With respect to the practical usefulness, the GDS was well accepted by the children and parents in both samples. The findings in age variation and when comparing children with ADHD and controls are in agreement with results from other studies.
Saturn's rings: Voyager 1 radio occultation experiment results

The Voyager 1 encounter with Saturn in 1980 included the first radio occultation measurements of the ring system. Opacity of and scattering by Saturn's rings were measured at 3.6- and 13-cm wavelengths using transmissions from the spacecraft to the Earth. Detailed models of ring structure have been derived from these data at radial resolutions as small as 1 km, depending on the radio opacity of the region probed. Inverse power-law-type distributions of ring particle sites with indices of about 3 and upper size cutoffs near 5 m are in good agreement with the data, but parameters vary throughout the rings. Occultation measurements have also provided information on ring dynamics and have led to a more precise definition of Saturn's pole vector.
Rate of formationin vivo of the unreactivatable form of brain cholinesterase in chickens given DDVP or malathion

Abstract The half-time for the conversion of the reversibly inhibited form of the dimethyl phosphorylated cholinesterase to the irreversibly inhibited form of this enzyme in the brains of chickens given DDVP or malathion has been found to be 2 hr. The same half-time is observed in vitro in brain homogenates inhibited with DDVP or malaoxon, the active form of malathion.
Short bowel syndrome and small bowel transplantation.

Purpose of reviewThe purpose of this review is to provide an update of recent advances in the areas of short bowel syndrome (SBS) and small bowel transplantation (SBT).Recent findingsRecent reports from two of the largest multicenter randomized, controlled trials in patients with SBS support the saf
A Genetic Approach to the Study of Neurogenesis and Myogenesis

Extensive sequences of morphological differentiation have been described for Drosophila melanogaster neurogenesis and myogenesis. Neuroblasts and myoblasts become determined in the blastoderm or shortly thereafter. Each blast cell will then morphologically differentiate in vitro in sequences that closely resemble the events in vivo. Functional neurons, muscle cells and neuromuscular junctions form and these have normal biochemical and ultrastructural characteristics. A mutant hunt was conducted which was designed to generate mutations specific to neurogenesis or myogenesis. One mutation was recovered that apparently interfered only with myogenesis. The frequency of recovered mutations that affected cell differentiation was low and led to estimates that relatively few genes are required to preserve the structural integrity of cells during neurogenesis and myogenesis.
Surface wave generation by laser interference: Small penetration depth analysis

Abstract An analytical solution is presented for surface acoustic wave generation in an isotropic elastic halfspace by the absorption of a pulsed laser interference pattern within a thin layer along the solid surface. It is assumed that the laser energy is absorbed within the thin surface layer and the remaining material is isothermal. The action of the absorbing surface layer is replaced by an approximate boundary condition on the remaining halfspace. The time-harmonic solution is derived first. Then, the solution for an incident Gaussian time dependence is obtained by integrating the time-harmonic solution over all frequencies. The resulting infinite integrals are solved numerically by integrating in the complex frequency plane with an appropriate contour around the poles and branch cuts. Voigt damping is added to the model to determine the integration path and also the effects of losses on the material response. Both normal and transverse displacements are plotted as functions of time and depth for various material parameters and laser pulse durations.
An application of the barcroft-warburg apparatus to the study of antioxidants in fats

The results of the active oxygen method and those obtained with the Barcroft-Warburg apparatus at 70° C. are in good agreement with storage tests at room temperature on lard to which no anti-oxidant is added and on lard to which lecithin alone is added. With lard to which d-isoascorbyl palmitate or d-isoascorbyl monostearate, in concentrations between 0.01 and 0.10 per cent, is added the results with the Barcroft-Warburg apparatus are in much better agreement with storage tests than are those of the active oxygen method. The d-isoascorbyl esters in 0.01 to 0.10 per cent in lard usually behave as antioxidants with the active oxygen method and as pro- or antioxidants, depending on their concentration, with the Barcroft-Warburg apparatus and during storage at room temperature. This study demonstrates that in testing new compounds for antioxidant properties conclusions should not be drawn from results obtained when the experimental conditions of the test are very different from the conditions under which the antioxidant is to be used. It emphasizes the importance of correlating the results of accelerated tests with storage tests.
Behavioural research in logistics and supply chain management

Purpose – This paper aims to advocate and facilitate undertaking research focused on the effects of human behaviour, judgment and decision making in logistics and supply chain management (SCM).Design/methodology/approach – In addition to providing an overview of the potential benefits of behavioural research, this paper presents two modified frameworks for identifying and addressing behavioural issues in logistics and SCM.Findings – Behavioural research can significantly advance both theory and practice in logistics and SCM. Little behavioural research appears in top logistics journals. As researchers begin to conduct more such projects, knowledge pertaining to issues of importance to logistics and SCM will be created.Originality/value – This paper highlights an important research area and a methodology, (controlled behavioural experiments), that are currently underutilized in logistics and SCM. It further presents potential research questions and suggestions for ways in which interested researchers could...
REOXYGENATION INJURY AND ANTIOXIDANT PROTECTION : A TALE OF TWO PARADOXES

Under certain circumstances, added antioxidants can protect tissues against reoxygenation injury after ischemia. Yet reperfusing blood carries many antioxidants with it. The implications of this "antioxidant paradox" are discussed.
The vagus nerve and sudden infant death syndrome: A morphometric study

embedded in Epon with Araldite,' sliced into 1 /Lm thick transverse sections, and stained with 1% toluidine blue5 A low-power photomicrograph (10x) was made of the entire cross-section of each specimen, and enlarged to 100x. We traced the perimeter of the endoneurium of each fascicle within the nerve cross-section with a digitizer connected to a programmed calculator (Hewlett-Packard 9810). Then, the sum of the areas of the fascicles within each nerve was divided by the square of the final magnification of the entire nerve cross-section, to obtain the transverse fascicular area.
Pastoral counseling of the potential suicidal person

T HE MINISTER'S relationship to the potential suicidal person may be contingent on his attitude in general toward suicide. Many doctors do not show equal concern for the suicidal person as they do for surgical and medical ,patients, feeling that suicide is the individual's own business and that each person is entitled to die as he wishes. In this area, many pastors regard suicide with the same feelings as they do alcoholism: with prejudice, arrogance, and even fanaticism, often based on misinformation. Their reaction may range from indifference and apathy: "It's very clear to me; you're just making those threats to gain attention"--to the other end of the spectrum where the clergyman may exhort and sermonize: "You can't do that! It's against God and the Faith!" The conceptions of the religious leader often wilt be communicated to the highly sensitive, troubled person. Therefore, unless the deep-seated prejudices are uprooted by knowledge and expexience; until the mind is free of anxiety, thus making a genuine acceptance of the disturbed person possible, the clergyman will not be able to minister properly and effectively. It is more than a question of morality, for attitudes regarding the act have changed over the years
TEMPERATURE AND THE MECHANISM OF LOCOMOTION IN PARAMECIUM

1. Frequency polygons in which the number of observations at each temperature is reduced to a percentage basis while the time factor is represented on a logarithmic scale, indicate that the time required by Paramecium to swim a unit distance at different temperatures varies within definite limits which are constant above 15°. Below 15° the range of variability very possibly is not the same, though probably likewise constant. 2. Logarithmic velocities deduced from mean, maximal, minimal, and modal time classes, when plotted against reciprocals of the absolute temperature, fall respectively on straight lines. These lines are parallel and give µ values of 8,000 above 15° and probably 16,000 below. 3. This implies that the mechanism of locomotion in Paramecium remains essentially unaltered by a rise in temperature from 15° to 30°, and probably remains in a similar sense constant from 6° to 15°. 4. The theoretical interpretation of this result is possible in terms of a catenary series 0 → A → E in which the passages 0 → A and A → E are controlled by two catalysts differing respectively in concentration in different individuals and perhaps at different times in the same individual, but depending for their effective concentration on reactions having temperature coefficients identical with those which at each temperature characterize the biological process under consideration.
Effects of Live Animal Demonstrations on Zoo Visitors' Retention of Information

AbstractAnimal demonstrations accompanied by narration constitute one way children's zoos are attempting to move toward programs that emphasize educational messages. A wider and increasingly sophisticated range of educational messages have been incorporated into demonstrations with the intention of increasing their appeal and educational value for adults as well as children. In an evaluation of the “Animal All-Star Show” at the Brookfield Zoo's Children's Zoo, 54 adult visitors were interviewed on-site after attending the show, and 34 adult visitors were interviewed by phone six weeks after the show in order to measure retention of educational messages. The results of both the on-site and delayed interviews indicated that the overall objective of the demonstrations—to highlight the animals' special abilities and show how people and animals work together—was being achieved. Remarkably high retention rates (as high as 83%) were attained with respect to a number of educational messages. The evaluation result...
The thiocyanogen value of linolenic acid

Ethyl linolenate (Wijs iodine number 247.3; theory 248.5) was prepared by the debromination of purified hexabromostearic acid. The thiocyanogen value determined exactly as recommended by the Committee on Analysis of Commercial Fats and Oils, [Ind. Eng. Chem. Anal. Ed.8: 234 (1936)] was found to be 151.2, corresponding to a corrected value of 167.3 for the free linolenic acid, rather than the theoretical value of 182.5. Data are presented to show the effects of time, excess and concentration of reagent. The thiocyanogen number of linolenic acid is proved to be an empirical value which, however, is reproducible under carefully controlled conditions. Several improvements of technique found to insure reproductibility of results are discussed in detail.
Conductivity Anisotropy of Polyphosphazene−Montmorillonite Composite Electrolytes

The conductivity of an ordered polyphosphazene·Na+−montmorillonite composite has been measured perpendicular (σpara) and parallel (σperp) to the montmorillonite layers, and the σpara/σperp is about 100. The temperature dependence of the conductivity is consistent with a coupling between long-range Na+ movement and high-amplitude segmental motion of the polymer. The anisotropy is attributed to greater tortuosity of the Na+ diffusion perpendicular to the montmorillonite layers.
Biochemical characterization of the ribosomal decoding site

Prior to the emergence of crystal structures of the ribosome, different ribosomal functions were identified with specific regions of ribosomal RNA by biochemical and genetic approaches. In particular, three universally conserved bases of 16S rRNA, G530, A1492 and A1493, were implicated in the interaction of the incoming aminoacyl-tRNA with the 30S subunit and mRNA. The conserved region surrounding A1492 and A1493 was called the "decoding site", based on the results of chemical probing experiments and antibiotic resistance mutations. Crystallographic studies from the Ramakrishnan laboratory have now shown that G530 loop, A1492 and A1493 undergo localized conformational changes to form an RNA structure that positions these three bases to inspect the accuracy of the codon-anticodon match with high stereochemical precision, using A-minor interactions. Some results from the pre-X-ray era may provide clues to further aspects of the decoding process.
High Speed Processing of Frequency Domain Images

We are developing a system to process high frame rate frequency domain images using field programmable gate arrays. This has applications diffuse optical imaging or fluorescence lifetime imaging.
Formation timescales of large Martian valley networks

Abstract Assessing timescales for formation of the ancient Martian valley networks is key to interpreting the early climate on Mars. We determined the likely formation times for seven of the largest ancient valley networks on Mars using the Darcy–Weisbach equation for average flow velocity, three different sediment transport models, and a range of input parameters to encompass possible formation conditions. With runoff rates similar to intense storms in arid regions on Earth, the minimum formation timescales of these Martian valley networks range from 10 5 to 10 7 yr, depending on the specific valley network. Shorter formation timescales require hurricane-scale flows that, if minimized with assumptions of continuous formation unlike even terrestrial rates, could complete large valley network formation in as little as 200 to 5000 yr, though this is not the preferred interpretation. While these results do not support impact-induced climate change as the sole mechanism for creating precipitation sufficient to incise the large valley networks, neither do they extend the amount of time required to form the networks beyond their range in age, consistent with hypotheses that valley incision was constrained to a relatively short period of Martian history near the Noachian–Hesperian boundary, approximately 3.6 to 3.8 Ga.
Stalin: A Biography – By Robert Service

The story is compelling. A cunning intriguer with a memory for slights outmaneuvers brilliant rivals to gain power and rule the Soviet Union for almost three decades. The transformations, the human...
Glaciological properties of the Antarctic ice sheet from RADARSAT-1 synthetic aperture radar imagery

The RADARSAT-1 Antarctic Mapping Project (RAMP) is a partnership between the Canadian Space Agency and the US. National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The goal of the project is to create the first complete high-resolution radar mosaic of all of Antarctica for studies of Antarctic glaciology, geology coastal processes and climate. The major participants in RAMP are the Ohio State University the Alaska SAR Facility, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, GA, and Vexcel Corporation. Phase one of the project was the Antarctic Imaging Gampaign-1 (AIG) which occurred during the period 9 September-20 October 1997. The AIG relied on the abilities of the Canadian RADARSAT-1 to rotate in orbit and to image with a variety of look angles to acquire imagery from the Antarctic coast to the pole. Its primary goal was the acquisition of image data. The nearly flawless execution of the mission also enabled additional collections of exact repeat orbit data. These data, covering a large part of the interior Antarctic, are potentially suitable for interferometric analysis of surface velocity. This paper describes the AIG and the various datasets obtained! It also reviews early scientific findings on the large-scale characteristics of the ice sheet including ice divides and ice streams. The overall conclusion is that these data, which constitute complete high-resolution microwave coverage, represent a new view of the Antarctic, revealing in considerable detail the glaciology, coastal processes and geology of the Southern Continent.
Pectin Methylesterase Regulates Methanol and Ethanol Accumulation in Ripening Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) Fruit

We provide genetic evidence that the production of methanol in tomato fruit is regulated by pectin methylesterase (PME, EC 3.1.1.11), an enzyme that catalyzes demethoxylation of pectins. The role of PME in methanol production in tomato fruit was examined by relating the tissue methanol content to the PME enzymatic activity in wild-type Rutgers and isogenic PME antisense fruits with lowered PME activity. In the wild-type, fruit development and ripening were accompanied by an increase in the abundance of PME protein and activity and a corresponding ripening-related increase in methanol content. In the PME antisense pericarp, the level of methanol was greatly reduced in unripe fruit, and diminished methanol content persisted throughout the ripening process. The close correlation between PME activity and levels of methanol in fruit tissues from wild-type and a PME antisense mutant indicates that PME is the primary biosynthetic pathway for methanol production in tomato fruit. Interestingly, ethanol levels that were low and unchanged during ripening of wild-type tomatoes increased progressively with the ripening of PME antisense fruit. In vitro studies indicate that methanol is a competitive inhibitor of the tomato alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH, EC 1.1.1.1) activity suggesting that ADH-catalyzed production of ethanol may be arrested by methanol accumulation in the wild-type but not in the PME mutant where methanol levels remain low.
Mass transfer of dissolved gases through tubular membrane

Mass transfer characteristics are studied theoretically and experimentally for dissolved oxygen and carbon dioxide in fully developed laminar flow through a gas permeable membrane tubing. The gas transfer rate is correlated with the liquid flow rate and tubing size. Membrane resistance together with liquid phase resistance determine the overall mass transport rate.
Rethinking current concepts and terminology in lower urinary tract dysfunction.

Rarely does our understanding of medical entities and the words we use to define them remain stagnant. With ever expanding knowledge there is a constant evolution of ideas and with each change, hopefully, an enhancement of its predecessor. Nowhere is this more true than for the entity of lower urinary tract (LUT) dysfunction in children. As the International Children’s Continence Society (ICCS) embarks on a renewed effort to update and further clarify the terminology of neurogenic and non-neurogenic LUT dysfunction, we welcome this opportunity to offer for consideration a number of issues we and others feel are problematic with the current terminology along with possible solutions. The primary focus of this commentary is on nonneurogenic LUT dysfunction, one of the most common and often confounding problem areas in pediatric urology. More specifically, we will focus on what we interpret as deficiencies in the current ICCS delineation of “daytime conditions”, address certain presumptions made regarding those conditions that more recently have been shown to be inaccurate, suggest that certain conditions previously not considered now be included and attempt to strengthen certain definitions of existing conditions so that there is less room for miscommunication. Finally, we will try to make the case for the inclusion of simultaneous
Amino acids 149 and 294 of human lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase affect fatty acyl specificity

We identified two regions of human LCAT (hLCAT) that when mutated separately to the corresponding rat sequence (E149A and Y292H/W294F) and transiently expressed in COS-1 cells increased phospholipase A2 (PLA2) activity by 5.5- and 2.8-fold, respectively, and increased cholesteryl ester (CE) formation by 2.9- and 1.4-fold, respectively, relative to hLCAT using substrate particles containing 1-16:0,2-20:4-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (PAPC). In contrast, both activities with 1-16:0,2-18:1-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC) substrate were similar among the three LCAT proteins. The triple mutant (E149A/Y292H/W294F) had increased PLA2 activity with PAPC similar to that observed with the E149A mutation alone; however, unlike E149A, the triple mutant demonstrated a 50% decrease in activity with POPC for both PLA2 activity and CE formation, suggesting an interaction between the two regions of LCAT. Additional mutagenesis studies demonstrated that W294F, but not Y292H, increased PLA2 activity by 3-fold with PAPC without affecting activity with POPC. The E149A/W294F double mutation mimicked the LCAT activity phenotype of the triple mutant (more activity with PAPC, less with POPC). In conclusion, separate mutation of two amino acids in hLCAT to the corresponding rat sequence increases activity with PAPC, whereas the combined mutations increase PAPC and decrease POPC activity, suggesting that these amino acids participate in the LCAT PC binding site and affect fatty acyl specificity.
Remote Sensing for the Biologist

surface. Remote sensing would imply the use of electromagnetic radiation (light, heat, radar, etc.), sound waves, or ionizing radiation (beta rays, gamma rays, X-rays, etc.) for the transmittal of information. Appropriate detectors are used to detect the signal at the receiver. The surface of the earth, or the surface of other planets, is extensive, diverse, and complex. The surface features have enormous horizontal and vertical vari-
Comparative transcriptional analysis of homologous pathogenic and non-pathogenic Lawsonia intracellularis isolates in infected porcine cells.

Lawsonia intracellularis is the causative agent of proliferative enteropathy. This disease affects various animal species, including nonhuman primates, has been endemic in pigs, and is an emerging concern in horses. Non-pathogenic variants obtained through multiple passages in vitro do not induce disease, but bacterial isolates at low passage induce clinical and pathological changes. We hypothesize that genes differentially expressed between pathogenic (passage 10) and non-pathogenic (passage 60) L. intracellularis isolates encode potential bacterial virulence factors. The present study used high-throughput sequencing technology to characterize the transcriptional profiling of a pathogenic and a non-pathogenic homologous L. intracellularis variant during in vitro infection. A total of 401 genes were exclusively expressed by the pathogenic variant. Plasmid-encoded genes and those involved in membrane transporter (e.g. ATP-binding cassette), adaptation and stress response (e.g. transcriptional regulators) were the categories mostly responsible for this wider transcriptional landscape. The entire gene repertoire of plasmid A was repressed in the non-pathogenic variant suggesting its relevant role in the virulence phenotype of the pathogenic variant. Of the 319 genes which were commonly expressed in both pathogenic and non-pathogenic variants, no significant difference was observed by comparing their normalized transcription levels (fold change±2; p<0.05). Unexpectedly, these genes demonstrated a positive correlation (r2 = 0.81; p<0.05), indicating the involvement of gene silencing (switching off) mechanisms to attenuate virulence properties of the pathogenic variant during multiple cell passages. Following the validation of these results by reverse transcriptase-quantitative PCR using ten selected genes, the present study represents the first report characterizing the transcriptional profile of L. intracellularis. The complexity of the virulence phenotype was demonstrated by the diversity of genes exclusively expressed in the pathogenic isolate. The results support our hypothesis and provide the basis for prospective mechanistic studies regarding specific roles of target genes involved in the pathogenesis, diagnosis and control of proliferative enteropathy.
Species-dependent pleomorphic behavior of pancreatic tryptic activity.

Abstract Homogenates of canine and human pancreas enriched with trypsin of endogenous origin only were obtained when such homogenates were incubated at 0°C. with aliquots of bovine trypsin (Tryptar) rendered insoluble by mechanical entrapment inside the lattices of polyacrylamide gel. Insoluble bovine trypsin was able to activate pancreatic trypsinogen and overcome pancreatic trypsin inhibitor prior to its removal by centrifugation. In addition, it was observed that some human pancreases readily developed tryptic activity in the usually long interval between death and autopsy, and that others generated substantial activity after homogenization and incubation at 0°C. In contrast, homogenates of canine pancreas required the addition of exogenous trypsin for conversion of trypsinogen to trypsin. When the generated tryptic activity of pancreatic homogenates was compared with that of purified bovine trypsin, human trypsin differed from bovine and canine trypsin in its substantially lower inhibition by ovomucoid and soybean trypsin inhibitor. The ease of conversion of human trypsinogen to trypsin, the stability of the latter, its lower sensitivity to trypsin inhibitor, and variation in content of the inhibitor are undoubtedly factors in the etiology of pancreatitis, and they may explain the significant rate of occurrence of this disease in man.
Nucleotide and primary sequence of a major rice prolamine.

Abstract A recombinant cDNA clone encoding a major rice seed storage prolamine was isolated by antibody screening of a cDNA λgt 11 library. This clone contained a single open reading frame encoding a putative rice prolamine precursor (Mr17 300). In contrast to other cereal prolamines, the primary sequence of the rice prolamine was devoid of any major tandem repetitive sequences, a feature prevalent in all cereal prolamines studied to date. No significant homology was detected between the rice prolamine and other cereal prolamines, indicating that the rice gene evolved from unique ancestral DNA segments.
What can cognitive architectures do for robotics

Abstract Research in robotic systems has traditionally been identified with approaches that are characterized by the use of carefully crafted representations and processes to find optimal solutions. The use of such representations and processes, which we refer to as the algorithmic approach, is uniquely suited for problems requiring strong models, i.e., tasks and domains that are well defined, and/or involve close interaction with the environment. These problems have historically been the focus of robotics research because they exercise perceptual, motor and manipulation capabilities that form the basic foundational abilities required for every robotic agent. Recent work (for example ROS and Tekkotsu) on the abstraction and encapsulation of perception and motor functionality has standardized the above mentioned foundational abilities and allowed researchers to study problems in less clearly defined and open-ended domains: problems that have previously been considered the province of AI and Cognitive Science. In this paper, we argue that the study of these problems (examples of which include multi-agent interaction, instruction following and reasoning in complex domains) referred to under the rubric of Cognitive Robotics is best achieved via the use of cognitive architectures – unified computational frameworks developed specifically for general problem solving and human cognitive modeling. We lay out the relevant architectural concepts and principles and illustrate them using nine cognitive architectures that are under active development – Soar, ACT-R, CLARION, GMU-BICA, Polyscheme, Co-JACK, ADAPT, ACT-R/E, and SS-RICS.
Acid-base chemistry and aluminum transport in an acidic watershed and pond in New Hampshire

Cone Pond is one of the few acidic, clear-water ponds in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, a region dominated by high inputs of strong acids from atmospheric deposition and low base content of bedrock. Monitoring was conducted for 13 months to compare and contrast the acid-base chemistry of the terrestrial and aquatic portions of the watershed. Variations in Al concentration and speciation in drainage waters were correlated with changes in the supply of naturally occurring organic ligands. During the study period, the pond retained 28 % of Al inputs, including nearly half of the inputs of organically complexed Al. Chemical equilibrium calculations indicated that the entire water-column was oversaturated with respect to the solubility of synthetic gibbsite during summer, as was the hypolimnion during winter. Retention of Al resulted from an increase in pH in the hypolimnion concomitant with SO42- reduction, and from loss of organic anions in epilimnetic waters. Acid neutralizing capacity (ANC) generated in the pond primarily through SO42- reduction and base cation (CB) release was balanced by ANC consumed as a result of Al retention.