cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comments on Jonathan Lear’s Radical Hope (Harvard: 2006)

Cultural devastation, and the proper response to it, is the central concern of Radical Hope. I address an uncertainty in Lear’s book, reflected in a wavering over the difference between a culture’s way of life becoming impossible and its way of life becoming unintelligible. At his best, Lear asks the radical ontological question: when the cultural collapse is such that the old way of life has become not only impossible but retroactively unimaginable,––when nothing one can do (or did) makes sense anymore,––how can one go on? In raising this question, Lear’s book is a remarkable breakthrough; it comes close to raising the crucial ontological question of how to deal with the total collapse of a culture, and it may well become a classic by starting a conversation on the question: How should we live when our own culture is in the process of actually collapsing? Lear suggests that [w]hat would be required … would be a new Crow poet: one who could take up the Crow past and—rather than use it for nostalgia or ersatz mimesis—project it into vibrant new ways for the Crow to live and to be. (p. 51) [w]hat would be required … would be a new Crow poet: one who could take up the Crow past and—rather than use it for nostalgia or ersatz mimesis—project it into vibrant new ways for the Crow to live and to be. (p. 51) Later Heidegger had a similar suggestion for us and I try to spell it out briefly.
Recent enhancements to analyzed data acquisition and remote participation at the DIII-D National Fusion Facility

A long-term plan is being implemented to enhance the computational infrastructure of the DIII-D National Fusion Facility. One of the goals of this plan is more efficient utilization of DIII-D experimental run-time by decreasing the time to analyze, store and distribute analyzed data during tokamak operations. A multi-processor Linux cluster is reducing data analysis time and a Unix based MDSplus data management system is providing rapid access to analyzed data. A second goal of the long-term plan is to reduce the time required for more detailed physics analysis after experimental operations. This goal is being accomplished with the underlying philosophy of uniformity, both in the look and feel of our own GUI-based tools, in terms of access methods to analyzed datasets, and access to existing computer power via a load balanced UNIX cluster. Additionally, we have enhanced our remote meeting capability resulting in improved communication within the geographically diverse DIII-D Research Team.
Cell Cycle: Bistability Is Needed for Robust Cycling

Xenopus egg extracts have distinct Cdk-active and Cdk-inactive states at intermediate cyclin concentrations, a phenomenon known as bistability. A new study shows that this behavior is important for robust cell cycling.
Cross-lingual C*ST*RD: English access to Hindi information

We present C*ST*RD, a cross-language information delivery system that supports cross-language information retrieval, information space visualization and navigation, machine translation, and text summarization of single documents and clusters of documents. C*ST*RD was assembled and trained within 1 month, in the context of DARPA's Surprise Language Exercise, that selected as source a heretofore unstudied language, Hindi. Given the brief time, we could not create deep Hindi capabilities for all the modules, but instead experimented with combining shallow Hindi capabilities, or even English-only modules, into one integrated system. Various possible configurations, with different tradeoffs in processing speed and ease of use, enable the rapid deployment of C*ST*RD to new languages under various conditions.
Hybridization of the complementary mRNAs for P450c21 (steroid 21-hydroxylase) and tenascin-X is prevented by sequence-specific binding of nuclear proteins.

The CYP21 gene that encodes the steroid 21-hydroxylase, P450c21, is overlapped on the opposite strand of DNA by the TX-X gene encoding the extracellular matrix protein, tenascin-X. These transcripts contain perfectly complementary segments of 299 bases at their 3'-ends. As these genes are tandemly duplicated and are transcribed in the adrenal cortex, we investigated whether these self-complementary transcripts formed RNA-RNA hybrids in vivo. Formation of heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein complexes between nascent RNA transcripts and nuclear proteins might modulate such potential RNA-RNA interactions. Using a double RNase protection assay, we found that these RNAs form very small amounts of double-stranded RNA-RNA hybrids in adrenal cells in vivo. To understand why these mRNAs fail to hybridize in vivo, we studied the actions of nuclear proteins on the binding and annealing of their complementary regions in vitro. The nucleation of interstrand annealing was kinetically favored over binding and was ef...
Self-Assembly of Coil/Liquid-Crystalline Diblock Copolymers in a Liquid Crystal Solvent

Diblock copolymers having a random-coil polymer block (polystyrene, PS) connected to a side-group liquid crystal polymer (SGLCP) self-assemble in a nematic liquid crystal (LC), 4-pentyl-4′-cyanobiphenyl, into micelles with PS-rich cores and SGLCP-rich coronas. The morphologies of block copolymers with varying PS content are characterized as a function of temperature and concentration using small-angle neutron scattering, rheometry, and transmission electron microscopy. Unlike conventional solvents, the nematic LC can undergo a first-order transition between distinct fluid phases, accessing the regimes of both strong and slight selectivity in a single polymer/solvent pair. Micelles dissolve away above a microphase separation temperature (MST) that is often equal to the solution’s isotropization point, TNI. However, increasing or decreasing the polymer’s PS content can shift the MST to be above or below TNI, respectively, and in the former case, micelles abruptly swell with solvent at TNI. Comparable effect...
A Family of Efficient Key Predistribution Schemes for Pairwise Authentication

The growing need for ad hoc establishment of security associations (SA) in networks that may include resource constrained nodes has sparkled renewed interest in key predistribution schemes (KPS). KPSs which employ only inexpensive symmetric cryptographic primitives also support ID-based distribution of secrets to eliminate the need for dissemination of certificates or other public values. KPSs are however susceptible to collusions. The complexity associated with deployment and use of any KPS that can restrict collusions of very large number of nodes is influenced by several factors like bandwidth overheads, computational complexity, storage requirements, overheads for distributing secrets etc. We introduce a class of simple scalable KPSs with several compelling advantages over other KPSs in the literature.
An insect farnesyl phosphatase homologous to the N-terminal domain of soluble epoxide hydrolase.

Abstract In insects, farnesyl pyrophosphate (FPP) is converted to juvenile hormone (JH) via a conserved pathway consisting of isoprenoid-derived metabolites. The first step of this pathway is presumed to be hydrolysis of FPP to farnesol in the ring gland. Based on alignment of putative phosphatases from Drosophila melanogaster with the phosphatase domain of soluble epoxide hydrolase, Phos2680 and Phos15739 with conserved phosphatase motifs were identified, cloned and purified. Both D. melanogaster phosphatases hydrolyzed para-nitrophenyl phosphate, however, Phos15739 also hydrolyzed FPP with a Kcat/Km of 2.1 × 105 M−1 s−1. RT-PCR analysis revealed that Phos15739 was expressed in the ring gland and its expression was correlated with JHIII titer during development of D. melanogaster. N-acetyl-S-geranylgeranyl- l -cysteine was found to be a potent inhibitor of Phos15739 with an IC50 value of 4.4 μM. Thus, our data identify Phos15739 as a FPP phosphatase that likely catalyzes the hydrolysis of FPP to farnesol in D. melanogaster.
Aluminum planchet counting: A simple method for improved sample spreading

Abstract Uniformity of spreading is much improved when a drop of ammonia is added to aluminum planchets before drying the sample. The method makes special drying equipment unnecessary, but is applicable only to aluminum planchets. Data employing other spreading agents are also presented. A statistical analysis is given for all of the data and several different procedures could be derived from these data depending on the needs of the user.
Introduction: Science and Technology as a Global System:

La science, la technologie et la societe (STS) sont sensees apporter des contributions importantes a la connaissance et a l'action sur des sujets universels.
Radiation safety aspects of the linac coherent light source project at SLAC

Abstract The linac coherent light source (LCLS) is a self-amplified spontaneous emission based free electron laser (FEL) that is being designed and built at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC) by a multi-laboratory collaboration. This facility will provide ultra-short pulses of coherent X-ray radiation with the fundamental harmonic energy tunable over the energy range of 0.82–8.2 keV. One-third of the existing SLAC linac will compress and accelerate the electron beam to energies ranging from 4.5 to 14.35 GeV. The beam will then be transported through a 130-m long undulator, emit FEL and spontaneous radiation. After passing through the undulator, the electron beam is bent to the main electron dump. The LCLS will have two experiment halls as well as X-ray optics and infrastructure necessary to make use of the FEL for research and development in a variety of scientific fields. The facility design will incorporate features that would make it possible to expand in future such that up to six independent undulators can be used. While some of the radiation protection issues for the LCLS are similar to those encountered at both high-energy electron linacs and synchrotron radiation facilities, LCLS poses new challenges as well. Some of these new issues include: the length of the facility and of the undulator, the experimental floor in line with the electron beam and the occupancy near 0 ∘ , and the very high instantaneous intensity of the FEL. The shielding design criteria, methodology, and results from Monte Carlo and analytical calculations are presented.
Subarachnoid hemorrhage in sickle cell disease.

Subarachnoid hemorrhage occurs in 1%–2% of patients with neurological complications from sickle cell disease. The authors report a case of subarachnoid hemorrhage in a 13-year-old black girl with sickle cell disease. Computed tomography of the brain demonstrated diffuse subarachnoid hemorrhage in the right sylvian fissure and the right frontoparietal cortical region. Angiography revealed no evidence of aneurysm but multiple stenosis and/or occlusions of the distal branches of the anterior and middle cerebral arteries bilaterally. Rupture of leptomeningeal collateral vessels is a possible cause of subarachnoid hemorrhage in our patient.
Symmetrical disulfide bonds as S-protecting groups and their cleavage by dithiothreitol: synthesis of oxytocin with high biological activity.

Oxytocin, possessing high rat uterotonic activity (560 ± 25 U/mg) and avian vasodepressor activity (510±23 U/mg) was obtained according to the following scheme: acylation of bis(L-tyrosyl-L-isoleucyl-L-glutaminyl-L-asparaginyl)-L-cystinyl-bis(L-prolyl-L-leucylglycinamide) with bis(tett-butyloxycarbonyl)-L-cystinyl-bis(p-nitro-phenyl ester); liberation of the N-terminal amino groups of the coupling products with TFA and reduction of all disulfide bonds with dithiothreitol in aqueous medium at pH 8; separation of oxytoceine from low molecular weight compounds; followed by air oxidation of the disulfhydryl monomer to the cyclic disulfide. The protected intermediates of oxytocin were prepared according to the stepwise method of peptide synthesis in which the peptide chain was elongated by the use of N-protected activated esters as acylating agents; the cysteine residues were introduced into the peptide as symmetrically substituted cystines.
Health care costs in America—technology as a major driver.

With the recent debate in Congress regarding health care and potential changes to be made in the United States, we provide here a background of health care costs to our surgical colleagues. The primary aim of this article is to provide residents and faculty with information regarding the current cost structure of health care and the drivers of health care costs in America. This article will give a historical background and will emphasize the major drivers of increased health care costs in the United States. The major driver for cost increases over the time period studied here is technology. With the onset of newer medicines, technologies, equipment, and treatments occurring at a rapid pace, these costs would be expected to continue increasing steadily. Health care costs have been increasing every year since they have first been recorded. This has occurred in both real and nominal terms. The growth rate of health care has grown at a faster rate than the gross domestic product (GDP) of the United States over the last 40 years. This has lead to the share of health care expenditure as a fraction of GDP increasing over this time period. Most of the increase in expenditure has been attributed, in large part, to the growth and expansion of technology in our health care system. This cost has been transferred to both the government run system of health care (Medicaid and Medicare) as well as to private health insurance companies. As surgeons, we are often at the front lines of new technologies that are incorporated directly into the care of patients, and these increases in cost are areas where we can have a direct impact. Interestingly, in other fields, the introduction and expansion of technologies tends to decrease the overall costs; however, in our health care system, the introduction of technologies seems to have led to a sustained increase in expenditures because of the increased access for patients and the increased actual costs of production.
Tidal triggering of starbursts and nuclear activity in galaxies

Gas distributed throughout a galaxy responds strongly to the tidal field of a companion during a merger. In some cases dynamical instability will drive a large fraction of the gas into the inner regions of the galaxy. A strong burst of star formation will follow and subsequent evolution may lead to the formation of a black hole. Continued accretion of gas by the black hole may provide sufficient power to explain quasars and nuclear activity in otherwise normal galaxies.
An Instructional Cloud-Based Testbed for Image and Video Analytics

This paper describes a cloud-based software infrastructure for teaching big data analytics. Using this infrastructure, students can retrieve and analyze real-time visual data retrieved from globally distributed network cameras.
Minimising power dissipation in analogue signal processors through syllabic companding

It is shown that it is possible to keep power dissipation in analogue signal processors very small, by using a specific form of syllabic companding that makes the power dissipation signal-dependent in a near-optimum manner. The technique is applicable to class A and class AB circuits.
High-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia with adjacent atypia is associated with a higher incidence of cancer on subsequent needle biopsy than high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia alone.

Abstract Objectives. High-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (HGPIN) is often considered a premalignant lesion of the prostate. Its incidence ranges from 0.7% to 20% in all prostate biopsies, and patients with HGPIN on initial biopsy are reportedly found to have a higher risk of cancer on subsequent biopsy. The purpose of our study was to determine the incidence of HGPIN in our patients who underwent prostate biopsy and to determine whether a further pathologic subclassification of HGPIN between HGPIN alone and HGPIN with adjacent atypical glands has any prognostic value in predicting the rate of prostate cancer on subsequent prostate biopsy. Methods. A total of 485 patients who underwent prostate biopsy between January 1998 and October 1999 were included in the study. Each set of slides was reviewed by a single urologic pathologist to determine the presence of HGPIN alone or HGPIN with adjacent atypical glands. If any HGPIN was identified, a repeat biopsy was performed, and the presence of cancer was recorded. Results. The overall incidence of HGPIN alone and HGPIN with adjacent atypical glands on initial biopsy was 33 (6.8%) of 485. Of these 33 patients, 21 (64%) had HGPIN alone and 12 (36%) had HGPIN with adjacent atypical glands. Three (14%) of 21 patients with HGPIN alone were found to have cancer on subsequent biopsy compared to 9 (75%) of 12 patients with HGPIN with adjacent atypia on initial biopsy. This difference is statistically significant (P Conclusions. The incidence of HGPIN alone in our experience is 4.3% (21 of 485). Patients with HGPIN with adjacent atypical glands suspicious for cancer have a significantly higher incidence of cancer on subsequent biopsy than patients with HGPIN alone.
Comparison of Gentamicin and Kanamycin Alone and in Combination with Ampicillin in Experimental Escherichia coli Bacteremia and Meningitis

The conventional antimicrobial therapy of gram-negative infection in the newborn is the combination of ampicillin and an aminoglycoside, usually gentamicin or kanamycin. Although gentamicin and kanamycin have been used interchangeably, efficacies of the two drugs have not been carefully compared. In addition, the contribution of ampicillin to the outcome of neonatal gram-negative meningitis is controversial. We evaluated the activity of gentamicin and kanamycin alone and in combinations with ampicillin in vitro and in vivo against a K1 Escherichia coli strain. In vitro, the E. coli strain was relatively sensitive to ampicillin, gentamicin, and kanamycin, with the minimal inhibitory and minimal bactericidal concentrations of 2 and 4, 2 and 2, and 4 and 8 micrograms/ml, respectively. Checkerboard determinations of minimal inhibitory and minimal bactericidal concentrations of drug combinations exhibited an indifferent response for both ampicillin + gentamicin and ampicillin + kanamycin. However, in vivo studies using an experimental E. coli bacteremia and meningitis model in newborn rats suggested that gentamicin was more effective than kanamycin. This was shown by more rapid bacterial clearance from the blood, a decreased incidence of meningitis in bacteremic animals, and improved survival. Furthermore, the addition of ampicillin improved the outcome of kanamycin, but not gentamicin, suggesting that the contribution of ampicillin may vary depending on the type of aminoglycoside used. These findings suggest that kanamycin is less effective than gentamicin in vivo against E. coli and should be used in combination with ampicillin to achieve an outcome comparable to that of gentamicin in this model of E. coli infection.
Alternative Dietary Fiber Sources in Companion Animal Nutrition

The US has a pet population of approximately 70 million dogs and 74 million cats. Humans have developed a strong emotional bond with companion animals. As a consequence, pet owners seek ways to improve health, quality of life and longevity of their pets. Advances in canine and feline nutrition have contributed to improved longevity and well-being. Dietary fibers have gained renewed interest in the pet food industry, due to their important role in affecting laxation and stool quality. More recently, because of increased awareness of the beneficial effects of dietary fibers in health, as well as the popularity of functional foods and holistic and natural diets, alternative and novel carbohydrates have become widespread in human and pet nutrition. Fiber sources from cereal grains, whole grains and fruits have received increasing attention by the pet food industry and pet owners. While limited scientific information is available on the nutritional and nutraceutical properties of alternative fiber sources, studies indicate that corn fiber is an efficacious fiber source for pets, showing no detrimental effects on palatability or nutrient digestibility, while lowering the glycemic response in adult dogs. Fruit fiber and pomaces have good water-binding properties, which may be advantageous in wet pet food production, where a greater water content is required, along with low water activity and a firm texture of the final product. Rice bran is a palatable fiber source for dogs and may be an economical alternative to prebiotic supplementation of pet foods. However, it increases the dietary requirement of taurine in cats. Barley up to 40% in a dry extruded diet is well tolerated by adult dogs. In addition, consumption of complex carbohydrates has shown a protective effect on cardiovascular disease and oxidative stress. Alternative fiber sources are suitable ingredients for pet foods. They have been shown to be nutritionally adequate and to have potential nutraceutical properties.
Comparison of the nonhomogenized dynamic method of cells and a hydrodynamic calculation for wave propagation

Abstract The performance of the nonhomogenized dynamic method of cells (NHDMOC) theory is compared to a standard finite-difference Lagrangian hydrodynamic calculation. The NHDMOC is based on a truncated Legendre expansion for the particle displacement field. In the present work, the expansion is kept to third-order. The NHDMOC and hydrodynamic theories differ in that the former uses a finite-difference solution to update the time dependence of the equations, whereas the latter uses finite-difference solutions for both the temporal and spatial variables. Both theories are used to model longitudinal shock-wave propagation in steel, arising from high-velocity planar impact. To achieve the same high-quality resolution of the stress and particle velocity profiles, the NHDMOC consistently requires coarser spatial and temporal grids. The NHDMOC is also less dependent on artificial viscosity to control unphysical, high frequency, oscillations in the numerical solutions of the theory.
Regression effect in judgments to determine equal response contours

The data of Sheldon’s experiment (1973) on equal onset contours for vibrotactile stimuli display a marked regression effect. This effect is one of bias and is not to be confused with statistical regression toward the mean. It resembles the effect found by Stevens (1955, 1961) and others in data from scale-matching experiments, but the present effect involves bias toward the level of the standard on the dimension which the subject is adjusting to achieve his match, rather than being related to the entire stimulus range. Both regression effects appear to increase with the difficulty of the matching task.
Allergic fungal sinusitis presenting as unilateral exophthalmos

This article describes a child with advanced allergic fungal sinusitis (AFS). A 17-year-old girl with a 10-year history of chronic nasal congestion and anosmia presented with progressive headache and exophthalmos over a 3-month period. Computed tomography of the head revealed a ring-enhancing lesion in the left frontal lobe. Further imaging revealed extensive soft tissue infiltration of her sinuses contiguous with the intracranial mass and significant distortion of the sinus and orbital architecture. Biopsy specimens obtained during surgical debridement demonstrated eosinophils, yeast forms, and Charcot-Leydon crystals without evidence of fungal invasion of tissue. Fungal culture yielded Aspergillus flavus. Total serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) was markedly elevated, and precipitating antibodies to A. flavus were positive. In addition, skin test reactivity to Aspergillus species was positive. She improved after surgical debridement of the sinuses and orbits and systemic corticosteroid therapy. Allergic funga...
A condition for the compatibility of submodules of a module

Abstract A system of subgroups of a group is called compatible if there exists a Remak decomposition of the group for which each member of the system can be obtained as the direct product of its projections into the factors of the direct decomposition. H. Mann observed that the integral ideals of an algebraic number field form a compatible system of submodules of the module formed by the algebraic integers. In this paper compatibility conditions for subgroup systems of arbitrary finitely generated abelian groups are given.
Low oxygen saturation target range is associated with increased incidence of intermittent hypoxemia.

Objective To test the hypothesis that preterm infants randomized to a low vs high O 2 saturation target range have a higher incidence of intermittent hypoxemia. Study design A subcohort of 115 preterm infants with high resolution pulse oximetry enrolled in the Surfactant, Positive Pressure, and Oxygenation Randomized Trial were randomized to low (85%-89%) or high (91%-95%) O 2 saturation target ranges. Oxygen saturation was monitored until 36 weeks postmenstrual age or until the infant was breathing room air without respiratory support for ≥72 hours. Results The low target O 2 saturation group had a higher rate of intermittent hypoxemia (≤80% for ≥10 seconds and ≤3 minutes) prior to 12 days and beyond 57 days of life ( P P P Conclusion A low O 2 saturation target was associated with an increased rate of intermittent hypoxemia events that was dependent on postnatal age. The duration and severity of events was comparable between target groups. Further investigation is needed to assess the role of intermittent hypoxemia and their timing on neonatal morbidity.
In vivo dark-field reflection-mode photoacoustic microscopy.

Reflection-mode photoacoustic microscopy with dark-field laser pulse illumination and high-numerical-aperture ultrasonic detection is designed and implemented in noninvasively imaged blood vessels in the skin in vivo. Dark-field optical illumination minimizes the interference caused by strong photoacoustic signals from superficial structures. A high-numerical-aperture acoustic lens provides high lateral resolution, 45–120μm in this system. A broadband ultrasonic detection system provides high axial resolution, estimated to be ∼15μm. The optical illumination and ultrasonic detection are in a coaxial confocal configuration for optimal image quality. The system is capable of imaging optical-absorption contrast as deep as 3mm in biological tissue.
The effect of selected socio‐demographic factors on lodging demand in the USA

Many lodging operators in the USA might intuitively, or through long experience, be aware of the more important socio‐demographic market segments of their business. This research quantifies the significance and the contribution of such market segments to aggregate lodging demand in the USA. Finds that age distribution, income distribution, occupation and gender are the most significant socio‐demographic factors that have an effect on lodging demand. The aggregate lodging demand contribution of specific market segments obtained by combining the above factors pairwise, i.e. age and income, age and occupation, etc. is also discussed in the study.
Poxvirus protein evolution: Family wide assessment of possible horizontal gene transfer events

To investigate the evolutionary origins of proteins encoded by the Poxviridae family of viruses, we examined all poxvirus protein coding genes using a method of characterizing and visualizing the similarity between these proteins and taxonomic subsets of proteins in GenBank. Our analysis divides poxvirus proteins into categories based on their relative degree of similarity to two different taxonomic subsets of proteins such as all eukaryote vs. all virus (except poxvirus) proteins. As an example, this allows us to identify, based on high similarity to only eukaryote proteins, poxvirus proteins that may have been obtained by horizontal transfer from their hosts. Although this method alone does not definitively prove horizontal gene transfer, it allows us to provide an assessment of the possibility of horizontal gene transfer for every poxvirus protein. Potential candidates can then be individually studied in more detail during subsequent investigation. Results of our analysis demonstrate that in general, proteins encoded by members of the subfamily Chordopoxvirinae exhibit greater similarity to eukaryote proteins than to proteins of other virus families. In addition, our results reiterate the important role played by host gene capture in poxvirus evolution; highlight the functions of many genes poxviruses share with their hosts; and illustrate which host-like genes are present uniquely in poxviruses and which are also present in other virus families.
Generalized Rank Two Tensor Statistical Model of the Smectic A state

Abstract A molecular statistical model for the smectic A phase based on rank two symmetry is developed. The model inter-molecular interaction does not depend critically on the magnitude of the vector joining the molecular centers of mass, as is the case in the McMillan1-Kobayashi2 model, but rather on its orientation relative to the preferred orientation of the molecules. The model predicts a phase diagram similar to that calculated by McMillan.1 It is an improvement of the McMillan-Kobayashi model because it has two additional features. It is intrinsically stable against three dimensional freezing and predicts a force which keeps the director oriented normal to the smectic layers.
Ecocriticism, Goethe's Optics and Unterhaltungen deutscher Ausgewanderten: Emergent Forms versus Newtonian "Constructions"

Long viewed as an anomalous assemblage of tales formulating either social or aesthetic developments, Goethe's Unterhaltungen deutscher Ausgewanderten , in fact, presents a sequence of perceptual categories relating to his optics and his exploration of our interface with the physical world around us. From the troublingly inexplicable sounds of the ghost stories through the embrace and renunciation of physical desires to the final, idealized visual spectrum of the Marchen 's colors and lights, the tales' path explores how physical perception is enmeshed with interpretation. Hence the Unterhaltungen relates to ecocriticism's interrogation of human-nature environments in that both Goethe and ecocriticism seek to change our perception itself so that we might recognize the "emergent forms" in which we inevitably participate (rather than simply "control" them). Both also seek to comprehend the artificiality of the damaging "constructions" wrought by Newtonian science (according to Goethe) or by the view that the natural world is naught but static material awaiting our "enlivenment."
Future general purpose supercomputer architectures

The authors discuss the challenges facing designers of future general-purpose supercomputers, and describe architectural features and characteristics that may be used to meet these challenges. Balancing vector/scalar performance, vector performance, scalar processing, supporting scalability, large-scale memory systems, and high-performance I/O and networking are discussed. Performance trends and projections for general-purpose supercomputer systems are given. >
High-order discontinuous galerkin methods for the Vlasov-Poisson system

Summary form only given. Discontinuous Galerkin (DG) finite element methods are a powerful solution technique for nonlinear hyperbolic conservation laws, such as those that arise in the modeling of plasma. DG-FEM can be applied to achieve high-order spatial accuracy; however, one drawback of classical DG-FEM with explicit time-stepping is their poor CFL restriction compared to high-order finite difference or finite volume counterparts. In kinetic models of collisionless plasma, i.e. kinetic Vlasov models, this small time step problem is further exacerbated due to the possibility that some particles in the system may travel at moderate to large velocities. In this talk I will describe two high-order DG methods for the Vlasov-Poisson system for circumventing the small time-step restriction of explicit DG schemes. The first is an operator split semi-Lagrangian DG method, and the second is an implicit spacetime DG method. Both of these methods are unconditionally stable. In both methods we make use of a Taylor series in time approximation of the electric field in order to locally linearize the evolution operators. In the semi- Lagrangian case this allows us to develop a high-order time discretization based on series of operator split steps that are each one-dimensional constant-coefficient advection steps. In the space-time DG case the Taylor series in time approximation of the electric field allows to solve in each time slab a linear algebra problem rather than a nonlinear one. For these methods we also consider positivity-preserving limiters on the discrete distribution function that guarantee that the algorithms produce physically meaningful approximations. The proposed methods are applied to several test cases.
Tyrosine Hydroxylase Activation and Inactivation by Protein Phosphorylation Conditions

Tyrosine hydroxylase, the rate-limiting enzyme in catecholamine biosynthesis, catalyzes the conversion of tyrosine to DOPA. Cyclic AMP- dependent protein phosphorylation conditions alter tyrosine hydroxylase ac- tivity in rat striatal homogenates. In agreement with other laboratories, we find that short-term pre-incubation (3 min) of extracts under phosphorylating con- ditions (Mg.ATP, CAMP) increases enzyme activity two- to tenfold over con- trol as measured during a subsequent 15-min assay. We now report that pre- incubation under phosphorylating conditions for longer periods (30 min) results in a loss of activity to levels equal to or below that of the control enzyme. Addition of purified bovine brain protein kinase catalytic subunit and Mg.ATP enhances activation and increases the rate of inactivation. To demonstrate that inactivation is not associated with proteolytic degradation or irreversible de- naturation, the inactivated form of the enzyme can be reactivated. The protein kinase inhibitor protein decreases the activation process and prevents inacti- vation of the enzyme to below control values. The sedimentation coefficient is not changed by phosphorylation conditions (S = 8.8 k 0.1). Although the apparent K,, of the enzyme for the 6-methyltetrahydropterine (6-MPHJ cofactor is reduced (0.86 mM, control; 0.32 mM, activated), it is also reduced in the inactivated form (0.38 mM). The K, for dopamine is increased from 4.5 PM for the control to 28 PM for the activated enzyme, whereas the inactivated form of the enzyme exhibits a K, of 10 PM. Removal of catecholamines by gel filtration fails to alter activity and the apparent cofactor K,. Moreover, both the activated and the inactivated states persist following gel filtration. It there- fore appears that the activation-inactivation process is not mediated solely by the modulation of enzyme feedback inhibition or changes in the K, for 6- MPH,. We also describe a coupled decarboxylase assay in which labeled dopamine is resolved from the precursors tyrosine and DOPA by low-voltage paper electrophoresis. Key Words: c-AMP-dependent phosphorylation- Tyrosine hydroxylase. Vrana K. E. et al. Tyrosine hydroxylase activation and inactivation by protein phosphorylation conditions. J. Neuroclzem. 36, 92-100 (1981).
Transcriptional activation of the human gastrin-releasing peptide receptor gene in gastrointestinal and prostatic epithelial cancer cells.

The mammalian gastrin-releasing peptide receptor (GRP-R) belongs to the superfamily of G protein-coupled receptors and mediates actions of the regulatory GRP and bombesin, the amphibian homolog of GRP. Owing to its frequent ectopic expression in some epithelial human malignancies, such as cancers of the colon, lung, and prostate, ligand-specific receptor activation may initiate intracellular signals of cell proliferation, differentiation and migration in this context. Because the underlying molecular mechanisms of aberrant human GRP-R (hGRP-R) expression in tumorigenesis remain unknown, we examined in this study the transcriptional activation of hGRP-R in gastrointestinal and prostate cancer cells, which natively express functional hGRP-R. Using various hGRP-R promoter mutants cloned into a luciferase reporter plasmid, transient transfection studies demonstrated robust transcriptional activation in gastrointestinal and prostate cancer cells. Although our study revealed distinct patterns of transcriptional hGRP-R activation in gastrointestinal and prostate cancer cells, genomic sequences between 97 and 247 bp upstream of the major RNA initiation site appear to be of particular significance for basal transcriptional hGRP-R activation. Based on this study, future examination of transcription factor interaction with the hGRP-R promoter will be important to identify molecular mechanisms of hGRP-R regulation relevant in human cancers that express functional receptor sites.
Application of Reactive Enols in Synthesis: A Versatile, Efficient, and Stereoselective Construction of the Welwitindolinone Carbon Skeleton

Recently, efforts to identify biologically important natural products from cyanobacteria resulted in the isolation of several welwitindolinone alkaloids, two of which have been identified as antagonists of the P-glycoprotein P-170 and hence as MDRreversing agents.1 As part of an ongoing synthesis directed toward the most potent congener, N-methylwelwitindolinone C isothiocyanate (1), we developed an efficient synthesis of 3, a key intermediate that contains the complete carbon framework. Herein we report the details of our investigation. From a retrosynthetic perspective we are focusing on a strategy wherein the chloroolefin and sensitive isothiocyanate will arise late in the sequence via interchange of a ketone and hydroxyl moiety, respectively, in intermediate 2 (Scheme 1). To access 2 the approach proceeds through 3 and, in turn, two R-diazo ketones, 4 and 5. The more advanced of these, compound 4, is a versatile intermediate from which several end-game scenarios are being explored. The second, diazo ketone 5, serves as precursor to 4 and enables the use of aryl C-H insertion chemistry in assembling the 3,4-bridged oxindole core from isatin (6). In the forward sense, isatin was found to be an excellent substrate for Wittig homologation with ethyl triphenylphosphoranylidene acetate.2 The derived enoate (7) is produced in high yield and complete selectivity for the illustrated olefin isomer (Scheme 2). Sequential exposure of 7 to isopropyl triphenylphoshorane and MeI results in clean conversion to the corresponding gem-dimethyl cyclopropane 8.3 Saponification of 8 furnishes acid 9 which,4 upon conversion to its acid chloride and treatment with diazomethane produces R-diazo ketone 5. Having established ready access to diazo ketone 5, efforts to prepare 15 via aryl C-H insertion began.5 Initial studies illustrated that if Rh2(TFA)4 is used as catalyst, 5 reacts to produce equimolar amounts of 14 and 15 along with a trace of spirocycle 11. After considerable experimentation it was discovered that the norcaradiene/cycloheptatriene interconversion leading to the undesired byproduct 14 (i.e., 13 f 12) can be suppressed in situ with the mildly Lewis acidic clay, Montmorillonite K10.6 Under these
Genotypic control of high-frequency adventitious shoot regeneration via somatic organogenesis in loblolly pine.

Abstract Mature zygotic embryos of 24 genotypes of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) were used as explants to establish an adventitious shoot regeneration system through somatic organogenesis. Callus formation frequencies of 18.2 (genotype 11-1103) −77.7% (genotype 7-100) have been induced from mature zygotic embryos of all genotypes tested on callus induction medium (basal salts) containing 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) or α-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA), 6-benzyladenine (BA), and kinetin. Adventitious shoot regeneration via organogenesis with the frequency of 5.4 (genotype 11-1103 and 7-2) −77.2% (genotype 8-1082) was obtained from callus and tissue cultures derived from mature zygotic embryos of 24 genotypes of loblolly pine. The highest mean number of 18 adventitious buds per piece of callus 0.5×0.5 cm2 in size was obtained from genotype 8-1082. Elongation of adventitious buds was achieved on TE medium supplemented with 0.5 mg/l indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) and 1 mg/l BA. After rooting, regenerated plantlets were established in soil. These results suggested that adventitious shoot regeneration via somatic organogenesis was influenced by the genotypes. The in vitro regeneration procedure established in this investigation could be used for clonal micropropagation of some genotypes of loblolly pine, as well as for establishing a transformation system in coniferous species.
Assessment of CFD Performance in Simulations of an Idealized Medical Device: Results of FDA’s First Computational Interlaboratory Study

While computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is commonly used for medical device development, its usefulness for demonstrating device safety has not been proven. Reliable standardized methods for this specialized need are lacking and are inhibiting the use of computational methods in the regulatory review of medical devices. To meet this need, participants from academia, industry, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently completed a computational interlaboratory study to determine the suitability and methodology for simulating fluid flow in an idealized medical device. A technical working committee designed the study, defined the model geometry and flow conditions, and identified comparison metrics. The model geometry was a 0.012 m diameter cylindrical nozzle with a conical collector and sudden expansion on either side of a 0.04 m long, 0.004 m diameter throat, which is able to cause hemolysis under certain flow conditions. Open invitations to participate in the study were extended through professional societies and organizations. Twenty-eight groups from around the world submitted simulation results for five flow rates, spanning laminar, transitional, and turbulent flows. Concurrently, three laboratories generated experimental validation data on geometrically similar physical models using particle image velocimetry. The simulations showed considerable variation from each other and from experiment. One main source of error involved turbulence model underestimations of the centerline velocities in the inlet and throat regions, because the flow was laminar in these regions. Turbulence models were also unable to accurately predict velocities and shear stresses in the recirculation zones downstream of the sudden expansion. The wide variety in results suggest that CFD studies used to assess safety in medical device submissions to the FDA require careful experimental validation. Better transitional models are needed, as many medical devices operate in the transitional regime. It is imperative that the community undertake and publish quality validation cases of biofluid dynamics and blood damage that include complications such as pulsatility, secondary flows, and short and/or curved inlets and outlets. The results of this interlaboratory study will be available in a benchmark database to help develop improved modeling techniques, and consensus standards and guidelines for using CFD in the evaluation of medical devices.
Response to ‘Exposure science will not increase protection of workers from asbestos-caused diseases: NIOSH fails to provide needed public health action and leadership’

Response to ‘Exposure science will not increase protection of workers from asbestos-caused diseases: NIOSH fails to provide needed public health action and leadership’
Synthesis of protein-containing polymers in organic solvents.

Subtilisin has been modified with polyethylene glycol (PEG) monomethacrylate (MW 8000) by reductive alkylation, and incorporated into polymethyl methacrylate durring free-radical initiated polymerization. The activity and stability of the PEG-modified enzymes have been determined in aqueous buffer and organic solvents. The Km and Vmax values for unmodified, singly and doubly modified subtilisin were compared in these environments, and the half-lives of both modified enzymes were remarkably high (up to 2 months). The protein-containing polymer was analyzed for activity and polymer properties, and our results indicate that active subtilisin can be incorporated into polymethyl methacrylate during polymerization in organic solvents while retaining its activity and stability. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
determination of Trace Elements in Eight Chinese Stream‐Sediment Reference Samples by Energy‐Dispersive X‐Ray Spectrometry

Concentrations of twelve trace elements (Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, Rb, Sr, Y, Zr, Nb, Ba, La and Ce) in eight Chinese stream-sediment reference samples have been determined by energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry. The samples were analyzed directly and non-destructively in loose powder form. Compton scatter radiation was used as an internal standard to compensate for variations in sample matrix, particle size, packing density, and instrumental operating characteristics. The results agree well with the Chinese recommended values.
Real dividend – stock market price causality nexus: an application of Markov switching model

This paper examines the causal relationship between real dividends and stock market prices for the USA using the Markov-switching vector autoregressive model (MS-VAR). The results indicate that both real dividends and stock market prices have one order of integration and are not cointegrated. The results from the MS-VAR reveal that causality runs from real stock prices to real dividends but not vice versa. The finding that real dividends are not informational in predicating future movements in stock market prices is consistent with the ‘dividend irrelevance theory’ which posits that dividends do not have predictive power over future earnings.
Strong convergence in nonparametric estimation of regression functions

The nonparametric regression problem has the objective of estimating conditional expectation. Consider the model $$Y = R(X) + Z$$ , where the random variableZ has mean zero and is independent ofX. The regression functionR(x) is the conditional expectation ofY givenX = x. For an estimator of the form $$R_n (x) = \sum\limits_{i = 1}^n {Y_i K{{\left[ {{{\left( {x - X_i } \right)} \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {{\left( {x - X_i } \right)} {c_n }}} \right. \kern-\nulldelimiterspace} {c_n }}} \right]} \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {{\left[ {{{\left( {x - X_i } \right)} \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {{\left( {x - X_i } \right)} {c_n }}} \right. \kern-\nulldelimiterspace} {c_n }}} \right]} {\sum\limits_{i = 1}^n {K\left[ {{{\left( {x - X_i } \right)} \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {{\left( {x - X_i } \right)} {c_n }}} \right. \kern-\nulldelimiterspace} {c_n }}} \right]} }}} \right. \kern-\nulldelimiterspace} {\sum\limits_{i = 1}^n {K\left[ {{{\left( {x - X_i } \right)} \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {{\left( {x - X_i } \right)} {c_n }}} \right. \kern-\nulldelimiterspace} {c_n }}} \right]} }}} $$ , we obtain the rate of strong uniform convergence $$\mathop {\sup }\limits_{x\varepsilon C} \left| {R_n (x) - R(x)} \right|\mathop {w \cdot p \cdot 1}\limits_ = o({{n^{{1 \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {1 {(2 + d)}}} \right. \kern-\nulldelimiterspace} {(2 + d)}}} } \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {{n^{{1 \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {1 {(2 + d)}}} \right. \kern-\nulldelimiterspace} {(2 + d)}}} } {\beta _n \log n}}} \right. \kern-\nulldelimiterspace} {\beta _n \log n}}),\beta _n \to \infty $$ . HereX is ad-dimensional variable andC is a suitable subset ofRd.