cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of dye aggregation on triarylmethane-mediated photoinduced damage of hexokinase and DNA.

Abstract The observation that enhanced mitochondrial membrane potential is a prevalent cancer cell phenotype has provided the conceptual basis for the development of mitochondrial targeting as a novel therapeutic strategy for both chemo- and photochemotherapy of neoplastic diseases. Cationic triarylmethane (TAM+) dyes represent a series of photosensitizers whose phototoxic effects develop at least in part at the mitochondrial level. In this report we describe how the molecular structure of four representative TAM+ dyes (Crystal Violet, Ethyl Violet, Victoria blue R, and Victoria pure blue BO) affects their efficiency as mediators of the photoinduced inactivation of two model mitochondrial targets, hexokinase (HK) and DNA. Our results have indicated that TAM+ dyes efficiently bind to HK and DNA in aqueous media both as dye monomers and aggregates, with the degree of aggregation increasing with increasing the lipophilic character of the photosensitizer. The efficiency with which HK and DNA are damaged upon 532 nm photolysis of biopolymer–TAM+ complexes was found to decrease upon increasing the degree of dye aggregation over these macromolecular templates. Comparative experiments carried out both in water and in D2O, and in air-equilibrated and nitrogen-purged samples have also indicated that, at least when Crystal Violet is used as the photosensitizer, the mechanism of macromolecular damage does not require the involvement of molecular oxygen to operate. This finding makes Crystal Violet a potential candidate for use in photochemotherapy of hypoxic or poorly perfused tumor areas.
Gas diffusion behavior of coal and its impact on production from coalbed methane reservoirs

This paper discusses the results of an experimental study carried out to study and evaluate the sorption and diffusion properties of methane in Illinois basin coals. As a first step, sorption results were modeled using the Langmuir isotherm model and the Langmuir Constants were estimated. Next, the diffusion coefficient, D, was estimated by modeling experimental data using the unipore diffusion theory and Fick's law of diffusion. The results clearly indicated a negative correlation between D and pressure for pressures below 3.5 MPa. The overall trend of the variation was found to be bi-modal, its value remaining constant at high pressures, followed by a sharp increase below this critical pressure. Finally, a comparison of the sorption and diffusion results revealed that D depended on the surface coverage, which exhibits a positive relationship with pressure. The trend of diffusion variation with pressure appeared to be in good agreement with the results reported in the past studies using the bi-disperse diffusion model. The practical implication of the results is that the movement of methane is eased significantly at low pressures. Given the low in situ pressure typically encountered in the Illinois basin, this is a positive finding. Finally, this behavior may be responsible, at least in part, for the increased gas production rates encountered in the San Juan basin after several years of production.
ST segment depression following intubation

A 61-YEAR-OLD, 85kg woman presented for removal of an infected right breast implant. Five years earlier, she had undergone bilateral mastectomy with implant insertion without complication. Because her physical examination was normal and she had no evidence of cardiac disease, she received a course of Adriamycin (doxorubicin, Adria Laboratories, Columbus, OH). Follow-up radionuelide angiography was normal and the patient had no cardiacsymptoms. At the time of surgery, the patient had no cardiac symptoms and, apart from slight erythema over the breast scar, the physical examination, chest x-ray, and blood chemistries were unremarkable. The admission ECG showed normal sinus rhythm at a rate of 60 beats/min and nonspecific T wave abnormalities in leads Vz-Vs. Previous ECGs were not available, and in the absence of cardiac symptoms, it was decided to proceed with general anesthesia. Following the application of all routine monitors, general anesthesia was induced with midazolam, 2 mg, fentanyl, 100 kg, thiopental, 200 mg, and 100 mg of succinylcholine. Intubation was easily performed, and it was accompanied by an increase in the heart rate from 57 to 73 beats/min, and a fall in the blood pressure from 122/45 (68) to 103/45 (64) mmHg. At this point, 3 mm of ST segment depression was noted (Fig 1). What is your diagnosis?
Soil, plant, and terrain effects on natural perchlorate distribution in a desert landscape.

Perchlorate (ClO) is a contaminant that occurs naturally throughout the world, but little is known about its distribution and interactions in terrestrial ecosystems. The objectives of this Amargosa Desert, Nevada study were to determine (i) the local-scale distribution of shallow-soil (0-30 cm) ClO with respect to shrub proximity (far and near) in three geomorphic settings (shoulder slope, footslope, and valley floor); (ii) the importance of soil, plant, and terrain variables on the hillslope-distribution of shallow-soil and creosote bush [ (Sesse & Moc. ex DC.) Coville] ClO; and (iii) atmospheric (wet plus dry, including dust) deposition of ClO in relation to soil and plant reservoirs and cycling. Soil ClO ranged from 0.3 to 5.0 μg kg. Within settings, valley floor ClO was 17× less near shrubs due in part to enhanced leaching, whereas shoulder and footslope values were ∼2× greater near shrubs. Hillslope regression models (soil, = 0.42; leaf, = 0.74) identified topographic and soil effects on ClO deposition, transport, and cycling. Selective plant uptake, bioaccumulation, and soil enrichment were evidenced by leaf ClO concentrations and Cl/ClO molar ratios that were ∼8000× greater and 40× less, respectively, than soil values. Atmospheric deposition ClO flux was 343 mg ha yr, ∼10× that for published southwestern wet-deposition fluxes. Creosote bush canopy ClO (1310 mg ha) was identified as a previously unrecognized but important and active reservoir. Nitrate δO analyses of atmospheric deposition and soil supported the leaf-cycled-ClO input hypothesis. This study provides basic data on ClO distribution and cycling that are pertinent to the assessment of environmental impacts in desert ecosystems and broadly transferable to anthropogenically contaminated systems.
Temporarily asymmetric information and labour contracts

Abstract Under the assumption that workers are more heavily credit rationed than firms, the standard model of testing and self-selection in the labour market is extended. The two main findings are that ex post inefficient termination may be used as a self-selection device and that when workers can be of more than two different productivities, only the best worker should be overpaid.
Designing Federalism: A Theory of Self-Sustainable Federal Institutions

1. Federations and the theoretical problem: 1.1 Why Federalism 1.2 Definitions 1.3 The long search for stability Federalism as nuisance Federalism as engine of prosperity Riker as intermediary 1.4 The fundamental problem of stability 1.5 Basic premises and conclusions 2. Federal bargaining: 2.1 Alliances versus federations 2.2 The private character of public goods 2.3 Equilibrium selection and redistribution 2.4 The 'federal problem' 2.5 Bargaining for control of the center 2.6 Allocating jurisdictions 2.7 Three levels of institutional design 3. Two cases of uninstitutionalized bargaining: 3.1 The Czechoslovak dissolution 3.2 The Soviet dissolution 3.3 The feasibility of success in initial bargaining 3.4 Secession: the special road to renegotiation 4. Representation: 4.1 Two alternative models of Federalism 4.2 A national venue for bargaining 4.3 Within versus without 4.4 Direct versus delegated representation 4.5 Other parameters of design 4.6 Bilateral decision making and the case of Russia 5. Incentives: 5.1 Institutional enforcement 5.2 The court 5.3 Some simple rules of constitutional design 5.4 Voters versus elites 5.5 Desirable imperfection and a democratic as if principle 6. Political parties in a federal state: 6.1 An extreme hypothesis 6.2 Parties in a democracy 6.3 The idealized party system 6.4 Integrated parties 6.5 Integration outside the United States Australian Federalism and the role of parties Canada 6.6 India Leadership incentives Rank and file incentives The party and Federalism 1967 and thereafter 7. Institutional sources of federal stability I: 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Level 2 and the federalist 7.3 Level 3 institutions 7.4 Australia, Canada, Germany, and India revisited Germany Canada Canada vs Australia and India 7.3 Local and regional design parameters 8. Institutional sources of federal stability II: 8.1 Electoral mechanisms and societal structures Representation Ethnicity Defining federal subjects Number of local jurisdictions Authority over local governments 8.2 Bicameralism Symmetry Presidential authority Presidential selection Electoral connections 8.3 Level 1 and the scope of the federal mandate 8.4 Level 0 - things beyond design 9. Designing Federalism: 9.1 Russia Electoral arrangements Regional autonomy Constitutional matters Parties and the current status quo 9.2 The European Union Background The role of parties The puzzle of the collusion France versus Britain EU institutional design 9.4 Conclusion.
Iron measures in coronary angiography patients

Excess iron has been postulated as a risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD) because of its presence in atherosclerotic lesions, its ability to oxidize low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLc), and its promotion of oxygen reperfusion damage after an ischemic event. Whether iron, indirectly measured by its storage protein ferritin and its transport protein transferrin, is related to CAD was examined in a consecutive series of white male (n = 457) and female (n = 114) cardiac patients. Atherosclerosis measures were analyzed in patients grouped by tertiles of ferritin. A similar analysis was done with tertiles of transferrin. Contrary to expectations, men in the third tertile of ferritin had a smaller mean number of stenoses than men in the two lower tertiles (4.9 versus 5.6 and 5.9; P = 0.027); otherwise, there were no statistically significant differences in either number of lesions or extent of arterial narrowing based on tertiles of either measure. Separate multiple logistic regression models with age, fibrinogen, LDLc and triglycerides as covariates provided no evidence that ferritin (odds ratio = 0.88 with 95% C.I. = 0.72-1.07 for men and odds ratio = 0.79 with 95% C.I. = 0.54-1.16 for women) or transferrin (odds ratio = 0.60 with 95% C.I. = 0.31-1.16 for men and odds ratio = 1.33 with 95% C.I. 0.52-3.42 for women) were important correlates of the presence of atherosclerosis in this study.
Developmental and Tissue-specific Expression of Mouse Pelle-like Protein Kinase

Abstract The NF-κB/c-Rel proteins are a family of evolutionarily conserved transcription factors activated during development that in the adult, mediate many processes including the immune response. A high degree of sequence similarity is shared between the NF-κB/c-Rel family of transcription factors and the Drosophila Dorsal protein as well as between its cytoplasmic inhibitor, IκBα, and the Drosophila Cactus protein. Genetic analyses of Dorsal have defined components of a signaling pathway for Dorsal activation, including a serine/threonine kinase, Pelle, placed upstream of Dorsal and Cactus. We demonstrate that this pathway is likely to be conserved in mammals by the isolation of a cDNA that encodes a novel mouse protein highly related to Pelle, mPLK (mouse Pelle-like protein kinase). Expression of mPLK mRNA is developmentally regulated in the mouse and in adult tissue mPLK expression is greatest in the liver, a tissue that expresses a high level of NF-κB. Recombinant mPLK produced in bacteria is a protein kinase capable of autophosphorylating and phosphorylating IκBα.
FC05-04 - The gamse (grodberg autism mental status examination). Preliminary development of a standardized autism-focused exam

Background The traditional mental status examination, used universally in psychiatry, does not provide flexibility to accommodate the developmental perspective necessary for the examination of patients with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The Grodberg Autism Mental Status Examination (GAMSE), developed at the Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment, prompts the observation and recording of social, communicative and behavioral functioning in patients with ASD. The GAMSE contains 8 items, which produce a total score ranging from 0 to 16. Objectives 1. To determine the validity of the GAMSE in accurately predicting diagnostic classification based on a gold standard observational assessment. 2. To establish inter-rater reliability. Methods Eighty consecutive patients receiving autism diagnostic evaluations at the Seaver Autism Center were administered the GAMSE and the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) as part of standard intake procedures. The classification accuracy of the GAMSE was assessed using the ADOS as the gold standard. Inter-rater reliability on the GAMSE was also examined (n = 44). Results A receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to determine a cut-off score based on the 8 items of the GAMSE. The most effective cut-off score of greater than or equal to 5 predicted outcome on the ADOS with a sensitivity of 0.94 and a specificity of 0.81. Co-rating of 44 participants on the AMSE resulted in an average measures intra-class correlation of 0.85. Conclusions Preliminary results indicate excellent classification accuracy and suggest that the GAMSE may act as a useful standardized autism assessment tool for clinical and research endeavors.
Suppression of the tearing mode by energetic ions.

The effect of an energetic ion population on the nonlinear stability of a tearing mode of single helicity is determined using kinetic theory. A dynamical equation is derived for the magnetic-island width. It is shown that the island growth can be suppressed in a tokamak when the energetic ion-density profile peaks just outside the rational surface. Effects due to resistive interchanges and bootstrap currents are included in the model.
Computational vortex dynamics in two and three dimensions

A discussion of some solutions and outstanding problems of dissipationless and nearly dissipationless flows in two and three dimensions is presented. In particular, two-dimensional steady-state solutions, linear stability and nonlinear evolutions including axisymmetrization of isolated vortex regions and merger or condensation of like-signed vorticity regions, are reviewed. These results are obtained from pseudo-spectral codes, contour dynamical (CD) codes and a new Hamiltonian moment-model of the Euler equations
Views on the autoimmunity hypothesis for Chagas disease pathogenesis

Initially, the notion that the pathogenesis of Chagas disease has an autoimmune component was based on the finding that sera from Trypanosoma cruzi-infected patients or laboratory animals contain antibodies that recognize both parasite and host tissue antigens. Subsequent work suggested that T lymphocytes from chagasic patients and animals also displayed such cross-reactivity. However, the autoimmunity hypothesis has remained controversial because of experimental pitfalls, incomplete or inadequate controls, difficulties in reproducing some key results, and a lack of persuasive evidence that the cross-reactive antibodies or lymphocytes can truly effect the multifaceted pathological features of Chagas disease. Whether the immunologic autoreactivities described to date cause chagasic pathology or result from it is another unresolved question. Discussed herein are the most recent contributions to this topic and the reservations they have raised.
A stable and optimally convergent generalized FEM (SGFEM) for linear elastic fracture mechanics

Abstract In this paper, we investigate the accuracy and conditioning of the Stable Generalized FEM (SGFEM) and compare it with standard Generalized FEM (GFEM) for a 2-D fracture mechanics problem. The SGFEM involves localized modifications of enrichments used in the GFEM and the conditioning of the stiffness matrix in this method is of the same order as in the FEM. Numerical experiments show that using the SGFEM with only the modified Heaviside functions, which are used as enrichments in the GFEM, to approximate the solution of fracture problems in 2-D, gives inaccurate results. However, the SGFEM using an additional set of enrichment function yields accurate results while not deteriorating the conditioning of the stiffness matrix. Rules for the selection of the optimal set of enrichment nodes based on the definition of enrichment functions used in the SGFEM are also presented. This set leads to optimal convergence rates while keeping the number of degrees of freedom equal to or close to the GFEM. We show that it is necessary to enrich additional nodes when the crack line is located along element edges in 2-D. The selection of these nodes depends on the definition of the enrichment functions at the crack discontinuity. A simple and yet generic implementation strategy for the SGFEM in an existing GFEM/XFEM software is described. The implementation can be used with 2-D and 3-D elements. It leads to an efficient evaluation of SGFEM enrichment functions.
Dinner preparation in the modern United States

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the family dinner in Los Angeles County, California, focusing on the role of commercial foods and the time invested in food preparation. Popular media emphasize the increasing use of processed commercial foods in the USA.Design/methodology/approach – A total of 64 dinner preparation and consumption events were videotaped and observed (32 families, two weeknights each). Observations determined the source of food served (restaurant, take‐out, or home‐cooked), the ingredients and dishes in each meal prepared at home, and the time required to prepare it.Findings – The findings in this paper showed that, even when prepared at home, most evening meals included processed commercial foods in at least moderate amounts. Home‐cooked meals required an average of 34 minutes' “hands‐on time” and 52 minutes' “total time” to prepare. Heavy use of commercial foods saved, on average, ten to 12 minutes, hands‐on time but did not reduce total preparation time. Commercial food...
Working Through Recent Developments in Securities Arbitration: A Guidebook

This article explores both procedural and substantive aspects of Securities Arbitration. Covering recent rule changes, the authors provide the practitioner with a guide for handling problems that may arise while thoroughly reviewing many aspects of arbitration practice. It is an examination of how procedure impacts substance.
RNA sequestration to pathological lesions of neurodegenerative diseases

Cytoplasmic RNA species have been identified recently within neurofibrillary tangles and senile plaques of Alzheimer's disease brain. To determine whether RNA sequestration is a common feature of other lesions found in progressive neurodegenerative disorders, acridine orange histofluorescence was employed, alone or in combination with immunohistochemistry and thioflavine-S staining to identify RNA species in paraffin-embedded brain tissue sections. Postmortem samples came from 39 subjects with the following diagnoses: Alzheimer's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis/parkinsonism-dementia complex of Guam, corticobasal degeneration, diffuse Lewy body disease, nor- mal controls, multiple system atrophy, Parkinson's disease, Pick's disease, progressive supranuclear palsy, and Shy- Drager syndrome. RNAs were detected in neurofibrillary tangles and neuritic senile plaques as well as in Pick bod- ies. However, Lewy bodies, Hirano bodies, and cytoplas- mic glial inclusions did not contain abundant cytoplasmic RNA species. These observations demonstrate the selective localization of RNA species to distinct pathological lesions of neurodegenerative disease brains.
A hypothesis of genome structure in marine phytoplankton

The genome size of marine phytoplankton is in the order of 106–1011 base pairs. Within the phytoplankton it has often been assumed that dinoflagellates have extraordinarily large genomes that significantly contribute to their nutrient requirements. We test this hypothesis by compiling cell size and genome size data from across many phytoplankton lineages, and apply a simple regression model. Our results suggest that dinoflagellates do not have anomalously large genomes, but instead scale with cell size with the same slope and intercept as many other diverse phytoplankton taxa. Based on the known correlations of genome size and genome content in diverse taxa, we model the approximate expected genome structure in unsequenced lineages of marine phytoplankton. Based on this model, we hypothesize that retrotransposons play a significant role in genome size in marine phytoplankton.
A high-performance WiFi/WiMAX multi-com RFIC in 90nm CMOS

We present in this article an industry-first multi-com RFIC, combining a dual-band 802.11n radio (WiFi) and a triple-band 802.16e (WiMAX) radio on the same die. The WiFi radio supports up to 3×3 MIMO rank, and the WiMAX radio supports up to 1×2 MIMO. This highly-integrated direct-conversion RFIC features an integrated fractional-N synthesizer, non-harmonic frequency generation, integrated LNAs and PA drivers, and baseband chains shared by both TX and RX chains. Calibration circuits and control flexibility ensure consistent performance under production and environmental variations.
Spectroscopic evidence for the reduction of alkyl halides by metal hydrides via a single electron transfer mechanism

Abstract This report provides spectroscopic evidence to support a single electron transfer pathway to describe the reaction of metal hydrides with alkyl halides by direct EPR observation of the radical formed in the reaction.
Population dynamics in central and edge populations of a narrowly endemic plant

Species' range limits can be caused by environmental gradients, and in such cases, abundance is thought to be highest in the center of a species range and decline towards the edge (the abundant-center model). Although in theory decreased abundance is caused by a decline in performance at the edge, it has been shown that performance and abundance are not necessarily related. Few studies have compared abundance and performance in center and edge populations of endemic species, whose ranges may be restricted by the availability of specialized habitat rather than environmental gradients across their range. Additionally, range-wide studies that examine both northern and southern edge populations are rare. We used Roan Mountain rattlesnake-root (Prenanthes roanensis), a perennial plant endemic to the Southern Appalachians (USA), to compare abundance and performance between central populations and populations at the northern and southern edges of the range. To account for multiple fitness components across the life cycle, we measured performance of edge populations as vital-rate contributions to population growth rate compared to the center. Abundance did not decline at the range edge, but some vital-rate contributions were lower in edge populations compared to central populations. However, each edge population differed in which vital-rate contributions were lower compared to the center. Our results do not support the abundant-center model, and it appears that local factors are important in structuring the range of this endemic species. It is important to recognize that when implementing conservation or management plans, populations in close proximity may have substantial variation in demographic rates due to differences in the local environment.
NINE-MONTH ANGIOGRAPHIC RESULTS FROM THE RANDOMIZED TRYTON BIFURCATION TRIAL IN DE NOVO TRUE BIFURCATION CORONARY LESIONS

The aim of the TRYTON trial was to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of the TRYTON Side Branch (SB) Stent™ compared to a provisional stenting strategy in treating native coronary true bifurcation lesions. Nine-month angiographic follow-up (FU) was performed in a pre-specified cohort of
“Freedom. Money. Fun. Love.”: The Warlore of Vietnamese Bargirls

Memories of the Vietnam War abound in the minds of those who survived it, be they veterans or civilians, Vietnamese or American. Vietnamese refugees, forced to flee their homeland after the war ended in 1975, tell particularly poignant stories of loss—of country, of family, of tradition, and of identity. Not so the women featured in this article. During the war, they served as bargirls in Saigon, entertaining American soldiers. The stories they tell of the war paint an entirely different picture: one of good times, and camaraderie, and the exhilaration of being young and free in the city. They were able to break free from tradition and the expectations imposed on their gender because of the war, and because of that, remember the war as the best time of their lives.
Rock-type discrimination from ratioed infrared scanner images of Pisgah Crater, California.

The radiances in two thermal infrared channels of an airborne scanner system were ratioed to produce images that recorded compositionally diagnostic emittance variations for several silicate rock types near Pisgah Crater, California.
Immediate and ongoing detection of prions in the blood of hamsters and deer following oral, nasal, or blood inoculations

Infectious prions traverse epithelial barriers to gain access to the circulatory system, yet the temporal parameters of transepithelial transport and persistence in the blood over time remain unknown. We used whole-blood real-time quaking-induced conversion (wbRT-QuIC) to analyze whole blood collected from transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE)-inoculated deer and hamsters throughout the incubation period for the presence of common prion protein-conversion competent amyloid (PrPCCCA). We observed PrPC-CCA in the blood of TSE-inoculated hosts throughout the disease course from minutes postexposure to terminal disease.
Optimized sensor placement for damage parameter estimation: Experimental results for a cracked plate

In this article, the optimum sensor and impact locations, for use in a damage identification experiment, are obtained using a hybrid genetic algorithm/steepest descent optimization method. Specifically, data from these optimum locations are used to identify the location, orientation, and size of a crack (termed the crack parameters) in a rectangular plate. The strain gage locations and orientations were selected in order (a) to maximize the difference between the model signal for a healthy plate and the model signal for a randomly damaged plate and (b) to minimize the cross-correlation among the signals measured by each of the gages. The latter requirement, in a sense, maximizes the uniqueness of the information measured from each sensor. The Bayesian model-based structural health monitoring identification technique, used to assess the crack parameters, was previously shown to be successful even for arbitrary sensor location/orientation and excitation location. It is shown here that thoughtful (optimized)...
The viscous incompressible flow inside a cone

The steady, axisymmetric, converging motion of a viscous incompressible fluid inside an infinite right circular cone is considered. It is shown that the exact solution of the Navier-Stokes equation for the stream function Ψ is of the form Ψ(r,θ) = AF(rv/A,θ), where (r, θ) are spherical polar co-ordinates chosen so r = 0 is the apex and θ = 0 is the axis of the cone, 2πA is the volumetric flow rate, and v the kinematic viscosity of the fluid. Asymptotic expansions of the stream function are found for large and small rv/A.For large rv/A, Stokes's method for slow motions is generalized to obtain a complete asymptotic expansion. Except for cones of special angles, all terms in this expansion may theoretically be found.For small rv/A a solution is constructed in two parts, namely, an inner expansion which starts from boundary-layer type equations as well as the no-slip condition at the wall, and an outer expansion in unstretched variables rv/A and cosθ which satisfies the boundary conditions at the axis of the cone. The condition that the inner solution merge with the outer solution with an exponentially small error requires an outer solution near the apex which is not potential sink flow, as might perhaps have been expected from the solution for two-dimensional flow in a wedge. The simplest outer flow satisfying the requirement is a vortex motion. Complete inner and outer expansions are developed and it is shown that they contain only six undetermined constants which must be determined by joining this solution numerically to the Stokes solution upstream. The inclusion of logarithmic terms in these expansions has not been found necessary.
Effects of Competition and Temporal Variation on the Evolutionary Potential of Two Native Bunchgrass Species

The capacity of restored plant populations to adapt to new environmental challenges depends on within-population genetic variation. We examined how much genetic and environmentally based variation for fitness-associated traits exists within populations of two native grasses commonly used for restoration in California. We were also interested in understanding how phenotypic expression of genetic variation for these traits varies with growth environment. Thirty maternal families of Elymus glaucus (Blue wild rye) and Nassella pulchra (Purple needlegrass) were sampled from both coastal and interior populations and reciprocally transplanted into three replicated common gardens with and without interspecific competition at each site. Reproductive output of families differed both among years and with competition treatments. Phenotypic expression of genetic variation in culm production differed among populations and was very low when families were grown with interspecific competition. Without interspecific competition, the degree of genetic determination peaked in year two in both species (8.4 and 15.1% in E. glaucus and N. pulchra, respectively). Significant genetic differences in reproduction and phenotypic plasticity were found among N. pulchra subpopulations sampled less than 3 km apart, further highlighting the importance of thoroughly sampling available genetic variation in populations used for restoration. The variable and generally low expression of genetic variation indicates that rates of adaptation in restored populations of these native grasses may vary temporally and may be especially slow within competitive environments.
Can genetic engineering of lignin deposition be accomplished without an unacceptable yield penalty

The secondary cell wall polymer lignin impedes the extraction of fermentable sugars from biomass, and has been one of the major impediments in the development of cost-effective biofuel technologies. Unfortunately, attempts to genetically engineer lignin biosynthesis frequently result in dwarfing or developmental abnormalities of unknown cause, thus limiting the benefits of increased fermentable sugar yield. In this brief review, we explore some of the possible mechanisms that could underlie this poorly understood phenomenon, with the expectation that an understanding of the cause of dwarfing in lignin biosynthetic mutants and transgenic plants could lead to new strategies for the development of improved bioenergy feedstocks.
Computing temporal aggregates

Aggregate computation, such as selecting the minimum attribute value of a relation, is expensive, especially in a temporal database. We describe the basic techniques behind computing aggregates in conventional databases and show that these techniques are not efficient when applied to temporal databases. We examine the problem of computing constant intervals (intervals of time for which the aggregate value is constant) used for temporal grouping. We introduce two new algorithms for computing temporal aggregates: the aggregation tree and the k-ordered aggregation tree. An empirical comparison demonstrates that the choice of algorithm depends in part on the amount of memory available, the number of tuples in the underlying relation, and the degree to which the tuples are ordered. This study shows that the simplest strategy is to first sort the underlying relation, then apply the k-ordered aggregation tree algorithm with k=1. >
The X-Space Formulation of the Magnetic Particle Imaging Process: 1-D Signal, Resolution, Bandwidth, SNR, SAR, and Magnetostimulation

The magnetic particle imaging (MPI) imaging process is a new method of medical imaging with great promise. In this paper we derive the 1-D MPI signal, resolution, bandwidth requirements, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), specific absorption rate, and slew rate limitations. We conclude with experimental data measuring the point spread function for commercially available SPIO nanoparticles and a demonstration of the principles behind 1-D imaging using a static offset field. Despite arising from the nonlinear temporal response of a magnetic nanoparticle to a changing magnetic field, the imaging process is linear in the magnetization distribution and can be described as a convolution. Reconstruction in one dimension is exact and has a well-behaved quasi-Lorentzian point spread function. The spatial resolution improves cubically with increasing diameter of the SPIO domain, inverse to absolute temperature, linearly with saturation magnetization, and inversely with gradient. The bandwidth requirements approach a megahertz for reasonable imaging parameters and millimeter scale resolutions, and the SNR increases with the scanning rate. The limit to SNR as we scale MPI to human sizes will be patient heating. SAR and magnetostimulation limits give us surprising relations between optimal scanning speeds and scanning frequency for different types of scanners.
Efficacy of high-intensity exercise training on left ventricular ejection fraction in men with coronary artery disease (The Training Level Comparison Study)

The purpose of this study was to compare high- versus low-intensity exercise training on the change in echocardiographic left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) from rest to peak exercise. Sedentary men with coronary artery disease, aged 30 to 70 years, were randomized to dynamic exercise training of either low intensity, 50% of maximal oxygen consumption, n = 89; or high intensity, 85% of maximal oxygen consumption, n = 111. No other interventions were imposed and patients were evaluated at 6 months and 1 year. Both exercise groups significantly increased exercise capacity without adverse events, but the increase was greater (p = 0.02) in the high-intensity exercise group. The mean exercise test rest-peak LVEF in the high-intensity group rose from 6.20% at baseline to 6.54% in 6 months and to 6.73% at 12 months, while the low-intensity group showed no improvement at 6 months and a decrease at 12 months. Multivariate analyses revealed that treatment group (high versus low intensity) significantly contributed to the change in rest-peak LVEF. When the exercise groups were subdivided by initial baseline LVEF 50%, those with the higher LVEF in the high-intensity group showed a greater (p = 0.05) increase in the rest-peak LVEF from baseline to 1 year. Over a 1-year period, exercise capacity improved in both exercise-intensity groups, but more so in the high-intensity group, with no adverse events. The high-intensity group, compared with the low-intensity, showed more improvement in the rest-peak LVEF, especially in those with a higher LVEF at baseline.
A survey of spacecraft formation flying guidance and control (part 1): guidance

This paper provides a comprehensive survey of spacecraft formation flying guidance (FTG). Here by the term guidance we mean both path planning and optimal, open loop control design.
Decreasing sediment yields in northern California: vestiges of hydraulic gold-mining and reservoir trapping

Suspended s ediment loads in large rivers are increasing globally, but this trend has reversed in some ba sins due to dam construction, particularly in developed countries. Sediment loads in lower Sacramento Valley basins began decreasing by 1900 (as shown by G. K. Gil bert's clas sic 1917 study of hydraulic gol d-mining debris), preceding most USA reductions by up to 50 years. From 1853 to 1884, hydraulic mining generated >3.7 bil lion tonnes of tailings with specif ic sedi ment productions up to 16 80 7 t km -2 year -1 . Doubl e-mass cur ves of pos t-1950 suspended sediment and runoff indicate decreasing sediment responses to streamflow in the lower Sacramento a nd Feather R ivers c ontinued through the late 20th c entury. Independent evidence indicates that these reductions were caused by dam closures and the reduced availability of historical alluvium stored below the dams.
A framework of using linear programming for manufacturing scheduling

It has been shown that the Lagrangian relaxation approach can be used successfully to develop pragmatic manufacturing scheduling strategies. To apply it to real world situations, it is important to develop an efficient algorithm to solve its associated nondifferentiable dual problem. In this paper, we present a framework to address this issue. By converting the dual problem into an equivalent linear programming (LP) problem, we can use numerous existing LP methods to solve it. Based upon the LP problem, we can also develop families of algorithms for the original dual problem. We present among numerous choices a method of using the LP framework to develop families of algorithms to find an optimal solution of the dual problem. Numerical examples are given to illustrate the potential of the algorithm by comparing it with a subgradient algorithm. An efficient initialization algorithm is also presented, and its implication discussed.
Comparison of analyzing power predictions for pp scattering in the Coulomb-nuclear interference region at 185. 4 MeV

Recent measurements of the analyzing power ${\mathit{A}}_{\mathit{y}}$ for elastic proton-proton scattering are compared to predictions of phase-shift analyses and potential models. One measurement is an absolute determination of ${\mathit{A}}_{\mathit{y}}$ at a beam energy of 183.1 MeV. The second measurement is a precise determination of the angular distribution ${\mathit{A}}_{\mathit{y}}$(\ensuremath{\theta}) over the angular range ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\theta}}}_{\mathrm{c}.\mathrm{m}.}$=5.45\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}--21.36\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} at a beam energy of 185.4 MeV. At these small angles the interference between the Coulomb and nuclear amplitudes dominates ${\mathit{A}}_{\mathit{y}}$(\ensuremath{\theta}). Potential model calculations without the electromagnetic spin-orbit force fail to reproduce the data. Phase-shift analyses, all of which include some form of the electromagnetic spin-orbit force, tend to have a better overall agreement with the data than the potential models.
Collapse of Polar Ice Sheets during the Stage 11 Interglacial

The magnitude of sea level rise during marine isotope stage 11 (about 400,000 years ago) is shown to have been probably only 6 to 13 metres, in contrast to some earlier estimates of up to 20 metres. The ice sheets in Greenland and West Antarctica are known to be susceptible to climate warming, and both are losing mass. How the East Antarctic Ice Sheet will respond to warming is less clear. Recent evidence from shoreline features in Bermuda and the Bahamas suggested that during marine isotope stage 11 — a period of warming that occurred about 400,000 years ago — the sea level was 20 metres higher than it is today, which pointed to significant melting of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet. Now, an estimate that takes into account post-glacial crustal subsidence of the shoreline sites during an anomalously long interglacial period puts the sea level during stage 11 at 6–13 metres higher than today. That can be explained by the collapse of the Greenland and West Antarctic ice sheets, with only a small contribution from the East Antarctic Ice Sheet. Contentious observations of Pleistocene shoreline features on the tectonically stable islands of Bermuda and the Bahamas have suggested that sea level about 400,000 years ago was more than 20 metres higher than it is today1,2,3,4. Geochronologic and geomorphic evidence indicates that these features formed during interglacial marine isotope stage (MIS) 11, an unusually long interval of warmth during the ice age1,2,3,4. Previous work has advanced two divergent hypotheses for these shoreline features: first, significant melting of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet, in addition to the collapse of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet and the Greenland Ice Sheet1,2,3; or second, emplacement by a mega-tsunami during MIS 11 (ref. 4, 5). Here we show that the elevations of these features are corrected downwards by ∼10 metres when we account for post-glacial crustal subsidence of these sites over the course of the anomalously long interglacial. On the basis of this correction, we estimate that eustatic sea level rose to ∼6–13 m above the present-day value in the second half of MIS 11. This suggests that both the Greenland Ice Sheet and the West Antarctic Ice Sheet collapsed during the protracted warm period while changes in the volume of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet were relatively minor, thereby resolving the long-standing controversy over the stability of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet during MIS 11.
The split notochord syndrome.

Abstract A case of combined anterior and posterior spina bifida involving primarily the lumbosacral spine is presented. This is the eighth such case reported in which the intestinal tract communicated with the back via the cleft in the spine. Severe gastrointestinal and central nervous system anomalies are usually present and make for a very poor prognosis.
Differential vulnerability of skeletal muscle feed arteries to dysfunction in insulin resistance: impact of fiber type and daily activity

Functional and structural heterogeneity exists among skeletal muscle vascular beds related, in part, to muscle fiber type composition. This study was designed to delineate whether the vulnerability to vascular dysfunction in insulin resistance is uniformly distributed among skeletal muscle vasculatures and whether physical activity modifies this vulnerability. Obese, hyperphagic Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima fatty rats (20 wk old) were sedentary (OSED) or physically active (OPA; access to running wheels) and compared with age-matched sedentary Long-Evans Tokushima Otsuka (LSED) rats. Vascular responses were determined in isolated, pressurized feed arteries from fast-twitch gastrocnemius (GFAs) and slow-twitch soleus (SFAs) muscles. OSED animals were obese, insulin resistant, and hypertriglyceridemic, traits absent in LSED and OPA rats. GFAs from OSED animals exhibited depressed dilation to ACh, but not sodium nitroprusside, and enhanced vasoconstriction to endothelin-1 (ET-1), but not phenylephrine, compared with those in LSED. Immunoblot analysis suggests reduced endothelial nitric oxide synthase phosphorylation at Ser1177 and endothelin subtype A receptor expression in OSED GFAs. Physical activity prevented reduced nitric oxide-dependent dilation to ACh, but not enhanced ET-1 vasoconstriction, in GFA from OPA animals. Conversely, vasoreactivity of SFAs to ACh and ET-1 were principally similar in all groups, whereas dilation to sodium nitroprusside was enhanced in OSED and OPA rats. These data demonstrate, for the first time, that SFAs from insulin-resistant rats exhibit reduced vulnerability to dysfunction versus GFAs and that physical activity largely prevents GFA dysfunction. We conclude that these results demonstrate that vascular dysfunction associated with insulin resistance is heterogeneously distributed across skeletal muscle vasculatures related, in part, to muscle fiber type and activity level.
Characterizing the Effect of Coarse-Scale PBN Modeling on Dynamics and Intervention Performance of Genetic Regulatory Networks Represented by Stochastic Master Equation Models

Fine-scale models based on stochastic master equations can provide the most detailed description of the dynamics of gene expression and imbed, in principle, all the information about the biochemical reactions involved in gene interactions. However, there is limited time-series experimental data available for inference of such fine-scale models. Furthermore, the computational complexity involved in the design of optimal intervention strategies to favorably effect system dynamics for such detailed models is enormous. Thus, there is a need to design mappings from fine-scale models to coarse-scale models while maintaining sufficient structure for the problem at hand and to study the effect of intervention policies designed using coarse-scale models when applied to fine-scale models. In this paper, we propose a mapping from a fine-scale model represented by a stochastic master equation to a coarse-scale model represented by a probabilistic Boolean network that maintains the collapsed steady state probability distribution of the detailed model. We also derive bounds on the performance of the intervention strategy designed using the coarse-scale model when applied to the fine-scale model.
Towards a Species Level Phylogeny of Symphoricarpos (Caprifoliaceae), Based on Nuclear and Chloroplast DNA

Although recent molecular phylogenetic studies of Dipsacales support a Caprifolieae clade containing Leycesteria, Triosteum, Symphoricarpos, and Lonicera, relationships among these taxa remain uncertain. Likewise, phylogenetic studies sampling more than just a handful of the species of Symphoricarpos has not been pursued. Here I present evidence based on both chloroplast and nuclear DNA to help resolve the phylogenetic relationships of both the Caprifolieae, as well as Symphoricarpos. For nuclear markers, I sequenced the ITS region in addition to the geranylgeranyl reductase (Chlp) gene, which appears to be present in only a single copy in Caprifolieae. Although Chlp does not provide a great deal of resolution by itself, it does provide additional phylogenetically informative characters. From these data, there appears to be strong congruence between both the genomes with respect to the relationships within Symphoricarpos, however, statistical support for any given hypothesis is weak. These additional data do not further support or clarify our understanding about the relationships among members of the Caprifolieae, showing conflicting results between the chloroplast and nuclear genomes.
Intestinal DMT1 is critical for iron absorption in the mouse but is not required for the absorption of copper or manganese

Divalent metal-ion transporter-1 (DMT1) is a widely expressed iron-preferring membrane-transport protein that serves a critical role in erythroid iron utilization. We have investigated its role in intestinal metal absorption by studying a mouse model lacking intestinal DMT1 (i.e., DMT1(int/int)). DMT1(int/int) mice exhibited a profound hypochromic-microcytic anemia, splenomegaly, and cardiomegaly. That the anemia was due to iron deficiency was demonstrated by the following observations in DMT1(int/int) mice: 1) blood iron and tissue nonheme-iron stores were depleted; 2) mRNA expression of liver hepcidin (Hamp1) was depressed; and 3) intraperitoneal iron injection corrected the anemia, and reversed the changes in blood iron, nonheme-iron stores, and hepcidin expression levels. We observed decreased total iron content in multiple tissues from DMT1(int/int) mice compared with DMT1(+/+) mice but no meaningful change in copper, manganese, or zinc. DMT1(int/int) mice absorbed (64)Cu and (54)Mn from an intragastric dose to the same extent as did DMT1(+/+) mice but the absorption of (59)Fe was virtually abolished in DMT1(int/int) mice. This study reveals a critical function for DMT1 in intestinal nonheme-iron absorption for normal growth and development. Further, this work demonstrates that intestinal DMT1 is not required for the intestinal transport of copper, manganese, or zinc.