cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dentist shortage: an analysis of dentists, practices, and populations in the underserved areas.

Objectives The objectives of this study are to identify and describe the characteristics of dental underserved geographic areas. Understanding these characteristics is an important step in addressing access to dental care barriers. Methods Dental underserved areas were identified from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) database and converted to census tracts for analysis. Characteristics of dental underserved geographic areas were compared with areas not designated as underserved. Dental practices included in the Dun & Bradstreet Business information database were geocoded and analyzed according to the underserved designation of their location and census demographic data. Thus, the relationships between dental underserved status, practice, and population characteristics were evaluated. Results Dental underserved areas are more likely to comprise individuals with lower socio-economic status (income and education levels), higher levels of underrepresented population groups, and have lower population densities than non-underserved areas. The populations living in dental underserved areas are more likely to experience geographic, financial, and educational barriers to dental care. Conclusions The study identifies the geographic and financial barriers to dental care access. These findings suggest that the likelihood of a market-driven solution to dental underserved geographic areas is low and support public sector interventions to improve the status quo.
The biosynthesis of valine from isobutyrate by Peptostreptococcus elsdenii and Bacteroides ruminicola

1. Growing cultures of Peptostreptococcus elsdenii and Bacteroides ruminicola incorporate (14)C from [1-(14)C]isobutyrate into the valine of cell protein. With P. elsdenii some of the (14)C is also incorporated into leucine. 2. Crude cell-free extracts of both organisms in the presence of glutamine, carbon dioxide and suitable sources of energy and electrons incorporate (14)C from [1-(14)C]isobutyrate into valine but not into leucine. 3. With extracts of P. elsdenii treated with DEAE-cellulose the reaction is dependent on ATP, CoA, thiamin pyrophosphate, molecular hydrogen and a low-potential electron carrier (ferredoxin, flavodoxin or benzyl viologen). 4. The same extracts incorporate (14)C from NaH(14)CO(3) into valine in the presence of isobutyrate plus ATP, CoA, glutamine and ferredoxin; isobutyryl-CoA or isobutyryl phosphate plus CoA will replace the isobutyrate plus CoA and ATP. With acetyl phosphate in place of isobutyryl phosphate, (14)C is incorporated into alanine. With isovalerate or 2-methylbutyrate in place of isobutyrate, (14)C is incorporated into leucine and isoleucine respectively. 5. When carrier 2-oxoisovalerate is added to the carboxylating system (14)C from [1-(14)C]isobutyrate passes into the oxo acid fraction. 6. It is concluded that these two organisms form valine from isobutyrate by the sequence isobutyrate-->isobutyryl-CoA-->2-oxoisovalerate-->valine and that the reductive carboxylation of isobutyrate is catalysed by a system similar to the pyruvate synthetase of clostridia and photosynthetic bacteria.
Benign circumscribed breast masses : mammographic and sonographic appearance

Mammography is an excellent screening tool for the detection of breast masses. One of the goals of the radiologist is to separate benign breast masses warranting no intervention from the indeterminate and malignant masses that require histologic evaluation. Thorough mammographic and sonographic work-up of lesions detected at screening will reduce the number of biopsies performed and increase the true positive biopsy rate. By systematically evaluating a breast mass as to its density location, size, margins, and interval change, one can separate benign lesions from those requiring additional work-up and those that will require a biopsy diagnosis. Any features suggesting malignancy should prompt histologic assessment. For many women, FNAB or large-core needle biopsy, guided either stereotactically or sonographically, will not only reduce the morbidity associated with excisional biopsy but also decrease the cost of evaluating questionable lesions found at screening. Ultrasound examination will further reduce the number of biopsies by separating cysts from solid and indeterminate lesions that require further evaluation. What rate of carcinoma in biopsy specimens should be the mammographer's guideline? Ciatto et al found in his series a 30% positive predictive value for mammography in detecting carcinoma. In the author's opinion, a goal to strive for should be in the range of 40%. The mammographer's experience and confidence as well as patient's compliance with follow-up recommendations will help the mammographer reach this goal.
How Do Academic Disciplines Use PowerPoint

How do academic disciplines use PowerPoint? This project analyzed PowerPoint files created by an academic publisher to supplement textbooks. An automated analysis of 30,263 files revealed clear differences by disciplines. Single-paradigm “hard” disciplines used less complex writing but had more words than multi-paradigm “soft” disciplines. The “hard” disciplines also used a greater number of small graphics and fewer large ones. Disciplines identified by students as being more effective users of PowerPoint used larger images and more complex sentences than disciplines identified as being less effective in this regard. This investigation suggests that PowerPoint best practices are not universal and that we need to account for disciplinary differences when creating presentation guidelines.
The Business of Lady Gaga

Every successful career in the world of popular culture must rely on an effective organization without which popularity and fame could otherwise not be established. In this chapter, the attained fame of Lady Gaga measured in terms of its wealth is discussed in terms of the business apparatus that is behind her commercial success. The industry of Lady Gaga is specifically examined in terms of its organization, the singer’s company tie-ins and sponsorships, and the versatile product that is the singer herself. Against a reductionist perspective of fame as a commodity, the argument is made that fame cannot be reduced to its economic dimensions. Moreover, the marketing implications of the case of Lady Gaga for other performers in the world of popular culture and music can only be speculated on.
Microparticle-mediated sequestration of cell-secreted proteins to modulate chondrocytic differentiation

Abstract Protein delivery is often used in tissue engineering applications to control differentiation processes, but is limited by protein instability and cost. An alternative approach is to control the cellular microenvironment through biomaterial-mediated sequestration of cell-secreted proteins important to differentiation. Thus, we utilized heparin-based microparticles to modulate cellular differentiation via protein sequestration in an in vitro model system of endochondral ossification. Heparin and poly(ethylene-glycol) (PEG; a low-binding material control)-based microparticles were incorporated into ATDC5 cell spheroids or incubated with ATDC5 cells in transwell culture. Reduced differentiation was observed in the heparin microparticle group as compared to PEG and no microparticle-containing groups. To determine if observed changes were due to sequestration of cell-secreted protein, the proteins sequestered by heparin microparticles were analyzed using SDS-PAGE and mass spectrometry. It was found that heparin microparticles bound insulin-like growth factor binding proteins (IGFBP)-3 and 5. When incubated with a small-molecule inhibitor of IGFBPs, NBI 31772, a similar delay in differentiation of ATDC5 cells was observed. These results indicate that heparin microparticles modulated chondrocytic differentiation in this system via sequestration of cell-secreted protein, a technique that could be beneficial in the future as a means to control cellular differentiation processes. Statement of Significance In this work, we present a proof-of-principle set of experiments in which heparin-based microparticles are shown to modulate cellular differentiation through binding of cell-secreted protein. Unlike existing systems that rely on expensive protein with limited half-lives to elicit changes in cellular behavior, this technique focuses on temporal modulation of cell-generated proteins. This technique also provides a biomaterials-based method that can be used to further identify sequestered proteins of interest. Thus, this work indicates that glycosaminoglycan-based biomaterial approaches could be used as substitutes or additions to traditional methods for modulating and identifying the cell-secreted proteins involved in directing cellular behavior.
Numerical analysis of 1/28 scaled NGNP HTGR reactor building test facility response to depressurization event using GOTHIC

Abstract A depressurized loss of forced cooling (DLOFC) accident is an important type of accident scenario in high temperature gas reactor (HTGR) design, which is initiated by a break in the helium pressure boundary (HPB). This class of accident scenarios results in a depressurization of the primary helium coolant system with the subsequent release of helium into the reactor building (RB) and the atmosphere through vented low pressure containment (VLPC). After the total depressurization of helium, depending on the specific accident scenarios, it is also possible that air enters into the reactor pressure vessel (RPV) through the RB, which can potentially react with fuel and other nuclear-grade graphite components. In this study, generation of thermal hydraulic information in containments (GOTHIC) model of a 1/28-scaled simplified test facility was developed to analyze the depressurization scenarios and validate them against experimental data. Natural leakage from the test facility was modeled using two different methods. The post-depressurization refill of air into the test facility compartments along with two hypothetical depressurization scenarios were analyzed and compared with experimental data. In general, simulation results were observed to be consistent with the experimental data.
NEW DIRECTIONS OVER OLD SEA LANES

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the legitimate interest that the United States has in protecting lifelines across the sea. It briefly describes the importance of those avenues of trade and defense, and focuses on the U.S. fleet in the Pacific and the United States' most likely and formidable opponent, the Soviet Pacific fleet. The chapter also describes the current thinking on how force can best be applied to ensure that allied merchant shipping and its vital cargo are delivered safely after a review of the sea lanes, and of the U.S. naval forces and the Soviet Pacific fleets.
The Harm of Circumcision

Advocates for circumcision employ the veneer of science in an attempt to conceal that they are apologists for the procedure rather than impartial researchers. Furthermore, unlike genuine scientists who would welcome all evidence about circumcision’s consequences, advocates ignore and actively work to suppress scientific evidence demonstrating the short-term and long-term negative sequelae of the surgical alteration of the penis. Consequently, the public is largely ignorant of the extent of the harm caused by circumcision. While the reality of immediate surgical error, such as injury to the glans, loss of the entire penis, gangrene, severe hemorrhage, and even death are grudgingly acknowledged, though downplayed as rare, advocates for circumcision refuse to acknowledge the large body of scientific research showing long-term and permanent negative sequelae to the penis and to sexual function caused by destruction and amputation of the prepuce. Moreover, in addition to the physical and sexological consequences, a body of research now documents that the surgery also has psychological and cultural consequences. This would naturally be expected when such a psychologically significant part of the body such as the penis is surgically altered. These deleterious physical, sexological, psychological, and cultural sequelae of circumcision not only affect the individual, but also affect human relationships and the ethics and mores of the afflicted society, as is demonstrated by the peculiar dynamics of societies that tolerate, encourage, or enforce circumcision.
Renal Cell Carcinoma: Background

Renal cancer accounts for 2 to 3% of all malignant tumors. An estimated 39,000 new cases and 13,000 deaths were predicted for 2006.1 Renal cancer is diagnosed in patients ranging from 40 to 70 years of age, with a male predominance of 1.6 to 1.0.1 A comparison of 43,685 cases of renal cancer diagnosed in the period 1973 to 1985 with those diagnosed from 1986 to 1998 (Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results [SEER] database) demonstrated a marginal increase in the proportion of localized cancers and a decrease in advanced cases in the latter group. The differences were not significant, and importantly, overall survival was not improved.2 While increased imaging and laboratory testing may generally explain the increased incidence, other factors may play a role.2
A Century of Land-Use Change in South and Southeast Asia

Compilation of published reports on land use in South and Southeast Asia betwen 1880 and 1980 produced time-series land-use data in a uniform format for the countries of India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Indonesia, and the Philippines. To make use of this data, we developed a procedure to systematically document changes in land use and vegetative cover. The objective of this compilation and analysis is to produce data that can be used to test geographically referenced models of carbon dynamics and other greenhouse gas emissions so global climatic modeling can be improved.
The Determinants of U.S. City Manager’s Sense of Power

Research on public managers’ power at the national level has investigated an extensive range of contributing factors. Studies in local governments, however, have focused more on structural characteristics of governments under which managers serve. This paper proposes and tests a more comprehensive model to explain city managers’ sense of power. Community base, political savvy, and tenure of the city managers positively affect their sense of power. However, powerful councils with high job engagement and are supported by outside groups reduce managers’ sense of power. Results show no significant relationship between administrative capacity and city manager’s sense of power.
Twelve Merry Men? Confronting the Legend of the Robin Hood Jury

Among businesspeople, attorneys, and the general public, conventional wisdom holds that juries function as modern-day Robin Hoods, systematically redistributing wealth from wealthy corporate defendants to individual plaintiffs regardless of fault. Empirical studies attempting to refute or verify this “deep pockets hypothesis” have produced mixed results. Experimental studies tend to suggest that the Robin Hood jury is a myth, whereas archival studies of verdicts in actual cases tend to support the proposition that defendant identity has a significant influence on case outcomes. Using data on automobile tort and premises liability jury trials held in 160 state courts during 2005, and introducing controls for the severity of the plaintiff’s claimed injury, this study provides additional evidence of a defendant identity effect on both the liability decision and the amount of damages awarded.
Implementing New Bibliometric Services at EPA-RTP Library

The EPA-RTP Library is a federal research library established on the campus of the United States Environmental Protection Agency in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. Historically, one of the ...
Improving Access to Diagnostic Assessments for Autism Spectrum Disorder Using an Arena Model.

Objective: To improve access to diagnostic evaluations for children younger than 3 years with concerns for possible autism spectrum disorder. Methods: A multidisciplinary "arena model" for children younger than 3 years was developed, tested, and implemented over an approximately 2-year period. Arena assessment teams comprised a developmental behavioral pediatrician (DBP), psychologist, and speech language pathologist (SLP). Quality improvement methods were used during the design phase, conducting Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles and collecting feedback from key stakeholders, and during implementation, plotting data on run charts to measure outcomes of the time to initial visit and time to diagnosis. Results: Over the 9-month implementation period, 6 arena assessment teams were formed to provide 60 evaluation slots per month for children younger than 3 years. The time to first visit was reduced from a median of 122 days to 19 days, and the time to final diagnosis was reduced from 139 days to 14 days, maintaining these outcomes at <35 and <18 days, respectively, over a 2-year period. Total visits required decreased from 4 to 5 visits to just 2 visits, and the average assessment cost was reduced by $992 per patient. Feedback from both providers and families participating in this model was overwhelmingly positive. Conclusion: Access for young children referred for developmental assessments can be improved through an understanding of supply and demand and the development of creative and flexible care delivery models.
Resistance of Culex tritaeniorhynchus to commonly used pesticides in Suzhou

Objective To determine the current resistance of Culex tritaeniorhynchus, vector of Japanese encephalitis (JE), to commonly used pesticides in Suzhou city, Jiangsu province. Methods Using the dipping method, the median lethal concentration (LC50) values of deltamethrin, betacypermethrin, permethrin, biothrin, dichlorovos and propoxur were measured for the field population of Cx. tritaeniorhynchus in Suzhou city. Results The LC50 values of deltamethrin, betacypermethrin, permethrin, biothrin, dichlorovos and propoxur for Cx. tritaeniorhynchus were 0.0424, 0.1137, 0.2659, 0.6698, 2.4691 and 7.7017 mg/L, respectively. Intermediately resistant to biothrin, the strain was highly resistant to the other five agents with resistance ratios of more than 50, even 100, to the three pyrethroids. Conclusion In view of the low or higher resistance of Cx. tritaeniorhynchus to multiple pesticides, environmental and biological strategies in conjunction with auxiliary chemical approaches should be deployed for better control of this vector. Administration of pesticides and rational agricultural planning should be carried out based on the big picture. In the event of skyrocketing mosquito density or occurrence of JE epidemic, pesticides should be scientifically distributed and chemical control approaches intensified.
The Combination of Romidepsin and Bortezomib Results in Synergistic Induction of Apoptosis in Human B-Lymphoma Cell Lines.

Abstract 1689 Poster Board I-715 Introduction The use of the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib has demonstrated activity in multiple myeloma and lymphomas. The HDAC inhibitor romidepsin is being evaluated in CTCL and PTCL, though its activity in B-cell lymphomas is less clear. We hypothesized that the combination of bortezomib and romidepsin would result in synergistic apoptosis in different B-cell NHL cell lines based upon the observed activity of this combination in more mature B-cell malignancies such as myeloma. Experimental Design Daudi, HT, Ramos and SUDHL-4 cell lines were exposed to different concentrations of bortezomib and romidepsin, separately, concurrently, and sequentially. Cell viability was assessed using MTT-assay, induced apoptosis was evaluated using Annexin V and PI staining from 24-48 hours. Apoptosis was also evaluated using western blot analysis of caspases and PARP cleavage. LC3 and HDAC6 level expressions were performed to determine if the effect of the combination was a result of the aggresome or autophagy pathway. Cell cycle studies were also performed to study if there were any changes after treating cells with the combination. Results The combination of bortezomib and romidepsin resulted in synergistic B-cell apoptosis as measured by MTT-assay with combination indices of Conclusion The combination of romidepsin and bortezomib at low nanomolar concentrations suggests that this may be an important clinical combination to test in patients with relapsed or refractory B-cell malignancies. Sequence of administration data is currently being tested to determine if the effect is a result of autophagy inhibition as is seen in myeloma cell lines. Additional mechanistic studies will be presented with the goals of identifying predictors of response that can then be validated in prospective clinical trials. Disclosures Lechowicz: Gloucester: Consultancy. Kaufman: Millennium: Consultancy; Genzyme: Consultancy; Celgene: Consultancy; Merck: Research Funding; Celgene: Research Funding. Lonial: Gloucester: Research Funding; Novartis: Consultancy; BMS: Consultancy; Millennium: Consultancy, Research Funding; Celgene: Consultancy. Flowers: Millennium: Research Funding.
The role of dislodgement in the territorial ecology of the owl limpet, Lottia gigantea

Ascertaining the risks and benefits of different behaviors is a central goal of research on territoriality. Although most territorial behavior is ritualized, with concomitant reduced risks for both...
PyBSASeq: a simple and effective algorithm for bulked segregant analysis with whole-genome sequencing data

Bulked segregant analysis (BSA), coupled with next-generation sequencing, allows the rapid identification of both qualitative and quantitative trait loci (QTL), and this technique is referred to as BSA-Seq here. The current SNP index method and G-statistic method for BSA-Seq data analysis require relatively high sequencing coverage to detect significant single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-trait associations, which leads to high sequencing cost. We developed a simple and effective algorithm for BSA-Seq data analysis and implemented it in Python; the program was named PyBSASeq. Using PyBSASeq, the significant SNPs (sSNPs), SNPs likely associated with the trait, were identified via Fisher’s exact test, and then the ratio of the sSNPs to total SNPs in a chromosomal interval was used to detect the genomic regions that condition the trait of interest. The results obtained this way are similar to those generated via the current methods, but with more than five times higher sensitivity. This approach was termed the significant SNP method here. The significant SNP method allows the detection of SNP-trait associations at much lower sequencing coverage than the current methods, leading to ~ 80% lower sequencing cost and making BSA-Seq more accessible to the research community and more applicable to the species with a large genome.
Audio Interview: New Data on Remdesivir in Covid-19.

New Data on Remdesivir in Covid-19 In this audio interview conducted on May 27, 2020, the editors discuss newly published studies of remdesivir that highlight its potential and its problems.
On Half-Built Assemblages: Waiting for a Data Center in Prineville, Oregon

In 2010 the mega-corporation Facebook finalized an agreement to build a massive data center in Prineville, a small town in central Oregon previously known for logging, cattle ranching, and as the headquarters of the Les Schwab tire company. This was a largely unanticipated event that local leaders nonetheless prepared for several decades before when they designated a rural economic zone on the outskirts of town. However, the enterprise zone sat mostly unused, an empty and dusty piece of high desert land dotted with sagebrush and juniper trees. I describe the preparatory efforts that laid the groundwork for the data center as effecting a “half-built assemblage.” Through such anticipatory reconfigurations, local leaders recognized the limits of regional government to overcome the challenges of their peripherality. In the controversy surrounding such data center deals, critics have often cast rural leaders as naive or as pandering to voters. However, I argue that the alliance with Facebook was one of the few courses of action available to local leaders that had any chance of realizing regional economic development goals. In seeking to understand the data center deal from a local perspective, I contribute an alternative notion of temporality to materialist theorizing by looking across much longer durations of time in relation to the political economy, the natural world, and other elements as a way to temper exaggerations of anthropocentric agency and the narrow attribution of blame.
An alternative approach to mapping pigments in paintings with hyperspectral reflectance image cubes using artificial intelligence

Spectral imaging modalities, including reflectance and X-ray fluorescence, play an important role in conservation science. In reflectance hyperspectral imaging, the data are classified into areas having similar spectra and turned into labeled pigment maps using spectral features and fusing with other information. Direct classification and labeling remain challenging because many paints are intimate pigment mixtures that require a non-linear unmixing model for a robust solution. Neural networks have been successful in modeling non-linear mixtures in remote sensing with large training datasets. For paintings, however, existing spectral databases are small and do not encompass the diversity encountered. Given that painting practices are relatively consistent within schools of artistic practices, we tested the suitability of using reflectance spectra from a subgroup of well-characterized paintings to build a large database to train a one-dimensional (spectral) convolutional neural network. The labeled pigment maps produced were found to be robust within similar styles of paintings.
Profiles of Alcohol and Marijuana Use Among Simultaneous Alcohol and Marijuana Users: Individual Differences in Demographics and Substance Use:

Simultaneous alcohol and marijuana (SAM) use—or use of both substances with overlapping effects—is common among emerging adults and is linked to increased risk for problematic substance use outcome...
An Optimum Organizational Structure For A Large Earth-Orbiting Multidisciplinary Space Base

An optimum hypothetical organizational structure was studied for a large earth-orbiting, multidisciplinary research and applications space base manned by a crew of technologists. Because such a facility does not presently exist, in situ empirical testing was not possible. Study activity was, therefore, concerned with the identification of a desired organizational structural model rather than with the empirical testing of the model. The essential finding of this research was that a four-level project type total matrix model will optimize the efficiency and effectiveness of space base technologists.
Disruptive Innovation on the Path to Sustainable Mobility: Creating a Roadmap for Road Transportation in the United States

An ongoing study sponsored by the Graham Environmental Sustainability Institute at the University of Michigan takes the position that the transportation system should enable individuals to meet their basic access needs safely and in a manner consistent with human health and ecosystem sustainability within and between generations. This chapter describes the history of road transportation in the United States and the legacy of infrastructure investments in an automobile-oriented culture. This history is the foundation for applications of forthcoming robotics and communications technologies that support vehicle automation. A research team is engaged in drafting a roadmap that includes the adoption of automated vehicles as a critical element on a path to sustainable mobility in the United States. Some of the conjectures and apparent conclusions in this chapter are intended to help pose questions for our panel of experts.
Natural Killer Cells and Their Role in Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) has been used for the treatment of malignant and nonmalignant disorders, including leukemias, lymphomas, renal cell carcinomas and melanomas. Limitations of allogeneic HSCT are numerous and include a dearth of suitable donors leading to graft versus host disease (GvHD), graft rejection, immune deficiency and relapse when used for cancer. Despite the challenges, the goal of allogeneic HSCT for cancer patients is to eliminate the tumor through enhancing the antitumor effects of the donor cells. Natural killer (NK) cells are innate effector cells capable of mediating MHC unrestricted killing of neoplastic and virally infected cells. The use of NK cells in HSCT using preclinical models has been found to increase antitumor effects without increasing GvHD. NK cells have also been found to enhance reconstitution of the donor hematopoietic stem cells. This chapter will highlight current research on NK cells used in HSCT including the role that alloreactive NK cells play in HSCT, NK reconstitution following HSCT, NK involvement in graft versus leukemia (GvL) and GvHD, and NK adoptive immunotherapy.
Glucanases in Schizosaccharomyces ISOLATION AND PROPERTIES OF THE CELL WALL-ASSOCIATED β-(1→3)-GLUCANASES

Abstract Cell walls of all species of the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces underwent autohydrolysis in buffer at pH 5.0, releasing β-(1→3)-linked oligosaccharides, variable amounts of glucose, and β-(1→3)-glucanase activity. Schizosaccharomyces versatilis walls were the most active in this respect and were studied in detail. The most complete release of β-glucanases (about 80% of the total activity) took place when the autolysis was done in dialysis sacs; in a closed system, enzyme release was considerably reduced. The released β-glucanase activity was very stable and could be separated by diethylaminoethyl-chromatography into an endo-β-(1→3)-glucanase (not adsorbed, 13% of the total activity) and an adsorbed fraction (87 %), which was recovered by elution and proved to be exo-β-glucanase. The latter enzyme was extensively purified and had properties identical to those of the previously studied exo-β-glucanase from cell extracts or the extracellular enzyme in the culture medium. The endo-β-(1→3)-glucanase was purified by column chromatography until it was electrophoretically homogeneous with a molecular weight of 97,000. β-(1→3)-linked glucans were hydrolyzed randomly to oligosaccharides, finally yielding laminaribiose and glucose. Laminaritriose was hydrolyzed much more rapidly than by endoglucanases from other organisms. The enzyme has an optimum pH at 5 to 6, a Vmax of 5 µmoles of glucose equivalents released per min per mg of protein, and a Km value of 0.33 mg of laminarin per ml. The enzyme demonstrated sigmoidal kinetics with two cooperative active sites per enzyme molecule. Glucono-δ-lactone showed noncompetitive inhibition with a Ki of 95 mm. The enzyme did not contain any carbohydrate or phosphorus. The exoglucanase had no effect on cell walls but the endoglucanase caused extensive lysis. Complete lysis was obtained if a bacterial α-(1→3)-glucanase was added to the endo-β-(1→3)-glucanase. No evidence was obtained for the presence of endo-β-(1→6)- or endo-α-(1→3)-glucanases in Schizosaccharomyces. Endo-β-(1→3)-glucanases were demonstrated also in the cell walls of a number of other species of yeast.
Technology Transforming Higher Education

Ready to feel subversive? After reading DIY U by Anya Kamenetz, I was ready to overthrow the higher education system and, just for good measure, the entire U.S. education system. Kamenetz tackles h...
Both subunits of U2AF recognize the 3′ splice site in Caenorhabditis elegans

Introns are defined by sequences that bind components of the splicing machinery. The branchpoint consensus, polypyrimidine (poly(Y)) tract, and AG at the splice boundary comprise the mammalian 3′ splice site1. Although the AG is crucial for the recognition of introns with relatively short poly(Y) tracts, which are termed ‘AG-dependent introns’2, the molecule responsible for AG recognition has never been identified. A key player in 3′ splice site definition is the essential heterodimeric splicing factor U2AF, which facilitates the interaction of the U2 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein particle with the branch point. The U2AF subunit with a relative molecular mass (Mr 65K) of 65,000 (U2AF65) binds to the poly(Y) tract3,4,5,6,7, whereas the role of the 35K subunit (U2AF35)8 has not been clearly defined. It is not required for splicing in vitro4 but it plays a critical role in vivo9,10. Caenorhabiditis elegans introns have a highly conserved U4CAG/R at their 3′ splice sites instead of branch-point and poly(Y) consensus sequences11. Nevertheless, C. elegans has U2AF (refs 10, 12). Here we show that both U2AF subunits crosslink to the 3′ splice site. Our results suggest that the U2AF65–U2AF35 complex identifies the U4CAG/R, with U2AF35 being responsible for recognition of the canonical AG.
Optimal portfolio for R&D and NPD projects

Summary form only given. For continued success in the market place firms should introduce new successful products into the market, and gradually retire older mature products. The introduction of new products should be timed properly; it should also produce an appropriate product mix so that the strategy of the firm is continued and strengthened. The portfolio of R&D and new product development (NPD) projects should be structured such that the goals of the firm are met. There has been considerable interest in this field. Firms want to optimize the use of their resources invested in R&D and new product development projects. The R&D and NPD portfolio should fit the strategic vision of the firm in terms of-technology, growth and areas of business. Once the projects in the portfolio are plotted in the contextual model it is relatively easy to see where the holes in the portfolio are, and where the over representation of projects is. With such an understanding one can develop an optimum portfolio of NPD projects consistent with the strategy of the firm, and determine the appropriate number and type of projects one should have in each of the cells of the contextual cube. The type of mix of projects in the portfolio for a specific strategy has to be determined based on the strengths and weaknesses of the firm, as well as the managerial style of the organization. A very general set of guidelines is proposed in the paper. These guidelines take into account the nature of the projects, the type of effort involved and the strategic fit of the projects with the firm's strategy.
Characteristics of S Organism Isolated from Methanobacillus omelianskii

Previous work showed that Methanobacillus omelianskii was a mixed culture of an ethanol-oxidizing organism called S organism and a hydrogen-utilizing methane bacterium, strain MOH. S organism grows poorly on ethanol unless a hydrogen-utilizing methanogenic bacterium is included to utilize the H2 produced during growth. Further studies have shown that, among many substrates tested, only ethanol, n-propanol, n-butanol, isobutanol, n-pentanol, acetaldehyde, oxalacetate, and pyruvate are fermented by S organism, either alone or in combination with Methanobacterium ruminantium. It grew better in pure culture with pyruvate than with alcohols. H2 gas phase inhibited growth on pyruvate as well as on alcohol. When grown alone on pyruvate, S organism produced mainly acetate, ethanol, and CO2, in addition to a small amount of H2. When combined with M. ruminantium, no H2 and very little ethanol were produced and acetate production was increased. When M. ruminantium was present, electrons from pyruvate oxidation by S organism were channeled almost entirely to H2 and hence to methane formation rather than ethanol. Also, S organism utilized more pyruvate when grown with M. ruminantium. Attempts to obtain better growth of S organism on ethanol by addition of many possible electron acceptors were unsuccessful. It grew best between 32 and 45 C, had a per cent guanine plus cytosine content of deoxyribonucleic acid bases of 47.27 ± 0.1, contained no cytochrome, and could be grown on a defined medium with pyruvate as the energy and carbon source and with (NH4)2SO4 as the main nitrogen source. These and other results suggest that S organism belongs in a new genus, but assignment of a definite taxonomic status should await isolation and characterization of more strains.
Zero net energy education: mind the gap

Seven years after the American Institute of Architect's adoption of the 2030 Challenge, 233 architecture firms across the nation have committed to reducing energy consumption by 60% (from a baseline national average) before the year 2030. Simultaneously, 86% of A/E firms report difficulty finding employees equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to achieve this goal. Such a gap between supply and demand begs the question: is architectural education rising to the challenge of effectively communicating energy-efficient design strategies? This paper presents a follow-up study examining the state of zero-net-energy (ZNE) education in accredited architecture schools across North America. Previous work relied upon statistical analysis of 45 syllabi for foundational building science courses; these were self-reported from instructors from 29 accredited institutions. The study showed that these instructors were dedicating approximately 25% of course time to ZNE-related topics through a combination of lecture- and project-based learning. While insightful, the limitations of the statistical methodology and narrow information from the syllabi left many questions unanswered. The study presented here in builds upon the previous work, to first re-examine thesyllabi under a different lens and also to look beyond the documents to what the instructors say. Targeted surveys were used to uncover stories that cannot be easily identified through syllabus review and to reveal how "sustainable” design education is [or isn't] being handled. We hypothesized that architectural curricula have tremendous inertia, and we (faculty) are lagging in adequately preparing students for the challenges of the present and future. Survey responses revealed that fundamentals of environmental controls were being taught, but specific ZNE applications were not. Faculty perceived that students were moderately prepared to meet the 2030 Challenge. Institutional demographics revealed that environmental controls are typically taught in the third year for undergraduates and in the first year for graduate students.
The Stock Market and Macroeconomic Variables in a BRICS Country and Policy Implications

This paper examines the effects of selected macroeconomic variables on the stock market index in South Africa. The exponential GARCH (Nelson, 1991) model is applied. It finds that South Africa’s stock market index is positively influenced by the growth rate of real GDP, the ratio of the money supply to GDP and the U.S. stock market index and negatively affected by the ratio of the government deficit to GDP, the domestic real interest rate, the nominal effective exchange rate, the domestic inflation rate, and the U.S. government bond yield. Therefore, to maintain a robust stock market, the authorities are expected to pursue economic growth, fiscal prudence, a higher ratio of the money supply to GDP, a lower real interest rate, depreciation of the rand, and/or a lower inflation rate. Keywords: Stock market; Monetary policy; Fiscal policy; Interest rates; Exchange rates; Inflation JEL Classifications: E44; G15
Evaluation of collimator-detector response compensation in tumor SPECT using medium- and high-energy collimators

The goal of the study is to evaluate collimator-detector response (CDR) compensation methods that apply to tumor SPECT imaging using medium-energy (ME) and high-energy (HE) collimators. The compensation method involves accurate models of the geometric, penetration and scatter components of ME and HE collimators based on Monte Carlo simulations verified by experimental measurements. The models were used in iterative OS-EM reconstruction methods for CDR compensation. In experimental studies, a cylindrical phantom consisting of spheres with different sizes and filled with Ga-67, In-111 or I-131 was used. Projection data were acquired using ME and HE collimators designed for use with the radionuclides. Patient data included those from Ga-67 citrate, In-111 octreotide, and I-131 tumor studies. The FBP without compensation and the iterative OS-EM with different models of the CDR were used in image reconstruction. Results from phantom studies showed asymptotic decrease of the reconstructed sphere sizes as a function of iteration number. The full CDR model that included the geometric, penetration and scatter components provided the best results. Drastic improvements in clinical image quality were found using the full CDR model. It is concluded that full CDR compensation provides substantial improvements in image quality and quantitative accuracy in tumor SPECT.
Optical And Magnetic Characterization Of ZnSe/MnSe Superlattices

One of the more striking recent illustrations of the versatility of molecular beam epitaxial methods (MBE) in preparing II-VI compound semiconductor superlattices (SL) is the synthesis of ZnSe/MnSe structures where the wide gap magnetic semiconductor MnSe is available for study in zincblende form for the first time. Of basic interest in these strained layer superlattices are electronic and magnetic phenomena near the two-dimensional (2D) limit. From another perspective, spectroscopic studies in the limit of ultrathin layer structures can provide valuable information about the details of MBE growth, particularly on the nature of the heterointerfaces. A particular advantage is present in a semiconductor such as MnSe because of its magnetic properties which are inherently sensitive to short range atomic ordering on the scale of the chemical bondlength. In this paper we review recent results based on optical spectroscopy and direct magnetization measurements which show dramatic departures from bulk behavior in their magnetic signature when m individual MnSe layers approach the onolayer limit. These results strongly suggest the presence of microscopic reconstruction effects at the MnSe/ZnSe heterointerfaces which appear to be quite efficient in frustrating antiferromagnetic ordering in these superlattices.
The 13/sup th/ technology of Deep Space One

This paper describes an innovative approach to spacecraft fault protection based on automatic code-generation techniques.
Interphase-boundary dislocations and the concept of coherency

Abstract The discrete-lattice concept of coherency applied to interphase boundaries and the elasticcontinuum concept applied to enclosed particles are shown to be mutually consistent. In line with these concepts, a general discrete dislocation description of interphase-boundary structure is developed. It is shown that a coherent interface can contain partial dislocations which we call transformation or ‘coherency’ dislocations. These dislocations accomplish the transformation lattice deformation between the two phases and maintain continuity of the lattice. They are capable of conservative climb and/or glide during the transformation, but their motion is restricted to the plane of the dislocation loop. Strain energy associated with the coherency dislocations can be reduced by misfit or ‘anticoherency’ dislocations, generally having lattice Burgers vectors and producing a lattice-invariant deformation which disrupts the uniformity of the lattice correspondence across the interface and thereby reduces coherency. The anticoherency dislocations move as conventional dislocations.
Close look at gene conversion hot spots

New work has directly estimated male gene conversion rates in three regions of the human genome and identified gene conversion hot spots in the same locations as previously identified crossover hot spots. This work elucidates the fine-scale structure of linkage disequilibrium (LD) in the human genome and will be useful in association studies and other LD-based applications in population and human genetics.
The Enhanced Dielectric and Insulating Properties of Al2O3 Modified Ta2O5 Thin Films

Future-generation memory devices will require materials with higher dielectric constants compared to conventional dielectric materials such as silicon oxide and silicon nitride. Tantalum oxide (Ta2O5) is one of the most promising high dielectric constant materials because of its ease of integration into conventional VLSI processes compared to other complex oxide dielectrics. The dielectric constant and thermal stability characteristics of bulk Ta2O5 samples were previously reported to enhance significantly through small substitutions of Al2O3. However, this improvement in the dielectric constant of (1 − x)Ta2O5-xAl2O3 was not clearly understood. The present research attempts to explain the higher dielectric constant of (1 − x)Ta2O5-xAl2O3 by fabricating thin films with enhanced dielectric properties. A higher dielectric constant of 42.8 was obtained for 0.9Ta2O5-0.1Al2O3 thin films compared to that reported for pure Ta2O5 (25–30). This increase was shown to be closely related to a-axis orientation. Pure Ta2O5 thin films with similar a-axis orientation also exhibited a high dielectric constant of 51.7, thus confirming the orientation effect. Systematic study of dielectric and insulating properties of (1 − x)Ta2O5-xAl2O3 thin films indicate improved leakage current properties and reliability characteristics such as temperature coefficient of capacitance and bias stability with increase in Al2O3 concentrations.
The Mees CCD imaging spectrograph

The Mees CCD (MCCD) instrument is an imaging spectroscopy device which uses the 25 cm coronagraph telescope and the 3.0 m Coude spectrograph at Mees Solar Observatory (MSO) on Haleakala, Maui. The instrument works with resolving power up to R ≈ 200 000 with significant throughput from λ3934 A (Caii K) to λ ≈ 10 000 A. A fast guiding active mirror stabilizes the image during observations. A rapidly writing magnetic tape storage system allows observations to be recorded at 256 kbytes s−1. Currently, the MCCD is used for imaging spectroscopy of solar flares at λ6563 A (Hα), and velocity measurements of umbral oscillations; future plans include emission line studies of active region coronae, and photospheric studies of solar oscillations.
Toward explaining why events occur

The possibility is raised of adding a randomly fluctuating interaction term to the Schrodinger equation, so that the new equation “reduces” the state vector. The exact event that occurs is predicted by the equation and depends upon the precise time dependence of the interaction term. The uncertainty in nature is attributed to the random behavior of this term. A class of such terms is found. This class includes terms whose nonlinear dependence on the wave function is identical to that of terms introduced in a previous paper for a similar purpose. In the previous paper, the exact event predicted depends upon the initial phase factors in the superposition making up the state vector: the uncertainty in nature is attributed to random initial phase factors. Another derivation of the results in the previous paper is given in an appendix: the calculations in that paper and in this appendix are of second order in perturbation theory. On the other hand, the calculations in the present paper are exact. A possible answer is given to the question, raised in the previous paper, of the nature of the “observable” states to which the state vector reduces.