cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) reductase activity in chlorate-resistant or respiration-deficient mutants of Escherichia coli

The trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) reductase of Escherichia coli is induced when the organism is grown anaerobically in the presence of TMAO [1,2]. It is a membrane bound enzyme which can accept electrons from formate, NADH or reduced viologen dyes [2]. Similarly to the nitrate reductase system of E. coli, under anaerobic conditions, TMAO reductase appears to act as a terminal electron acceptor for respiratory electron flow [13]. Kim and Chang [4] report evidence suggesting a close similarity between nitrate and TMAO reductases from a chlorate-resistant mutant of Salmonella typhimurium which lacked both activities. In the present paper we make use of several mutants of E. coli to demonstrate that (i) membrane associated electron transport between NADH and TMAO requires quinones and cytochromes, and (ii) chlorate-resistant mutants of E. coli lacking nitrate reductase activity are not necessarily deficient in TMAO reductase activity, indicating that these enzymes are functionally and genetically distinct.
Self-consistent small-x-behavior in QED

Abstract The small-x-behavior of photon and electron distributions is studied in QED. A self-consistent behavior of the photon distribution is found in an approximation where e+−e− pairs remain uncorrelated in an ∞-momentum wave function. The electron-positron distribution is found to saturate at small x while the photon distribution exhibits a partial saturation.
Central administration of peptides alters thermoregulation in the rabbit

Sixteen peptides were injected intracerebroventricularly to test their effects on rectal temperature of rabbits in a thermoneutral environment. In initial tests 5 micrograms alpha-MSH, ACTH(1--24), oxytocin, vasopressin and glucagon altered body temperature while ACTH(1--10), cholecystokinin, contraceptive tetrapeptide, gastrin, insulin, interferon, leupeptin, LHRH, panhibin (somatostatin), and proctolin did not. Bombesin also altered body temperature but in no consistent direction. In further tests on the effective peptides 1.25--5.0 micrograms alpha-MSH and ACTH(1--24) produced dose-related decreases in rectal temperature as great as 1.0 degrees C. The same doses of oxytocin and glucagon produced small, prolonged hyperthermias which did not exceed 0.4 degrees C. Vasopressin caused rapid development of small increases in rectal temperature; temperature returned to normal in 2--3 hr. The results suggest that five of the peptides tested may have roles in central mediation of normal body temperature, hypothermia, hyperthermia and fever.
The enteric drained pancreas transplant : Another potential source of gastrointestinal bleeding

With most combined kidney and pancreas transplants the transplant pancreatic exocrine secretions are managed with urinary bladder drainage. Because of the associated metabolic and infectious complications, many pancreatic transplants require later conversion to enteric drainage, and the trend in this country is now toward primary enteric drainage. Unlike with urinary bladder drainage when direct cystoscopy can be performed, a disadvantage with enteric drainage is that problems such as bleeding from a transplanted pancreas and attached duodenal segment are not easily evaluated. A case of a cytomegalovirus-related bleeding ulcer in an enteric drained pancreas is presented, along with a review of the possible diagnostic evaluation.
Mechanism of Congestive Heart Failure Following Aorta Constriction in Rabbits

Severe constriction of the abdominal aorta in rabbits caused congestive heart failure and death in 4 to 7 days. Expansion of total plasma volume suggested that aortic narrowing increases the vascular bed distal to the stricture. Reduction of total body fluids did not prevent total plasma volume expansion, unless it caused severe dehydration. A large percentage of dietary sodium was retained. Expansion of extraccilular volume occurred even when sodium intake was reduced. The early, gradual post-operative rise in arterial pressure probably depends, in part, on development of an effective circulating plasma volume. A tentative answer is given to the question of what factors determine the exact time that heart failure will occur.
Further Studies on the Effect of the Recessive White Genotype on Early Growth Rate and Body Size

Abstract Previous studies from this laboratory have demonstrated a relationship between the C+ and c alleles at the recessive white locus and body weight at 8 and 26 weeks of age. Similar studies have been conducted on the same randombred population 20 and 21 generations later. In addition, one experiment involved a comparison of colored and recessive white birds when grown on a low energy replacement starter vs. a high energy broiler starter. The 1981 progeny studied were produced by 100 females housed in single bird cages and inseminated with pooled semen from 20 males. The gene frequency for the recessive white gene (c) was .56 ± .023 and the recessive white segregates were approximately 35% of the progeny produced. The 8-week body weights of the recessive white progeny as a percentage of the colored phenotype (C+/−) was 88.8% for males and 92.5% for females. These body weight differences at 8 weeks were highly significant (P As expected, there were highly significant differences (P These results confirm and extend the earlier observations on the depressing effect of the recessive white genotype on early growth and support the conclusion that this relationship represents a pleiotropic effect of the gene and is not the result of linkage disequilibrium.
Recent Ecocritical Studies of English Renaissance Literature

Ecocriticism, the study of the relationship between literature and the natural world, has in recent decades made increasingly important contributions to earlier periods of literature, and has become a significant influence for scholars of the early modern world, despite specific challenges in reconstructing Renaissance ideas about nature, animals, and the environment. While a rich critical tradition in ecostudies of Shakespeare’s works has evolved, there remains much untapped but promising material in the writings of other literary figures, including women writers of the period, and in discourses from and about the local and regional material conditions of early modern England’s land, animals, plants, and environmental elements. [K.R.]
VOR/DME AUTOMATED STATION SELECTION ALGORITHM

Many VOR/DME station selection algorithms suffer inherent jumpiness due to unnecessarily frequent station switching. The Automated Station Selection Algorithm (ASSA) described herein, suitable for a new VOR/DME geographically oriented navigation system, generally selects stations which well qualified flight crews would probably select if given adequate time and motivation to do so. This method tends to pick stations which are ahead of the aircraft, are useable for about 50 nm, and provide acceptable dual DME geometry whenever such station pairs exist. A standby station pair is selected which may be used when an unexpected loss of station signal occurs. In order to derive a general purpose station selection algorithm, aircraft altitude information is not required as an input. However, when used it was found to be extremely helpful and can improve the station selection performance considerably. Only the en route phase of flight is considered. The initialization problem, i.e., what to do immediately after takeoff, especially in a region where no navaids are receivable at low altitudes, and the problem of selecting stations during complex maneuvers have not been addressed.
Dilemmas in provision of urban mental health services for latency age children

Urban mental health facilities are increasingly overwhelmed by the sheer number of cases, at a time when federal, state and local funding cutbacks are greater than ever before. Additional to the numbers of cases needing care, is a growing number of cases presenting overwhelming social problems, i.e., emotional and medical pathology, economic deprivation, and substance abuse, with resultant family violence and child abuse. The case-loads in mental health agencies have become almost indistinguishable from those on the roles of child protection, juvenile justice, and child welfare agencies. Mental health service is near to impossible to provide, prior to major environmental manipulation, via educational planning, and frequent placement of children in day treatment programs, day care, or securing of in-home assistance, via home-maker services. These needed referrals take inordinate time, given the unresponsive, poorly coordinated bureaucracies providing such services. Many of the families seen are burdened by overwhelming social pathology, e.g., poverty, huge numbers of children per family, single-parenthood, drugs, and neighborhood violence. Treatment is increasingly difficult to provide, given the poor access to child serving systems, by parents and professionals, alike. Token services and worker burn-out in response to overwhelming difficult cases and excessive assignments, suggest a situation of crisis proportion. Clearly coalitions must be formed by over-burdened professionals, to better educate governing bodies, politicians, boards and administrators, and parents regarding this growing crisis. Professionals, battle-weary, are retreating from agency practice, simultaneous with agency cut-backs of staff and service. Agency administrators are cowed by local and state directives regarding budgetary cuts, and the situation worsens daily, as overburdened line staff struggle with an impossible challenge. Some sort of advocacy and social action must be taken by leaders in the field, to better inform and educate those responsible for budgetary allocations. Latency age children are among the most vulnerable, caught in deteriorating schools and neighborhoods, living with incredible daily violence, and pressures from drug dealers, pushers, adolescent gangs, and inadequate supports in their homes. This group of children is being pushed to become the violent adolescents of tomorrow. Major innovations and changes in delivery of services is necessary in health and mental health agencies serving this “at-risk” population. Proposed is a school based model of practice to provide access, coordination and collaboration of needed services.
Understanding Adolescent Substance Abuse: Prevalence, Risk Factors, and Clinical Implications

From a developmental perspective, adolescence is a time of gaining independence, experimentation, and taking risks. One area of experimentation associated with adolescence is substance use. For counselors working with adolescents who use or abuse substances, or both, it is important to understand the scope of the problem and ways to effectively work with this population. This article provides counselors with current information on adolescent substance abuse and suggestions for clinical work.
The Speech Communication Teacher as Spokesman: A Rhetorical View of Research and Teaching.

(1978). The speech communication teacher as spokesman: A rhetorical view of research and teaching. Southern Speech Communication Journal: Vol. 44, No. 1, pp. 1-10.
Abstract 1337: MUC1 facilitates BPDE-induced EGFR activation and malignant transformation in human bronchial epithelial cells

Inflammation has emerged as an important factor for the development of lung cancer. However, the gene targets and pathways that are involved in inflammation-associated lung cancer development have not been clearly elucidated. Cigarette smoke (CS), which causes chronic pulmonary inflammation, is an established risk factor for lung cancer. MUC1 (MUC in human and Muc in animals), a mucin-like glycoprotein expressed on the surface of airway epithelial cells, is inducible during lung inflammation. MUC1 is also overexpressed as a tumor antigen in lung tumors. We found that chronic CS exposure significantly increased Muc1 expression in mouse airway epithelial cells associated with infiltration of inflammatory cells to the lung. The role of MUC1 in lung epithelial cell transformation induced by benzo[a]pyrene diol epoxide (BPDE), the active form of the CS carcinogen benzo(a)pyrene (BaP), was examined in an in vitro cell transformation assay. Knockdown of MUC1 by shRNA significantly reduced the efficacy of BPDE-induced transformation of BEAS-2B, an SV40 large T antigen immortalized human bronchial epithelial cell line. BPDE strongly activated EGFR and Akt in BEAS-2B cells. Akt activation was blocked with an EGFR inhibitor, suggesting that BPDE activates the EGFR/Akt cascade. Blocking this cascade with inhibitors for either EGFR or Akt significantly inhibited BPDE-induced cell transformation, supporting a critical role for EGFR and Akt activation in BPDE-induced cell transformation. Interestingly, the BPDE-induced activation of EGFR and Akt was attenuated when MUC1 expression was knocked down. Suppression of EGFR or Akt significantly increased BPDE9s cytotoxicity. Consistently, the MUC1-suppressed BEAS-2B cells were more sensitive to BPDE-induced death. Taken together, these results suggest that MUC1 plays an oncogenic role in the early stages of inflammation-associated lung cancer development, at least partly through mediating carcinogen-induced activation of the EGFR/Akt pathway that potentiates survival in immortalized bronchial epithelial cells. This work is supported by 1R01ES017328. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1337. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-1337
An Ecological Analysis of Coital Timing among Middle-Class African American Adolescent Females:

Using data from the 1988 National Family Growth Cycle IV, variables discriminating between early and late coital initiation among middle-income African American adolescent females were examined (n = 109). Results from the discriminant function analysis indicated that the joint occurrence offamily structure, adolescents' labor- force participation, and religiosity were associated with late coital initiation. Those who lived in two-parent households, had engaged in conversations with parents about sexual issues, and had greater knowledge about sexual matters were more likely to delay age at first coitus until 18 years of age and beyond. The discriminant function classified correctly 94% of the overall grouped cases. Classification within each group resulted in 98% of early coital initiators and 79% of late coital initiators being classified correctly. Results from this study provide support for using a systematic frameworkfor examining the sexual activity patterns ofmiddle-class African American adolescent ...
Women's Poetry and Religion in Victorian England: Jewish Identity and Christian Culture

Victorian women poets lived in a time when religion was a vital aspect of their identities. Cynthia Scheinberg examines Anglo-Jewish (Grace Aguilar and Amy Levy) and Christian (Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Christina Rossetti) women poets, and argues that there are important connections between the discourses of nineteenth-century poetry, gender and religious identity. Further, Scheinberg argues that Jewish and Christian women poets had a special interest in Jewish discourse; calling on images from Judaism and the Hebrew Scriptures, their poetry created complex arguments about the relationships between Jewish and female artistic identity. She suggests that Jewish and Christian women used poetry as a site for creative and original theological interpretation, and that they entered into dialogue through their poetry about their own and each other's religious and artistic identities. This book's interdisciplinary methodology calls on poetics, religious studies, feminist literary criticism, and little read Anglo-Jewish primary sources.
Environmental durability of a CFRP system for strengthening steel structures

Recently a high modulus CFRP system was developed to enhance the load carrying capacity and serviceability of steel bridges and structures. However, the environmental durability of the system has not yet been demonstrated. This paper presents the findings of a research program that was conducted to evaluate the environmental durability of the bond of the proposed CFRP strengthening system to steel surfaces. The program consisted of testing 44 steel-CFRP double-lap shear specimens. The specimens were exposed to severe environmental conditions for different durations, up to 6 months. Different methods to enhance the bond durability were studied including pre-treating the steel surface with a silane coupling agent, inserting a glass fiber layer within the adhesive and a combination of both methods of protection. The research findings indicate that the use of a silane coupling agent significantly enhanced the bond durability. While the presence of the glass fibers helped to enhance the initial bond strength of the system, it did not improve the durability of the bond. The use of both techniques enhanced both the overall bond strength and the environmental durability of the strengthening system.
Heparin immobilization onto segmented polyurethaneurea surfaces - Effect of hydrophilic spacers

Heparin was immobilized onto segmented polyurethane-urea surfaces (Biomer) using hydrophilic poly(ethylene oxide) spacers of different chain lengths. The use of the hydrophilic spacer, poly(ethylene oxide), reduces protein adsorption and subsequent platelet adhesion on the surface. In addition, the bioactivity of the immobilized heparin is enhanced by the incorporation of these spacers. Immobilized heparin bioactivity is shown to be a function of PEO spacer length. Use of hydrophilic PEO spacers demonstrates that immobilized heparin's bioactivity is consistently higher than that of the C6 alkyl spacer, but heparin-immobilized surfaces demonstrate no chain length effect on platelet adhesion, even though they show less platelet adhesion compared to Biomer controls. In the case of PEO-grafted surfaces, platelet adhesion is decreased compared to Biomer controls, and C6 alkyl spacer-grafted surfaces, and exhibits a minimum at PEO 1000. In ex vivo A-A shunt experiments under low flow and low shear conditions, all heparinized surfaces exhibit significant prolongation of occlusion times compared to Biomer controls, indicating an ability of immobilized heparin to inhibit thrombosis in whole blood.
Seasonal and interannual variability of phytoplankton biomass west of the Antarctic Peninsula

La variabilite spatiale et temporelle de la biomasse phytoplanctonique, exprimee en termes de concentration de chlorophylle a, est examinee dans la region du plateau continental et du talus a l'ouest de la Peninsule Antarctique, Les observations temporelles sur la grille cotiere de la Station Palmer (64°46.77'S, 64°04.36'W) sont mises en relation avec les observations spatiales realisees sur une plus vaste grille regionale de stations (900 km en parallele a la cote et 200 km selon la perpendiculaire). La teneur moyenne en chlorophylle dans les couches superieures de la colonne d'eau presente une forte variabilite saisonniere et interannuelle au voisinage immediat de la Station Palmer. L'accumulation de biomasse commence typiquement a la mi-novembre et de fortes floraisons se developpent de decembre a janvier. En 1991-1992 et 1994-1995 ont ete atteintes des teneurs chlorophylliennes beaucoup plus fortes (moyenne maximale sur la colonne d'eau 8 et 16 mg m -3 , respectivement) qu'en 1992-1993 et 1993-1994 (moyenne maximale sur la colonne d'eau < 3 mg m -3 ). Outre sa biomasse chlorophyllienne extremement elevee, la saison 1994-1995 se caracterise par une periode de floraison prolongee jusqu'en fevrier, ce qui n'a pas ete observe en 1991-1992. Une variabilite interannuelle comparable s'observe sur la grille regionale. Les teneurs chlorophylliennes moyennes pour les 30 m superieurs sont de 0.91, 1.24 et 1.66 mg m -3 pour janvier 1993, 1994 et 1995, respectivement. La grille regionale montre un gradient cote-large, pour la topographie du fond et les caracteristiques physiques et optiques mesurees comme pour la biomasse chlorophyllienne. Les stations cotieres de la grille regionale presentent en moyenne des biomasses chlorophylliennes pres de quatre fois plus fortes en janvier que les stations du large (2.18 contre 0.59 mg m -3 , respectivement). Il apparait que ce gradient est module, parallelement a la cote, par une variabilite latitudinale qui suit l'avance et le retrait annuels de la glace de mer.
A point process approach to identifying and tracking transitions in neural spiking dynamics in the subthalamic nucleus of Parkinson's patients.

Understanding the role of rhythmic dynamics in normal and diseased brain function is an important area of research in neural electrophysiology. Identifying and tracking changes in rhythms associated with spike trains present an additional challenge, because standard approaches for continuous-valued neural recordings—such as local field potential, magnetoencephalography, and electroencephalography data—require assumptions that do not typically hold for point process data. Additionally, subtle changes in the history dependent structure of a spike train have been shown to lead to robust changes in rhythmic firing patterns. Here, we propose a point process modeling framework to characterize the rhythmic spiking dynamics in spike trains, test for statistically significant changes to those dynamics, and track the temporal evolution of such changes. We first construct a two-state point process model incorporating spiking history and develop a likelihood ratio test to detect changes in the firing structure. We then apply adaptive state-space filters and smoothers to track these changes through time. We illustrate our approach with a simulation study as well as with experimental data recorded in the subthalamic nucleus of Parkinson's patients performing an arm movement task. Our analyses show that during the arm movement task, neurons underwent a complex pattern of modulation of spiking intensity characterized initially by a release of inhibitory control at 20-40 ms after a spike, followed by a decrease in excitatory influence at 40-60 ms after a spike.
A comprehensive experimental study and numerical modeling of parison formation in extrusion blow molding

Parison dimensions in extrusion blow molding are affected by two phenomena, swell due to stress relaxation and sag drawdown due to gravity. It is well established that the parison swell and sag are strongly dependent on the die geometry and the operating conditions. The availability of a modeling technique ensures a more accurate prediction of the entire blow molding process, as the proper prediction of the parison formation is the input for the remaining process phases. This study considers both the simulated and the experimental effects of the die geometry, the operating conditions, and the resin properties on the parison dimensions using high density polyethylene. Parison programming with a moving mandrel and the flow rate evolution in intermittent extrusion are also considered. The parison dimensions are measured experimentally by using the pinch-off mold technique on two industrial scale machines. The finite element software BlowParison® developed at IMI is used to predict the parison formation, taking into account the swell, sag, and nonisothermal effects. The comparison between the predicted parison/part dimensions and the corresponding experimental data demonstrates the efficiency of numerical tools in the prediction of the final part thickness and weight distributions. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 47:1–13, 2007. © 2006 Society of Plastics Engineers
Lipase-catalyzed acidolysis of tristearin with oleic or caprylic acids to produce structured lipids

Two different structured lipids (SL) were synthesized by transesterifying tristearin with caprylic acid (C8∶0) or oleic acid (C18∶1). The objective was to synthesize SL containing stearic acid (C18∶0) at the sn-2 position as possible nutritional and low-calorie fats. The reaction was catalyzed by IM60 lipase from Rhizomucor miehei in the presence of n-hexane. The effects of reaction parameters affecting the incorporation of caprylic acid into tristearin were compared with those for incorporating oleic acid into tristearin. For all parameters studied, oleic acid incorporation was higher than caprylic acid. The range of conditions favorable for synthesizing high yields of C8∶0-containing SL was narrower than for oleic acid. An incubation time of 12–24 h and an enzyme content of 5% (w/w total substrates) favored C8∶0 incorporation. The mole percentage of incorporated C18∶1 did not increase further at enzyme additions greater than 10%. C18∶1 incorporation decreased with the addition of more than 10% water (w/w total substrates) to the tristearin-oleic acid reaction mixture. Increasing the mole ratio of fatty acid (FA) to triacylglycerol increased oleic acid incorporation. The highest C8∶0 incorporation was obtained at a 1∶6 mole ratio of tristearin to FA. Positional analysis confirmed that C18∶0 remained at the sn-2 position of the synthesized SL. The melting profiles of tristearin-caprylic acid and tristearin-oleic acid SL displayed peaks between −20 to 30°C and −20 to 40°C, respectively. Their solid fat contents (∼25%) at 25°C suggest possible use in spreads or for inclusion with other fats in specialized blends.
Long-Term Survival of Transplanted Stem Cells in Immunocompetent Mice with Muscular Dystrophy

Satellite cells refer to resident stem cells in muscle that are activated in response to damage or disease for the regeneration and repair of muscle fibers. The use of stem cell transplantation to treat muscular diseases has been limited by impaired donor cell survival attributed to rejection and an unavailable stem cell niche. We isolated a population of adult muscle mononuclear cells (AMMCs) from normal, strain-matched muscle and transplanted these cells into δ-sarcoglycan-null dystrophic mice. Distinct from other transplant studies, the recipient mice were immunocompetent with an intact endogenous satellite cell pool. We found that AMMCs were 35 times more efficient at restoring sarcoglycan compared with cultured myoblasts. Unlike cultured myoblasts, AMMC-derived muscle fibers expressed sarcoglycan protein throughout their entire length, consistent with enhanced migratory ability. We examined the capacity of single injections of AMMCs to provide long-term benefit for muscular dystrophy and found persistent regeneration after 6 months, consistent with augmentation of the endogenous stem cell pool. Interestingly, AMMCs were more effectively engrafted into aged dystrophic mice for the regeneration of large clusters of sarcoglycan-positive muscle fibers, which were protected from damage, suggesting that the stem cell niche in older muscle remains permissive.
A thresholding multiresolution block matching algorithm

In this paper, we present a thresholding multiresolution block matching algorithm. Preventing blocks that satisfy a predefined accuracy criterion from further processing saves computation. In three experiments which have quite different motion complexities, the proposed algorithm outperforms the fastest existing multiresolution block matching algorithm. Specifically, it reduces the processing time ranging from 14% to 20%, while maintaining almost the same quality of the reconstructed image.
Relaxed Purifying Selection and Possibly High Rate of Adaptation in Primate Lineage-Specific Genes

Genes in the same organism vary in the time since their evolutionary origin. Without horizontal gene transfer, young genes are necessarily restricted to a few closely related species, whereas old genes can be broadly distributed across the phylogeny. It has been shown that young genes evolve faster than old genes; however, the evolutionary forces responsible for this pattern remain obscure. Here, we classify human-chimp protein-coding genes into different age classes, according to the breath of their phylogenetic distribution. We estimate the strength of purifying selection and the rate of adaptive selection for genes in different age classes. We find that older genes carry fewer and less frequent nonsynonymous single-nucleotide polymorphisms than younger genes suggesting that older genes experience a stronger purifying selection at the protein-coding level. We infer the distribution of fitness effects of new deleterious mutations and find that older genes have proportionally more slightly deleterious mutations and fewer nearly neutral mutations than younger genes. To investigate the role of adaptive selection of genes in different age classes, we determine the selection coefficient (gamma = 2N(e)s) of genes using the MKPRF approach and estimate the ratio of the rate of adaptive nonsynonymous substitution to synonymous substitution (omega(A)) using the DoFE method. Although the proportion of positively selected genes (gamma > 0) is significantly higher in younger genes, we find no correlation between omega(A) and gene age. Collectively, these results provide strong evidence that younger genes are subject to weaker purifying selection and more tenuous evidence that they also undergo adaptive evolution more frequently.
World as system self-synthesized by quantum networking

The quantum, strangest feature of this strange universe, cracks the armor that conceals the secret of existence. In contrast to the view that the universe is a machine governed by some magic equation, we explore here the view that the world is a self-synthesizing system of existences, built on observer-participancy via a network of elementary quantum phenomena. The elementary quantum phenomenon in the sense of Bohr, the elementary act of observer-participancy, develops definiteness out of indeterminism, secures a communicable reply in response to a well-defined question. The rate of carrying out such yes- no determinations, and their accumulated number, are both minuscule today when compared to the rate and number to be anticipated in the billions of years yet to come. The coming explosion of life opens the door, however, to an all-encompassing role for observer-participancy: to build, in time to come, no minor part of what we call its past — our past, present, and future -but this whole vast world.
Quality of Service Management in Distributed Asynchronous Real-Time Systems

This paper presents adaptive resource management techniques that achieve the timeliness quality of service (QoS) requirements of distributed real-time systems that are "asynchronous" - both in the sense that processing and communication latencies do not necessarily have known upper bounds, and in the sense that event arrivals are non-deterministically distributed. Examples of such systems include the emerging generation of computer-based, command and control systems of the U.S. Navy. To enable the engineering of such systems, we present resource management middleware strategies that enforce the timeliness QoS requirements of the system. The middleware performs QoS monitoring and failure detection, QoS diagnosis, and reallocation of resources to adapt the system to achieve acceptable levels of QoS. Experimental characterizations of the middleware using a distributed asynchronous real-time benchmark illustrate its effectiveness for adapting the system for achieving the desired QoS during overloaded situations.
New distributional modelling approaches for gap analysis

Synthetic products based on biodiversity information such as gap analysis depend critically on accurate models of species’ geographic distributions that simultaneously minimize error in both overprediction and omission. We compared current gap methodologies, as exemplified by the distributional models used in the Maine Gap Analysis project, with an alternative approach, the geographic projections of ecological niche models developed using the Genetic Algorithm for Rule-Set Prediction (GARP). Point-occurrence data were used to develop GARP models based on the same environmental data layers as were used in the gap project, and independent occurrence data used to test both methods. Gap models performed better in avoiding omission error, but GARP better avoided errors of overprediction. Advantages of the point-based approach, and strategies for its incorporation into current gap efforts are discussed.
Posthypnotic Amnesia: Dissociation of Self-Concept or Self-Consciousness?

Two studies of posthypnotic amnesia tested predictions derived from the ‘source’ monitoring theory of self-consciousness. Experiment 1 tested the prediction that posthypnotic source amnesia is irreversible, because hypnosis attenuates self-consciousness of whether one's sensations have an imaginal source or a perceptual source. In this initial study, recall amnesia was reversed by posthypnotic cuing with a prearranged signal, but source amnesia was not reversed by such cuing. Experiment 2 examined whether the cued reversal of recall amnesia is attributable, in part, to the hypnotic attenuation of self-conscious ‘source monitoring’ and, in part, to the reversal of recall criteria: from a criterion rejecting ‘seemingly imaginary’ or ‘sourceless’ memories, to a criterion accepting ‘sourceless but familiar’ memories. In this latter study, posthypnotic recall amnesia was breached when subjects were instructed to trust their seemingly imaginary memories, but not when they were instructed to try harder to remember.
The role of laminaplasty in treating cervical myelopathy

Abstract Laminaplasty is indicated in patients with myelopathy due to three or more levels of cervical spinal cord Compression.Appropriate cervical alignment and the absence of substantial axial pain are important for a predictable. i ost operative result. The lamina may be opened unilaterally or bilaterally, with little difference in patient outcomes. La minaplasty gives superior clinical results when compared with laminectomy and equivalent improvement to ant: erior procedures with significantly fewer complications. Therefore, we advocate laminaplasty as the procedure of choice for the treatment of multilevel cervical stenosis with myelopathy.
The positive social and self concept consequences of sports team identification.

As a result of increased geographic mobility, industrialization, and the like, traditional social and community ties have declined. Conversely, sports spectatorship has continued to flourish. We ar...
Germline PTEN mutations in three families with Cowden syndrome

: Cowden syndrome (CS) is an autosomal dominant inherited disorder characterized by hamartomas in a variety of tissues including the skin, thyroid, breast, endometrium, and the brain. Individuals with CS are predisposed to development of malignancy in these organs, especially the breast and the thyroid. We describe 3 unrelated individuals with CS associated with germline PTEN mutations. While the frameshift (375insTTTA) and the missense (Gly69Arg) mutations reported herein are novel in CS, the nonsense (Arg130stop) mutation has been described in 2 families with CS and in a single family exhibiting both CS and Bannayan–Zonana phenotype.
The effects of age and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-mediated peripheral inflammation on numbers of central catecholaminergic neurons.

Parkinson’s disease (PD), an age-related movement disorder, is characterized by severe catecholaminergic neuron loss in the substantia nigra pars compacta-ventral tegmental area (SNPC-VTA) and locus coeruleus (LC). To assess the stability of these central catecholaminergic neurons following an acute episode of severe inflammation, 6 to 22 month-old C57/Bl6 mice received a maximally tolerated dose of LPS followed by euthanasia two hours later to assay peak levels of peripheral and central cytokines; and, 14 weeks later for computerized stereology of tyrosine hydroxylase-immunopositive (TH+) neurons in the SNPC-VTA and LC. Two hours after LPS, cytokine levels varied in an age-related manner, with the greatest peripheral and central elevations in old and young mice, respectively. Severe inflammation failed to cause loss of TH+ neurons in SNPC-VTA or LC; however, there was an age-related decline in these TH+ neurons in LPS-treated and control groups. Thus, unknown mechanisms in the B6 mouse brain appear to protect against catecholaminergic neuron loss during an acute episode of severe inflammation, while catecholaminergic neuron loss occurs during normal aging.
A new blind pointing model improves large reflector antennas precision pointing at Ka-Band (32-GHz)

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)-Deep Space Network (DSN) subnet of 34-m Beam Waveguide (BWG) Antennas was recently upgraded with Ka-Band (32-GHz) frequency feeds for space research and communication. For normal telemetry tracking a Ka-Band monopulse system is used, which typically yields 1.6-mdeg mean radial error (MRE) pointing accuracy on the 34-m diameter antennas. However, for the monopulse to be able to acquire and lock, for special radio science applications where monopulse cannot be used, or as a back-up for the monopulse, high-precision open-loop blind pointing is required. This paper describes a new 4th order pointing model and calibration technique, which was developed and applied to the DSN 34-m BWG antennas yielding 1.8 to 3.0-mdeg MRE pointing accuracy and amplitude stability of 0.2 dB, at Ka-Band, and successfully used for the CASSINI spacecraft occultation experiment at Saturn and Titan. In addition, the new 4th order pointing model was used during a telemetry experiment at Ka-Band (32 GHz) utilizing the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) spacecraft while at a distance of 0.225 astronomical units (AU) from Earth and communicating with a DSN 34-m BWG antenna at a record high rate of 6-megabits per second (Mb/s).
Nucleocytoplasmic Shuttling of Polypyrimidine Tract-binding Protein Is Uncoupled from RNA Export

Polypyrimidine tract binding protein, PTB/hnRNP I, is involved in pre-mRNA processing in the nucleus and RNA localization and translation in the cytoplasm. In this report, we demonstrate that PTB shuttles between the nucleus and cytoplasm in an energy-dependent manner. Deletion mutagenesis demonstrated that a minimum of the N terminus and RNA recognition motifs (RRMs) 1 and 2 are necessary for nucleocytoplasmic shuttling. Deletion of RRM3 and 4, domains that are primarily responsible for RNA binding, accelerated the nucleocytoplasmic shuttling of PTB. Inhibition of transcription directed by either RNA polymerase II alone or all RNA polymerases yielded similar results. In contrast, selective inhibition of RNA polymerase I did not influence the shuttling kinetics of PTB. Furthermore, the intranuclear mobility of GFP-PTB, as measured by fluorescence recovery after photobleaching analyses, increased significantly in transcriptionally inactive cells compared with transcriptionally active cells. These observations demonstrate that nuclear RNA transcription and export are not necessary for the shuttling of PTB. In addition, binding to nascent RNAs transcribed by RNA polymerase II and/or III retards both the nuclear export and nucleoplasmic movement of PTB. The uncoupling of PTB shuttling and RNA export suggests that the nucleocytoplasmic shuttling of PTB may also play a regulatory role for its functions in the nucleus and cytoplasm.
Searching for an Environmental Kuznets Curve in Carbon Dioxide Pollutant in Latin American Countries

This study utilized a semiparametric panel model to estimate environmental Kuznets curves (EKC) for carbon dioxide (CO2) in 15 Latin American countries, using hitherto unused data on forestry acreage in each country. Results showed an N-shaped curve for the region; however, the shape of the curve is sensitive to the removal of some groups of countries. Specification tests support a semiparametric panel model over a parametric quadratic specification.
Efficient Privacy-Preserving k-Nearest Neighbor Search

We give efficient protocols for secure and private k-nearest neighbor (k-NN) search, when the data is distributed between two parties who want to cooperatively compute the answers without revealing to each other their private data. Our protocol for the single-step k-NN search is provably secure and has linear computation and communication complexity. Previous work on this problem had a quadratic complexity, and also leaked information about the parties' inputs. We adapt our techniquesto also solve the general multi-step k-NN search, and describe a specific embodiment of it for the case of sequence data. The protocols and correctness proofs can be extended to suit other privacy-preserving data mining tasks, such as classification and outlier detection.
A micro-fluidic galvanic cell as an on-chip power source

We present a micro-fluidics actuated galvanic cell for on demand power generation. The galvanic cell is an aluminum anode/alkaline electrolyte/air cathode cell. The concept is based upon an actuation mechanism that pushes an electrolyte into a micro-channel containing electrodes. When the electrolyte reaches the electrodes of a galvanic cell, it produces energy through an electrochemical reaction. The proof of concept is presented herein by fabricating and characterizing a single cell using micro-fabrication techniques. The actuation mechanism is based on the thermal expansion of a working fluid. A brief discussion on the optimization of this actuation is also presented. The open voltage of this micro-cell was experimentally measured to be around 1.9 V. The Al/air galvanic cell chemistry has been compared with commercial Zn/air battery and has been found to perform better. The present micro-cell design (with an area of 0.75 cm 2 ), is capable of providing an energy of 5 J after 6.0 min when subjected to a load of 20 � . The actuation mechanism takes less than a minute and consumes about 3.5 J. © 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Child-Turcotte score versus MELD for prognosis in a randomized controlled trial of emergency treatment of bleeding esophageal varices in cirrhosis

Abstract Background and Aims Bleeding esophageal varices is responsible for much of the high mortality rate in cirrhosis. An important objective of management of bleeding varices is to develop reliable tools for predicting survival, controlling bleeding and encephalopathy, and improve quality of life. This study compared two widely used prognostic tools, the model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) and the Child-Turcotte (C-T) score, in a randomized controlled trial of emergency treatment of bleeding varices. Methods We randomized 211 unselected consecutive patients with cirrhosis and bleeding varices to endoscopic sclerotherapy (n = 106) or emergency portacaval shunt (n = 105). Diagnosis and treatment were accomplished within 20 hours. Follow-up was 100% for 10 y. We compared the prognostic powers of MELD and C-T upon entry, and then monthly for the first year and every 3 months thereafter. Statistical analysis included computation of receiver operating curves, the area under the curve, and the proportion of variability. Results In baseline determinations of MELD versus C-T, there were no significant differences in predicting survival, recurrent encephalopathy, and rebleeding. The Child-Turcotte score was a stronger predictor than MELD of hospital readmissions and readmission days. In serial determinations over years, the prognostic power of both MELD and C-T was substantial, but C-T was significantly more effective in predicting survival and time to recurrent encephalopathy. Conclusions In this first long-term comparison of MELD versus C-T in cirrhosis with bleeding varices, C-T was consistently as effective as MELD in predicting survival, encephalopathy, rebleeding, hospital readmissions, and readmission days. In some measures, C-T was a more effective prognostic tool than MELD.
Theoretical Investigation of the H3O+(H2O)4 Cluster

The low-lying minima on the Born−Oppenheimer potential energy surface of the H3O+(H2O)4 cluster are investigated by effective valence bond (EVB), density functional, and MP2 methods. Although Becke3LYP and MP2 calculations predict the same global minimum structure, the relative energies of various structures obtained by these two approaches differ by up to 1.7 kcal/mol. Even larger differences are found between the relative energies calculated at the EVB and MP2 levels of theory. Vibrational spectra are calculated for each of the minimum energy species.
Measurements of 193 NM laser air breakdown and scaling to the microwave regime

We report the measurements and analysis of air breakdown process by focusing 193 nm, 200 mJ, 10 MW high power UV laser radiation onto a 20-60 mum spot size that produces a maximum laser intensity of 1012-1013 W/cm2, well above the threshold flux for air ionization. The breakdown threshold is measured and compared with theoretical models including classical (collisional cascade) and quantum (multi-photon) ionization analyses. The air breakdown threshold is measured for a wide range of pressures ranging from 90 torr to 5 atmospheres. Higher pressure enhances the effective electric field due to the increased collisional frequency relative to the high laser frequency (1015 Hz). Multiphoton ionization (MPI) (n = 3) processes play a substantial role at 193 nm due to the high photon energy (6.4 eV). We examine regimes for which substantial MPI is present and analyze the plasma temperature and density evolution. The breakdown threshold data for air at 193 nm is correlated with the microwave breakdown regime using the concept of universal scaling, for which extensive microwave breakdown data is available as well as current microwave and mm wave breakdown experiments at Texas Tech University and MIT. An extensive range of optical and spectroscopic diagnostics with 5 ns time scale gating and 13 mum ICCD resolution has been constructed to characterize the plasma. The spatial and temporal evolution of the laser focused plasma is measured using shadowgraphy and two- color laser interferometry techniques. The plasma temperatures are obtained by measuring the velocity of the shock wave front and also by using optical emission spectroscopy. Optical emission spectroscopy is performed to diagnose the plasma temperature using the emission lines of O II ranging from 372.3 to 470.4 nm and the band of the N2 second positive system N2 (2+) (0,0) at 337.1 nm. Measurements of the core laser plasma density (ne= 8times1017/cc) and electron temperature (25 eV) decay are compared with a dominant two- and three-body recombination model with good correlation.
Spectral properties of a boundary value problem for the discrete beam equation

In this paper, we consider the boundary value problem for the fourth order discrete beam equation Open image in new window Through studying properties of the matrices associated with this problem, the spectral structure of the problem is obtained. As an application of the spectral structure, the monotonicity of all eigenvalues of the problem as the sequences \(\{a_{i}\}_{i=1}^{n}\) and \(\{b_{i}\}_{i=1}^{n}\) change is established.
Induction of cataracts in mice by slow neutrons and X-rays.

Summary and conclusionsThe lens of the mouse is extremely sensitive to the induction of opacities by both X-rays and slow neutrons. As small a dose as 32 r of total body X-rays causes a slight increase in the per cent of mice developing opacities of the lens. With larger doses the cataract induction rate approaches 100%, the lesions are more severe, and the latency period is shorter. The morphological features of the radiation and senile cataracts of mice are described. The cataracts develop in the immature part of the lens (cortex), while the more mature part of it (nucleus) is spared. Slow neutrons are, on basis of LD-50, at least twice as effective in inducing cataracts as X-rays.