cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Factors affecting product specificity of peanut lipoxygenase.

Product specificity of peanut lipoxygenase with linoleic acid as the substrate was determined under different conditions. Extraction solvent, extraction temperature, and reaction temperature only slightly affected the isomeric hydroperoxide ratio. A more pronounced effect was reflected in the total amount of hydroperoxide produced and extracted. CHCl3:CH3OH was the most thorough solvent, and extraction temperature of 25 C increased the total amount of hydroperoxides recovered. Lower reaction temperatures produced greater quantities of total hydroperoxides. Oxygen tension and pH value markedly affected changes in the hydroperoxide isomeric ratio and the total amount of hydroperoxides produced. Isomerization of the isolated hydroperoxides occurred very rapidly at 25 C, and a linear isomerization rate was observed at 4 C. At −20 C isolated hydroperoxides isomerized only slightly. Concentration of isolated hydroperoxides affected isomerization of the isomeric hydroperoxides; storing hydroperoxides in dilute solutions was most effective in preventing isomerization.
Prediction of Angiographic Vasospasm After Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: Value of the Hijdra Sum Scoring System

Vasospasm is a major complication of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) and affects clinical outcome. The ability to predict cerebral vasospasm after SAH would allow the neuro-intensivist to institute preemptive and more aggressive therapy. Social, clinical, and radiological information on adult SAH patients recently admitted to our hospital were reviewed. Univariate and multivariate statistical methods were used to examine the impact of patient demographics, clinical variables, and radiologic characteristics on the development of angiographic vasospasm. One hundred and sixty three patients were identified (102 females, 63%). A total of 34 patients (21%) developed angiographic vasospasm. In univariate analysis, occurrence of cerebral vasospasm was associated with poor World Federation of Neurological Surgeons (WFNS 4–5, P = 0.003) and modified Fisher (MFS 3–4, P = 0.02) grades, elevated Hijdra sum score (HSS ≥23, P = 0.0001), female gender (P = 0.04), development of hydrocephalus (P = 0.01), and a history of tobacco use (P = 0.02). In multivariable analysis, only the HSS ≥23 (P = 0.01) and history of smoking (P = 0.02) predicted cerebral vasospasm. Combined history of smoking and HSS >23 had positive and negative predictive values of 37 and 88%, respectively, for prediction of cerebral vasospasm after aneurysmal hemorrhage. Hijdra sum score and a history of smoking are the strongest predictors of cerebral vasospasm on angiography. HSS is superior to the MFS as a radiologic grading tool to predict occurrence of angiographic vasospasm after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.
Confronting Contradictions: Genre Subversion and Feminist Politics in Agnès Varda's L'une chante, l'autre pas

French filmmaker Agnes Varda's career has been largely defined by contradiction. She is acknowledged as influential, yet often discussed independently from the advanced filmmaking practices and intellectual debates of her New Wave generation. Her musical, L'une chante, l'autre pas, was particularly misunderstood: film critics and feminist scholars praised the film's feminist storyline, but found that the unexpected musical numbers undercut the seriousness of the feminist message, resulting in a film that is ultimately incongruous. Through archival excavation of Varda's sources, I argue that the film's incongruity was in fact intentional, an expansion of advanced filmmaking theories and strategies, in dialogue with influential Brechtian texts and contemporary feminist debates. This essay reveals specific social and economic factors that influenced the production and reception of the film and reconsiders apparent contradictions in Varda's career.
Direct Perfluorination of K2B12H12 in Acetonitrile Occurs at the Gas Bubble−Solution Interface and Is Inhibited by HF. Experimental and DFT Study of Inhibition by Protic Acids and Soft, Polarizable Anions

During the optimization of the F2 perfluorination of K2B12H12 in acetonitrile with continuous bubbling of 20/80 F2/N2, it was discovered that (i) HF and other protic acids inhibit each of the 12 fluorination steps (in contradiction to recently published findings) and (ii) the fluorinations appear to take place at the gas bubble−solution interface. Experimental results and DFT calculations suggest that these two phenomena are related by the relative propensities of the various B12H12−xFx2− anions to partition from bulk solution to the interface (i.e., their relative polarizabilities or softness; 0 ≤ x ≤ 12). Relative to the previously reported syntheses of K2B12F12 or Cs2B12F12, the new optimized procedure has the following advantages: (i) the scale was increased 10-fold without sacrificing yield (74% for K2B12F12, 76% for Cs2B12F12) or purity (99.5+%); (ii) the reaction/purification time was decreased from ca. 1 week to 2 days; and (iii) the solvent was changed from anhydrous HF to acetonitrile, allowing ...
Capacitation of hamster spermatozoa with the divalent cation chelators D-penicillamine, L-histidine, and L-cysteine in a protein-free culture medium

By using a chemically defined (protein-free) culture medium that supports sperm viability but not capacitation or the acrosome reaction, we have determined that hamster spermatozoa can be chemically capacitated in vitro by the divalent cation chelators D-penicillamine, L-histidine, and L-cysteine in the absence of bovine serum albumin (BSA). Washed cauda epididymal spermatozoa were preincubated (1-2 x 10(6) sperm/ml) for 3, 4, or 6 hr at 37 degrees C in 5% CO2 in air. The basic culture medium used for sperm preincubation and for sperm:egg coincubation was a modified Tyrode's solution (protein-free) containing 10 mM sodium lactate, 100 microM sodium pyruvate, and 1.0 mg/ml polyvinylalcohol (TLP-PVA). Sperm viability was maintained in all preincubation and coincubation media with PHE (20 microM D-penicillamine, 100 microM hypotaurine, and 1.0 microM epinephrine). The low control sperm preincubation medium consisted of TLP-PVA. In some cases the high control preincubation medium also contained 3 mg/ml BSA (TALP-PVA). The experimental preincubation medium was TLP-PVA with additional D-penicillamine (125 or 500 microM), or L-histidine (10, 100, or 1,000 microM) or L-cysteine (25, 75, or 125 microM). After preincubation, sperm were coincubated (2 x 10(4) sperm/ml) with cumulus-free hamster eggs in TALP-PVA +/- additional D-penicillamine, L-histidine, or L-cysteine for 1.5 hr, fixed, and evaluated for percent egg penetration as an index of sperm capacitation. The results demonstrate that hamster spermatozoa can be chemically capacitated in vitro with D-penicillamine (500 microM: range of mean penetration values, 53.6%-84.3%), L-histidine (100 microM: range of mean values, 24.8%-56.3%) or L-cysteine (75 microM: 51.3%) in the absence of exogenous protein.
Does smoking cessation improve health-related quality-of-life?

This article examines whether smokers who enrolled in a community-based smoking cessation program and were successful in quitting for a six-month period had better health-related quality-of-life at six months relative to those who relapsed. An observational, longitudinal design was used; the sample included 350 participants 18-65 years of age. Health-related quality-of-life was measured using a broad array of indicators of physical and mental health. Six-month outcomes were compared between successful quitters and relapsers using analysis of covariance. Those who quit for six months had better psychological well-being, cognitivefunctioning, energy/fatigue, sleep adequacy, selfesteem, sense of mastery, and worse role functioning at six months than those who continued to smoke (p values > .05). No differences were observed in physical and social functioning, pain, or current health perceptions. There were no significant differences at enrollment in health-relatedquality-of-life between those who quit subsequently and those who relapsed, thus quality-of-life measures did not predict smoking status. We conclude that smokers who quit can possibly anticipate improvements in a range of mental health outcomes within six months, which could become an additional incentive to quit. Subsequent smoking cessation studies should include health-related quality-of-life measures to determine the generalizability of these findings.
Structural properties of randomized times

Suppose a measure μ dominates a measure ŋ in the ordering induced by the excessive functions of a transient Markov process. Rost shows than ŋ can be represented as the distribution of the process stopped at a randomized optional time and started with initial distribution μ. In this paper we introduce the shift operator to the class of randomized optional times, inducing the class of randomized quasi-terminal times and that of randomized terminal times. We analyze the algebraic properties of these classes and obtain some compactness results for the class of randomized quasi-terminal times. Some applications, including remplissage by hitting times, are presented.
Numerical Studies of Photon Bubble Instability in a Magnetized, Radiation-dominated Atmosphere

An initially static, plane-parallel, radiation pressure supported exponential atmosphere in a strong magnetic field is found to be unstable to the growth of buoyant low-density regions or "photon bubbles" in linear stability analysis. Here we present a series of numerical studies of the photon bubbles in such an atmosphere carried out using a quasi-two-dimensional radiation hydrodynamical code. When a single-mode perturbation is applied to the atmosphere, we find that the growth of these bubbles is in good agreement with the linear theory. When the evolution becomes nonlinear, the growth of the photon bubbles is found to be an efficient mechanism of energy transport. The presence of the low-density regions helps to increase the photon diffusion speed by a factor of several, while the buoyancy of the bubbles serves to transport energy via advection. Multimode studies, consisting of a perturbation with the linear combination of two single modes and a random perturbation, suggest that there is a tendency toward merger of the photon bubbles in their transport properties. The small wavenumber modes eventually dominate in radiation pressure, while the large wavenumber modes, although having higher growth rates, also saturate more quickly, and their contribution to the energy transport can be truncated. A grid study and the multimode calculations indicate that the energy transport through the atmosphere is well represented as long as the photon bubble mode with optical depth of ~10 over a wavelength is well resolved. Possible applications of the photon bubble instability includes the settling layer in the accretion column of a neutron star undergoing super-Eddington accretion. The enhanced energy transport may manifest itself in the emergent spectrum from the accreting pulsars and in the short-time variability in the light curves.
Astronomy: A cosmic growth spurt in an infant galaxy

One of the most extreme starburst galaxies in the early Universe has been identified and characterized. This system shows the rapid formation of a massive galaxy when the Universe was only 6% of its current age. See Letter p.329 The physical properties of the first massive starburst galaxies in the Universe provide important clues as to patterns of early cosmic structure formation. But as regions of intense star formation tend to be shrouded in dust, the search for such systems at very high redshift has been a major challenge. Now a massive starburst galaxy has been identified at a redshift z = 6.34, just 880 million years after the Big Bang when the Universe was one-sixteenth of its present age. Line-emission data reveal the presence of 100 billion solar masses of gas, equivalent to at least 40% of the galaxy's baryonic (visible matter) mass. The galaxy hosts an intense starburst, converting gas into stars at a rate more than 2,000 times that of the Milky Way. These findings are consistent with the theory that massive galaxies form via extreme starbursts in the early Universe.
Geometry calibration phantom design for 3D imaging

Most approaches to 3D x-ray imaging geometry calibration use some well-defined calibration phantom containing point markers. The calibration aims at minimizing the so-called re-projection error, i.e., the error between the detected marker locations in the acquired projection image and the projected marker locations based on the phantom model and the current estimate of the imaging geometry. The phantoms that are being employed consist usually of spherical markers arranged in some spatial pattern. One widely used phantom type consists of spherical markers in a helical arrangement. We present a framework that establishes a good intuitive understanding of the calibration problem, and allows to evaluate the performance of different phantom designs. It is based on a linear approximation of the error propagation between parameters of the imaging geometry, a projection alignment error (which is not identical to the re-projection error), and the "backprojection misalignment", which ultimately dictates 3D image quality. This methodology enables us to characterize the statistics of the parameters describing the imaging geometry, based on simple assumptions on "measurement noise", i.e., phantom and pre-processing accuracy. We also characterize the 3D misalignment in the backprojection (which is used in the 3D reconstruction), which directly impacts 3D image quality. In a comparison of different phantom designs -using backprojection misalignment as a metric- a "candy cane" phantom was found to give superior performance. The presented approach gives many useful intuitive insights into the calibration problem and its key properties. It can also be leveraged, e.g., for an easy implementation of a fast and robust calibration algorithm.
ON THE GREATER SUSCEPTIBILITY OF AN ALIEN VARIETY OF HOST TO AN AVIAN TUMOR

A transplantable sarcoma of the fowl, known as Chicken Tumor XVIII, in our series, succeeds better in chickens of an alien breed (Plymouth Rock) than in those of the variety in which it originated (brown Leghorn). This is not due to gross physical differences in the two breeds but to some more subtle factor and one which perhaps acts by influencing the agent causing the tumor. It would seem that Chicken Tumor XVIII, as it occurred in nature, was an instance of a disease appearing spontaneously in an animal of relatively insusceptible variety.
Failure of development of fast Na+ channels during organ culture of young embryonic chick hearts

We previously reported that young (2-to 3-day-old) embryonic chick hearts organ cultured in vitro for 1–2 weeks in glass vessels do not gain the TTX-sensitive fast Na+ channels, as they normally would during in situ development. Instead, they retain their high density of TTX-insensitive slow Na+ channels. In the present study, 3-day hearts were organ cultured on the chorioallantoic membrane of host 6-to 7-day-old eggs to make the culture condition closer to that in situ. Hearts cultured by this method for 6–8 days also did not gain fast Na+ channels or lose any of their slow Na+ channels. Hence, something in the in situ condition is necessary for the induction of the changes in membrane properties.
Ambient taxes when polluters have multiple choices

Economic research on environmental policy design has largely been concerned with the merits of emissions-based economic incentives (e.g., emissions charges, emissions reduction subsidies, transferable discharge permits). Ambient-based tax-subsidy schemes have drawn considerable interest in nonpoint pollution literature as alternatives to emissions-based instruments. Expanding especially on Segerson`s seminal article, this article examines the optimal design and budget-balancing properties of ambient tax-subsidy schemes under more realistic assumptions about the dimensions of firms` choice sets than prior research.
Optimal Damping Wave Vibration Control of Coupled Bending-Torsion Composite Beams

In this paper, an active vibration controller, designed from a wave standpoint, for suppressing coupled bending-torsion vibrations in fiber-reinforced composite beam structures is presented. Vibration control for composite structures is by far a more critical task than for their metallic counterparts because composite materials are generally much lighter and hence are more prone to unwanted vibrations. Moreover, as a result of the directional nature of fiber-reinforced composites, the vibration modes are coupled, rendering the vibration analysis and control of these structures complex. Employing a wave-based approach, vibrations are described as superposition of waves propagating through the structure. Active controllers are designed to optimally dissipate the energy of incoming vibration waves. Particularly, damping-type controllers, based on measurements of the transverse deflection and/or the torsional rotation, are obtained. These controllers are simple in form and easily implementable. Numerical examples are presented and it is shown that the wave-based active controller design is effective in suppressing vibration in materially coupled composite structures.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
The Nature of Objectivity with the Rasch Model

Abstract : Although it has been claimed that the Rasch model leads to a higher degree of objectivity in latent trait and ability measurement than has been previously possible, the model has had little impact on test development. Population-invariant item and ability calibrations along with the statistical equivalency of any two item subsets are supposedly possible if the item pool has been calibrated by the Rash model. Initial research has been encouraging, but the relation of underlying assumptions and computations in the Rasch model to trait theory and trait measurement has not been clear from previous work. The current paper presents an analysis of the conditions under which the claims of objectivity will be substantiated, with special emphasis on the nature of equivalent forms. It is concluded that the real advantages of the Rasch model will not be apparent until the technology of trait measurement becomes more sophisticated. (Author)
Explaining exchange rate volatility: an empirical analysis of ‘the holy trinity’ of monetary independence, fixed exchange rates, and capital mobility

Abstract This paper uses a panel of data from twenty-two countries between 1967 and 1992 to explain exchange rate volatility, focusing on potential tradeoffs between fixed exchange rates, independent monetary policy, and capital mobility. I use monetary models to parameterize monetary divergence and factor analysis to measure capital mobility. Exchange rate volatility is loosely linked to both monetary divergence and the degree of capital mobility. Interestingly, exchange rate volatility is significantly correlated with the width of the explicitly declared exchange rate band, even after taking monetary divergence and capital mobility into account.
Gonadotropin-releasing hormone induces classical meiotic maturation in subpopulations of atretic preantral follicles.

GnRH has been shown to induce premature meiotic maturation in preantral follicles of the immature estrogen-primed hypophysectomized rat. As these animals are free of circulating gonadotropins and contain large numbers of fullgrown oocytes in preantral follicles, we have investigated this model to determine its usefulness in studying meiotic maturation. We show that a maximum dose of the agonist D-Trp6,Pro9, Net-LRF (GnRH-a) induces approximately 25% of fullgrown oocytes to resume meiosis within a 12-h period. This response is dose dependent (ED50 = 0.24 μg/rat) and specific for GnRHa. GnRH-a stimulates germinal vesicle breakdown and first polar body formation within 2 and 8 h, respectively. More than 75% of those oocytes that initiate meiotic maturation reach metaphase II by 15 h. This effect of GnRH parallels the time course of physiological meiotic maturation triggered by LH as well as that of oocytes maturing spontaneously in vitro. Oocytes in primordial and primary follicles do not respond to GnRH. Th...
A Simple Approximate Result for the Maximum Growth Rate of Baroclinic Instabilities

Abstract The Charney problem for baroclinic instability involves the quasi-geostrophic instability of a zonal flow on a β plane where the zonal flow is characterized by a constant vertical shear. The atmosphere is non-Boussinesq and continuous. The solution of this problem involves confluent hypergeometric functions, and the mathematical difficulty of the problem, for the most part, has precluded extracting simple results of some generality. In this note, it is shown that there does exist a very simple, powerful approximate result for the growth rate of the most rapidly growing instability, viz., that this growth rate is linearly proportional to the surface meridional temperature gradient. The coefficient of proportionality is also easily determined. Moreover, the result extends to substantially more general profiles than those in the Charney problem.
Computer-assisted three-dimensional reconstruction and motion analysis of living, crawling cells

A computer-assisted three-dimensional dynamic image analysis system (3D-DIAS) has been developed for reconstructing and motion analyzing living, crawling cells. The system simultaneously reconstructs the cell surface, the nucleus and pseudopodia, both expanding and retracting. Although this system has been developed for single cell analysis, it can be used for the dynamic reconstruction and motion analysis of cells in early embryos, the human heart and any other cell, organ or object changing shape over time. Ongoing development of a dynamic analysis system with a confocal front-end, a high speed reconstruction system, a near-real time system and a virtual reality system are described.
Punishing the innocent — unintentionally

The intentional punishment of the innocent is ordinarily claimed to be a special problem for utilitarian theories of punishment. The unintentional punishment of the innocent is a problem for any theory of punishment which holds that the guilty should be punished. This paper examines the criteria that are relevant to a determination of the appropriate probability of punishment mistakes for a society, and argues that this is the kind of moral problem for which utilitarian judgments, as opposed to considerations of justice, are most appropriate. To illustrate some of the trade‐offs involved, the paper employs some hypothetical data.
Mortality rate is not a valid indicator of quality differences between pediatric cardiac surgical programs.

Background In order to detect statistically relevant differences in mortality rates, it is essential to have adequate sample sizes and event rates. Our hypothesis is that case volumes and mortality rates present in pediatric cardiac surgery are too low to allow the use of mortality to differentiate between hospitals. Methods Pediatric cardiac surgical operations performed at U.S. hospitals were identified in the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) Database 2000 to 2005 (21,709 operations from 161 hospitals). Hospital annual surgical volumes and in-hospital mortality rates for Risk Adjustment for Congenital Heart Surgery, version 1 (RACHS-1) categories and select individual operations were calculated. The actual case volumes were compared with thresholds necessary to detect a doubling and a 5 percentage point increase in the mortality rate. Results No hospital had a sufficient annual case volume to determine a doubling of or 5 percentage point increase in mortality for any individual operation and a minority (0% to 5.6%) had sufficient volume to detect these differences for specific RACHS-1 categories. Minimum hospital case volumes needed to detect a doubling of mortality from a benchmark ranged from 11 for RACHS-1 category 5 to 2,935 for RACHS-1 category 1. Minimum case volumes necessary to detect a 5 percentage point difference in mortality between two hospitals ranged from 173 for RACHS-1 category 1 to 1,483 for RACHS-1 category 5. Five hundred twenty-five patients were needed to detect a doubling of overall hospital mortality rate compared with another hospital. Only 1.6% (n = 4) of hospitals met this minimum caseload. Conclusions Pediatric cardiac surgery operations are either performed too infrequently or have mortality rates that are too low to allow valid hospital quality comparisons to be based on mortality.
Selective Proteolytic Processing of Rat Hepatic Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Protein-1 (SREBP-1) and SREBP–2 During Postnatal Development

Sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c) plays a major role in hepatic lipogenic gene expression. In adult animals, insulin and oxysterols induce SREBP-1c gene transcription, whereas polyunsaturated fatty acids suppress the nuclear content of SREBP-1c through pre-translational regulatory mechanisms. A decline in nuclear SREBP-1 is associated with suppression of hepatic lipogenesis. In contrast to adult rats, hepatic lipogenesis in preweaned neonatal rats is low. Ingestion of milk fat by the neonate may contribute to low hepatic lipogenesis. In this report, we tested the hypothesis that low lipogenic gene expression prior to weaning correlates with low mRNA(SREBP-1c), as well as low precursor and nuclear forms of SREBP-1. In contrast to expectations, levels of mRNA(SREBP-1c) and the 125-kDa SREBP-1 precursor in livers of preweaned rats was comparable with adult levels. Despite high levels of SREBP-1 precursor, mature (65 kDa) SREBP-1 was not detected in rat liver nuclei prior to 18 days postpartum. Weaning rats at 21 days postpartum was accompanied by a rise in nuclear SREBP-1 levels as well as increased lipogenic gene expression. In contrast, SREBP-2 was present in rat liver nuclei, and its target gene, HMG-CoA reductase, was expressed above adult levels prior to weaning. These studies indicate that, prior to weaning, SREBP-2 but not SREBP-1 is proteolytically processed to the mature form. As such, SREBP-2-regulated genes are active. Failure of SREBP-1 to be processed to the mature form <18 days postpartum correlates with low hepatic lipogenic gene expression. This mechanism differs from the hormonal and fatty acid-mediated pre-translational control of SREBP-1c in adult liver.
Broad band optical characterization of sol-gel TiO2 thin film microstructure evolution with temperature

Abstract Titanium dioxide (TiO2) thin films have been produced by spin coating a titanium isopropoxide sol on silicon wafer substrates. The structural evolution of the thin films in terms of decomposition, crystallization and densification has been monitored as a function of annealing temperature from 100 to 700 °C using optical characterization and other techniques. The effect of annealing temperature on the refractive index and extinction coefficient of these TiO2 thin films was studied in the range of 0.62 to 4.96 eV photon energy (250–2000 nm wavelength) using spectroscopic ellipsometry. Thermal gravimetric analysis and atomic force microscopy support the ellipsometry data and provide information about structural transformations in the titania thin films with respect to different annealing temperatures. These data help construct a coherent picture of the decomposition of the sol–gel precursors and the creation of dense layers of TiO2. It was observed that the refractive index increased from 2.02 to 2.45 at 2.48 eV (500 nm) in sol–gel spin coated titania films for annealing temperatures from 100 °C to 700 °C.
Transmission of the polyoma virus middle T gene as the oncogene of a murine retrovirus

Polyoma virus is a papovavirus that productively infects mouse cells. In cells of other species, such as rat cells, polyoma virus is virtually unable to replicate, and a small proportion of infected cells become stably transformed. The ability of polyoma virus to transform infected cells is determined by genes that encode the large, middle and small T antigens and which are found in the early region of the virus genome. We have inserted the transforming region of polyoma virus into a murine leukaemia virus (MLV) vector, to generate a replication-defective transforming retrovirus which for the first time allows efficient transformation of mouse cells by the polyoma virus middle T gene. During the life cycle of this recombinant virus the intervening sequence present in the original polyoma virus middle T gene was removed. The recombinant virus that we have constructed is analogous to other acutely transforming retroviruses, and demonstrates that the polyoma middle T gene is a dominant transforming oncogene.
Origin and course of an afferent component of the facial nerve within the central nervous system.

The mesencephalic nucleus of trigeminal gives rise to an afferent component of the facial nerve. This nucleus contains large unipolar afferent cell bodies which give rise to an axon which courses caudally through the brainstem and exits via the facial nerve to terminate distal to the stylomastoid foramen.
Highly diastereoselective radical addition–cyclization strategy: facile synthesis of substituted furans

Abstract A novel strategy is described in which an intermolecular carbon-centered radical addition to a β-oxygenated acceptor followed by intramolecular cyclization leads to the formation of 2,3,4- and 2,3,4,5-substituted furan rings. Excellent levels of 2,4-trans selectivity are observed in accordance with the Beckwith–Houk model for selectivity in 5-exo radical cyclizations.
Oblique impact on rigid-plastic beam-support systems

Abstract This paper is concerned with the oblique impact of a moving deformable mass on a beam laterally supported by some type of energy absorbing material. The problem is considered to be a model of the collision of an automobile with a highway protective system. The problem is idealized by assuming the beam to be rigid-pertectly plastic and backed by a rigid-perfectly plastic support material. The impacting mass is taken as rigid-perfectly plastic in that it can sustain only a limited force in contact with the barrier. The solution includes the determination of the contact force between the mass and the barrier and includes variable mass velocity parallel to the barrier and also considers convective terms which arise out of the rate of change of slope of the beam at the point of contact of beam and mass. Inclusion of this term allows the determination of the speed and angle of the vehicle as it leaves the deformed barrier.
On constructing Karnaugh maps

Karnaugh [5] created a technique for finding the minimal sum of products form of a boolean function, a technique which is commonly included in the now popular Discrete Mathematics textbooks. Karnaugh maps are introduced in these texts as a topological bridge between boolean algebra and combinational networks, affording a technique for reducing the number of logic gates required to represent a boolean function. This paper will discuss a new, simple method for constructing Karnaugh maps recursively.
Extending IR camera scene radiance dynamic range with cyclic integration times

Infrared cameras are often used to capture high-speed digital video of scenes with enormous ranges in in-band brightness. A simple example of this is a rocket launch, a scene which can consist of a cold rocket hardbody and an extremely hot exhaust plume. It can be next to impossible to fully span a scene like this with the brightness dynamic range of an infrared camera (typically ~12-14 bits) at a single exposure value. The brightest or hottest parts of the image will often be saturated, while at the same time the darkest or coldest parts of the scene may be buried in the noise floor of the camera and appear black in the image. Varying the exposure by adjusting the camera to an optimal shutter speed or integration time is necessary to maximize the useful information recorded by the camera. Sometimes, however, a single integration time is not enough to fully encompass a scene’s brightness (temperature) variations. The technique of superframing gets around this problem by exploiting the capabilities of high frame-rate IR cameras. The technique involves cycling a camera through a set of integration times on a frame-by-frame basis, then combines the resulting “subframes” into single “superframes” with greatly extended dynamic ranges. If the frame rate is sufficiently high, the scene will not change appreciably from one subframe to the next. The technique and some sample data are described in this paper.
The not so distant effect of distance within a time zone

This article extends the distance and time zone trade literature by examining the impact on trade of larger distance within a time zone between a country pair. Although countries cannot control the physical distance between them and other countries, they do have some control over the time zone difference. We find the quartile for distance within each time zone difference and use these to create conditional distance quartiles which measure the overall impact of falling in the 25th–90th quartile for distance, given the time zone difference. We find that a larger distance within a time zone comes at an additional cost. For trade purposes, countries that could move from the 90th to the 25th conditional quartile for distance by increasing their time zone difference by two hours are better off doing so.
Ion selectivity and gating of small conductance Ca(2+)-activated K+ channels in cultured rat adrenal chromaffin cells.

1. The ion selectivity and gating of apamin-sensitive, small conductance Ca(2+)-activated K+ (SK) channels were studied in cultured rat adrenal chromaffin cells using patch clamp techniques. 2. The amplitude of slow tail currents showed a bell-shaped dependence on depolarization potentials. Slow tail currents were abolished in a Ca(2+)-free external solution or by adding 100 microM Cd2+ to the external solution. Reversal potentials followed the predictions of the Nernst equation for a K+ electrode. 3. Slow tail currents were largely blocked by external application of apamin (dissociation constant, Kd, 4.4 nM), (+)-tubocurarine (Kd, 20 microM), and tetraethylammonium (Kd, 5.4 mM). 4. The relative permeability (PX/PK, where X may be any one of the ions listed) of SK channels was: Tl+ (1.87) > K+ (1.0) > Rb+ (0.81) > Cs+ (0.16) > NH4+ (0.11). Na+, Li+ and methylamine were not measurably permeant (PX/PK K+ (1.0) > Rb+ (0.85) > Cs+ (0.45) approximately NH4+ (0.44). 5. With mixtures of Tl+ and K+, SK channels showed anomalous mole-fraction behaviour. 6. Ca2+ dependence of SK channel gating was studied using inside-out macropatches. The [Ca2+] required for half-maximal activation and the Hill coefficient were 0.69 microM and 1.7, respectively, and independent of membrane potentials. 7. Single-channel conductance was 13-14 pS (160 mM K+).
The Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate in End-Stage Renal Failure

The effect of end-stage renal failure and the dialytic process on erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) is largely unknown. We prospectively studied 60 stable patients with end-stage renal disease to determine the prevalence of elevated ESR in this population. ESRs were also measured immediately pre- and postdialysis in 48 hemodialysis patients. ESR was found to be elevated (≥25 mm/h, Westergren method) in 93% of patients with end-stage renal failure. Fifty-seven percent of patients had marked elevation of ESR (>60 mm/h), while 20% had extreme increases in ESR (≥100 mm/h). In a linear models analysis, aging ( P P P
Distributed context-aware Affinity Propagation clustering in Wireless Sensor Networks

We foresee the need for dynamically clustering nodes in Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) according to a multitude of disparate co-existing contexts. To this end, we propose a distributed, low-overhead context-aware clustering protocol for WSNs. We employ Affinity Propagation (AP) for clustering nodes based on multiple criteria including location, residual energy, and contextual data sensed from the environment. We propose a novel approach for context representation based on potential fields. We discuss the integration of our context representation model with AP and demonstrate using simulation the effectiveness and proficiency of the proposed protocol in satisfying its intended objectives.
Backbone Dynamics in the DNA HhaI Protein Binding Site

The dynamics of the phosphodiester backbone in the [5′-GCGC-3′]2 moiety of the DNA oligomer [d(G1A2T3A4G5C6G7C8T9A10T11C12)]2 are studied using deuterium solid-state NMR (SSNMR). SSNMR spectra obtained from DNAs nonstereospecifically deuterated on the 5′ methylene group of nucleotides within the [5′-GCGC-3′]2 moiety indicated that all of these positions are structurally flexible. Previous work has shown that methylation reduces the amplitude of motion in the phosphodiester backbone and furanose ring of the same DNA, and our observations indicate that methylation perturbs backbone dynamics through not only a loss of mobility but also a change of direction of motion. These NMR data indicate that the [5′-GCGC-3′]2 moiety is dynamic, with the largest amplitude motions occurring nearest the methylation site. The change of orientation of this moiety in DNA upon methylation may make the molecule less amenable to binding to the HhaI endonuclease.
Meshfree particle methods for thin plates

Abstract In this paper, we are concerned with meshfree particle methods for the solutions of the classical plate model. The vertical displacement of a thin plate is governed by a fourth order elliptic equation and thus the approximation functions for numerical solutions are required to have continuous partial derivatives. Hence, the conventional finite element method has difficulties to solve the fourth order problems. Meshfree methods have the advantage of constructing smooth approximation functions, however, most of the earlier works on meshfree methods for plate problems used either moving least squares method with penalty method or coupling FEM with meshfree method to deal with essential boundary conditions. In this paper, by using generalized product partition of unity, introduced by Oh et al., we introduce meshfree particle methods in which approximation functions have high order polynomial reproducing property and the Kronecker delta property. We also prove error estimates for the proposed meshfree methods. Moreover, to demonstrate the effectiveness of our method, results of the proposed method are compared with existing results for various shapes of plates with variety of boundary conditions and loads.
Activator-Dependent Transcription from Chromatin In Vitro Involving Targeted Histone Acetylation by p300

The transcriptional coactivator p300 shows physical and functional interactions with a diverse group of activators and contains an intrinsic acetyltransferase activity whose exact coactivator functions in the acetylation of nucleosomal histones versus other factors are poorly documented. Here, we show that p300 mediates acetyl-CoA-dependent transcription by GAL4-VP16 from a nucleosomal array template, that this involves p300 targeting by GAL4-VP16 and promoter-proximal histone acetylation prior to transcription, and that the affinities of different activators for p300 roughly correlate with corresponding levels of p300-dependent transcription. These results indicate that activators recruit p300 to nucleosomal templates by direct interactions and that bound p300 stimulates transcription, at least in part, by localized histone acetylation.
Cytoreductive nephrectomy for kidney cancer with sarcomatoid histology--is up-front resection indicated and, if not, is it avoidable?

Purpose: Cytoreductive nephrectomy has a survival advantage in select patients. Patients with sarcomatoid features are known to have poor outcomes. We reviewed the role of surgery in this population to see if these patients could be identified preoperatively.Materials and Methods: Cytoreductive nephrectomy cases identified as having sarcomatoid features or spindle cells were reviewed. The histology, grade, and the presence and percentage of sarcomatoid elements were recorded. Clinicopathological characteristics, survival and systemic therapy were compared to cases without sarcomatoid histology.Results: A total of 62 tumors with sarcomatoid histology were identified, accounting for 14.9% of the 417 patients undergoing cytoreductive nephrectomy. The percentage of sarcomatoid transformation widely varied with a range of 2% to 100% and a mean/median of 49.8%/50%. An increased percentage of sarcomatoid features is associated with a worse prognosis. Patients with and those without sarcomatoid features had simil...
An oscillatory kernel function method for lifting surfaces in mixed transonic flow

A study was conducted on the use of combined subsonic and supersonic linear theory to obtain economical and yet realistic solutions to unsteady transonic flow problems. With some modification, existing linear theory methods were combined into a single computer program. The method was applied to problems for which measured steady Mach number distributions and unsteady pressure distributions were available. By comparing theory and experiment, the transonic method showed a significant improvement over uniform flow methods. The results also indicated that more exact local Mach number effects and normal shock boundary conditions on the perturbation potential were needed. The validity of these improvements was demonstrated by application to steady flow.
Presence and significance of microvesicular steatosis in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Background & Aims Liver biopsies from patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) sometimes exhibit non-zonal aggregates of hepatocytes with microvesicular steatosis, but its prevalence and significance are unclear. In this study, we have evaluated the frequency of microvesicular steatosis and assessed its association with histological markers of disease severity in a large sample of NAFLD liver biopsies. Methods Liver biopsies from a large cohort of adults who participated in two studies conducted by the NASH Clinical Research Network (NASH CRN) were included in this cross-sectional study. Liver histology was assessed centrally and various histological features scored in a systematic fashion. The relationship between microvesicular steatosis and various histological features that characterize NAFLD was tested by multiple logistic regression, after controlling for age, gender, race, body mass index, and diabetes. Results Among 1022 liver biopsies included, 102 (10%) had microvesicular steatosis. No demographic differences were noted between patients with or without microvesicular steatosis. The presence of microvesicular steatosis was associated with higher grades of steatosis ( p 0.001), ballooning cell injury ( p 0.001), presence of Mallory-Denk bodies ( p 0.007), presence of megamitochondria ( p 0.0001), higher NAS scores ( p 0.0001), more advanced fibrosis ( p 0.0001), and diagnosis of borderline or definite NASH ( p 0.0001). Conclusions Microvesicular steatosis correlates with more advanced histology of NAFLD. Longitudinal studies are needed to address the role of microvesicular steatosis in mediating cellular injury and disease progression in NAFLD.
Double-Outlet Left Ventricle

Abstract Origin of both great vessels from the left ventricle is an uncommon congenital cardiac anomaly. When there is an associated ventricular septal defect and pulmonary stenosis, the preoperative diagnosis has usually been that of tetralogy of Fallot. Operative repair was accomplished successfully in a 12-year-old boy with such a combination of defects. This involved patch closure of the ventricular septal defect, interruption of blood flow from the left ventricle to the pulmonary artery by suture closure of the pulmonary valve and annulus, and restoration of blood flow to the lung by using a Dacron tube conduit between the right ventricle and the distal main pulmonary artery. This represents the third successful operative repair of double-outlet left ventricle.
Biology, Metastatic Patterns, and Treatment of Patients with Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Of the estimated 1 million cases of breast cancer diagnosed annually worldwide, it is estimated that over 170,000 will harbor the triple-negative (estrogen receptor/progesterone receptor/HER2-negative) phenotype. Most, though not all, triple-negative breast cancers will be basal-like on gene expression micorarrays. The basal-like molecular subtype exhibits a unique molecular profile and set of risk factors, aggressive and early pattern of metastasis, limited treatment options, and poor prognosis. Large population-based studies have identified a higher proportion of triple-negative breast tumors among premenopausal African American women, and a suggestion that increased parity, younger age at first-term pregnancy, shorter duration of breast feeding, and elevated hip-to-waist ratio might be particular risk factors. When BRCA1 mutation carriers develop breast cancer, it is usually basal-like; given the central role of BRCA1 in DNA repair, this could have profound therapeutic implications. When diagnosed, triple-negative breast cancers illustrate preferential relapse in visceral organs, including the central nervous system. Although initial response to chemotherapy might be more profound, relapse is early and common among triple-negative breast cancers compared with luminal breast cancers. The armamentarium of "targeted therapeutics" for triple-negative breast cancer is evolving and includes strategies to inhibit angiogenesis, epidermal growth factor receptor, and other kinases. Finally, the positive association between triple-negative breast cancer and BRCA mutations makes inhibition of poly(adenosine diphosphate-ribose) polymerase-1 an attractive therapeutic strategy that is in active study.
Kuan Yin and Guadalupe: Compassion and Conflict

This essay explores the resonances between the Buddhist bodhisattva Kuan Yin and Our Lady of Guadalupe through the images and texts of the Lotus Sutra (25th chapter), the Shurangama Sutra (vol. V), and the Nican Mopohua, the Nahuatl account of Guadalupe. This is done through the framework of a dialogy that places dialogue as part of a religious quest, in solidarity rather than competition, revealing an alliance of compassion. It is a conversation with both Kuan Yin and Guadalupe along the way, in the spirit of the dialogical nature of God's Trinitarian self, deepening understanding in each knowing about the other. As an Asian American with Buddhist and Catholic religious heritages, it is reflective of an internal dialogue process indicative of an interreligiosity or interspirituality of compassion. Such a new synthesis can release the relational energy of compassion, rooting a call to mission in the partnership of both religious traditions. This has pastoral implications for religious identity, spiritual practices, and vocational call to respond to a suffering world.
Electromagnetic scattering from perfectly conducting rough surfaces (a new full wave method)

A method that does not make use of the telegraphist's equations and takes into account the two-dimensional roughness of the surface from the start is developed. It is shown that the scattering coefficients obtained agree with those given in earlier work by E. Bahar (1973, 1987). The method is based on reducing the three-dimensional scattering problem to a two-dimensional problem by expanding each rectangular component of Maxwell's equations in terms of local basis functions along the perpendicular direction to the mean surface. The transformed two-dimensional field equations are solved using Fourier transforms. The full wave solutions are also compared with the first-order perturbation solutions, the Kirchhoff-type solutions, and integral equation results. >