cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Polyamic acid interactions at metal surfaces

Pyromellitic dianhydride-oxydianiline (PMDA-ODA)-derived polyamic acid-metal interactions were delineated by grazing incidence infrared spectroscopy on mirror surfaces. Vast differences were observed between unreactive gold, titanium, chromium, and aliminum, and reactive copper and silver, where copper and silver form amic acid salts. Other polymer-metal interactions were observed with unreactive metals where aromatic ether rings appear to align on the metal surface. Further, reactive meta and para diacid carboxylates appear to assume different surface conformations. Heating the surface-bound metal salts destroys the polymer interface, but nonsalt film, formed from amic acid or amic ester, appears to establish near planar aromatic ether conformations on the metal surfaces, with resultant orthogonal imide links.
TGB phases: Abrikosov vortex lattices in liquid crystals

Abstract Analogy is one of the most powerful tools a physicist has to arrive at an understanding of the mysteries of nature. It allows us to make predictions about the properties of new systems from what we know about analogous well understood systems. One of the most striking analogies in physics is that introduced by de Gennes (P. de Gennes, Solid State Commun. 14 (1973) 997) between superconductors and liquid crystals. This talk will explore this analogy and show how it leads to a prediction of the remarkable twist-grain-boundary (TGB) phase, the liquid analog of the Abrikosov vortex lattice in superconductors.
Modification of morphine-induced change in striatal (3H)-spiroperidol binding and stereotype behavior by cyclo(Leu-Gly)

Abstract Recent reports from our laboratories have indicated that the peptide cyclo(Leu-Gly), an analog of MIF (Pro-Leu-Gly-NH 2 ), administered prior to chronic exposure to morphine, prevents the development of both analgesic tolerance and some signs of physical dependence. The same peptide treatment also prevented the development of morphine-induced increases in certain behavioral responses to the dopamine agonist apomorphine. The present study investigated behavioral (stereotypy) and neurochemical receptor changes (specific ( 3 H)-spiroperidol binding) occuring in the rat striatal dopamine (DA) system following chronic morphine treatment with and without prior cyclo(Leu-Gly)administration. While chronic morphine treatment (s.c. 5 pellet implant for 3 days, each pellet contained 65 mg morphine free base) did not alter the total number of high-affinity striatal ( 3 H)-spiroperidol binding sites (28 fmol/mg tissue), it did increase the affinity of the receptor for the ligand (K D decreased from 40 to 24 pM). Cyclo(Leu-Gly) (8 mg/kg) prevented the morphine induced increase in dopamine receptor affinity. In parallel, cyclo(Leu-Gly) prevented the increase in apomorphine-induced stereotypy which was observed in chronic morphine treated rats. The peptide alone did not alter any of the binding characteristics. These data suggest that the ability of the peptide to block the development of physical dependence induced by morphine may involve the ability of the peptide to interfere with morphine-induced changes in dopaminergic systems.
The Sinorhizobium meliloti Essential Porin RopA1 is a Target for Numerous Bacteriophages

The symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacterium Sinorhizobium meliloti harbors a gene, SMc02396, which encodes a predicted outer membrane porin that is conserved in many symbiotic and pathogenic bacteria in the order Rhizobiales. Here, this gene (renamed ropA1) is shown to be required for infection by two commonly utilized transducing bacteriophages (ΦM12 and N3). Mapping of S. meliloti mutations conferring resistance to ΦM12, N3, or both phages simultaneously revealed diverse mutations mapping within the ropA1 open reading frame. Subsequent tests determined that RopA1, lipopolysaccharide, or both are required for infection by all of a larger collection of Sinorhizobium-specific phages. Failed attempts to disrupt or delete ropA1 suggest that this gene is essential for viability. Phylogenetic analysis reveals that ropA1 homologs in many Rhizobiales species are often found as two genetically linked copies and that the intraspecies duplicates are always more closely related to each other than to homologs in other species, suggesting multiple independent duplication events.
Conversion of 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide (4NQO) to 4-hydroxyaminoquinoline 1-oxide by a dicumarol-resistant hepatic 4NQO nitroreductase in rats and mice

The product formed from 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide (4NQO), a potent carcinogen, by the action of mouse NADH:4NQO nitroreductase NR-1 was directly identified as 4-hydroxyaminoquinoline 1-oxide (4HAQO) by high performance liquid chromatography analyses in two systems. In liver cytosols from both male and female mice, NADH:4NQO nitroreductase was the predominant enzyme catalyzing the reduction of 4NQO. Rat liver cytosol catalyzed the conversion of 4NQO to either 4HAQO or a glutathione conjugate depending upon coenzyme or cosubstrate availability. Whereas NAD(P)H:quinone reductase (NAD(P)H:(quinone acceptor) oxidoreductase; DT diaphorase; EC 1.6.99.2) was the predominant 4NQO reductase present in liver cytosol from Sprague-Dawley rats, dicumarol-resistant NADH:4NQO nitroreductase specific activities were comparable with those of mouse liver cytosols. A 4NQO nitroreductase from rat liver cytosol was separated from NAD(P)H:quinone reductase chromatographically and shown to have a strong preference for NADH and to be insensitive to inhibition by dicumarol.
The role of cavitation in the induction of cellular DNA damage by ultrasound and lithotripter shock waves in vitro

The induction of DNA strand breaks in Chinese hamster ovary cells was measured with the comet assay after continuous wave ultrasound or lithotripter shock wave exposure. Cell lysis and hydrogen peroxide production were measured to gauge the level of inertial cavitation activity. Significant DNA damage was found after 2.17-MHz ultrasound exposure at 37°C to 0.82 MPa for 2 min or 4 min, and to 0.58 MPa for 4 min. A significant portion of the damage induced at the 0.82-MPa level was repaired by the cells when warmed. Neither exposure to 500 or 1000 shock waves at 37°C in a thin-walled tube, nor exposure to 1000, 1500 or 2000 shock waves at 25°C in a polyethylene pipette bulb produced a significant effect, when the flash of light from the spark-gap discharge was blocked. This finding was consistent with the generally lower lysis and hydrogen peroxide production by the shock wave exposure.
Abstract 3700: Prepubertal dietary genistein intake reduces ovarian cancer risk in BRCA+/- mice.

Proceedings: AACR 104th Annual Meeting 2013; Apr 6-10, 2013; Washington, DC Genistein, a soy-derived isoflavone, is thought to play a key role in the cancer-preventive activity of soy consumption. Germline mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes are known risk factors for both ovarian and breast cancers. Previously, our lab has discovered that prepubertal dietary exposure to genistein reduced 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA)-induced mammary incidence (P = 0.029) and aggressiveness of the tumors (P < 0.001) in the WT mice, and upregulated the expression of BRCA1 in their mammary glands (P = 0.04). In this study, we investigated whether prepubertal dietary exposure to genistein reduces ovarian tumors in heterozygous BRCA+/- mice and their wild type littermates. Mice were fed a control diet AIN93G or 500 ppm genistein-supplemented diet from postnatal day (PND) 15 to PND 30, and thereafter mice received the control AIN93G diet. On PND42, control and genistein mice were primed with medroxyprogesterone acetate and, starting at PND50, administered 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA) once a week for four weeks. Ovarian tissues were harvested at 5 months of age. Histopathology assessment shows that mice developed granulosa cell tumors. Ovarian tumor incidence in control diet fed wildtype mice was 80% and in the BRCA+/- mice 100%. The incidence dropped to 33% in the wildtype and to 50% in the BRCA+/- mice following prepubertal genistein intake. Thus, the exposure to prepubertal genistein in both BRCA+/- and WT mice significantly reduced ovarian tumor incidence, compared with their control diet fed littermates (P=0.001). The mechanisms mediating the protective effect of prepubertal genistein intake on ovarian cancer risk are being investigated. Citation Format: E Carney, L. Hilakivi-Clarke, A. Warri, S. de Assis. Prepubertal dietary genistein intake reduces ovarian cancer risk in BRCA+/- mice. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3700. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-3700
On graphs whose least eigenvalue exceeds − 1 − √2

Abstract Let G be a graph, A ( G ) its adjacency matrix. We prove that, if the least eigenvalue of A ( G ) exceeds -1 − √2 and every vertex of G has large valence, then the least eigenvalue is at least -2 and G is a generalized line graph.
BK virus infection after renal transplantation

In this review, we will discuss updates in diagnosis, treatment, and primary prevention, as well as unresolved issues and future directions for BK virus nephropathy in renal transplant patients.
Immobilized Metal Affinity Chromatography: Displacer Characteristics of Traditional Mobile Phase Modifiers

Imidazole was examined as a potential displacer for protein purification in metal affinity chromatographic systems. A dynamic affinity plot was developed for predicting the elution order and efficacy of displacers in metal affinity displacement chromatography. Theoretical predictions and experimental results indicate that small molecular weight compounds, such as imidazole, with a single coordination site can indeed displace proteins with multiple coordination sites to the surface. In addition, the theory predicts the concentration dependence of imidazole displacement behavior observed in the experiments. In the presence of additional mobile phase modifiers, imidazole was shown to induce relatively high modifier gradients due to its high affinity and negligible steric factor. N-protected histidines and tryptophan were also shown to act as protein displacers in IMAC systems. While the N-protected histidines resulted in relatively sharp displacement boundaries, tryptophan was a less effective displacer, producing significant protein tailing during the separation. The results in this manuscript are expected to have major implications for downstream processing of proteins using IMAC in the displacement mode of operation.
Fundamental and practical problems of QKD security: the actual and perceived situation

It is widely believed that quantum key distribution (QKD) has been proved unconditionally secure for realistic models applicable to various current experimental schemes. Here we summarize briefly why this is not the case, from both the viewpoints of fundamental quantitative security and applicable models of security analysis, with some morals drawn.
A Model for Planning Resource Requirements in Health Care Organizations

In this paper we present a general model and solution methodology for planning resource requirements (i.e., capacity) in health care organizations. To illustrate the general model, we consider two specific applications: a blood bank and a health maintenance organization (HMO). The blood bank capacity planning problem involves determining the number of donor beds required and determining the size of the nursing and support staff necessary. Capacity must be sufficient to handle the expected number of blood donors without causing excessive donor waiting times. Similar staff, equipment, and service level decisions arise in the HMO capacity planning problem. To determine resource requirements, we develop an optimization/queueing network model that minimizes capacity costs while controlling customer service by enforcing a set of performance constraints, such as setting an upper limit on the expected time a patient spends in the system. The queueing network model allows us to capture the stochastic behavior of health care systems and to measure customer service levels within the optimization framework.
Same/different concept learning in the pigeon: the effect of negative instances and prior adaptation to transfer stimuli.

Pigeons were trained on a matching-to-sample or oddity-from-sample task with shapes (circle and plus). Half of each group was exposed to "negative instance" trials i.e., for matching birds, neither comparison key matched the sample, and for oddity birds both comparison keys matched the sample. When all birds were transferred to a new task involving colors (red and green), nonshifted birds (transferred from matching to matching, or oddity to oddity) performed significantly better than shifted birds (transferred from matching to oddity, or oddity to matching), but only if they had experienced negative instances of the training concept. When all birds were exposed to negative instances of the transfer task and then transferred to a new color task (yellow and blue), dramatic transfer effects were observed. The effect of pre-exposure to the yellow and blue colors, in order to reduce transfer-stimulus novelty, had a minor effect on transfer.
Essential Role of IκB Kinase α in the Constitutive Processing of NF-κB2 p100

Processing of NF-kappaB2 precursor protein p100 to generate p52 is tightly controlled, which is important for proper function of NF-kappaB. Accordingly, constitutive processing of p100, caused by the loss of its C-terminal processing inhibitory domain due to nfkappab2 gene rearrangements, is associated with the development of various lymphomas and leukemia. In contrast to the physiological processing of p100 triggered by NF-kappaB-inducing kinase (NIK) and its downstream kinase, IkappaB kinase alpha (IKKalpha), which requires the E3 ligase, beta-transducin repeat-containing protein (beta-TrCP), and occurs only in the cytoplasm, the constitutive processing of p100 is independent of beta-TrCP but rather is regulated by the nuclear shuttling of p100. Here, we show that constitutive processing of p100 also requires IKKalpha, but not IKKbeta (IkappaB kinase beta) or IKKgamma (IkappaB kinase gamma). It seems that NIK is also dispensable for this pathogenic processing of p100. These results demonstrate a general role of IKKalpha in p100 processing under both physiological and pathogenic conditions. Additionally, we find that IKKalpha is not required for the nuclear translocation of p100. Thus, these results also indicate that p100 nuclear translocation is not sufficient for the constitutive processing of p100.
Comparison of Measured and Computed Loss to Parasitic Modes in Cylindrical Cavities with Beam Ports

The importance of parasitic mode losses for the design and operation of electron-positron storage rings is now well recognized. These losses at present set the limit on allowable beam current in the SPEAR II ring under some operating conditions. Parasitic mode losses and their potential deleterious effects are a prime consideration in the design of the PEP vacuum chamber. Too high a loss impedance can lead not only to overheating of individual components but to a reduced threshold for bunch instabilities. It is important therefore to have available adequate measurement and computational methods, both as an aid in the design of specific vacuum chamber components and to provide a better understanding of the nature of the loss impedance.
Information input overload and psychopathology.

Although more than a thousand related articles were reviewed in our literature survey, no references were ever found in them or in their bibliographies crossing from one level, say the neurophysiology of the cell, to another, such as group psychology. In one article an offhand suggestion was found that such generalization might be possible, but it was apparent that in present-day behavioral science cross-level similarities are rarely considered and general systems properties seldom taken into account. This, despite the fact that at all levels comparable performance curves have been discovered. Since such general systems characteristics are not sought, the same phenomenon, with different names, different dimensions and units, is being discovered over and over again at different levels. Known for many years in neurophysiology, it is only recently being recognized at the individual level. Yet it is probable that, if information input overload causes similar performance curves and mobilization of comparable d...
The Type of Aortic Cannula and Membrane Oxygenator Affect the Pulsatile Waveform Morphology Produced by a Neonate‐Infant Cardiopulmonary Bypass System In Vivo

Although the debate still continues over the effectiveness of pulsatile versus nonpulsatile perfusion, it has been clearly proven that there are several significant physiological benefits of pulsatile perfusion during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) compared to nonpulsatile perfusion. However, the components of the extracorporeal circuit have not been fully investigated regarding the quality of the pulsatility. In addition, most of these results have been gathered from adult patients, not from neonates and infants. We have designed and tested a neonate-infant pulsatile CPB system using 2 different types of 10 Fr aortic cannulas and membrane oxygenators in 3 kg piglets to evaluate the effects of these components on the pulsatile waveform produced by the system. In terms of the methods, Group 1 (Capiox 308 hollow-fiber membrane oxygenator and DLP aortic cannula with a very short 10 Fr tip [n = 2]) was subjected to a 2 h period of normothermic pulsatile CPB with a pump flow rate of 150 ml/kg/min. Data were obtained at 5, 30, 60, 90, and 120 min of CPB. In Group 2 (Capiox 308 hollow-fiber membrane oxygenator and Elecath aortic cannula with a very long 10 Fr tip [n = 7]) and Group 3 (cobe VPCML Plus flat sheet membrane oxygenator and DLP aortic cannula with a very short 10 Fr tip [n = 7]), the subjects' nasopharyngeal temperatures were reduced to 18 degrees C followed by 1 h of deep hypothermic circulatory arrest (DHCA) and then 40 min rewarming. Data were obtained during normothermic CPB in the pre- and post-DHCA periods. The criteria of pulsatility evaluations were based upon pulse pressure (between 30 and 40 mm Hg), aortic dp/dt (greater than 1000 mm Hg/s), and ejection time (less than 250 ms). The results showed that Group 1 produced flow which was significantly more pulsatile than that of the other 2 groups. Although the same oxygenator was used for Group 2, the quality of the pulsatile flow decreased when using a different aortic cannula. Group 3 did not meet any of the criteria for physiologic pulsatility. In conclusion these data suggest that in addition to a pulsatile pump, the aortic cannula and the membrane oxygenator must be chosen carefully to achieve physiologic pulsatile flow during CPB.
Effect of a Protected Fat Product on Productivity of Lactating Holstein and Jersey Cows

Abstract Diets supplemented with Ca salts of fatty acids were fed to Holstein and Jersey cows to determine the effects on production and metabolic measures. Cows averaged 95 d in milk at the start of the study. A total mixed ration (concentrate, corn silage, and alfalfa silage) was offered. Holsteins and Jerseys consumed approximately .45 and .35kg/d Ca salts of fatty acids, respectively. Milk production was not changed by fat supplementation, but FCM increased from 25.9 to 27.1kg, milk fat percentage increased 5.5%, and milk protein declined 3.2% for cows receiving Ca salts of fatty acids. No breed by treatment interaction was significant. Group DM intake was similar among treatments, and calculated net energy intake exceeded net energy needs for maintenance and milk production. Body weight changes were similar among treatments. Apparent digestibility of dietary DM, fiber, and fatty acids was not altered by treatment. Serum C 16:0 fatty acids increased, milk short-chain fatty acids (C 4:0 to C 14:0 ) decreased, and milk long-chain fatty acids (C 16:0 to C 18:3 ) increased when fat was added to the diet. Calcium salts of fatty acids improved FCM yield of lactating cows, primarily through increased milk fat percentages. No change occurred in apparent digestibility of the diet. In most cases, breed responses to treatment were similar.
The behaviour of the sample autocorrelation function for an integrated moving average process

SUMMARY Little is known about the behaviour of the sample autocorrelation function when the generating stochastic process is nonstationary. In this note the behaviour of the sample autocorrelation function for a particular integrated moving average process is examined and the implications for model identification are discussed.
Transvaginal photoacoustic imaging probe and system based on a multiport fiber-optic beamsplitter and a real time imager for ovarian cancer detection

This paper presents a real-time transvaginal photoacoustic imaging probe for imaging human ovaries in vivo. The probe consists of a high-throughput (up to 80%) fiber-optic 1 x 19 beamsplitters, a commercial array ultrasound transducer, and a fiber protective sheath. The beamsplitter has a 940-micron core diameter input fiber and 240-micron core diameter output fibers numbering 36. The 36 small-core output fibers surround the ultrasound transducer and delivers light to the tissue during imaging. A protective sheath, modeled in the form of the transducer using a 3-D printer, encloses the transducer with array of fibers. A real-time image acquisition system collects and processes the photoacoustic RF signals from the transducer, and displays the images formed on a monitor in real time. Additionally, the system is capable of coregistered pulse-echo ultrasound imaging. In this way, we obtain both morphological and functional information from the ovarian tissue. Photoacousitc images of malignant human ovaries taken ex vivo with the probe revealed blood vascular and networks that was distinguishable from normal ovaries, making the probe potential useful for characterizing ovarian tissue.
Human skin in vitro percutaneous absorption of gaseous ethylene oxide from fabric

Abstract Ethylene oxide, a colourless gas at ordinary room temperature and pressure, is widely used as a fumigant, coming in contact with clothing and human skin. It is genotoxic in somatic and germ cells. [1,2-14C]Ethylene oxide and fabric discs were sealed in a glass container; the fabric discs were then removed and placed on human skin mounted in glass diffusion cells. Percutaneous absorption was 1.3% of the dose when the fabric/skin surface was open to surrounding air, and increased to 46.0% when the surface was occluded with latex glove material. The absorption was rapid, occurring within the first 0–4 hr assay period. Absorbed chemical was confirmed to be unchanged ethylene oxide in the receptor fluid. This study also serves as a model for exposure of fabric/skin to any potentially hazardous gas.
Determination of Tissue Calcium by Nondestructive Neutron Activation Analysis

A method is described for measuring the concentration of calcium in arterial tissue by neutron activation analysis. The principal advantage is that the method is nondestructive and is ideal for analytical situations in which multiple biochemical measurements are required on a few-milligram sample. Application of the method is illustrated here by a study of aortic calcium metabolism in pigeons and monkeys being used as animal models in experimental atherosclerosis studies. The determination is made on irradiated dry fat-free tissue by using 49Ca (T½, 8.8 min) to measure calcium. The interference of 37S with the measurement is insignificant. Neutron activation data from one set of tissues were compared with data obtained by atomic absorption spectrophotometry in the same tissues. Good relative agreement was found, although results by atomic absorption were slightly systematically higher than those by neutron activation. Reasons for this are discussed.
Social Science Research and School Diversity Policy

For decades, policy makers, advocates, and researchers have been engaged in efforts to make educational opportunity more equal for students from different racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups. A great deal of research has been conducted on their efforts; however, there is some disagreement on the extent to which the research has been influential. To examine the level of influence that social science research has had on school diversity policy, the authors conducted unstructured interviews with eight activists who use such research in arguments about school diversity. Findings from the study indicate that the influence of social science research is ambiguous, and to have influence, activists felt they had to target specific policy goals over a period of time.
Affective forecasts and the Valentine's Day shootings at NIU: People are resilient, but unaware of it

People overestimate the extent to which emotion-producing life events affect subsequent affect. However, research has yet to conclusively demonstrate that this phenomenon occurs following significant trauma affecting entire communities, or whether it applies to predictions of discrete emotions. Exploring such issues, student reports of emotion states were collected both before and after the oncampus Valentine's Day, 2008 shootings at Northern Illinois University (NIU). A separate group of students not on campus when the shootings occurred provided emotion state reports and predictions of the emotions they would expect to experience 2 weeks after a shooting occurred. Examination of these data suggests that: (1) emotion states of NIU students reflected resilience, and (2) students made affective forecasting errors indicating that this resilience was unexpected. These data confirm results of prior affective forecasting studies, extending them to cases of traumatic experiences, and suggest that such studies c...
Signatures of Population Expansion in Microsatellite Repeat Data

To examine the signature of population expansion on genetic variability at microsatellite loci, we consider a population that evolves according to the time-continuous Moran model, with growing population size and mutations that follow a general asymmetric stepwise mutation model. We present calculations of expected allele-size variance and homozygosity at a locus in such a model for several variants of growth, including stepwise, exponential, and logistic growth. These calculations in particular prove that population bottleneck followed by growth in size causes an imbalance between allele size variance and heterozygosity, characterized by the variance being transiently higher than expected under equilibrium conditions. This effect is, in a sense, analogous to that demonstrated before for the infinite allele model, where the number of alleles transiently increases after a stepwise growth of population. We analyze a set of data on tetranucleotide repeats that reveals the imbalance expected under the assumption of bottleneck followed by population growth in two out of three major racial groups. The imbalance is strongest in Asians, intermediate in Europeans, and absent in Africans. This finding is consistent with previous findings by others concerning the population expansion of modern humans, with the bottleneck event being most ancient in Africans, most recent in Asians, and intermediate in Europeans. Nevertheless, the imbalance index alone cannot reliably estimate the time of initiation of population expansion.
Proactive and Reactive Aggression in a Child Psychiatric Inpatient Population: Relations to Psychopathic Characteristics

The study examined relations between caregiver- and child-reported proactive and reactive aggression and psychopathic characteristics (callous/unemotional traits, narcissism, and impulsivity) in a sample of 105 children (69% male) ranging from 6 to 12 years of age (M = 9.61, SD = 1.83) who were admitted to a child psychiatric inpatient facility. Caregiver reports of aggression suggested that proactive and reactive aggression were similarly related to callous/unemotional traits and narcissism but that only reactive aggression was associated with impulsivity. In contrast, child reports of proactive aggression, but not reactive aggression, were associated with all three psychopathic characteristics. Theoretical and clinical implications are discussed.
Measurement, modeling, and simulation of digital LOS microwave channels with applications to outage prediction

A summary of prior work in the field of microwave line-of-sight (LOS) channel propagation measurements, channel models, and channel simulators is presented. The objective of these efforts is the reliable prediction of digital microwave radio performance on any specified link. Many digital radio outage prediction techniques are predicted upon the use of m-curves, which characterize a digital radio's performance in a simulated fading environment. These m-curves are generated by subjecting the radio under test to simulated multipath fading. This requires the use of a channel simulator that accurately emulates the fading conditions found on real LOS links. All parameters of an ideal channel simulator should be based on a model that has been validated through propagation measurements on a number of different paths. Although much progress has been made, some issues remain for further investigation. New channel propagation measurement, modeling, and simulation results that are directly applicable to these issues are given. >
The increase in yeast enolase fluorescence produced by substrates and competitive inhibitors in the presence of excess Mg2

Abstract 1. 1. Substrates or competitive inhibitors produced an increase in the fluorescence of yeast enolase (2-phospho- d -glycerate hydro-lyase, EC 4.2.1.11) in the presence of a high concentration (0.01 M) of Mg2+ or other activating metal ions. 2. 2. The increase in fluorescence is ascribed to a decrease in quenching of one or more tryptophans in the enzyme upon binding metal ion and substrate. 3. 3. Fluorometric titrations of the enzyme with substrate in the presence of excess Mg2+ have given substrate binding constants in agreement with substrate Michaelis constants. 4. 4. Titrations with Mg2+ in the presence of excess substrate show two binding sites. The site with the smallest dissociation constant is identical with the site associated with structural changes in the enzyme when the metal ion is bound. The second site appears only in the presence of substrate and is not connected with enzymic activity, but perhaps with actual inhibition.
Focused information criterion and model averaging based on weighted composite quantile regression

We study the focused information criterion and frequentist model averaging and their application to post-model-selection inference for weighted composite quantile regression (WCQR) in the context of the additive partial linear models. With the non-parametric functions approximated by polynomial splines, we show that, under certain conditions, the asymptotic distribution of the frequentist model averaging WCQR-estimator of a focused parameter is a non-linear mixture of normal distributions. This asymptotic distribution is used to construct confidence intervals that achieve the nominal coverage probability. With properly chosen weights, the focused information criterion based WCQR estimators are not only robust to outliers and non-normal residuals but also can achieve efficiency close to the maximum likelihood estimator, without assuming the true error distribution. Simulation studies and a real data analysis are used to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed procedure.
Enabling Flow Control Technology for Low Speed UAVs

This paper discusses several technologies currently being investigated for use on low speed UAVs. This includes adaptive wing technology that controls separation via active changes in the camber, use of large scale surface roughness to control separation, plasma actuators to control stall and enhance lift, and inflatable wings that can be tailored using wing warping. Results from wind tunnel and flight tests from each of the systems is presented.
The effects of hydroxy-methyl-glutaryl co-enzyme A reductase inhibitors on platelet thrombus formation.

Abstract Background: Hydroxy-methyl-glutaryl co-enzyme A reductase inhibitors (HMG CoA RIs) markedly improve the lipid profile of patients with hypercholesterolemia, but the magnitude and time course of the effect of these drugs on other risk factors for atherosclerosis are not well defined. Methods: We employed a random assignment, double-blind design to compare the effect of 8 weeks of HMG CoA RI therapy with either pravastatin (40 mg QD; n =12) or simvastatin (20 mg QD; n =12) with placebo ( n =13) on serum lipids, platelet thrombus formation (PTF), and markers of inflammation and thrombosis in patients with coronary artery disease. PTF was measured using a validated ex vivo perfusion chamber system. Results: Total and LDL cholesterol decreased 20.3±12.7% and 31.4±16.5% in the HMG CoA RI group and were unchanged with placebo ( P P =0.01). PTF increased 54.1±89.0% with placebo and decreased 8.0±46.82% with HMG CoA RI treatment ( P Conclusions: HMG CoA RI therapy with pravastatin or simvastatin reduces PTF after only 8 weeks of therapy. Such lipid effects may contribute to the prompt reduction in cardiovascular events noted in some clinical trials.
Louisiana waterthrushes (Seiurus motacilla) and habitat assessments as cost-effective indicators of instream biotic integrity

Summary 1. Benthic stream animals, in particular macroinvertebrates, are good indicators of water quality, but sampling can be laborious to obtain accurate indices of biotic integrity. Thus, tools for bioassessment that include measurements other than macroinvertebrates would be valuable additions to volunteer monitoring protocols. 2. We evaluated the usefulness of a stream-dependent songbird, the Louisiana waterthrush (waterthrush, Seiurus motacilla) and the Environmental Protection Agency Visual Habitat Assessment (EPA VHA) as indicators of the macrobenthos community in headwater streams of the Georgia Piedmont, U.S.A. We sampled macrobenthos, surveyed waterthrushes and measured habitat characteristics along 39 headwater reaches across 17 catchments ranging from forested to heavily urbanised or grazed by cattle. 3. Of the indicators considered, waterthrush occupancy was best for predicting relative abundances of macrobenthic taxa, while the EPA VHA was best for predicting Ephemeroptera–Plecoptera–Trichoptera (EPT) richness. Individual components of EPA VHA scores were much less useful as indicators of EPT richness and % EPT when compared with the total score. Waterthrushes were found along streams with higher % EPT, a lower Family Biotic Index (FBI) values and greater macrobenthos biomass. 4. While macroinvertebrates remain one of the most direct indicators of stream water quality, stream bird surveys and reach-scale habitat assessments can serve as cost-effective indicators of benthic macroinvertebrate communities. Using stream-dependent birds as an early warning signal for degradation of stream biotic integrity could improve the efficacy of catchment monitoring programmes in detecting and identifying perturbations within the catchment.
Semantic feature representations for normal and aphasic language

Abstract Aphasic and non-neurological patients grouped nouns on the basis of similarity of meaning. These word groupings served as input matrices for hierarchical clustering and multidimensional scaling analyses. The emergent structures suggest that, while the normal adult has a number of levels upon which to organize his lexicon, the adult aphasic's lexicon can be characterized as a set of partial entries that are tied to affective and situational data. The results also suggest that semantic feature representations derived from similarity-of-meaning judgments are of relevance in the study of factors which influence actual language performance.
Structural basis for CO2 fixation by a novel member of the disulfide oxidoreductase family of enzymes, 2-ketopropyl-coenzyme M oxidoreductase/carboxylase.

The NADPH:2-ketopropyl-coenzyme M oxidoreductase/carboxylase (2-KPCC) is the terminal enzyme in a metabolic pathway that results in the conversion of propylene to the central metabolite acetoacetate in Xanthobacter autotrophicus Py2. This enzyme is an FAD-containing enzyme that is a member of the NADPH:disulfide oxidoreductase (DSOR) family of enzymes that include glutathione reductase, dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase, trypanothione reductase, thioredoxin reductase, and mercuric reductase. In contrast to the prototypical reactions catalyzed by members of the DSOR family, the NADPH: 2-ketopropyl-coenzyme M oxidoreductase/carboxylase catalyzes the reductive cleavage of the thioether linkage of 2-ketopropyl-coenzyme M, and the subsequent carboxylation of the ketopropyl cleavage product, yielding the products acetoacetate and free coenzyme M. The structure of 2-KPCC reveals a unique active site in comparison to those of other members of the DSOR family of enzymes and demonstrates how the enzyme architecture has been adapted for the more sophisticated biochemical reaction. In addition, comparison of the structures in the native state and in the presence of bound substrate indicates the binding of the substrate 2-ketopropyl-coenzyme M induces a conformational change resulting in the collapse of the substrate access channel. The encapsulation of the substrate in this manner is reminiscent of the conformational changes observed in the well-characterized CO2-fixing enzyme ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxidase (Rubisco).
Security games: solution concepts and algorithms

Algorithms for finding game-theoretic solutions are now used in several real-world security applications. Many of these applications are based on different but related game-theoretical models collectively known as security games. Much of the research in this area has focused on the two-player setting in which the first player (leader, defender) commits to a strategy, after which the second player (follower, attacker) observes that strategy and responds to it. This is commonly known as the Stackelberg, or leader-follower, model. If none of the players can observe the actions of the others then such a setting is called a simultaneous-move game. A common solution concept in simultaneous-move games is the Nash equilibrium (NE). In the present dissertation, we contribute to this line of research in two ways. First, we consider new ways of modeling commitment. We propose the new model in which the leader can commit to a correlated strategy. We show that this model is equivalent to the Stackelberg model in two-player games and is different from the existing models in games with three or more players. We propose an algorithm for computing a solution to this model in polynomial time. We also consider a leader-follower setting in which the players are uncertain about whether the follower can observe. We describe an iterative algorithm for solving such games. Second, we analyze the computational complexity of computing Stackelberg and NE strategies in security games. We describe algorithms to solve some variants of the security game model in polynomial time and prove NP-hardness of solving other variants of the model. We also extend the family of security games by allowing the attacker have multiple resources. We provide an algorithm for computing an NE of such games in polynomial time, and we show that computing a Stackelberg strategy is NP-hard.
A Brief Look at What Economists Are Saying about the Community College.

This essay canvasses selected studies undertaken by economists on the community college. Key authors and journals are noted, followed by an examination of what economists contribute to our understa...
Dynamic effects of a step-wise increase in thermal conductivity and viscosity in the lowermost mantle

[1] We present numerical models of mantle convection incorporating changes in viscosity and thermal conductivity at depth. Increasing the viscosity and/or thermal conductivity by a factor of 5 at depths below 2000 km increases the size and stability of thermal upwellings. Decreasing the thermal conductivity beneath 2000 km, in contrast, has comparatively little effect on thermal upwellings. Increases in viscosity and/or thermal conductivity close to a factor of 5 beneath 2000 km may tend to counteract the tendency of the post-perovskite phase transition to decrease the size and stability of thermal upwellings. We also find that varying viscosity and thermal conductivity beneath 2000 km affects basal heat fluxes and mantle geotherms, which should have strong implications for the stability of the post-perovskite phase change near the core-mantle boundary (CMB). Citation: Naliboff, J. B., and L. H. Kellogg (2006), Dynamic effects of a step-wise increase in thermal conductivity and viscosity in the lowermost mantle, Geophys. Res. Lett., 33, L12S09, doi:10.1029/2006GL025717.
Fructose Induced Deactivation of Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase Activity and its Prevention by Pyruvate: Implications in Cataract Prevention

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) is an important lens enzyme diverting about 14% of the tissue glucose to the hexose monophosphate shunt pathway. The main function of such a pronounced activity of the enzyme is to support reductive biosyntheses, as well as to maintain a reducing environment in the tissue so as to prevent oxy-radical induced damage and consequent cataract formation. Sugars are one of the well-known cataractogenic agents. Several reports suggest that the cataractogenic effect of the sugars in diabetes as well as in normal aging is initiated by the glycation of the proteins including the enzymes and subsequent formation of more complex and biologically inactive or harmful structures. In a diabetic lens the concentration of fructose exceeds significantly the concentration of glucose, suggesting that the contribution of fructosylation may be greater than that of glucosylation. These studies were undertaken to examine further the possibility that in addition to glycation, generation of...
Biomechanical measure validation for spinal manipulation in clinical settings.

Abstract Objective To evaluate the validity and fidelity of the Leander 900 Z Series treatment table (Leader Health Technologies Corporation, Port Orchard, Wash) with an imbedded AMTI force plate (Advanced Mechanical Technology, Inc, Watertown, Mass) as a sensing system and to test its ability to quantify small, statistically significant changes in biomechanical parameters of spinal manipulative therapy (SMT). Setting Technology bench testing and Chiropractic College. Methods Complex forces and moments were applied to the modified treatment table, including standardized static and dynamic loads and those exerted by chiropractic students when delivering spinal manipulative therapy. Manipulation data was postprocessed by a second-order Butterworth filter with a 5-Hz cutoff frequency. Changes in lumbar spinal manipulative therapy procedures performed by chiropractic students were digitally recorded using the sensing system at approximately 1-month intervals throughout the course of a trimester of training. Results The system frequency response remains relatively consistent over the interval of test loads from 89 N to 222 N and from 53 nm to 133 nm with fundamental frequencies 5.9 Hz and higher. Changes in biomechanical parameters, including peak amplitude, slope, and duration over time and training, were observed in student chiropractic manipulations. Results show a minimum of 18% ( P = .0723) increase during interval 1 in mean peak amplitude and slope parameters. Only a slight (3%) mean reduction of the procedure duration was seen. Conclusions The results support the fidelity of the sensing system and its ability to quantify small, statistically significant changes in biomechanical parameters. With this type of instrumentation, it is feasible to assess the skill of chiropractic physicians performing spinal manipulative therapy.
A discussion and test of a communication flow optimization approach for business process redesign

A vital component of any business process redesign (BPR) project is the depiction and understanding of an organization's processes that are being targeted for redesign. The literature on BPR suggests that the vast majority of past BPR projects have placed emphasis on the use of business process representations depicting the chronological flow of activities of processes known as workflow representations. This study suggests that a focus on the communication aspects of processes is more advisable. A controlled experiment with 210 student subjects was used to test a business process communication flow optimization model. The data were analyzed using structural equation modeling techniques. Overall, the results provide strong support for the notion that a focus on communications flow representations predicts BPR success. This study calls for a reorientation from the widespread BPR practice of placing emphasis on workflow representations of processes toward an emphasis on communication flow representations. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Stability analysis of a slip power recovery system under open loop and field orientation control

The slip power recovery configuration provides an attractive alternative for variable speed drives and generating systems, due to its high-efficiency and low converter rating. The core component is the doubly-excited machine. The authors present a stability analysis of the doubly-excited machine with open-loop voltage and open-loop current control in the rotor circuit. The possibilities of open loop control are analyzed. The authors then present a unified model of a high-performance slip power recovery system comprising a field-orientation controlled doubly-excited machine, power converters, and a DC bus in the rotor circuit. The stability of this composite system is also studied. Of special interest is when the system functions as a variable-speed motor or as a variable-speed constant-frequency generating system. It is concluded that, under certain conditions, rotor open-loop voltage and current control are both stable for both motor and generator operations. The field orientation process is stable if the computation is fast enough or if there is additional compensation. >
The Fringe-Imaging Skin Friction Technique PC Application User's Manual

A personal computer application (CXWIN4G) has been written which greatly simplifies the task of extracting skin friction measurements from interferograms of oil flows on the surface of wind tunnel models. Images are first calibrated, using a novel approach to one-camera photogrammetry, to obtain accurate spatial information on surfaces with curvature. As part of the image calibration process, an auxiliary file containing the wind tunnel model geometry is used in conjunction with a two-dimensional direct linear transformation to relate the image plane to the physical (model) coordinates. The application then applies a nonlinear regression model to accurately determine the fringe spacing from interferometric intensity records as required by the Fringe Imaging Skin Friction (FISF) technique. The skin friction is found through application of a simple expression that makes use of lubrication theory to relate fringe spacing to skin friction.
Seismic Performance of Nonductile Reinforced Concrete Frames with Masonry Infill Walls—II: Collapse Assessment

This paper quantifies the collapse performance of a set of masonry-infilled reinforced concrete (RC) frame buildings that are representative of 1920s-era construction in Los Angeles, California. Th...
Varieties of Baryon and Lepton Nonconservation

The SU(3) \ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{} SU(2) \ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{} U(1) gauge symmetries are used to analyze the properties of various possible baryon- and lepton-nonconserving effective interactions among ordinary particles. A multiplicative quantum number is introduced as an aid in this analysis. Estimates are given of the masses of the exotic particles that could produce these effective interactions at observable levels. Cosmological and other considerations suggest that the effective interactions of exotic particles of any mass below ${10}^{14}$ GeV should conserve some linear combination $B+aL$ of baryon and lepton number.