cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Resolution of hyposmotic stress in isolated mouse ventricular myocytes causes sealing of t-tubules

It has been recently shown that various stress-inducing manipulations in isolated ventricular myocytes may lead to significant remodeling of t-tubules. Osmotic stress is one of the most common complications in various experimental and clinical settings. Therefore, this study was designed to determine the effects of a physiologically relevant type of osmotic stress, hypo-osmotic challenge, to the integrity of t-tubular system in mouse ventricular myocytes using two approaches: (1) electrophysiological measurements of membrane capacitance and inward rectifier (IK1) tail currents originating from K+ accumulation in t-tubules, and (2) confocal microscopy of fluorescent dextrans trapped in sealed t-tubules. Importantly, we found that removal of 0.6 Na (60% NaCl) hypo-osmotic solution, but not its application to myocytes, led to ~27% reduction in membrane capacitance, ~2.5-fold reduction in the amplitude of IK1 tail current and ~2-fold reduction in so-called IK1 ‘inactivation’ (due to depletion of t-tubular K+) at negative membrane potentials – all data being consistent with significant detubulation. Confocal imaging experiments also demonstrated that extracellularly applied dextrans become trapped in sealed t-tubules only upon removal of hypo-osmotic solutions, i.e. during shrinking phase, but not during initial swelling period. In light of these data, relevant previous studies, including those on EC coupling phenomena during hypo-osmotic stress, may need to be reinterpreted and the experimental design of future experiments should take into account the novel findings.
Managing Divisible Load on Partitionable Networks

We analyze the parallel time and speedup for processing divisible load on (1) a linear array with a corner initial processor, (2) a linear array with an interior initial processor, (3) a mesh with a corner initial processor, (4) a mesh with an interior initial processor, (5) a b-ary complete tree with the root as the initial processor, and (6) a pyramid with the apex as the initial processor. Due to communication overhead, and limited network connectivity, the speedup of parallel processing for divisible load is bounded from above by a quantity independent of the network size. It is shown that for the above six cases, as the network size becomes large, the asymptotic speedup is approximately, \(\sqrt \beta, 2\sqrt \beta, {\beta ^{3/4}}, 4{\beta ^{3/4}}, \left( {b - 1} \right)\beta,\) and 3β respectively, where β is the ratio of the time for computing a unit load to the time for communicating a unit load.
The DNA scanning mechanism of T4 endonuclease V. Effect of NaCl concentration on processive nicking activity

T4 endonuclease V is a pyrimidine dimer-specific endonuclease which generates incisions in DNA at the sites of pyrimidine dimers by a processive reaction mechanism. A model is presented in which the degree of processivity is directly related to the efficacy of the one-dimensional diffusion of endonuclease V on DNA by which the enzyme locates pyrimidine dimers. The modulation of the processive nicking activity of T4 endonuclease V on superhelical covalently closed circular DNA (form I) which contains pyrimidine dimers has been investigated as a function of the ionic strength of the reaction. Agarose gel electrophoresis was used to separate the three topological forms of the DNA which were generated in time course reactions of endonuclease V with dimer-containing form I DNA in the absence of NaCl, and in 25, 50, and 100 mM NaCl. The degree of processivity was evaluated in terms of the mass fraction of form III (linear) DNA which was produced as a function of the fraction of form I DNA remaining. Processivity is maximal in the absence of NaCl and decreases as the NaCl concentration is increased. At 100 mM NaCl, processivity is abolished and endonuclease V generates incisions in DNA at the site of dimers by a distributive reaction mechanism. The change from the distributive to a processive reaction mechanism occurs at NaCl concentrations slightly below 50 mM. The high degree of processivity which is observed in the absence of NaCl is reversible to the distributive mechanism, as demonstrated by experiments in which the NaCl concentration was increased during the time course reaction. In addition, unirradiated DNA inhibited the incision of irradiated DNA only at NaCl concentrations at which processivity was observed.
Geoinformatic surveillance hotspot prioritization using linear extensions of partially ordered sets for multi-criterion ranking with multiple indicators

The prioritization system of the geoinformatic surveillance project is concerned with the question of ranking a finite collection of objects when a suite of indicator values is available for each member of the collection. The objects can be represented as a cloud of points in indicator space, but the different indicators (coordinate axes) typically convey different comparative messages and there is no unique way to rank the objects while taking all indicators into account. A conventional solution is to assign a composite numerical score to each object by combining the indicator information in some fashion. Consciously or otherwise, every such composite involves judgments (often arbitrary or controversial) about tradeoffs or substitutability among indicators.
Regulation of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Ubiquitination and Trafficking by the USP8·STAM Complex *

Reversible ubiquitination of activated receptor complexes signals their sorting between recycling and degradation and thereby dictates receptor fate. The deubiquitinating enzyme ubiquitin-specific protease 8 (USP8/UBPy) has been previously implicated in the regulation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR); however, the molecular mechanisms governing its recruitment and activity in this context remain unclear. Herein, we investigate the role of USP8 in countering ligand-induced ubiquitination and down-regulation of EGFR and characterize a subset of protein-protein interaction determinants critical for this function. USP8 depletion accelerates receptor turnover, whereas loss of hepatocyte growth factor-regulated substrate (Hrs) rescues this phenotype, indicating that USP8 protects EGFR from degradation via an Hrs-dependent pathway. Catalytic inactivation of USP8 incurs EGFR hyperubiquitination and promotes receptor localization to endosomes marked by high ubiquitin content. These phenotypes require the central region of USP8, containing three extended Arg-X-X-Lys (RXXK) motifs that specify direct low affinity interactions with the SH3 domain(s) of ESCRT-0 proteins, STAM1/2. The USP8·STAM complex critically impinges on receptor ubiquitination status and modulates ubiquitin dynamics on EGFR-positive endosomes. Consequently, USP8-mediated deubiquitination slows progression of EGFR past the early-to-recycling endosome circuit in a manner dependent upon the RXXK motifs. Collectively, these findings demonstrate a role for the USP8·STAM complex as a protective mechanism regulating early endosomal sorting of EGFR between pathways destined for lysosomal degradation and recycling.
Dubos, René Jules (1901–82)

Rene Jules Dubos enjoyed national acclaim as a medical researcher, author, and environmentalist during the middle third of the twentieth century. Trained first as an agricultural engineer at the French National School of Agronomy, Dubos moved to the USA in 1924 to study soil microbiology at Rutgers University and the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station. After completing his doctorate in 1927, he joined the medical research staff at the Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research. Dubos developed the first clinically useful antibiotic from a soil microbe in 1939. This discovery ushered in the era of antibiotic wonder drugs. Although Dubos continued doing medical research until his retirement from Rockefeller University in 1971, he was better known after the 1950s for his promotion of an ecological model of disease and as an elder statesman of the US environmental movement.
Integration of PV generation and storage on power distribution systems using MPC

This paper presents the implementation of a Model Predictive Control (MPC) strategy for integration of solar PV generation with batteries on an active power distribution system, i.e. micro-grid. Here, the discrete-time finite-horizon optimal control problem associated to the MPC is presented as a non- convex optimization problem. Then, this control problem is solved by utilization of a convexification approach in an efficient approach. To test the performance of the proposed algorithm, a testbed is designed by endowing the IEEE37 test feeder with PV generation and storage capacities. Performance evaluation is carried out for different optimization horizons, different PV penetration, and solar forecasting error.
Closing the Loop on Inflammation and Atherothrombosis: Why Perform the Cirt and Cantos Trials?

Inflammation contributes to all phases of the atherothrombotic process, patients with elevated inflammatory biomarkers such as high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) have increased cardiovascular risk, and recent work directly implicates the interleukin-1 (IL-1) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) pathways in atherogenesis. Yet, it remains unknown whether targeted inhibition of inflammation will reduce cardiovascular event rates. To address directly this fundamental hypothesis, our research group has initiated two large-scale, randomized, placebo-controlled trials using targeted anti-inflammatory agents for the secondary prevention of myocardial infarction. The first trial, the Cardiovascular Inflammation Reduction Trial (CIRT), has been funded by the NHLBI and will evaluate whether low-dose methotrexate (target dose, 20 mg/wk) as compared to placebo will reduce major vascular events among a group of post-myocardial infarction patients with either diabetes or metabolic syndrome, groups known to have high risk on the basis of a persistent pro-inflammatory response. CIRT is based, in part, on observational evidence of reduced vascular event rates among those treated with methotrexate in the setting of rheumatoid arthritis or psoriatic arthritis and on the ability of methotrexate to reduce TNF, IL-6, and CRP levels. The second trial, the Canakinumab Anti-Inflammatory Thrombosis Outcomes Study (CANTOS), will evaluate whether interleukin-1β (IL-1β) inhibition as compared to placebo can reduce rates of recurrent myocardial infarction, stroke, and cardiovascular death among stable coronary artery disease patients who remain at high vascular risk due to persistent elevations of hsCRP (_2 mg/L) despite contemporary secondary prevention strategies. Canakinumab is a human monoclonal antibody that selectively neutralizes IL-1β, a pro-inflammatory cytokine that plays multiple roles in the atherothrombotic process and that undergoes activation by the NLRP3 inflammasome, a process promoted by cholesterol crystals that in turn leads directly to increased production of IL-1 and IL-6. Together, CIRT and CANTOS will enroll more than 25,000 patients worldwide and provide a fundamental test of the inflammatory hypothesis of atherothrombosis.
Relationships between the trace element composition of sedimentary rocks and upper continental crust

[1] Estimates of the average composition of various Precambrian shields and a variety of estimates of the average composition of upper continental crust show considerable disagreement for a number of trace elements, including Ti, Nb, Ta, Cs, Cr, Ni, V, and Co. For these elements and others that are carried predominantly in terrigenous sediment, rather than in solution (and ultimately into chemical sediment), during the erosion of continents the La/element ratio is relatively uniform in clastic sediments. Since the average rare earth element (REE) pattern of terrigenous sediment is widely accepted to reflect the upper continental crust, such correlations provide robust estimates of upper crustal abundances for these trace elements directly from the sedimentary data. Suggested revisions to the upper crustal abundances of Taylor and McLennan [1985] are as follows (all in parts per million): Sc = 13.6, Ti = 4100, V = 107, Cr = 83, Co = 17, Ni = 44, Nb = 12, Cs = 4.6, Ta = 1.0, and Pb = 17. The upper crustal abundances of Rb, Zr, Ba, Hf, and Th were also directly reevaluated and K, U, and Rb indirectly evaluated (by assuming Th/U, K/U, and K/Rb ratios), and no revisions are warranted for these elements. In the models of crustal composition proposed by Taylor and McLennan [1985] the lower continental crust (75% of the entire crust) is determined by subtraction of the upper crust (25%) from a model composition for the bulk crust, and accordingly, these changes also necessitate revisions to lower crustal abundances for these elements.
Visual detection of novel terrain via two-class classification

Remote sensing of terrain characteristics is an important component for autonomous operation of mobile robots in natural terrain. Often this involves classification of terrain into one of a set of a priori known terrain classes. Situations can frequently arise, however, where an autonomous robot encounters a terrain class that does not belong to one of these known classes. This paper proposes an approach for visual detection of novel terrain based on a two-class support vector machine (SVM) for situations when known terrain classes can be confidently associated with only a subset of the training data. Experimental results from a four-wheeled mobile robot in Mars analog terrain demonstrate the effectiveness of this approach.
The E3–14.5K integral membrane protein of adenovirus that is required for down-regulation of the EGF receptor and for prevention of TNF cytolysis is 0-glycosylated but not N-glycosylated

Abstract The adenovirus E3–14.5K protein is a cytoplasmic integral membrane protein that functions in concert with the E3–10.4K protein to down-regulate the epidermal growth factor receptor and to prevent tumor necrosis factor cytolysis in adenovirus-infected cells. The 14.5K protein migrates as multiple bands in SDS-PAGE, indicating that it undergoes post-translational modification. The 14.5K protein is known to be phosphorylated on serine. We show here that 14.5K can be metabolically labeled with [ 3 H]glucosamine, that the label is labile to alkali, and that the SDS-PAGE band pattern is simplified in a cell line that is defective in O-glycosylation. Thus, 14.5K is O-glycosylated, probably at a single site in the NH 2 terminal lumenal domain. The protein was not metabolically labeled with [ 3 H]mannose, and its SDS-PAGE band pattern was not affected by tunicamycin treatment in vivo or endo F treatment in vitro ; thus, 14.5K is not N-glycosylated. There was no evidence that the 10.4K protein is glycosylated, and the 10.4K protein was not required for glycosylation of 14.5K. Virtually all 14.5K molecules appear to contain the core disaccharide Galβ1–3GaINAcα1-Ser/Thr which is commonly found on mucin-type O-glycoproteins, and neuraminidase digestion experiments indicated that this disaccharide contains terminal sialic acid.
Single-photon Detectors Based on InP Avalanche Diodes: Status and Prospects

We report on progress in improving fundamental properties of InP-based single photon avalanche diodes (SPADs) and recent trends for overcoming dominant performance limitations. Through experimental and modeling work focused on the trade-off between dark count rate (DCR) and photon detection efficiency (PDE), we identify the key mechanisms responsible for DCR over a range of operating temperatures and excess bias voltages. This work provides a detailed description of temperature- and bias-dependent DCR thermal activation energy E a (T,V), including the crossover from low E a for trap-assisted tunneling at temperatures below ~230 K to larger E a for thermal generation at temperatures approaching room temperature. By applying these findings to new device design and fabrication, the fundamental tradeoff between PDE and DCR for InP/InGaAs SPADs designed for 1.55 μm photon detection has been managed so that for PDE ~ 20%, devices routinely exhibit DCR values of a few kHz, while "hero" devices demonstrate that it is possible to achieve sub-kHz DCR performance at temperatures readily accessible using thermoelectric coolers. However, important limitations remain, particularly with respect to maximum count rates. Strategies adopted recently to circumvent some of these present limitations include new circuit-based solutions involving high-speed very short-duration gating as well as new monolithic chip-level concepts for obtaining improved performance through avalanche self-quenching. We discuss these two approaches, and we describe recent results from devices with monolithically integrated quench resistors that achieve rapid self-quenching, accompanied by evidence for a partial discharge of the detector capacitance leading to charge flows as low as ~3 ×10 5 carriers associated with each avalanche event.
Social Scientists and American Indian Autobiographers: Sun Chief and Gregorio's “Life Story”

Social scientists collected many, many American Indian autobiographies during the 1930s, 1940s, and early 1950s, autobiographies of Apaches, Navajos, Hopis, Zunis, Papagos, Kiowas, Sioux, a Kwakiutl, autobiographies of shamans, shepherds, hunters, farmers, men, and women. Many of these are now moldering in the dark reaches of forgotten file cabinets, but a remarkable number were published, and for this we must be grateful. These narratives are to us a legacy, affording us some sense of what it means to see the world and the self according to ancient habits of mind.
Massive neutrinos in a Calabi-Yau model.

We present an extension of the standard neutrino sector motivated by the heterotic string. Its basic ingredients are two nonweakly interacting neutrinos and a [ital Z][sub 3] discrete symmetry acting as a matter parity. Although this model represents a very minimal extension of the standard model, its [ital flexibility] to produce nonstandard effects in a way consistent with the constraints from cosmology, astrophysics, and particle physics phenomenology seems quite remarkable. In particular, we discuss the ability of the model to accommodate the various experimental anomalies ([tau] lifetime, 17 keV neutrino, and solar-neutrino deficit) which have been the object of recent controversy.
An evidence‐based approach to evaluating and managing suicidal emergencies

This article presents a framework for making suicide risk estimations, as well as recommendations for the management of suicidal emergencies, that are useful to the practitioner. It provides a review of existing empirical data concerning factors significantly related to acute suicidal behaviors within high-risk diagnoses. Findings across studies are categorized into risk profiles (as proposed by Clark & Fawcett, 1992) that are meant to aid the clinician in the application of recent research. The profiles are intended as templates in development and clearly require continual updating and clarification as new studies are completed. The article then addresses related management issues such as the importance of viewing risk factors within a comprehensive suicide assessment and the impact of possible negative therapist reactions when working with high-risk patients.
New oral anticoagulants—what the cardiothoracic surgeon needs to know

Oral anticoagulation for cardiothoracic patients has traditionally been synonymous with the use of warfarin. The recent introduction of new oral anticoagulants (NOACs) targeting factor Xa or thrombin represents a new approach for anticoagulation. Cardiothoracic surgeons need to familiarize themselves with these agents, because more preoperative patients will be taking NOACs. Thus, strategies fordiscontinuationbeforesurgerywithorwithout bridging have become paramount. The rapid onset of action, wide therapeutic index, and a steady therapeutic state without the need for monitoring has made these new agents more attractive than warfarin for these indications. The currently available NOACs are dabigatran etexilate (Pradaxa; Boehringer Ingelheim, Ridgefield, Conn), rivaroxaban (Xarelto; Bayer HealthCare AG, Leverkusen, Germany), apixaban (Eliquis; Bristol-Myers Squibb, New York, NY), and edoxaban (Savaysa; Daiichi Sankyo, Tokyo, Japan; not approved in the United States). We have reviewed the pharmacologic profile, clinical evidence for safety and efficacy, currently approved indications, and strategies to guide in the perioperative treatment of patients taking NOACs.
Polymorphism in the lipase genes of Geotrichum candidum strains

The fungus Geotrichum candidum produces extracellular lipases. Purification and characterization of different lipase isoforms from various G. candidum strains is difficult due to the close physical and biochemical properties of the isoforms. Consequently, the characterization of these enzymes and their substrate specificites has been difficult. We have determined the lipase genes present in four strains of G. candidum (ATCC 34614, NRCC 205002, NRRL Y-552 and NRRL Y-553) by molecular cloning and DNA sequencing. Each strain contains two genes similar to the previously identified lipase I and lipase II cDNAs. Our data suggest that no other related lipase genes are present in these strains. Each lipase-gene family shows sequence variation (polymorphism) that is confirmed by Southern-blot analysis. This polymorphism and the sequence differences between lipase I and lipase II have been localized within the previously determined three-dimensional structure of lipase II. Although most of the amino acid substitutions are located on the protein surface, some are present in structural features possibly involved in determining substrate specificity.
Continuous mixed venous oxygen saturation measurement: a significant advance in hemodynamic monitoring?

Development of the flow-directed pulmonary artery catheter in combination with reflective fiberoptic oximetry techniques allows the clinician to continuously measure mixed venous oxygen saturation (SvO2). A briet review of the determinants of oxygen balance, the Fick principle, and the technology of continuous SvO2 monitoring is preliminary to a debate between two clinicians on the usefulness ot SvO2 monitoring.
KIF2Aβ: A kinesin family member enriched in mouse male germ cells, interacts with translin associated factor‐X (TRAX)

Translin associated factor X (TRAX) is a binding partner of TB-RBP/Translin. A cDNA encoding the 260 C-terminal amino acids of KIF2Aβ was isolated from mouse testis cDNAs in a yeast two-hybrid library screen for specific TRAX-interacting proteins. KIF2Aβ was expressed predominantly in the mouse testis and enriched in germ cells. The interaction of full-length KIF2Aβ or its C-terminus with TRAX was verified using in vitro synthesized fusion proteins. Deletion mapping of the TRAX-binding region of KIF2Aβ indicated that amino acids 514–659 were necessary and sufficient for the interaction in vivo. Confocal microscopy studies using GFP-fusion proteins demonstrated that KIF2Aβ colocalizes with TRAX in a perinuclear location. KIF2Aβ does not interact with TB-RBP, suggesting that either TRAX can function as an adaptor molecule for motor proteins and TB-RBP, or that this interaction reveals an undescribed role for TRAX in germ cells. The interaction with KIF2Aβ suggests a role for TRAX in microtubule-based functions during spermatogenesis. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 69: 387–396, 2004. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Effects of the low-latitude ionospheric boundary condition on the global magnetosphere

[1] In common treatment of magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling at high latitudes, the ionosphere is represented by a thin conducting spherical shell, which closes field-aligned currents generated in the magnetosphere. In this approach, the current continuity yields a Poisson equation for the electrostatic potential associated with the ionospheric convection pattern. Solution of the Poisson equation then provides a means of self-consistently describing magnetospheric and ionospheric plasma convection with a feedback of one on the other. While the high-latitude ionospheric convection is driven by the solar wind and magnetosphere interaction, at lower latitudes atmospheric neutral winds start to dominate. The question that arises then is whether and how midlaltitude and low-latitude ionospheric convection affects high-latitude ionospheric and magnetospheric convection. In global magnetospheric models, ionospheric convection equatorward of the low-latitude boundary is excluded from the simulation domain. However, the boundary condition applied at that boundary to the electrostatic potential may be used as a proxy of this convection. In this paper, we explore effects that different idealized low-latitude boundary conditions have on the magnetospheric configuration simulated by the Lyon-Fedder-Mobarry global magnetohydrodynamic model. To this end, we perform a number of idealized simulations different only in the low-latitude ionospheric boundary condition used. We find that the behavior of the system can be influenced rather significantly by the different boundary conditions, which is expressed by changes in the evolution of the polar cap potential, global magnetospheric convection, and plasma pressure distribution in the magnetotail and on the dayside. The differences in the cross-polar cap potential can reach up to >10%, dependent on the boundary condition used. In the magnetosphere the low-latitude ionospheric boundary condition affects the strength and location of the plasma outflow from the distant tail x-line and the subsequent earthward convection. Changes in the plasma pressure distribution on the nightside are accompanied by noticeable differences in the shape of the magnetotail. We confirm that the changes in the magnetospheric and ionospheric configuration are not just temporal deviations of the system from the same average dynamical state by considering 1 h averages of the magnetospheric flow and pressure distribution. These results verify that the simulated system reaches similar but distinctly different dynamical states dependent on the low-latitude boundary condition applied.
Richard Waller, S. R. S.: 'In the Pursuit of Nature'

There is no puzzle more tantalizing than the fragments of a forgotten A life. Richard Waller (1660?—1715), linguist, artist, and amateur scientist, offers multiple challenges. A member of the Royal Society from 1681 and its Secretary from 1687-1709, 1710-1714, under the presidencies of Samuel Pepys and Sir Isaac Newton, Waller was a man of considerable standing during an important era in the history of science. His associates included Robert Hooke, Edmond Halley, James Pettiver, and Sir Hans Sloane. He conducted correspondence with some of the leading scientific figures and personalities abroad, such as van Leeuwenhoek, Malpighi, and Cotton Mather. History, however, has turned Waller into a footnote in the biographies of his more illustrious, or notorious, contemporaries.
Trace Element Determinations in a Low-Alloy Steel Standard Reference Material by Isotope Dilution, Spark Source Mass Spectrometry

A stable isotope dilution procedure using the spark source mass spectrograph was developed for the simultaneous determination of cerium, copper, neodymium, selenium, silver, tellurium, and zirconium in a low-alloy steel material. Except for copper, the elements were present at trace concentrations that are difficult to determine by most analytical methods. In the procedure, known amounts of the isotopically enriched elements were added to 100-mg samples, which were dissolved in perchloric and hydrofluoric acids. After evaporation of the solutions almost to dryness, dissolution of the residues, and addition of hydrofluoric acid to complex the iron, the resulting solutions were electrolyzed in polytetrafluoroethylene cells. The electrodeposit on high purity, gold cathode wires was sparked in the mass spectrograph and the isotope ratios of the isotopically equilibrated elements were measured. The concentrations, ranging from 0.041% for copper to 3.1 μg/g (ppm) for neodymium, were calculated from the general isotope dilution equation. The low-alloy steel is available from NBS as Standard Reference Material 1261.
Professional Experiences of International Medical Graduates Practicing Primary Care in the United States

Background International medical graduates (IMGs) comprise approximately 25% of the US physician workforce, with significant representation in primary care and care of vulnerable populations. Despite the central role of IMGs in the US healthcare system, understanding of their professional experiences is limited.
The Text and the Body in Middle English Seduction Lyrics

Middle English comic seduction lyrics illuminate the similarities between the comic process and the seduction process. Early in the process, language and abstraction are paramount, but events reveal that language is being used to cloak carnality, and the result of both the joke and the seduction is the exposure of bodily realities. The corpus of Middle English seduction lyrics, from “Joly Jankyn” to “I haue a newe garden,” illustrates the process of unveiling both meaning and body; in the inevitable comic incarnation it is always the woman who is left holding the baby.
Electron Propagator Theory for the Calculation of Molecular Electron Binding Energies and Photoionization Intensities

Electron propagator or Green's function methods are discussed using the algebraic methods of superoperators, inner and outer projections on a linear space of fermionlike electron field operator products, partitioning, and perturbation theory. The problems of accurate determination of molecular electron binding energies from the core through the valence region are addressed. The complications of diagonalization of very large matrices in the self-energy expressions are pointed out and various diagonal approximations are discussed with the use of renormalization theory. Simple applications to the photoelectron spectra of water and acetylene are presented for illustrative purposes.
"An Unsettling, Alternative Self": Benno Levin, Emmanuel Levinas, and Don DeLillo's Cosmopolis

This essay argues that the satire on global capitalism's contradictory inclination toward both cosmopolitan worldliness and solipsism presented in Don DeLillo's Cosmopolis is best understood when read through a tension between the philosophies of Emmanuel Levinas and Martin Heidegger, particularly their views on futurity, otherness, and economy.
Examination of Errors in Near-Surface Temperature and Wind from WRF Numerical Simulations in Regions of Complex Terrain

AbstractThe performance of an advanced research version of the Weather Research and Forecasting Model (WRF) in predicting near-surface atmospheric temperature and wind conditions under various terrain and weather regimes is examined. Verification of 2-m temperature and 10-m wind speed and direction against surface Mesonet observations is conducted. Three individual events under strong synoptic forcings (i.e., a frontal system, a low-level jet, and a persistent inversion) are first evaluated. It is found that the WRF model is able to reproduce these weather phenomena reasonably well. Forecasts of near-surface variables in flat terrain generally agree well with observations, but errors also occur, depending on the predictability of the lower-atmospheric boundary layer. In complex terrain, forecasts not only suffer from the model's inability to reproduce accurate atmospheric conditions in the lower atmosphere but also struggle with representative issues due to mismatches between the model and the actual terr...
The economic potential for stabilizing the price and supply of a basic foodstuff: The case for potato storage in Ecuador

This article presents an economic feasibility study of storage potential for stabilizing potato prices and/or supplies in Ecuador, where the high potato price variability creates hardship for both consumers and producers. The measured variation between the low potato prices of May, June, and July and the rising post-harvest prices in September, October, and November is statistically significant. Potato storage costs associated with a low-cost forced night-air storage facility designed in Colombia are used to analyze potential storage profits, based upon a maximum allowable storage period of four months.
A new class of semiparametric semivariogram and nugget estimators

Several authors have proposed nonparametric semivariogram estimators. Shapiro and Botha (1991) did so by application of Bochner's theorem and Cherry et al. (1996) further investigated this technique where it performed favorably against parametric estimators even when data were generated under the parametric model. While the former makes allowances for a prescribed nugget and the latter outlines a possible approach, neither of these demonstrate nugget estimation in practice, which is essential to spatial modeling and proper statistical inference. We propose a modified form of this method, which admits practical nugget estimation and broadens the basis. This is achieved by a simple change to the basis and an appropriate restriction of the node space as dictated by the first root of the Bessel function of the first kind of order @n. The efficacy of this new unsupervised semiparametric method is demonstrated via application and simulation, where it is shown to be comparable with correctly specified parametric models while outperforming misspecified ones. We conclude with remarks about selecting the appropriate basis and node space definition.
Transposon Silencing by piRNAs

In animal cells, small RNA molecules, called piRNAs, defend the genome against selfish DNA elements such as transposons. In this issue, Klattenhoff et al. (2009) report that an HP1 family protein, Rhino, is required for piRNA generation and transposon silencing in Drosophila germline cells. The results provide a link between heterochromatin and piRNA-mediated genome defense.
Mössbauer effect study of FeSb2

Abstract An analysis of the Mossbauer effect spectrum of a well-characterized sample of the marcasite-type compound FeSb 2 shows that the unusual temperature dependence of the quadrupole splitting is a result of the promotion of electrons across an energy gap. The fitting of the data (taken over a temperature range of 6.4–560°K) to a derived function gives a value of 0.033(1) eV for this energy separation, in good agreement with the value derived from electrical conductivity measurements ( 4 ). An analysis of the isomer shift data in terms of the Debye approximation yields a value of 380°K for the Debye temperature.
Base displacement in AAF and AF modified dCpdG: syn and anti guanine

Minimized conformational potential-energy calculations have been performed for the major adduct of N-2-acetylaminofluorene (AAF) and aminofluorene (AF) with dCpdG. The DNA backbone conformations that produce base displacement, about which no information was previously available, were ascertained. For the AAF adduct, five different combinations of the DNA backbone torsions ..omega..', ..omega.., and psi produce low-energy conformers in which the fluorene is coplanar with cytidine, and the guanine is syn and twisted nearly perpendicular to the AAF. For the deacetylated AF adduct, three additional backbone types yielded fluorene-cytidine stacked conformers. In these conformers the guanine was anti. The various modes of achieving base-displacement may occur under differing circumstances, such as extent of modification, base sequence, salt concentration, and the nature of the adduct (acetylated or deacetylated).
Primary mixed malignant tumor of bone in an 18-year-old male: Report of a case with radiologic-pathologic correlation

We report a case of primary malignant mixed tumor (MMT) of bone in an 18-year-old boy with X-ray, CT, MR, scintigraphic, FDG PET, and pathologic correlation. Primary MMT of bone is a highly aggressive tumor and presents both a diagnostic and clinical treatment challenge. This tumor is extremely rare and to the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of the diagnostic imaging findings for primary MMT arising from bone in a patient of this age group.
Temperature regulation and basal metabolic rate in the spotted skunk, Spilogale putorius.

Abstract 1. 1. Metabolic rate, body temperature, and evaporative water loss of six spotted skunks were measured at air temperatures between 8 and 40°C. 2. 2. The mean metabolic rate of spotted skunks at thermoneutral air temperatures was 30.5% below that predicted by body mass. 3. 3. Thermal conductance, body temperature, and rates of evaporative water loss were like those of similar sized mammals. 4. 4. The non-elongate body form, omnivorous diet, and low level of activity of spotted skunks distinguish them from other mustelids and may account for their lower-than-expected basal metabolism.
Optimisation of NaOH texturisation process of silicon wafers for heterojunction solar-cells applications

Abstract The formation of a pyramidal structure on the surface of 〈1 0 0〉-oriented monocrystalline-silicon wafers is an effective and well known method to reduce reflection losses from the front surface of both silicon solar cells and silicon-heterojunction solar cells (SHJs). The consequence of this texturisation is an important optical gain, with a subsequent increase of the short-circuit current density (Jsc) and thus of the conversion efficiency of the devices. On the other hand, silicon-heterojunction solar cells are critically affected by the surface quality of the c-Si substrates, so the right combination of optimum texturisation- and cleaning steps previous to emitter (a-Si:H) deposition are indispensable in the fabrication process. The main goal of this work has been to perform a systematic and comprehensive analysis aimed at optimising the texturisation process based on the use of alkali solutions of NaOH with de-ionised water (DIW) and isopropyl alcohol (IPA) in different types of monocrystalline-silicon wafers for silicon-heterojunction solar-cell (a-Si:H/c-Si) applications. Three types of 〈1 0 0〉 silicon substrates have been used: polished float-zone (FZ) wafers and rough- (as-cut) and polished Czochralski (CZ) wafers. The texturisation process has been evaluated from images obtained by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and from hemispherical-reflectance spectra. Different etching times, temperatures and NaOH concentrations of the solutions as well as cleaning treatments of the wafers prior to the texturisation process have been analysed. Results show different conditions of the optimum texturisation process for each type of silicon wafers. An effective texturisation of FZ and CZ substrates has been achieved. Finally, SHJ solar cells have been obtained from FZ and CZ silicon wafers textured by the chemical processes optimised in this work.
Decoding postmodernism: The despair of the intellectuals and the twilight of the future

Abstract This article distinguishes postmodernisin from antimodernism for the purpose of examining the politics of postmodernism. It argues that postmodernism is, in part, a metaphor for despair, and especially intellectual despair. The critical and revolutionary intellectual tradition established by Marx and carried on by neo-Marxists is considered to be doomed from a postmodern perspective. As a result, intellectuals are in an iron cage of despair; and their realization of the grounds of such despair is a necessary condition for their liberation.
Reduced pressure silicon epitaxy; A review

Abstract As the critical dimensions of IC circuits are decreased, more demands are put on the characteristics of epitaxial silicon layers. Reduced pressure provides an additional control parameter to use in efforts to achieve the required characteristics in the epitaxial deposits. In this review we discuss the impact of reduced pressure epitaxial growth on: the growth temperature, arsenic autodoping, pattern integrity, thickness and resistivity uniformity, and deposition rate. Epitaxial growth has been achieved at temperatures well under 900°C at reduced pressures, but low temperature pre-epitaxial substrate surface conditioning methods still need to be developed. Very significant improvement in the control of arsenic autodoping, pattern integrity, and resistivity and thickness uniformity has been achieved at reduced deposition pressures. The impact of pressure on autodoping is, at least qualitatively, understood. A number of aspects of the impact of pressure on pattern integrity are not understood.
Barbiturate-Reversible Reduction of Water Diffusion Coefficient in Flurothyl-Induced Status Epilepticus in Rats

Rat brains (n = 17) with flurothyl-induced status epilepticus (SE) have been imaged with a gradient-echo diffusion-weighted imaging sequence at 2.0 T. The apparent water diffusion coefficient (ADC) decreased during seizure discharges. The magnitude of the ADC reduction correlated well with the duration of flurothyl exposure. A 17% reduction in the water ADC compared with preseizure condition was observed in rats with the longest flurothyl exposure time. In 13 rats, pentobarbital was used to arrest the electrographic seizure activity. ADC values began to return to normal a few minutes after the injection. In four rats with no pentobarbital administration, ADC values remained depressed up to 1 h after seizure onset. The results suggest that diffusion-weighted MR imaging may be useful for mapping recent intense seizure activity in human patients with medically intractable epilepsy.
OPPORTUNITY COSTS OF RISKS IN EVALUATION OF ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES

For most companies a key to survival in today's competitive market is to invest in new technologies. However, for many reasons such investments are difficult to justify by traditional economic analysis alone. One reason is the challenge of including the intangible and often hard to quantify costs and benefits associated with these investments. This is particularly true for new technologies due to the fact that there exits a lower level of corporate experience regarding the potential risks associated with a new technology compared to technologies that the company is familiar with. This situation points towards the need for an evaluation tool that complements classical economic analysis techniques with additional processes that consider these risks as well. The attempt here is to develop a process to help practitioners to consider the costs due to these risks through a systematic procedure based on their risk aversion traits.
Molecular analyses of in vivo hprt mutations in human T-lymphocytes III. Longitudinal study of hprt gene structural alterations and T-cell clonal origins

Abstract The hprt clonal assay detects mutations occurring in vivo in the hypoxanthine-guanine phosphpribosyltransferase ( hprt ) gene of human T-lymphocytes. Analysis of 94 wild-type and 326 hprt mutant clones from 3 normal males was performed using Southern blotting with hprt and T-cell receptor (TCR) gene probes. Gross structural alterations of the hprt gene occurred in ∼ 14% of the in vivo derived mutants. Breakpoints were randomly distributed across the gene with one possible mutational “hot spot” observed. Most hprt mutants were independent as judge by TCR gene rearrangement patterns indicating that the measured hprt mutant frequency is a good measure of the actual hprt mutation frequency. However, sibling mutants (generally doublets and triplets except for one nonamer) were detected. Information on the timing in vivo of the hprt mutational events and the persistence in vivo of sibling mutants was also obtained.
Religion versus Peace: A False Dichotomy

The article argues that in contexts of ethno-national conflicts, questions of peace and justice may entail negotiations not only over resources, territory and power but also over identity, symbols and memory. In fact, it is suggested that the latter set of negotiations may present the most vital nexus and even precondition for engaging in a sustainable and substantive process of peace-building. It is here that subaltern narratives and religious sources may play a significant role in reframing the terms of the conflict and reinterpreting the parameters of peace and justice. The first part of the article draws on a diversity of scholarly resources in order to develop a dynamic set of criteria for evaluating the justness of peace frameworks. The second part consists in applying these criteria for the specific analysis of the secularist liberal Zionist peace camp and the central assumptions underlying its ‘visions of peace’.
An object-oriented approach to algorithm visualization—easy, extensible, and dynamic

A key component of our attempt to integrate the object-oriented paradigm into introductory and intermediate courses is algorithm visualization. Such visualization depicts an algorithm as a sequence of graphical snapshots of data structures that are operated upon at “interesting events” in the algorithm's execution. Using object-oriented techniques, we have significantly enchanced a previous version of the algorithm visualization system called GAIGS, developed at Lawrence. These enhancements allow instructors and students to develop dynamic visualizations with relative ease and, if desired, extend the graphic operations that are built into GAIGS to allow more personalized visualizations. The resulting software package is being used in a core of courses as a means of illustrating the power of the object-oriented approach while at the same time advancing students' understanding of difficult algorithms. Because of the extensibility of the object-oriented features of the system, we envision many future applications in which it could be used. To encourage the development of such applications, the system is conveniently available via ftp.
Molecular profiling of synovial joints: use of microarray analysis to identify factors that direct the development of the knee and elbow.

Background: Synovial joints develop from the interzone, a dense layer of mesenchymal progenitor cells that marks the site of the future joint. During the morphogenic events that follow, joints attain their distinct shape and organization. The molecular mechanisms controlling the initial specification of synovial joints has been studied, but the question of how individual joints attain the specific structure required for their unique functions remains largely unresolved. Here, we use microarray analysis to compare knee and elbow formation to identify factors involved in the development of specific joints. Results: The knee is enriched for the hindlimb patterning genes Hoxc9, Hoxc10, and Tbx4 and for Tgfbi, Rspo2, and Sfrp2, factors involved in transforming growth factor-beta/bone morphogenetic protein (TGFβ/BMP) and Wnt signaling. Consistent with these findings, we show that TGFβ signaling directs knee morphogenesis, and is necessary for meniscus development. The tissue surrounding the elbow is highly enriched for genes involved in muscle specification and differentiation, and in splotch-delayed muscleless mutants, elbow, but not knee morphogenesis is disrupted. Conclusions: Our results suggest there are fundamental differences in how individual joints develop after interzone formation. Our microarray analyses provides a new resource for further investigation of the pathways involved in the morphogenesis of specific synovial joints. Developmental Dynamics 241:1816–1826, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Production of amphotericin B-14C by Streptomyces nodosus fermentation, and preparation of the amphotericin B-14C-methyl-ester.

A selected strain of Streptomyces nodosus capable of producing 4, 500μg amphotericin B per ml in a complex medium was able to produce 3, 500μg amphotericin B per ml in defined medium. Amphotericin A was coproduced in both fermentation media. An improved method was developed for their quantitative determination directly from the culture broth, and a satisfactory isolation procedure for amphotericins A and B was worked out. Final separation of the two compounds was accomplished by countercurrent distribution. Several 14C-precursors were used to optimize the specific activity of amphotericin B, and depending on the time of addition to the inoculated medium and the precursor concentration, different rates of incorporation were obtained. Amphotericin B-14C-methyl-ester was synthesized by chemical conversion of purified amphotericin B with freshly prepared 14C-diazomethane.