cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Is Juvenile Diabetes Determined by a Single Gene Closely Linked to HLA

The transmission behavior of insulin-dependent juvenile diabetes mellitus (JDM) has been studied with respect to its frequency in the relatives of JDM probands and its possible linkage to the HLA complex. Mathematical analysis shows that under a single locus hypothesis a very restricted range of incidence rates is possible in the full siblings of probands once the concordance rate in monozygotic (MZ) twins is specified. Specifically, for a given population prevalence of the disease, high concordance rates in MZ twins require high incidence rates in siblings, and low rates require low incidence rates, if a single locus model is to be valid. Moreover, if these rates do conform to a single locus model, then they give additional information about possible linkage between the purported JDM susceptibility gene and the HLA complex. By using observations on the identity by descent scores at the HLA locus of sibling pairs, both of whom are affected with JDM, it is shown that tight linkage of a disease susceptibility locus is possible only when the MZ twin and sibling incidence rates are low, whereas high rates support loose linkage. If the single locus model is rejected, then an alternative hypothesis, involving epistasis between a JDM susceptibility locus and genes in (or close to) the HLA complex can be suggested as a mechanism whereby JDM would appear to be linked to HLA within families while maintaining an association with HLA at the population level.
A half-century of suffrage: New data and a comparative analysis

Even though theories of democracy place emphasis on universal suffrage, little attempt has been made to measure the degree of suffrage in a broad range of countries. This article uses qualitative descriptions of suffrage to develop quantitative measures of suffrage for most countries of the world. We present annual suffrage measures from 1950 to 2000, provide basic descriptive statistics, and document trends in suffrage across the world. We also compare our measure of suffrage to two other measures available for 1968 and 1985.
Nonlinear Strong Shock Interactions: A Shock-Fitted Approach

This paper addresses nonlinear effects which result from the interaction of shock waves with vortices. A series of experiments are carried out, which involve the interaction of a strong shock wave with a single plane vorticity wave and a randomly distributed wave system. These experiments are first conducted in the linear regime to obtain a mutual verification of theory and computation. They are subsequently extended into the nonlinear regime. A systematic study of the interaction of a plane shock wave and a single vortex is then conducted. Specifically, we investigate the conditions under which nonlinear effects become important, both as a function of shock Mach number, M1, and incident vortex strength (characterized by its circulation Γ). The shock Mach number is varied from 2 to 8, while the circulation of the vortex is varied from infinitesimally small values (linear theory) to unity. Budgets of vorticity, dilatation, and pressure are obtained. They indicate that nonlinear effects become more significant as both the shock Mach number and the circulation increase. For Mach numbers equal to 5 and above, the dilatation in the vortex core grows quadratically with circulation. An acoustic wave propagates radially outward from the vortex center. As circulation increases, its upstream-facing front steepens at low Mach numbers, and its downstream-facing front steepens at high Mach numbers. A high Mach number asymptotic expansion of the Rankine--Hugoniot conditions reveals that nonlinear effects dominate both the shock motion and the downstream flow for ΓM1 > 1.
Molecular cloning and sequencing of trypsin cDNAs from Penaeus vannamei (Crustacea, Decapoda): Use in assessing gene expression during the moult cycle

Trypsin is the most abundant protease in Crustacea. This enzyme was purified from the digestive gland of Penaeus vannamei, revealing three major isoforms (molecular weights 31–32 kDa) and several minor components. Five cDNAs encoding five isoforms of trypsin were detected by two successive screenings of an amplified cDNA library from the digestive gland of P. vannamei. The longest isolated and sequenced cDNA encoded a preproenzyme of 255 amino acids containing a putative precursor peptide of 14 residues and a highly hydrophobic signal sequence of 14 amino acids. Amino acid sequence alignments revealed a high degree of identity between the trypsin from P. vannamei and that from crayfish (74%) and an equal level of sequence similarity to that from mammals and insects (≈40). Dot blot hybridization and subsequent analysis of the variation in trypsin-specific activities revealed that mRNA expression is at a maximum during early premoult (D1), declining sharply in late premoult (D2–D3). The specific activity of trypsin also followed this pattern, suggesting the regulation of trypsin biosynthesis is, at least in part, transcriptional. The characterization of trypsin cDNA from P. vannamei provides the first description of a putative zymogen sequence in a crustacean species, enabling us to elucidate the regulatory mechanism of trypsin synthesis in these important marine organisms.
The appropriate role of agricultural insurance in developing countries

Multiple-risk crop insurance programmes have proven expensive to governments but have not lived up to their expectations. Many agricultural risks cannot be insured on a financially sound basis, but there is scope for increased insurance of farm assets, of the life and health of rural people, and of some specific perils that affect crop and livestock yields. Such insurance could be efficiently provided by the private sector if governments were to remove some of the important constraints impinging on commercial insurers. The greatest challenge is to find ways of insuring low-income rural households against natural hazards on a financially sound basis. Simple lottery schemes that provide insurance against catastrophic weather events (e.g. drought or flood) recorded at regional weather stations might prove effective.
On the notion of internal energy

The notion of internal energy at a level appropriate for students of the Introductory Physics Course (IPC) is examined. The methodology proposed offers a general frame for analysing practically any physical system or process in a system of particles, from thermal phenomena and phase transitions to chemical and nuclear reactions, including processes involving elementary particles. The role of interactions among particles in a system is emphasized. The notion of statistical equilibrium of a system is discussed in this context. Finally, two structure factors are introduced to show the relation between the kinetic, interaction and particle energies of a system in maintaining stable structures.
Clostridium difficile infection: a surgical disease in evolution.

Introduction Several recent publications suggest an increase in the incidence of Clostridium difficile colitis. However, such studies commonly lack denominators over which to index this rise. There is also concern in the literature that disease virulence is increasing.
Mechanism of Chromosome Pairing during Meiosis

Electron microscopy with whole mount preparations has revealed that the synaptonemal complex merely pulls two homologous chromosomes together. Intimate molecular pairing is another matter—probably brought about by connexions between short stretches of single stranded DNA.
Purification, primary structure, bacterial expression and subcellular distribution of an oocyte‐specific protein in Xenopus

This study defines a novel Xenopus laevis protein (P100) that has recently been shown to be recognized by scleroderma patient sera. Using a combination of differential solubility in detergents, hydroxyapatite chromatography and one-dimensional PAGE, P100 was purified to apparent homogeneity and the amino acid sequence was obtained. An oligonucleotide derived from this sequence was used to clone P100 cDNA through a polymerase-chain-reaction cloning strategy. The entire P100 cDNA sequence was determined, identifying a novel 83000-Da protein. Two alleles for P100 were transcribed in the oocyte, with only one predicted amino acid change between them. Bacterial expression of a clone containing the entire P100 coding region produced a protein that migrated at a mass 15% greater than that predicted from the amino acid sequence, indicating an aberrant electrophoretic mobility. The mRNA transcript for P100 was only expressed during the previtellogenic stages of oogenesis (stages I and II) and was absent from other Xenopus tissues. Similarly, the P100 protein was found only in Xenopus oocytes and was localized to the cytoplasm of these cells. P100 irreversibly bound single-stranded-DNA–cellulose but not double-stranded-DNA–cellulose. These data demonstrate the presence of a novel oocyte-specific protein in Xenopus.
Counting Points on Curves over Finite Fields

We consider the problem of counting the number of points on a plane curve, defined by a homogeneous polynomialF(x,y,z) ?Fqx,y,z, which are rational over a ground field Fq. More precisely, we show that if we are given a projective plane curve C of degreen, and if C has only ordinary multiple points, then one can compute the number of Fq-rational points on C in randomized time (logq)?where ?=nO(1). Since our algorithm actually computes the characteristic polynomial of the Frobenius endomorphism on the Jacobian of C, it ,follows that we may also compute (1) the number of Fq-rational points on the smooth projective model of C, (2) the number of Fq-rational points on the Jacobian of C, and (3) the number of Fqm-rational points on C in any given finite extension Fqmof the ground field, each in a similar time bound.
Sympathetic Alliances: Tomboys, Sissy Boys, and Queer Friendship in The Member of the Wedding and To Kill a Mockingbird

Carson McCullers was famously competitive with such fellow Southern writers as Truman Capote, Harper Lee, and Flannery O'Conner, among others, each of whom she periodically accused of imitating her...
Solventless high throughput manufacturing of poly(butylene terephthalate) nanofibers

Nanofibers possess high surface area to volume ratios and are particularly attractive for a variety of applications including tissue regeneration, drug delivery, fiber-reinforced composites, filtration, and protective clothing. Though the production of nanofibers from common thermoplastic polymers is relatively well-demonstrated, processing constraints have limited high throughput manufacturing of nanofibers from high performance polymers. This has in turn limited broad technological exploitation of polymer nanofibers in areas such as hot chemical filtration or high-performance lightweight composites for aerospace and defense applications. We report here that nanofibers can be produced in a solventless high throughput process from polymers such as poly(butylene terephthalate) (PBT) using a newly developed technology termed “Forcespinning” that employs centrifugal force to attenuate fibers. Our investigations also show that these nanofibers have a high crystallinity and enhanced molecular orientation which...
Mitral balloon valvuloplasty for mitral restenosis after surgical commissurotomy

Mitral balloon valvuloplasty was performed in 14 patients with recurrent mitral stenosis 16.9 +/- 1.8 years (range 6 to 30) after surgical commissurotomy. There were 13 women and 1 man with a mean age of 55 +/- 4 years (range 23 to 73). Mitral balloon valvuloplasty resulted in an increase in mitral valve area from 0.8 +/- 0.1 to 1.7 +/- 0.2 cm2 (p = 0.001), a decrease in mean mitral diastolic pressure gradient from 15 +/- 2 to 7 +/- 1 mm Hg (p = 0.001) and an increase in cardiac output from 3.4 +/- 0.3 to 3.9 +/- 0.3 liters/min (p = 0.03). No deaths, strokes, vascular complications or conduction abnormalities were observed. Mitral regurgitation developed or increased in severity in seven patients (50%). There was no evidence of significant left to right shunt through the atrial septal puncture site after mitral balloon valvuloplasty. A good result (defined as a mitral valve area greater than 1.0 cm2, an increase in mitral valve area greater than 25% and a mean gradient less than 10 mm Hg) was achieved in 9 (64%) of the 14 patients. A subgroup of four patients who had a superior result (increase in mitral valve area of 1.7 +/- 0.2 versus 0.5 +/- 0.1 cm2 in the other 10 patients, p = 0.004) was identified. These patients had less echocardiographic evidence of rheumatic mitral valve damage and were the only patients who had sinus rhythm. They were also younger, less debilitated and had a lower grade of fluoroscopic valve calcification compared with the other patients. Thus, mitral balloon valvuloplasty is a safe and effective procedure for patients with recurrent mitral stenosis after surgical commissurotomy.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Beyond the Separability Thesis: Moral Semantics and the Methodology of Jurisprudence †

In emphasizing the importance of the separability thesis, legal philosophers have inadequately appreciated other philosophically important ways in which law and morality are or might be connected with one another. In this article, I argue that the separability thesis cannot shoulder the philosophical burdens that it has been asked to bear. I then turn to two issues of greater importance to jurisprudence. These are ‘the moral semantics of law’ and ‘the normativity of theory construction in jurisprudence’. The moral semantics claim is that legal content is best understood as moral directives about what is to be done and who is to decide what is to be done. The problem is that legal positivists typically hold that only social facts contribute to the content of law, and it is hard to see how a positivist can hold both the social-facts claim and the moral-semantics claim. I argue that not only are the two claims consistent with one another, but that legal positivists must hold some version of the moral semantics claim if they are to make sense of the claim that legal reasons purport to be content-independent moral reasons for acting. In Section 3 of the article, I take up the question of whether theory construction in jurisprudence is normative or descriptive. This is hard to do in part because so little attention has been paid to correctly formulating the issue. I suggest a demanding test for descriptivism; namely, that an adequate analysis of law can be provided entirely in terms of its formal features. I then defend this claim against three arguments designed to show because governance by law is necessarily desirable or valuable that, we cannot characterize law without making reference to those values or to other material features of law. This constitutes a limited but powerful defence of descriptive jurisprudence.
BLACK BEARS (URSUS AMERICANUS) HARVEST JEFFREY PINE (PINUS JEFFREYI) SEEDS FROM TREE CANOPIES

Abstract We documented black bears (Ursus americanus) consuming the seeds of Jeffery pine (Pinus jeffreyi) in the eastern Sierra Nevada from late August through September. Shells of pine seeds were the exclusive item in 20 of 27 scat samples collected in September and October and comprised >90% of the remaining 7 samples. Bears obtain seeds of Jeffrey pines by climbing trees, removing ripe, unopened cones from branches, dismantling cones on the ground, and consuming the seeds. Cone harvesting by bears can cause substantial damage to cone-bearing trees and might result in high predispersal mortality of seeds. In other regions, the use of pine seeds by bears has been associated with whitebark pines (P. albicaulis) from which bears obtain seeds by exploiting the cone-storing activities of squirrels. Despite the lack of an apparent pine-squirrel-bear interaction, harvesting unopened cones might be a common foraging strategy used by black bears to obtain seeds of Jeffrey pines in the Sierra Nevada.
Crestospheres: Long-Term Maintenance of Multipotent, Premigratory Neural Crest Stem Cells

Premigratory neural crest cells comprise a transient, embryonic population that arises within the CNS, but subsequently migrates away and differentiates into many derivatives. Previously, premigratory neural crest could not be maintained in a multipotent, adhesive state without spontaneous differentiation. Here, we report conditions that enable maintenance of neuroepithelial "crestospheres" that self-renew and retain multipotency for weeks. Moreover, under differentiation conditions, these cells can form multiple derivatives in vitro and in vivo after transplantation into chick embryos. Similarly, human embryonic stem cells directed to a neural crest fate can be maintained as crestospheres and subsequently differentiated into several derivatives. By devising conditions that maintain the premigratory state in vitro, these results demonstrate that neuroepithelial neural crest precursors are capable of long-term self-renewal. This approach will help uncover mechanisms underlying their developmental potential, differentiation and, together with the induced pluripotent stem cell techniques, the pathology of human neurocristopathies.
Sports Nutrition Knowledge Among Collegiate Athletes, Coaches, Athletic Trainers, and Strength and Conditioning Specialists

Context: Coaches, athletic trainers (ATs), strength and conditioning specialists (SCSs), and registered dietitians are common nutrition resources for athletes, but coaches, ATs, and SCSs might offer only limited nutrition information. Little research exists about sports nutrition knowledge and current available resources for nutrition information for athletes, coaches, ATs, and SCSs. Objective: To identify resources of nutrition information that athletes, coaches, ATs, and SCSs use; to examine nutrition knowledge among athletes, coaches, ATs, and SCSs; and to determine confidence levels in the correctness of nutrition knowledge questions within all groups. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I, II, and III institutions across the United States. Patients and Other Participants: The 579 participants consisted of athletes (n = 185), coaches (n = 131), ATs (n = 192), and SCSs (n = 71). Main Outcome Measure(s): Participants answered questions about nutritio...
An All‐Ceramic Solid‐State Rechargeable Na+‐Battery Operated at Intermediate Temperatures

A major challenge to the development of the next-generation all-solid-state rechargeable battery technology is the inferior performance caused by insufficient ionic conductivity in the electrolyte and poor mixed ionic-electronic conductivity in the electrodes. Here we demonstrate the utility of elevated temperature as an advantageous means of enhancing the conductivity in the electrolyte and promoting the catalytic activity at electrodes in an all-ceramic rechargeable Na+-battery. The new Na+-battery consists of a 154-μm thick Na-β′′-Al2O3 electrolyte membrane, a 22-μm thick P2-Na2/3[Fe1/2Mn1/2]O2 cathode and 52-μm thick Na2Ti3O7-La0.8Sr0.2MnO3 composite anode. The battery is shown to be capable of producing a reversible and stable capacity of 152 mAhg−1 at 350 °C. While the battery's achievable capacity is limited by the electrode materials employed, it does exhibit unique low self-discharge rate, high tolerance to thermal cycling and an outstanding safety feature.
Role of Salvage Radical Prostatectomy for Recurrent Prostate Cancer After Radiation Therapy

Patients with isolated local recurrence of prostate cancer after radiation therapy may potentially be cured of their disease by salvage radical prostatectomy (RP). The stage-specific 5-year cancer-control rates of salvage RP resemble those of standard RP. However, the ability to effectively administer salvage treatment to patients with radiorecurrent disease is compromised by the lack of diagnostic tests with sufficient sensitivity and specificity to detect local recurrence at an early stage while it is amenable to local salvage therapy. By the time biochemical recurrence is declared using the current American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology definition, the majority of patients have advanced local disease, precluding successful local salvage therapy. When salvage RP is performed at prostate-specific antigen levels of 10 ng/mL or less, an estimated 70% of patients are free of disease at 5 years. With better patient selection and technical modifications, the morbidity associated with salvage RP has improved substantially. Rates of urinary incontinence and anastomotic stricture are acceptable, although one third of patients will experience these complications. Salvage cryotherapy is a minimally invasive alternative to salvage RP, but cancer-control rates appear to be inferior and it does not provide a clear advantage over salvage RP in terms of reduced morbidity. Patients with local recurrence after radiation therapy are at increased risk of metastatic progression and cancer-specific mortality. Currently, salvage RP represents the only curative treatment option for these patients. Salvage RP may favorably alter the natural history of biochemical recurrence after radiation therapy, but it must be instituted early in the course of recurrent disease to be effective.
Architecture of the reconnaissance intrusion detection system (RIDS)

This paper describes the architecture and provides early test results of the reconnaissance intrusion detection system (RIDS) prototype. RIDS is a session oriented, statistical tool, that relies on training to mold the parameters of its algorithms, capable of detecting even distributed stealthy reconnaissance attacks. It consists of two main functional modules or stages: the reconnaissance activity profiler (RAP), followed by the reconnaissance alert correlation (RAC), along with a security console. RAP is a session-oriented module capable of detecting stealthy scanning and probing attacks, while RAC is an alert-correlation module that fuses the RAP alerts into attack scenarios and discovers the distributed stealthy attack scenarios, RIDS has been evaluated against two data sets: (a) the DARPA'98 data, and (b) 3 weeks of experimental data generated using the CONEX testbed, running at average Ethernet speeds. RIDS has demonstrably achieved remarkable success; the false positive, false negative and misclassification rates found are low, less than 0.1%, for most reconnaissance attacks; they rise to about 6% for distributed highly stealthy attacks; the latter is a most challenging type of attack, which has been difficult to detect effectively until now. Thus, the RIDS system promises to provide an early warning by detecting the reconnaissance first phase of an impending attack, even if it is very stealthy and distributed.
Prevalence of Overweight and Obesity in the United States, 2007-2012

Overweight and obesity are associated with various chronic conditions.1 These conditions are considerable health care and societal burdens, yet could potentially be averted by preventing weight gain and obesity. In a prior analysis, now almost 20 years old, Must et al2 used a nationally representative data set from 1988 through 1994 and reported the US chronic disease burden associated with body mass index (BMI), thus informing clinical practice and the priorities for cost-effective prevention strategies. Using the most recent data in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES, 2007–2012), we updated the prevalence of overweight and obesity by sex, age, and race/ethnicity and compared the values with those of the earlier study.2
Expression of s-laminin and laminin in the developing rat central nervous system.

The extracellular matrix component, s-laminin, is a homologue of the B1 subunit of laminin. S-laminin is concentrated in the synaptic cleft at the neuromuscular junction and contains a site that is adhesive for motor neurons, suggesting that it may influence neuromuscular development. To ascertain whether s-laminin may also play roles in the genesis of the central nervous system, we have examined its expression in the brain and spinal cord of embryonic and postnatal rats. S-laminin was not detectable in synapse-rich areas of adults. However, s-laminin was present in discrete subsets of three laminin-containing structures: (1) In the developing cerebral cortex, laminin and s-laminin were expressed in the subplate, a transient layer through which neuroblasts migrate and cortical afferents grow. Both laminin and s-laminin disappeared as embryogenesis proceeded; however, laminin was more widely distributed and present longer than s-laminin. (2) In the developing spinal cord, laminin was present throughout the pia. In contrast, s-laminin was concentrated in the pia that overlies the floor plate, a region in which extracellular cues have been postulated to guide growing axons. (3) In central capillaries, s-laminin appeared perinatally, an interval during which the blood-brain barrier matures. In contrast, laminin was present in capillary walls of both embryos and adults. To extend our immunohistochemical results, we used biochemical methods to characterize s-laminin in brain. We found that authentic s-laminin mRNA is present in the embryonic brain, but that brain-derived s-laminin differs (perhaps by a posttranslational modification) from that derived from nonneural tissues. We also used tissue culture methods to show that glia are capable of synthesizing “brain-like” s-laminin, and of assembling it into an extracellular matrix. Thus, glia may be one cellular source of s-laminin in brain. Together, these results demonstrate that s-laminin is present in the developing central nervous system, and raise the possibility that this molecule may influence developmental processes. © 1992 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Disruption of the F-actin cytoskeleton limits statolith movement in Arabidopsis hypocotyls

The F-actin cytoskeleton is hypothesized to play a role in signal transduction mechanisms of gravitropism by interacting with sedimenting amyloplasts as they traverse statocytes of gravistimulated plants. Previous studies have determined that pharmacological disruption of the F-actin cytoskeleton with latrunculin B (Lat-B) causes increased gravitropism in stem-like organs and roots, and results in a more rapid settling of amyloplasts in the columella cells of Arabidopsis roots. These results suggest that the actin cytoskeleton modulates amyloplast movement and also gravitropic signal transduction. To determine the effect of F-actin disruption on amyloplast sedimentation in stem-like organs, Arabidopsis hypocotyls were treated with Lat-B and a detailed analysis of amyloplast sedimentation kinetics was performed by determining amyloplast positions in endodermal cells at various time intervals following reorientation. Confocal microscopy was used to confirm that Lat-B effectively disrupts the actin cytoskeleton in these cells. The results indicate that amyloplasts in hypocotyl endodermal cells settle more quickly compared with amyloplasts in root columella cells. F-actin disruption with Lat-B severely reduces amyloplast mobility within Arabidopsis endodermal statocytes, and these results suggest that amyloplast sedimentation within the hypocotyl endodermal cell is F-actin-dependent. Thus, a model for gravitropism in stem-like organs is proposed in which F-actin modulates the gravity response by actively participating in statolith repositioning within the endodermal statocytes.
Bcl6 expression specifies the T follicular helper cell program in vivo

T follicular helper cells (Tfh cells) play a pivotal role in germinal center reactions, which require B cell lymphoma 6 (Bcl6) transcription factor. To analyze their relationships with other effector T cell lineages and their stability in vivo, we developed and analyzed a new Bcl6 reporter mouse alone or together with other lineage reporter systems. Assisted with genome-wide transcriptome analysis, we show substantial plasticity of T cell differentiation in the early phase of immune response. At this stage, CXCR5 appears to be expressed in a Bcl6-independent manner. Once Bcl6 is highly expressed, Tfh cells can persist in vivo and some of them develop into memory cells. Together, our results indicate Bcl6 as a bona fide marker for Tfh polarized program.
Changing role of surgery in childhood lymphomas

The use of combinations of chemo- and radiotherapy have decreased the need for surgical staging of Hodgkin's disease. The goal of decreasing therapy while maintaining cure rates, however, recreates a need for staging. Attempts are being made to devise criteria to decrease the need for surgical staging or to decrease the extent of the procedure. Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma requires adequate tissue samples for analysis, for example, for immunophenotyping to determine treatment. Surgical resection in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is inadequate for treatment but may be helpful. Debulking, however, is no longer recommended.
Middleware-level collaborative resource discovery for large clusters

In this paper, we introduce a collaborative resource discovery mechanism to enhance system resource allocation and utilization by the distributed applications. The mechanism involves the collaboration of the software agents to collect, organize and efficiently exchange resources information. The main goal is to provide an accurate single system image for all the resources. The concept of virtual clusters is used to enhance localization of information and minimize exchanged messages. This mechanism is introduced as a part of the run-time support layer in Delmon. Delmon is a three-layer middleware framework for distributed systems, which includes the run-time support layer. This layer utilizes agents that reside on the participating machines and communicate with one another to perform the required functions. The agents hide the details of scheduling, controlling, monitoring, and executing user jobs, while the management of system resources is made transparent to the user. The proposed mechanism for collaborative resource discovery is based on the hierarchical structure of the agents and the organization and update protocols
They Use Enzymes for Everything

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the American Association for Clinical Chemistry. In tribute to this semicentenary, this journal will reflect on its published achievements over the past five decades.1 Our Editor has recently enumerated some of the publications that have had an impact on the field, as demonstrated by a solid history of citation (1). This editorial, the first in a projected series of four to appear this year, will reflect on those papers that have advanced the area of enzymes and protein markers–now a regular feature in these pages. Of the papers that have achieved citation fame (1), approximately 20% deal with clinical enzymology (2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7). Yet another 20% focus on the use of enzymes as analytical tools, e.g., those listed in references 8–10 . In the first volume of this journal (1954), enzyme measurements as markers of human disease were the focal points of only two papers. The topics were amylase and arginase. None characterized the use of enzymes as analytical reagents, reflecting clinical laboratory practice of the day. Today, in most laboratories, of the two dozen “routine” chemistry analytes, nearly two-thirds are often determined by enzymatic analyses. This is largely the result of the explosion in the number of studies of enzymes as catalysts, markers of disease, and tools for the laboratorian over the 1960s and the subsequent two decades. This growth phase in enzymology was concurrent with the growth of the practice of clinical chemistry and of the AACC. Without these advances, modern clinical laboratory analyses would not be possible. The detection of proteins in serum by their catalytic activity as a reporter of tissue damage is a cornerstone of medical laboratory analyses. The uses of a wide variety of enzymes from a still …
Unrealized Potential: A Review of Perceptions and Use of Weather and Climate Information in Agricultural Decision Making

AbstractThis article reviews research on agricultural decision makers’ use and perceptions of weather and climate information and decision support tools (DSTs) conducted in the United States, Australia, and Canada over the past 30 years. Forty–seven relevant articles, with locations as diverse as Australian rangelands and the southeastern United States, ranging in focus from corn to cattle, were identified. NVivo 9 software was used to code research methods, type of climate information explored, barriers to broader use of weather information, common themes, and conclusions from each article. Themes in this literature include the role of trusted agricultural advisors in the use of weather information, farmers’ management of weather risks, and potential agricultural adaptations that could increase resilience to weather and climate variability. While use of weather and climate information and DSTs for agriculture has increased in developed countries, these resources are still underutilized. Reasons for low u...
Interaction of purified long-acting thyroid stimulator (LATS) and thyroid microsomes in vitro.

ABSTRACT LATS was purified by adsorption to and subsequent elution from thyroid microsomes. Eluted LATS retained activity in the McKenzie mouse bioassay and exhibited electrophoretic and immunologic properties of IgG. Eluted LATS, labeled with 125I, had a high degree of affinity and specificity for thyroid microsomes. Serum and IgG preparations with LATS activity inhibited the binding of the eluted LATS 125I to thyroid microsomes, whereas normal serum and normal IgG did not. The degree of such inhibition was related to the dose and LATS response index of the serum or IgG used. Experiments in which whole IgG was isolated from a serum with high LATS activity and labeled with 125I prior to adsorption with thyroid microsomes indicated that LATS is a rather small proportion of the IgG population and that the source of the material reacting with thyroid microsomes was indeed the IgG and not derived from thyroid microsomes. These experiments provide direct evidence that the mechanism of neutralization of LATS by...
A Case Study of ERP Implementation in Two Public Universities: Why Was One a Success and the Other a Failure?

While enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems have the potential to offer benefits beyond traditional legacy systems, many organizations report that these systems have been less successful than originally anticipated. Previous studies have identified a number of critical success factors (CSF) that influence ERP success. Identification and use of critical success factors is beneficial but to fully understand problems related to ERP implementation, researchers need to use a dynamic theory to study how organizations adjust to the social changes that are required to bring about a successful implementation. In this case study, Adaptive Structuration Theory provides a framework within which critical success factors can be studied. The organizations under study are universities of similar size and mission in the same geographic area implementing a human resource module of the same ERP system. The ERP implementation projects at both universities will be analyzed to determine why one failed and one was successful.
Nocturnal Oxyhemoglobin Desaturation in COPD Patients with Arterial Oxygen Tensions Above 60 mm Hg

We studied 152 COPD patients with a daytime PaO2≥60 mm Hg using formal polysomnography (EEG, airflow, respiratory muscle movement, ear oximeter) to detect the presence of nocturnal, nonapneic, oxyhemoglobin desaturation. Nine subjects were disqualified by the unexpected discovery of sleep apnea, as were another eight because they could not sleep in the laboratory setting. Of the remaining 135 subjects, 37 (27 percent) desaturated below a baseline sleep saturation of 90 percent for five minutes or more, reaching a nadir saturation of at least 85 percent. Anthropomorphic, pulmonary function, and historic factors comparing desaturators and nondesaturators failed to separate the groups. Awake PaO2 at rest in the desaturators was significantly lower than in the nondesaturators. The PaCO2 was higher in the desaturators. Reversibility of the desaturation phenomenon was demonstrated in three patients during subsequent polysomnographic studies following periods of clinical improvement. Continuous oxyhemoglobin monitoring during sleep remains the only reliable tool for detecting nocturnal desaturation.
Pulmonary toxicity screening studies in male rats with TiO2 particulates substantially encapsulated with pyrogenically deposited, amorphous silica

The aim of this study was to evaluate the acute lung toxicity in rats of intratracheally instilled TiO2 particles that have been substantially encapsulated with pyrogenically deposited, amorphous silica. Groups of rats were intratracheally instilled either with doses of 1 or 5 mg/kg of hydrophilic Pigment A TiO2 particles or doses of 1 or 5 mg/kg of the following control or particle-types: 1) R-100 TiO2 particles (hydrophilic in nature); 2) quartz particles, 3) carbonyl iron particles. Phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) instilled rats served as additional controls. Following exposures, the lungs of PBS and particle-exposed rats were evaluated for bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid inflammatory markers, cell proliferation, and by histopathology at post-instillation time points of 24 hrs, 1 week, 1 month and 3 months. The bronchoalveolar lavage results demonstrated that lung exposures to quartz particles, at both concentrations but particularly at the higher dose, produced significant increases vs. controls in pulmonary inflammation and cytotoxicity indices. Exposures to Pigment A or R-100 TiO2 particles produced transient inflammatory and cell injury effects at 24 hours postexposure (pe), but these effects were not sustained when compared to quartz-related effects. Exposures to carbonyl iron particles or PBS resulted only in minor, short-term and reversible lung inflammation, likely related to the effects of the instillation procedure. Histopathological analyses of lung tissues revealed that pulmonary exposures to Pigment A TiO2 particles produced minor inflammation at 24 hours postexposure and these effects were not significantly different from exposures to R-100 or carbonyl iron particles. Pigment A-exposed lung tissue sections appeared normal at 1 and 3 months postexposure. In contrast, pulmonary exposures to quartz particles in rats produced a dose-dependent lung inflammatory response characterized by neutrophils and foamy (lipid-containing) alveolar macrophage accumulation as well as evidence of early lung tissue thickening consistent with the development of pulmonary fibrosis. Based on our results, we conclude the following: 1) Pulmonary instillation exposures to Pigment A TiO2 particles at 5 mg/kg produced a transient lung inflammatory response which was not different from the lung response to R-100 TiO2 particles or carbonyl iron particles; 2) the response to Pigment A was substantially less active in terms of inflammation, cytotoxicity, and fibrogenic effects than the positive control particle-type, quartz particles. Thus, based on the findings of this study, we would expect that inhaled Pigment A TiO2 particles would have a low risk potential for producing adverse pulmonary health effects.
Poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation by PARP-1: `PAR-laying' NAD+ into a nuclear signal

Poly(ADP-ribose) (PAR) and the PAR polymerases (PARPs) that catalyze its synthesis from donor nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) molecules have received considerable attention in the recent literature. Poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation (PARylation) plays diverse roles in many molecular and cellular processes, including DNA damage detection and repair, chromatin modification, transcription, cell death pathways, insulator function, and mitotic apparatus function. These processes are critical for many physiological and pathophysiological outcomes, including genome maintenance, carcinogenesis, aging, inflammation, and neuronal function. This review highlights recent work on the biochemistry, molecular biology, physiology, and pathophysiology of PARylation, focusing on the activity of PARP-1, the most abundantly expressed member of a family of PARP proteins. In addition, connections between nuclear NAD+ metabolism and nuclear signaling through PARP-1 are discussed.
The Poly(nonapeptide) of Elastin: A New Elastomeric Polypeptide Biomaterial

This paper reports the first data on a new member of the class of elastomeric polypeptide biomaterials. The new member is poly(VPGFGVGAG). The synthesis is demonstrated by carbon-13 and proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectra; the temperature ranges for the inverse temperature transition have determined by temperature profiles for turbidity formation (aggregation); and the material has been crosslinked by γ-irradiation to produce elastomeric matrices. Poly(VPGFGVGAG) is distinguished from elastomeric poly(VPGVG) and poly(VPGG) by exhibiting a greater elastic modulus for the same cross-linking treatment, some two orders of magnitude larger, and by simultaneously being chemotactic toward endothelial cells and fibroblasts. These properties appear to be particularly appropriate for consideration of this bioelastic as a scaffolding for the reconstruction of ligaments.
The 'Preference for Pollution' and Other Fallacies, or Why Free Trade Isn't 'Progress'

The argument that environmental standards must be harmonized among countries involved in free trade in order to ensure a "level playing field" has been prominent in the recent political discourse surrounding globalization and the expansion of international trade. Among academic economists, however, the level-playing-field argument has been widely rejected. In their view, the whole point of free trade is to exploit inherent differences among countries. Differing environmental standards simply reflect the differing preferences for environmental protection among citizens of different countries and, like differences in natural resource endowments, can be exploited via free trade in order to increase overall social welfare. The economists are wrong in rejecting the level playing field argument, however. While it may be true that free trade without harmonization will increase social welfare in the ideal world of economic theory, there is little reason to think that it will do so in the real world. In particular, the economists' claim depends on the untenable assumption that the countries involved in free trade all set and enforce environmental standards at economically optimal - or efficient - levels. If we instead make the far more realistic assumption that environmental standards in one or more countries either are set too low to begin with or are under-enforced, the economists' claim - that free trade increases social welfare - no longer holds. Basic tenets of political and economic theory make clear that political and market dynamics tend systematically to skew environmental standard-setting and enforcement to sub-optimal levels. And where that is true, free trade between countries with differing standards is likely to decrease overall social welfare. Therefore, in order to avoid these negative welfare effects, upward harmonization of environmental standards should be a pre-requisite to free trade.
5.8 A 4.7nW 13.8ppm/°C self-biased wakeup timer using a switched-resistor scheme

Miniaturized computing platforms typically operate under restricted battery capacity due to their size [1]. Due to low duty cycles in many sensing applications, sleep-mode power can dominate the total energy budget. Wakeup timers are a key always-on component in such sleep modes and must therefore be designed with aggressive power consumption targets (e.g., <10nW). Also, accurate timing generation is critical for peer-to-peer communication between sensor platforms [1]. Although a 32kHz crystal oscillator can provide low power [2] and accurate long-term stability, the requirement of an off-chip component complicates system integration for small wireless sensor nodes (WSNs).
Superconducting and Semiconducting Thin films of La123 and123 and their Superlattices

Thin films of La123 and their superlattice with Y123 are deposited on various substrates for the first time. Thin films of La123 can be made semiconducting or superconducting within a small range of oxygen stoichiometry. A multiple target holder has been used for insitu processing of superlattice thin films. The ability of the La123 compound to exhibit either semiconductivity or superconductivity has been utilized to construct semiconductor / superconductor superlattice structures with Y123- X-ray diffraction studies have shown clearly the presence of two distinct type of layers in the superlattice films with a individual layer thickness of ∼ 120 and 300 A, although this did not happen for ∼ 24 A thickness of the individual layers. Rutherford backscattering experiments showed good quality of the films with channeling yields < 10%. Resistivity measurements showed a Tc (onset) = 90 K and Tc(zero) = 85 K for the La123 as well as superlattice thin films.
Distribution of Progeny in Two Ineffective Parasites of a Gall Midge (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae)

Rhopalomyia californica Felt is a native cecidomyiid midge that develops in multichambered, terminal galls on Baccharis pilularis DC in California. At two study sites, number of midge larvae per gall varied from 1 to >40. However, distribution of progeny for two of the midge's primary parasites, Torymus baccharidis (Huber) and Tetrastichus sp., was relatively constant, averaging between one and three individuals per gall, regardless of number of hosts per gall. Both species exploited a relatively small proportion of available galls, and, as a result, these parasites did not have a major impact on the host population. Distribution of Torymus progeny was probably the result of competitive interactions and low capacity for increase, whereas that of Tetrastichus was apparently the result of competitive interactions and hyperparasitization. It is suggested that species of parasites that are ineffective in their native homes may be of considerable value in classical biological control, especially when such ineffectiveness is due largely to interspecific interactions, rather than low reproductive capacity.
Oncolytic HSV virotherapy in murine sarcomas differentially triggers an antitumor T-cell response in the absence of virus permissivity

Multiple studies have indicated that in addition to direct oncolysis, virotherapy promotes an antitumor cytotoxic T cell response important for efficacy. To study this phenomenon further, we tested three syngeneic murine sarcoma models that displayed varied degrees of permissiveness to oncolytic herpes simplex virus replication and cytotoxicity in vitro, with the most permissive being comparable to some human sarcoma tumor lines. The in vivo antitumor effect ranged from no or modest response to complete tumor regression and protection from tumor rechallenge. The in vitro permissiveness to viral oncolysis was not predictive of the in vivo antitumor effect, as all three tumors showed intact interferon signaling and minimal permissiveness to virus in vivo. Tumor shrinkage was T-cell mediated with a tumor-specific antigen response required for maximal antitumor activity. Further analysis of the innate and adaptive immune microenvironment revealed potential correlates of susceptibility and resistance, including favorable and unfavorable cytokine profiles, differential composition of intratumoral myeloid cells, and baseline differences in tumor cell immunogenicity and tumor-infiltrating T-cell subsets. It is likely that a more complete understanding of the interplay between the immunologic immune microenvironment and virus infection will be necessary to fully leverage the antitumor effects of this therapeutic platform.