cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of the Deletion of qmoABC and the Promoter-Distal Gene Encoding a Hypothetical Protein on Sulfate Reduction in Desulfovibrio vulgaris Hildenborough

The pathway of electrons required for the reduction of sulfate in sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) is not yet fully characterized. In order to determine the role of a transmembrane protein complex suggested to be involved in this process, a deletion of Desulfovibrio vulgaris Hildenborough was created by marker exchange mutagenesis that eliminated four genes putatively encoding the QmoABC complex and a hypothetical protein (DVU0851). The Qmo complex (quinone-interacting membrane-bound oxidoreductase) is proposed to be responsible for transporting electrons to the dissimilatory adenosine-5?phosphosulfate (APS) reductase in SRB. In support of the predicted role of this complex, the deletion mutant was unable to grow using sulfate as its sole electron acceptor with a range of electron donors. To explore a possible role for the hypothetical protein in sulfate reduction, a second mutant was constructed that had lost only the gene that codes for DVU0851. The second constructed mutant grew with sulfate as the sole electron acceptor; however, there was a lag that was not present with the wild-type or complemented strain. Neither deletion strain was significantly impaired for growth with sulfite or thiosulfate as terminal electron acceptor. Complementation of the D(qmoABC-DVU0851) mutant with all four genes or only the qmoABC genes restored its ability to grow by sulfate respiration. These results confirmed the prediction that the Qmo complex is in the electron pathway for sulfate-reduction and revealed that no other transmembrane complex could compensate when Qmo was lacking.
A computerized n.m.r. system for polarized targets

Abstract The n.m.r. system for the Davis polarized proton target is described. The system uses a series-resonant Q -meter circuit for detection, a voltage-variable capacitor for tuning, and a computer for time-averaging and recording of the n.m.r. signal.
X-Ray structural determination of the tetrahedral ruthenium-osmium carbonyl hydrides [H2RuOs3(CO)13] and [Ph4As][H3RuOs3(CO)12]: an examination of bent semi-bridging metalcarbonyl bonding

Abstract Two group-8, mixed-metal tetrahedral clusters have been crystallographically characterized. For [H 2 RuOs 3 (CO) 13 (I): triclinic, P 1 , a 9.046(4), b 9.140(4), c 26.560(9) A, α 81.88(3), β 91.81(3), γ 112.07(3)°, V 2014(6) A 3 , Z = 4, R F 4.91%. For [Ph 4 As][H 3 RuO 3 (CO) 12 ] (II): monoclinic, P 2 1 / n , a 21.580(5), b 8.165(1), c 21.815(6) A, β 91.16(2)°, V 3843.2(9) A 3 , Z = 4, R F 4.40%. The two crystallographically independent molecules of I exhibit a wide range of bent semi-bridging metal carbonyl bond parameters, and all conform to the Crabtree-Lavin empirical equation. The structure of II contains a μ-H edge-bridged basal plane of two Os atoms and one Ru atom positionally disordered. This plane is capped by an Os(CO) 3 group. In both I and II, structural heterogeneity created by mixed-metal atom identities was seen and quantitatively measured by occupancy refinement.
Integral equation methods for the Robin problem in stationary oscillations of elastic plates

The interior and exterior Robin boundary-value problems for the model of flexural vibrations of plates with transverse shear deformation are solved by means of layer potentials. Existence theorems are proved when certain conditions are satisfied by the elastic constants, the frequency parameter and the matrix connecting the tractions and displacements on the boundary.
Diffusion Analysis for the Propagation of Mutual Coherence

A new method of evaluating the mutual-coherence function for propagation in a randomly inhomogeneous medium like the atmosphere is presented. The new method, which is highly physical, as distinct from a mathematical approach, does not involve the treatment of any differential equations. Instead, the treatment is based on decomposition of a randomly distorted wavefront into a set of plane waves with random amplitudes. These plane waves constitute orthogonal modes. Propagation in a random medium is treated as the physical process of diffusion of amplitude (or energy) between the modes, and a short-path-propagator function for this diffusion is developed. From the short-path-propagator function, a long-path-propagator function is easily obtained, and from this the mutual-coherence function is computed. Starting from the known short-path mutual-coherence function, which is known to be accurate, the mutual-coherence function for long paths is obtained. The results are in agreement with previous results, all of whose derivations have recently been subject to criticism. Because this derivation is not a mathematical exercise, it should not be subject to any of these or similar criticisms, which were primarily questions of mathematical rigor.
An Adaptation-Overlap Model of the Electroretinogram

The electroretinographic (ERG) responses to a rapid sequence of laser stimuli are modeled by an adaptation function and the superposition of responses to successive stimuli. The adaptation function is a linear high-pass filter followed by a nonlinear circuit. The model-predicted responses are compared with measured responses at four different stimulus intensities and for stimulus rates up to 50 per second. The model is valid for stimulus periods greater than the b-wave latency.
The Columbia---Princeton Electronic Music Center: Educating International Composers

The Columbia-Princeton Electronic Music Center (CPEMC) in New York City was established in 1959 by founding director Vladimir Ussachevsky, along with Milton Babbitt, Otto Luening, and Roger Sessions, as the first educational and creative institution of its kind in the United States. Its central role in training composers hailing from outside the United States is not widely known. Home countries of composers include Turkey, Japan, Israel, Yugoslavia, Spain, Iran, Ghana, and several in Latin America. Using interviews (conducted almost entirely by the author) and documentary sources (largely from the CPEMC archives), this article explores the personal narratives of these composers and their impact on the culture of the CPEMC and on their own future work, both musically and institutionally. Studio logs (see Figure 1) from the archives proved invaluable resources. Quotations without citation are drawn from interviews conducted by the author, detailed in Appendix A.
Optical DNA sensing based on resonant porous silicon structures

Porous silicon is a suitable host material for biosensing applications due to its high surface area to volume ratio, which enables substantial infiltration of biomolecules. Resonant waveguides can be fabricated from porous silicon based on a two layer porous silicon structure. Light is coupled into the waveguide only at a particular angle of incidence. Biomolecular binding inside the pores induces an increase in the effective porous silicon refractive index and causes a change in the angle at which light is coupled into the waveguide. A biosensor for DNA detection based on a porous silicon waveguide has been fabricated. Detection of DNA at concentrations on the level of ~μM is reported. Simulations suggest significantly lower detection levels are possible.
Fibronectin Induces Endothelial Cell Migration through β1 Integrin and Src-dependent Phosphorylation of Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor-1 at Tyrosines 653/654 and 766

The extracellular matrix microenvironment regulates cell phenotype and function. One mechanism by which this is achieved is the transactivation of receptor tyrosine kinases by specific matrix molecules. Here, we demonstrate that the provisional matrix protein, fibronectin (FN), activates fibroblast growth factor (FGF) receptor-1 (FGFR1) independent of FGF ligand in liver endothelial cells. FN activation of FGFR1 requires β1 integrin, as evidenced by neutralizing antibody and siRNA-based studies. Complementary genetic and pharmacologic approaches identify that the non-receptor tyrosine kinase Src is required for FN transactivation of FGFR1. Whereas FGF ligand-induced phosphorylation of FGFR1 preferentially activates ERK, FN-induced phosphorylation of FGFR1 preferentially activates AKT, indicating differential downstream signaling of FGFR1 in response to alternate stimuli. Mutation analysis of known tyrosine residues of FGFR1 reveals that tyrosine 653/654 and 766 residues are required for FN-FGFR1 activation of AKT and chemotaxis. Thus, our study mechanistically dissects a new signaling pathway by which FN achieves endothelial cell chemotaxis, demonstrates how differential phosphorylation profiles of FGFR1 can achieve alternate downstream signals, and, more broadly, highlights the diversity of mechanisms by which the extracellular matrix microenvironment regulates cell behavior through transactivation of receptor tyrosine kinases.
Maternal and fetal blood flow velocity waveforms in patients with preterm labor: prediction of successful tocolysis.

Umbilical and uterine artery velocimetry was performed using continuous-wave Doppler ultrasound (Angioscan III) in 60 patients in preterm labor. Peak-systolic/end-diastolic ratios were calculated according to previously described techniques. All measurements were made before tocolytic therapy was begun: magnesium sulfate ( n = 40) or ritodrine ( n = 20). The mean gestational age was 33.1 ± 1.5 weeks (range 29 to 36 weeks). Twelve (20%) patients had elevated (>2.6) pretherapy uterine peak-systolic/end-diastolic ratios, 10 (16.7%) patients had elevated (>3.5) pretherapy umbilical peaksystolic/end-diastolic ratios, and in eight (13.3%) patients both ratios were elevated. In seven (58.4%) of the 12 patients with elevated uterine peak-systolic/end-diastolic ratios, six (60%) of the 10 patients with elevated umbilical peak-systolic/end-diastolic ratios, and five (62.5%) of the eight patients with both ratios elevated tocolytics failed and the women were delivered within 48 hours, compared with seven (14.6%) of 48, eight (16%) of 50, and six (13.0%) of 46 with normal ratios, respectively ( p
Consequences of recurrent seizures during early brain development

It is well documented that prolonged seizures (status epilepticus) can cause neuronal injury and result in synaptic reorganization in certain brain regions. However, the effect of recurrent, relatively short seizures in young animals on subsequent brain development is not known. To study the consequences of recurrent seizures on the developing brain, we subjected immature rats to a total of 50 flurothyl-induced seizures from postnatal day 11 until day 23. Immunohistochemistry for c-fos was performed to characterize the pattern of neuronal activation following the seizures. Cell counting of dentate granule cells, CA3, CA1, and hilar neurons, using unbiased stereological methods, and the silver impregnation method were used to evaluate neuronal death following the recurrent seizures. Timm and Golgi staining were performed four weeks after the 50th seizure to evaluate the effects of recurrent seizures on synaptic organization. Our results show that recurrent flurothyl-induced seizures progressively increased excitability of the brain, as revealed by a dramatic increase in the extent and intensity of c-fos immunostaining. While no cell loss was detected in the hippocampus with either Cresyl Violet or silver stains, animals experiencing multiple daily seizures developed increased mossy fiber sprouting in both the supragranular layer of the dentate gyrus and the infrapyramidale layer of the CA3 region. Golgi staining confirmed that there was an increase in mossy fibers in the pyramidal cell layer. Our results suggest that serial recurrent seizures in the immature brain can lead to significant changes in mossy fiber distribution even though the seizures do not cause significant hippocampal cell loss.
LDPC decoder with an adaptive wordwidth datapath for energy and BER co-optimization

An energy efficient low-density parity-check (LDPC) decoder using an adaptive wordwidth datapath is presented. The decoder switches between a Normal Mode and a reduced wordwidth Low Power Mode. Signal toggling is reduced as variable node processing inputs change in fewer bits. The duration of time that the decoder stays in a given mode is optimized for power and BER requirements and the received SNR. The paper explores different Low Power Mode algorithms to reduce the wordwidth and their implementations. Analysis of the BER performance and power consumption from fixed-point numerical and post-layout power simulations, respectively, is presented for a full parallel 10GBASE-T LDPC decoder in 65nm CMOS. A 5.10mm2 low power decoder implementation achieves 85.7Gbps while operating at 185MHz and dissipates 16.4 pJ/bit at 1.3V with early termination. At 0.6V the decoder throughput is 9.3Gbps (greater than 6.4 Gbps required for 10GBASE-T) while dissipating an average power of 31mW. This is 4.6× lower than the state of the art reported power with an SNR loss of 0.35 dB at BER = 10-7.
The comparative external and concurrent validity of three role-plays for assessing heterosocial performance

To compare the external and concurrent validity of brief, extended, and clinical, replication-type role-plays, the heterosocial performance of reliably low-, moderate-, and high-frequency male undergraduate daters was unobtrusively assessed in an empirically derived criterion situation. Analyses focusing on relationships between the role-play tests and the criterion, differentiations between high- and low-frequency daters, and changes in absolute levels of performance across assessments were conducted on global, specific, and physiological measures of skill and anxiety. There were consistent differences in both the external and concurrent validity of the role-plays, with the replication role-play format offering a potentially valid methodology for sampling behavior in specific situations. Unobtrusive and replication role-play assessments differentiated between the extreme groups on specific and global skill measures. Finally, the brief role-play elicited relatively large increases in heart rate.
Numerical study of initiation of a combustion wave by an ignition kernel

Abstract The response of an infinite fuel system to the sudden deposition of energy into a spherically symmetric ignition kernel is studied. Using a highly idealized fuel chemistry model, the governing differential equations are solved numerically. Nondimensional parameters based on the size and temperature of the ignition kernel are developed and used to determine the boundary between decay of the ignition kernel and initiation of a combustion wave. It is shown that for ignition to occur, the radius of the hot gas kernel generated by the initial input of energy must exceed a thickness characteristic of a propagating combustion wave. The effect of changing the value of the Lewis number for a fixed energy input is investigated and is found to change the boundary between decay and wave propagation. Results are presented which show the effects of serveral of the model parameters on the position and velocity of the combustion wave as it develops.
FURTHER STUDIES OF DEGOSSYPOLIZED COTTONSEED MEAL AS A SOURCE OF PLANT PROTEIN IN RABBIT FEEDS.

Degossypolized cottonseed meal was fed to mature female rabbits throughout four successive litters, using a split-plot randomized block design. When used as a replacement for soybean meal, at levels of 4, 7, 10 and 13% of the diet, no significant diet responses were found in the analyses of total litter weaning weight, average individual weaning weight, percentage mortality, number weaned, or feed conversion. However, block and litter effects on litter weight were significant, suggesting genetic differences, and the means for litter weights and mortality suggested an adverse effect at the 10 and 13% levels. Results indicated that at levels of 4 and 7% degossypolized cottonseed meal may serve as a satisfactory substitute for soybean meal in the rabbit diet.
Acute Infectious Diarrhea Among Children in Day Care: Epidemiology and Control

The incidence of diarrhea among children in day care centers is highest for those under three years of age. Limited studies indicate that diarrhea occurs more frequently among children enrolled at these centers than among age-matched children cared for at home or in family day care. Most reported outbreaks have been caused by rotavirus, Giardia, Shigella, or combinations of these organisms. Children in day care centers commonly excrete enteropathogens in the absence of symptoms; the significance of this phenomenon in transmission is unknown. An association between higher rates of diarrhea and selected characteristics of centers--the most important of which is the presence of non-toilet-trained children--has been shown. The contamination of hands, communal toys, and other classroom objects as well as a lack of infection control measures play a role in the transmission of enteropathogens in outbreaks of diarrhea in day care centers. Spread of infection from non-toilet-trained children in centers to their families is common. Potential ways of dealing with this situation include education; development, implementation, and enforcement of regulations; and use of infection control measures. However, the effectiveness of specific control measures has not been systematically evaluated.
Studies in Solvent Sublation: Extraction of Methyl Orange and Rhodamine B

Abstract The technique of solvent sublation has been investigated for the solutes methyl orange and rhodamine B together with the cationic surfactant, hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide. In solvent sublation, gas bubbles generated in an aqueous phase are used to selectively extract material into a nonaqueous phase, which is immiscible with the water. Presumably attachment to the bubbles occurs through adsorption at the gas-liquid interfaces by surface-active species. The effects of parameters such as gas flow rate and concentration of surfactant on the rates of extraction of the two dyes have been investigated. Marked differences in the behavior of the dyes have been found, suggesting different mechanisms of extraction. A direct comparison has also been made between solvent sublation and solvent extraction, the latter using vigorous shaking to provide intimate contact between the liquid-liquid interfaces. Finally, the potential of solvent sublation in the separation field has been discussed.
An asymptotically superior algorithm for computing the characteristic polynomial of a tridiagonal matrix

The author describes an algorithm for computing the characteristic polynomial of a tridiagonal matrix. It is quite general and consists in the application of the divide-and-conquer technique to the evaluation of a three-term recurrence relation. The algorithm developed requires O(n log/sup 2/n) arithmetic operations as compared to the classical algorithm that requires O(n/sup 2/) arithmetic operations. >
Inhibition of inositol phosphorylceramide synthase by aureobasidin A in Candida and Aspergillus species.

Inositol phosphorylceramide (IPC) synthase is an enzyme common to fungi and plants that catalyzes the transfer of phosphoinositol from phosphatidylinositol to ceramide to form IPC. The reaction is a key step in fungal sphingolipid biosynthesis and the target of the antibiotics galbonolide A, aureobasidin A, and khafrefungin. As a first step toward understanding the antifungal spectrum of IPC synthase inhibitors, we examined the sensitivity of IPC synthase to aureobasidin A in membrane preparations of Candida species (Candida albicans, C. glabrata, C. tropicalis, C. parapsilosis, and C. krusei) and Aspergillus species (Aspergillus fumigatus, A. flavus, A. niger, and A. terreus). As expected, preparations from the five Candida species, all exquisitely susceptible to aureobasidin A (MICs, 50 microgram/ml), had IPC synthase activity (specific activity, 1 to 3 pmol/min/mg of protein) also sensitive to aureobasidin A (IC(50)s, 3 to 5 ng/ml). The mammalian multidrug resistance modulators verapamil, chlorpromazine, and trifluoperazine lowered the MIC of aureobasidin A for A. fumigatus from >50 microgram/ml to 2 to 3 microgram/ml, suggesting that the resistance of this major fungal pathogen is the result of increased efflux.
Threonine dehydratase of Bacillus licheniformis: I. Purification and properties

Abstract Threonine dehydratase (threonine hydro-lyase (deaminating), EC 4.2.1.16) has been purified about 50-fold from extracts of Bacillus licheniformis by heat treatments, ammonium sulfate fractionation, and gel filtration. The purified enzyme exhibits properties similar to the enzyme in crude extracts. The enzyme is stabilized in i M potassium phosphate at pH 8.0 by pyridoxal phosphate and l -isoleucine against denaturation at 0° and against heat inactivation. l -Threonine protects the enzyme against inactivation by dilution. l -Threonine and l -serine can serve as substrates, but threonine is deaminated 5–8 times more rapidly than the other substrate. The pH optimum of the reaction is between 9.0 and 9.5. The rate of reaction at increasing substrate concentration shows a slightly sigmoidal curve with an apparent Km of 3·10−3 M. l -Isoleucine inhibits the enzyme to about 50% at a threonine to isoleucine ratio of 1000:1. This inhibition is pH dependent and is overcome in part by l -α-aminobutyrate, although by itself l -α-aminobutyrate does not show any activating effect. The treatment of the enzyme with HgCl2 results in partial inactivation, but the remaining enzyme activity is completely insensitive to the inhibition by l -isoleucine. The extent of inactivation of the enzyme by urea is dependent on the urea concentration and the temperature.
Thermospheric heating away from the auroral oval during geomagnetic storms

The data on the morphology of the changes in the heating of thermosphere in the middle and high latitudes during geomagnetic storms, collected by the DE-2 satellite between July 1981 and February 1983 are compared with the NCAR-Thermosphere-Ionosphere General Circulation Model simulation of the November 24, 1982 storm on a one-on-one basis for an individual orbit in the middle of this storm. Good agreement was found for the winter hemisphere. A thermodynamic diagnostic processor was then used to investigate the mechanism by which geomagnetic storms cause temperature increases at lower latitudes. It was found that the pattern of heating during geomagnetic storms is complex, indicative of the complex nature of the physical processes that alter the thermal structure of the thermosphere at these times. Model predictions indicated that the greatest temperature increase at 40 deg N occurs in the morning, in agreement with results of Proelss (1984).
A Theoretical and Experimental Framework for Understanding Electrogenerated Chemiluminescence (ECL) Emission at Bipolar Electrodes

Bipolar electrodes are potentially useful for a variety of sensing applications, but their implementation has been hampered by an inability to easily monitor the current through such electrodes. However, current can be indirectly determined using electrogenerated chemiluminescence (ECL) as a reporting mechanism. This paper provides a detailed theoretical analysis of ECL reporting at bipolar electrodes. In addition, experiments are described that confirm the theory. Finally, we correlate ECL intensity directly to current through the use of split bipolar electrodes. The results indicate that the lowest current that can be indirectly detected through ECL reporting is ∼32 μA/cm2, which corresponds to a reporting sensitivity of ∼7200 counts/nA in the present experimental system.
Why Books Are Bought and Borrowed

Books are among the most diverse products of our civilization. They combine a simple technology with the complexity of human thought to provide knowledge, insight, and entertainment. But little is known about why people use books the way they do. This article is a thought experiment, like Einstein's train, which will consider part of this question. It will develop a model of the costs to people when they buy or borrow books. The underlying premise is that librarians, booksellers, and publishers do not have a clear understanding of the costs—especially the cost of time—involved in using their services. Their successes tend to be the result of trial and error.
Ostomy Hemorrhage: Diagnosis and Current Therapeutic Options

Stomal hemorrhage immediately after ostomy creation is typically self-limited and is most often caused by mucosal trauma or a technical error in ostomy construction. In patients with underlying portal hypertension, the development of peristomal varices can result in massive blood loss and may be fatal. Acute stomal bleeding should initially be managed with resuscitation, correction of coagulopathy, and local control of bleeding using direct pressure or suture ligation. Current treatment options for peristomal variceal bleeding include local techniques (sclerotherapy, variceal ligation, selective percutaneous embolization, stomal revision), pharmacologic intervention (beta-blockade), portosystemic shunting procedures, and liver transplantation.
Dual-Imaging Enabled Cancer-Targeting Nanoparticles

The development of dual-imaging enabled cancer-targeting nanoparticles (DICT-NPs) is reported based on newly developed biodegradable photoluminescent polymers and superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles. DICT-NPs possess capabilities of dual-imaging (magnetic resonance imaging and optical imaging), magnetic targeting, and potentially selective targeting for cancer cells. The development of DICT-NPs address the concerns in dual-imaging nanoparticles where photobleaching organic dyes and cytotoxic quantum dots are usually adopted.
Toward Understanding Student Differences in a Computer Skills Course

Effective teaching in an introductory computer skills course requires detailed knowledge about the students in the class. Differing characteristics in students may provide opportunities for or crea...
Linear and quadratic utility loss functions in voting behavior research

Numerous studies examine voting behavior based on the formal theoretical predictions of the spatial utility model. These studies model individual utility from the election of a preferred party or candidate as decreasing as the alternative deviates from one’s ideal point, but differ as to whether this loss should be modeled linearly or quadratically. After advancing a theoretical argument for linear loss, this paper uses a wealth of data across 20 countries to empirically examine the predictive power of these two loss functions in terms of both voter choice and voter turnout. Results indicate that the linear loss function outperforms the quadratic loss function. The findings have important implications for theoretical scholars seeking to model voter behavior, for observational scholars, who must assign utility values across parties to individuals under study, and for experimental researchers, who must entice individuals with particular utility loss functions.
Ab initio complex Kohn calculations of dissociative excitation of methane: Close-coupling convergence studies.

Results of close-coupling calculations using the complex Kohn method are reported for excitation of the methane molecule into electronically dissociative states. The excited states in question are of Rydberg nature and are classified by analogy with the isoelectronic Ne atom as 2p\ensuremath{\rightarrow}3s, 2p\ensuremath{\rightarrow}3p, and 2p\ensuremath{\rightarrow}3d transitions, i.e., single excitations of the valence 2p electron into the n=3 Rydberg manifold. On the basis of optical selection rules, one expects large excitation probabilities to analogues of $^{1}$P odd-parity states. Our calculations in the energy range 11--60 eV show a more complex picture of the excitation dynamics and detect large excitation probabilities for triplet and even-parity (2p\ensuremath{\rightarrow}3p) states. A similar result is obtained for the excitation of the Ne atom. Although, to the authors's knowledge, these are the largest close-coupling electron--polyatomic-molecule scattering calculations to date, the results lead to questions concerning the convergence of the close-coupling approach in the case of Rydberg-state excitation. Conclusions are drawn in the context of earlier results for electron-impact excitation of the H, He, and Ne atoms.
The minimum clinically important difference in physician-assigned visual analog pain scores.

Objective: To determine the minimum clinically important difference in physician–assigned visual analog scale (VAS) pain scores. Methods: Physicians attending emergency medicine didactic conferences were enrolled in this descriptive study. The subjects sequentially reviewed 11 written scenarios describing patients in moderate to severe pain. The subjects rated their perceptions of each patient's pain on a 100–mm VAS, then contrasted this pain with that of the previous patient scenario. For these contrasts, the subjects chose one of five responses: “much less,” “a little less,” “about the same,” “a little more,” or “much more” pain. The minimum clinically important difference was defined as the difference between scores for scenario pairs in which one patient's pain was rated “a little less” or “a little more” severe. Results: There were 230 comparisons by 23 health professionals. Of these, 64 were judged “a little less,” and 56 “a little more,” painful. These 120 comparisons, with their pain score differences, were used to determine the minimum clinically important difference. Pain judged to be “a little less” or “a little more” severe was associated with a mean difference in VAS scores of 18 mm (95% CI 16–20 mm), corresponding to a decrement of 23% (95% CI 20–26%) from the more painful scenario. Conclusions: Pain research outcomes involving a <18–mm difference, or a 23% decrement in physician–assigned VAS pain scores, although statistically significant, may have little clinical importance.
Following the electrons: methods for power management in commercial buildings

Commercial buildings are significant consumers of electricity. The first step towards better energy management in commercial buildings is monitoring consumption. However, instrumenting every electrical panel in a large commercial building is expensive and wasteful. In this paper, we propose a greedy meter (sensor) placement algorithm based on maximization of information gained, subject to a cost constraint. The algorithm provides a near-optimal solution guarantee. Furthermore, to identify power saving opportunities, we use an unsupervised anomaly detection technique based on a low-dimensional embedding. Further, to better manage resources such as lighting and HVAC, we propose a semi-supervised approach combining hidden Markov models (HMM) and a standard classifier to model occupancy based on readily available port-level network statistics.
Canonical Decompositions of Completely Nonunitary Contractions

It is well known that a Hilbert space contraction operator admits a unique decomposition into the direct sum of a unitary part and a completely nonunitary part [ 1,2]. This note will concentrate on canonical decompositions for completely nonunitary contractions on a Hilbert space. We begin in Section 2 by introducing the notions of an isometric subspace and an isometric-reducing subspace of a contraction which, as we shall see, play a central role throughout the paper. Canonical decompositions of completely nonunitary contractions are given in Section 3, depending on whether the maximal isometric subspace or the maximal isometric-reducing subspace are nontrivial. Results of Section 3 are then applied to the “model” operator of Hilbert space contractions (21 in Section 4. Here the maximal isometric subspaces and the maximal isometric-reducing subspaces of the model operator and its adjoint are completely characterized. These lead to some new results and properties which have not been pointed out before. Finally, we close the note with a discussion on relationships between a canonical decomposition of Sections 3 and dissipative scattering theory, and possible applications of our results to stability and stabilizability of Hilbert space control systems. We must note that for a contraction T on a Hilbert space H, the positive contractions
An Existential Framework for Understanding the Counseling Needs of Clients

Purpose To offer an existential framework for understanding some of the emotional and grieving issues that can accompany communication disorders. Method A narrative review of selected existential p...
Transduction of foreign regulatory sequences by a replication-defective herpes simplex virus type 1: The rat neuron-specific enolase promoter

Abstract Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) can transduce genes into non-proliferating cells such as neurons that are refractory to other means of gene transfer. We have been interested to examine the potential usefulness of HSV-1 as a gene transfer vehicle to analyze neuron-specific regulatory sequences. In this study, we have used a replication-defective HSV-1-based vector deleted for the essential immediate early gene 3 ( IE3 ) to transduce a 1.8 kb promoter fragment from the rat neuron-specific enolase gene ( nse ) linked to the firefly luciferase reporter gene ( luc ). It has previously been shown that the same promoter fragment is capable of directing neuron-specific expression of a linked reporter gene in transgenic mice. As an internal control for infection and gene expression, we also inserted the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase ( cat ) gene driven by the SV40 early promoter/enhancer into the thymidine kinase locus of the same vector. We infected (i) non-neuronal BHK-C13 cells which do not express the endogenoous nse gene, (ii) differentiated and non-differentiated pheochromocytoma PC12 cells as well as (iii) N1E-115 neuroblastoma cells, all of which do express endogenous nse . All three cell types produced luciferase upon infection, indicating that the same nse promoter fragment that has previously been shown to be regulated in a cell-specific manner in transgenic mice, was not regulated cell type-specifically in the context of the HSV-1 genome. Therefore, the nse promoter fragment may either be incomplete (and genomic sequences in the transgenic mice may have compensated for this deficiency), or the function of the present control elements is affected by adjacent HSV sequences and is thus template-dependent.
Effects of Enalapril, Tempol, and Eplerenone on Salt-Induced Hypertension in Dahl Salt-Sensitive Rats

The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) has been implicated in the pathophysiology of salt-induced hypertension. Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin II-type 1 receptor blockers, and aldosterone receptor blockers are used to treat hypertension and congestive heart disease. In addition to their blood pressure lowering effects, they appear to protect against myocardial, renal, and vascular damage. In various models of hypertension, generation of reactive oxygen species is increased in the vasculature and that treatment with antioxidants or superoxide dismutase mimetics (e.g., tempol) improves vascular function and structure and reduces blood pressure. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of enalapril, an angiotensin II converting enzyme inhibitor; eplerenone, a selective aldosterone receptor antagonist; and tempol, a superoxide dismutase mimetic, on salt-induced hypertension in Dahl Salt-Sensitive rats. The rats were placed on a high salt (HS; 8%) diet for 3 weeks prior to switching to a normal salt (0.3%) diet for an additional 3 weeks. While on the normal salt (NS) diet, rats were treated with enalapril (30 mg/kg/day in the drinking water), eplerenone (100 mg/kg/day by gavage), tempol (1 mM/day in the drinking water), eplerenone + enalapril, eplerenone + enalapril + tempol, or without drug treatment (control). After 3 weeks on HS diet, systolic blood pressure rose from 127 +/- 7 to 206 +/- 11 mm Hg and remained elevated when switched to NS diet. Subsequently, treatment with eplerenone alone or in combination with enalapril and tempol produced a stepwise reduction in systolic blood pressure reaching -80 mm Hg; however, enalapril and tempol alone produced more modest pressure reduction (approximately -35 mmHg). Plasma levels of prostacyclin and nitric oxide were elevated in rats treated with enalapril and eplerenone alone or in combination. Enalapril and eplerenone alone and in combination reduced heart and kidney levels of angiotensin II and aldosterone when compared with control. Renal and heart levels of reduced glutathione were diminished by eplerenone alone; however, enalapril tended to attenuate the effect of eplerenone on reduced glutathione levels in the heart. The findings from this study suggest that eplerenone reduces salt-induced hypertension by increasing endothelium-derived relaxing factors, inhibiting RAAS components and oxidative stress. (353words).
Embryonic Expression of the Luteinizing Hormone β Gene Appears to Be Coupled to the Transient Appearance of p8, a High Mobility Group-related Transcription Factor

A comparison between two pituitary-derived cell lines (αT3-1 and LβT2) that represent gonadotropes at early and late stages of development, respectively, was performed to further elucidate the genomic repertoire required for gonadotrope specification and luteinizing hormone β (LHβ) gene expression. One isolated clone that displayed higher expression levels in LβT2 cells encodes p8, a high mobility group-like protein with mitogenic potential that is up-regulated in response to proapoptotic stimuli and in some developing tissues. To test the functional significance of this factor in developing gonadotropes, a knockdown of p8 in LβT2 cells was generated. The loss of p8 mRNA correlated with loss of endogenous LHβ mRNA and the loss of activity of a transfected LHβ promoter-driven reporter, even upon treatment with gonadotropin-releasing hormone. In addition, expression of p8 mRNA in developing mouse pituitary glands mirrored its expression in the gonadotrope-derived cell lines and coincided with the first detectable appearance of LHβ mRNA. In contrast, p8 mRNA was undetectable in the pituitary glands of normal adults. Taken together, our data indicate that p8 is a stage-specific component of the gonadotrope transcriptome that may play a functional role in the initiation of LHβ gene expression during embryonic cellular differentiation.
The Sociology of Knowledge as a Tool for Research Into the History of Economic Thought

. Hill and Rouse's formulation of Mannheim's framework for the sociology of knowledge as a means of examining the history of economic thought is rejected although it is held that they render an important service to economics by arguing the need for employment of the sociology of knowledge as a research tool. They have not appropriated Mannheim's categories authentically and they apply them in an overly simplified and undialectical manner. Even Mannheim's authentic formulation of the sociology of knowledge suffered limitations which more recent work enables us to overcome. What is believed to be a superior sociology of knowledge framework for investigating the evolution of economic thought is constructed by joining the Berger-Luckmann model of legitimation with Habermas's philosophical anthropology. Increasingly economists are recognizing that their discipline is in a state of crisis. The crucial issue is how we can better understand the sociological nature of economic thought—its social functioning—to enable us to formulate our own economic theory so as to maximize human welfare.
DISCRIMINATION OF MALE SOCIAL STATUS BY FEMALE HAMSTERS

This study was conducted to determine whether urinary ol-factants were capable of communicating information about a male's dominance status to females. Voided urine was collected from pairs of dominant and subordinate males. These odors were simultaneously presented to females in a Y-maze olfactometer. Females in estrus spent more time in proximity to the area infused with the odors associated with dominant males. Females, when tested while in diestrus, apparently preferred the odors of submissive males. It is hypothesized that male urinary odors influence male attractiveness and might provide the female with a basis for mate selection.
Entropically Driven Self-Assembly of Colloidal Crystals on Templates in Space

These experiments aim to create new colloidal crystalline materials, to study the assembly and thermodynamics of these materials, to measure the optical properties of these materials. and to fix the resulting structures so that they can be brought back and studied on earth. In microgravity, the elimination of particle sedimentation effects creates a purely "thermodynamic" environment for colloidal suspensions wherein particle size, volume fraction, and interparticle interactions are the primary determinants of the assembled structures. We will control the colloidal assembly process using attractive, entropic particle interactions brought about by the depletion effect. By using attractive interactions for colloidal assembly we create conditions for growth that resemble those associated with "conventional" microscopic systems such as atoms and molecules. This approach differs qualitatively from the more common "space-filling" mode of colloidal crystal growth that is driven purely by packing constraints. It is anticipated that at least some of the solidified structures will survive reentry to earth's gravitational field, and that their optical, magnetic, and electrical properties can then be studied in detail upon return.
Persistence of the surface texture of a gravel‐bed river during a large flood

We present herein clear field evidence for the persistence of a coarse surface layer in a gravel-bed river during flows capable of transporting all grain sizes present on the channel bed. Detailed field measurements of channel topography and bed surface grain size were made in a gravel-bed reach of the Colorado River prior to a flood in 2003. Runoff produced during the 2003 snowmelt was far above average, resulting in a sustained period of high flow with a peak discharge of 27 m3/s (170% of normal peak flow); all available grain sizes within the study reach were mobilized in this period of time. During the 2003 peak flow, the river avulsed immediately upstream of the study reach, thereby abandoning approximately one half kilometer of the former channel. The abandonment was rapid (probably within a few hours), leaving the bed texture essentially frozen in place at the peak of the flood. All locations sampled prior to the flood were resampled following the stream abandonment. In response to the high flow, the surface median grain size (D50s) coarsened slightly in the outer part of the bend while remaining nearly constant along the inner part of the bend, resulting in an overall increase from 18 to 21 mm for the study reach. Thus, the coarse bed surface texture persisted despite shear stresses throughout the bend that were well above the critical entrainment value. This may be explained because the response of the bed texture to increases in flow strength depends primarily upon the continued availability of the various grain size percentiles in the supply, which in this case was essentially unlimited for all sizes present in the channel. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Targeting the sphingosine-1-phosphate axis in cancer, inflammation and beyond

The bioactive lipid sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) is involved in multiple cellular signalling systems and has a pivotal role in the control of immune cell trafficking. As such, S1P has been implicated in disorders such as cancer and inflammatory diseases. This Review discusses the ways in which S1P might be therapeutically targeted — for example, via the development of chemical inhibitors that target the generation, transport and degradation of S1P and via the development of specific S1P receptor agonists. We also highlight recent conflicting results observed in preclinical studies targeting S1P and discuss ongoing clinical trials in this field.
Isotope Fractionation of Water during Evaporation without Condensation

The microscopic events engendering liquid water evaporation have received much attention over the last century, but remain incompletely understood. We present measurements of isotope fractionation occurring during free molecular evaporation from liquid microjets and show that the isotope ratios of evaporating molecules exhibit dramatic differences from equilibrium vapor values, strong variations with the solution deuterium mole fraction, and a clear temperature dependence. These results indicate the existence of an energetic barrier to evaporation and that the evaporation coefficient of water is less than unity. These new insights into water evaporation promise to advance our understanding of the processes that control the formation and lifetime of clouds in the atmosphere.
Silver distributions and fluxes in north-east Pacific waters

In recent years, significant knowledge has been gained about the oceanic distributions of several trace elements1,2. However, relatively little is known about amounts of Ag in the ocean, and how this element cycles through it. We report here that Ag levels are relatively low near the surface (∼1 pmol kg−1), and that concentrations more or less steadily increase with depth; for example, 23 pmol kg−1 at 2,440 m, the deepest sample we collected. In general, Ag depth profiles are similar to those observed for Cu (Fig. 1). The near-surface cycles of Ag appears to be involved with particulate organic matter uptake–sinking–regeneration processes.
Analysis of Expression of Multiple Genes Encoding Calmodulin during Spermatogenesis

It has recently been determined that the intracellular calcium receptor, calmodulin, is encoded by a multigene family. At least three calmodulin genes that encode the identical protein are expressed in adult testis from a variety of mammalian species. The complementary techniques of RNA blot hybridization and in situ hybridization were used to assess the relative levels of calmodulin RNAs during rat testis cell differentiation. RNA isolated from highly purified populations of somatic or germinal cells and sections of fixed testis were analyzed for hybridization to specific probes corresponding to the three separate rat calmodulin genes. The level of each calmodulin RNA can be described by a unique developmental pattern during spermatogenesis. The steady state levels of transcripts corresponding to calmodulin gene I (CaM I) and III increase in early meiotic cells (leptotene-zygotene spermatocytes) and remain constant throughout meiosis. The level of the CaM II RNA increases between early and mid-pachytene ...