cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The potato P locus codes for flavonoid 3′,5′-hydroxylase

The potato P locus is required for the production of blue/purple anthocyanin pigments in any tissue of the potato plant such as tubers, flowers, or stems. We have previously reported, based on RFLP mapping in tomato, that the gene coding for the anthocyanin biosynthetic enzyme flavonoid 3′,5′-hydroxylase (f3′5′h) maps to the same region of the tomato genome as P maps in potato. To further evaluate this association a Petunia f3′5′h gene was used to screen a potato cDNA library prepared from purple-colored flowers and stems. Six positively hybridizing cDNA clones were sequenced and all appeared to be derived from a single gene that shares 85% sequence identity at the amino acid level with Petunia f3′5′h. The potato gene cosegregated with purple tuber color in a diploid F1 sub-population of 37 purple and 25 red individuals and was found to be expressed in tuber skin only in the presence of the anthocyanin regulatory locus I. A potato f3′5′h cDNA clone was placed under the control of a doubled CaMV 35S promoter and introduced into the red-skinned cultivar ‘Desiree’. Tuber and stem tissues that are colored red in Desiree were purple in nine of 17 independently transformed lines.
Genetic dependence of hepatic microsome-mediated depression of aflatoxin B1 activation to mutagens in Ames Salmonella typhimurium TA-98 system.

Pretreatment of C57B1/6, an Ah-responsive strain of mice, with 3-methyl cholanthrene or β-naphthoflavone caused a depression of the hepatic microsome-mediated metabolism of alfatoxin B1 to metabolites mutagenic to Salmonellathyphimurium TA-98 strain, while the activity of hepatic mecrosomes from an Ah nonresponsive strain DBA/2 was unaffected by these pretreatments. In contrast to results obtained with aflatoxin B1, 3-methylcholanthrene or β-napthoflavone pretreatment of C57B1/6 enhanced several fold the metabolism of benzo(a)pyrene to mutagenic metabolites in this system, whereas pretreatment of DBA/2, like that seen with aflatoxin B1, did not affect the formation of mutagenic metabolites of benzo(a)pyrene.
Intramolecular cross-linking of insulin. Preparation and properties of oxalyl-and malonyl-bis(methionyl) insulin

The bifunctional reagents, oxalyl-(Met-ONp)2 and malonyl-(Met-ONp)2 have been prepared and investigated as reversible cross-linking reagents for insulin and model compounds. The removal of the cross-linking residues was demonstrated by the cyanogen bromide cleavage of oxalyl-(Met-Phe-OMe)2 and malonyl-(Met-Phe-OMe)2. Zinc-insulin reacted with a molar equivalent of oxalyl-(Met-ONp)2 or malonyl-(Met—ONp)2 in presence of excess triethylamine to yield oxalyl-(Met)2-insulin and malonyl-(Met)2-insulin, respectively. In these derivatives the N -terminal phenylalanine (B1 residue) was free. Thus the cross-link was between A1 and B29 residues in insulin. All three disulfide bonds of these insulin derivatives undergo reduction with tributylphosphine to give six sulfhydryls. Airoxidation of reduced oxalyl-(Met)2-insulin and malonyl-(Met)2-insulin in 0.05 m disodium phosphate, pH 9.5, yielded products which were indistinguishable from oxalyl-(Met)2-insulin and malonyl-(Met)2-insulin respectively, as measured by physicochemical and biological methods. Cyanogen bromide cleavage of reduced and reoxidized malonyl-(Met)2-insulin in 70% formic acid regenerated insulin quantitatively, but only 40% of insulin was determined from similar treatment of oxalyl-(Met)2-insulin. The regenerated insulins exhibited the biological activity of native insulin. These studies strongly suggest that disulfide bonds formed during oxidation of reduced oxalyl-(Met)2-insulin and malonyl-(Met)2-insulin are identical to those found in insulin.
Characterization of the Torque Limits and Clamping Force Relationships for Small Stainless Steel Screws in Tensile Loaded Joints of Various Metals

This study originated during the design of ChemCam, a Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) and imaging instrument being developed for NASA’s Mars Science Lab Rover. The mission needs for miniaturization, reduced weight, high reliability, minimal use of thread locking compounds, and the ability to handle harsh environmental conditions dictated the use of small, high strength screws to be threaded into a variety of metal alloys including Be-S200f, Al-6061-T6, Mg-ZK60A-T5, and Ti-6Al-4V. The lack of a credible fastener torque database for small (#0 through #8) high strength stainless steel screws in various parent materials, led to the development of an experimental program to characterize the following: a. The screw torque value versus angular rotation (which indicates yielding in the screw or parent material) as a function of screw diameter, screw head configuration, depth of thread engagement, type of parent material, type of surface treatment on parent material, presence of thread locking compound, repeatable threaded hole use, and degree of screw pedigree. b. The relationship between fastener torque and clamping force for a subset of the above mentioned variables. The database generated from this study will serve as a design reference for utilizing small stainless steel fasteners and provide trending information for other researchers who may be interested in broadening its range of parameters. This paper reviews the related fastener torque and clamping force information from the literature, describes the experimental screw torque and clamping force monitoring equipment, presents the test matrix and experimental procedures, and discusses the empirical results.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Reported change in sexuality from young adulthood to old age

It was hypothesized and found that women, more than men, would report increases from young adulthood to old age on one or more of six measures: incidence of sexual activity, frequency of orgasm, interest in sexual activity, sexual urge, subjective pleasure regarding sexual activities, and satisfaction with sex life. In a volunteer sample of 62 women and 40 men aged 60 to 85 residing in the Northeast, self‐ratings of participation in sexual activities and feelings about sexual experience at the present time were contrasted with retrospective reports of respondents' activities and feelings between the ages of 20 and 30. Respondents' reasons for positive changes in any of the measures supported the theoretical assumptions underlying the hypothesis: Enhanced sexuality was attributed to role transitions, menopause, changing cultural standards for female sexuality, and increased control over one's sexual life. Results suggest the utility of a life‐span theory in explicating changes in sexuality during adulthood...
Stem cells in animal models of regeneration

Discovered centuries ago, regeneration is a fascinating biological phenomenon that continues to intrigue. The study of regeneration promises to inform how adult tissues heal and rebuild themselves such that this process may someday be stimulated in a clinical setting. Although mammals are limited in their ability to regenerate, closely and distantly related species alike can perform astonishing regenerative feats. Many different animals representing almost all phyla harness an innate ability to rebuild missing adult structures lost to injury. However, it is unclear which aspects of regeneration are conserved and which are unique to a given context. One aspect of regeneration that appears to be shared is the use of stem/progenitor cells to replace missing tissues. In this chapter, we review what is known about the natural role of stem cells during animal regeneration. While many animals regenerate, we limit our discussion to amphibians, zebrafish, and planarians, well-studied bilateral organisms that invoke cell proliferation in response to injury. With the exception of planarians, the cellular source of regeneration remains mysterious. Are stem cells that rebuild missing tissues present prior to injury, or are they generated during the injury response? If they are generated de novo , where do they come from? Can regenerative stem cells give rise to all of the missing cell types, or are multiple lineage-restricted stem cells required? Current studies in the field of animal regeneration are intensely focused on answering these central questions.
Theory and progress in social science

This work, sequel to the author's Theories of Civil Violence, attacks questions that have long troubled social science and social scientists - questions of the cumulative nature of social inquiry. Does the knowledge generated by the study of social, political, and economic life grow more comprehensive over time? These questions go to the heart of social scientists' soul-searching as to whether they are indeed engaged in 'science'. The author pursues these questions through in-depth examination of various theoretical programs currently influential in social science, including feminist social science, rational choice theory, network analysis and others.
The evolving role of exercise testing prior to lung resection.

Exercise testing prior to lung resection has long and honored tradition. It began as a test of tolerance using simple techniques such as stair climbing. This was followed by aggressive and invasive protocols using right cardiac catheterization in the search for pulmonary hypertension. More recently, measurement of V ˙ o2 with exercise has been reported to predict both postoperative mortality and survivable morbidity. Exercise testing holds promise as a noninvasive test to predict the physiologic outcome from lung resection. Significant questions remain concerning the pathophysiologic mechanisms responsible for an abnormal result and who should be denied thoracotomy based on these results. (Chest 1989; 95:218-25)
Morphology and histochemistry of the soleus muscle from normal and exercised rats.

Sixty white rats were divided into three groups which consisted of (1) rats individually housed in cages having dimensions of 24 × 18 × 18 cm, (2) rats housed in similar cages and forced to swim for 30 minutes a day with a weight equal to 3% of body weight, and (3) rats housed in individual cages equipped with a revolving drum permitting each rat to exercise at will. The third group was also forced to swim for two 30-minute periods each day with a weight equal to 4% of body weight attached to the tip of the tail. The experimental treatments lasted for a period of 52 days. The rats were exercised six days per week. The day after the final treatment, the left soleus, plantaris and gastrocnemius muscles were removed, frozen, and serial sections treated with a variety of histochemical and histological procedures. Necrotic, angular and split fibers were observed in the soleus muscle but not the gastrocnemius and plantaris of sedentary, moderately exercised and heavily exercised rats. These features were characteristic of the seemingly normal soleus of sedentary and chronically exercised rats and were not manifestations of any apparent myopathy. No difference was found in the number of fibers that were longitudinally split. However, the number of fibers (“subfibers”) resulting from split fibers was greater in the moderately exercised than in the sedentary rats, but greatest in the heavily exercised group.
Sterilization of E. coli by pulsed spark discharge in continuous water circulation system

The application of plasma directly in water has been studied in recent years, because of its practical applications in water sterilization and decontamination. Although the mechanism is not fully understood, it is expected that the physical effects such as high electric field, Shockwaves and ultraviolet radiation, as well as reactive species produced from the discharge, significantly contribute in the inactivation of microorganisms. In this work, the results of recent experiments of sterilization of E. Coli with the use of pulsed spark discharge in a continuous water circulation system are presented. The main objective was to discuss the optimization of water solution sterilization by plasma for more realistic applications and its scalability for industrial use, taking into account the influence of energy density of plasma and various water parameters. An energy requirement of about 500 J/L was observed to achieve three log reduction of E. coli in the circulation system, which is higher than the energy requirement for batch process systems 1. Comparison of inactivation efficiencies determined at different initial bacterial concentration will be made. Also the influence of water parameters including conductivity, flow rate and total water volume et. al. will be discussed.
Anomalous Birefringence in Discretely Phase‐Separated Glasses

Rods of Corning code 7070 alkali borosilicate glass were stretched or compressed at 600° to 700°C before or after discrete phase separation and given a postpulling heat treatment at around 500°C. As expected, sections of the rods displayed anomalous birefringence which has been identified by Takamori to originate from anisotropy in the form and the distribution of the second-phase particles. Specimens so obtained were reheated, and the birefringence measured as a function of temperature to separate the contributions of form, distribution, and the thermal expansion mismatch (if any) between the separated phases. It is clear that the form birefringence in 7070 glass is positive for stretched rods and negative for compressed rods and decays at lower temperatures than does the distribution birefringence which has an opposite sign. TEM replica micrographs show that the distribution birefringence decays as a function of temperature mostly because of phase dissolution and the reappearance of yet another phase randomly.
Brigands and State Building: The Invention of Banditry in Modern Egypt

A late nineteenth-century epidemic of banditry seems to have swept through the Egyptian countryside, at least according to the writings and actions of influential Egyptians at that time. Contemporary newspapers recounted daily episodes in which gangs composed of between six and sixty or seventy members raided large estates, robbed travelling merchants, and organized local protection rackets. The threat to public security drew the greatest attention in the decade following the British occupation of Egypt in 1882.
IEEE 7 th BIBE Keynote: Promoter studies in the human genome: one perspective on an unfinished story

This article discusses the advances in genomic studies for the last 50 years. Developments on the fields of DNA research including computing and gene regulation are focused.
The Contribution of Income to Improved Nutrition in Côte d'Ivoire

This paper estimates a reduced form nutritional status function, that includes a linear combination of independent variables which explain the household's per capita consumption expenditures. Instrumented consumption expenditures are considered a good proxy for permanent income, and the findings indicate that they are an important determinant of long-term (or chronic) malnutrition. Income, however, does not have a significant effect on current (or acute) malnutrition. Mothers with more education will be less likely to have children who suffer from acute malnutrition when controlling for income levels. The education of the father, however, does not confer the same positive benefits upon his children's nutritional welfare, except as mediated through higher earnings. Parental height, especially of women, also has an important impact on long-term nutritional status. The characteristics of the village in which the household resides also play an important role in determining levels of malnutrition. Copyright 1994 by Oxford University Press.
New Spaces and Old Places: An Analysis of Writing Assessment Software

Abstract This article examines the strengths and weaknesses of emerging writing assessment technologies. Instead of providing a comprehensive review of each program, we take a deliberately selective approach using three key understandings about writing as a framework for analysis: writing is a socially situated activity; writing is functionally and formally diverse; and writing is a meaning-making activity that can be conveyed in multiple modalities. We conclude that the programs available today largely neglect the potential of emerging technologies to promote a broader vision of writing. Instead, they tend to align with the narrow view of writing dominant in a more recent era of testing and accountability, a view that is increasingly thrown into question. New technologies, we conclude, are for the most part being used to reinforce old practices. At a time when computer technology is increasingly looked to as a way to improve assessment, these findings have important implications.
RENAL CELL CARCINOMA PRESENTING WITH MESENTERIC THROMBOSIS AND ANTICARDIOLIPIN ANTIBODIES: ECHOES OF TROUSSEAU'S SYNDROME?

Hematological manifestations of renal cell carcinoma are common. However, while red blood cell abnormalities may be found in 30 to 60% of patients, coagulation disorders are exceedingly We report a case of renal cell carcinoma presenting with mesenteric venous thrombosis associated with anticardiolipin antibodies. To our knowledge our case is the fourth report in the literature of renal cell carcinoma presenting with distant venous thrombosis and the first report of mesenteric thrombosis associated with anticardiolipin antibodies and renal cell carcinoma. CASE REPORT
PUBLICATION BIAS: A CASE STUDY OF FOUR TEST VENDORS

This article has 2 goals. First, we discuss publication bias and explain why it presents a potential problem for industrial and organizational psychology. After reviewing the traditional failsafe N, or file drawer analysis, we introduce a more sophisticated method of publication bias analysis (trim and fill), which has been developed in the medical literature but is largely unfamiliar to industrial and organizational psychology researchers. Second, we demonstrate trim and fill by applying it to validity information reported in the technical manuals of 4 test vendors. In doing so, we assess the likelihood that criterion-related validity information provided by test publishers may overestimate test validity. In our analysis of 18 validity distributions, we found evidence of either no or minimal bias for 2 of the vendors’ distributions and evidence of moderate-to-severe bias in at least 1 distribution from each of the other 2 vendors. In both cases in which publication bias was found, we noted instances in which the publishers tended to report only statistically significant correlations and that this practice was detected using publication bias methodology.
A systematic review of reviews of behavioral interventions to promote condom use.

Background Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are a major public health problem. Realistically, condom use is still the primary means to prevent STIs. Because many behavioral intervention studies have been performed to increase condom use across multiple populations and many reviews have been done, a review of all these reviews is warranted. Aims The purpose of this paper is to examine Level I evidence of behavioral intervention studies to promote condom use. The purpose of this evidence-based practice (EBP) review is to examine the evidence and determine: (a) if behavioral interventions are effective; and (b) if they are, what are the common characteristics of successful interventions that need to be implemented in practice. Methods A systematic search for literature was conducted in the following databases: Cochrane Library, Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), MEDLINE, PubMed, and Psychological and Behavioral Sciences Collection. The following parameters were used for the search: (a) a meta-analysis or level 1 synthesis of literature containing only intervention (randomized control trials or quasi-experimental) studies; (b) peer-reviewed journals; (c) published in the past 10 years (2002–2012); (d) had adolescents or adults as the sample (13–44 years of age); and (e) were published in English. Results Behavioral interventions were effective in promoting condom use and other safer sexual practices and reducing STIs. They were not effective in promoting abstinence. Tailoring to certain characteristics of the population and including skills building exercises were primary characteristics in the successful interventions Implications There is a preponderance of evidence that behavioral interventions do promote condom use and reduce STIs across diverse groups of individuals. Clinicians can use these interventions with confidence in practice.
WHAT DETERMINES CORRUPTION? INTERNATIONAL EVIDENCE FROM MICRODATA

This paper uses a microlevel data set from 49 countries to create a direct measure of corruption, which portrays the extent of bribery as revealed by individuals who live in those countries. In addition, it investigates the determinants of being asked for a bribe at the individual level. The results show that both personal and country characteristics determine the risk of exposure to bribery. Examples are gender, income, education, marital status, the city size, the country’s unemployment rate, average education, and the strength of the institutions in the country. (JEL K4, D73 P16)
Adaptive Skills Dysfunction in ADD and ADHD Children

Adaptive functioning was examined in children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) or Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), and a psychiatric comparison group of children with pervasive developmental disorders or mild mental retardation (PDD/MR). As assessed with the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales, adaptive functioning was well below average for all three clinic groups. (The PDD/MR group had the lowest adaptive functioning scores, although not statistically different from the other groups). However, the level of adaptive functioning relative to IQ in the areas of Socialization, Communication and Daily Living was significantly lower for the ADD and ADHD groups. These deficits in adaptive functioning that characterize children with ADHD and ADD may help explain the poor long-term prognosis of ADHD, suggesting that increased attention should be paid to the assessment and treatment of adaptive functioning in individuals with ADHD and ADD.
What Drives Calcium Oscillations in β-Cells? New Tasks for Cyclic Analysis

Insulin secretion is initiated by metabolism-dependent depolarization of the plasma membrane and regulated in part by oscillations of the plasma membrane potential, which drive oscillations of cytosolic calcium. Mathematical models have been useful to help understand the key factors underlying these phenomena. Modelling approaches show that candidates for a pacemaker underlying the membrane potential bursts and cytosolic Ca2+ oscillations include cyclic changes in the ratio of ATP to ADP, Ca2+ concentration in the endoplasmic reticulum or cytosolic Na+ concentration. However, additional experiments to evaluate the dynamics of integrated signalling systems with cyclic analysis using mathematical models are necessary to better understand this emerging aspect of β-cell physiology.
Impact of technetium-99m sestamibi imaging on the emergency department management and costs in the evaluation of low-risk chest pain.

Objectives: To assess the impact of rest sestamibi scanning on emergency physicians' (EPs') diagnostic certainty and decision making (as assessed by the hypothetical disposition of patients) for 69 con- senting stable patients with suspected acute cardiac ischemia and nondiagnostic electrocardiograms. The resultant impact on costs was examined as a second- ary outcome. Methods: Patients with suspected acute cardiac ischemia were injected with 25 mCi of sesta- mibi within two hours of active pain in one of three emergency department study sites. The probability of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and unstable an- gina (UA), and hypothetical disposition decisions were recorded immediately before and after physi- cians were notified of scan results. Changes in dis- position were classified as optimal or suboptimal. For the cost determinations, a cost-based decision support program was used. Results: For the subgroup found to be free of acute cardiac events (ACEs) (n = 62), the EPs' post-sestamibi scan probabilities for AMI de- creased by 11% and UA by 18% (p < 0.001 for both conditions). In seven patients with ACEs, the post- scan probabilities of AMI and UA increased, but nei- ther was statistically significant. Scan results led to hypothetical disposition changes in 29 patients (42%), of which 27 (93%) were optimal (nine patients were reassigned to a lower level of care, two to a higher level, and 16 additional patients to ''discharge-home'' status). The strategy of scanning all patients who were low to moderate risk for acute cardiac ischemia would result in an increase of direct costs of care of $222 per patient evaluated, due to added cost of ses- tamibi scanning. Conclusions: Sestamibi scanning results appropriately affected the EPs' estimates of the probability of AMI and UA and improved dispo- sition decisions. Scanning all low-risk patients would likely be associated with increased costs at this med-
An Integral Solution for Heat Transfer in Accelerating Turbulent Boundary Layers

An equilibrium thermal wake strength parameter is developed for a two-dimensional turbulent boundary layer flow and is then used in the combined thermal law of the wall and the wake to give an approximate temperature profile to insert into the integral form of the thermal energy equation. After the solution of the integral x momentum equation, the integral thermal energy equation is solved for the local Stanton number as a function of position x for accelerating turbulent boundary layers. A simple temperature distribution in the thermal "superlayer" is part of the present modeling. The analysis includes a dependence of the hydrodynamic and thermal wake strengths on the momentum thickness and enthalpy thickness Reynolds numbers, respectively. An approximate dependence of the turbulent Prandtl number, in the "log" region, on the strength of the favorable pressure gradient is proposed and incorporated into the solution. The resultant solution for the Stanton number distribution in accelerated turbulent flows is compared with experimental data in the literature. A comparison of the present predictions is also made to a finite difference solution, which uses the turbulent kinetic energy-turbulent dissipation model of turbulence, for a few cases of accelerating flows.
Measurement of Composite Fiber Volume Fraction Using Thermal and Ultrasonic Inspection Techniques

Many methods exist for the experimental determination of fiber volume fraction (FVF) in graphite epoxy composites. The most commonly used method of determining composite FVF involves the removal of the matrix by burn off or acid digestion. In addition to being destructive, this technique is time consuming and requires the disposal of toxic waste. Also this technique can be operator dependent (Cilley et al., 1974). Recent work (Zalameda et al. 1992) has shown that the FVF can be determined by measuring thermal diffusivity assuming negligible porosity levels. In addition, work has been done in ultrasonically determining porosity in composites by using a frequency dependent relative attenuation measurement (Hughes et al., 1987). The objective of this work is to develop a nondestructive technique to determine FVF using a dual inspection methodology. The relationship between thermal diffusivity and fiber, matrix and void volume fractions is described in a one dimensional heat flow model where the void volume fraction is determined ultrasonically. The use of a phase lag technique is implemented to make quantitative measurements of thermal diffusivity. These measurements were on composite plates with varying FVF. Diffusivity measurements indicated a nonlinear relation between FVF and measured diffusivity with values ranging from .003 to .007 cm^2/ sec. In addition to the thermal measurements, frequency dependent relative attenuation ultrasonic measurements were made within the area to be destructively tested. Results have shown an approximate linear correlation between porosity and attenuation. Results will be presented on 16 and 32 ply composite plates with lay ups of [0/90] 4s and [0/90] 8s and with FVF values ranging from 50 to 75 percent. A comparison of the measurement results to destructive testing is shown and the implementation of the thermal and ultrasonic measurement techniques is described.
The hydration response of poly(L‐lysine) dynamics measured by 13C‐nmr spectroscopy

13C-nmr measurements are reported for samples of poly (L-lysine) both static and spinning at the magic angle in the beta-sheet form as a function of water content. The addition of water decreases the side-chain line widths considerably. Measurements of the cross-polarization time constants indicate that hydration by either H2O or D2O increases the time constant. Measurements of spin-lattice relaxation times in the laboratory frame and the rotating frame indicate that hydration does not change the dynamics of the backbone carbon atoms in the beta-sheet structure appreciably, but the side-chain atoms experience considerable increase in local mobility with increasing hydration. Deuteration of the exchangeable protons or the water has only small effects on the carbon relaxation times, indicating that relaxation is driven by intramolecular dipole-dipole interactions.
Activation of pulmonary C fibres by adenosine in anaesthetized rats: role of adenosine A1 receptors

1. Intravenous administration of adenosine (Ado) to patients can cause dyspnoea, chest discomfort and bronchoconstriction. To assess the role of vagal pulmonary C fibres in evoking these adverse reactions, the effect of Ado on single pulmonary C fibres was studied in anaesthetized and artificially ventilated rats. 2. Right-atrial injection of Ado (320 microg kg-1) activated 68 % (73/107) of pulmonary C fibres; the total number of action potentials during a period of 15 s increased from a baseline of 0.2 +/- 0.1 impulses to a peak of 16.4 +/- 2.6 impulses (P < 0.01, n = 107) after Ado. Inosine, the metabolite of Ado, did not activate any of eleven C fibres tested in six rats. Furthermore, C fibres were activated only by right-atrial and not by left-ventricular injection of the same dose of Ado. 3. Unlike the immediate and transient stimulation of C fibres by capsaicin, the C fibre stimulation by Ado had a latency of 6.5 +/- 0.3 s (range, 3-18 s) and lasted longer. 4. The stimulation of C fibres by Ado was significantly attenuated by pretreatment with aminophylline, a non-selective Ado receptor antagonist, was completely prevented by 1,3-dipropyl-8-cyclopentylxanthine, an Ado A1 receptor antagonist, but was unaffected by 3,7-dimethy-1-propargylxanthine, an A2 receptor antagonist. None of these Ado receptor antagonists prevented capsaicin-induced C fibre stimulation. 5. In conclusion, Ado stimulates pulmonary C fibre terminals through an activation of A1 receptors. The stimulation of pulmonary C fibres may play an important role in Ado-induced adverse respiratory effects.
Shear Band Development in a Viscoplastic Cylinder

We study the development of shear bands in a viscoplastic hollow circular cylinder containing two elliptical voids on a radial line and located symmetrically about the center. The material of the cylinder is assumed to exhibit strain and strain-rate hardening and thermal softening. The impact loading on the inner surface of the cylinder is simulated by applying a known radial velocity to particles on the inner surface; the outer surface of the cylinder is taken to be traction free. Both of these surfaces are taken to be perfectly insulated. It is found that shear bands initiate from void tips closer to the inner surface sooner than those from the other void tips. The effect of strain-hardening is to delay the initiation of shear bands.
Treatment breakthroughs for the management of acute myeloid leukemia

SUMMARY Although there has been substantial improvement in the survival of younger patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) since the 1970s, over the past two decades subsequent gains have been modest. Survival rates in older patients with AML remain dismal and have seen minimal change since the advent of modern induction chemotherapy. However, over the past decade, there has been a dramatic increase in the development of new therapies that have promising potential to further improve survival in both older and younger patients with AML. In this review, we will examine recent and ongoing breakthroughs in genetic discovery and gene profiling, intensification of induction chemotherapy, the development of novel agents, the management of older adults and allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation. We will also discuss exciting advances in the management of acute promyelocytic leukemia; a disease that is now imminently curable.
Treatment of spatial memory impairment in hamsters infected with West Nile virus using a humanized monoclonal antibody MGAWN1

Abstract In addition to functional disorders of paresis, paralysis, and cardiopulmonary complications, subsets of West Nile virus (WNV) patients may also experience neurocognitive deficits and memory disturbances. A previous hamster study has also demonstrated spatial memory impairment using the Morris water maze (MWM) paradigm. The discovery of an efficacious therapeutic antibody MGAWN1 from pre-clinical rodent studies raises the possibility of preventing or treating WNV-induced memory deficits. In the current study, hamsters were treated intraperitoneally (i.p.) with 32 mg/kg of MGAWN1 at 4.5 days after subcutaneously (s.c.) challenging with WNV. As expected, MGAWN1 prevented mortality, weight loss, and improved food consumption of WNV-infected hamsters. The criteria for entry of surviving hamsters into the study were that they needed to have normal motor function (forelimb grip strength, beam walking) and normal spatial reference memory in the MWM probe task. Twenty-eight days after the acute phase of the disease had passed, MGAWN1- and saline-treated infected hamsters were again trained in the MWM. Spatial memory was evaluated 48 h after this training in which the hamsters searched for the location where a submerged escape platform had been positioned. Only 56% of infected hamsters treated with saline spent more time in the correct quadrant than the other three quadrants, as compared to 92% of MGAWN1-treated hamsters (P ⩽ 0.05). Overall these studies support the possibility that WNV can cause spatial memory impairment and that therapeutic intervention may be considered.
How Much Farmland is Being Converted to Urban Use

The National Agricultural Lands Study (NALS), using data prepared by the Soil Conservation Service (SCS), has estimated that between 1967 and 1977 two to three million acres annually have been shifted from farmland to urban uses and water. This paper argues that the underlying data have not been shown to be reliable. The sample in a 1975 re-survey is far too small for accurate estimates in this context, and the methods used in the comparison of surveys are probably biased because they allow for correction of errors in only one direction. There are many inconsistencies among the NALS reports and grave conflicts between the estimates derived from the SCS sources and other sources. The SCS-NALS estimates probably are much too high and should not be used in public discussion of policy on this matter. The historical average of one million acres per year seems much better supported by the evidence observed from 1950 to 1967.
A fuzzy c means variant for clustering evolving data streams

Clustering algorithms for streaming data sets are gaining importance due to the availability of large data streams from different sources. Recently a number of streaming algorithms have been proposed using crisp algorithms such as hard c means or its variants. The crisp cases may not be easily generalized to fuzzy cases as these two groups of algorithms try to optimize different objective functions. In this paper we propose a streaming variant of the fuzzy c means algorithm. At any stage during processing, a good streaming algorithm should be able to summarize data seen so far and also respond to evolving distributions. We study the tradeoff involved between summarization of data seen and response to an evolving distribution by varying the amount of history used by a streaming algorithm. Empirical evaluation of the performance of our algorithm using both artificial and real data sets under a noisy setting shows its effectiveness.
The Histidine Kinase Domain of UhpB Inhibits UhpA Action at the Escherichia coli uhpT Promoter

The histidine kinase (HK) component of many two-component regulatory systems exhibits regulated ability to phosphorylate itself and to participate in transfer of phosphate to and from its cognate response regulator. The signaling system that controls expression of the UhpT sugar phosphate transporter in Escherichia coli in response to external glucose 6-phosphate includes the HK protein UhpB and the polytopic membrane protein UhpC, a UhpT homolog which is required for responsiveness to an inducer and activation of UhpB. The existence of a UhpBC signaling complex is suggested by the requirement for UhpC for the activity of certain constitutively active variants of UhpB, the dominance and epistasis relationships of uhp alleles, and the finding that expression of UhpB in excess of UhpC has a strong dominant-negative effect. Expression of a hybrid protein containing the cytoplasmic C-terminal half of UhpB fused to glutathione S-transferase (GST) also interfered with Uhp signaling. This interference phenotype could not result solely from the phosphatase activity of UhpB, because interference affected both overexpressed UhpA and UhpA variants which are active in the absence of phosphorylation. Variant forms of UhpB which were active in the absence of UhpC carried amino acid substitutions near motifs conserved in HK proteins. The GST fusion protein inhibited the ability of UhpA to bind and activate transcription at the uhpT promoter. Unlike the wild-type situation, a GST fusion variant carrying one of the UhpB-activating substitutions, R324C, displayed autokinase activity and phosphate transfer to UhpA but retained the ability to sequester UhpA when it was altered in the conserved residues important for phosphate transfer. Thus, the default state of UhpB is kinase off, and activation of its phosphate transfer activity requires either the action of UhpC or the occurrence of certain mutations in UhpB. The interference phenotype shown by UhpB in excess of UhpC appears to include the binding and sequestration of UhpA.
Minority Mayors and the Hollow-Prize Problem

The number of African American and Hispanic mayors of American cities has grown steadily since 1967, the year that Cleveland elected Carl Stokes the first minority mayor of a major American city.' Over the past three decades, cities in all parts of the country have elected black and Hispanic mayors, including the five largest: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, and Philadelphia. As the new century begins, almost one-third (25/76) of major American cities have minority mayors. The election of minority mayors is a clear sign of political progress by minorities since passage of the civil rights acts of the 1960s. At the same time, many questions remain regarding the degree to which minority urban populations benefit from the election of minority mayors. On one hand, as many scholars have shown, when minorities gain increased political representation in city governments, they usually acquire tangible, albeit often modest, benefits (Browning, Marshall, and Tabb 1984; Browning, Marshall, and Tabb 1997; Eisinger 1984; Karnig and Welch 1980; Woody 1982). But another group of commentators has emphasized the structural and institutional limita-
Regulation of Photosynthesis during Leaf Development in RbcS Antisense DNA Mutants of Tobacco

We have previously characterized RbcS antisense DNA mutants of tobacco that have drastic reductions in their content of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco; S.R. Rodermel, M.S. Abbott, L. Bogorad [1988] Cell 55: 673–681). In this report we examine the impact of Rubisco loss on photosynthesis during tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) leaf development. Photosynthetic capacities are depressed in the antisense leaves, but the patterns of change in photosynthetic rates during the development of these leaves are similar to those in wild-type plants: after attaining a maximum in young leaves, photosynthetic capacities undergo a prolonged senescence decline in older leaves. The alterations in photosynthetic capacities in both the wild type and mutant are closely correlated with changes in Rubisco activity and content. During wild-type leaf development, Rubisco accumulation is regulated by coordinate changes in RbcS and rbcL transcript accumulation, whereas in the antisense leaves, Rubisco content is a function of RbcS, but not rbcL, transcript abundance. This indicates that large subunit protein production is controlled posttranscriptionally in the mutants. The antisense leaves accumulate near-normal levels of chlorophyll and representative photosynthetic proteins throughout development, suggesting that photosynthetic gene expression is not feedback regulated by Rubisco abundance. Considered together, the data in this paper indicate that leaf developmental programs are generally insensitive to sharp reductions in Rubisco content and emphasize the metabolic plasticity of plant cells in achieving optimal photosynthetic rates.
Chemical factors in propellant ignition

A method of studying solid propellant ignition is described which utilizes detonating gas igniters. This article describes (1) conditions required for obtaining reproducible igniter systems and (2) results of application of the method to four well-known rocket propellants in which various “chemical” and “thermal” effects were brought out by suitable variations in the initial pressure and composition of the detonating gas igniter. Successful application of the detonating-gas-igniter method requires the use of steady state detonation waves, i.e., waves in which the detonation head has attained a steady “size” and momentum. Experimental data are presented which show that detonation (following the initial predetonation buildup) must travel 40 to 50 cm. in a 1-in. diam. steel tube before these steady state conditions are established in the systems studied. Results of studies by the detonating gas ignition method show that, besides the important purely physical effects of temperature and pressure, free oxygen and solid carbon in the igniter system are very effective in lowering the threshold ignition pressure. Moreover, increasing oxygen in the igniter markedly lowers the ignition time lag (τp) for appearance of an observable flame although it increases the time lag (τi) for appearance of reaction sufficient to cause the first measurable ionization in the reaction zone (τp ≫ τi). Although true flame-ignition time lags were observed to be of the order of several milliseconds, reaction of the propellant was observed to start within 1 msec. (possibly immediately) after collision of the detonation wave with the propellant. The detonating gas method is shown to provide a reliable measure of the relative ignition sensitivities of various rocket propellants.
UNIQUENESS IMPLIES EXISTENCE OF SOLUTIONS FOR NONLINEAR (k; j) POINT BOUNDARY VALUE PROBLEMS FOR NTH ORDER DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS

Given appropriate growth conditions for f and a uniqueness assumption on y (n) = 0 with respect to certain (k; j) point boundary value problems, it is shown that uniqueness of solutions to the nonlinear differential equation
Advantages and problems of soft computing

Soft computing can be a very attractive alternative to a purely digital system, but there are many traps waiting for researchers trying to apply this new exciting technology. For nonlinear processing both neural networks and fuzzy systems can be used. Terrifically neural networks should provide much better solutions: smoother surfaces, larger number of inputs and outputs, better generalization abilities, faster processing time, etc. In industrial practice, however, many people are frustrated with neural networks not being aware that the reason for their frustrations are wrong learning algorithms and wrong neural network architectures. Having difficulties with neural network training, many industrial practitioner are enlarging neural networks and indeed such networks converges to solutions much faster. But at the same time such excessively large network are not able to respond correctly to new patterns which were not used for training. This paper describes how to use effective neural networks and how to avoid all reasons for frustration.
Solution-processed hybrid perovskite photodetectors with high detectivity

Organic–inorganic hybrid perovskite materials are attracting great interest for their applications in photovoltaics where they have demonstrated excellent efficiency. Here, Dou et al. demonstrate room temperature, solution-processed hybrid perovskite photodetectors with fast response and high detectivity.
A new method of state machine controller design and implementation using programmable logic devices for industrial applications

The design process of the state machine controller using PLDs (programmable logic devices) for industrial applications is shown, and an example is provided. In this example, the authors started with the logical concept of the controller and synthesized the controller onto a single chip. This new trend of sequential digital circuit design and fabrication is quickly replacing the conventional error-prone methods. >
Determination of free digoxin concentrations in serum for monitoring fab treatment of digoxin overdose

A rapid method for assessing the free digoxin concentration in the serum of digoxin-overdosed patients receiving treatment with digoxin-specific Fab fragments has been developed. For this method, a protein-free ultrafiltrate is prepared from the patient's serum, and the digoxin in the ultrafiltrate (free digoxin) is measured by fluorescence polarization immunoassay. Both the inaccuracies associated with measurements of total digoxin by immunoassay in the presence of Fab and the long turnaround time associated with measurements of free digoxin by equilibrium dialysis were avoided. Good correlation was observed between measurements of free digoxin by this ultrafiltration technique and by equilibrium dialysis. The ultrafiltration method was used to evaluate the concentrations of free digoxin in a digoxin-overdosed patient treated with Fab at our hospital. In retrospect, the results suggest that her hospital stay could have been shortened by a timely appreciation of her increased concentration of free digoxin. Using the ultrafiltration method, one can determine free digoxin concentrations quickly, conveniently, and accurately in the clinical laboratory. This procedure therefore should be a valuable aid in monitoring the efficacy and adequacy of Fab treatment.
Vagal regulation of gastric prostaglandin E2 release by central TRH in rats

The central action of the stable thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) analogue, RX 77368, to induce vagal release of gastric prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) was investigated in urethan-anesthetized rats. Intracisternal RX 77368 (1.5-1,000 ng) dose dependently increased gastric PGE2 levels measured for 3 h in the perfusate of dialysis fibers implanted into the corpus submucosa. RX 77368 injected intravenously (1,000 ng) had no effect. The stimulatory action of RX 77368 (1.5 ng) on gastric PGE2 release was blocked by indomethacin and bilateral cervical vagotomy. Omeprazole did not alter the PGE2 response to 3 ng of RX 77368 and reduced by 39% PGE2 release induced by the 1,000-ng dose. RX 77368 (1.5 ng) by itself did not influence acid secretion but increased acid output to 117 +/- 18 mumol/2 h in indomethacin-pretreated rats. Indomethacin also increased by 97% the acid response to the 3-ng dose of RX 77368, but the effect of a maximal effective dose of RX 77368 was not modified. These results indicate that RX 77368 acts in the brain to induce a vagal-dependent stimulation of gastric PGE2 secretion which is biologically active to reduce the acid response to submaximal doses of TRH analogue. These data suggest a possible role of medullary TRH in the central vagal regulation of gastric PGE2 release.