cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Zoo and Aquarium History : Ancient Animal Collections To Zoological Gardens

ANCIENT COLLECTIONS AND MENAGERIES, Vernon N. Kisling, Jr. Keeping Wild Animals Ancient Collections Menageries ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS OF GREAT BRITAIN, Clinton H. Keeling The Tower Menagerie Estate Collections and the Windsor Great Park The Exeter Change Three Nineteenth Century Private Collections Zoological Gardens at Surrey and Liverpool Manchester Zoological Gardens and the Belle Vue Zoo Zoological Gardens at Edinburgh, Bristol, Hull and Preston Zoological Gardens at Paignton, Chester and Dudley London Zoological Garden Zoological Gardens at Whipsnade and Jersey ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS OF WESTERN EUROPE, Harro Strelow Post-Medieval Collections to Modern Zoos Early Modern Zoos Modern Zoos ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS OF EASTERN EUROPE AND RUSSIA, Leszek Solski Poland Russia Soviet Union Czech Republic Hungary Bulgaria General Comments on Eastern Europe Zoos ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS OF THE UNITED STATES, Vernon N. Kisling, Jr. Eighteenth and Nineteenth Century Menageries Nineteenth Century Zoos and Aquariums Twentieth Century Zoos and Aquariums ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS OF AUSTRALIA, Catherine de Courcy Foundation and Development Survival, 1920-1960 Modernization, 1960-Present ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS OF ASIA, Sally Walker Southwest Asia South Asia Southeast Asia Indonesia East Asia ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS OF INDIA, Sally Walker Ancient Invaders - Vedic, Guptas, Moguls, Europeans Nineteenth Century Indian Zoos Twentieth Century Indian Zoos Indian Zoos and Wildlife ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS OF JAPAN, Ken Kawata Historical Overview Institutional Overview Administrative Overview Animal Collections Internationalization and Cultural Uniqueness ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS OF AFRICA, Willie Labuschagne and Sally Walker Arab Republic of Egypt Sub-Saharan Africa African Region ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS OF SOUTH AMERICA, James F. Ellis, Jr., and Georgeann A. Ellis Brazilian Zoos Parque Zoobotanico Museu, Paraense Emilio Goeldi South American Zoos APPENDIX: Zoos and Aquariums of the World INDEX
The effect of delaying pollination on cantaloupe production

SUMMARYDuring the growing seasons of 1992 and 1993, in Wesiaco, Texas, USA, pollination of cantaloupes (Cucumis melo) was delayed by either 0, 6 or 12 days. Pollination was prevented by covering plants with floating row covers at the time of first female flowering. Plants were left covered for either 6 or 12 days and then exposed to honey bee visitation. Cultivare used in the 1992 season were Cruiser, Explorer and Primo. Cruiser, Mission and Primo were used in 1993. Twelve colonies of honey bees were placed on the border of the test plots in 1992 and two in 1993. In 1992, Primo plants which had pollination delayed for six days produced heavier fruits and a greater total fruit weight per plant than those not delayed or delayed 12 days. Cruiser and Explorer produced smaller fruits when pollination was delayed 12 days but were unaffected by a 6-day delay. In 1993, Mission delayed for 12 days produced more fruits per plant. No differences in fruit quality (percentage culls, soluble solid content and size) or ...
Morbilidad y utilización de servicios desalud entre población de edadavanzada: un análisis comparativo

Resumen es: El articulo examina los patrones de morbilidad y utilizacion de servicios de salud entre la poblacion de edad de 60 anos y mas en Mexico, y compara lo...
A medium voltage bidirectional DC-DC converter combining resonant and dual active bridge converters

In this paper, an isolated bidirectional dc-dc converter for medium voltage application is proposed. It combines the resonant converter and dual active bridge converter (DAB). Under normal load condition, this isolated converter operates at resonant point to achieve zero voltage (ZVS) turn on at primary side and zero current (ZCS) turn off at secondary side. When over current happens, the voltage across the resonant capacitor will be clamped by paralleled diode and the converter will automatically switch to resonant and DAB mixed operation mode, therefore cycle-by-cycle over current protection is achieved with constant switching frequency. Different operation modes are analyzed for the proposed circuits using time domain waveform and state trajectory. Detailed theoretical analysis and design procedure for transformer, resonant tank and semiconductor devices are discussed. Performance of the proposed circuit is verified by a 3 kV to 200 V, 2.5 kW experimental prototype with high voltage SiC devices.
Inverter design for high frequency power distribution

A class of simple resonantly commutated inverters are investigated for use in a high power (100 KW - 1000 KW) high frequency (10 KHz - 20 KHz) AC power distribution system. The Mapham inverter is found to provide a unique combination of large thyristor turn-off angle and good utilization factor, much better than an alternate 'current-fed' inverter. The effects of loading the Mapham inverter entirely with rectifier loads are investigated by simulation and with an experimental 3 KW 20 KHz inverter. This inverter is found to be well suited to a power system with heavy rectifier loading.
Interactions among quantitative traits in the course of sympatric speciation

Sympatric speciation, the origin of two or more species from a single local population, has almost certainly been involved in formation of several species flocks1,2,3,4, and may be fairly common in nature5. The most straightforward scenario for sympatric speciation requires disruptive selection favouring two substantially different phenotypes, and consists of the evolution of reproductive isolation between them followed by the elimination of all intermediate phenotypes6. Here we use the hypergeometric phenotypic model7,8,9,10 to show that sympatric speciation is possible even when fitness and mate choice depend on different quantitative traits, so that speciation must involve formation of covariance between these traits. The increase in the number of variable lociaffecting fitness facilitates sympatric speciation, whereas the increase in the number of variable loci affecting mate choice has the opposite effect. These predictions may enable more cases of sympatric speciation to be identified.
The Cosmopolitan University: The Medium toward Global Citizenship and Justice

This article promotes the idea of universities adopting cosmopolitanism as a way to manage the changing demands on the system of higher education in the USA, namely to improve the inclusion of international students, minority students and other historically underrepresented groups, often referred to as the 'Other', which will in turn improve the quality of their experience in college. The population of college students served by these institutions, both on American soil and abroad, has undergone serious transformations in recent decades as a result of internationalization, globalization and increased access to a more diverse group of students. Universities should seek to be respectful and inclusive of these cultures via cosmopolitanism. Cosmopolitan universities can and should become a medium from which to promote global citizenship and global justice. This article also addresses the challenges and limitations associated with a cosmopolitan university.
The evolution of cellular computing.

How do cells and nature “compute”? They read and “rewrite” DNA all the time, by processes that modify sequence at the DNA or RNA level. In 1994, Leonard Adleman reported an elegant solution to a seven-city traveling salesman problem using DNA. This launched the new field of DNA computers, which in a few years has grown to international scope. However, unknown to Adleman and his field, two ciliated protozoans of the genus Oxytricha had solved a much harder problem several million years earlier. Ciliates possess two or more dimorphic nuclei: an active somatic macronucleus and a transcriptionally inert germline micronucleus. The genomic copies of some genes in the germline micronucleus of hypotrichous ciliates are crippled by the presence of intervening non-coding DNA sequence elements (internally eliminated sequences, or IESs) which
Contribution of CNS Nicotine Metabolites to the Neuropharmacological Effects of Nicotine and Tobacco Smoking

Nicotine, the principal alkaloid in tobacco products, is generally accepted to be the active pharmacological agent responsible for CNS effects resulting from tobacco use. Arguments are presented in this commentary which take issue with this popular dogma, by providing evidence that nicotine metabolites may also be responsible for the CNS effects commonly attributed to nicotine. CNS effects attributed to nicotine include reinforcing effects, mood elevation, arousal, locomotor stimulant effects, and learning and memory enhancement. The reinforcing and locomotor stimulant effects of nicotine have been suggested to be the result of activation of CNS dopaminergic systems, and nicotine-induced modulation of dopaminergic neurotransmission has been studied in detail. Nicotine acts at a family of nicotinic receptor subtypes composed of multiple subunits; however, the exact composition of the subunits in native nicotinic receptors and the functional significance of the receptor subtype diversity are currently unknown. This nicotinic subtype diversity increases the complexity of the potential mechanisms of action of nicotine and its metabolites. Although peripheral metabolism of nicotine has been studied extensively, metabolism in the CNS has not been investigated to any great extent. Recently, studies from our laboratory have demonstrated that several nicotine metabolites are present in the CNS after acute nicotine administration. Moreover, nicotine metabolites are pharmacologically active in neurochemical and behavioral assays. Thus, CNS effects resulting from nicotine exposure may not be due solely to nicotine, but may result, at least in part, from the actions of nicotine metabolites.
Iron accumulation in deep cortical layers accounts for MRI signal abnormalities in ALS: correlating 7 tesla MRI and pathology.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by cortical and spinal motor neuron dysfunction. Routine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies have previously shown hypointense signal in the motor cortex on T2-weighted images in some ALS patients, however, the cause of this finding is unknown. To investigate the utility of this MR signal change as a marker of cortical motor neuron degeneration, signal abnormalities on 3T and 7T MR images of the brain were compared, and pathology was obtained in two ALS patients to determine the origin of the motor cortex hypointensity. Nineteen patients with clinically probable or definite ALS by El Escorial criteria and 19 healthy controls underwent 3T MRI. A 7T MRI scan was carried out on five ALS patients who had motor cortex hypointensity on the 3T FLAIR sequence and on three healthy controls. Postmortem 7T MRI of the brain was performed in one ALS patient and histological studies of the brains and spinal cords were obtained post-mortem in two patients. The motor cortex hypointensity on 3T FLAIR images was present in greater frequency in ALS patients. Increased hypointensity correlated with greater severity of upper motor neuron impairment. Analysis of 7T T2*-weighted gradient echo imaging localized the signal alteration to the deeper layers of the motor cortex in both ALS patients. Pathological studies showed increased iron accumulation in microglial cells in areas corresponding to the location of the signal changes on the 3T and 7T MRI of the motor cortex. These findings indicate that the motor cortex hypointensity on 3T MRI FLAIR images in ALS is due to increased iron accumulation by microglia.
SYNTHESIS OF HIGHLY FLUORINATED MONODISPERSE COLLOIDS FOR LOW REFRACTIVE INDEX CRYSTALLINE COLLOIDAL ARRAYS

Highly charged fluorinated monodisperse spherical particles of diameters between 50 and 250 nm were synthesized from 1H,1H-heptafluorobutyl methacrylate by emulsion polymerization. These particles have a low refractive index of 1.386. High particle surface charge densities were obtained by minimizing the polymer molecular weight. These colloids formed well-ordered crystalline colloidal arrays (CCAs), after dialysis and ion exchange, which Bragg diffract light at wavelengths from the near-IR down to 270 nm in the UV. The diffraction bandwidths in water are very narrow (<10 nm) due to the closeness of refractive index of the colloidal particles to that of water. These CCAs are excellent materials for narrow band notch optical filters. In addition, these fluorinated CCAs can be easily refractive index matched to a predominately aqueous medium. We have covalently attached dyes to the colloidal particles to prepare absorbing CCAs. We photopolymerized these dyed CCAs within a polyacrylamide matrix to form polym...
Association between hyperkalemia at critical care initiation and mortality

To investigate the association between potassium concentration at the initiation of critical care and all-cause mortality. We performed a retrospective observational study on 39,705 patients, age ≥18 years, who received critical care between 1997 and 2007 in two tertiary care hospitals in Boston, Massachusetts. The exposure of interest was the highest potassium concentration on the day of critical care initiation and categorized a priori as 4.0–4.5, 4.5–5.0, 5.0–5.5, 5.5–6.0, 6.0–6.5, or ≥6.5 mEq/l. Logistic regression examined death by days 30, 90, and 365 post-critical care initiation, and in-hospital mortality. Adjusted odds ratios were estimated by multivariable logistic regression models. The potassium concentration was a strong predictor of all-cause mortality 30 days following critical care initiation with a significant risk gradient across potassium groups following multivariable adjustment: K = 4.5–5.0 mEq/l OR 1.25 (95 % CI, 1.16–1.35; P 6.5 mEq/l OR 1.72 (95 % CI, 1.49–1.99; P < 0.0001); all relative to patients with K = 4.0–4.5 mEq/l. Similar significant associations post multivariable adjustments are seen with in-hospital mortality and death by days 90 and 365 post-critical care initiation. In patients whose hyperkalemia decreases ≥1 mEq/l in 48 h post-critical care initiation, the association between high potassium levels and mortality is no longer significant. Our study demonstrates that a patient's potassium level at critical care initiation is robustly associated with the risk of death even at moderate increases above normal.
Out of Gas?: Russia, Ukraine, Europe, and the Changing Geopolitics of Natural Gas

Curiously, a gas war was averted at the apogee of the 2013/4 Ukrainian crisis. Russia, Ukraine, and European consumer states not only refrained from precipitous shut-offs that marred conflicts in 2006 and 2009, but deepened mutual energy ties as the crisis unfolded. This article highlights shortcomings with the contemporary debate over Russia’s energy weapon made evident by the mixed diplomacy and outcomes in these successive gas crises. It then probes change to the roles, postures, and relationships among key stakeholders embodied by an emerging Europe-Eurasian gas network. The latter arguably upends classic realpolitik assumptions about pipeline politics, while illustrates how Russia is down but not out amid transformation in the regional gas landscape.
Strongly transitive fuzzy relations : an alternative way to describe similarity

The notion of a transitive closure of a fuzzy relation is very useful for clustering in pattern recognition, for fuzzy databases, etc. It is based on translating the standard definition of transitivity and transitive closure into fuzzy terms. This definition works fine, but to some extent it does not fully capture our understanding of transitivity. the reason is that this definition is based on fuzzifying only the positive side of transitivity: if R(a, b) and R(b, c), then R(a, c); but transitivity also includes a negative side: if R(a, b) and not R(a, c), then not R(b, c). In classical logic, this negative statement follows from the standard “positive” definition of transitivity. In fuzzy logic, this negative part of the transitivity has to be formulated as an additional demand. In the present article, we define a strongly transitive fuzzy relation as the one that satisfies both the positive and the negative parts of the transitivity demands, prove the existence of strong transitive closure, and find the relationship between strongly transitive similarity and clustering. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Performance Enhancement and Adverse Consequences of MDMA

SUMMARY Since its emergence as a recreational club drug in the 1970s, 3-4 methylenedioxy-methamphetamine's usage, more commonly known as ecstasy or MDMA, has risen rapidly through the 1990s, mainly among the teens and young adults of the United States and Europe due to its various perceived social effects. As a result of this sudden rise and the unknown nature of the drug's short- and long-term effects on brain chemistry and function, an ever increasing attention in the political, medical, and scientific fields has occurred which lead to increased mainstream media coverage. Although MDMA is not a performance-enhancing drug in the current use, its abuse is highly associated with motives of euphoria, increased sociability and enhanced energy that can lead to altered cognitive performance. Thus, due to the short-term, acute stimulant effects of MDMA, it is currently viewed by abusers as a performance-enhancing drug affecting both the mood and physical abilities. Given the heightened interest in MDMA as a par...
Estimation of the rate of volcanism on Venus from reaction rate measurements

Laboratory rate data for the reaction between SO2 and calcite to form anhydrite are presented. If this reaction rate represents the SO2 reaction rate on Venus, then all SO2 in the Venusian atmosphere will disappear in 1.9 Myr unless volcanism replenishes the lost SO2. The required volcanism rate, which depends on the sulfur content of the erupted material, is in the range 0.4-11 cu km of magma erupted per year. The Venus surface composition at the Venera 13, 14, and Vega 2 landing sites implies a volcanism rate of about 1 cu km/yr. This geochemically estimated rate can be used to determine if either (or neither) of two discordant geophysically estimated rates is correct. It also suggests that Venus may be less volcanically active than the earth.
Social work practice and community mental health

This study of social workers in mental health services reports on practitioners' descriptions of what they do as they perform their occupational roles and compares these descriptions with the social work role appropriate for community mental health practice. Subgroup comparisons are made-between those with the professional degree (MSW) and those without. A reported source of role strain for the group as a whole is the perceived need to broaden a clinical treatment orientation to include community organization methods.
On the orientation vector differential equation in strapdown inertial systems

An alternate derivation of the orientation vector differential equation is given, together with an assessment of the error inherent in the simplified form of this equation commonly utilized in strapdown inertial systems. >
Preparing for disaster: recommendations based on the blackout of '03.

Based on the experience of hoteliers caught in the blackout of '03, this checklist will help managers plan for power interruptions due to either man-made or natural causes. An organized approach to disaster planning provides a guide for maintaining guest service and for supporting the staff members who will provide that service in difficult circumstances. The checklist will help managers analyze the most likely problems caused by a protracted power outage and outlines preparations to address those problems.
Transverse sinus thrombosis in newborns: Clinical and magnetic resonance imaging findings

Neonatal transverse sinus thrombosis (TST) is considered a rare and severe sequela of birth injury. Clinical descriptions of this entity are few since most published series are postmortem studies. The advent of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) allows recognition of TST ante mortem. We describe 4 full-term infants with distinct clinical and neuroradiological features indicative of TST, which we suggest may be relatively common, with a wide spectrum of severity, including favorable outcome.
An analysis of student errors in the use of Japanese ‐WA and ‐GA∗

Abstract Despite considerable attention given over the last several years to the linguistic analysis of the Japanese postpositions ‐WA and ‐GA, students of Japanese as a second language continue to experience difficulty in understanding and using ‐WA and ‐GA properly. This article presents an analysis, based on functional categories, of students’ errors in the use of ‐WA and ‐GA. An acquisition or accuracy order with respect to the various functional categories of ‐WA and ‐GA is inferred from the observed error rates, the positive effect of exposure to a functional linguistic analysis of ‐WA and ‐GA is shown in relation to students’ selection of these postpositions, and the existence of certain transitional strategies for the assignment of ‐WA and ‐GA in Japanese as an L2 is suggested.
Effects of high pressure on the optical absorption spectra of colloid centers in KCl and NaCl

The spectral behavior of colloid centers in additively colored KCl and NaCl has been studied at room temperature over the pressure range 1 to 10 kbar. The optical absorption bands associated with non-scattering colloidal particles in these salts are found to exhibit blue shifts with increasing pressure. A plasma resonance model is used to account for the pressure shifts. The increase with pressure in the density of conduction electrons in the colloidal particles is the dominant effect. Pressure shifts of the peaks of the optical absorption bands are calculated using available compressibility data and the known pressure dependences of the refractive indices of the two salts. Agreement with the measured data is good. Es wurde das spektrale Verhalten von Kolloidzentren in zusatzlich verfarbtem KCI und NaCl bei Raumtemperatur in einem Druckbereich von 1 bis 10 kbar untersuchb. Die optischen Absorptionsbanden, die mit den in diesen Salzen enthaltenen nichtstreuenden Kolloidteilchen verbunden sind, zeigen bei zunehmendem Druck eine Verschiebung zum Blau. Ein Plasmaresonanzmodell wird verwendet, um die Druckanderungen zii bestatigen. Der uberwiegende Effekt mit zunehmendem Druck ist die Zunahme der Dichte der Leitungselektronen. Die Druckverschiebungen der Maxima der optischen Absorptionsbanden werden nnter Anwendung von zuganglichen Kompressibilitatswerten und der bekannten Druckabhangigkeiten der Brechungsindizes der beiden Salze berechnet. Die Ubereinstimmung mit den gemessenen TVerten isb gut.
Self-focusing during femtosecond micromachining of silicate glasses

Many recent investigations of micromachining with lasers, in vacuum and in ambient air environments, have demonstrated the improvements possible when using femtosecond-duration laser pulses compared with long laser pulses. There are obvious practical advantages for rapid micromachining in ambient air conditions. However, the maximum laser intensity and repetition rate are then eventually limited by the avalanche breakdown and nonlinear effects in the air through which the focused laser beam must propagate both outside the work piece and within the structure that is being machined. This paper investigates these limits in femtosecond deep hole drilling at high laser intensities in silicate glasses. In particular, it shows how nonlinear optical effects, particularly self-focusing, can dramatically affect hole shape and the rate of penetration during deep hole drilling. The experiments described here demonstrate how nonlinear Kerr focusing of femtosecond laser pulses occurs during propagation of intense femtosecond laser pulses through the atmosphere within the machined channel at powers levels significantly below the critical power for self-focusing in ambient air.
Synergistic vascular toxicity and fatty acid anilides in the toxic oil syndrome.

Abstract The underlying etiology of the toxic oil syndrome may be related to any of several toxic contaminants. The hypothesis is made that two or more toxic compounds may act synergistically to cause vascular damage in the toxic oil syndrome. To support this hypothesis, previous studies are reviewed concerning the remarkable synergistic toxic action of allylamine and beta-aminopropionitrile on the media of blood vessels. Although these toxins are not directly related to the toxic oil syndrome, this previous experimental work emphasizes the possibility that unexplored synergistic actions may be important. Furthermore, the hypothesis that contaminating fatty acid anilides in toxic oil undergo alterations during cooking is supported by high pressure liquid chromatographic analysis. The theoretic metabolism of fatty acid anilides is discussed. Recent data concerning the toxic actions of the anilides of oleic and linoleic acid are given. These data suggest that these anilides induce immunologic alterations that may be similar to those seen in the toxic oil syndrome. In addition, the heated anilides appear to have increased toxicity, supporting the concept that the use of toxic oil in cooking may increase its toxicity.
A direct method for measuring adsorption from solution onto solids

Abstract A direct method of measuring solution adsorption onto a solid has been developed. The results are exactly the same as those given by the conventional method of measuring the change in composition of the solution upon contacting the adsorbent. The development is cast in the terms of Gibbsian surface concepts, from which the correct thermodynamic significance of adsorption measurements made by directly analyzing material adsorbed on the solid can be understood. The method was tested for the adsorption of Na-Laurate and n-hexanol from aqueous and n-decane solutions, and typical isotherms are presented. The various realized and potential advantages of the method are discussed. The most important of these are the ability to measure adsorption in complex systems with a negligible change in solution composition, and the possibility of ameliorating in certain situations some of the difficulties in measuring adsorption at high concentrations or on low surface area solids.
Normalization of Various Phase Functions for Radiative Heat Transfer Analysis in a Solar Absorber Tube

Normalization of various phase functions is considered for accurately predicting radiative heat transfer. A solar absorber tube filled with anisotropic scattering working medium is used as an example. Analysis of a previous normalization technique shows that while it does conserve scattered energy exactly after discrete-ordinates method (DOM) discretization, the overall asymmetry factor of the phase function is distorted, leading to substantial changes in overall scattering effect. A new normalization technique that conserves asymmetry factor and scattered energy simultaneously is investigated. The impact of lack of asymmetry factor conservation is analyzed for both the Legendre polynomial and the Henyey–Greenstein phase function approximations. Variations of medium optical thickness, scattering albedo, asymmetry factor, and side-wall emissivity are scrutinized to determine the effects of said parameters on wall heat flux and energy absorbing rate inside the absorber tube. Side-wall heat flux is found to ...
A simple enzyme based biosensor on flexible plastic substrate

An enzyme based biosensor was fabricated by employing a simple, inexpensive and rapid xurography fabrication process. The electrodes and channel were made from the conducting polymer poly(3,4-ethyelenedioxythiphene) poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS). PEDOT:PSS was selectively deposited using a polyimide tape mask. The tape mask was peeled off from the substrate after annealing the polymer in vacuum. Polymer wells of defined dimensions were made and were attached to the device to accommodate the solutions. This sensor utilizes the change in current as a parameter to measure different analyte concentrations. Initial experiments were done by using the sensor for glucose detection. The sensor is able to detect the glucose concentrations approximately from 1 μM to 10 mM range covering glucose in human saliva (8-210 μM). The glucose oxidase activity was independently measured using colorimetric method and the results indicate that the sensor retains the enzyme activity and can be used as a biosensor to detect various analytes. The analyte of interest can be measured by preloading the corresponding enzyme into the wells.
Conditional likelihood analysis in stratum-matched retrospective studies with polytomous disease states

We describe an extension of the recursive algorithm of Howard (1972) and Krailo and Pike (1984) for computation of conditional maximum likelihood estimates in multiple logistic regression models for stratum-matched retrospective studies to the multivariate case involving polytomous disease states. APL procedures, suitable for a desktop computing environment, are provided and analyzed.
Reactions of [Re(CO)3]+ with Histidylhistidine and Modified Histidines

Ac-His-OH and His-His-OH were treated with [Re(CO) 3 -(H 2 O) 3 ] + to yield two new compounds, which were structurally characterized. Each displays a peptide carboxamido-N donor. The complex formed with His-His-OH uses this group as a bridging, bidentate ligand; the complex resists challenge experiments showing that His-tags are a good way to deliver the [M(CO) 3 ] + core (M = 99m Tc, Re).
The quality control of MHC class I peptide loading

The assembly of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules is one of the more widely studied examples of protein folding in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). It is also one of the most unusual cases of glycoprotein quality control involving the thiol oxidoreductase ERp57 and the lectin-like chaperones calnexin and calreticulin. The multistep assembly of MHC class I heavy chain with β 2 -microglobulin and peptide is facilitated by these ER-resident proteins and further tailored by the involvement of a peptide transporter, aminopeptidases, and the chaperone-like molecule tapasin. Here we summarize recent progress in understanding the roles of these general and class I-specific ER proteins in facilitating the optimal assembly of MHC class I molecules with high affinity peptides for antigen presentation.
Invariant face recognition using a projection-slice synthetic-discriminant-function-based algorithm

The projection-slice theorem has been used to create synthetic-discriminant-function based matched filters that are capable of discerning rotation and scale distortions. We propose to use the projection-slice algorithm for invariant face recognition that is capable of accommodating in-plane and out-of-plane 3-D distortions. The projection-slice algorithm is applied to training images in order to synthesize a composite image to represent each class. The optoelectronic fringe-adjusted joint transform correlator (JTC) technique is then used to correlate the test images with the composite images of each class. That technique was chosen for its superior performance to alternative JTCs and the feasibility of its implementation in the all-optical domain. Simulation results are furnished to prove the effectiveness of the proposed system.
Congeneric behavior in estimations of octanol-water partition coefficients by micellar electrokinetic chromatography.

Linear Solvation Energy Relationships (LSERs) are used to explain the congeneric behavior observed when using Micellar Electrokinetic Chromatography (MEKC) to estimate the octanol−water partition c...
Numerical and Experimental Study of Crack Depth Measurement in Concrete Using Diffuse Ultrasound

This paper presents a combined numerical and experimental study on the diffuse ultrasonic measurement technique for determining the depth of surface breaking cracks in concrete. A finite element (FE) model for the dissipative diffusion in a two-dimensional domain with a surface breaking crack is developed using a commercial FE package; for this purpose, the dissipation term is eliminated by a simple change of variables. Three concrete blocks with a crack depth between 25.4 mm to 101.6 mm are prepared. Diffuse ultrasonic measurements are performed on uncracked and cracked concrete blocks, from which the diffuse energy evolution curves are obtained. The basic material parameters of the hardened concrete, i.e. the diffusivity and dissipation, are retrieved, which are needed for the numerical simulations. The crack depths are then determined by comparing the experimental and numerical arrival times of the average diffuse ultrasonic energy. Various geometrical configurations that arise in real-world concrete structures are simulated including an inclined crack, a partially closed crack, two parallel cracks, and a crack with an underlying reinforcement bar. The objective is to investigate the possible limitations of the diffuse ultrasonic measurement technique when implemented in real concrete structures. Finally, it is shown that the time of flight (TOF) of the average diffuse ultrasonic energy constitutes the theoretical basis of the present diffuse ultrasonic measurement of macroscopic cracks and therefore the present diffuse ultrasonic method forms another kind of TOF technique.
Favoring alkene insertion over β-hydride elimination: aqueous media and ligands enable a double Heck reaction on a substrate for which β-hydride elimination is possible

Abstract Under Pd 0 catalysis, the (iodoaryl)diene N -methyl- N -(1,5-hexadiene-3-yl)-2-iodobenzoic acid amide ( 6 ) would normally be expected to give monocyclized product from initial oxidative addition of the CI bond, followed by insertion of one alkene function and β-hydride elimination. Conditions were sought to favor insertion of the second alkene unit over β-hydride elimination, so as to increase the yield of polycyclic products. In fact, the use of phenanthroline ligand and aqueous media in reactions of 6 increased the total yield of expected tricyclic products ( 11–13 ) to 52%. Three other products ( 14–16 ) appear to be derived from an unusual rearrangement. By a process of elimination, control experiments point to the possibility of a chelation-assisted Pd-catalyzed Cope rearrangement in the formation of these unexpected products.
Digital subtraction angiography in the evaluation of neoplasms.

Abstract Intravenous and intraarterial DSA studies were performed in patients being evaluated for possible neoplastic disease. DSA studies were obtained of the head, neck, chest, abdomen and extremities to evaluate the potential use of this technique in the cancer patient's workup. The results of this study suggest that many cancer patients can have the extent of tumor involvement defined using intraveneous digital subtraction angiography. However, due to the number of false negative examinations, this study should not be relied upon as the only screening procedure. The current best application of DSA appears to be its use in conjunction with intraarterial injections as a faster and more economical alternative to angiography and in following up these neoplasms with intravenous DSA after appropriate therapy to evaluate possible recurrence or metastatic spread. Hybrid subtraction techniques and/or the development of new contrast media may greatly facilitate the use of intravenous DSA in conjunction with cancer diagnosis.
Structure-based virtual screening for novel inhibitors of the sarco/endoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase and their experimental evaluation.

Abstract A public compound library with 260,000 compounds was screened virtually by computational docking for novel inhibitors of the transmembrane enzyme sarco/endoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase (SERCA). Docking was performed with the program GOLD in conjunction with a high resolution X-ray crystal structure of SERCA. Compounds that were predicted to be active were tested in bioassays. Nineteen novel compounds were discovered that were capable of inhibiting the ATP hydrolysis activity of SERCA at concentrations below 50 μM. Crucial enzyme/inhibitor interactions were identified by analyzing the docking-predicted binding poses of active compounds. Like other SERCA inhibitors, the newly discovered compounds are of considerable medicinal interest because of their potential for cancer chemotherapy.
Relationship of asymmetric dimethylarginine and homocysteine to vascular aging in systemic lupus erythematosus patients

Objective Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is independently associated with accelerated atherosclerosis and premature arterial stiffening. Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) and homocysteine are mechanistically interrelated mediators of endothelial dysfunction and correlates of atherosclerosis in the general population. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship of ADMA and homocysteine to subclinical vascular disease in patients with SLE. Methods One hundred twenty-five patients with SLE who were participating in a study of cardiovascular disease underwent clinical and laboratory assessment, carotid artery ultrasonography to detect atherosclerosis, and radial artery applanation tonometry to measure arterial stiffness. Results Neither ADMA nor homocysteine correlated with the presence or extent of carotid atherosclerosis. In contrast, ADMA was significantly related to the arterial stiffness index. Independent correlates of arterial stiffening included the ADMA concentration, the presence of diabetes mellitus, older age at the time of diagnosis, longer disease duration, and the absence of anti-Sm or anti-RNP antibodies. A secondary multivariable analysis substituting homocysteine for ADMA demonstrated comparable relationships with arterial stiffness (r2 = 0.616 for homocysteine and r2 = 0.595 for ADMA). Conclusion ADMA and homocysteine are biomarkers for and may be mediators of premature arterial stiffening in patients with SLE. Because arterial stiffness has independent prognostic value for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, its predictors may identify patients who are at increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
Data-driven curriculum redesign in civil engineering

Fundamental concept gaps in math, science, and physics, as well as other gaps students and faculty perceive in the curriculum, can have crucial implications for faculty teaching courses and for students progressing through a civil engineering program. Faculty noted anecdotally that students were getting midway through the curriculum and having extreme difficulty with concepts in certain courses. A data gathering process was designed to identify the perceived concept gaps as well as the intentional redundancies, and this paper presents the gathered data and explains their influence on proposed changes to the curriculum. The data collection included: faculty and student surveys regarding conceptual gaps, student helpdesk survey, student pre-requisite survey, student supplemental resource analysis, and student focus groups as senior exit interviews. Survey formats were both qualitative and quantitative. Program learning outcomes were clarified and performance criteria defined for each outcome at several developmental levels. Conclusions and implications for civil engineering curriculum redesign and curriculum design in general are discussed.
Quantitative evaluation of optical coherence tomography signal enhancement with gold nanoshells

Nanoshell-enhanced optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a novel technique with the potential for molecular imaging and improved disease detection. However, optimization of this approach will require a quantitative understanding of the influence of nanoshell parameters on detected OCT signals. In this study, OCT was performed at 1310 nm in water and turbid tissue-simulating phantoms to which nanoshells were added. The effect of nanoshell concentration, core diameter, and shell thickness on signal enhancement was characterized. Experimental results indicated trends that were consistent with predicted optical properties-a monotonic increase in signal intensity and attenuation with increasing shell and core size. Threshold concentrations for a 2-dB OCT signal intensity gain were determined for several nanoshell geometries. For the most highly backscattering nanoshells tested-291-nm core diameter, 25-nm shell thickness-a concentration of 10(9) nanoshells/mL was needed to produce this signal increase. Based on these results, we discuss various practical considerations for optimizing nanoshell-enhanced OCT. Quantitative experimental data presented here will facilitate optimization of OCT-based diagnostics and may also be relevant to other reflectance-based approaches as well.
Parathion-induced toxicity and phenobarbital-induced protection against parathion during prenatal development.

Abstract Parathion was embryocidal or fetocidal when administered to pregnant mice. Parathion, 12 mg/kg, administered on Days 12, 13, and 14 of gestation produced about 90% incidence of deaths in utero . Parathion, 12 mg/kg, induced only about 27% incidence of deaths in utero when administered on gestational Days 8, 9, and 10. Parathion also significantly reduced fetal body weight. Again, there was a gestational period susceptibility. Phenobarbital pretreatment completely protects the fetus against the lethal actions of parathion. Following intraperitoneal administration of ( 14 C)parathion, 14 C was measured in maternal and fetal tissue. Plasma disappearance of 14 C was significantly enhanced by phenobarbital treatment. Similarly, concentrations of 14 C measured in maternal liver, fat, and muscle were significantly decreased by phenobarbital pretreatment. Parathion was transferred across the placenta and was measured in fetal tissue. Again, the peak of concentration of 14 C measured was reduced and the disappearance from fetal tissue significantly enhanced by phenobarbital pretreatment. The passage of paraoxon into fetal tissue was prevented and inhibition of fetal cholinesterase was blocked by phenobarbital pretreatment. Thus, the fetus was protected against lethal concentrations of paraoxon by phenobarbital treatment of the maternal animal.
Scatter Data For Zinc Selenide At 0.633, 3.39, And 10.6 µm

The bidirectional scattering distribution functions (BSDF's) of zinc selenide are reported. The scatter in both reflection and transmission modes was measured at 0.6328, 3.39, and 10.6 μm and for several angles of incidence.
Design of sandwich structures for concentrated loading

While sandwich construction offers well-known advantages for high stiffness with light weight, the problem of designing the sandwich structure to withstand localized loading, such as from accidental impact, remains an important problem. This problem is more difficult with lower stiffness cores, such as expanded foam. In the present study, experiments have been carried out on foam core sandwich beams with carbon/epoxy faces, under conditions of concentrated loading. The variables considered were the density of the foam and the relative thickness of the core. The common failure modes of sandwich structures were observed, including core failure in compression and shear, delamination, and fiber failure in the faces. These failure modes were systematically related to the test variables by means of a detailed stress analysis of the specimen, and a consideration of the failure properties of the constituent materials. The loading is characterized by localized high stress and strain concentrations that are not predicted in first-order shear deformation sandwich beam theory. The three-dimensional elasticity solution of Pagano was used to obtain the stress distributions. The strength prediction requires a detailed consideration of the localized nature of the loading, including the effects of strain gradients in the faces. The results show that failure modes and load levels can be predicted for sandwich structures under concentrated loading, but that accurate predictions require a consideration of the details of the concentrated loading. The results have a direct application in predicting the ability of sandwich structures to withstand localized loading such as from accidental impact.
Theory of local oscillation of substitutional defects near a free surface

Abstract An impurity atom substituting for a host atom near the surface of a discrete semiinfinite lattice can give, rise to local oscillation. In general the conditions for local oscillation are low defect mass and strong binding of the impurity to its ligands. Results have been computed for a monatomic cubic crystal for both impurity atoms at and near the surface and are shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, of the text. Rotational invariance requires that force constants at the surface be different from bulk force constants. These surface forces give, rise to surface waves, even where they have been reported absent in monatomic cubic crystals with nearest-neighbor forces only. These forces also influence the dynamics of local modes of surface impurities. It is shown that surface forces can be taken into account quantitatively as a perturbation of an ideal semiinfinite crystal if the eigenfrequency of the local mode is large enough, say twice the lattice frequency. For very large frequencies and small impurity mass the limit of the Einstein model is reached. An infrared absorption experiment is proposed to detect local oscillation of surface impurities.
Effect of Hospital Volume on Maternal Outcomes in Women with Prior Cesarean Delivery Undergoing Trial of Labor

The authors examined the association between hospital volume of vaginal delivery after cesarean (VBAC) and VBAC failure, uterine rupture, and maternal morbidity. This study was a secondary analysis of a retrospective cohort study from 1995 to 2000. Trained nurses extracted medical records of more than 25,000 women with a prior cesarean delivery from 17 community and tertiary care hospitals. Detailed Information was obtained for each patient. The study sample included 12,844 women with prior cesarean who attempted vaginal delivery with singleton births. Annual hospital VBAC volume was divided into terciles. Primary outcomes included VBAC failure, uterine rupture, and a composite of maternal morbidity. We used multivariable logistic regression to assess the association between hospital VBAC volume and adverse VBAC outcomes controlling for confounders. We did not find evidence of an association between hospital VBAC volume and the likelihood of adverse outcomes in VBAC after adjustment for patient mix. Other risk factors consistent with prior research were identified, including induction of labor, ≥ 2 prior cesarean deliveries, preeclampsia, diabetes and large birth weight. Prior vaginal delivery was protective against adverse VBAC outcomes. The risk of adverse outcomes in VBAC in low volume hospitals was comparable to that in high volume hospitals.
Peroneal Tendon Injuries

Injury to the peroneal tendons is a frequently overlooked cause of persistent lateral ankle pain after trauma. Peroneal tendon anatomy, biomechanics, diagnostic studies, and traumatic disorders were reviewed.