cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Synthesis of a low thrombogenic heart valve coating with horseradish peroxidase

Cardiovascular implants like artificial heart valves are made out of a variety of materials to allow for adequate mechanical properties and mechanical movement. All of these materials have different adhesion properties towards blood proteins but all still induce blood coagulation. This article describes the design and enzymatic synthesis of a heart valve coating that would adhere to different materials as well as prevent adhesion of proteins to the surface to prevent blood coagulation. It consists of two covalently linked hyperbranched polymer thin films: one that provides strong adhesion to the surface in question and another that prevents adhesion of blood proteins. The synthesis of hyperbranched polyresorcinol and linear polyhydroquinone is presented for the thin film that adheres to the artificial heart valve. The synthesis of polyglycerol and poly(glucuronic acid) is presented for the anti-thrombogenic thin film. The polymers are synthesized by horseradish peroxidase in water or buffer. Some of these syntheses do not use any other oxidant than oxygen, and the mechanism of these reactions is currently under investigation. The syntheses still need to be characterized in more detail and optimized. These polymers will be covalently linked to form the heart valve coating. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Formaldehyde prepared from paraformaldehyde is stable

For critical histological investigations, tissue fixation is sometimes carried out in formaldehyde freshly prepared from paraformaldehyde by heating. The purity of formaldehyde produced in this way is superior to that of commercial stock solutions. We studied the stability of freshly prepared formaldehyde solutions by determination of pH and titration of acid, which reflect the formation of formic acid. It was found that very small amounts of acid are produced during the heating of paraformaldehyde. Prolonged heating or storage of freshly prepared formaldehyde for up to 8 days did not significantly increase the amount of acid. It was also found that heating of the paraformaldehyde is not necessary, since depolymerization may take place at room temperature. We conclude that formaldehyde prepared from paraformaldehyde remains stable for considerable periods of time, and it is therefore unnecessary to prepare it immediately prior to fixation. Also, in many cases, buffering of the fixative may be omitted, since only minor changes in the pH occur during fixation.
Axial magnetic forces on induction-motor rotors

IN AN APPLICATION where an induction motor is the driving unit, the electromagnetic force on the induction-motor rotor is a component of axial shaft thrust. The various factors which determine this force are discussed qualitatively and, with one exception, are evaluated in this article.
On the mutual information of time reversal for non-stationary channels

Time-reversal (TR) techniques have been shown to lead to gains in detection and enable super-resolution focusing. These gains have thus far mainly been demonstrated for time invariant channels, where the channel remains constant between the initial and time-reversed signal transmissions. Here, we are interested in determining whether TR techniques may be beneficial in time-varying channels. We approach this problem by comparing the mutual information between the channel and the received signals over two time slots of a radar system which does / does not use TR. Besides evaluating this mutual information, and showing that for this setup it is equal to directed information which might be of interest in feedback-like channels, we also provide a low-rank interpretation of this mutual information for Gaussian channels. Numerical evaluations suggest that if the channels are non-stationary yet correlated, TR may still provide information gains over non time-reversed systems.
Computer-aided design of flight control systems

A computer program is presented for facilitating the development and assessment of flight control systems, and application to a control design is discussed. The program is a computer-aided control-system design program based on direct digital synthesis of a proportional-integral-filter controller with scheduled linear-quadratic-Gaussian gains and command generator tracking of pilot inputs. The FlightCAD system concentrates on aircraft dynamics, flight-control systems, stability and performance, and has practical engineering applications.
A Summary of the Physical Properties of Cirrus Clouds

Abstract A review of existing literature is made to determine typical values for the physical properties cirrus clouds. The properties examined (with typical values and measured ranges) are cloud-center altitude (9 km, 4 to 20 km), cloud thickness (1.5 km, 0.1 to 8 km), crystal number density (30 L−1, 10−4 to 10−4 L−1), condensed water content (0.025 g m −3, 10−4 to 1.2 g m −3), and crystal size (250 μm, 1 to 8000 μm). A typical crystal size distribution is also reported.
Correlation-induced spectral changes

This paper presents a review of research, both theoretical and experimental, concerning the influence of coherence properties of fluctuating light sources and of correlation properties of scattering media on the spectra of radiated and scattered fields. Much of this research followed a discovery made in 1986, that the spectrum of light may change on propagation, even in free space. More than 100 papers on this topic have been published to date and many of them are reviewed, or at least mentioned, in this article. After an introduction and a summary of some of the main mathematical results relating to second-order coherence theory of statistically stationary optical fields, spectral changes that may take place on superposing fields produced by two partially correlated sources are discussed. Spectral effects in fields produced by two-dimensional secondary sources and by three-dimensional primary sources are then considered. The section which follows describes spectral changes that may arise when polychromatic light is scattered on media whose physical properties vary randomly either in space and/or in time. A review is also presented of recent research, which has revealed that under certain circumstances the changes in the spectrum of light scattered on random media may imitate the Doppler effect, even though the source, the medium and the observer are all at rest with respect to one another. In the final section a brief review is given of a new emerging technique sometimes called spatial-coherence spectroscopy. It is based on the discovery that it is possible, under certain circumstances, to determine field correlations from spectral measurements.
Woody plant encroachment impacts on soil carbon and microbial processes: results from a hierarchical Bayesian analysis of soil incubation data

Belowground processes and associated plant-microbial interactions play a critical role in how ecosystems respond to environmental change. However, the mechanisms and factors controlling processes such as soil carbon turnover can be difficult to quantify due to methodological or logistical con- straints. Soil incubation experiments have the potential to greatly improve our understanding of belowground carbon dynamics, but relating results from laboratory- based incubations to processes measured in the field is challenging. This study has two goals: (1) development of a hierarchical Bayesian (HB) model for analyzing soil incubation data and complementary field data to gain a more mechanistic understanding of soil carbon turnover; (2) application of the approach to soil incubation data collected from a semi-arid riparian grassland experiencing encroachment by nitrogen- fixing shrubs (mesquite). Soil was collected from several depths beneath large-sized shrubs, medium- sized shrubs, grass, and bare ground—the four primary microsite-types found in this ecosystem. We measured respiration rates from substrate-induced incubations, which were accompanied by measurements of soil microbial biomass, soil carbon, and soil nitrogen. Soils under large shrubs had higher respiration rates and support 2.0, 1.9, and 2.6 times greater soil carbon, microbial biomass, and microbial carbon-use efficien- cy, respectively, compared to soils in grass microsites. The effect of large shrubs on these components is most pronounced near the soil surface where microbial carbon-use efficiency is high because of enhanced litter quality. Grass microsites were very similar to bare ground in many aspects (carbon content, microbial biomass, etc.). Encroachment of mesquite shrubs into this semi-arid grassland may enhance carbon and nutrient cycling and increase the spatial heterogeneity of soil resource pools and fluxes. The HB approach allowed us to synthesize diverse data sources to identify the potential mechanisms of soil carbon and microbial change associated with shrub encroachment.
Luteinizing hormone following light exposure in healthy young men

Urinary luteinizing hormone (LH) and the melatonin metabolite (6-sulfatoxymelatonin; aMT6s) were measured in normal young men following early morning light exposure. Eleven young healthy men ages 19-30 years participated in this study. During separate weeks in counterbalanced order, each subject received both 5 days of bright light treatment (BL) and 5 days of placebo light treatment (PL) for 1 h (05:00-06:00). LH excretion was increased 69.5% after bright light exposure, but was not changed by placebo light exposure. The acrophases and offsets of aMT6s were advanced, but the duration of aMT6s excretion was not changed after BL. Light stimulation of LH could have interesting applications in psychiatry and reproductive endocrinology.
Probabilistic policy reuse in a reinforcement learning agent

We contribute Policy Reuse as a technique to improve a reinforcement learning agent with guidance from past learned similar policies. Our method relies on using the past policies as a probabilistic bias where the learning agent faces three choices: the exploitation of the ongoing learned policy, the exploration of random unexplored actions, and the exploitation of past policies. We introduce the algorithm and its major components: an exploration strategy to include the new reuse bias, and a similarity function to estimate the similarity of past policies with respect to a new one. We provide empirical results demonstrating that Policy Reuse improves the learning performance over different strategies that learn without reuse. Interestingly and almost as a side effect, Policy Reuse also identifies classes of similar policies revealing a basis of core policies of the domain. We demonstrate that such a basis can be built incrementally, contributing the learning of the structure of a domain.
Unexpected binding modes of nitric oxide synthase inhibitors effective in the prevention of a cerebral palsy phenotype in an animal model.

Selective inhibition of the neuronal isoform of nitric oxide synthase NOS (nNOS) has been shown to prevent brain injury and is important for the treatment of various neurodegenerative disorders. However, given the high active site conservation among all three NOS isoforms, the design of selective inhibitors is an extremely challenging problem. Here we present the structural basis for why novel and potent nNOS inhibitors exhibit the highest level of selectivity over eNOS reported so far (∼3,800-fold). By using a combination of crystallography, computational methods, and site-directed mutagenesis, we found that inhibitor chirality and an unanticipated structural change of the target enzyme control both the orientation and selectivity of these novel nNOS inhibitors. A new hot spot generated as a result of enzyme elasticity provides important information for the future fragment-based design of selective NOS inhibitors.
Oxygen chemisorption on well cleaned carbon surfaces

Abstract Graphon, a highly graphitized carbon black, was first oxidized to 14.4% weight loss in O2 at 625°C to introduce significant active surface area. Following the cleaning of the activated Graphon surface by heating at 975°C in a vacuum of 10−8 torr, chemisorption of oxygen between 25–400°C was studied. The saturation amounts of oxygen adsorbed sharply increase at temperatures above 250°C, suggesting the presence of at least two types of active sites. The maximum amount of oxygen adsorbed is estimated to occupy 2.8 m2/g or 2.6% of the total surface. The rate of oxygen adsorption on the more active sites is given by koCn∞(1−θ)2, where k0 = 7.14 × 109 exp (−7,400/RT) cc/sec mole O2. Following a large number of adsorption-desorption cycles, the Graphon surface is additionally activated to yield (in part) a fraction of very active sites that are not produced at comparable burn-offs by higher temperature activation between 500–625°C.
Electron-Beam Studies of Schottky-Barrier Detector Surfaces

The electron beam technique used by Czaja to analyze defects in diode structures has been applied to the analysis of surface anomalies occurring in Schottky-barrier particle detectors. An output map of the detector surface showing local variations in sensitivity was obtained in this manner. It was discovered that characteristic anomalies give characteristic displays. Specifically, SEM analysis was useful in detecting: 1. Chemical contamination of the detector surface. 2. Mechanical damage of the detector's semiconductor wafer substrate, 3. Damage introduced in semiconductor surface preparation, 4. Radiation damage, and 5. Defective surface metallization. The possibly damaging effects of scanning electron beam irradiation are discussed. A general limit on beam current and magnification setting for a 20 kev beam is given. If this limit is not exceeded, the technique does not, in itself, add artifacts to the electron beam technique display. Methods are developed which enable the quantification of the extent and severity of surface damage. How these methods can be used to eliminate some common processing problems is also covered.
A piece in the puzzle: an ion channel candidate gene for schizophrenia

Mutations in ion channels have been found to cause a variety of mendelian genetic diseases, and polyglutamine repeat expansion is a newly recognized pathogenic mechanism that causes several rare, genetic, late-onset neurological syndromes. Polymorphic polyglutamine tracts are present in a recently described human, calcium-activated potassium channel, KCNN3 (also known as hKCa3), and alleles of this gene that contain longer repeats have been associated with schizophrenia. The physiological function of the channel is consistent with an etiological role in this disease; drugs designed to target this channel might therefore provide novel psychotherapeutics.
Survival as a criterion for autochthony

Abstract A study was conducted to determine characteristics of unicellular microorganisms that are associated with their being indigenous to soil. The approach involved a comparison of the behavior of 12 isolates from soil and 16 from lake water. After addition to soil at approximately 0.15 MPa moisture, the population of microorganisms originally isolated from soil declined somewhat but remained larger than 104 g−1 for 30 days. The populations of most but not all the aquatic bacteria declined to a greater extent under identical conditions, and some were no longer detected. In soil undergoing drying, the abundance of both soil and aquatic microorganisms declined in similar fashions, and a few species could not be detected at 30 days. The resistance of soil and aquatic microorganisms as a group to starvation stress in soil and liquid did not differ. The results indicate that soil microorganisms as a group are more able to endure biological stresses in soil than are non-soil microorganisms. Because some non-soil organisms persist in non-sterile soil, the habitat of a species is an insufficient basis for assessing its ability to survive in soil.
Pretreatment with MK-801 Inhibits Pemoline-Induced Self-Biting Behavior in Prepubertal Rats

The indirect dopamine agonist, pemoline (120–300 mg/kg s.c.), can induce self-biting behavior in the rat. The present study demonstrates that the noncompetitive N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) antagonist,
Toward Globally Optimal Event Monitoring & Aggregation For Large-scale Overlay Networks

Overlay networks have emerged as a powerful and flexible platform for developing new disruptive network applications. The performance and reliability of overlay applications depend on the capability of overlay networks to dynamically adapt to various factors such as link/node failures, overlay link quality, and overlay node characteristics. In order to achieve this, the overlay applications require scalable and open overlay monitoring services to monitor, aggregate globally distributed events and take appropriate control actions. In this paper, we propose the techniques and algorithms to create an optimal event monitoring and aggregation infrastructure (called MOON) that minimizes the monitoring latency (i.e., event retrival/detection time) and event aggregation cost (i.e., intrusiveness) considering the large-scale geographical and network distribution of overlay nodes. The proposed monitoring infrastructure, MOON, clusters and organizes overlay nodes efficiently such that overlay applications can globally monitor and query correlated events in an overlay network with minimum latency and monitoring cost. Our simulations and experimental studies show the evaluation of MOON under many various topological structures, network sizes, and event aggregation volumes.
ATS-6 Flight Accelerom eters

The Applications Technology Satellite-6 (ATS-6) flight accelerometers were designed to provide data for verifying the basic spacecraft vibration modes during launch, to update the analytical model of the ATA structure, and to provide a capability for detection and diagnosis of inflight and anomalies. The experiment showed accelerations less than 2.5 g during liftoff and 1.1 g or less during staging with frequencies below 80 Hz. Measured values were generally within 1 g of predicted.
Controllable Growth of Gradient Structures for Biomedical Applications

Co-continuous phase structures of immiscible polymers can be developed under appropriate melt-blending conditions. Because of the presence of interfacial tension, such co-continuous structures start to coarsen when heated to a temperature higher than the melting/softening temperature of both phases. In this article, a systemic study of controllable growth of gradient porous structures utilizing variable coarsening rates in either a gradient temperature field or a gradient shear field is presented. Based on experimental results, the gradient of shear viscosity is identified as the mechanism for generating variable coarsening rates inside a co-continuous blend. By controllable variation of the shear viscosity distribution in a blend, a spatially varied and controllable gradient in phase structure is created. After dissolution of one of the two phases, the desired porous structure of the remaining polymer is obtained. A poly (lactic acid) (PLA)/polystyrene (PS) 50/50 wt% blend was used as a model system. By designing proper thermal and/or dynamic boundary conditions and introducing different thermal/shear rate gradients during annealing, several gradient porous structures of PLA were created.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Mid-infrared imaging Fourier transform spectrometry for high power fiber laser irradiated fiberglass composites

New measurement techniques to study continuous wave (CW) laser-material interactions are emerging with the ability to monitor the evolving, spatial distribution of the state of the surface-gas boundary layer. A qualitative analysis of gas phase combustion plumes above the surface of laser irradiated fiberglass composites is developed from fast framing hyperspectral imagery observations. An imaging Fourier Transform Spectrometer (IFTS) operating in the mid-infrared (MWIR) with high framing rate has recently been developed at the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) in collaboration with Telops Inc. A 320 x 256 indium antimonide (InSb) focal plane array with spectral response from 1.5 - 5.5 μm is mated with a Michelson interferometer to achieve spectral resolutions as high as 0.25 cm-1. The very fast 16- tap InSb array frames at 1.9 kHz for the full 320 x 256 frame size. The single pixel field of view of 0.3 mrad provides a spatial resolution of 1 mm at the minimum focal distance of 3 m. Painted and unpainted fiberglass composites are irradiated with a 1064 nm CW Nd:YAG laser for 60 s at 100 W in air at atmospheric pressure. Selective emission in the region of 2100 - 3200 cm-1 is readily evident and is used to develop a time-dependent spatial map of both temperature and plume constituents. The time evolution of gas phase combustion products such as CO and CO2 molecules are monitored, with a spectral resolution of 2 cm-1. High-speed imagery is obtained using a low-pass filter for the interferograms, illustrating significant turbulent behavior during laser irradiation. Spatial brightness temperature maps exceed 600 K. Spatial variation in the ratio of [CO2]/[CO] indicates an interplay between heterogeneous and homogeneous kinetics.
Ambulatory high-dose methotrexate administration among pediatric osteosarcoma patients in an urban, underserved setting is feasible, safe, and cost-effective.

Background We describe the safety, feasibility, and provide a cost-estimate of outpatient high-dose methotrexate administration (HDMTX) among an urban, underserved population. Procedure A retrospective analysis of ambulatory HDMTX administration among osteosarcoma patients, at Montefiore Medical Center's Children's Hospital (Bronx, NY) was performed. HDMTX (12 g/m2) was given intravenously (IV) over 4 hr after urine alkalinization. Patients were discharged home to continue IV hydration and alkalinization delivered via a home infusion pump. Families were instructed to monitor urine pH overnight and management was adjusted according to our institution's treatment algorithm until MTX level ≤0.1 µmol/L. A cost estimate was performed to assess the difference in costs for outpatient versus hypothetical inpatient administrations. Results Of the 97 ambulatory HDMTX administrations, 99% were successfully completed. One patient failed outpatient administration secondary to home infusion pump malfunction. This patient successfully completed subsequent courses as an outpatient. Most patients (72%) had a MTX level of 50 µmol/L at 24 hr. About 26% of courses were associated with grade III or IV neutropenia, 4% were associated with grade III or IV thrombocytopenia and 1% were associated with grade III/IV leukopenia. Compared to a hypothetical hospital inpatient stay, the hospital costs for ambulatory HDMTX were an average of $1400 less per cycle. Conclusion Ambulatory HDMTX administration among an underserved, urban population is safe, feasible, and cost-effective. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2010;55:1296–1299. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
The System HfO2‐Eu2O3

The system HfO2-EuzO3 was investigated at ∼5 mol% intervals over a temperature range of 960° to 1900°C, by X-ray analysisof quenched specimens. Liquidus temperature measurements made over the entire system showed the lowest liquidus temperature of 1930°± 15°C to be located at ∼96 mol% Eu2O3 A large fluorite solid solution region was also found to exist at higher Of HfO2 concentrations over the entire temperature range.
Increased whole body hydroxyproline production as assessed by a new stable isotope technique is associated with hip and spine bone mineral loss in cystic fibrosis.

Summary Background & aims Bone mineral loss, reduced lung function and impaired nutritional status are frequently present in children with Cystic Fibrosis (CF). Blood concentrations and urinary excretion of hydroxyproline (OH-PRO) have been used as markers of bone mineral status and lung function in CF. Objective To examine whether whole body hydroxyproline production, as assessed by a new stable isotope methodology, is increased in pediatric patients with CF and associated with bone mineral loss, lung function decline and impaired nutritional status. Design In a cross-sectional study in 15 pediatric patients with CF and 17 healthy young control subjects, whole body hydroxyproline production (Wb OH-PRO) was assessed in the postabsorptive state by primed-constant and continuous infusion of the stable isotope 2-D-OH-PRO for 3 h. Bone mineral density (BMD) of whole body, hip and spin, and body composition (fat mass and fat-free mass) were determined by dual-energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA). Plasma isotopic enrichments and OH-PRO concentrations were measured by LC/MS/MS. Results Higher values for WbOH-PRO production and plasma OH-PRO concentrations were found in pediatric CF patients than in the healthy young subjects ( p r : 0.70, p = 0.007) but not in the healthy group. WbOH-PRO production in CF was associated with low BMD values in hip ( r = −0.61, p = 0.02) and spine ( r = −0.59, p = 0.02) but not with whole body BMD, lung function or body composition. Conclusion A new stable isotope approach revealed enhanced levels of whole body hydroxyproline production rate in pediatric patients with CF, indicative of enhanced whole body collagen breakdown. Increased levels for whole body hydroxyproline production in CF were associated with severe bone mineral loss in hip and spine but not with lung function decline or impaired nutritional status. Registration ClinicalTrials.gov = NCT01172301
Overlapping functions of Pea3 ETS transcription factors in FGF signaling during zebrafish development

Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) are secreted molecules that activate the RAS/mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway. In zebrafish development, FGF signaling is responsible for establishing dorsal polarity, maintaining the isthmic organizer, and cardiac ventricle formation. Because several ETS factors are known transcriptional mediators of MAPK signaling, we hypothesized that these factors function to mediate FGF signaling processes. In zebrafish, the simultaneous knock-down of three Pea3 ETS proteins, Etv5, Erm, and Pea3, produced phenotypes reminiscent of embryos deficient in FGF signaling. Morphant embryos displayed both cardiac and left/right patterning defects as well as disruption of the isthmic organizer. Furthermore, the expression of FGF target genes was abolished in Pea3 ETS depleted embryos. To understand how FGF signaling and ETS factors control gene expression, transcriptional regulation of dusp6 was studied in mouse and zebrafish. Conserved Pea3 ETS binding sites were identified within the Dusp6 promoter, and reporter assays showed that one of these sites is required for dusp6 induction by FGFs. We further demonstrated the interaction of Pea3 ETS factors with the Dusp6 promoter both in vitro and in vivo. These results revealed the requirement of ETS factors in transducing FGF signals in developmental processes.
Effect of modulation and magnetic field on the properties of two-dimensional Coulomb systems

A two-dimensional (2D) electron system in a modulation potential and a weak uniform perpendicular magnetic field is studied by a molecular-dynamics simulation method. The simulation results clearly demonstrate some interesting oscillations in the diffusion coefficient, which we interpret in terms of the orbital motion of the electrons on the modulated 2D system.
Dopamine D2L receptor knockout mice display deficits in positive and negative reinforcing properties of morphine and in avoidance learning.

Abstract The dopamine D2 receptor (D2) is implicated in drug addiction, learning and memory. Two isoforms of the D2 receptor, termed D2L (long form) and D2S (short form), have been identified. We previously generated mice lacking D2L (D2L−/−), but expressing functional D2S. In this study, we investigated the role of D2L in the positive and negative reinforcing properties of abused drugs and electrical stimuli, using D2L−/− mice as a model system. Mice were trained in three associative learning tasks: conditioned place preference to morphine and cocaine, conditioned place aversion to naloxone-precipitated morphine withdrawal, and active avoidance. D2L−/− mice, like wild type mice, developed a place preference to cocaine. In contrast to wild type mice, D2L−/− mice did not develop a place preference to morphine, nor did they attain a place aversion to morphine withdrawal. D2L−/− mice also failed to acquire avoidance behavior in response to electrical stimuli. There were no significant differences between D2L−/− and wild type mice in μ-opioid receptor density, morphine-induced locomotor stimulation and morphine withdrawal symptoms. These results suggest that D2L may have a greater impact than D2S on the rewarding aspects of morphine, and the aversive properties of morphine withdrawal and electrical stimulus. These findings also suggest that the presence of D2L is critical in the acquisition (learning) and/or retention (memory) of context–stimulus associations in certain situations. On the other hand, D2L is not essential for the rewarding aspects of cocaine and for the development of morphine dependence. Thus, these studies reveal distinct functional roles of D2L and/or D2S in drug addiction and avoidance learning, which may lead to a better understanding of the neurobiological basis underlying these behaviors.
A probabilistic method for keyword retrieval in handwritten document images

Keyword retrieval in handwritten document images is a challenging task because handwriting recognition does not perform adequately to produce the transcriptions, specially when using large lexicons. Existing methods build indices using OCR distances or image features for the purpose of retrieval. These alternative methods are complimentary to the traditional approaches that build indices on OCR'ed text. In this paper, we describe an improvement to the existing keyword retrieval (word spotting) methods by modeling imperfect word segmentation as probabilities and integrating these probabilities into the word spotting algorithm. The scores returned by the word recognizer are also converted into probabilities and integrated into the probabilistic word spotting model.
Contrasting effects of salamanders on forest-floor macro- and mesofauna in laboratory microcosms

Summary We employed laboratory microcosms to test the hypothesis that predation by the salamander, Plethodon cinereus , alters invertebrate species composition of a terrestrial detritus-based food web and thereby influences leaf–litter decomposition rates. We comparedh litter invertebrates among samples of leaf–litter substrate samples in microcosms either with or without individual salamanders. We used mesh leaf–litter bags to quantify leaf–litter decomposition and temporal changes in invertebrate abundance and community composition during colonization of new litter by invertebrates. We report that substrates within microcosms with P. cinereus had more podomorphic Collembola, fewer enchytraeid worms and fewer macroinvertebrate detritivores than controls at the end of the 3 month experiment. Total invertebrate density, and densities of podomorphic Collembola and Acari increased more rapidly in litter bags within salamander microcosms than in controls. In contrast, entomobryid Collembola were fewer in litter bags in salamander microcosms in comparison to controls. However, salamanders had no effect on leaf–litter decomposition rates. We hypothesize that salamander predation enhanced microbi-detritivore mesofauna densities by (1) reducing numbers of larger detritivores that compete with mesofauna, and/or by (2) providing a subsidy in the form of salamander feces that promoted growth of microflora. Further, we hypothesize that increases of mesofauna in salamander microcosms compensated for effects on litter decomposition that may have resulted from reductions in detritivorous macrofauna.
Dosimetry of intraperitoneally administered radiolabeled antibodies

Intraperitoneal and intracavitary radioimmunotherapy differ from other approaches of radioimmunotherapy in that high activity and dose gradients exist near the solution/tumor interface. Dose to tumor and normal tissue at the interface is a function of depth and is due to three major components: (1) the activity concentration of the administered radiolabeled antibody solution as a function of time within the compartment; (2) the spatial distribution of antibody/radionuclide complex as a function of depth and time as the biomolecules bind to and permeate tumor/normal tissues; and (3) the physical characteristics of the radionuclide in relation to depth of antibody penetration. In this review, the biological and physical aspects of intraperitoneally administered radiolabeled antibodies are discussed, and the state of experimental and calculational studies for this site is described. Areas requiring future investigation are examined, and recommendations are made regarding the type of measurements and calculations which are required for accurate dosimetry.
Dietary supplementation of polyunsaturated fatty acids in Caenorhabditis elegans.

Fatty acids are essential for numerous cellular functions. They serve as efficient energy storage molecules, make up the hydrophobic core of membranes, and participate in various signaling pathways. Caenorhabditis elegans synthesizes all of the enzymes necessary to produce a range of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. This, combined with the simple anatomy and range of available genetic tools, make it an attractive model to study fatty acid function. In order to investigate the genetic pathways that mediate the physiological effects of dietary fatty acids, we have developed a method to supplement the C. elegans diet with unsaturated fatty acids. Supplementation is an effective means to alter the fatty acid composition of worms and can also be used to rescue defects in fatty acid-deficient mutants. Our method uses nematode growth medium agar (NGM) supplemented with fatty acidsodium salts. The fatty acids in the supplemented plates become incorporated into the membranes of the bacterial food source, which is then taken up by the C. elegans that feed on the supplemented bacteria. We also describe a gas chromatography protocol to monitor the changes in fatty acid composition that occur in supplemented worms. This is an efficient way to supplement the diets of both large and small populations of C. elegans, allowing for a range of applications for this method.
Effect of p-chlorophenylalanine on tryptophan hydroxylase in rat pineal.

KOE and Weissman have demonstrated that p-chlorophenylalanine (pCPA) depletes serotonin in the brain of mammals1. pCPA induces a variety of behaviour changes in rat, cat and other animals2,3, presumably because of the depletion of serotonin in the brain. The biochemical mechanism of the depletion remains, however, to be elucidated, although it has been proposed that pCPA might inactivate tryptophan hydroxylase in the brain4. We demonstrate here that pCPA does not inactivate tryptophan hydroxylase in rat pineal, although pCPA depletes the serotonin level in the pineal.
Wood anatomy of theSarraceniaceae; ecological and evolutionary implications

The wood of theSarraceniaceae has a considerable number of primitive features including scalariform perforation plates, long and oblique end walls, scalariform lateral wall pitting, solitary vessels, tracheids with scalariform pitting, and diffuse axial parenchyma. Vessel elements in the genusHeliamphora have the greatest number of primitive features, while vessel elements inDarlingtonia andSarracenia appear to have modifications relating to temperate climates. The wood anatomy suggests thatHeliamphora is growing in a habitat more similar to the original habitat for the family thanDarlingtonia andSarracenia. The wood of theSarraceniaceae is similar to the wood of theTheales.
SENTENCING AND UNWARRANTED DISPARITY: AN EMPIRICAL ASSESSMENT OF THE LONG‐TERM IMPACT OF SENTENCING GUIDELINES IN MINNESOTA*

Using an interrupted time-series design, this research note analyzes the long-term effect of Minnesota's sentencing guidelines on reducing unwarranted disparity in sentencing outcomes that fall within their scope of authority. Unwarranted disparity is defined as residual variation not attributable to legally mandated sentencing factors. Findings suggest that although the sentencing guidelines initially reduced disparity for the no prison/prison sentencing decision, inequality began to revert to preguideline levels as time passed. Further analysis revealed that the guidelines had a permanent impact on reducing disparities in decisions on the length of prison sentence. Overall we observed an 18% decline in disparity for the no prison/prison outcome and a 60% reduction in inequality for the judicial decision as to length of prison sentence. Two explanations for the reversionary trend in the no prison/prison series are highlighted.
Condylar displacement related to mandibular symphyseal distraction

Abstract This study was undertaken to determine the true nature of condylar displacements associated with mandibular symphyseal distraction osteogenesis. Earlier investigators have assumed that each mandibular half rotated about a point near the center of each condyle as viewed on a submental radiograph. In a 12-patient sample, 10 with tooth-borne symphyseal distraction and 2 with bone-borne symphyseal distraction, it was found that each condyle was laterally displaced in direct relationship to the amount of symphyseal distraction. The rigidity of the distraction appliances and their attachments and the inability of the soft tissues and muscular attachments to cause the mandible to undergo compound bending require this to be the case. Temporomandibular joints appear to be able to accommodate the lateral displacements because symptoms were not introduced, or, if present before therapy, distraction did not exacerbate them. (Am J Orthod Dentofacial Orthop 2002;121:162-5)
Bilateral flower symmetry — how, when and why?

Bilateral flower symmetry has evolved multiple times during flowering plant diversification, is associated with specialized pollination, and is hypothesized to have contributed to flowering plant species richness. The genes and genetic interactions that control bilateral symmetry are well understood in the model species Snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus). I review recent insights into the genetic control of symmetry in Snapdragon. I summarize how this foundational genetic work has been integrated with mathematical modeling approaches, which together provided new insights into the control of quantitative aspects of petal shape. Lastly, I review how evolutionary studies, stemming from knowledge of the genetic control of symmetry in Snapdragon flowers, have revealed extensive parallel recruitment of a similar genetic program during repeated evolution of bilateral symmetry.
Nonuniform Reaction Rates during CO and CO/H2 Oxidation on Coupled Pt Electrodes†

The electro-catalytic oxidation of CO and CO/H2 mixtures on polycrystalline Pt has been investigated on two electrodes with controllable degrees of coupling strength by means of experiments and numerical simulations. With strong positive coupling, large differences between the currents of the two almost-identical electrodes arise in a range of potential. Experiments on CO oxidation were carried out in three different electrolytes; all three electrolytes support pattern formation to an extent in the following order: 0.05 mol/L sulfuric acid with saturated sodium sulfate > 0.05 mol/L sulfuric acid > 0.1 mol/L perchloric acid. Experiments with 2% CO/H2 mixtures also exhibit nonuniform states with coupling. Numerical simulations on CO electro-oxidation confirmed the experimental findings: the current differences occur due to a symmetry breaking both with identical electrodes (through a pitchfork bifurcation) and with electrodes with inherent heterogeneities (due to a formation of an isola). The nonuniform r...
Cancer surveillance behaviors and psychosocial factors among long-term survivors of breast cancer. Cancer and Leukemia Group B 79804.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about cancer surveillance (mammography, clinical breast examination, and pelvic examination) behaviors in long-term (9-16 years) breast cancer survivors. This report describes the relation of these behaviors to demographic and clinical characteristics, psychological symptoms, body satisfaction, and social support. METHODS: Survivors who had participated in Cancer and Leukemia Group B treatment Trial 8541 completed a survey that included questions on breast cancer surveillance and pelvic examination, psychological well being, body satisfaction, and social support. RESULTS: The participation rate was 78% and included 245 breast cancer survivors. Survivors (n = 107; 44%) reported completing breast cancer surveillance (mammography and clinical breast examination) and completing pelvic examination (n = 162; 68%) within recommended guidelines. There were no significant associations between breast cancer surveillance and breast cancer anxiety, depression, stressful life events, body satisfaction, social support, or demographic characteristics. Survivors within recommended guidelines for pelvic examinations were younger (P = .05), married (P = .003), had health insurance (P = .004), and had lower depression scores (P = .005) than survivors who underused or overused pelvic examination. In addition, survivors within recommended pelvic examination guidelines had significantly lower levels of breast cancer anxiety (P = .03) compared with survivors who underused pelvic examination. CONCLUSIONS: Many long-term breast cancer survivors were not within recommended cancer surveillance guidelines. Private health insurance was associated with following recommendations for pelvic examinations, although such a relation did not exist for breast cancer surveillance. The results of this study have implications for the development of educational programs to improve cancer surveillance among the growing population of long-term breast cancer survivors. Cancer 2009. © 2009 American Cancer Society.
Acute hyperglycemia enhances oxidative stress and exacerbates myocardial infarction by activating nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase during reperfusion.

Objective Acute hyperglycemia is independently associated with larger myocardial infarct size in both diabetic and nondiabetic patients. We hypothesized that the oxidative stress imposed by acute hyperglycemia contributes to the exacerbation of infarct size during reperfusion. Methods C57BL/6 mice underwent 30 minutes of occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery followed by 60 minutes of reperfusion. Acute hyperglycemia was induced with an intraperitoneal injection of dextrose (2g/kg body weight) 30 minutes before left anterior descending occlusion. An antioxidant, N -2-mercaptopropionyl glycine, was injected intravenously 2 minutes before the onset of reperfusion at a dose of 20 mg/kg. A nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase inhibitor, apocynin (50 mg/kg), was applied either before or after the induction of hyperglycemia. Results Blood glucose level before left anterior descending occlusion was 153 ± 19 mg/dL in control mice and 444 ± 26 mg/dL in hyperglycemic mice ( P P N -2-mercaptopropionyl glycine administered just before reperfusion significantly reduced malondialdehyde levels in both control and hyperglycemic mice (1.21 ± 0.06 and 1.03 ± 0.24 μmol/L). Acute hyperglycemia increased infarct size (percent of risk region) from 34.0 ± 2.7 to 49.4 ± 1.6 ( P N -2-mercaptopropionyl glycine reduced infarct size to 19.5 ± 2.3 in control mice and to 26.2 ± 2.9 in hyperglycemic mice. Apocynin also reduced malondialdehyde levels and infarct size in hyperglycemic mice if administered 5 minutes before injection of dextrose, but not before reperfusion. Conclusion Acute hyperglycemia enhances oxidative stress and exacerbates myocardial infarction in mice through activation of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase.
EUVL mask blank repair

EUV mask blanks are fabricated by depositing a reflective Mo/Si multilayer film onto super-polished substrates. Small defects in this thin film coating can significantly alter the reflected field and introduce defects in the printed image. Ideally one would want to produce defect-free mask blanks; however, this may be very difficult to achieve in practice. One practical way to increase the yield of mask blanks is to effectively repair multilayer defects, and to this effect we present two complementary defect repair strategies for use on multilayer-coated EUVL mask blanks. A defect is any area on the mask which causes unwanted variations in EUV dose in the aerial image obtained in a printing tool, and defect repair is correspondingly defined as any strategy that renders a defect unprintable during exposure. The term defect mitigation can be adopted to describe any strategy which renders a critical defect non-critical when printed, and in this regard a non-critical defect is one that does not adversely affect device function. Defects in the patterned absorber layer consist of regions where metal, typically chrome, is unintentionally added or removed from the pattern leading to errors in the reflected field. There currently exists a mature technology based on ion beam milling and ion beam assisted deposition for repairing defects in the absorber layer of transmission lithography masks, and it is reasonable to expect that these this technology will be extended to the repair of absorber defects in EUVL masks . However, techniques designed for the repair of absorber layers can not be directly applied to the repair of defects in the mask blank, and in particular the multilayer film. In this paper we present for the first time a new technique for the repair of amplitude defects as well as recent results on the repair of phase defects.
Radiation Damage Resistance of Reverse Electrode GE Coaxial Detectors

Two high-purity germanium coaxial detectors, having opposite electrode configurations from one another, but fabricated from the same germanium crystal, were irradiated simultaneously with fast neutrons from an unmoderated 252Cf source. Both detectors were 42 mm diam. The detector having the conventional electrode configuration was about 28 times more sensitive to radiation damage than was the detector having the p+ contact on the coaxial periphery. These results prove that germanium coaxial detectors having the conventional electrode configuration should not be used in any situation subject to significant radiation damage. This conclusion was anticipated because the defects produced by neutron and proton irradiation of germanium act predominantly as hole traps.
Factors influencing adherence in chronic dialysis patients with hyperphosphatemia

Abstract Objective: To determine if patients with moderate hyperphosphatemia are more knowledgeable about hyperphosphatemia and its treatment than patients with severe hyperphosphatemia. Design: Observational study. Setting: University-affiliated outpatient dialysis center. Patients: Twenty-one stable, chronic hemodialysis or continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis patients with serum phosphorus concentrations greater than 4.5 mg/dL were divided into two groups based on moderate and severe hyperphosphatemia. Intervention: Participants were evaluated by questionnaire on their knowledge of hyperphosphatermia and its treatment. Patients' self-reported adherence to prescribed phosphate binder medication regimens was determined. Main Outcome Measure: Knowledge test scores, self-reported adherence scores, and social and medical variables were compared between the two groups. Results: Knowledge test scores in the moderately hyperphosphatemic group were statistically higher than in the severely hyperphosphatemic group. The occupation of the patient correlated with knowledge test score. Multiple regression analysis showed that, except for age, no other social or medical variables, including serum phosphorus levels, had a significant effect on self-reported adherence. Self-reported adherence was found to be an increasing function of the age of the patient. Overall, patient knowledge of hyperphosphatemia and its treatment was poor. Conclusion: Increasing patient knowledge of hyperphosphatemia and its treatment may enhance adherence to dietary phosphorus restriction and phosphate binder medications.