cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Enantioselective total synthesis of macrolide (+)-neopeltolide

The asymmetric total synthesis of the anti-proliferative macrolide (+)-neopeltolide has been completed. The stereochemically defined trisubstituted tetrahydropyran ring was constructed via a catalytic hetero-Diels–Alder reaction creating two new chiral centers in a highly diastereoselective manner. The other key features of this synthesis included Brown's asymmetric allylation to install the requisite C-11 and C-13 stereocenters. The synthesis of the oxazole side chain consisted of a hydrozirconation of an alkynyl stannane to establish the Z stereochemistry, followed by a palladium catalyzed cross coupling to introduce the desired Z olefin in the oxazole side chain.
Decentralized path planning for multi-agent teams with complex constraints

This paper presents a novel approach to address the challenge of planning paths for multi-agent systems subject to complex constraints. The technique, called the Decentralized Multi-Agent Rapidly-exploring Random Tree (DMA-RRT) algorithm, extends the Closed-loop RRT (CL-RRT) algorithm to handle multiple agents while retaining its ability to plan quickly. A core component of the DMA-RRT algorithm is a merit-based token passing coordination strategy that makes use of the tree of feasible trajectories grown in the CL-RRT algorithm to dynamically update the order in which agents replan. The reordering is based on a measure of each agent's incentive to change the plan and allows agents with a greater potential improvement to replan sooner, which is demonstrated to improve the team's overall performance compared to a traditional, scripted replan order. The main contribution of the work is a version of the algorithm, called Cooperative DMA-RRT, which introduces a cooperation strategy that allows an agent to modify its teammates' plans in order to select paths that reduce their combined cost. This modification further improves team performance and avoids certain common deadlock scenarios. The paths generated by both algorithms are proven to satisfy inter-agent constraints, such as collision avoidance, and numerous simulation and experimental results are presented to demonstrate their performance.
Drug-Induced Arthritic and Connective Tissue Disorders

Objectives All pharmacologic agents have the potential for both benefit and toxicity. Among the more interesting and important adverse consequences of drug therapy are a range of joint and connective tissue complaints that may mimic or reproduce primary rheumatologic diseases. In this article, we review the literature on commonly used drugs reported to induce arthritis and/or connective tissue-based diseases. We assess the strength of the reported associations, discuss diagnostic features and treatment implications, and consider possible mechanisms for drug-induced genesis of rheumatic conditions. Methods We reviewed the Medline database from 1987 to 2006 to identify drug-induced arthritic and connective-tissue disease syndromes, utilizing 48 search terms. A qualitative review was performed after the articles were abstracted and the relevant information was organized. Results Three hundred fifty-seven articles of possible relevance were identified. Two hundred eleven publications were included in the final analysis (case series and reports, clinical trials, and reviews). Many drugs were identified as mimicking existing rheumatic conditions, including both well-established small molecules (eg, sulfasalazine) and recently introduced biologic agents (eg, antitumor necrosis factor agents). The most commonly reported drug-induced rheumatic conditions were lupus-like syndromes. Arthritis and vasculitis were also often reported. Conclusions Drug-induced rheumatic syndromes are manifold and offer the clinician an opportunity to define an illness that may remit with discontinuation of the offending agent. Early diagnosis and withdrawal of the drug may prevent unnecessary morbidity and disability.
Optimum Conditions for Variable Pitch Milling

From the perspective of regenerative chatter, variable-pitch milling process offers a mathematically very challenging task. It can be reduced to the problem of stability assessment on a linear time-invariant dynamics (LTI) which has more than one independent delays. This mathematically notorious problem is uniquely solved by a recent paradigm. It is called Cluster Treatment of Characteristic Roots (CTCR). This paper presents a process optimization procedure using CTCR over a special milling operation with variable pitch cutters. The optimization is based on maximizing the metal removal rate while avoiding the onset of chatter, which, in turn, enables production of the parts with a desirable surface quality. The end result is a powerful tool to determine some important geometrical and operational features of the process: (i) the pitch angle selection on the tool (i.e., variable pitch cutter vs. uniform pitch cutter), (ii) the optimum cutting conditions (i.e., depth of cut and the spindle speeds).Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Spin Sorting: Apparent longitudinal relaxation without spin transitions

Abstract Nuclear spins experience forces in the presence of a magnetic field gradient. The forces cause the spin-up and spin-down nuclei to move in opposite directions, resulting in a flow of longitudinal magnetization. The effect can generate local longitudinal spin magnetization though it does not involve transitions (flipping) of spins. This phenomenon, spin sorting, competes with real spin-lattice relaxation and is generally not observable when T 1 is short. We present our calculations of the longitudinal magnetization of diffusing spins with long T 1 in magnetic field gradients. We show that the longitudinal spin magnetization due to spin sorting can be dominant at short times in such a system. Experimental confirmation is provided by observation of sorting-induced negative spin magnetization in 3 He gas. We show how this phenomenon can potentially be used to generate nuclear magnetizations larger than thermal equilibrium.
Properties of an itinerant antiferromagnet with paramagnetic impurities

Abstract The effect of paramagnetic impurities on the Neel temperature of an intinerant antiferromagnet is described. Numerical calculations show that a low concentration minimum, qualitatively similar to that observed in Cr Co, is obtained in this model only when the coupling of the impurity to the spin-density-wave is included.
Removal of Radiostrontium from Milk with Tricalcium Phosphate and Resulting Changes in Milk Composition

Abstract The effectiveness of tricalcium phosphate in removing Sr-85 from milk and the effects of the procedure on milk composition were studied. The phosphate was added to milk at the rate of 80g per liter and the resulting precipitate, containing Sr-85, was removed by centrifugation. Heating milk to 70C for 30min, immediately following addition of phosphate, resulted in removal of 85% of the Sr-85. When the pH of milk was adjusted to 5.4 with H 3 PO 4 , then to 8.2 with KOH before adding phosphate, 90% removal of Sr-85 was obtained by heating to 70C for only 3min. When phosphated milk (pH 6.6) was stirred at 5C for 24 hr, only 60% of the Sr-85 was removed. All procedures utilizing calcium phosphate precipitation reduced the milk nitrogen from 23 to 38%. Usually, more than 45% of the milk calcium, in addition to the added phosphate calcium, was precipitated. Also, a decrease in milk phosphorus occurred in some instances.
Standardized Tests and the Numinous Mystery of Life

We are so busy measuring measurables, we are missing out on those things immeasurably more important.
THE DEVELOPMENT AND LOCALIZATION OF THE DERMAL PNEUMOCOCCIC LESION IN THE RABBIT

An attempt has been made to analyze the factors involved in the development and localization of the dermal pneumococcic lesion in the rabbit. The character and quantity of the edema fluid which forms during the early phases of the lesion are intimately concerned in its development and spread. It contains an antithrombic substance, probably derived from the pneumococci, and delayed coagulation probably facilitates its movement through the tissue. The direction of spread in the skin is determined by gravity, and the fluid finally localizes in the more dependent regions. The distance that the pneumococcic lesion travels and the local tissue characters have much to do with the amount of fluid that accumulates. Studies are also reported of some factors which alter the rate of spread of the edema fluid. An acceleration in rate occurs when H. influenzae is used as an associative infective agent with the Pneumococcus.
Luteotropic regulation of dispersed rat luteal cells in early pregnancy.

Viable and functional luteal cells were prepared, using a combination of hyaluronidase, collagenase, and a low concentration of trypsin in a Dulbecco's modified Eagle medium containing 0.5% bovine serum albumin and 3.3 mM Ca++, from corpora lutea taken from 2-day pregnant rats. The viability and functional capacity of the dispersed cells were evaluated by electronmicroscopy and by measuring steroidogenic capacity during perifusion. Dispersed luteal cells previously exposed in vivo to biphasic prolactin (PRL) surges were found to respond during perifusion to as little as 0.5 ng⁄ml LH by increased steroid secretion. The net progesterone synthesis and secretion remained elevated over a time course of 2½ hours perifusion, and the magnitude of the luteotropic stimulation was dose dependent on LH. However, luteotropic stimulation of LH could not be maintained beyond 2½ h without renewed (in vitro) PRL exposure. PRL by itself maintained the low initial secretion rate of progesterone but demonstrated no stimulato...
System analysis via performance maps

While there are a number of visual methods common to the design and analysis of dynamic systems, they tend to be specific to their application and limited in the amount of information that they yield. This paper explores a visualization technique, titled the performance map, which is derived from the Julia set commonly used in the visualization of iterative chaos. Performance maps are generated via digital computation, and require a minimum of a priori knowledge of the system under evaluation. By the use of color-coding, these images convey a wealth of information to the informed user about dynamic behaviors of a system that may be hidden from all but the expert analyst.
Robotic arm visual servoing using light intensity in contrast

The objective was to determine whether or not an integrated vision and robotic arm system, using grey level detection and a contour following procedure, could execute its own visual servoing over a specified path. The contour-following procedure was designed so that the time required to program, either by powered lead-through or textual programming, could be reduced for a path of unknown shape. The only point taught by a human operator was a starting position; all other points along the irregular path, similar to seam tracking in continuous arc welding, were learned by the system.
Somatic hypermutation of human immunoglobulin heavy chain genes: targeting of RGYW motifs on both DNA strands

The impact of the somatic hypermutational machinery was examined by analyzing the frequency and distribution of mutations in nonproductive V(H)DJ(H) rearrangements obtained from individual human peripheral B cells. A strong bias toward nucleotide substitutions within the quadruplet motif RGYW was observed. In addition, there was a comparably increased frequency of mutations of the inverse repeat of RGYW, WRCY. Together, mutations of RGYW/WRCY accounted for 37% of all nucleotide substitutions. No significant strand polarity of the distribution of mutations was evident when nucleotide substitutions of highly mutated quartets and triplets as well as of their inverse repeats were analyzed. Furthermore, detailed analysis of mutations of specific triplets, such as AGC and TAC provided evidence that they were mutated more frequently when they were included within RGYW and WRCY, respectively. Despite being a target of the mutational machinery, neither RGYW nor WRCY was mutated in the absence of a large number of substitutions of other nucleotides in the same sequence. These results indicate that the mutational machinery targets RGYW sequences for mutations on either DNA strand and do not support the contention that the mutational machinery exhibits DNA strand polarity.
Intracellular Signaling Pathways in Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Dysfunctional intracellular signaling involving deregulated activation of the Janus Kinase/Signal Transducers and Activators of Transcription (JAK/STAT) and “cross-talk” between JAK/STAT and the stress-activated protein kinase/mitogen-activated protein kinase (SAPK/MAPK) and Phosphatidylinositide-3-Kinase/AKT/mammalian Target of Rapamycin (PI-3K/AKT/mTOR) pathways play a critical role in rheumatoid arthritis. This is exemplified by immune-mediated chronic inflammation, up-regulated matrix metalloproteinase gene expression, induction of articular chondrocyte apoptosis and “apoptosis-resistance” in rheumatoid synovial tissue. An important consideration in the development of novel therapeutics for rheumatoid arthritis will be the extent to which inhibiting these signal transduction pathways will sufficiently suppress immune cell-mediated inflammation to produce a lasting clinical remission and halt the progression of rheumatoid arthritis pathology. In that regard, the majority of the evidence accumulated over the past decade indicated that merely suppressing pro-inflammatory cytokine-mediated JAK/ STAT, SAPK/MAPK or PI-3K/AKT/mTOR activation in RA patients may be necessary but not sufficient to result in clinical improvement. Thus, targeting aberrant enzyme activities of spleen tyrosine kinase, sphingosine kinases-1, -2, transforming growth factor β-activated kinase-1, bone marrow kinase, and nuclear factor-κB-inducing kinase for intervention may also have to be considered.
Reduction of tumor necrosis factor-α bioactivity by a human ovarian epithelial cancer cell line in vitro

OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to determine the ability of an ovarian epithelial carcinoma cell line, Caov-3, to alter the bioactivity of exogenously added tumor necrosis factor-α. STUDY DESIGN: Caov-3 cells were cultured for up to 6 days in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium containing 10% fetal calf serum. The control and tumor necrosis factor-α-treated cells were analyzed for proliferation, distribution throughout the cell cycle by flow cytometry, their ability to release bioactive tumor necrosis factor-α by L929 bioassay, and their ability to release immunoreactive tumor necrosis factor-α by a specific double sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: Tumor necrosis factor-α induced a dose- and time-dependent inhibition of cell proliferation accompanied by accumulation of cells in late S and G2/M phases of the cell cycle. Tumor necrois factor-α bioactivity was undetectable in the media of control Caov-3 cell cultures, but these cells exhibited TNF-α messenger ribonucleic acid. After culture of the cells for 2 days in the presence of various doses of TNF-α (0.1, 1.0, 10, or 100 ng/ml), a significant decline (p < 0.01) in bioactivity was observed in all groups with the exception of 100 ng of TNF-α. Further declines in bioactivity were observed 2 and 4 days later. Addition of TNF-α to Caov-3 cells did not affect its immunoactivity, and Western blots of media revealed major bands of immunoactivity at −17 kd, the expected molecular size of TNF-α. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that Caov-3 ovarian carcinoma cells reduce the bioactivity of TNF-α, an important growth regulation, by a novel yet unknown mechanism to escape the modulatory effects of the normal immune response during cancer cell growth.
The specific heat of Y0.7Th0.3C1.58

Abstract The specific heat of the novel high temperature superconductor Y0.7Th0.3C1.58 (Tc = 17.0 K) has been measured between 4 and 22 K. Unlike the other known high temperature superconductors (Tc > 16 K) which have either an A-15 or a NaCl-type structure, this material forms in the b.c.c., Pu2C3-type, structure. The Debye temperature, θD, is 346 K and the linear term coefficient, γ, of the specific heat has the value 4.66 mJ/mole-K2. Thus the electronic density of states, N(0), which is proportional to γ, is quite low. The energy gap, 2Δ/kTc, on the other hand has an anomalously high value of 5.8. Comparisons between these parameters of Y0.7Th0.3C1.58 and those for some A-15 and NaCl-type superconductors are made.
Backbone Trace of GroEL from a 4 Å Resolution Single Particle Reconstruction

* National Center for Macromolecular Imaging, Verna and Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030** Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390GroEL with its co­chaperonin, GroES, is the prototypical type­I chaperonin, assisting in the protein folding process through an ATP­driven cycle
Imidonitrogen in Chlorella "Polyphosphate"

"Polyphosphate" and fragments isolated from acid hydrolysis of polyphosphate have an infrared absorption band at 1400 cm-1, which is characteristic of imidodiphosphate linkages. Complete hydrolysis of purified "polyphosphate" releases 1 to 2 moles of phosphate per mole of ammonia. The polymer must contain subunits which are cyclic and which contain both imidodiphosphate linkages and phosphate anhydride linkages.
The Role of a Brugia Malayi P38 MAP Kinase Ortholog (Bm-MPK1) in Parasite Anti-Oxidative Stress Responses

Filariasis, caused by thread-like nematode worms, affects millions of individuals throughout the tropics and is a major cause of acute and chronic morbidity. Filarial nematodes effectively evade host immunological responses and are long lived within their hosts. Recently an emphasis has been placed on enzymatic and non-enzymatic anti-oxidant systems which counteract the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by macrophages and granulocytes, a first line of defense against parasites. We have characterized an anti-oxidant pathway in the filarial parasite Brugia malayi related to the evolutionarily conserved human mitogen-activated p38 protein kinase and the Caenorhabditis elegans PMK-1 protein kinase stress pathways. We have expressed a recombinant p38/PMK-1 ortholog from B. malayi (Bm-MPK1) and have successfully activated the kinase with mammalian upstream kinases. In addition, we have demonstrated inhibition of Bm-MPK1 activity using a panel of known p38 inhibitors. Using the potent and highly selective allosteric p38 inhibitor, BIRB796, we have implicated Bm-MPK1 in a pathway which offers B. malayi protection from the effects of ROS. Our results, for the first time, describe a stress-activated protein kinase pathway within the filarial parasite B. malayi which plays a role in protecting the parasite from ROS. Inhibition of this pathway may have therapeutic benefit in treating filariasis by increasing the sensitivity of filarial parasites to ROS and other reactive intermediates.
Semantic information distinguishing individual predators in the alarm calls of Gunnison's prairie dogs

Abstract Gunnison's prairie dogs, Cynomys gunnisoni , are colonial social rodents that give alarm calls upon the approach of a predator. Field experiments at two natural colonies showed that the prairie dogs are able to encode information into their alarm calls about the colour of clothes and general shape of individual humans eliciting alarm calls. This shows that the prairie dogs are able to incorporate information about the characteristic features of individuals within a given predator category.
Care-seeking practices in South Asia: using formative research to design program interventions to save newborn lives

The purpose of this paper is to summarize the formative research findings of newborn care practices in poor and rural districts of Bangladesh, Nepal, and Pakistan and to explain how these findings were used to design behavior change communication elements of newborn care programs. In-depth interviews and focus group discussions regarding newborn care practices were conducted with mothers, mothers-in-law, delivery attendants, health care providers, husbands/fathers, male and female community leaders, religious leaders and elderly influential persons between 2002-2003 in three countries supported by Save the Children's Saving Newborn Lives program. Key findings from each country are summarized according to time periods and care-seeking practices: antenatal care, birth and emergency preparedness/care-seeking, postnatal care and care-seeking for newborn illness. All country reports indicated cultural and religious barriers to seeking care as well as limited societal knowledge about the importance of care-seeking and recognition of maternal and newborn danger signs. Routine care-seeking, especially during the postnatal period, was universally low. When families did seek care, they preferred remedies from traditional healers rather than skilled health workers because of cultural and religious beliefs, poor access to health facilities, and financial barriers. Findings from the country reports were used to design behavior change communication strategies that addressed the underlying reasons why newborn care practices were sub-optimal. Cultural and religious barriers, though strong, were not insurmountable in implementing effective behavior change communication strategies. Formative research from South Asian countries has proved crucial to program approaches to improve care-seeking for maternal and newborn care, increasing availability and access of key services, and expanding family and community knowledge and demand for these services.
Studies on the Growth Hormone of Plants: V. The Relation of Cell Elongation to Cell Wall Formation.

Since the time of Nageli (1), increase in surface area of the plant cell wall has been frequently attributed to an active intussusception of particles of new material between particles already deposited in the cell wall framework. Intussusception formed, for example, an integral part of the theory proposed by Sachs(2) for the mechanism of growth. Nevertheless, it is undeniable that increase in cell wall material is frequently by apposition of layers of new material upon the surface of layers already laid down. Thus, even the walls of young, actively elongating cells often exhibit a distinctly lamellar structure. In cases of pure apposition, at least, increase in area must be due to processes other than active growth of the wall itself: The work of many investigators, reviewed by Heyn,(3) has indicated that increase in wall area is then by plastic stretching due to the outwardly directed pressure of the cell contents.
Tunable laser optics: Applications to optics and quantum optics

Abstract Optics originally developed for tunable organic dye lasers have found applications in other areas of optics, laser optics, and quantum optics. Here, the salient aspects of the physics related to the cavity linewidth equation and the effects of intracavity beam expansion and intracavity dispersion on this equation are reviewed. Additionally, the generalized multiple-prism dispersion equation is applied to direct-vision prisms, also known as Amici prisms, to calculate dispersion configurations of practical interest. Then, the higher derivatives of the multiple-prism dispersion equation applicable to laser pulse compression are considered. From this perspective, a new compact and generalized equation for higher-order phase derivatives is introduced for the first time. Furthermore, it is shown how the N-slit interferometric equation, derived from quantum principles using Dirac's notation, gives rise to generalized versions of the diffraction grating equation and the law of refraction. The nexus between the N-slit interferometric equation and the cavity linewidth equation is also illustrated. Finally, various optical and quantum optical applications that have benefited from these developments are highlighted.
Hemispheric Differences in Auditory Perception Are Similar to Those Found in Visual Perception

Zti a pitch discrimination task, siibjects were faster arid more acciirate in judging low-freqiiency solitids when these stitniili were presented to the left ear, compared with the riglit ear. Zn con- trast, a riglit-ear advantage was foiitid with high-freqiieticy soiinds. The effect was in ternis of. relative frequency arid riot absolute fieqrieticy, suggesting that the effect arises from postsetisoty tnech- atiisms. A similar laterality effect has been reported in visiial perception with stimuli varying in spatial frequency. These miiltitnodal laterality effects may rejlect a general cotnpiitatiotial differ- ence between the two cerebral Iienii- spheres, with tlie lefi hemisphere biased for processing kigli-frequency itiforma- tioti and the riglit hetnispliere biased for processing low-freqiiency information.
Effects of Fatty Acids and Ketone Bodies on Cytochromes P450 2B, 4A, and 2E1 Expression in Primary Cultured Rat Hepatocytes

Abstract CYP2B, CYP4A, and CYP2E1 mRNA levels are elevated in response to pathophysiological conditions, such as diabetes, high-fat diet, and fasting, in which lipids and ketone bodies are increased. In order to avoid confounding hormonal effects, we utilized primary rat hepatocytes to examine whether ketone bodies or fatty acids altered CYP2B, CYP4A, or CYP2E1 expression. Ketone bodies increased CYP2B mRNA and protein levels, but failed to alter CYP4A or CYP2E1 expression. Straight-chain saturated fatty acids, C8 to C16, increased levels of CYP2B and CYP4A mRNA, but not CYP2E1 mRNA. Treatment with octanoylcarnitine, a mitochondrial β-oxidation inhibitor, in combination with hexadecanoate increased CYP2B and CYP4A expression ∼1.4-fold over that observed with hexadecanoate alone, suggesting that mitochondrial conversion of fatty acids to ketone bodies was not required for enhanced CYP2B expression and that mitochondrial β-oxidation decreased intracellular fatty acid levels and thereby lowered CYP2B expression. Undecynoic acid or aminobenzotriazole treatment increased CYP2B mRNA levels, consistent with these compounds inhibiting the initial CYP4A-catalyzed step in the conversion of monocarboxylic to dicarboxylic acids and thereby decreasing peroxisomal β-oxidation and increasing intracellular fatty acid levels. Addition of glycerol, which suppresses fatty acid synthesis by inhibiting conversion of lactate to pyruvate, decreased basal expression of CYP2B and CYP4A but did not alter CYP2E1 expression. Pyruvate, but not lactate, completely prevented the glycerol-mediated decrease in CYP2B expression. These results provide evidence that intracellular levels of fatty acids and ketone bodies regulate the expression of CYP2B but not CYP2E1.
Changes in dopamine release in vitro from the corpus striatum of young versus aged rats as a function of infusion modes of L-dopa, potassium, and amphetamine.

Abstract In the present experiments we examined the effects of two different modes of infusion (two separate 10 min versus continuous infusions) of a depolarizing concentration of potassium (K+, 30 mM), amphetamine (AMPH, 10 μM), or l -DOPA (5 μM) upon dopamine (DA) release in vitro from superfused corpus striatal (CS) tissue fragments of young (2–4 months) and aged (18–24 months) male rats. The relative changes in DA release to two infusions of K+ and AMPH ( R 2 R 1 ) were virtually identical for CS from both young and aged rats. In the case of l -DOPA, DA release from CS of young rats was markedly increased in response to the second compared to the first l -DOPA infusion ( R 2 R 1 = 2.48 ± 0.33, N = 7 ) and significantly greater than that of aged rats ( R 2 R 1 = 1.24 ± 0.17, N = 6 ). A continuous infusion of K+ and AMPH resulted in an overall greater amount of DA release from the CS of young versus aged rats. In contrast, DA release from CS of aged rats showed an overall more rapid and greater amount of DA release to continuous l -DOPA infusion than that from the CS of young rats. These results demonstrate age-dependent differences in DA release from the CS as a function of the infusion mode of specific secretagogues. Particularly interesting were the responses to l -DOPA where a pulsatile administration resulted in an overall greater amount of DA release from the CS of young rats while a continuous infusion produced a greater amount of DA release from the CS of aged rats.
It Doesn't Matter: Some Cautionary Findings About Sex and Representation From School Committee Conversations

One of the most important findings in the field of gender and politics is that women elected officials at the state and national levels do a better job than men of representing the interests of women, children, and families. This paper uses school committees to ask the same question about women elected officials at the local level. Thus the question that guides this paper is: Does it matter for women if women are elected to this local political institution? If it does matter, then we should “hear” women's distinct ways of participating through their discussions at committee meetings. The study finds, in contrast, that in this political institution women and men behave in remarkably similar ways when separated by committee roles, and that women elected officials in this political institution spend very little time addressing issues affecting girls in public education.
Implantation gettering in silicon

Abstract Silicon wafers were gettered by Ar ion implantation into bare silicon and into silicon covered by a screen oxide with subsequent 600–1200°C anneals. Generation and recombination lifetimes were found to show maximum values after 900°C anneal with lower values for both higher as well as lower anneal temperatures. The stacking fault density shows a minimum at the same 900°C. The lifetimes were higher when Ar was implanted into the screen oxide.
THE EFFECTS OF ATROMID ON SERUM CHOLESTEROL, SERUM TRIGLYCERIDES, AND RADIOACTIVE FAT TOLERANCE IN PATIENTS WITH HYPERLIPIDEMIA. A PRELIMINARY REPORT.

Summary The effects of Atromid on the serum cholesterol, serum triglycerides, and radioactive fat tolerance were studied after a 3 months course of therapy in 25 patients with hyperlipidemia. Significant decreases in the cholesterol occurred in 76 % and in the triglycerides in 80 % of the group. Reductions in the hypertriglyceridemia were concomitantly associated with improvement in the fat tolerance, and in 4 patients with reversion to normal levels. Atromid appears to be a potentially important hypolipemic agent by virtue of its wide spectrum of activity, which embraces not only the various serum lipids but also the fat tolerance as well.
Photochemical Activities of Spinach Chloroplasts Following Treatment with the Detergent Triton X-100.

A number of detergents have been used to convert chloroplasts into smaller complexes for more intensive study of the properties of the photosynthetic apparatus (16). In an early series of experiments, Smith treated chloroplasts with digitonin, bile salts, sodium deoxycholate and sodium dodecyl sulfate (2325). The first 3 detergents removed and solubilized the chlorophyll while the latter split the chloroplasts into protein units containing the pigment. Other investigators have employed Zephiran chloride, Tween 20 and saponin (10), Duponol C and span 80 (4). and several anionic and cationic detergents (15). Digitonin treatment of chloroplasts has been used to release a photooxidative activity (5, 9, 13, 20) and to produce separable chloroplast fractions which contain altered chlorophyll ratios and appear to represent a separation of pigment system I (1, 3, 31). Triton X-100 effectively ruptures intact chloroplasts, and at low concentrations disrupts the sequential electron flow required for the Hill reaction (6, 10, 22). Sauer anid Park reported that in contrast to other detergenits tested, Triton X-100 causes a change in the fluorescence properties of the chloroplast at concentrations below those required to inhibit the Hill reaction (22), indicating a facile interaction of this detergent with the chlorophyll of the chloroplast. The experinments of Vernon et al. showed that chloroplasts solubilized by Triton X-100 catalyze photochemical redox reactions similar to those catalyzed by purified chlorophyll a solubilized by the same detergent (28, 30). Furthermore, Kahn isolated a chlorophyll-protein complex from chloroplasts by treatments with Triton X-100 (7). In contrast to the solubilizing effect of Triton X100 at high concentrations, lower amounts produce rather specific effects upon the intermediate electron transport complex of chloroplasts, inhibiting photophosphorylation and the related pH shift while stimulating electron flow (6, 18. 19). Because of its many effects upon the photosynthetic apparatus, an investigation into the action of this detergent upon a variety of photochemical reactions of spinach chloroplasts has been conducted and serves as the basis for this paper. Methods
FIXED-GRID FRONT-TRACKING ALGORITHM FOR SOLIDIFICATION PROBLEMS, PART II: DIRECTIONAL SOLIDIFICATION WITH MELT CONVECTION

A numerical study of directional solidification has been performed using a fixed-grid front-tracking algorithm. The directional solidification of pure tin, as well as the horizontal Bridgman growth of pure succinonitrile, were investigated. In both cases, the growth front was stable and nondendritic, but was significantly distorted by the influence of convection in the melt and, for the Bridgman growth case, by the translation of temperatures at the boundaries which represents furnace movement. Results obtained for the directional solidification of pure tin were found to agree reasonably well with experimental and numerical data for temperatures and front locations obtained from the literature. For the Bridgman growth of succinonitrile, the results were compared with detailed experimental data obtained from carefully controlled experiments, and numerical simulations reported in the literature. The predicted interface shapes and melt velocities agree well with experimental results. The predicted front loca...
Choosing a Strictly Proper Scoring Rule

Strictly proper scoring rules, including the Brier score and the logarithmic score, are standard metrics by which probability forecasters are assessed and compared. Researchers often find that one’s choice of strictly proper scoring rule has minimal impact on one’s conclusions, but this conclusion is typically drawn from a small set of popular rules. In the context of forecasting world events, we use a recently proposed family of proper scoring rules to study the properties of a wide variety of strictly proper rules. The results indicate that conclusions vary greatly across different scoring rules, so that one’s choice of scoring rule should be informed by the forecasting domain. We then describe strategies for choosing a scoring rule that meets the needs of the forecast consumer, considering three unique families of proper scoring rules.
Effects of E2 levuglandins on the contractile activity of the rat uterus

Abstract The effects of E2 levuglandins on the contractile activity of rat uterine horns were studied. LGE2, AnLGE2, Δ9-LGE2 and the synthetic epimer, 8-epi-Δ9-LGE2 all induced contractions in a dose-response fashion. AnLGE2 gave decreased response with increased bath concentrations. Paired comparision showed potent and selective inhibitory effects of AnLGE2 on the uterotonic activity of prostaglandins. An LGE2 inhibited the uterotonic activity of PGe2 at a 0.1:1 ratio, of PGD2 at 1:1 ratio, but did not inhibit the activity of PGF2α. Exposure of sponteneously contracting uteri to high concentrations of AnLGE2, or prolonged exposure to lower concentrations, suppressed contractions.
High-pressure phase transition in CsBr

Static-compression data have been collected on cesium bromide up to a pressure of 70 GPa (V/${V}_{0}$=0.500) with use of x-ray diffraction through the diamond-anvil cell at room temperature. CsBr, which is in the CsCl (B2) structure at zero pressure, undergoes a second-order phase transition to the tetragonal CuAu I structure at 53 (\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}2) GPa. Only one other alkali halide, CsI, has been shown to undergo a similar distortional transition at high pressures. With the extrapolation of the available data, both halides are expected to achieve the fcc lattice by about 130 GPa. Our new CsBr data are in good agreement with an Eulerian finite-strain equation of state derived from the ultrasonically measured elastic constants.
Formation of tamoxifen-DNA adducts in human endometrial explants exposed to α-hydroxytamoxifen

An increased risk of developing endometrial cancer has been observed in women receiving tamoxifen (TAM) endocrine therapy and chemoprevention. The genotoxic damage induced by TAM metabolites may be involved in the development of endometrial cancer. To investigate the capability of endometrial tissues to form TAM-DNA adducts, primary cultured human endometrial explants were exposed to alpha-hydroxytamoxifen (alpha-OHTAM) and used for quantitative analysis of TAM-DNA adducts, using (32)P-postlabeling/HPLC analysis. A trans isoform of alpha-(N(2)-deoxyguanosinyl)tamoxifen (dG-N(2)-TAM) was detected as the major adduct in eight of nine endometrial explants exposed to 100 microM alpha-OHTAM at levels of 7.7 +/- 5.3 (mean +/- SD) adducts/10(7) nucleotides. Approximately 25- and 37-fold lower amounts of the cis form of dG-N(2)-TAM and another trans isoform were also detected. The dG-N(2)-TAM adduct (3.3 adducts/10(7) nucleotides) was detected in one of three endometrial explants exposed to 25 microM alpha-OHTAM. No TAM-DNA adducts were detected in any unexposed tissues. These results indicate that TAM-DNA adducts are capable of forming through O-sulfonation and/or O-acetylation of alpha-OHTAM in the endometrium. The endometrial explant culture can be used as a model system to explore the genotoxic mechanism of antiestrogens for humans.
Cyclophosphamide and prednisolone exacerbate the severity of intestinal paratuberculosis in Mycobacterium paratuberculosis monoassociated mice

In this study we examined the effects of continuous oral administration of the immunosuppressive agents cyclophosphamide and prednisolone on the susceptibility of gnotobiotic nu/+ BALB/c mice to intestinal paratuberculosis. Treatment with either cyclophosphamide or prednisolone led to fecal shedding of Mycobacterium paratuberculosis, and increased the numbers of M. paratuberculosis recovered from the intestinal tract and liver, to levels similar to those recovered from untreated nu/nu mice. Numerous acid-fast bacilli and granulomas were observed within the intestinal tracts and livers of cyclophosphamide and prednisolone treated nu/+ and untreated nu/nu mice. In contrast, untreated control nu/+ mice infrequently shed small numbers of bacilli, harbored low numbers of M. paratuberculosis in their intestinal tracts, and did not have visible granulomas and acid fast bacilli in their tissues. Spleen cells from cyclophosphamide and prednisolone treated nu/+ mice, and from untreated nu/nu mice, had a reduced ability to proliferate in vitro in response to mitogen and antigens. These observations are consistent with previous evidence that cellular immunity restricts the development of intestinal paratuberculosis.
Groundwater recharge in arid regions: Review and critique of estimation methods

Arid-site recharge, while generally low, can be highly variable. Recharge under similar climate and soil conditions but with different plant cover and topography can vary from zero to more than the annual precipitation. Simple estimates of recharge based on fixed fractions of annual precipitation are misleading because they do not reflect the plant and soil factors controlling recharge. Detailed water balance models, successful for irrigated agriculture, fail to predict evapotranspiration accurately under conditions where plants suffer seasonal water stress and cover is sparse. Recharge, when estimated as a residual in water balance models, may be in error by as much as an order of magnitude. Similar errors can occur when soil water flow models are used with measured or estimated soil hydraulic conductivities and tension gradients. Lysimetry and tracer tests offer the best hope for evaluating recharge at arid sites, particularly in siting waste disposal facilities, where reliable recharge estimates are needed. Quantification of drainage using lysimetry over several years under a given set of soil, plant, and climate conditions for a specific site can provide a basis for calibrating models for recharge prediction. Tracer tests using such long-lived tracers as 36Cl or perhaps stable isotopes (180, deuterium) can provide qualitative estimates of recent recharge at a given site.
Production of Norfloxacin Nanosuspensions Using Microfluidics Reaction Technology through Solvent/Antisolvent Crystallization

Hydrophobic active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) are often difficult to deliver effectively because of formulation limitations. Nanosuspensions of such drugs may be used to increase bioavailability and offer a variety of delivery options including injection, inhalation, oral, and transdermal. Microfluidics reaction technology (MRT) was used successfully to produce submicrometer API suspensions via a continuous process that involves solvent/antisolvent crystallization. As proof of concept, nanosuspensions of norfloxacin (NFN), an antibacterial agent, were produced varying the key parameters of the technology. The nanosuspensions had narrow particle size distributions and median particle sizes in the range of 170-350 nm. The particle size depends on the supersaturation ratio and energy dissipation expressed as processing pressure. However, the particle size was found to be insensitive to the presence of the surfactant used. The crystalline structure of NFN was not affected by the mixing intensity but by the solvent/antisolvent system. This "bottom up" process for creating nanosuspensions was compared to a "top down" process, in which NFN nanosuspensions were created as a result of particle size reduction. It was found that the "bottom up" process was substantially more efficient and resulted in smaller particles than the "top down" process. MRT is based on an impinging jet reactor design with jet velocities and energy dissipation that is orders of magnitude higher than those of conventional impinging jet reactors. The technology provides precise control of the feed rates and the subsequent location and intensity of mixing of the reactants. It may be the best choice economically due to its process intensification character that minimizes energy requirements and the proven scalability of the reactor.
The seed banks of a southern Appalachian fen and an adjacent degraded wetland

Bogs and fens are rare communities in the southern Appalachians of the USA. Many have been degraded, and little ecological information beyond cursory floral inventories is available to help guide conservation and restoration efforts. The seedling emergence technique was used to examine the soil seed banks of open and closed canopy regions of a southern mountain fen in North Carolina. We also examined the seed bank of an adjoining portion of the floodplain, which had been drained and cleared for a golf fairway and is now slated for restoration. A total of 32 taxa emerged, with graminoids (particularlyJuncus spp.) dominating all three seed banks. Seedlings were assigned to one of five plant types: woody, rush, sedge, grass, or forb. Significantly more woody seedlings emerged in soils from the closed canopy fen than in soils from the other two areas. Most rush seedlings emerged in open canopy fen soils, more sedge and forb seedlings emerged in floodplain soils, and more grass seedlings emerged in floodplain soils than in closed canopy fen soils. A discriminant function analysis separated the open canopy fen from the closed canopy fen and floodplain by seedlings of woody plants and rushes. The floodplain was separated from the open and closed regions of the fen by sedge and grass seedlings. These patterns in seed bank composition bore little similarity to the standing vegetation in the three areas. Restoration activities planned for the floodplain are intended to restore its hydrology and microtopography, which will strongly influence recruitment from the seed bank and surrounding seed sources.
Engineering Tenofovir Loaded Chitosan Nanoparticles: To Maximize Microbicide Mucoadhesion

Abstract The objective of this study was to engineer a model anti-HIV microbicide (tenofovir) loaded chitosan based nanoparticles (NPs). Box–Behnken design allowed to assess the influence of formulation variables on the size of NPs and drug encapsulation efficiency (EE%) that were analyzed by dynamic light scattering and UV spectroscopy, respectively. The effect of the NPs on vaginal epithelial cells and Lactobacillus crispatus viability and their mucoadhesion to porcine vaginal tissue were assessed by cytotoxicity assays and fluorimetry, respectively. In the optimal aqueous conditions, the EE% and NPs size were 5.83% and 207.97 nm, respectively. With 50% (v/v) ethanol/water as alternative solvent, these two responses increased to 20% and 602 nm, respectively. Unlike small size (182 nm) exhibiting burst release, drug release from medium (281 nm) and large (602 nm)-sized NPs fitted the Higuchi ( r 2 = 0.991) and first-order release ( r 2 = 0.999) models, respectively. These NPs were not cytotoxic to both the vaginal epithelial cell line and L. crispatus for 48 h. When the diameter of the NPs decreased from 900 to 188 nm, the mucoadhesion increased from 6% to 12%. However, the combinatorial effect of EE% and percent mucoadhesion for larger size NPs was the highest. Overall, large-size, microbicide loaded chitosan NPs appeared to be promising nanomedicines for the prevention of HIV transmission.
Characterization of the glycation of albumin in freeze-dried and frozen human serum.

Human serum albumin (HSA) in fresh frozen and freeze-dried serum reference materials was examined by mass spectrometry and a variety of affinity chromatography techniques. The relative molecular mass distribution of HSA in fresh frozen serum was found to be identical to that of an HSA standard. However, the HSA in the freeze-dried reference serum exhibited a relative molecular mass distribution that was shifted to higher mass, broader, and substantially more heterogeneous than that of HSA in fresh frozen serum. A proteolytic cyanogen bromide digestion of the HSA from freeze-dried serum contained adducts ∼162 u higher in mass than digest fragments 124−298 and 447−548, suggesting glycation. The presence of glycation on fragments 124−298 and 447−548 correlates with the known sites of HSA glycation. Glycation was further confirmed by the mass spectral analysis of the retained and unretained fractions from glycoaffinity chromatography of HSA from freeze-dried serum. The relative molecular weight of the HSA in ...
A Long-Term Climatology of Southerly and Northerly Low-Level Jets for the Central United States

A forty-year (1961–2000) climatology of southerly and northerly low-level jets (LLJs) was prepared from twice-daily rawinsonde observations for thirty-six stations in the central United States. Although there is extensive literature on southerly jets, their spatial variability has received little attention. Furthermore, there is a paucity of studies examining any aspects of northerly LLJs. Thus, the motivation for developing the climatology was to (1) examine in greater detail the spatial variation of LLJ characteristics across the central United States, (2) better document the nature of northerly LLJs, (3) provide a baseline for evaluating potential future changes in LLJ frequency and characteristics, and (4) assess through comparisons with previous studies what aspects of LLJs in the central United States remain poorly understood. The climatology is a substantial temporal and spatial expansion of previous studies and provides a more thorough description of the spatial variability of LLJs in terms of fre...