cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
New Model Predicting the Unusual Buckling Behavior of AZ31 Mg

In this paper, for the first time it is demonstrated that only by accounting for the combined effects of the tension-compression asymmetry and strong anisotropy of AZ31 Mg it is possible to predict the very unusual buckling of this material, and most importantly capture the energy absorbed prior to buckling. It is shown that by using an elastic/plastic model based on Cazacu et al. [1] criterion that accounts for both anisotropy and strength differential effects, a strong influence of the direction of crushing is predicted. However, if Hill’s [2] criterion is used i.e. strength differential effects are not taken into account, the predictions indicate that the orientation of the tube has no influence on the final geometry of the crushed specimen. Furthermore, the location and cross section of the buckle are not correctly captured by the Hill [2] yield criterion.
Bile Acids Induce Inflammatory Genes in Hepatocytes: A Novel Mechanism of Inflammation during Obstructive Cholestasis

Inflammation contributes to liver injury during cholestasis. The mechanism by which cholestasis initiates an inflammatory response in the liver, however, is not known. Two hypotheses were investigated in the present studies. First, activation of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), either by bacterial lipopolysaccharide or by damage-associated molecular pattern molecules released from dead hepatocytes, triggers an inflammatory response. Second, bile acids act as inflammagens, and directly activate signaling pathways in hepatocytes that stimulate production of proinflammatory mediators. Liver inflammation was not affected in lipopolysaccharide-resistant C3H/HeJ mice after bile duct ligation, indicating that Toll-like receptor 4 is not required for initiation of inflammation. Treatment of hepatocytes with bile acids did not directly cause cell toxicity but increased the expression of numerous proinflammatory mediators, including cytokines, chemokines, adhesion molecules, and other proteins that influence immune cell levels and function. Up-regulation of several of these genes in hepatocytes and in the liver after bile duct ligation required early growth response factor-1, but not farnesoid X receptor. In addition, early growth response factor-1 was up-regulated in the livers of patients with cholestasis and correlated with levels of inflammatory mediators. These data demonstrate that Toll-like receptor 4 is not required for the initiation of acute inflammation during cholestasis. In contrast, bile acids directly activate a signaling network in hepatocytes that promotes hepatic inflammation during cholestasis.
Pericardiocentesis of noncircumferential effusions using nonstandard catheter entry sites guided by echocardiography and fluoroscopy.

Objective. Classically pericardiocentesis has been described and performed through the subxiphiod approach, which is feasible if the pericardial fluid is circumferential or collected inferior or anterior to the heart. However, not uncommonly, the collection of fluid is at the base of the heart or in the posterior or apical portion of the pericardium, necessitating a different approach. The purpose of this study is to describe echo and fluoroscopic guided pericardiocentesis to evacuate noncircumferential effusions, which are not accessible from the standard subcostal approach. Methods. Retrospective review of all patients with localized/noncircumferential effusions at Rady Children's Hospital San Diego between May 2007 and February 2010 was performed. During these procedures, effusions were identified at the point closest to the skin. The pericardial drains were introduced, directed, and advanced under echocardiographic and fluoroscopic guidance while avoiding major organs. Results. Ten patients were identified (age ranged from 20 days to 22 years, weight ranged from 1.6 kg to 94 kg). All procedures were successful in draining the pericardial effusions with minimal residual fluid and no complications. Conclusion. Echocardiographic and fluoroscopic guided pericardiocentesis is a feasible, relatively safe, and reliable technique to drain loculated pericardial effusions using nonstandard entry sites.
On Call for the Duration: Code Gray: A Resident’s Personal Account From Children’s Hospital of New Orleans

We knew there was a storm coming. Its name was Katrina, and it was headed straight for Florida, which was unfortunate for those having just endured a recent hurricane. Katrina lulled the city of New Orleans, Louisiana, to sleep, and that night she swerved. In an unusual and ultimately devastating turn of events, the hurricane literally cut west and traversed the state of Florida to find itself brewing with room to grow in the Gulf of Mexico. Despite this, no one panicked. There still existed a wide area of uncertainty for its landfall, and New Orleans had been spared from a direct hit numerous times before. We had just been lucky, I suppose. It became apparent that New Orleans would see some part of this growing monster, and as a precaution (one to which we have become accustomed), an evacuation of the city was ordered. In the children’s hospital setting, this translated to another “code gray.” Given that patients are not in a position to leave the hospital during a storm, it falls on chance that a group of doctors must weather it with them. Therefore, on this day, 12 resident physicians received a call telling us that we should prepare our bags to stay at Children’s Hospital of New Orleans. Neither I nor any of my resident peers had had disaster training as part of our curriculum. When I found I was chosen to be on-call, I did not envision it lasting more than 2 days. I packed only a bare minimum, invested in water and microwaveable meals, and, by sheer luck, decided to pack some important documents just in case. The day was sunny and beautiful. As I drove to the hospital that morning, I was determined to remain in a chipper mood. I greeted everyone in an … Address correspondence to Sandhya D. Mani, MD, Department of Internal Medicine/Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital New Orleans, 200 Henry Clay Ave, New Orleans, LA 70118. E-mail: smani{at}lsuhsc.edu
A code for calculating force and temperature of a Bitter plate type toroidal field coil system

To assist the design effort of the TF (toroidal-field) coils for the CIT (Compact Ignition Tokamak), a set of programs was developed to calculate the transient spatial distribution of the current density, the temperature, and the forces in the TF-coil conductor region. The TF coils are of the Bitter (disk)-type design and therefore have negligible variation of current density in the toroidal direction. During the TF pulse, voltages which cause the field and current to diffuse in the minor radial direction are induced. This penetration, combined with the increase of resistance due to the temperature rise, determines the distribution of the current. After the current distribution has been determined, the inplane (TF-TF) and the out-of-plane TF-poloidal field (TF-PF) forces in the conductor are computed. The predicted currents and temperatures have been independently corroborated using the SPARK code modified for this type of problem. >
Map correlation method: Selection of a reference streamgage to estimate daily streamflow at ungaged catchments

[1] Daily streamflow time series are critical to a very broad range of hydrologic problems. Whereas daily streamflow time series are readily obtained from gaged catchments, streamflow information is commonly needed at catchments for which no measured streamflow information exists. At ungaged catchments, methods to estimate daily streamflow time series typically require the use of a reference streamgage, which transfers properties of the streamflow time series at a reference streamgage to the ungaged catchment. Therefore, the selection of a reference streamgage is one of the central challenges associated with estimation of daily streamflow at ungaged basins. The reference streamgage is typically selected by choosing the nearest streamgage; however, this paper shows that selection of the nearest streamgage does not provide a consistent selection criterion. We introduce a new method, termed the map-correlation method, which selects the reference streamgage whose daily streamflows are most correlated with an ungaged catchment. When applied to the estimation of daily streamflow at 28 streamgages across southern New England, daily streamflows estimated by a reference streamgage selected using the map-correlation method generally provides improved estimates of daily streamflow time series over streamflows estimated by the selection and use of the nearest streamgage. The map correlation method could have potential for many other applications including identifying redundancy and uniqueness in a streamgage network, calibration of rainfall runoff models at ungaged sites, as well as for use in catchment classification.
Correlations for shear-induced percolation segregation in granular shear flows

Abstract Discrete element method (DEM) computer simulations are used to develop correlations for the mean percolation segregation speed and diffusion coefficient in a steady shear flow of a bi-disperse mixture of cohesionless, spherical particles. The simulations span a range of size ratios, dimensionless shear rates, and dimensionless applied normal stresses. The volume concentrations of the smaller species are small, with values between 0.04% and 9.6%. For the investigated set of parameters, the dimensionless mean percolation speed has an exponential dependence on the particle size ratio and is a linear function of the large particle concentration, but is independent of the dimensionless normal stress, at least for dimensionless normal stresses exceeding a critical value. Furthermore, the dimensional mean percolation speed is also independent of the dimensional shear rate. The diffusion coefficient, however, does depend on the shear rate, but asymptotes to the self-diffusion coefficient as the particle size ratio approaches one. The proposed correlations fit the simulation data very well, with coefficients of determination exceeding 0.99 and 0.98 for the percolation speed and diffusion coefficient, respectively. These correlations are intended for use with higher-level models, such as continuum models for granular flow, in order to predict segregation in large systems.
Agreements with Hell and Other Objects of Our Faith

ions in large part by the ways they have been used in the past by people who claimed to be following them. To put the matter another way, we must come to terms with the fact that political ideas and ideals have an ideological content and function-that ideas are not just ideals for emulation and attainment but also the means by which injustices like caste, status hierarchy, violence, aggression and oppression are justified by those who perpetuate them, both to themselves and to those who must suffer the consequences. Thus, in judging the benefits and detriments of an historically embedded abstract idea like democracy or liberalism, we must necessarily take into account its ideological uses and effects, and these can only be understood through the ways the idea has actually been wielded in existing historical institutions. We cannot judge the idea wholly on its historical implementations (for that leaves no room for its ability to effect beneficial improvement), but neither can we disregard them. This fact is much easier to see with ideas that have existed in the distant past, or those in which we do not have a personal stake. It is much easier for us to identify the doctrine of the Divine Right of Kings with the foibles of the historical monarchies it was used to justify, but that is because we have no particular stake in legitimating monarchies or debating the intricacies of their governing ideologies. I suspect that many people on the right will laugh skeptically at the claim that socialism and communism cannot be adequately judged by 1997] 1713 HeinOnline -65 Fordham L. Rev. 1713 1996-1997
Human papillomavirus type 6 virus-like particles present overlapping yet distinct conformational epitopes

The epitope for a human papillomavirus (HPV) type 6 conformation-dependent, neutralizing monoclonal antibody (mAb) was partially mapped using HPV L1 recombinant virus-like particles (VLPs). The mAb H6.J54 is cross-reactive with the closely related HPV types 6 and 11. By making HPV-6-like amino acid substitutions in the cottontail rabbit papillomavirus (CRPV) major capsid protein L1, we were able to transfer H6.J54 binding activity into a CRPV/HPV-6 hybrid L1 protein. Full binding activity was achieved with only nine amino acid changes and identified a region centred on the HPV-6 residues 49-54. This region has previously been shown to be a critical part of HPV-6 type-specific epitopes. Fine mapping of the region by scanning a series of alanine substitution mutations showed that in HPV-6 VLPs this type-common epitope overlaps HPV-6 type-specific epitopes.
Highly Fluorinated Adamantanols: Synthesis, Acidities, and Reactivities

Aerosol direct fluorination of 1-adamantyl acetate produces F-1-adamantyl trifluoroacetate and 2-hydryl-F-1-adamantyl trifluoroacetate in a near 1:1 ratio. Hydrolyses of these two esters give the corresponding alcohols, F-adamantan-1-ol and 2-hydryl-F-adamantan-1-ol. 2-Hydryl-F-adamantan-2-ol is synthesized by LiAlH4 reduction of F-adamantanone. The acidities of these alcohols and the rates of their acetylation reactions were measured. A 1H NMR study of their hydrogen bonding with t-BuOCH3 is described.
Computer-generated holograms fabricated by direct write of positive electron-beam resist.

An e-beam lithographic technique is described that produces multiple discrete phase levels as a surface-relief structure directly in positive e-beam resist. Processing techniques are presented for two positive e-beam resists: EBR-9 and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA). This fabrication technology is experimentally applied to produce sawtooth (blazed) gratings and multiphase-level numeric-type computer-generated holograms (i.e., kinoforms).
Blockade of Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone-Induced Secretion of Pituitary Follicle-Stimulating Hormone by Inhibin-Containing Preparations*

The interaction of exogenously administered gonadotropin- releasing hormone (GnRH) and inhibin-containing gonadal preparations on the pituitary in intact male rats has been studied. The inhibin preparations were crude bovine testicular extracts (bTE) or porcine follicular fluid (pFF). Both preparations were extracted with ether and/or charcoal to remove steroids. The biological activity of both the bTE and the pFF was established in the 34-day-old acutely castrated male rat. Two experimental approaches were used. In series A, the inhibin preparation was administered first, and 6 h later, a single iv injection of GnRH (125 or 500 ng) was given. In series B, GnRH was infused continuously for 8 h, but after 2 h, the inhibin preparation was administered (sc). In series A, both bTE and pFF completely suppressed the 125-ng GnRH-induced rise in plasma FSH; however, neither was effective when 500 ng GnRH were administered. Plasma LH levels were unaffected by bTE or pFF. In series B, neither the bTE nor the pFF wa...
Thermally stimulated luminescence from commonly occuring impurity phases in high-temperature superconductors

Abstract The insulating materials Y2O3, Y2BaCuO5, BaCO3, Ba3CuO4, and BaCuO2, which frequently occur as secondary phases in high temperature superconductors (HTS), have been investigated using thermally stimulated luminescence (TSL). When irradiated with X- or γ-rays at room temperature and subsequently heated to 400°C they produce TSL whose glow-peak maxima occur between 115 and 280°C. Analyses of the TSL glow curves reveal that the trapped charges require energies from 0.7 to 1.2 eV for their release from metastable states following mixed-order kinetics ranging from 1.3 to 3 with frequency factors varying from 107 to 1014 s-1. TSL in these nominally pure, single-phase insulating materials are attributed to impurities and radiation-induced ionic radicals.
Variability in the altitude of fast upper tropospheric winds over the Northern Hemisphere during winter

[1] The surface of maximum wind (SMW) is used as a frame for examining spatial and temporal variability in the vertical position of fast upper tropospheric winds over the Northern Hemisphere during winter. At a given observation time in a gridded data set, the SMW is defined as the surface passing through the fastest analyzed wind above each grid node, with a vertical search domain restricted to the upper troposphere and any tropospheric jet streams extending into the lower stratosphere. Documenting how SMW pressure varies spatially and temporally guides the operational and climatological analysis of tropospheric jet streams and enables more informed interpretation of isobaric wind speed signals (i.e., isobaric speed variability can be caused by both jet core pressure changes and jet core speed changes). Using six-hourly Northern Hemisphere (NH) NCEP-NCAR reanalysis data from 1958 to 2004, the mean three-dimensional structure of the NH SMW is mapped for winter, and vertical cross sections are used to show the position of the SMW relative to the mean isotachs, the mean lapse-rate tropopause, and the mean dynamic tropopause. The Arctic Oscillation (AO) and El Nino/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) are identified as the leading contributors to SMW pressure variability over the NH using principal components analysis. During the AO positive phase, mean SMW pressures are decreased at high latitudes and increased at middle and subtropical latitudes. The SMW response to the AO is elliptical with the centers of pressure change displaced more equatorward over Asia and the Atlantic. During the warm phase of ENSO, eastward expansion and strengthening of the Pacific jet stream is associated with SMW pressures up to 27 hPa lower near 30°N. The relatively low SMW pressures of the east Pacific SMW are flanked, during the warm phase of ENSO, by slower upper tropospheric winds and higher SMW pressures near the equator and the Gulf of Alaska.
The structure of afterthought

The structure of afterthought – which I take from the French phrase ‘l'esprit de l'escalier’ – has an unhealthy domination over our thought, our scholarship and politics. Rather than facing up to the present and writing to the future, there is a powerful tendency to retain our gaze backwards, to be shackled in the past way of thinking. I suggest the counter-structure of imagination as one way to think about the nature of scholarship.
The Relationship of Altered Water/Feed Intake Ratios on Growth and Abdominal Fat in Commercial Broilers

Three trials were conducted to investigate the relationship of changing water/feed ratios on growth rate and abdominal fat levels of two genetic lines. Water/feed intake ratios were elevated by feed restriction programs (skip-a-day and 70% restriction) from 0 to 4 days of age. Following return to ad libitum feed, compensatory gains were observed in body weights, and the elevated water/feed ratios declined to levels similar to that of controls. The addition of up to 2.4% dietary salt resulted in increased water/feed intake ratios without reductions in feed intake. Early body weights of birds receiving diets containing high levels of salt were larger than body weights of birds receiving the control diet. Peak differences in body weights occurred at 4 days and were larger in males than females. Feed efficiency from 0 to 4 days was higher for birds receiving high salt diets than for birds receiving the control diet. Decreasing the high salt levels resulted in reduced water/feed ratios to levels comparable to controls. Small differences were observed in abdominal fat between the two genetic lines. Abdominal fat weights were significantly (P less than or equal to .05) reduced (17 to 28%) in both lines when birds were fed a 2.4% salt diet. Although abdominal fat weights were similar between sexes, differences in body weights resulted in significant (P less than or equal to .05) differences between males and females in percent abdominal fat. Data indicated that high water/feed intake ratios may be associated with reduced abdominal fat.
Bioterrorism Preparedness—What Progress has Congress Made Since September 2001?

The U.S. government has long been aware of the potential for a homeland attack using biological agents. Historically, there have been some limited efforts to respond to this threat. During the Korean War, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention established the Epidemic Intelligence Service as an early warning system to counter possible bioterrorist attacks. The Department of Defense has also developed biological defense programs and provided troops serving in high-risk areas with anthrax vaccine. In 1999, Congress appropriated funds for the first time for state and local bioterrorism preparedness. This article discusses congressional action since the fall of 2001 to respond and prepare for an act of bioterrorism.
The glucocorticoid receptor dimer interface allosterically transmits sequence-specific DNA signals

Glucocorticoid receptor binds to genomic response elements and regulates gene transcription with cell- and gene-specificity. Within a response element, the precise sequence to which the receptor binds has been implicated in directing its structure and activity. We use NMR chemical shift difference mapping to show that non-specific interactions with particular base positions within the binding sequence, such as those of the “spacer”, affect the conformation of distinct regions of the rat glucocorticoid receptor DNA binding domain. These regions include the DNA-binding surface, the “lever arm” and the dimerization interface, suggesting an allosteric pathway that signals between the DNA binding sequence and the associated dimer partner. Disrupting this path by mutating the dimer interface alters sequence-specific conformations, DNA-binding kinetics and transcriptional activity. Our study demonstrates that glucocorticoid receptor dimer partners collaborate to read DNA shape and to direct sequence specific gene activity.
A Subset of Splenic Macrophages Process and Present Native Antigen to Naive Antigen-Specific CD4+T-Cells from Mice Transgenic for an αβ T-Cell Receptor

Abstract The progeny of individual macrophage precursors from mouse spleen were examined for their ability to constitutively process and present native pigeon cytochrome c or a peptide fragment of this antigen to naive CD4 + T-cells from mice transgenic for a Vα11/Vβ3 TCR that recognizes an epitope in the antigen fragment. The results show that constitutive Ag processing and presentation is a stable characteristic restricted to the progeny of approximately 20% of splenic macrophage precursors. This property does not appear to be randomly acquired, but to reflect the ability of certain macrophages to produce IL-12.
In vitro phosphorylation of Paramecium axonemes and permeabilized cells.

Abstract This study seeks to identify phosphoproteins in axonemes from Paramecium tetraurelia whose phosphorylation responses to adenosine 3', 5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) and Ca2+ parallel responses induced by these agents in ciliary behavior in this cell. In purified axonemes, over 15 bands ranging from Mr greater than 300 kDa to 19 kDa on SDS-PAGE incorporate 32P from adenosine 5'-gamma-[32P]triphosphate (gamma-32P-ATP) at pCa 7 in the absence of cAMP. A major band whose label turns over rapidly was identified at Mr 43 kDa. In the presence of 5 microM cAMP, more than eight bands, but not the Mr 43 kDa band, were labeled additionally or enhanced their labeling. These phosphoproteins and their kinases are structural components of the axoneme. Overall, some of the same major bands are labeled in the presence of cAMP in Triton X-100-permeabilized paramecia that retain their behavioral responses and in axonemes mechanically isolated from these cells. In particular, two major bands have been identified whose phosphorylation is greatly enhanced by cAMP at low concentrations: 1) a 29 kDa polypeptide whose cAMP-dependent phosphorylation is diminished at pCa 4 compared with pCa 7 and 2) a 65 kDa polypeptide whose phosphorylation is pCa insensitive. These polypeptides meet minimal criteria for signal-sensitive regulators of motility parameters in the Paramecium axoneme.
In-situ atmospheric water-vapor retrieval in support of AVIRIS validation

A comparison is made between two ground-based atmospheric water-vapor measurement techniques, each of which uses data from a solar-pointing radiometer. One technique uses visible wavelength channels to retrieve aerosol loading, surface pressure readings for Rayleigh scattering analyses, and the 0.94 micron channel to extract water vapor from the residual of total versus scattering opacity. The other technique requires only the ratio of channels centered at 0.94 and 0.87 micron. Results are given for the April 13, 1989 AVIRIS in-flight calibration.
Transposition in the infant and adult rhesus monkey.

Two experiments concerned with the effects of age on transposition were conducted In the first experiment neonatal and adult monkeys learned an area discrimination with great difficulty. Two adults transposed the learned discrimination to stimuli smaller than the original, but the mean transposition scores for neonatal monkeys were not significant. In the second experiment, 1-yr.-old and adult monkeys were slow to learn a brightness discrimination. Two adults and all of the infants showed consistent and significant transposition to darker stimuli, but performed at chance level to stimuli removed more than one step interval from the original learning on the lighter side. It is concluded that transposition is probably more closely tied to the variables affecting single-problem learning rather than to those affecting multiple-problem learning.
Transportation sensitivity and regional growth

Abstract Transportation sensitivity differs considerably among industries within a region. The magnitude of difference is due to unequal comparative positions within the region, the market structure of the industry, and the attributes of the product. The divergency of transportation sensitivity among industries and regions calls for an explicit treatment of transportation factors in a general economic analysis; especially in regional planning. Both the value added and transfer cost elasticities are unrelated to the value of the commodity and bear a limited association with the ratios of value added to gross output. The common practice of using the ratio of transfer to processing costs as a measure of transfer cost sensitivity in location analysis is only a special case of the generalized measure of the (line haul) transfer cost sensitivity assuming that each industry in a region attains a same percentage change in transfer costs. Due to data limitation, the results presented here should be described as studies in the workability of the proposed models. A more critical analysis of the available data and the results following from the models are necessary before a final judgment can be reached.
Cryosurgical technique: Assessment of the fundamental variables using human prostate cancer model systems☆

Abstract Cryosurgery offers a promising therapeutic alternative for the treatment of prostate cancer. While often successful, complete cryoablation of cancerous tissues sometimes fails due to technical challenges. Factors such as the end temperature, cooling rate, duration of the freezing episode, and repetition of the freezing cycle have been reported to influence cryosurgical outcome. Accordingly, we investigated the effects of these variables in an in vitro prostate cancer model. Human prostate cancer PC-3 and LNCaP cultures were exposed to a range of sub-zero temperatures (-5 to -40 degrees C), and cells were thawed followed by return to 37 degrees C. Post-thaw viability was assessed using a variety of fluorescent probes including alamarBlue (metabolic activity), calceinAM (membrane integrity), and propidium iodide (necrosis). Freeze duration following ice nucleation was investigated using single and double freezing cycles (5, 10, and 20 min). The results demonstrated that lower freezing temperatures yielded greater cell death, and that LNCaP cells were more susceptible to freezing than PC-3 cells. At -15 degrees C, PC-3 yielded approximately 55% viability versus approximately 20% viability for LNCaP. Double freezing cycles were found to be more than twice as destructive versus a single freeze-thaw cycle. Both cell types experienced increased cell death when exposed to freezing temperatures for longer durations. When thawing rates were considered, passive (slower) thawing following freezing yielded greater cell death than active (faster) thawing. A 20% difference in viability between passive and active thawing was observed for PC-3 for a 10 min freeze. Finally, the results demonstrate that just reaching -40 degrees C in vitro may not be sufficient to obtain complete cell death. The data support the use of extended freeze times, multiple freeze-thaw cycles, and passive thawing to provide maximum cell destruction.
Redefining the isotopic boundaries of biogenic methane: Methane from endoevaporites

Abstract The recent reports of methane in the atmosphere of Mars, as well as the findings of hypersaline paleoenvironments on that planet, have underscored the need to evaluate the importance of biological (as opposed to geological) trace gas production and consumption, particularly in hypersaline environments. Methane in the atmosphere of Mars may be an indication of extant life, but it may also be a consequence of geologic activity and/or the thermal alteration of ancient organic matter. On Earth these methane sources can be distinguished using stable isotopic analyses and the ratio of methane (C1) to C2 and C3 alkanes present in the gas source (C1/(C2 + C3)). We report here that methane produced in hypersaline environments on Earth has an isotopic composition and alkane content outside the values presently considered to indicate a biogenic origin. Methane-rich bubbles released from sub-aqueous substrates contained δ13CCH4 and δ2HCH4 values ranging from −65‰ to −35‰ and −350‰ to −140‰ respectively. Higher salinity endoevaporites yielded what would be considered non-biogenic methane based upon stable isotopic and alkane content, however incubation of crustal and algal mat samples resulted in methane production with similar isotopic values. Radiocarbon analysis indicated that the production of the methane was from recently fixed carbon. An extension of the isotopic boundaries of biogenic methane is necessary in order to avoid the possibility of false negatives returned from measurements of methane on Mars and other planetary bodies.
Transfer of the critically ill child

Advances in the provision of paediatric intensive care have resulted in improved management of the critically ill child. There is now clear evidence that outcome and survival of critically ill children is better when they are managed in specialised paediatric intensive care units (PICU). 1 These units are able to provide high quality care because they manage much larger numbers of seriously ill children compared with the average intensive care unit in a district general hospital; they also have the necessary concentration of facilities, equipment, and resources. The main conditions encountered in the PICU are shown in Table 1. Most children who sustain severe trauma or suddenly develop life threatening illness will be taken to their nearest hospital where they will undergo initial stabilisation and this may be some considerable distance from the nearest PICU. Longer term intensive treatment and support will often exceed local resources; furthermore children admitted with common conditions (e.g. meningitis) may deteriorate unexpectedly and therefore require inten
Structure-Function Analysis of the Cuprous Oxidase Activity in Fet3p from Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The Fet3 protein from Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a multicopper oxidase with specificity toward Fe(II) and Cu(I). Fet3p turnover of Fe(II) supports high affinity iron uptake across the yeast plasma membrane, whereas its turnover of Cu(I) contributes to copper resistance in yeast. The structure of Fet3p has been used to identify possible amino acid residues responsible for this protein's reactivity with Cu(I), and structure-function analyses have confirmed this assignment. Fet3p Met(345) is required for the enzyme's reactivity toward Cu(I). Although the Fet3pM345A mutant exhibits wild type spectral and electrochemical behavior, the kinetic constants for Cu(I) turnover and for single-turnover electron transfer from Cu(I) to the enzyme are significantly reduced. The specificity constant with Cu(I) as substrate is reduced by one-fifth, whereas the electron transfer rate from Cu(I) is reduced 50-fold. This mutation has little effect on the reactivity toward Fe(II), indicating that Met(345) contributes specifically to Fet3p reactivity with the cuprous ion. These kinetic defects render the Fet3pM345A unable to support wild type cellular copper resistance, suggesting that there is a finely tuned copper redox balance at the yeast plasma membrane.
Does FASing Out New Fat in the Hypothalamus Make You Slim

Fatty acid synthase (FAS) is a key enzyme for lipogenesis. A recent study (Chakravarthy et al., 2007) shows that the targeted deletion of FAS in hypothalamic neurons produces hypophagic, lean mice and suggests that PPARα signaling is an important mediator of the effects of FAS on energy homeostasis.
Sample variability of zooplankton in the nearshore off Louisiana with consideration of sampling design

Abstract Variability in zooplankton samples was examined to identify a proper sampling design for unbiased estimates of zooplankton abundances. Samples were selected in the nearshore about 16 km south of Louisiana during one night and 2 days in October 1985 using a 1 m2 multiple Opening/Closing net and Environmental Sensing System fitted with 0.333 mm mesh nets. Data obtained from 21 tows of three different tow lengths at mid depth (about 5 m, water depth 10 m) were analysed. There seemed to be different patterns of vertical migration and these vertical migrations were shown to explain about 75% of total sample variability in the study area. These were: usual vertical migration (Centropages velificatus, Chaetognatha, Eucalanus spp., Phialidium spp., Paracalanus spp. and Temora turbinata), weak vertical migration with elapsed phase (Doliolida A and Oikopleura spp.), and reversed vertical migration (Acartia tonsa). The relationship between mean abundances and tow distance was weak, but the variance of the abundance estimates showed an exponentially decreasing trend with an increase of tow distance when populations were at their maximum, probably due to vertical migration. From nonlinear regression analyses with the model (variance)= A + B ec(tow distance), the minimum tow distance that would provide a stabilized variance of abundance estimate was determined. It varied among taxa from 43 to 140 m with an average of 80 m. Vertically stratified sampling with a minimum tow distance of about 140 m is suggested as a proper sampling scheme for the unbiased estimation of abundances in a nearshore environment like the sampling site of this study.
Automated display and statistical analysis of interpreted deep-sea bottom photographs

Abstract An automated system for interpreting and displaying deep-sea bottom photographs has been developed which allows rapid compilation and analysis of geological information. Initially, collected photographs are classified using a scheme similar to those applied to deep-sea volcanic and hydrothermal terrains by other workers. Towed-camera positions from a transponder navigation system are smoothed using a cubic spline technique to obtain a more accurate model of the tow-vehicle track. Line scan recorded data of the camera's height above the seafloor and camera lens characteristics are used to calculate the field of view for each photograph. These data sources are integrated to produce a graphic output which combines the location, orientation, field of view, geological, and biological information for all photographs in a single color display. An illustration of the technique is presented for a photographic data set collected within the caldera of Axial Seamount (45°57′N, 130°03′W), a site of active high and low temperature hydrothermal venting on the central Juan de Fuca Ridge. Results confirm the existence and pinpoint the locations of several areas of known hydrothermal activity within the caldera. Quantitative analyses of the data base indicate statistical associations between various geological and hydrothermal parameters. In particular, rigorous statistical testing indicates that hydrothermal activity is associated with regions dominated by sheet flow lavas and fracturing.
Promoting research in pediatric anesthesiology

Over the past two years there has been increased interest in promoting research in anesthesia as an integral part of academic anesthesia practice in Colombia. The Colombian Symposium on Research in Anesthesia (organized by the Colombian Society of Anesthesiology and the Society of Anesthesiology and Reanimation of Antioquia) formulated and published guidelines to promote this effort. Despite these efforts, pediatric anesthesia is still a subspecialty in which very little research is done. In this opinion article we discuss why and how to promote research in pediatric anesthesia in Colombia.
Inclusion of exact exchange in the noniterative partial-differential-equation method of electron-molecule scattering - Application to e-N2

The noniterative partial-differential-equation (PDE) approach to electron-molecule scattering of Onda and Temkin (1983) is modified to account for the effects of exchange explicitly. The exchange equation is reduced to a set of inhomogeneous equations containing no integral terms and solved noniteratively in a difference form; a method for propagating the solution to large values of r is described; the changes in the polarization potential of the original PDE method required by the inclusion of exact static exchange are indicated; and the results of computations for e-N2 scattering in the fixed-nuclei approximation are presented in tables and graphs and compared with previous calculations and experimental data. Better agreement is obtained using the modified PDE method.
An Update on the Biology of RAS/RAF Mutations in Colorectal Cancer

Deaths caused by colorectal cancer (CRC) are among the leading causes of cancer-related death in the United States and around the world. Approximately 150,000 Americans are diagnosed with CRC each year and around 50,000 will die from it. Mutations in many key genes have been identified that are important to the pathogenesis of CRC. Among the genes mutated in CRC, RAS and RAF mutations are common events. Both RAS and RAF are critical mediators of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway that is involved in regulating cellular homeostasis, including proliferation, survival, and differentiation. In this review, we provide a historical perspective and update on RAS/RAF mutations as related to colorectal cancer. Additionally, we will review recent mouse models of RAS and RAF mutations that have an impact on CRC research.
Performance pitfalls in large-scale java applications translated from COBOL

There is a growing need to translate large-scale legacy mainframe applications from COBOL to Java. This is to transform the applications into modern Web-based services, without sacrificing the original programming investments. Most often, COBOL-to-Java translators are used first for the base program transformations, and then corrections and fine tuning are applied by hand to the resulting code. However, there are many serious performance problems that frequently appear in those Java programs translated from COBOL, and it is particularly difficult to identify problems hidden deeply in large-scale middleware applications. This paper describes the details of some performance pitfalls that easily slip into large-scale Java applications translated from COBOL using a translator, and that are primarily due to the impedance mismatch between the two languages. We classified those problems into four categories: eager object allocations, exceptions in normal control flows, reflections in common paths, and inappropriate use of the Java class library. Using large-scale production middleware, we present detailed evaluation results, showing how much overhead these problems can cause, both independently and collectively, in real-world scenarios. The work should be a step forward toward understanding the problems and building tools to generate Java programs that have comparable performance with corresponding COBOL programs.
SHAPE GENERALIZED ISOTHERMAL EFFECTIVENESS FACTOR FOR FIRST-ORDER KINETICS

A generalized effectiveness factor equation (Eq. (32)), in terms of modified Bessel functions, is derived for a catalyst pellet of arbitrary shape. The derivation is based on utilizing an appropriate one-dimensional approximation for the Laplacian in an arbitrary shaped body subjected to a uniform external concentration field. The comparison of the result with the available expressions for various geometries is highly satisfactory. It unifies the expressions for the three fundamental shapes, viz., infinite slab, infinite cylinder and sphere, and also compares very well with the exact solutions for finite shapes over the entire range of the Thiele modulus.
A phase control circuit for high speed rotors

Abstract A simple phase control circuit is described which maintains the relative phase of high speed rotors at present values.
Activation of mesolimbic dopaminergic neurons following central administration of histamine is mediated by H1 receptors

The effect of intracerebroventricular administration of histamine on the activity of mesolimbic and nigrostriatal dopaminergic (DA) neurons was determined in male rats. The activity of these neurons was estimated by measuring: (1) the accumulation of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) after administration of a decarboxylase inhibitor, and (2) the concentration of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) in the nucleus accumbens and striatum, which contain the terminals of these neurons. Central administration of histamine increased both DOPA accumulation and DOPAC concentrations in the nucleus accumbens, but was without effect in the striatum. The increase in DOPAC concentrations in the nucleus accumbens occurred within 10 min and was sustained for at least 120 min. The H1 antagonist mepyramine blocked whereas the H2 antagonist zolantidine did not affect histamine-induced increases in DOPAC concentrations in the nucleus accumbens. Neither mepyramine nor zolantidine affected basal DOPAC concentrations in the nucleus accumbens. These results indicate that central administration of histamine stimulates mesolimbic DA neurons through an action at the H1 receptor, but has no effect upon the activity of nigrostriatal DA neurons.
Electron-immunocytochemical localization of neuron-specific enolase in cytoplasm and on membranes of primary and metastatic cerebral tumours and on glial filaments of glioma cells.

A series of primary and metastatic human brain tumours was evaluated immunocy-tochemically for the electron microscopic localization of neuron-specific enolase (NSE). All contained cells which, regardless of the cell type, demonstrated an irregular distribution of NSE in their cytoplasm and on membranes. This was in contrast to the staining pattern in normal central nervous system (CNS) cells which, as previously reported (Vinores et al. 1984b), show only diffuse cytoplasmic staining usually not associated with membranes. In the tumours, the interior of nuclei and the cristae and matrices of mitochondria were consistently negative, as in normal CNS cells. Except in one low-grade fibrillary astrocytoma, the cytoplasmic filaments in neoplastic astrocytes were often, but not invariably, stained for NSE. The fine structural localization of NSE in neoplastic cells suggests that the conversion of 2-D-glycerophosphate to phosphoenolpyruvate by enolase may occur on the membrane and, in the case of astrocytic tumours, on the cytoplasmic filaments as well as in the cytoplasm. When cells which contain only the non-neuronal form of enolase (NNE) transform to neoplastic cells, they may acquire the ability to produce NSE. This presumably enables them to accommodate the increased metabolic demands of neoplasia by allowing them to elude the regulatory controls that are specific for NNE.
Porocytosis: secretion from small and medium-diameter vesicles and vesicle arrays without membrane fusion.

We have recently proposed a mechanism to describe secretion, a fundament process in all cells. That hypothesis, called porocytosis, embodies all available data, and encompasses both forms of secretion, i.e., vesicular and constitutive. The current accepted view of exocytotic secretion involves the physical fusion of vesicle- and plasma membranes. However, that hypothesized mechanism does not fit all available physiological data (Silver et al., 2001; Kriebel et al., 2001). Energetics of apposed lipid bilayers do not favor unfacilitated fusion. Calcium ion levels are elevated in microdomains at levels of 10−4–10−3M for 1 ms or less, with the calcium ions showing limited lateral mobility at the site of secretion (Llinas et al., 1992, Silver et al., 1994). We consider that calcium ions, whose mobility is restricted in space and time, establish “salt-bridges” among adjacent lipid molecules, and establishes transient pores that span the vesicle and plasma membrane lipid bilayers; the lifetime of that transient pore being completely dependent on duration of sufficient calcium ion levels.
Continuous structure based Bayesian compressive sensing for sparse reconstruction of time-frequency distributions

In this paper, we propose a Bayesian compressive sensing algorithm for effective reconstruction of sparse signals that demonstrate sparsity as continuous but irregular narrow strips in a multi-dimensional space. Among many applications of this class of representations are the two-dimensional timefrequency distributions (TFDs) of radar signals, which are often modeled as frequency modulated (FM) signals characterized by their sparse and continuous instantaneous frequencies. A spike-and-slab prior is introduced to statistically encourage sparsity of the time-frequency representations (TFRs) across each segmented time-frequency region, and a patterned prior is imposed to enforce the continuous structure of the TFR. Compared with the existing sparse signal reconstruction techniques, the proposed technique achieves improved interpretation of the TFD, particularly when the signals are noisy or with missing samples.
Assertiveness as a Communication Construct.

Previous research in assertiveness has often failed to differentiate the behaviors to be subsumed within the construct. The purpose of this study was twofold: (1) to isolate and define the subconstructs of assertiveness as they emerged from the structure of two assertive inventories—the Rathus Assertiveness Schedule and the College Self Expression Scale; (2) to evaluate assertiveness as a communication construct by examining it in the framework of two measures of communicator style—a Communicator Style Measure and a test of Predispositions toward Verbal Behavior. Results revealed that the assertiveness measures related to the expected subconstructs of communicator style. Assertiveness, as evidenced by low anxiety, dominance, contentiousness, and a refusal to be intimidated by others, correlated highly with measures of verbal intensity, talkativeness, and good communicator style.