cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Finite Element Analysis of a Basic Wind Tank

The objective of this paper is to perform FEA analysis to establish a baseline analysis for the feasibility/optimization of the sidewalls for a simple wind box. A basic static finite element analysis (FEA) was run using Pro/Mechanica on the wind tank. The tank had corrugated walls, a flat bottom except for 3 sparse corrugations, and header that attaches to the top of all the tank walls around the perimeter of the tank. All components in the tank were constructed from 316L Stainless Steel material. Loads on the tank were then applied in the form of gravity (acting on all parts of the tank) and pressure (designated at 10 psi) acting on all the sidewalls and bottom of the tank. To make the analysis more efficient the model was idealized using shell elements, where applicable. The FEA analysis was completed to compare triangular, sinusoidal and trapezoidal sidewall designs for a simple wind box. The trapezoidal design was the best of the three designs, because it delivered the lowest stress and deformation levels. The sinusoidal and triangular corrugated walls provided a 6% reduction in needed material, but did not produce the same Factor of Safety as compared to the trapezoidal wall.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Inhibition of vasoactive agents by perfluorochemical emulsion.

Abstract Perfluorochemicals are widely used in clinical and experimental studies as volume expanders with high oxygen carrying capacity. We noticed that contractions of rabbit aortic strips, induced by norepinephrine, were inhibited in FC-43 emulsion as compared to Krebs-Henseleit solution (KH). To study this inhibition, a comparative evaluation was made of the contractile responses of norepinephrine, serotonin and histamine in FC-43 emulsion and KH. The effect of these agents was significantly diminished in FC-43 emulsion; concentration-response curves were shifted to the right and the maximum response was diminished. A search was made for the individual constituents of FC-43 responsible for diminution of contraction of vascular smooth muscle. After centrifugation of FC-43 emulsion, the supernatant caused a reduction of contractility and reduced EC 50 -values of norepinephrine to the same degree as the fully constituted emulsion. This excluded perfluorotributylamine, the oxygen carrying particles, as being responsible for this inhibition. When the detergent Pluronic F-68 was added to KH in concentrations equal to that in FC-43 emulsion, inhibition of contraction occured and EC 50 -values increased. Contractions induced by norepinephrine were equally inhibited by the addition to KH of a volume expander, hydroxyethylstarch, in a concentration equal to that in FC-43 emulsion. It is concluded that FC-43 emulsion inhibits vasoactive agents and attenuates its pharmacologic effects on vascular smooth muscle. The fractions of FC-43 emulsion responsible for inhibiting the effect of vasoactive agents are Pluronic F-68 and hydroxyethylstarch.
Immunomagnetic Particle Induced Lysis of Antibody-Conjugated Liposomes

AbstractWe have prepared liposomes of dioleoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DOPE) which have been stabilized by addition of 9-12 mol% N-biotinyl- phosphatidylethanolamine. Liposomes composed of DOPE/N-biotinyl-PE are quite stable and non-leaky although they exhibit strong temperature-dependent leakage following incorporation of palmitylated murine monoclonal antibodies as a targeting ligand. Addition of magnetic chromium dioxide particles coated with anti-mouse antibody to these immunoliposomes lead to their aggregation and the release of entrapped calcein. The lytic event was biphasic with an initial rapid release of 20% dye within 5 min. followed by a slower rate which reached nearly 40% release after 80 min. The rapid release phase was dependent upon the concentration of the liposomes and that of the multivalent particles. Lysis was immunospecific since no release was observed upon addition of nonspecific immunomagnetic particles to the immunoliposomes or if no antibody was incorporated into the liposome. ...
Symptom Perception in Pediatric Asthma: Relationship to Functional Morbidity and Psychological Factors

ABSTRACT Objective Perception of changes in respiratory symptoms is a critical element in the self-management of pediatric asthma. The purpose of this study was to quantify perceptual accuracy in childhood asthma, to investigate links between symptom perception and functional morbidity, and to examine relationships between psychological variables and perceptual accuracy. Method Eighty-six children, aged 8 to 15 years, attending an asthma camp made subjective estimates of asthma severity immediately prior to spirometry an average of 31 times at camp. The correlation coefficient between these measures (the child's accuracy index) was analyzed in relation to morbidity data and to scores on instruments that assessed trait anxiety, repressive coping style, intelligence, behavior problems, and parental symptom-reporting patterns. Results A wide range of perceptual ability was found, as children's subjective-objective r ranged from -.39 to .88. Greater perceptual accuracy was significantly related to fewer days missed from school and fewer emergency medical visits. Of the psychological variables assessed, only intelligence was significantly related to accuracy. Conclusions Symptom perceptual ability is an important psychosomatic factor affecting the course of asthma for some children. Further study is indicated to understand psychological variables in addition to intelligence that may determine a child's perceptual accuracy.
Activation of PKC δ in the Rat Corpus Luteum during Pregnancy POTENTIAL ROLE OF PROLACTIN SIGNALING

Maintenance of pregnancy in the rat requires the corpus luteum. At a time when rat placental lactogens (rPLs) are required to support progesterone production by the corpus luteum and when relaxin expression is initiated, expression of a specific protein kinase C (PKC) isoform, PKC delta, is dramatically increased. We therefore assessed whether prolactin (PRL) receptor activation promotes activation of PKC delta in a luteinized granulosa cell model. We also assessed the activation status of PKC delta in corpora lutea obtained when the corpus luteum is exposed to chronically high concentrations of rPLs. The activity of PKC delta was assessed by two means: an immune complex (IC) assay and Western blotting with a phospho-epitope-specific antibody that detects PKC delta phosphorylated on serine 662. PKC delta activation in the IC kinase assay was determined by the ability of immunoprecipitated PKC delta to phosphorylate the PKC delta-preferential substrate small heat shock protein (HSP-27). Treatment of luteinized rat granulosa cells with phorbol myristate acetate, a known activator of PKC, promoted a 7-fold increase in HSP-27 phosphorylation by PKC delta. Similarly, immunoreactivity with the phospho-epitope-specific PKC delta antibody was increased in extracts prepared from luteinized granulosa cells treated with phorbol myristate acetate or following in vitro activation of recombinant PKC delta. Using these assays, we assessed whether PRL receptor agonists were capable of activating PKC delta in luteinized granulosa cells. PRL receptor agonists induced translocation PKC delta from the cytosolic to the Triton-soluble membrane fraction and increased PKC delta activity assessed by both IC kinase assay and Western blotting with phospho-epitope-specific PKC delta antibody. Analysis of PKC delta activity in corpora lutea obtained during pregnancy by both the IC kinase assay and Western blotting with the phospho-epitope-specific PKC delta antibody revealed that PKC delta activity was increased throughout the second half of pregnancy. These results demonstrate that PRL receptor activation promotes the acute activation of PKC delta in luteinized rat granulosa cells. At a time when the rat is exposed to chronically high concentrations of rPLs, PKC delta is increasingly expressed and active.
RADIATION AND SCATTERING FROM PARTIALLY BURIED VERTICAL WIRES

ABSTRACT The purpose of the present work is the numerical modeling of partially buried vertical wire-antennas and scatterers. Our interest is in an efficient computation of their electromagnetic properties. Analytically the problem is formulated in terms of an integro-differential equation over the wire current across the air-ground interface. This equation is then converted into a numerically solvable form by means of Galerkin's method together with the piece-wise linear functions. The inverse Bessel transforms, commonly called Sommerfeld integrals, appearing in the Kernel of the integral equation have been evaluated by numerical integration over the real axis. The resulting computer code“STAKE,” which permits the numerical simulations of partially buried vertical wires, proved to be efficient and accurate in comparison with other computation methods. First the problem of antenna grounding has been investigated for the cases of soil and sea water. The current distributions, input admittances and radiatio...
Monsoon response of the Somali Current and associated upwelling

Abstract The Somali Current typically develops in different phases in response to the onset of the summer monsoon. Each of these phases exists quasistationary for some time ranging from weeks to months. These periods of rather constant circulation patterns are separated by periods of rapid transition. In the early phase of the monsoon response, during May, with weak southerly winds off Somalia, a cross equatorial inertial current develops which turns offshore a few degrees north of the equator with a coastal upwelling wedge just north of the offshore flow. North of that region, an Ekman upwelling regime exists all the way up the coast. At the onset of strong winds in June, a northern anticyclonic gyre develops north of 5°N and a second cold wedge forms north of 8°–9°N, where that current turns offshore. The most drastic change of upwelling pattern occurs in the late phase of the summer monsoon, August/September, when the southern cold wedge propagates northward, indicating a break-down of the two-gyre pattern and development of a continuous boundary current from south of the equator to about 10°N. The wedge propagation during 1976–1978 is discussed, based on satellite observations (EVANS and BROWN, 1981), moored station data during 1978, 1979 and shipboard hydrographic data during 1979. A simple relation between the decrease of local monsoon winds offshore and wedge propagation cannot be determined. The southward coastal undercurrent, which is part of the Ekman upwelling regime north of 5° during the early summer monsoon, seems to turn offshore between 3° and 5°, probably due to a zonal excursion of depth contours in that area. With the spin-up of the deep-reaching northern gyre the undercurrent is extinguished during July to August but seems to get reestablished after the coalescence of the two gyres.
Modeling a Surrogate Head Response Under Blast Loading

The work is to unravel the wave transmission mechanism through modeling the water-filled polycarbonate shell subjected to blast loading. The shock wave propagation inside a shock tube and the interaction between the shock wave and the surrogate head were captured using the arbitrary Euler-Lagrangian coupling method. Results demonstrated a complex fluid field around the head. Pressure history profiles at anterior and posterior sites of the brain simulant exhibited the typical coup and countercoup pattern, which were attributed to the surface pressure wave (direct loading) and the structural wave in the skull simulant (indirect loading). This study could enhance our understanding on blast-induced traumatic brain injury, leading to novel injury mitigation strategies.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Invited: “Going viral” with biological sequence analysis

Viruses have been implicated as the causative agents for a variety of cancers as well as diseases of the major physiological systems (e.g., nervous, respiratory, immune, reproductive, etc.), and viral infections have consistently ranked among the leading causes of death worldwide. Although viruses exhibit extreme biological diversity, plainly evidenced by the Baltimore classification of their genomes, they are united by their dependence on host-cell machinery to accomplish the task of self-replication. Thus, the ability to identify host-cell interaction partners to viral proteins is of central importance to understanding viral pathogenesis. This presentation will describe progress toward building a map of potential viral interactors on the basis of protein post-translational modification (PTM) motifs embedded within viral primary structure. The use of the motif-x and scan-x tools for the extraction and prediction of short linear protein motifs on a number of enzymatic data sets will be discussed. Additionally, the presentation will outline the development and cross-validation of the virPTM database, an online repository for viral post-translational modifications, and will also illustrate how viral sequence analysis can be used to generate testable biological hypotheses as well as design rational therapeutic strategies for the treatment of viral diseases.
13C-Labelled benzo[a]pyrene and derivatives. An efficient pathway of labelling the 1-, 2-, and 3-positions

A ten step synthesis of benzo [a]pyrene-1-13C, -2-13C, or 3-13C from 2,3,7,11b-tetrahydrobenz[d, e] anthracen-3(1h)-one is described in which the initial step involves the condensation of this ketone with the lithium enolate of ethyl acetate. This completes our synthesis of the tweleve 13C labelled benzo[a]pyrenes.
Levamisole: Potentiation of primary immunoglobulin M antibody responses in suckling rats

Abstract The influence of levamisole (LMS) on the primary immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibody response of suckling rats was investigated. Although suckling rats did make a direct plaque-forming cell (PFC) response to sheep red blood cells (SRBC), the magnitude of this response was much lower than that of adult rats. LMS treatment (2.5 mg/kg) markedly potentiated the anti-SRBC response in 10-day-old rats, but this enhanced PFC response never attained adult levels. In contrast, LMS failed to boost the anti-SRBC response of adult rats, although the adult response to suboptimal antigenic stimuli was enhanced. The ontogeny of immunological responsiveness to SRBC was not influenced by LMS; only existing responses could be modulated. The potentiating effect of LMS was dose-dependent, with high doses causing suppression. The influence of LMS did not involve the earlier appearance of PFC. Since LMS augmented the PFC response to SRBC when administered before or after antigen, it appears that both the inductive phase and the proliferative phase of antibody production can be modulated. Finally, the PFC response to a more thymus-independent antigen (2,4,6-trinitrophenyl-Ficoll) was boosted, suggesting that LMS may be capable of directly influencing B lymphocytes. These findings indicate that the functional immunodeficiency of the neonatal antibody response can be improved by LMS treatment.
Palatability-induced hyperphagia increases hypothalamic Dynorphin peptide and mRNA levels

Opioid involvement in regulating the intake of highly palatable diets was studied by examining the effect of feeding either a cornstarch-based diet (CHO) or a high fat diet containing sucrose (Fat/Sucrose) on hypothalamic opioid levels. Rats received either CHO ad libitum, Fat/Sucrose ad libitum, Fat/Sucrose pair-fed to the caloric intake of CHO, or Fat/Sucrose at 60% of ad libitum Fat/Sucrose intake. Animals receiving Fat/Sucrose ad libitum consumed more calories and gained more weight than animals receiving CHO (P < 0.001). Relative to CHO, ad libitum intake of Fat/Sucrose elevated proDynorphin mRNA levels in the arcuate and Dynorphin A1-17 levels in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) (P < 0.05), but did not affect arcuate mRNA levels of proEnkephalin or proOpiomelanocortin (POMC), or PVN levels of Met-Enkephalin or beta-Endorphin. Pair-feeding the Fat/Sucrose diet to the level of intake of the CHO diet resulted in levels of proDynorphin and Dynorphin A1-17 that were similar in the two diet groups. Pair-feeding Fat/Sucrose reduced mRNA levels of proDynorpin, proEnkephalin and POMC, and Dynorphin A1-17 levels, relative to ad libitum feeding of Fat/Sucrose. Met-Enkephalin and beta-Endorphin were not affected by dietary treatment. Feeding Fat/Sucrose at 60% of ad libitum intake resulted in mRNA levels of proDynorphin, proEnkephalin and POMC, and Dynorphin A1-17 levels that were similar to those observed in CHO group. Hypothalamic Dynorphin A1-17 and proDynorphin mRNA levels are stimulated by feeding a highly palatable diet rich in fat and sucrose. The increased synthesis may be due in part to a palatability-induced overconsumption of calories. Caloric restriction of the same diet decreases mRNA levels of proDynorphin, proEnkephalin and POMC, as well as levels of Dynorphin A1-17.
Photoelectron spectra of the decomposition of ethylene on /110/ tungsten

The experimental apparatus used in the investigation consisted of an ultrahigh-vacuum chamber, a triple-grid, a microwave-excited resonance lamp, and an electron energy analyzer. The chemical nature of the chemisorbed species was studied, taking into account the energy distribution of photoemitted electrons, work function determinations, and low-energy electron diffraction patterns.
Aflatoxin biosynthesis is a novel source of reactive oxygen species--a potential redox signal to initiate resistance to oxidative stress?

Aflatoxin biosynthesis in the filamentous fungus Aspergillus parasiticus involves a minimum of 21 enzymes, encoded by genes located in a 70 kb gene cluster. For aflatoxin biosynthesis to be completed, the required enzymes must be transported to specialized early and late endosomes called aflatoxisomes. Of particular significance, seven aflatoxin biosynthetic enzymes are P450/monooxygenases which catalyze reactions that can produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) as byproducts. Thus, oxidative reactions in the aflatoxin biosynthetic pathway could potentially be an additional source of intracellular ROS. The present work explores the hypothesis that the aflatoxin biosynthetic pathway generates ROS (designated as “secondary” ROS) in endosomes and that secondary ROS possess a signaling function. We used specific dyes that stain ROS in live cells and demonstrated that intracellular ROS levels correlate with the levels of aflatoxin synthesized. Moreover, feeding protoplasts with precursors of aflatoxin resulted in the increase in ROS generation. These data support the hypothesis. Our findings also suggest that secondary ROS may fulfill, at least in part, an important mechanistic role in increased tolerance to oxidative stress in germinating spores (seven-hour germlings) and in regulation of fungal development.
Platelet surface P-selectin measurements in platelet preparations: An international collaborative study

W HEN developing or evaluating new technology for the preparation, processing, and storage of platelets, it is important to be able to use a panel of in vitro assays that provide information about various platelet properties. This reflects the fact that it is not possible to use routinely in vivo assays, such as radiolabeled platelet recoveries or template bleeding times; for a variety of reasons, including cost and human use issues. It is desirable also to develop in vitro assays that may be useful in monitoring a patient's clinical status for various cardiovascular conditions (eg, acute coronary arterysyndromes, stroke, angioplasty, and preeclampsia). One such potential in vitro measurement, which has received considerable attention, is the expression of P-selectin on platelets. 1,2 P-selectin (also known as CD62R GMP-140, PADGEM) is an integral membrane alpha granule and endothelial celI. 3,4 glycoprotein of the platelet Weibel-Palade body of the It is an important adhesive protein involved in plateIet/leukocyte/endothelial interactions involving leukocyte attachment, rolling, extravasation, and regulation of cytokine syn58 thesis in the leukocyte. P-selecti n is expressed on the surface of the platelet on exocytosis of the platelet alpha granule. Various investigators have shown a correlation between platelet surface P-selectin expression and the in vivo recovery of transfused platetets. TM These studies, as well as others, suggest that platelet surface P-selectin may be a useful in vitro indicator of platelet activation status and predictor of in vivo response. In our experience, however, duplicate studies in different laboratories often report divergent and sometimes conflicting results for platelets collected, treated, and stored using various medical devices. We have found that these variations are due most often to laboratory measurement variations and not to device performance. Such variations, if attributable to measurement . , /
West of Center: Art and the Counterculture Experiment in America, 1965-1977. ElissaAuther and AdamLerner, Eds. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2012.

West of Center: Art and the Counterculture Experiment in America, 1965-1977. Elissa Auther and Adam Lerner, Eds. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2012. Discussion of America's countercultural movements of the 1960s and 1970s as sources of esthetic innovation has not been a favorite subject of art critics and historians. The omission is more than rectified by Auther and Lerner's collection of essays published in conjunction with the exhibition West of Center: The Counterculture Experiment in America, 1965-1977 organized by the Museum of Contemporary Art in Denver. Contributors seek to move past the reductive labels "psychedelic" or "eccentric" to describe art produced in countercultural spaces associated with America's grand experiments in individual and social identities during the period. As Lucy Lippard explains in the foreword, for many American countercultures, decentralization - or operating apart from mainstream society - was simultaneously a movement away from the center of the art world. The study of countercultural artists, architects, designers, writers, and others was therefore largely overlooked by the New York art establishment and its related conduits. Through a diverse range of case studies, West of Center counters established art world histories of American art of the 1960s and '70s and demonstrates the extent to which hand-made objects, craft, performance, print culture, and emerging technologies used by countercultural groups were critical in rendering new esthetics for the age. A central argument of West of Center is that countercultural spaces in the 1960s and '70s ranged from geographic sites to magazines, concerts, spiritual practices, and other entities that supported alternative group ideals. The search for ways of living and creating that were not systematized in the manner of dominant culture might be termed "countercultural," but beyond that did not necessarily look the same. For example, in Mark Watson's essay "The Countercultural 'Indian': Visualizing Retribalization at the Human Be-In," the author examines communal Happenings of the late 1960s as experiments in the construction of a "tribal" identity for Americans based upon sometimes naive, but palpable identification with pre-industrial Native American cultures. Posters, performances, and other arts associated with the Be-ins visualized the special connectedness of members as part of a gathering of the tribe. Created for a different group, the home-grown magazine RFD (referred to by some readers as "Rural Fairy Digest") offered subscribers in the early to mid 1970s a space for experiencing queer identity across rural America. …
Ultrafast microfluidic mixer with three-dimensional flow focusing for studies of biochemical kinetics

Studies of the kinetics of biochemical reactions, especially of folding of proteins and RNA, are important for understanding the function of biomolecules and processes in live cells. Many biochemical reactions occur rapidly and thus need to be triggered on very short time scales for their kinetics to be studied, which is often accomplished by mixing in a turbulent flow. More rapid and sample-efficient mixing is achieved in laminar flow in a microfluidic device, in which the sample is two-dimensionally (2D) focused to a thin sheet. Here we describe the design and operation of an ultrafast microfluidic mixer with three-dimensional (3D) flow focusing. The confinement of a 3D-focused sample to a narrow stream near the middle of a microchannel renders its velocity nearly uniform and makes it possible to monitor the reaction kinetics without exclusion of any parts of the sample. Hence, the sample consumption is substantially reduced and the fluorescence of the sample can be monitored without a confocal setup. Moreover, the 3D-focusing allows facile measurements of velocity of the sample with a high spatial resolution using a specially developed technique based on epi-fluorescence imaging. The data on the velocity vs. position are used to precisely calibrate the conversion between position and the reaction time, which is essential for accurate kinetic measurements. The device performs mixing on a 10 µs scale, which is comparable to that of the laminar mixers with 2D focusing. Unlike previous ultrafast laminar mixers, which were machined in hard materials, the present microfluidic device is made of a single cast of poly(dimethylsiloxane), PDMS, and is thus simpler and less expensive to manufacture.
Donor Cell Myeloid Sarcoma

Donor cell derived malignancies are a rare and interesting complication of allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. We present a case of a 56-year-old male with donor cell myeloid sarcoma of the stomach and myocardium.
Methionine-enkephalin-Arg-Phe immunoreactivity in heart tissue.

Abstract Previous findings of enkephalins in cardiac tissue led us to investigate enkephalin distribution in animal models used for cardiovascular research. Canine cardiac methionine-enkephalin (ME) concentrations are low and evenly distributed between atria (4.2 ± 0.6 fmol/mg protein, n = 30) and ventricles (4.4 ± 0.5). In contrast, methionine-enkephalyl-arginyl-phenylalanine (MEAP) immunoreactivity (IR) is higher and preferentially concentrated in the ventricle (112 ± 12) vs. the atria (23.2 ± 2.6 fmol/mg protein). HPLC analysis suggests the atrial/ventricular difference is partly due to altered posttranslational processing. Nearly 90% of ventricular IR is comprised of MEAP (46%) and peptide B (40%) whereas these peptides represent less than half of the atrial content. A nonneuronal localization is indicated because the peptide distribution does not correspond to the catecholamine distribution. Canine left ventricular tissue sections were processed for immunohistochemistry with the MEAP antibody. Fluorescence was distributed throughout the myocytes and concentrated in ordered lines perpendicular to the myocyte longitudinal axis corresponding to the area of the intercalated disc. This suggests opioids may be important in communication between cardiomyocytes, and possibly the presence of a unique peptide secretory mechanism utilizing the intercalated disc. The relative peptide content in cat and pig hearts was similar to the dog; however, the distribution was different. Feline cardiac ME content was distributed 2:1 in favor of the ventricles and corresponded with a preferential ventricular norepinephrine distribution. The MEAP-IR pattern gave a ventricular/atrial ratio lower (3:5:1) in cat heart vs. dog (5:1). In contrast, pig heart ME and MEAP-IR ventricular/atrial ratios were reversed for both ME (1:10) and MEAP (1:2). HPLC of pig left ventricle showed that MEAP and peptide B represented 33% of the MEAP-IR, respectively. These species variations may correlate to the differences observed in cardiac function.
Frequency-Based Partial and Total Decomposition Approaches for Trajectory Planning of Robotic Systems With Variable Dynamic Responses

In this paper, we present a frequency-based trajectory planning approach that considers the variable dynamic bandwidth of any multibody system having different dynamic subsystems. This approach provides us with important motion planning methodology for a variety of robotic systems including land-based mobile robots, space robots, and underwater robots, where the vehicles have much slower response as compared to the manipulators. The proposed method has been improvised for an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle-Manipulator System (UVMS) which is a heterogeneous dynamic system having vehicle’s natural frequency much lower than that of the manipulator. This motion-planning algorithm not only considers the variability in dynamic bandwidth of such a complex system but also generates kinematically admissible as well as dynamically feasible reference trajectories. Additionally, the proposed algorithm exploits the inherent kinematic redundancy of the system and provides reference trajectories that accommodate several other important criteria such as thruster/actuator fault and saturation; it also minimizes hydrodynamic drag on the UVMS. Here, we have mainly compared the performance of two frequency-based decomposition approaches, namely: Partial Decomposition and Total Decomposition. The effectiveness of the proposed algorithm is verified with extensive computer simulations and the results are found quite promising.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Behavior of larval Hemigrapsus sanguineus (de Haan) in response to gravity and pressure

Hemigrapsus sanguineus is an invasive species of crab (family: Grapsidae) in the north Atlantic basin. The species has spread rapidly since it was first discovered in North America in the late 1980s; however, the mechanisms of this range expansion remain unclear. This study attempts to predict the vertical distribution and, thus, ultimate transport of H. sanguineus larvae by examining larval responses to gravity and pressure. Geotaxis was determined by measuring the response of individual larvae to gravity in the absence of other tactic stimuli. Barokinesis was determined by measuring changes in swimming speed of larvae upon step-wise changes in pressure. Geotactic response of the larvae changes ontogenetically; early stage larvae are negatively geotactic (orienting towards the surface), while late stage larvae are positively geotactic (orienting towards the bottom). Larvae show a response to pressure that would aid in depth regulation. Early-stage larvae increase activity upon a change in pressure and orient their movement to gravity. However, the larvae show a relatively low sensitivity to pressure change. The evidence predicts an export-and-return model of larval transport, similar to that of Uca spp. in the Middle Atlantic Bight. This model supports the hypothesis that H. sanguineus larvae have the potential for high dispersal and will continue to invade new regions through larval transport.
CONSTRUCTING LANGUAGE INSTANCES BASED ON PARTIAL INFORMATION

We investigate the problem of when it is possible to efficiently construct an instance of a given language in P or NP, based on partial information provided about the desired instance. We model this problem by specifying a prefix and a length for the string to be produced. Our results suggest that it may be harder to find efficient constructors for languages in NP if more information is provided about the desired element (assuming that P is not equal to NP). Specifically, for large enough prefix functions, polynomial-time prefix-based constructors cannot exist for all languages in NP unless P=NP. For smaller prefix functions, the existence of such constructors cannot be determined using techniques that relativize, under the assumption that P≠NP. We also show through relativizations and other results, what appears to be a pattern of increasing difficulty for efficient construction as the prefix function increases within this range. For languages in P, however, the difficulty of construction first increases and then appears to decrease as the size of the prefix is increased. We also relate prefix-based construction to that based on more general parameter functions for the strings. In addition, we examine the related ranking problem in the same context, and prove some results about the existence of prefix-based rankers for languages in P and NP.
Delayed commitment in spoken word recognition: Evidence from cross-modal priming

Using the cross-modal priming paradigm, we attempted to determine whether semantic representations for word-final morphemes embedded in multisyllabic words (e.g., /lak/ in /hemlak/) are independently activated in memory. That is, we attempted to determine whether the auditory prime, /hemlak/, would facilitate lexical decision times to the visual target,key, even when the recognition point for/hemlak / occurred prior to the end of the word, which should ensure deactivation of all lexical candidates. In the first experiment, a gating task was used in order to ensure that the multisyllabic words could be identified prior to their offsets. In the second experiment, lexical decision times for visually presented targets following spoken monosyllabic primes (e.g., /lak/-key) were compared with reaction times for the same visual targets following multisyllabic pairs (/hemlak/-KEY). Significant priming was found for both the monosyllabic and the multisyllabic conditions. The results support a recognition strategy that initiates lexical access at strong syllables (Cutler & Norris, 1988) and operates according to a principle of delayed commitment (Marr, 1982).
RECONSTITUTION OF EUKARYOTIC LAGGING STRAND DNA REPLICATION

Eukaryotic DNA replication is a complex process requiring the proper functioning of a multitude of proteins to create error-free daughter DNA strands and maintain genome integrity. Even though synthesis and joining of Okazaki fragments on the lagging strand involves only half the DNA in the nucleus, the complexity associated with processing these fragments is about twice that needed for leading strand synthesis. Flap endonuclease 1 (FEN1) is the central component of the Okazaki fragment maturation pathway. FEN1 cleaves flaps that are displaced by DNA polymerase delta (pol delta), to create a nick that is effectively joined by DNA ligase I. The Pif1 helicase and Dna2 helicase/nuclease contribute to the maturation process by elongating the flap displaced by pol delta. Though the reason for generating long flaps is still a matter of debate, genetic studies have shown that Dna2 and Pif1 are both important components of DNA replication. Our current knowledge of the exact enzymatic steps that govern Okazaki fragment maturation has heavily derived from reconstitution reactions in vitro, which have augmented genetic information, to yield current mechanistic models. In this review, we describe both the design of specific DNA substrates that simulate intermediates of fragment maturation and protocols for reconstituting partial and complete lagging strand replication.
Growth and Development of a Hospital-based Lactation Program and Mother's Own Milk Bank

This article describes the development and characteristics of a hospital-based lactation program and mother's own milk bank in a large pediatric hospital in the southwestern United States. Professional and technical staffing, physical space of the milk bank area, and the program's services and special features are outlined. Quality control issues about human milk preparation, fortification, storage, and transport are discussed.
Ultrasound in abdominal injury in children

Abstract Ultrasonography has been used as an investigation in children with abdominal signs after blunt injury. Sixteen children were examined, of whom nine had abnormal findings. Free intraperitoneal fluid was demonstrated in four cases. The injuries found are detailed and subsequent management of the patients is described. The children with normal scans settled with no sequelae. It is suggested that ultrasonography offers a valuable, non-invasive method of investigating blunt abdominal injury.
Biosynthesis of retinal phospholipids by base exchange reactions.

Abstract Bovine retinal microsomes possess high activity of the enzymes that catalyze the exchange of free serine, choline, and ethanolamine with an endogenous lipid substrate to yield the products phosphatidyl serine, phosphatidyl choline and phosphatidyl ethanolamine. These enzymes are most active at pH 7·5–8, are Ca2+-dependent and do not require metabolic energy. Apparent Km values for serine, choline and ethanolamine are 148, 616 and 63 μ m , respectively, with apparent Vmax values of 24, 18 and 32 nmol/hr/mg, respectively. These values are similar to those reported for brain.
Structure Activity Relationships of α-L-LNA Modified Phosphorothioate Gapmer Antisense Oligonucleotides in Animals

We report the structure activity relationships of short 14-mer phosphorothioate gapmer antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) modified with α-L-locked nucleic acid (LNA) and related modifications targeting phosphatase and tensin homologue (PTEN) messenger RNA in mice. α-L-LNA represents the α-anomer of enantio-LNA and modified oligonucleotides show LNA like binding affinity for complementary RNA. In contrast to sequence matched LNA gapmer ASOs which showed elevations in plasma alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels indicative of hepatotoxicity, gapmer ASOs modified with α-L-LNA and related analogs in the flanks showed potent downregulation of PTEN messenger RNA in liver tissue without producing elevations in plasma ALT levels. However, the α-L-LNA ASO showed a moderate dose-dependent increase in liver and spleen weights suggesting a higher propensity for immune stimulation. Interestingly, replacing α-L-LNA nucleotides in the 3′- and 5′-flanks with R-5′-Me-α-L-LNA but not R-6′-Me- or 3′-Me-α-L-LNA nucleotides, reversed the drug induced increase in organ weights. Examination of structural models of dinucleotide units suggested that the 5′-Me group increases steric bulk in close proximity to the phosphorothioate backbone or produces subtle changes in the backbone conformation which could interfere with recognition of the ASO by putative immune receptors. Our data suggests that introducing steric bulk at the 5′-position of the sugar-phosphate backbone could be a general strategy to mitigate the immunostimulatory profile of oligonucleotide drugs. In a clinical setting, proinflammatory effects manifest themselves as injection site reactions and flu-like symptoms. Thus, a mitigation of these effects could increase patient comfort and compliance when treated with ASOs.
Explaining differences in the political meaning of unemployment across time and space

Abstract This article is a first attempt at theorizing the differences in the political meaning of unemployment and how governments create these differences. It first reviews existing explanations about why unemployment is an especially pressing political threat to those in power. In lieu of a an existing literature on the sources of variation in this threat, the next section puts forward four alternative explanations based on related arguments about politics and the economy. These are the approaches of power resources, protest mobilization, deprivation, and ideology. Guided by the promises and pitfalls of these respective theories, the subsequent section argues for an alternative institutional-constructivist approach. Starting with the historical observation that the category of unemployment was invented alongside particular social institutions and employment practices, this approach seeks to explain how variation in these institutionalized practices is responsible for differences in the political salience of unemployment. The section that follows discusses how government policies can reconstruct the meaning of unemployment by reconfiguring the available set of institutional choices in the labor market and by designating what kinds of choices constitute involuntary joblessness. It is argued that “unemployment” is defined against institutionalized norms of what kinds of work constitute “employment.” Changes in the boundaries of the concept of unemployment come about through changes in the ways that governments hold certain kinds of work as exemplary while granting other forms of work lesser recognition. The final section considers how this reciprocal relationship between the construction of unemployment and employment both imposes political constraints for governments and creates opportunities. Governments face numerous conflicting incentives whether to expand or restrict the institutionalized definition of unemployment. While they must retain semblance with inherited conceptions of unemployment; they can redefine the problem of unemployment through the institutionalization of new solutions.
Impact of Buffering Mechanism on Sofpga IP Router Cost

In today's world of advanced technology numerous applications are computational intensive. This created an opportunity for the development of new System-on-Chip (SoC) design techniques to allow easy IP cores (Intellectual Property cores) re-use and integration under time-to-market pressure. New System-on-Chip (SoC) design techniques are necessary to address the communication requirements for future SoC. New communication architecture, the NoFPGA, for future SoFPGA has been presented. The IP router is the heart of NoFPGA. The design cost of IPRouter Buffering, the most expensive building block, is evaluated based on two different implementation approaches. First, IPRouter buffering based on distributed memory. Second, IPRouter buffering based on Embedded Block RAMs.
Psychiatric residents' needs for education about informed consent, principles of ethics and professionalism, and caring for vulnerable populations: results of a multisite survey.

The authors examined psychiatric residents’ perceived needs for education in informed consent, principles of ethics and professionalism, and treating vulnerable populations. A written survey was distributed to psychiatric residents (N=249) at seven U.S. residency programs in 2005. The survey contained 149 questions in 10 content domains, 6 questions regarding personal ethics experiences during training, and 5 demographic questions. Here, the authors report responses to items regarding informed consent, professional principles, and care of vulnerable populations. A total of 151 psychiatric residents responded to the survey (61% overall response rate). On a scale of 1: Much Less, to 5: Same, to 9: Much More Education Desired, psychiatric residents indicated that 9 topics relating to informed consent, 10 issues surrounding professional principles, and 25 topics relating to care of vulnerable populations should receive more educational attention than currently provided. No topics were rated as needing less education. Higher ratings of the need for additional educational attention were associated with more reported ethical conflicts encountered during training. Psychiatric residents at seven diverse U.S. training programs expressed the need for greater educational attention to issues around informed consent, ethical and professional principles, and treating vulnerable populations. These findings reflect the ongoing need for educators to devote curricular attention to these areas so that trainees can incorporate such knowledge effectively into their daily clinical practice in an always-complex, highly fragmented medical care environment.
Heteroatom effect in the PKC inhibitory activities of perhydroazepine analogs of balanol

Abstract Analogs 2–5 of balanol (−)- 1 , a potent protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor, were prepared in which the perhydroazepine N atom was replaced with O, S, or C. Compounds 2 and 3 are found to show enhanced isozyme selectivity, despite the general trend of these analogs being less potent PKC inhibitors relative to balanol.
Microfabrication and test of a magnetic field sensor using electrodeposited thin film of giant magnetoresistive (Cu/Co)x multilayers

Giant magnetoresistive (GMR) films of (Cu/Co) x multilayers have been successfully electrodeposited on a silicon substrate. An effort has also been made to microfabricate a sensor based on the electroplated GMR multilayers. Fabrication of the microsensor was implemented through computer-controlled electrodeposition of GMR thin films and lithographic patterning technology. The prototype microsensor shows a magnetoresistance ratio of ΔR/R=4% in a 3000 Gauss magnetic field. It was also found that the sensitivity of the prototype sensor is significantly affected at low fields by the patterning process.
Insulin elicits ingestion in decerebrate rats

Insulin administered to rats reliably elicits ingestion of food. To determine whether the neural mechanisms sufficient to control insulin-elicited ingestion are located in or caudal to the forebrain, decerebrate rats were treated with insulin and ingestive responses were measured. Insulin treatment produced hypoglycemia that was comparable, in magnitude and duration, in control and decerebrate rats. Decerebrate and control rats ingested significantly more sucrose solution while hypoglycemic than while normoglycemic. In contrast, insulin did not augment the water consumption of either group. These data indicate that neural systems caudal to the forebrain are sufficient to control ingestive consummatory behavior through the integration of metabolic signals generated by insulin treatment and taste afferent input from the oropharynx.
The effect of feeding frequency on consumption of food, absorption efficiency, and gonad production in the sea urchin Lytechinus variegatus

The frequency of feeding in the field is variable in sea urchins, ranging from nearly continuous to diel or intermittent. It is essential to know the effect of feeding interval on physiological and metabolic processes to understand the basis for production. Lytechinus variegatus (50 mm horizontal diameter) were collected in January 1999 and held in closed-circuit aquaria at 25 °C and 35 ‰ salinity. After 9 days without food, individuals were fed one of three treatments: food available ad libitum, food available for 1 day every 2 days or food available for 1 day every 4 days for 28 days. The rate of food consumption per day of all individuals was high the first week of feeding. It then decreased to a lower, constant rate in those fed ad libitum but remained high in those fed one day every 2 or 4 days. The total amount eaten was directly related to frequency of feeding. The apparent dry matter digestibility (absorption efficiency) did not vary with frequency of feeding. As the total amount of energy absorbed was directly related to the frequency of feeding, the increase in the rate of food consumption does not compensate for a decrease in frequency of feeding. Gonad production efficiency was directly related to frequency of feeding. Gonad gross production (assimilation) efficiencies were 8.4, 3.9 and 3.4% for individuals fed every day, or fed one day every 2 and 4 days, respectively. The corresponding gonad net assimilation efficiencies were 12.5, 5.5, and 4.8%. A decrease in frequency of food availability results in use of a greater proportion of the food consumed for maintenance and less for gonad production.
Optically Stimulated Sound From Oil Drops And Gas Bubbles In Water: Thermal And Radiation Pressure Optoacoustic Mechanisms

We detected and modeled the radiation of high-frequency sound by individual oil drops and gas bubbles in water in response to modulated green light having a peak power ~1 W. Drop radii were typically ~mm. In those cases where the drop was dyed (so as to absorb a significant fraction of the illumination), the magnitude of the radiated sound indicates that thermal expansion of the dyed oil was the principal mechanism for the production of sound. Bubbles radiated sound by a different mechanism. Bubble radii were in the 20-135 pm range. When illuminated by a short pulse, the sound radiated from the bubbles exhibited the ringing of a damped oscillator. This is evidence of monopole oscillations of the bubble's surface. Bubbles were subsequently illuminated with light modulated at the frequency of the ringing. The resulting sound was characterized by an amplitude enhancement which is the expected resonance response of an oscillator. The mechanism for driving the oscillations appears to be the compression of the bubble by modulated optical radiation pressure.