cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
« These foreign c*nts’ve goat trouble wi the Queen’s f*ckin English, ken », ou ré-énoncer la voix scots de Trainspotting au moyen du Québec et de la (socio-)linguistique

En 1993, au lendemain du regne thatcherien, Irvine Welsh, auteur ecossais alors inconnu, etait propulse au firmament des vedettes litteraires grâce a Trainspotting, un texte coup de poing mettant en scene de jeunes heroinomanes ecossais qui s’opposent au systeme de la seule maniere qu’ils le peuvent : a coup d’injections. En les faisant s’exprimer dans une version extremement codee du scots, Welsh deployait un systeme discursif unique et volontairement difficile a dechiffrer, veritable doigt d’honneur a l’elite litteraire anglophone et aux conventions de l’ecriture. Dans cet article, j’aborde premierement l’importance du sociolecte scots dans l’oeuvre de Welsh, au moyen d’une analyse du contexte sociohistorique de l’oeuvre et de sa reception. Deuxiemement et a contresens des traducteurs francais (Lindor Fall en 1996, Etienne en 2011), qui livrent des versions qui repriment l’insubordination de l’original aux normes de la langue, je presente une « systematique de la deformation » basee sur des etudes sociolinguistiques du francais quebecois, qui permet de re-enoncer, pour le lecteur francophone, la puissance expressive et la portee politique de la voix de ce texte culte. Par l’utilisation d’une variante du francais quebecois vernaculaire comme outil de traduction, j’espere menager dans l’espace litteraire francophone une ouverture qui permette d’eviter la notion d’intraduisible lorsque l’on parle des sociolectes.
Monitoring Viral Load

The ability to measure HIV-1 viral load has revolutionized our ability to track HIV infection and viral replication. The advent of viral load assays has been both a technologic and pragmatic feat, supplying a sturdy clinical measure to guide clinical AIDS management. Formerly, clinicians and scientists relied on difficult and cumbersome plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cell cultures for virus isolation, or p24 antigen quantitation to monitor infection in the individual patient. The development of PCR-based methods to measure viral RNA levels has been particularly useful in following patients and managing therapy. Importantly, the measurement of viral load has provided new insights into the mechanisms of HIV transmission and pathogenesis.
Lobbying against the Odds

Conventional narratives maintain that groups that lack political power litigate because they cannot attain their goals politically. Yet lobbying by American Indians has increased over 600 percent since the late 1970s. And they are not alone. Other politically marginalized groups have also intensified their lobbying efforts over the past five decades. This raises an important question that scholars have yet to adequately answer: Why do some groups use legislative strategies to achieve their goals? This Article challenges the prevailing wisdom and demonstrates that groups sometimes lobby even when the odds are stacked against them. It considers the existing sociolegal framework for understanding why groups litigate, and suggests modifications based on insights from interest group studies, to provide a more complete explanation of when and why groups engage in various advocacy strategies. This modified sociolegal approach produces significant insights into how legal and political actors influence and are influenced by the institutions they turn to, but also enables us to see similar—and divergent—patterns across contexts. The Article presents original quantitative data to document the dramatic rise in American Indian lobbying from 1978 to 2012. Then it uses the modified sociolegal approach to explain how the relationships among courts, the political process, and groups facilitated American Indian legislative advocacy. It concludes by discussing the implications of the approach for studies of legal mobilization, interest groups, and federal Indian law.
Emulsion polymerization: Kinetics of radical capture by the particles

In emulsion polymerization free radicals generated in the continuous medium enter the monomer/polymer particles at a rate which is governed by either collision or diffusion dynamics. Previously various theories have assumed one or the other model. Two series of experiments are described to test which theory applies. One series involves seeded emulsion polymerization, while the other starts with a perfectly homogenoeus solution. The rate of radical “capture” by the monomer/polymer particles in both series is proportional to the product of particle number and radius, in support of a diffusion-controlled process. The electrostatic interaction between like charged radicals and particles is thought to be negligible, but experimental proof is required.
Methods for Assessing Airway Blood Flow in Asthma

Since the tracheobronchial vasculature is the principal source of blood flow in the conducting airways, it can influence bronchial caliber [17], the bronchial response to thermal stress [4], the clearance of chemical mediators and other materials from the airway wall [18], the metabolism of circulating, biologically active substances before they reach the airway tissues [24], the distribution of systemically administered drugs to the airway, and the absorption of inhaled drugs from the airway. These functions may be relevant to the pathogenesis and treatment of bronchial asthma.
Automated high-throughput probe production for DNA microarray analysis.

DNA microarrays have become an established tool for gene expression profiling. Construction of these microarrays using immobilized cDNAs is a common experimental strategy. However, this is extremel...
Learning in Invertebrates

Most of our knowledge of learning in the hymenoptera with its hundreds of thousands of species is so far restricted to one species, the honey bee. Learning mechanisms in this animal as it may relate to ecological requirements will be discussed. Furthermore, I will explore ecological adaptations of behavior and learning drawn from the literature and make predictions about the types of learning expected in some other hymenoptera that face entirely different learning problems than those faced by honey bees. Finally, I suggest that a comparative approach to a study of learning in the hymenoptera may enlarge our insights into constraints in the biology of learning.
Investigation into the stability of four wheel steering vehicles

Automotive manufacturers have recently been developing four wheel steering systems as part of an effort to enhance the dynamic response characteristics of passenger vehicles. The systems being developed by the various manufacturers differ in the control methods used to steer the rear wheels. These systems enhance the response of the vehicles at high speed by steering the rear wheels in the same direction as the front wheels in order to reduce vehicle sideslip and reduce the time required by the vehicle to achieve steady state. This paper investigates the stability properties of four different steering control methods in pure cornering manoeuvres at moderate and high speeds, as well as stability properties in combined cornering and braking manoeuvres. A three degree of freedom, non–linear, time domain vehicle model was used to simulate the dynamic behaviour of a vehicle using each steering control method. Stability is based on the comparison of generated tyre forces with the tyre limits of adhesion. The tyre model used in the simulation is based on the friction ellipse concept and uses Calspan tyre data to compute peak lateral and longitudinal friction coefficients and tyre cornering stiffnesses as non–linear functions of tyre normal load. Three dimensional suspension kinematics are utilized to determine the vehicle roll axis as well as the steer and camber angles of each wheel.
Reaching rural veterans: a new mechanism to connect rural, low-income US Veterans with resources and improve food security.

BACKGROUND Rural, low-income US veterans face additional barriers to accessing food and resources compared to urban veterans. Based on both social-ecological and cultural competence approaches, the Reaching Rural Veterans (RRV) pilot intervention built on the existing infrastructure of food pantries to improve food security and connect rural, low-income veterans with resources. This article describes the process of implementing and evaluating RRV. METHODS Five rural food pantries within each of two states, Indiana and Kentucky, received training in cultural competence and held monthly outreach events where food and services were offered to veterans. Veteran adult participants completed an assessment at baseline and 3-month follow-up that measured food security using the US Household Food Security Survey Module and self-reported resource enrollment. Repeated measures logistic regression models evaluated the odds of improving food security and resource enrollment from baseline to follow-up (significance P < 0.05). RESULTS RRV recruited 234 participants; 53% completed the follow-up assessment. At follow-up, the odds of household (P = 0.009) and adult (P = 0.01) food security increased, as did enrollment in one or more of the following resources: Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Supplemental Security Income, General Assistance or Assistance from the Township Trustee (P = 0.005). CONCLUSIONS RRV yielded promising preliminary results of improved food security and resource use.
Quasicoherent Receivers for Access Networks Using Fullwave Rectification Based Envelope Detection

We demonstrate a novel quasicoherent receiver architecture based on envelope detection employing fullwave rectification. Signaling rates of up to 18 GBaud (PAM-2) were experimentally achieved using low receiver bandwidths and low received powers. © 2019 The Author(s)
Identification and validation of microRNAs that synergize with miR-34a - a basis for combinatorial microRNA therapeutics.

Efforts to search for better treatment options for cancer have been a priority, and due to these efforts, new alternative therapies have emerged. For instance, clinically relevant tumor-suppressive...
Antibodies to SARS/CoV-2 in arbitrarily-selected Atlanta residents

Abstract We quantitated anti-SARS/CoV-2 IgG and IgM by ELISA in self-collected blood samples (n=142) in arbitrarily-selected metro Atlanta residents, primarily acquaintances of the authors’ lab members from 4/17-4/27, 2020. Archived serum (n=34), serum from nucleic acid test (NAT)-positive subjects (n=4), and samples collected from NAT-positive community members (n=4) served to validate the assay. The range of anti-SARS/CoV-2 antibodies in archived and NAT-positive sera indicated need to compromise sensitivity or specificity. Accordingly, we set a cutoff of 4 SD above the mean for IgG and 3 SD above the mean for IgM to indicate that an individual had been exposed, and developed some degree of immunity, to SARS/CoV-2. The IgG cutoff clearly compromised sensitivity but offered high specificity, both of which were harder to gauge for IgM. Based on these cutoffs, excluding subjects whose participation resulted from self-suspected SARS/CoV-2 infection, we found 7.1% positivity for anti-SARS/CoV-2 IgG (3 of 127 subjects) or IgM (6 of 127). While we do not claim this small immune survey is broadly representative of metro Atlanta, and we have greater confidence in the IgG results, which had only 2.4% positivity, it nonetheless demonstrates that persons with antibodies to SARS/CoV-2, who’ve not suspected they’d been exposed to this virus, can readily be found in various Atlanta area neighborhoods (9 positives were in 8 zip codes). Accordingly, these results support the notion that dissemination of the virus is more widespread than testing would indicate but also suggests that most persons in metro Atlanta remain vulnerable to this virus. More generally, these results support the general utility of sero-surveillance to guide public policy but also highlight the difficulty of discerning if individuals have immunity to SARS/CoV-2.
Sub-60 mV/decade Switching via Hot Electron Transfer in Nanoscale GaN HEMTs

In this letter, a subthreshold swing (SS) of sub-60 mV/dec is for the first time observed in InAlN/GaN high electron mobility transistors (HMETs). With a 40-nm gate length ( ${L} _{{\text {g}}}$ ), an average SS of 30 mV/dec over three orders of magnitude in drain current ( I d) and a minimum point-by-point SS of 15 mV/dec are achieved. The transistor body factor ( m ) of 4.99/6.98 (in forward/reverse sweep) determined from temperature-variation measurements indicates that the sub-60 mV/dec SS characteristic is not attributed to the negative capacitance effect. The negative differential resistance (NDR) of gate current ( I g) is observed and the hot electron transfer from channel to gate is believed to account for the sub-60 mV/dec SS characteristic. It is further confirmed by the fact that, SS decreases as drain-source voltage ( V ds) increases and L g decreases. Due to the increased V ds and decreased $L_{\text {g,}}$ the channel lateral electric field is strengthened, leading to the hot electron formation and thus the enhanced effect of hot electron transfer on the SS. This sub-60 mV/dec SS characteristic in the nanoscale devices shows the great potential of the InAlN/GaN HEMTs to be applied in future logic switches.
Investigation of Galvanic and Capacitively Coupled Intrabody Transmission Around the Human Head

With the expanding number of devices used in Wireless Body Area Networks (WBAN), novel methods for signal transmission are required to provide continuous and reliable on-body device communication. This paper investigates the intrabody capacitive and galvanic coupled electrode configurations and their resultant transmission gain at the frequency band from 1 – 100 MHz. The electrode systems are modeled and simulated in CST Microwave Studio and compared to the measured results. The near field simulation results are analyzed. The capacitive configuration is shown to propagate signal through the air around the body and has a higher transmission gain while the galvanic configuration propagates signal through the body with a lower transmission gain.
Food and Housing Insecurity for Latinx/a/o College Students: Advancing an Intersectional Research Agenda

Along with concerns about higher education’s declining affordability, attention to food and housing insecurity among postsecondary students has risen, especially with the COVID-19 pandemic. In this...
Do the Police Seize a Person under the Fourth Amendment by Using Deadly Force If That Person Gets Away

The article for the American Bar Association previews the U.S. Supreme Court case of Torres v. Madrid, No. 19-292, argued on October 14, 2020. In this case, Respondents, two New Mexico State Police officers, shot and wounded petitioner Roxanne Torres to restrain her during an investigation. Petitioner escaped, however, and was not arrested until the next day at a hospital. Petitioner sued respondents in federal court for using unlawful deadly force under the Fourth Amendment. The district court granted summary judgment for respondents, finding that they did not “seize” petitioner when they shot her because petitioner eluded police custody. Petitioner appealed, and the Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit affirmed. Petitioner is asking the Supreme Court to reverse and hold that whenever the police use deadly force to restrain someone, the police seize that person under the Fourth Amendment, even if the person eludes police custody. This article examines the parties' arguments in the Supreme Court briefs, as well as the positions of amicus curiae.
A Pandemic of Busywork: Increased Online Coursework Following the Transition to Remote Instruction Is Associated with Reduced Academic Achievement.

Under normal circumstances, when students invest more effort in their schoolwork, they generally show evidence of improved academic achievement. But when universities abruptly transitioned to remote instruction in Spring 2020, instructors assigned rapidly-prepared online learning activities, disrupting the normal relationship between effort and outcomes. In this study, we examine this relationship using data observed from a large-scale survey of undergraduate students, from logs of student activity in the online learning management system, and from students’ estimated cumulative performance in their courses (n = 4,636). We find that there was a general increase in the number of assignments that students were expected to complete following the transition to remote instruction, and that students who spent more time and reported more effort carrying out this coursework generally had lower course performance and reported feeling less successful. We infer that instructors, under pressure to rapidly put their course materials online, modified their courses to include online busywork that did not constitute meaningful learning activities, which had a detrimental effect on student outcomes at scale. These findings are discussed in contrast with other situations when increased engagement does not necessarily lead to improved learning outcomes, and in comparison with the broader relationship between effort and academic achievement.
Quantifying the impact of SpaceOAR hydrogel on inter-fractional rectal and bladder dose during 0.35 T MR-guided prostate adaptive radiotherapy.

PURPOSE To investigate the impact of rectal spacing on inter-fractional rectal and bladder dose and the need for adaptive planning in prostate cancer patients undergoing SBRT with a 0.35 T MRI-Linac. MATERIALS AND METHODS We evaluated and compared SBRT plans from prostate cancer patients with and without rectal spacer who underwent treatment on a 0.35 T MRI-Linac. Each group consisted of 10 randomly selected patients that received prostate SBRT to a total dose of 36.25 Gy in five fractions. Dosimetric differences in planned and delivered rectal and bladder dose and the number of fractions violating OAR constraints were quantified. We also assessed whether adaptive planning was needed to meet constraints for each fraction. RESULTS On average, rectal spacing reduced the maximum dose delivered to the rectum by more than 8 Gy (p < 0.001). We also found that D3cc received by the rectum could be 12 Gy higher in patients who did not have rectal spacer (p < 9E-7). In addition, the results show that a rectal spacer can reduce the maximum dose and D15cc to the bladder wall by more than 1 (p < 0.004) and 8 (p < 0.009) Gy, respectively. Our study also shows that using a rectal spacer could reduce the necessity for adaptive planning. The incidence of dose constraint violation was observed in almost 91% of the fractions in patients without the rectal spacer and 52% in patients with implanted spacer. CONCLUSION Inter-fractional changes in rectal and bladder dose were quantified in patients who underwent SBRT with/without rectal SpaceOAR hydrogel. Rectal spacer does not eliminate the need for adaptive planning but reduces its necessity.
Characterization of Lrp, and Escherichia coli regulatory protein that mediates a global response to leucine

Exogenous leucine affects the expression of a number of different operons in Escherichia coli. For at least some of these operons, the leucine-related effect is mediated by a protein called Lrp (Leucine-responsive regulatory protein). The purification of Lrp to near homogeneity is described. Lrp is a moderately abundant, basic protein composed of two subunits of molecular mass 18.8 kDa each. In addition, the corresponding protein was purified from a strain having a mutation within the gene that encodes Lrp (lrp). This mutation (lrp-1) causes high constitutive expression of ilvIH, one of the operons controlled by Lrp (Platko, J. V., Willins, D.A., and Calvo, J.M. (1990) J. Bacteriol. 172, 4563-4570). The Lrp-1 and Lrp proteins have similar physical properties, but they show some differences in the characteristics with which they bind DNA upstream of the ilvIH promoter. The nucleotide sequences of the lrp and lrp-1 genes differ by only a single nucleotide, a C to G change that would substitute a Glu for an Asp at amino acid 114. Lrp has some amino acid sequence similarity to AsnC, a protein that regulates asnA expression (Kolling, R., and Lother, H. (1985) J. Bacteriol. 164, 310-315).
Housing and Stock Market Returns: An Application of GARCH Enhanced VECM

This paper examines the relationship between housing and stock market returns for the United States using the cointegration analysis and the GARCH enhanced VECM. The results suggest that the two series are cointegrated. The results from the GARCH enhanced VECM indicate the presence of spillover effect from the stock market to the housing market but not vice versa. Taken together, the results provide evidence in support of the notion that the two markets are integrated rather than segmented. The findings of cointegration and spillover effect between the two series suggest that investors and portfolio managers cannot achieve risk reduction associated with diversification by jointly holding assets in real estate and stock markets.
Control of memory CD8+ T cell differentiation by CD80/CD86-CD28 costimulation and restoration by IL-2 during the recall response.

Memory CD8+ T cell responses have been considered to be independent of CD80/CD86-CD28 costimulation. However, recall responses are often severely blunted in CD28−/− mice. Whether this impairment represents a requirement for CD28 costimulation for proper memory CD8+ T cell development or a requirement during the recall response is unknown. Furthermore, how CD28 costimulation affects the phenotype and function of memory CD8+ T cells has not been characterized in detail. In this study, we investigate these questions by studying the role of the CD28 costimulatory pathway in memory CD8+ T cell responses to acute and persistent DNA virus infections. Memory CD8+ T cells against vaccinia virus (VV) infection which develop without CD28 costimulation exhibit lower expression of differentiation markers CD27 and CD122 (IL-15Rβ). These memory CD8+ T cells also fail to produce IL-2. Our data indicate that for an optimal recall response, CD28 costimulation is required both for T cell priming and also during the recall response. Similar requirements were observed for memory CD8+ T cell responses during persistent infection with murine gammaherpesvirus 68 (MHV-68) infection, indicating CD28 may play the same role in both acute and persistent infections. Finally, we show deficits in the recall response are restored by IL-2 signaling during recall, but not during priming. The data presented show that CD28 costimulation not only controls the magnitude of the primary response but also affects development of memory CD8+ T cells and is required during the recall response in addition to initial T cell priming.
Reality, No Matter How You Slice It

In order to reject the notion that information is always about something, the “It from Bit” idea relies on the nonexistence of a realistic framework that might underly quantum theory. This essay develops the case that there is a plausible underlying reality: one actual spacetime-based history, although with behavior that appears strange when analyzed dynamically (one time-slice at a time). By using a simple model with no dynamical laws, it becomes evident that this behavior is actually quite natural when analyzed “all-at-once” (as in classical statistical mechanics). The “It from Bit” argument against a spacetime-based reality must then somehow defend the importance of dynamical laws, even as it denies a reality on which such fundamental laws could operate.
Nonlinear behavior of circular plates with work hardening

Tests were performed on two simply supported plates of aluminum alloy 2024-0, under a central concentrated load, with peak deflections up to 2.6 times the thickness. The load was provided by a small-diameter hard-steel rod. The plates had diameter-to-thickness ratios (D/h) of 20 and 41. Measurements were made of load, deflections and strains; membrane and bending strains were calculated from the test data. The test data are presented in comparison with theoretical predictions generated by the finite-element-computer code PLANS, which includes material and geometric nonlinearities. The theoretical prediction was excellent for deflections, and generally good for strains, when the central force was represented by a line load around the loading rod's contact circle.
Transcription During the Development of Bacteriophage φ29: Production of Host-and φ29-Specific Ribonucleic Acid

The synthesis of ribonucleic acid (RNA) during development of the virulent Bacillus subtilis bacteriophage phi29 has been analyzed. Transcription of host deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) continues at the preinfection rate throughout the latent period of viral growth. RNA-DNA hybridization was used to show that host messenger RNA synthesis continues late into the phage lytic cycle. Amino acid-labeling experiments show that this RNA is continuously used to produce protein. Ribosomal RNA production is not inhibited by phage infection. Small quantities of phage-specific RNA first appear between min 6 and 9 after infection. This RNA is made exclusively from one of the phi29 DNA strands. At 12 min postinfection, when phage DNA replication commences, large quantities of viral RNA start to be synthesized. This RNA appears to be transcribed from both strands of phi29 DNA. Studies with rifamycin and rifamycin-resistant host strains showed that the production of all phage phi29-specific RNA requires those components of the host RNA polymerase which are sensitive to this antibiotic. Thus, phage phi29 does not stop transcription of host DNA and may produce only one element for regulation of transcription of its own DNA. These findings may reflect the limited amount of genetic information carried by this phage.
Truncation studies using the generalized naturalized natural pixel bases for parallel beam geometry

For natural pixel basis, the image equation can be described as Mq=p, where p is the projection measurement, q is the unknown estimation, and matrix M is the backprojection-projection operation. Without considering photon scatter, geometric response, and attenuation, the natural pixel representation of the projection operator for parallel beam geometry is a unit strip perpendicular to the collimation bin. Since the backprojection operator can be different from the adjoint projection operator, a backprojection operator which does not truncate the image can be found to reduce the artifacts in truncation studies. In this study, two computer simulated phantoms and physical Hoffman brain phantom are reconstructed and evaluated. Non-truncated, 25% truncated and 50% truncated projections are generated from the above projections. Nine different combinations of the matrix M are studied for parallel beam geometry. The singular value decomposition (SVD) reconstruction method is used to solve q in this inverse problem, and the final image is obtained by backprojecting this q into a discrete array of points. Without truncation, we observe that different backprojection geometries can reconstruct almost the same image. In truncation studies, estimation of more the projection bins is more effective to reduce the ring artifact than changing the projection bin width. Since the backprojection operator does not truncate the image, the ring artifact is reduced.
Circles in a square world: a problem in pattern analysis.

Abstract Certain algorithmic questions are considered relating to differentiation of circles occurring randomly in clusters. Of particular interest is the case in which the analysis is performed in terms of lattice points closest to the cluster periphery, corresponding to automatic search techniques.
Abstract C13: Targeting interleukin 6 signaling suppresses glioma stem cell survival and tumor growth

Glioblastomas are the most common and most lethal primary brain tumor. Recent studies implicate an important role for a restricted population of neoplastic cells (glioma stem cells (GSCs)) in glioma maintenance and recurrence. We now demonstrate that GSCs preferentially express two interleukin 6 (IL6) receptors: IL6 receptor alpha (IL6Ra) and glycoprotein 130 (gp130). Targeting IL6Ra or IL6 ligand expression in GSCs with the use of short hairpin RNAs (shRNAs) significantly reduces growth and neuro‐sphere formation capacity while increasing apoptosis. Per‐turbation of IL6 signaling in GSCs attenuates signal transducers and activators of transcription three (STAT3) activation, and small molecule inhibitors of STAT3 potently induce GSC apoptosis. These data indicate that STAT3 is a downstream mediator of prosurvival IL6 signals in GSCs. Targeting of IL6Ra or IL6 expression in GSCs increases the survival of mice bearing intracranial human glioma xenografts. IL6 is clinically significant because elevated IL6 ligand and receptor expression are associated with poor glioma patient survival. The potential utility of anti‐IL6 therapies is demonstrated by decreased growth of subcutaneous human GSC‐derived xenografts treated with IL6 antibody. Together, our data indicate that IL6 signaling contributes to glioma malignancy through the promotion of GSC growth and survival, and that targeting IL6 may offer benefit for glioma patients. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2009;69(23 Suppl):C13.
Simultaneous determination of thymine and 5-bromouracil in DNA hydrolysates using gas chromatography--mass spectrometry with selected-ion monitoring

Abstract The gas chromatographic—mass spectrometric method using selected-ion monitoring (GC—MS—SIM) described here quantitatively determines the amount of DNA thymine replacement by 5-bromouracil (BU) after exposure to 5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine (BUDR) in as few as 10 5 cells. DNA is extracted, enzymatically hydrolyzed, the nucleic acid bases (with added internal standards, 5-iodouracil and 5-chlorouracil) are extracted into ethyl acetate, concentrated and derivatized with bis(trimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide. Thymine and BU are then quantitated by GC—MS—SIM. Response is linear to thymine over the range of 100–2000 ng per sample and BU of 1.3–52 ng per sample with a coefficient of variation of less than 10% and an accuracy for seeded samples within 8% of theoretical value. With V79 cells in culture, exposure to increasing BUDR concentrations (0.03– 1.0 μ M ) results in increasing thymine substitution by BU over a range of 1–28%. Other important applications of this technique are mentioned.
Modulation of age-related alterations in membrane composition and receptor-associated immune functions by food restriction in fischer 344 rats

Abstract Food restriction is known to modulate aging and age-associated immune functions in rodents. In an attempt to understand the mechanism(s) through which food restriction delay age-associated loss of certain immune functions, lipid composition of spleen cells as well as binding of spleen cells to interleukin-2 (IL-2) and insulin were analyzed in four month-old and 19-month-old ad libitum fed (AL) and food-restricted (FR) Fischer-344 male rats. The results revealed that although AL-fed rats did not show a difference in age-related changes for IL-2 and insulin binding, the number of binding sites were significantly increased in the spleen cells of 19-month-old FR animals when compared with those of the 19-month-old AL group. When spleen cell phospholipid fractions were analyzed for fatty acid composition, the spleen cells from FR animals consistently revealed higher linoleic acid (18:2) levels and significantly lower arachidonic acid (20:4) and long chain fatty acid, docosatetraenoic acid (22:4) levels in the phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidyl-ethanolamine fractions than the spleen cells of the AL rats. Further, spleen cell plasma membranes of FR rats also exhibited similar changes showing higher 18:2 and lower 20:4 and 22:4 levels than the AL animals. Finally, spleen cells obtained from 19-month-old FR animals produced higher levels of IL-2 and lesser prostaglandin E 2 when compared to 19-month-old AL animals. The above observations suggest that one of the mechanisms through which food restriction may delay the loss of age-associated immune functions is through modulation of the fatty acyl composition of phospholipid fractions of spleen cell membranes. This modification may facilitate binding of IL-2 and insulin to their receptors and thus may improve T cell proliferation and prevent or delay age-related loss in immune functions.
The role of focal adhesion kinase binding in the regulation of tyrosine phosphorylation of paxillin.

Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and paxillin are focal adhesion-associated, phosphotyrosine-containing proteins that physically interact. A previous study has demonstrated that paxillin contains two binding sites for FAK. We have further characterized these two binding sites and have demonstrated that the binding affinity of the carboxyl-terminal domain of FAK is the same for each of the two binding sites. The presence of both binding sites increases the affinity for FAK by 5–10-fold. A conserved paxillin sequence called the LD motif has been implicated in FAK binding. We show that mutations in the LD motifs in both FAK-binding sites are required to dramatically impair FAK binding in vitro. A paxillin mutant containing point mutations in both FAK-binding sites was characterized. The mutant exhibited reduced levels of phosphotyrosine relative to wild type paxillin in subconfluent cells growing in culture, following cell adhesion to fibronectin and in src-transformed fibroblasts. These results suggest that paxillin must bind FAK for maximal phosphorylation in response to cell adhesion and that FAK may function to direct tyrosine phosphorylation of paxillin in the process of transformation by the src oncogene.
Effects of cortisol and fluoride on ion-transporting ATPase activities in cultured osteoblastlike cells

Na+,K+-ATPase, HCO 3 − -ATPase, Ca2+,Mg2+,-ATPase, Ca2+-ATPase, and alkaline phosphatase activities were measured in cultures of osteoblastlike cells treated with fluoride and cortisol separately and in combinations. Low concentrations of cortisol increased HCO 3 − -ATPase (10−11 to 10−18 M cortisol) and alkaline phosphatase (10−11 to 10−9 M cortisol) activities, but higher cortisol concentrations reduced these activities. Na+,K+-ATPase, Ca2+,Mg2+-ATPase, and Ca2+-ATPase activities tended only to be reduced by cortisol. Fluoride (10−6 and 5×10−6 M) increased HCO 3 − -ATPase and alkaline phosphatase activities, but these activities were similar to controls in the presence of 10−5 M fluoride. Ca2+,Mg2+-ATPase activity was decreased and Na+,K+-ATPase activity was increased as the concentration of fluoride increased (10−6 to 10−5 M). Preliminary experiments with fluoride indicated that lower concentrations (10−7 M) were without effect. Cortisol concentrations of 10−9 and 10−8 M were chosen for studies with combinations of cortisol and fluoride because the effects of these concentrations on alkaline phosphatase activity were opposite, i.e. 10−9 M increased whereas 10−8 M decreased activity. Fluoride concentrations of 10−6, 5×10−6, and 10−5 M were chosen because a peak of alkaline phosphatase activity occurred at 5×10−6 M fluoride. Higher (10−4 M) and lower (10−7 M) fluoride concentrations were without effect. The effects of combinations of cortisol and fluoride depend on the enzyme activity measured. Fluoride (10−6 M) combined with cortisol (10−9 M) produced a peak of Na+,K+-ATPase activity. The increased activity obtained with all concentrations of fluoride alone was preserved when fluoride was combined with 10−8 M cortisol, although the activity tended to be reduced at 5×10−6 and 10−5 M fluoride. HCO 3 − -ATPase activity was increased by fluoride combined with 10−8 M cortisol and decreased by fluoride combined with 10−9 M cortisol compared to the activities obtained with fluoride alone. The decrease in Ca2+,Mg2+-ATPase activity caused by fluoride alone was prevented by 10−9 and enhanced by 10−8 M cortisol, although all treatments produced the same activity at 10−5 M fluoride. Ca2+-ATPase activity tended to be increased by combinations of fluoride and cortisol, but significantly so only at 10−5 M fluoride in combinations with 10−8 and 10−9 M cortisol. Alkaline phosphatase activity was increased by fluoride combined with 10−9 M cortisol and decreased by fluoride combined with 10−8 M cortisol compared to the activities obtained with fluoride alone. These results suggest that the abilities of bone cells to regulate ion transport (as reflected in their ion-transporting ATPase activities) are modulated by glucocorticoids and fluoride. Inasmuch as these cells may regulate the ionic composition and concentrations of the bone extracellular fluid (ECF) in vivo, the modulation of their activities by cortisol and fluoride may result in altered bone ECF composition.
The development of grain structure during growth of metallic films

Abstract The mechanisms that have been proposed to govern the grain structure of vapor deposited metallic films are reviewed, and some problems in these theories discussed. A new phenomenological description of grain growth based on the concept of the variation in mobility of individual grain boundaries allows three characteristic regimes of growth to be distinguished. Detailed observations on the grain structure of both thick and thinner metal films have been made to clarify the variation of grain size and morphology with substrate temperature. The new model for grain growth allied with surface diffusion mechanisms can explain in a consistent manner the experimentally observed grain structures.
Protein-O-carboxylmethyltransferase in the rat brain: High regional levels in the substantia nigra, locus coeruleus and paraventricular nucleus

Abstract Immunocytochemical techniques were used to localize protein-O-car☐ylmethyltransferase in the rat brain. Particularly high levels of immunoreactive protein-O-car☐ylmethyltransferase were found in the paraventricular and supraoptic nucleus, the substantia nigra and the locus coeruleus. The enhanced expression of the methyltransferase in these brain regions suggests that protein car☐ylmethylation is of particular importance in these areas. These findings are consistent with previous biochemical studies which suggest that protein methylation plays a role in presynaptic monoaminergic neurons and in the release and/or processing of neurohypophyseal peptides.
Classical derivation of black-hole entropy.

The proportionality between black-hole entropy and area is derived from the minimal assumption that black holes are classical thermodynamic objects. The relationship between the classical and quantum formulas is shown to be similar to that of blackbody radiation. Classical thermodynamics is shown to imply certain characteristics for classical waves which are normally thought to be quantum mechanical in origin.
Seasonal characteristics of bottom boundary layer detachment at the shelfbreak front in the Middle Atlantic Bight

(approximately 26.0 kg m 3 ) is fairly constant throughout the year. However, the vertical scale of the detached layer varies significantly with season, extending 6080 m above the bottom in winter and spring, but only 2040 m above the bottom in summer. The vertical scale is controlled by the strength and depth of the seasonal pycnocline. The observations suggest that the detached layer is capable of extending into the euphotic zone during winter and spring. INDEX TERMS: 4528 Oceanography: Physical: Fronts and jets; 4211 Oceanography: General: Benthic boundary layers; 4219 Oceanography: General: Continental shelf processes; 4279 Oceanography: General: Upwelling and convergences; KEYWORDS: bottom boundary layer, shelfbreak front, Middle Atlantic Bight
A meta-analysis of clinical outcome in patients with total intestinal aganglionosis

Total intestinal aganglionosis (TIA) is the most extreme and rare form of Hirschsprung disease (HD). Until few years ago TIA was considered to be a uniformly fatal condition. Survival has improved in the recent years with the advent of parenteral nutrition, innovative surgical techniques and small bowel transplantation. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to determine the clinical outcome of TIA following various surgical procedures. A meta-analysis of cases of TIA reported in the literature between 1985 and 2009 was performed. Detailed information was recorded regarding the extent of aganglionosis, surgical procedures performed and clinical outcome. In case of survivors, authors of reports were contacted to obtain the up-to-date clinical status of the patient. There were 68 cases of TIA reported worldwide, 40 (58.8%) males and 28 (41.2%) females. 6 (8.8%) patients had extension of aganglionosis up to the stomach, 19 (27.9%) up to the duodenum and 43 (63.2%) patients had aganglionosis up to 20 cm below the duodeno-jejunal flexure. Family history of HD was documented in 10 (14.7%) patients. RET-gene mutation were identified in 10 (71.4%) of the 14 patients investigated of RET germline mutations. Eleven patients (16.2%) died prior to surgical treatment, 25 patients (36.8%) only had jejunostomy, while 20 (29.4%) had Ziegler’s myectomy–myotomy. 12 (17.6%) patients received intestinal transplantation (ITx) or combined liver–intestinal transplantation (LITx). Forty-five (66.2%) patients died at ages ranging from 1 day to 8 years. Twenty-three (33.8%) patients were alive; the longest survivor was 10 years old after LITx. Innovative surgical procedures and parenteral nutrition have improved clinical outcome of patients with TIA in recent years. Intestinal transplantation appears promising in the management of TIA.
Reliability testing of nano-particle system packaging

Metal nanoparticle applications in nanoelectronics are based on single nanodots or 1-D nanodot chains (both for single electron transistors), or 2-D discontinuous metal thin film (DMTF) arrays (e.g. for sensors), or 3-D polymer or ceramic “cermets,” (for high resistivity resistors and high-k dielectrics). DMTF fabrication relies upon weak substrate adhesion for discrete island formation, which promotes long-term instability and reliability problems. Past work on DMTF nanodot stability is applicable to future nanoelectronics and nanopackaging.
When to suspect ischemic colitis. Why is this condition so often missed or misdiagnosed

PREVIEWIschemic colitis is a particularly elusive disease. A sudden drop in the colonic blood supply is key to its development, but in most patients, no specific cause of the decrease can be identified. Presentation can range from acute abdominal cramping and distention to mild pain, and typically, patients are otherwise well. Diagnosis is challenging because of the wide disparity between symptoms and objective findings. In this article, the authors review predisposing and identifying factors, the usual course of the disease, and diagnostic and management measures.
Neurophysiological assessment of auditory, peripheral nerve, somatosensory, and visual system functions after developmental exposure to ethanol vapors☆☆☆

Abstract Ethanol-blended gasoline entered the market in response to demand for domestic renewable energy sources, and may result in increased inhalation of ethanol vapors in combination with other volatile gasoline constituents. It is important to understand potential risks of inhalation of ethanol vapors by themselves, and also as a baseline for evaluating the risks of ethanol combined with a complex mixture of hydrocarbon vapors. Because sensory dysfunction has been reported after developmental exposure to ethanol, we evaluated the effects of developmental exposure to ethanol vapors on neurophysiological measures of sensory function as a component of a larger project evaluating developmental ethanol toxicity. Pregnant Long-Evans rats were exposed to target concentrations 0, 5000, 10,000, or 21,000 ppm ethanol vapors for 6.5 h/day over GD9–GD20. Sensory evaluations of male offspring began between PND106 and PND128. Peripheral nerve function (compound action potentials, nerve conduction velocity (NCV)), somatosensory (cortical and cerebellar evoked potentials), auditory (brainstem auditory evoked responses), and visual evoked responses were assessed. Visual function assessment included pattern elicited visual evoked potentials (VEPs), VEP contrast sensitivity, and electroretinograms recorded from dark-adapted (scotopic), light-adapted (photopic) flashes, and UV flicker and green flicker. No consistent concentration-related changes were observed for any of the physiological measures. The results show that gestational exposure to ethanol vapor did not result in detectable changes in peripheral nerve, somatosensory, auditory, or visual function when the offspring were assessed as adults.
What Difference does a Robot Make? Managing Ambiguity in Distributed Knowledge Work

In a study of night rounds in post-surgical critical care, we examine the management of ambiguities in distributed knowledge work. In the critical care unit we observed, remote medical workers stru...
The contributions of anchoring and past-test performance to the underconfidence-with-practice effect.

In the underconfidence-with-practice effect, people’s judgments of learning (JOLs) typically underestimate memory performance across multiple study–test phases. Whereas the past-test hypothesis suggests that this underconfidence stems from participants’ reliance on earlier test performance to make subsequent JOLs (despite new learning), the anchoring hypothesis suggests that the underconfidence stems from participants’ reliance on a fixed psychological anchor point low on the JOL scale to make their JOLs. To contrast the predictions of these hypotheses, we had college students study, make JOLs, and test over several dozen paired-associate items across two study–test phases. We parametrically manipulated the presence or absence of testing and judging within participants during Phase 1. Contrary to the past-test hypothesis, items tested during Phase 1 demonstrated less underconfidence during Phase 2 than did nontested items. Furthermore, participants did not increase JOLs from Phase 1 to Phase 2 for items that they had not recalled or for items that had not been tested at all, suggesting that the underconfidence stemmed largely from participants’ overreliance on a psychological anchor point to make their JOLs. Past test performance, however, seems to be a major cue that participants use to adjust their JOLs away from the anchor, reducing underconfidence. This was most evident when we used a between-participants manipulation (Exp. 2) to cause our participants to anchor their JOLs either high or low on the JOL scale, producing differential underconfidence independent of any adjustment. Taken together, these results support the anchoring hypothesis over the past-test hypothesis for explaining underconfidence with practice.
Cooperative Target Tracking in a Distributed Autonomous Sensor Network

This paper describes an investigation into the control of multiple, cooperating autonomous sensor platforms operating in a marine sensor network. Distributed sensors allow us to view phenomena of interest from multiple, simultaneous vantage points, creating significant processing gain from the spatial diversity. The major objective of this paper is to describe a frame-work for adaptive and cooperative control of the autonomous sensor platforms in such a network. This framework has two major components, an intelligent sensor that provides high-level state information to a behavior-based autonomous vehicle control system and a new approach to behavior-based control of autonomous vehicles using multiple objective functions that allows reactive control in complex environments with multiple constraints. Experimental results are presented for a 2-D target tracking application in which a pair of fully autonomous surface craft using simulated bearing sensors acquire and track a moving target. From these results, it is readily seen that there is the potential for potent synergy from the cooperation of multiple sensor platforms.