cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The bacteriorhodopsin photocycle: direct structural study of two substrates of the M-intermediate

Changes in protein structure that occur during the formation of the M photointermediate of bacteriorhodopsin can be directly visualized by electron diffraction techniques. A modified preparation technique for glucose-embedded crystals was employed to ensure sufficient hydration of the crystals, which was needed for the formation of the M intermediate at low temperature. Samples containing a high percentage of the M intermediate were trapped by rapidly cooling the crystals with liquid nitrogen after illumination with filtered green light at 240 and 260 K, respectively. Difference Fourier projection maps are presented for the M intermediates formed at these two temperatures. The diffraction data clearly show that statistically significant structural changes occur upon formation of the M intermediate at 240 K and then further upon formation of the second specimen that is produced at 260 K.
Diffusion of surfactants to an interface: Effect of a barrier of oriented water

Abstract The barrier to diffusion of surfactants to or from an interface is modeled as a region of oriented water molecules. This vicinal water phase has a diffusion coefficient, D0, orders of magnitude less than that of the bulk phase, Db. Solubility, c ∗ , and equilibrium coefficient, K, for vicinal water are parameters that govern the concentration profiles and the flux of surfactants. Using Fick's law to describe the diffusion of surfactants in both the oriented and the bulk phases, we derive a new adsorption rate equation for very small and large times. The model provides a physical picture of diffusion in both phases and conforms with experimental results.
Exercise and VO2 max in children: a meta-analysis.

Abstract Despite widespread belief that children are aerobically trainable, studies examining the ability of a child to improve maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) have yielded inconsistent findings. The present investigation, using meta-analysis, examined the effects of physical activity, gender, experimental design, and sufficiency of exercise on the VO2max of child subjects. Sixty-nine studies examining the effects of training on children were originally located; 28 met criteria for inclusion. From these studies, 70 effect sizes (ESs) were calculated. Some studies employed cross-sectional (XS) designs involving comparisons of intact groups of subjects; the others used a pretest-posttest (PP) design, which followed subjects throughout a specified training program. Average ES indicated a considerable difference between trained and untrained subjects though several possible sources of confounding (e.g., subject self-selection) in XS studies were identified. Effect sizes of. 94 (±1.00) and .35 (±0.82) were achi...
Acute in vivo evaluation of an implantable continuous flow biventricular assist system

An implantable biventricular assist device offers a considerable opportunity to save the lives of patients with combined irreversible right and left ventricular failure. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the hemodynamic and physiologic performance of the combined implantation of the CorAide™ left ventricular assist device (LVAD) and the DexAide right ventricular assist device (RVAD). Acute hemodynamic responses were evaluated after simulating seven different physiological conditions in two calves. Evaluation was performed by fixing the speed of one individual pump and increasing the speed of the other. Under all conditions, increased LVAD or RVAD speed resulted in increased pump flow. The predominant pathophysiologic effect of independently varying DexAide and CorAide pump speeds was that the left atrial pressure was very sensitive to increasing RVAD speed above 2,400 rpm, whereas the right atrial pressure demonstrated much less sensitivity to increasing LVAD speed. An increase in aortic pressure and RVAD flow was observed while increasing LVAD speed, especially under low contractility, ventricular fibrillation, high pulmonary artery pressure, and low circulatory blood volume conditions. In conclusion, a proper RVAD-LVAD balance should be maintained by avoiding RVAD overdrive. Additional studies will further investigate the performance of these pumps in chronic animal models.
Total quality management in the construction process

Abstract There is great potential for quality improvement in the construction process. A study of the literature and of surveys conducted in the USA indicated that management commitment to quality and to continuous quality improvement is very important; construction industry professionals are well aware of the importance of quality training; partnering agreements among the parties in the construction process constitute an important step in securing a high quality product; a feedback loop could upgrade the original quality standards used in the industry; the clarity of project scope and requirements as well as of drawings and specifications is a prerequisite for high process quality.
Heterogeneity of the cold-insoluble globulin of human plasma (Clg), A circulating cell surface protein☆

Abstract The cold-insoluble globulin of human plasma (Clg), a circulating cell surface protein, exists in multiple molecular forms. Most molecules are found as two chain (Mr ≈ 220 000 per chain) disulfide-bridged dimeric units but several minor components of smaller size have also been identified; based upon their migration rates in dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoretic experiments, the smaller molecules characterized in this study range in molecular size from 235 000 to 146 000. The component of molecular weight 235 000 apparently represents a two chain disulfide-bridged derivative of larger parent molecules (one chain of 220 000 plus a smaller remnant), whereas smaller CIg components appear to be single chain proteins. These observations plus electrophoretic analyses of samples from plasmic digests of CIg indicate that the interchain disulfide bridging in the two chain molecule is located in a segment within approx. 175 residues of the NH2- or COOH-terminus.
Swath mapping the base of the arctic ice canopy

Abstract Satellite data have demonstrated that the areal extent of the Arctic ice canopy has decreased over the past few decades, however, whether sea ice thickness in the Arctic Ocean has substantially decreased remains controversial because of limited information available for the base of the ice canopy. Studies of sea ice thickness to date have involved analysis of ice draft data acquired by single-beam ice profiling sonars on US and British Navy submarines or single-beam moored sonars. During 1998 and 1999, a seafloor-mapping sonar mounted on the hull of the US Navy nuclear submarine USS Hawkbill serendipitously acquired sonar returns from the base of the arctic ice canopy despite design features intended to minimize such returns. Standard topographic processing of the data revealed coherent signals collected between the outgoing sonar pulse and the first returned bottom echoes. Existing processing software was modified to produce swath maps of the information collected from the beginning of ping transmission until the seafloor echoes were detected. These images demonstrate that the recorded water-column signals are different on the port and starboard sides of the system and that individual features can be traced from one side of the submarine to the other. Further software modification allowed us to produce the first wide-swath (2–6 km) sidescan images of the base of the Arctic ice canopy. Although the resultant maps cannot resolve the debate regarding changes in Arctic sea ice thickness, the approach will have far-reaching impact on the design of future systems, whether based on submarines or unmanned vehicles. Our analyses demonstrate that system performance is regulated by the ratio between sonar operating depth and height of the sonar above the seafloor. Where the ratio approaches 1, echoes from the seabed interfere with echoes from the ice canopy, preventing the creation of ice maps. When the sonar is operated below 135 m, signal attenuation results in ice maps with little useful information. However, where the sonar operational depth is less than 135 m and the total water depth ranges between 500 and 1200 m, our approach produces swaths up to 6 km wide exhibiting detailed lineations similar to those observed in higher frequency upward-looking sidescan sonar data.
Peroxide-Mediated Synthesis of Indium Oxide Nanocrystals at Low Temperatures

Well-defined indium oxide (In2O3) nanocrystals were prepared in the solution phase by a new and reproducible peroxide-mediated route at relatively low temperatures (120−180 °C) using indium acetylacetonate as the precursor. The resulting 7-nm cubic-In2O3 nanocrystals were characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), selected area electron diffraction, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). A combination of solution NMR spectroscopy, XPS, and FT-IR spectroscopy were used to confirm the presence of bound oleylamine and lauric acid on the nanocrystal surface. It was determined that the reaction does not produce crystalline In2O3 under these lower temperature reaction conditions in the absence of an organic peroxide; therefore, the peroxide plays a key role in oxide formation. The reaction occurs via a different pathway than the thermal pyrolysis or hydrolysis pathways that have been identified for the “heating-up” method. FT-IR spectroscopy and TEM were use...
A volumetric method for building complex models from range images

A number of techniques have been developed for reconstructing surfaces by integrating groups of aligned range images. A desirable set of properties for such algorithms includes: incremental updating, representation of directional uncertainty, the ability to fill gaps in the reconstruction, and robustness in the presence of outliers. Prior algorithms possess subsets of these properties. In this paper, we present a volumetric method for integrating range images that possesses all of these properties. Our volumetric representation consists of a cumulative weighted signed distance function. Working with one range image at a time, we first scan-convert it to a distance function, then combine this with the data already acquired using a simple additive scheme. To achieve space efficiency, we employ a run-length encoding of the volume. To achieve time efficiency, we resample the range image to align with the voxel grid and traverse the range and voxel scanlines synchronously. We generate the final manifold by extracting an isosurface from the volumetric grid. We show that under certain assumptions, this isosurface is optimal in the least squares sense. To fill gaps in the model, we tessellate over the boundaries between regions seen to be empty and regions never observed. Using this method, we are able to integrate a large number of range images (as many as 70) yielding seamless, high-detail models of up to 2.6 million triangles.
Heart allograft protection with low-dose carbon monoxide inhalation: effects on inflammatory mediators and alloreactive T-cell responses.

Background Carbon monoxide (CO), a byproduct of heme catalysis, has lately received considerable attention as a regulatory molecule in cellular and biological processes. CO has been shown to provide potent protection against a variety of tissue injuries. We hypothesized in this study that low concentration CO would be beneficial for organ allografts, which frequently undergo several types of injury such as ischemia/reperfusion, alloimmune reaction, and inflammation Methods The efficacy of low-dose CO was examined in a fully allogeneic LEW to BN rat heterotopic heart transplantation (HHTx) model. Recipients were kept in air or exposed to low-dose CO (20 ppm) for 14, 28, or 100 days after HHTx under short-course tacrolimus Results CO treatment (d0-28, 0-100) was remarkably effective in prolonging heart allograft survival to a median of >100 from 45 days in the air-control group, with significant reductions of arteritis, fibrosis, and cellular infiltration, including macrophages and T cells. CO inhibited intragraft upregulation of Th1 type cytokines (IL-2, IFNgamma), proinflammatory mediators (IL-1beta, TNFalpha, IL-6, COX-2), and adhesion molecule. Shorter CO exposure in early (0-13d) and late (14-28d) posttransplant periods also prolonged graft survival, with a significant inhibition of inflammatory mediators Conclusions These results show that low dose CO inhalation protects heart allografts and can considerably prolong their survival. CO appears to function via multiple mechanisms, including direct inhibition of Th1 type cytokine production and regulation of inflammatory responses.
NF-κB Activation Induced by LPS Is PAF-Independent in Intestinal Epithelial Cells (IEC-6 Cells)

NF-κB Activation Induced by LPS Is PAF-Independent in Intestinal Epithelial Cells (IEC-6 Cells)
Extended Analysis of the Trek Ultraheavy Collector

We have made a measurement of the elemental abundance of cosmic rays with atomic number 72 < Z < 83. We made this measurement as part of the Extended Analysis of the Trek Detector (hereafter Extended-Trek). The Trek detector consisted of 150 stacks, each of 16 sheets, of BP-1 glass exposed on the Russian space station Mir. In the original analysis of Trek, 245 cosmic-ray events were analyzed. The cosmic-ray elemental abundance pattern observed by Trek was strongly inconsistent with a popular model of the Galactic cosmic-ray source. For Extended-Trek, we reanalyzed 146 events in the ~100 stacks that were calibrated with relativistic gold ions at two zenith angles. These correspond to a collecting area of approximately 0.7 m2. The Extended-Trek analysis improved the resolution of cosmic-ray charge to 0.34e over 0.39e-0.45e in the original Trek analysis and confirmed the cosmic-ray abundance pattern observed by Trek.
Disorder-induced critical phenomena in hysteresis: Numerical scaling in three and higher dimensions

We present numerical simulations of avalanches and critical phenomena associated with hysteresis loops, modeled using the zero-temperature random-field Ising model. We study the transition between smooth hysteresis loops and loops with a sharp jump in the magnetization, as the disorder in our model is decreased. In a large region near the critical point, we find scaling and critical phenomena, which are well described by the results of an $\ensuremath{\epsilon}$ expansion about six dimensions. We present the results of simulations in three, four, and five dimensions, with systems with up to a billion spins ${(1000}^{3}).$
Judicial Review, Nationalism, and the Commerce Clause: Contrasting Antebellum and Postbellum Supreme Court Decision Making

The still-influential progressive interpretation of American constitutional history conceives the property-oriented judicial activism of the Supreme Court in the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries (the era of laissez faire) to have been a natural and logical outgrowth of similar orientations on the Marshall and Taney Courts. It is contended here that the progressive theory is rooted in a serious misinterpretation of the early Supreme Court's constitutional decision making. Far from extending the lines of development laid down by its predecessors, the turn-of-the-century Court in fact uprooted the most important traditions of the antebellum era on the issues of national power, commercial regulation, and the scope of the judicial function.
Optimal Discretization of Power Stress-Strain Law Curves

A criterion for optimal discretization of power stress-strain law curves is proposed. The criterion is based on the assumption that it is desirable to have the fewest possible line segments without exceeding some predetermined bound on the error. The formulation produces a system of simultaneous nonlinear equations which are solved using an iterative search technique. Solutions are presented in both graphical and tabular form for a wide range of strain hardening exponents and acceptable error bounds. It is shown that stress and energy density can be accurately and efficiently modeled using the optimal discretization.
Lipofuscin accumulation resulting from senescence and vitamin E deficiency: spectral properties and tissue distribution

The corrected fluorescence emission spectra and tissue distributions of the autofluorescent pigments which accumulate during normal aging and as a consequence of vitamin E deficiency were studied in albino rats. In the retinal pigment epithelium, both the age-related pigment (lipofuscin) and the pigment related to vitamin E deficiency had essentially identical emission spectra. Peak emission occurred from 590 to 650 nm. Young animals which had been kept on a vitamin E deficient diet for 17 weeks after weaning showed significant accumulations of autofluorescent pigment in uterus, duodenum, and retinal pigment epithelium, but not in the spinal cord or inferior olivary nucleus of the brain. Old animals (96 weeks) fed a commercial diet with adequate vitamin E had accumulated lipofuscin in the retinal pigment epithelium, spinal cord gray matter, and inferior olivary nucleus, but not in the duodenum or uterus. Thus, while the auto-fluorescent pigments related to aging and vitamin E deficiency have similar properties, their tissue distributions are quite different.
Determination of rhenium in groundwater by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry with on-line cation exchange membrane sample cleanup

A scheme is presented for determining rhenium in groundwater samples that contain up to 4,000 mg/L dissolved solids by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. A commercially available cation exchange membrane cartridge is used on-line to exchange cationic species for equivalent quantities of hydrogen ion; rhenium, which is present as the perrhenate anion, remains on the upstream side of the membrane and is transported directly into the inductively coupled plasma. This arrangement successfully alleviates the matrix-related sample introduction difficulties and permits direct determination of rhenium in water with a detection limit of 0.03 {mu}g/L using a Meinhard-type nebulizer. Removal efficiencies of up to 100% are achieved for sodium, magnesium, aluminum, potassium, and calcium ions, while perrhenate is transmitted with 100% efficiency. Results are presented for the determination of rhenium in groundwater samples from the vicinity of a metal sulfide tailings impoundment in the western United States.
Computer-controllable wedged-plate optical variable attenuator

A computer-controllable variable optical attenuator has been developed and tested that has a wide dynamic range, wide spectral range, and is suitable for applications with high peak and average power laser sources. The device is based on Fresnel transmission through two pairs of wedged plates. A 35-dB dynamic range, an insertion loss of 1%, a precision of better than 1% and beam offset and deflection of <0.5 mm and 0.5 mrad, respectively, are demonstrated.
Synthesis and pharmacology of a prohormone angiotensin antagonist.

Abstract A prohormone angiotensin antagonist, Sarcosyl1-Alanyl8-angiotensin I (Sar1-Ala8-A-I) was synthesized and its pharmacological properties were evaluated in three biological systems. It was found to be a good inhibitor in vivo in the rat blood pressure assay, somewhat less active in guinea pig ileum and a relatively weak antagonist in rat uterus. In vivo the inhibitory effect was greatly attenuated by the presence of the converting enzyme inhibitor BPP5α.
Direct Writing of Metal Nanoparticles by Localized Plasma Electrochemical Reduction of Metal Cations in Polymer Films

A non-lithographic, dry approach to patterning metal nanoparticles is presented. Solutions of metal salt and polymer are spin-coated onto a substrate, dried, and exposed to a rastered microscale plasma operated at atmospheric pressure and room temperature. Interaction of the electrons in the plasma with the film results in electrochemical reduction of the metal cations to crystalline metal nanoparticles. The process is highly localized, making it possible to obtain microscale patterns of metal nanoparticles with line widths as small as ∼30 μm. We have applied this technique to a wide range of metals such as Ag, Au, Pt, Ir, and Ru, in various polymeric systems such as polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA). Overall, the approach allows the fabrication of transparent, flexible, patterned films of metal nanoparticles at low cost and high throughput for applications ranging from plasmonics to catalysis.
Early successional mechanisms in the rocky intertidal: the role of direct and indirect interactions

Abstract Indirect interactions during succession have received relatively little attention compared with direct interactions. The direct and indirect interactions among barnacles, algae, and herbivores in a rocky intertidal boulder field were evaluated. A factorial experimental design manipulating barnacle and limpet densities on cleared plots was employed. Barnacle density and percent cover of alage were monitored fortnightly for 5 months. The removal of a fine algal mat by herbivores led to higher recruitment of barnacles. The herbivores also prevented the establishment of algae in the absence of barnacles. The barnacles provided a refuge from herbivores for the algae by inhibiting the grazing activities of the limpets. In the absence of herbivores, the barnacles did not have a detectable effect on the algae which grew in thick mats. Through direct and indirect interactions, both barnacles and herbivores may have negatively affected their own performance. This suggests that indirect interactions may be important ecologically, but they need not always feed back positively for a species or group of species.
Use of allograft bone in revision total knee arthroplasty in previously septic knees: short-term results

Abstract Allograft bone was used in eight patients to reconstruct tibial and femoral bone deficiencies in revision total knee arthroplasty of previously septic knees. At a mean of 30.1 months after revision, none had recurrence of sepsis. One patient required resection arthroplasty three weeks postoperatively because of skin flap necrosis. These results suggest that allografts of bone are useful in reconstructing bone deficiencies in carefully selected individuals undergoing revision total knee arthroplasty with a history of sepsis of the knee. Early recurrence of infection was not found. The long-term results of using allografts in revision total knee arthroplasty in a previously septic joint remain unknown.
Multifactorial patterns of gene expression in colonic epithelial cells predict disease phenotypes in experimental colitis

Background: The pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is complex and the need to identify molecular biomarkers is critical. Epithelial cells play a central role in maintaining intestinal homeostasis. We previously identified five ‘‘signature’’ biomarkers in colonic epithelial cells (CEC) that are predictive of disease phenotype in Crohn’s disease. Here we investigate the ability of CEC biomarkers to define the mechanism and severity of intestinal inflammation. Methods: We analyzed the expression of RelA, A20, pIgR, tumor necrosis factor (TNF), and macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-2 in CEC of mice with dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) acute colitis or T-cell-mediated chronic colitis. Factor analysis was used to combine the five biomarkers into two multifactorial principal components (PCs). PC scores for individual mice were correlated with disease severity. Results: For both colitis models, PC1 was strongly weighted toward RelA, A20, and pIgR, and PC2 was strongly weighted toward TNF and MIP-2, while the contributions of other biomarkers varied depending on the etiology of inflammation. Disease severity was correlated with elevated PC2 scores in DSS colitis and reduced PC1 scores in T-cell transfer colitis. Downregulation of pIgR was a common feature observed in both colitis models and was associated with altered cellular localization of pIgR and failure to transport IgA. Conclusions: A multifactorial analysis of epithelial gene expression may be more informative than examining single gene responses in IBD. These results provide insight into the homeostatic and proinflammatory functions of CEC in IBD pathogenesis and suggest that biomarker analysis could be useful for evaluating therapeutic options for IBD patients.
Driving with indirect viewing sensors: understanding the visual perception issues

Visual perception is one of the most important elements of driving in that it enables the driver to understand and react appropriately to the situation along the path of the vehicle. The visual perception of the driver is enabled to the greatest extent while driving during the day. Noticeable decrements in visual acuity, range of vision, depth of field and color perception occur at night and under certain weather conditions. Indirect viewing sensors, utilizing various technologies and spectral bands, may assist the driver's normal mode of driving. Critical applications in the military as well as other official activities may require driving at night without headlights. In these latter cases, it is critical that the device, being the only source of scene information, provide the required scene cues needed for driving on, and often-times, off road. One can speculate about the scene information that a driver needs, such as road edges, terrain orientation, people and object detection in or near the path of the vehicle, and so on. But the perceptual qualities of the scene that give rise to these perceptions are little known and thus not quantified for evaluation of indirect viewing devices. This paper discusses driving with headlights and compares the scene content with that provided by a thermal system in the 8 - 12 micrometers micron spectral band, which may be used for driving at some time. The benefits and advantages of each are discussed as well as their limitations in providing information useful for the driver who must make rapid and critical decisions based upon the scene content available. General recommendations are made for potential avenues of development to overcome some of these limitations.
Activation Mechanisms of Nucleoside Phosphoramidate Prodrugs

A series of thymidine and tetrahydrofurfuryl phosphoramidates bearing haloethyl or piperidyl substituents was synthesized and used to investigate the activation mechanisms of nucleoside phosphoramidate prodrugs. Structure assignments for the tetrahydrofurfuryl reaction products were confirmed by comparison to authentic samples. Structural assignments for thymidine phosphoramidate reaction products were made by analogy to the tetrahydrofurfuryl products. Generation of the phosphoramidate anion leads to cyclization and subsequent nucleophilic attack at carbon and phosphorus of the resulting aziridinium ion intermediate to give the observed products. Nucleophilic attack by water at carbon and phosphorus occurs without selectivity, supporting a mechanism of action of haloethylamine nucleoside prodrugs involving intracellular release of the nucleotide. Activation of the benzotriazolyl piperidyl phosphoramidates is followed by P-N bond hydrolysis; this reaction is subject to specific acid catalysis and to nucleophilic catalysis by 1-hydroxybenzotriazole. These results suggest that the mechanism of action of the piperidyl nucleoside phosphoramidates involves the intracellular release of the active nucleotide following P-N bond cleavage, presumably by the action of an endogenous phosphoramidase.
An investigation of the effects of fiber volume fraction on the impact properties of fiber reinforced composite laminated plates

The effects of fiber volume fraction (V f ) on the impact properties of glass-epoxy laminated composite plates were studied. The plates had a constant amount of fiber, and the weight of epoxy was varied to produce a range of fiber volume fractions from 40-70%. The plates were impacted at low velocity in a drop tower impactor with energies varying from 10 J to 40 J. Load, deflection and energy absorbed data were analyzed with the purpose of determining the effects of fiber and void volume fractions on the impact response of the plates. Damage modes were also investigated.
Cellular Basis for the Immunosuppressive Properties of a Leukaemogenic Virus

The pool of leucocytes in spleens of mice infected with Friend disease virus seems to be deficient in cells which can respond to antigen when transferred to recipients.
THE ACCUMULATION OF ELECTROLYTES : IV. INTERNAL VERSUS EXTERNAL CONCENTRATIONS OF POTASSIUM.

Lowering the potassium in the sea water from 0.011 M to 0.006 M caused an exit of potassium from cells of Valonia macrophysa. Sodium continued to penetrate and the ratio K ÷ Na fell off. The cells ceased to grow but there was no evidence of injury. Increasing the external potassium brought about an increase of the internal concentration of potassium, of halide, of total cations, and of the ratio K ÷ Na inside. These phenomena are to be expected on theoretical grounds.
Efficient Self-Assembly of Archaeoglobus fulgidus Ferritin around Metallic Cores

Interfacing biological systems with inorganic nanoparticles is of great interest, as it offers means of particle stabilization and spatial control in electronic or biomedical applications. We report on the particle-directed assembly of hyperthermophile Archaeoglobus fulgidus ferritin subunits around negatively charged colloidal gold. An annealing process allows rapid assembly of the protein in near-native stoichiometry. Transmission electron microscopy suggests that greater than 95% of nanoparticles are encapsulated while the self-assembly process ensures that almost 100% of the assembled ferritin cavities are occupied.
Initial risk assessment for a single stage to orbit nuclear thermal rocket

Abstract In order to consider the possibility of a nuclear thermal rocket (NTR) ground launch, it is necessary to evaluate the risks from such a launch. This includes analysis of the radiation dose rate around the rocket, determining the rate of activation of the materials near the launch, and considering the radionuclides present in the core after the launch. This paper evaluates the potential risk of the NTR ground launch for a range of payloads from 1 to 15 metric tons (MT) using three NTR reactor cores (40, 80, and 120 cm in length) designed in a previous study, based on data produced by MCNP5 and MCNPX models. At the same power level, the 40 cm core length reactor results in the lowest radiation dose rate of the three reactors. Radiation dose rates decrease to background levels 3.5 km from the launch site. After a 1-year decay time, all of the activated materials produced by an NTR launch would be classified as Class A low-level waste. The activation of air produces significant amounts of argon-41 and nitrogen-16 within 100 m of the launch. The derived air concentration (DAC) ratio of the activation products decays to less than unity within 2 days, with only argon-41 remaining. After 10 min of full power operation, the 120 cm core for a 15 MT payload contains 2.5 × 10 13 , 1.4 × 10 12 and 1.5 × 10 12 Bq of 131 I, 137 Cs, and 90 Sr, respectively. The decay heat after shutdown increases with increasing reactor power with a maximum decay heat of 108 kW immediately after shutdown for the 15 MT payload.
Hubble Space Telescope: cost reduction by re-engineering telemetry processing and archiving

The Hubble Space Telescope (HST), the first of NASA's Great Observatories, was launched on April 24, 1990. The HST was designed for a minimum fifteen-year mission with on-orbit servicing by the Space Shuttle System planned at approximately three-year intervals. Major changes to the HST ground system are planned to be in place for the third servicing mission in December 1999. The primary objectives of the ground system reengineering effort, a project called 'vision December 1999. The primary objectives of the ground system re-engineering effort, a project called 'vision 2000 control center systems (CCS)', are to reduce both development and operating costs significantly for the remaining years of HST's lifetime. Development costs will be reduced by providing a modern hardware and software architecture and utilizing commercial of f the shelf (COTS) products wherever possible. Operating costs will be reduced by eliminating redundant legacy systems and processes and by providing an integrated ground system geared toward autonomous operation. Part of CCS is a Space Telescope Engineering Data Store, the design of which is based on current Data Warehouse technology. The purpose of this data store is to provide a common data source of telemetry data for all HST subsystems. This data store will become the engineering data archive and will include a queryable database for the user to analyze HST telemetry. The access to the engineering data in the Data Warehouse is platform- independent from an office environment using commercial standards. Latest internet technology is used to reach the HST engineering community. A WEB-based user interface allows easy access to the data archives. This paper will provide a high level overview of the CCS system and will illustrate some of the CCS telemetry capabilities. Samples of CCS user interface pages will be given. Vision 2000 is an ambitious project, but one that is well under way. It will allow the HST program to realize reduced operations costs for the Third Servicing Mission and beyond.© (1998) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Bulimic symptoms, cognitions, and body dissatisfaction in women with major depressive disorder.

Objective The goals of this study were to assess eating disorder symptoms in depressed women with no history of eating disturbance and to evaluate the clinical significance of these symptoms relative to those reported by women with bulimia spectrum disorder. Method Participants were 63 women with major depressive disorder (MDD) (n = 19), bulimia spectrum disorder (n = 20), or no history of MDD or eating disorder (n = 24). Measures included diagnostic interviews and self-report questionnaires designed to assess diagnostic criteria for bulimia nervosa, subthreshold eating disorder symptoms, dysfunctional attitudes about appearance, and body dissatisfaction. Results There were no significant differences between depressed and bulimic women on shape concerns, appearance overvaluation, or body dissatisfaction. Depressed women endorsed significantly more subthreshold eating disorder symptoms, dysfunctional attitudes about appearance, and body dissatisfaction than did control subjects. Discussion Eating disorder symptoms may be associated with depression in women in the absence of comorbid eating disorder diagnoses. © 2005 by Wiley Periodocals, Inc.
Mitochondrial dysfunction and cytoskeletal disruption during chemical hypoxia to cultured rat hepatic sinusoidal endothelial cells: The pH paradox and cytoprotection by glucose, acidotic pH, and glycine

We investigated mechanisms underlying death of cultured rat liver sinusoidal endothelial cells exposed to chemical hypoxia with KCN (2.5 mmol/L) to simulate the adenosine triphosphate (ATP) depletion and reductive stress of anoxia. During chemical hypoxia, acidotic pH prevented cell death. Glucose (0.3-10 mmol/L) also prevented cell killing. Cytoprotection by glucose but not acidosis was associated with prevention of ATP depletion. After 4 hours of chemical hypoxia at pH 6.2 (simulated ischemia), rapid cell death occurred when pH was restored to pH 7.4 with or without washout of KCN (simulated reperfusion). This pH-dependent reperfusion injury (pH paradox) was prevented after KCN washout at pH 6.2. Glycine (0.3-3 mmol/L) also prevented the pH paradox, but glucose did not. The initial protection by acidotic pH and glycine during simulated reperfusion was lost when pH was later restored to 7.4 or glycine was subsequently removed. Mitochondria depolarized during chemical hypoxia. After washout of cyanide, mitochondrial membrane potential (delta psi) did not recover in cells that subsequently lost viability. Conversely, those cells that repolarized after cyanide washout did not subsequently lose viability. The actin cytoskeleton and focal adhesions became severely disrupted during chemical hypoxia at both pH 6.2 and 7.4 and did not recover after cyanide washout under any condition. Glucose during chemical hypoxia prevented cytoskeletal disruption. In conclusion, endothelial cell damage during simulated ischemia/reperfusion involves mitochondrial dysfunction, ATP depletion, and ATP-dependent cytoskeletal disruption. Glycine and acidotic pH prevented cell killing after reperfusion but did not reverse mitochondrial injury or the profound disruption to the cytoskeleton.
Thresholds for Attributing Can Affect Factorial Structure

Subjects rated four target persons, following a different set of instructions for each. The several instructions specified different criteria for endorsing items. Items were derived for each pole of the set used by Norman (1963). The frequently replicated structure from his items was approximated best under the Definitely Apply instruction for a group of subjects from which those with extreme endorsement frequencies had been eliminated. Since endorsement frequencies and factorial structures varied with instructions, this study provides additional evidence that personality measurements and their relationships are a function of the conditions under which such measurements are obtained.
TURBULENT HEATING OF THE DISTANT SOLAR WIND BY INTERSTELLAR PICKUP PROTONS IN A DECELERATING FLOW

Previous models of solar wind heating by interstellar pickup proton-driven turbulence have assumed that the wind speed is a constant in heliocentric radial position. However, the same pickup process, which is taken to provide the turbulent energy, must also decelerate the wind. In this paper, we extend our phenomenological turbulence model to include variable wind speed, and then incorporate the deceleration due to interstellar pickup protons into the model. We compare the model results with plasma and field data from Voyager 2, taking this opportunity to present an extended and improved data set of proton core temperature, magnetic field fluctuation intensity, and correlation length along the Voyager trajectory. A particular motivation for including the solar wind deceleration in this model is the expectation that a slower wind would reduce the resulting proton core temperature in the region beyond ~60 AU, where the previous model predictions were higher than the observed values. However, we find instead that the deceleration of the steady-state wind increases the energy input to the turbulence, causing even higher temperatures in that region. The increased heating is shown to result from the larger values of the ratio of Alfven speed to solar wind speed that develop in the decelerating wind.
Exometabolomics and MSI: deconstructing how cells interact to transform their small molecule environment

Metabolism is at the heart of many biotechnologies from biofuels to medical diagnostics. Metabolomic methods that provide glimpses into cellular metabolism have rapidly developed into a critical component of the biotechnological development process. Most metabolomics methods have focused on what is happening inside the cell. Equally important are the biochemical transformations of the cell, and their effect on other cells and their environment; the exometabolome. Exometabolomics is therefore gaining popularity as a robust approach for obtaining rich phenotypic data, and being used in bioprocessing and biofuel development. Mass spectrometry imaging approaches, including several nanotechnologies, provide complimentary information by localizing metabolic processes within complex biological matrices. Together, the two technologies can provide new insights into the metabolism and interactions of cells.
Reliability and validity of depression assessment among persons with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective The aim of this study was to systematically review the reliability and validity of instruments used to screen for major depressive disorder or assess depression symptom severity among persons with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa. Design Systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods A systematic evidence search protocol was applied to 7 bibliographic databases. Studies examining the reliability and/or validity of depression assessment tools were selected for inclusion if they were based on the data collected from HIV-positive adults in any African member state of the United Nations. A random-effects meta-analysis was used to calculate pooled estimates of depression prevalence. In a subgroup of studies of criterion-related validity, the bivariate random-effects model was used to calculate pooled estimates of sensitivity and specificity. Results Of 1117 records initially identified, I included 13 studies of 5373 persons with HIV in 7 sub-Saharan African countries. Reported estimates of Cronbach alpha ranged from 0.63 to 0.95, and analyses of internal structure generally confirmed the existence of a depression-like construct accounting for a substantial portion of variance. The pooled prevalence of probable depression was 29.5% [95% confidence interval (CI): 20.5 to 39.4], whereas the pooled prevalence of major depressive disorder was 13.9% (95% CI: 9.7 to 18.6). The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale was the most frequently studied instrument, with a pooled sensitivity of 0.82 (95% CI: 0.73 to 0.87) for detecting major depressive disorder. Conclusions Depression-screening instruments yielded relatively high false positive rates. Overall, few studies described the reliability and/or validity of depression instruments in sub-Saharan Africa.
Impact of heterogeneous boundary nucleation on transformation kinetics and microstructure

Abstract We examine quantitatively the impact of heterogenous nucleation on the temporal evolution of a phase transformation with particular emphasis on the correlation of nucleation site distribution and product phase microstructure. This is accomplished by investigating the spatial correlations in the transforming system via the calculation of several non-equilibrium,n-point correlation functions and thereby defining associated transformation fractions and correlation lengths. Computer simulations of transformations are also employed in order to validate the theoretical description and to relate the microstructural features of the evolving phase to relevant length and time scales in the problem. Finally, our findings are related to the results of experimental calorimetric studies of phase formation in thin films.
Successful Long-Term Jejunostomy Feedings in Relapsing Pancreatitis: A Case Report

Relapsing pancreatitis is characterized by repeated episodes of acute inflammation of the pancreas, with either a localized or a systemic organic response that may progress to chronic pancreatitis. Enteral jejunal feedings have been shown to be effective in the management of acute pancreatitis, but long-term use of jejunal feedings as treatment of relapsing pancreatitis has not been reported. We describe the case of a young patient treated with long-term jejunal feedings to induce remission and prevent recurrence of acute relapsing pancreatitis. An 18-year-old Hispanic man had well-documented recurrent episodes of acute pancreatitis. Multiple studies were performed as part of the diagnostic workup of the patient's relapsing pancreatitis, including endoscopic ultrasound, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography with biliary sphincterotomy, and laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Despite medical therapy, endoscopic and surgical procedures, the patient continued having episodes of pancreatitis on a monthly basis, with over 13 distinct documented episodes of pancreatitis during a 15-month period. A jejunostomy tube was inserted surgically, and long-term jejunal feedings were instituted, with excellent control of the patient's symptoms. There was only 1 episode of pancreatitis in the ensuing 24 months associated with the resumption of oral feedings and a weight gain of 20 pounds during this time period. Chronic jejunal feedings seem to be an effective alternative for treatment and prevention of acute relapsing pancreatitis. To our knowledge, this is the first report of long-term enteral feedings in acute relapsing pancreatitis.
Analysis and Application of Treatment Techniques in Horizontal Directional Drilling Borehole Accident

Abstract Based on the analysis of the borehole accidents regularly happened in horizontal directional drilling in underground coal mine, the paper contrastively introduces some treatment techniques, especially analyses the washover technology and then guides the design of the fishing tools applied to it. Eventually the washover technology and the fishing tools applied are proved to be practicable through the field trial.
Scenario support for effective requirements

Scenarios are widely used as requirements, and the quality of requirements is an important factor in the efficiency and success of a development project. The informal nature of scenarios requires that analysts do much manual work with them, and much tedious and detailed effort is needed to make a collection of scenarios well-defined, relatively complete, minimal, and coherent. We discuss six aspects of scenarios having inherent structure on which automated support may be based, and the results of using such support. This automated support frees analysts to concentrate on tasks requiring human intelligence, resulting in higher-quality scenarios for better system requirements. Two studies validating the work are presented.
p21(WAF1/CIP1) inhibits initiator caspase cleavage by TRAIL death receptor DR4.

Death receptors of the Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF) family form membrane-bound self-activating signaling complexes that initiate apoptosis through cleavage of proximal caspases including CASP8 and 10. Here we show that overexpression of the cytoplasmic domain (CD) of the DR4 TRAIL receptor (TNFRSF10A, TRAIL R1) in human breast, lung, and colon cancer cell lines, using an adenovirus vector (Ad-DR4-CD), leads to p53-independent apoptotic cell death involving cleavage of CASP8 and 10 proximally and CASP3, 6, and 7 distally. DR4-CD overexpression also leads to cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and the DNA fragmentation factor (DFF45; ICAD). Importantly, normal lung fibroblasts are resistant to DR4-CD overexpression and show no evidence of PARP-, CASP8- or CASP3-cleavage despite similar levels of adenovirus-delivered DR4-CD protein as the cancer cells. These results suggest that DR4 may signal death through known caspases and that further studies are required to evaluate Ad-DR4-CD as a novel anti-cancer agent. Finally, we show that overexpression of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21(WAF1/CIP1) (CDKN1A), or its N-terminal 91 amino acids containing cell cycle-inhibitory activity, inhibits DR4-CD-dependent proximal caspase cleavage. The blockage of initiator caspase activation provides a novel insight into how p21 may suppress apoptosis and enhance cell survival.