cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Antibodies to oxidative DNA damage: characterization of antibodies to 8-oxopurines

The 8-oxo-7,8-dihydropurines (8-oxopurines) are important cellular premutagenic lesions produced in DNA by free radicals. Specific antibodies were prepared to detect these lesions. For antigens, 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroadenosine (8-oxoAdo) and 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanosine (8-oxoGuo) were synthesized from the bromonucleosides, and the immunogens were produced by conjugating these to either bovine serum albumin or rabbit serum albumin by the periodate method. Polyclonal antibodies specific for the haptens were elicited from rabbits immunized with the BSA conjugates. The antibodies to 8-oxoAdo (anti-8-oxoAdo) and 8-oxoGuo (anti-8-oxoGuo) precipitated the homologous antigens in an Ouchterlony gel diffusion assay and no cross-reactivity was observed toward the normal nucleosides or to the heterologous 8-oxopurine. Specificity was also examined by hapten inhibition of antibody reactivity with the homologous conjugates using ELISA. For anti-8-oxoAdo, the IC50 for 8-oxoAdo was 8 mumol/L and 8-bromoadenosine, guanosine, and inosine did not inhibit, even at concentrations of 1.25 mmol/L. Similarly, the IC50 for anti-8-oxoGuo for 8-oxoGuo was 0.1 mumol/L. 8-Methoxyguanosine also inhibited the reaction but was about 500-fold less effective than the eliciting hapten. Other nucleosides tested did not inhibit at concentrations up to 100 mumol/L. Both antibodies could easily detect the corresponding damage in x-irradiated f1 DNA at a dose of 7.5 Gy and both antibodies recognized the corresponding lesion in duplex DNA; however, with anti-8-oxoGuo the signal was reduced about 50% compared to single-stranded DNA. In order to determine the exact amount of each lesion produced in irradiated DNA, and to standardize the ELISA signal, both products were measured after alkaline phosphatase digestion of x-irradiated calf thymus DNA using high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled to an electrochemical detector. Anti-8-oxoGuo could detect ten 8-oxoG residues and anti-8-oxoAdo could detect two 8-oxoA residues per 10,000 nucleotides. Thus, these antibodies should be useful for the detection and measurement of 8-oxopurines in cellular DNA.
Election Deform: The Pursuit of Unwarranted Election Regulation

Though the demographic characteristics of American voters still differ from the characteristics of the electorate as a whole, participation in 2008 represented real progress in closing the gap. Unfortunately, a wave of new regulations in 2011 and 2012 threatens to reverse course. Worse, the burdens imposed by these new laws are not only real and inequitable, but also unnecessary — and in some cases, directly counterproductive. Through a hard look at the available data, this article reviews the demonstrated costs and benefits of three types of new election regulation: restrictions on voter registration, restrictions on early voting, and restrictions on how voters prove their identity at the polls. It concludes that while regulation of these aspects of the election process is undeniably necessary, the new laws appear unwarranted and therefore undesirable.
Deoxyribonucleic Acid-Protein Ratio and Radioresistance in Micrococcus radiodurans

Cessation of exponential growth of Micrococcus radiodurans heightens X-radioresistance while either increasing or decreasing the deoxyribonucleic acid-protein ratio.
Polyethylene ferulate (PEF) and congeners: polystyrene mimics derived from biorenewable aromatics

Ferulic acid and p-coumaric acid are abundant, biorenewable precursors for the synthesis of polyethylene ferulate (PEF) and polyethylene coumarate (PEC), as well as cognate copolymers with prescribed hydrogenation of the main-chain double bond. By controlling the comonomer feed ratios, copolymers with tunable thermal properties are obtained, including the thermal range occupied by polystyrene (PS).
“They Don't Get Speak Our Language Right”: Language Standardization, Power And Migration among the Q'eqchi' Maya

This article examines the effect of emerging vernaculars on the social diffusion and cultural roles of standardization projects in multi-dialectal migrant communities. I explore the impact of Standard Q'eqchi', a standard variety crafted by language activists, on Lowland Q'eqchi', a new vernacular variety of Q'eqchi' Mayan spoken in migrant rural communities in northwestern and northern Guatemala. Rather than being innovations, the sociolinguistic history of highland migrants backgrounds the social meanings associated with both varieties. The enregisterment of Lowland Q'eqchi' and Standard Q'eqchi' occurred concurrently in the lowlands, reinforcing and enabling each other. I discuss the congruent articulation of successful standardization projects with emerging local regimes of social indexicality and the way ethnic ideologies and their linguistic expression mediate changes in cultural representations of ethnicity, authority and education among the Q'eqchi' Maya. [Language ideologies, dialectology, Q'eqchi', Mayan languages, Mesoamerica]
An early gene maps within and is 3' coterminal with the immediate-early gene of equine herpesvirus 1.

The immediate-early (IE) gene (IR1 gene) of equine herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1) encodes a single, spliced 6.0-kb mRNA during cytolytic infection. However, under early (in the presence of phosphonoacetic acid) and late (8 h postinfection; no metabolic inhibitors) conditions, in addition to the 6.0-kb IE mRNA, a 4.4-kb early (E) mRNA is transcribed from the IE gene region beginning at approximately 4 h postinfection. To map and characterize the 4.4-kb E mRNA and the protein product of this early gene (IR2 gene), Northern (RNA) blot hybridization, S1 nuclease, primer extension, and in vitro transcription and translation analyses were used. The data from RNA mapping analyses revealed that the 4.4-kb E IR2 mRNA (i) maps at nucleotides 4481 to 635 within each of the inverted repeats of the short region and thus is encoded by sequences that lie entirely within the IE gene, (ii) is transcribed in the same direction as the IE mRNA, initiating at nucleotide 4481, which lies 25 bp downstream of a putative TATA-like sequence and 1,548 bp downstream of the transcription initiation site of the IE mRNA, and (iii) is 39 coterminal with the IE mRNA which terminates at nucleotide 635 of the inverted repeats. The IR2 open reading frame was inserted into the transcription expression vector pGEM-3Z, and the RNA transcribed from this construct (pGEM44) was shown to be a 4.2-kb transcript that contained all IR2 sequences. In vitro translation of the 4.2-kb RNA yielded a major protein of approximately 130 kDa as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis. This protein corresponds to the predicted IR2 product of 1,165 amino acids that would be in frame with the major IE polypeptide (IE1 = 200 kDa; 1,487 amino acids) and thus would be a 59-truncated form of the IE1 polypeptide. The presence and potential role of the IR2 gene embedded within the IR1 gene increase the complexity of the regulation of the IE gene region during various stages of a productive infection. Images
Processing gap-filler dependencies in Chinese: What does it tell us about semantic processing?

This study investigates, through gap-filler processing in Mandarin Chinese, whether reanalysis is undertaken to fulfill semantic requirements, even at the expense of structural economy. The construction of interest is Verb + Noun1 + de + Noun2, which contains a subject gap and can be ambiguous between a left-branching (relative clause (RC)) and a right-branching (main clause or subject clause) analysis. In the RC analysis, N2 is the filler for the gap. In the right-branching analysis, the gap may co-refer with a noun in the main clause that follows N2 or is interpreted contextually. Sentence completion results showed that the right-branching analysis was initially preferred but the RC analysis increased substantially at the end of the construction. Self-paced reading results indicated that disambiguation in favor of the right-branching analysis in the sentence segment following V + N1 + de + N2 produced a longer reading time. These findings suggest that the Chinese parser will trade a structurally simpler (right-branching analysis) for a more complex analysis (RC) to provide a filler for an identified gap and therefore the semantic content for an argument. The overall implication is a human sentence processor allows for reanalysis if it can produce a more meaningful output.
Molybdate and sulfide inhibit H2 and increase formate production from glucose by Ruminococcus albus.

H2 production from glucose by Ruminococcus albus was almost completely inhibited by 10−5 M molybdate only when sulfide was present in the growth medium. Inhibition was accompanied by a significant increase in the production of formate. Extracts of molybdate-sulfide-grown cells did not contain hydrogenase activity. Active enzyme in extracts of uninhibited cells was not inhibited by the molybdate-sulfide-containing growth medium. The results indicate that a complex formed from molybdate and sulfide prevents the formation of active hydrogenase and electrons otherwise used to form H2 are used to reduce CO2 to formate. Growth was significantly inhibited when molybdate was increased to 10−4 M. Reversal of growth inhibition but not inhibition of H2 production occurred between 10−4 and 10−3 M molybdate. H2 production by R. bromei but not by R. flavefaciens, Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens, Veillonella alcalescens, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli was inhibited by molybdate and sulfide.
The Significance of Constantinople II's Alteration of Chalcedon's Formula About Christ's Natures "Coinciding In One Prosôpon".

The Fathers at the Council of Chalcedon declared in their dogmatic formula that Christ’s two natures ‘coincide in one prosopon and one hypostasis.’ The Fathers at the Second Council of Constantinop...
ARONSZAJN TREES AND FAILURE OF THE SINGULAR CARDINAL HYPOTHESIS

The tree property at κ+ states that there are no Aronszajn trees on κ+, or, equivalently, that every κ+ tree has a cofinal branch. For singular strong limit cardinals κ, there is tension between the tree property at κ+ and failure of the singular cardinal hypothesis at κ; the former is typically the result of the presence of strongly compact cardinals in the background, and the latter is impossible above strongly compacts. In this paper, we reconcile the two. We prove from large cardinals that the tree property at κ+ is consistent with failure of the singular cardinal hypothesis at κ.
The angular distribution of Delbrück scattering

The gauge-invariant effective Lagrangian of Schwinger (10) is quantized and is used to form a transition matrix which then permits the application of standard covariant calculational tools of quantum electrodynamics for the low-energy range of vacuum polarization phenomena. The new technique is applied to the calculation of the differential cross-section, for arbitrary directions, of Delbruck scattering. The result is exact in the low-energy limit.
Climate science: A delicate balance

Earth's climate and biosphere have always shaped one another. James F. Kasting approves of an attempt to reveal the planet's future by reading its past.
Monotonic noise suppression used to improve the sensitivity of fMRI activation maps.

We have introduced a new method of removing noise from images that identifies significant extrema and forces the pixel intensities between any two extrema to change monotonicly. The method has some similarities to wavelet denoising methods we worked with several years ago but is generally more stable and is effective on images with lower SNR’s. In this paper the method of monotonic filtering is used to increase the sensitivity in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies. We have used the increased sensitivity to improve the temporal resolution in fMRI studies by roughly a factor of six. A motor activation study was acquired with single slice 256×256 pixel T2* weighted images; six cycles of finger tapping were acquired. Each cycle consisted of five images of rest followed by five images of right hand finger tapping followed by five images of left hand finger tapping. The z-scores were calculated and used as the activation map. The left and right activations were both clearly visible when all six cycles were used in the analysis. However, no definitive activation was seen for any one cycle. When the original 256×256 images were averaged down to 64×64 pixel images before calculation of the z-scores, the activations were partially identified. When the original images were filtered using the monotonic noise reduction algorithm, the left activation was clearly visible in three of the six cycles and partially visible in two others. The right activation was partially visible in 4 out of 6 cycles. Optimized noise reduction should improve the results significantly. The ability to use a single cycles is very important in fMRI studies because many stimuli are more difficult to maintain over many cycles and because complex processes such as in cognitive or memory activity do not have simple responses.
The dust trail of Comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko

Abstract We report the detection of Comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko's dust trail and nucleus in 24 μm Spitzer Space Telescope images taken February 2004. The dust trail is not found in optical Palomar images taken June 2003. Both the optical and infrared images show a distinct neck-line tail structure, offset from the projected orbit of the comet. We compare our observations to simulated images using a Monte Carlo approach and a dynamical model for comet dust. We estimate the trail to be at least one orbit old (6.6 years) and consist of particles of size ≳ 100 μm . The neck-line is composed of similar sized particles, but younger in age. Together, our observations and simulations suggest grains 100 μm and larger in size dominate the total mass ejected from the comet. The radiometric effective radius of the nucleus is 1.87 ± 0.08 km , derived from the Spitzer observation. The Rosetta spacecraft is expected to arrive at and orbit this comet in 2014. Assuming the trail is comprised solely of 1 mm radius grains, we compute a low probability ( ∼ 10 −3 ) of a trail grain impacting with Rosetta during approach and orbit insertion.
Lattice dynamics of GaSb

The lattice dynamics of gallium antimonide has been investigated experimentally using the method of coherent inelastic scattering of thermal neutrons. The frequencies for phonons propagating in the [001], [111], and [110] symmetry directions in an undoped gallium antimonide crystal at 300 K have been determined with an estimated precision of 2%. The sample had a carrier concentration of 4.85 \ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{} ${10}^{17}$ holes/${\mathrm{cm}}^{3}$ (upper limit) at 300 K. Both second-neighbor and first-neighbor shell models (SM) were fitted to the measured phonon dispersion curves. Some systematic trends among the fitted parameters for the first-neighbor SM for the gallium group-V compounds (GaP, GaAs, and GaSb) are discussed. The fitted second-neighbor SM parameters have been used to generate a phonon frequency distribution, which in turn has been used in the calculation of the temperature dependence of the specific heat at constant volume and the Debye $\ensuremath{\Theta}$.
A 5–300MHz CMOS transceiver for multi-nuclear NMR spectroscopy

This paper presents a 5–300MHz multi-nuclei NMR transceiver designed with spectroscopy for drug discovery in mind. The overall transceiver (transmitter and receiver), is implemented in 130nm CMOS, occupies an active area of 2mm2 and consumes 12mA from a 1.5V supply. The measured phase noise for the on-chip frequency synthesizer is −110dBc at 10KHz offset when the LO frequency is 212.966MHz (~1 H Larmor frequency at 5T). The measured input referred noise floor for the overall receiver is 3.5nV/√Hz. The receiver NMR functionality was validated using a variety of chemical samples, including adenosine triphosphaste(ATP), benzene(C 6 H 6 ) and ethanol(CH 3 CH 2 OH) in a 5T magnet. Full transceiver NMR functionality, including that of of the internal power amplifier, was validated with the help of a 0.3mL H 2 O sample.
A Scale for Measuring Attitude toward Private Label Products and an Examination of its Psychological and Behavioral Correlates

A measure of consumers’ attitude toward private label brands is developed, and its psychometric properties are assessed. Predictions are then tested regarding relationships between private label attitude and (1) latent perceptual and sales promotion constructs, and (2) purchase behaviors measured in a field setting. The measure is positively related to value consciousness, deal proneness, and smart-shopper self-perceptions, and negatively related to the propensity to be brand loyal and hold price-quality perceptions. Predictive validity of the private label measure is supported by a positive relationship with private label purchases from a grocery store shopping trip. Despite a positive relationship between the latent constructs of private label attitude and deal proneness, the consumer segment that allocated a high percentage of total purchases to private label products made fewer purchases on sale or with a coupon. These findings suggest that consumers may choose between price-related deals and private label purchases.
Genetic Algorithms for Traffic Signal Control and Queue Management of Oversaturated Two-Way Arterials

The formulation and solution of a dynamic signal control and queue management algorithm for two-way oversaturated arterials are presented. The algorithm is structured to find optimal control and queue management in at least one direction: the primary direction. The other direction is optimized only subject to the fulfillment of the constraints on the primary direction. The main idea of the procedure is to manage queue formation and dissipation through proper design of signal control parameters such that queues are always contained within respective links and that spillbacks are prevented. The two-way control procedure presented accounts for all possible traffic flow regimes that may form as a result of queue management schemes. Genetic algorithms were used to solve the problem. The results show that although the algorithm provides optimal control and queue management in the primary direction, it was also able to manage queues in the secondary direction so that the occurrence of queue spillbacks is prevented. Progression was attainable only in the primary direction. However, the algorithm was able to effectively deal with evolving traffic queues in both directions. In all but one link, traffic was successfully contained in the respective links, thus preventing spillback.
Brugia malayi: Retinoic acid uptake and localization

Abstract Retinoids play an important role in development and growth in a wide range of cells and tissues. The vitamin A status of the host appears to be a factor in the development of certain parasites, suggesting that vitamin A is an essential micronutrient for the proper growth and differentiation of parasites. To determine if exogenous retinoic acid is taken up by filarial parasites, adult male and female Brugia malayi were exposed to [ 3 H] retinoic acid. Results indicated that retinoic acid was taken up by adult parasites in a specific and dose-dependent manner. In tissue sections of [ 3 H] retinoic acid-labeled B. malayi, label was shown to localize to the cellular and not the acellular portions of the worms with high density of label associated with both early and late embryonic forms. The specific uptake and distribution of retinoic acid in B. malayi suggest that it may pray a role in parasite growth and development.
Anatomy of the antibody molecule

The structures of the various regions of an antibody molecule are analysed and correlated with biological function. The structural features which relate to potential applications are detailed.
A novel fluorescent α-conotoxin for the study of α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors

Homomeric alpha7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors are a well-established, pharmacologically distinct subtype. The more recently identified alpha9 subunit can also form functional homopentamers as well as alpha9alpha10 heteropentamers. Current fluorescent probes for alpha7 nicotinic ACh receptors are derived from alpha-bungarotoxin (alpha-BgTx). However, alpha-BgTx also binds to alpha9* and alpha1* receptors which are coexpressed with alpha7 in multiple tissues. We used an analog of alpha-conotoxin ArIB to develop a highly selective fluorescent probe for alpha7 receptors. This fluorescent alpha-conotoxin, Cy3-ArIB[V11L;V16A], blocked ACh-evoked alpha7 currents in Xenopus laevis oocytes with an IC(50) value of 2.0 nM. Observed rates of blockade were minute-scale with recovery from blockade even slower. Unlike FITC-conjugated alpha-BgTx, Cy3-ArIB[V11L;V16A] did not block alpha9alpha10 or alpha1beta1deltaepsilon receptors. In competition binding assays, Cy3-ArIB[V11L;V16A] potently displaced [(125)I]-alpha-BgTx binding to mouse hippocampal membranes with a K(i) value of 21 nM. Application of Cy3-ArIB[V11L;V16A] resulted in specific punctate labeling of KXalpha7R1 cells but not KXalpha3beta2R4, KXalpha3beta4R2, or KXalpha4beta2R2 cells. This labeling could be abolished by pre-treatment with alpha-cobratoxin. Thus, Cy3-ArIB[V11L;V16A] is a novel and selective fluorescent probe for alpha7 receptors.
First-order phase transition between orthorhombic phases in YBa 2 Cu 3 O z

We investigate the effects of elastic interactions and the associated orthorhombic distortion on the structural phase transitions in ${\mathrm{YBa}}_{2}$${\mathrm{Cu}}_{3}$${\mathrm{O}}_{\mathit{z}}$. Starting from a two-dimensional Ising model previously demonstrated to describe accurately the high-temperature phase boundaries, we show by means of Landau theory that the square-rectangular symmetry breaking may lead to a first-order transition between the orthorhombic single- and double-cell phases at low temperatures. This explains experimental observations of phase separation between orthorhombic phases, while retaining the simplicity and predictive power of the original model.
Laplace's Equation and the Dirichlet-Neumann Map in Multiply Connected Domains

A variety of problems in material science and fluid dynamics require the solution of Laplace's equation in multiply connected domains. Integral equation methods are natural candidates for such problems, since they discretize the boundary alone, require no special effort for free boundaries, and achieve superalgebraic convergence rates on sufficiently smooth domains in two space dimensions, regardless of shape. Current integral equation methods for the Dirichlet problem, however, require the solution of M independent problems of dimension N, where M is the number of boundary components and N is the total number of points in the discretization. In this paper, we present a new boundary integral equation approach, valid for both interior and exterior problems, which requires the solution of a single linear system of dimension N + M. We solve this system by making use of an iterative method (GMRES) combined with the last multipole method for the rapid calculation of the necessary matrix vector products. For a two-dimensional system with 200 components and 100 points on each boundary, we gain a speedup of a factor of 100 from the new analytic formulation and a factor of 50 from the fast multipole method. The resulting scheme brings large scale calculations in extremely complex domains within practical reach.
The Hearing Performance Inventory and Hearing Aid Use in Profound Hearing Loss

Subjects with profound postlingual hearing loss completed the Hearing Performance Inventory (HPI) during the course of their hearing aid evaluations. Comparisons of responses to the HPI were made f...
Emission Ratiometric Imaging of Intracellular Zinc: Design of a Benzoxazole Fluorescent Sensor and Its Application in Two-Photon Microscopy

Zinc and calcium are ubiquitous intracellular metals, and while a variety of quantitative probes have been developed for measuring intracellular changes in calcium concentration, the same is not true of zinc. We describe here the design, synthesis, and properties of the benzoxazole-based, ratiometric zinc probe, Zinbo-5. This bright fluorescent reporter has a quantum yield of 0.1 in the zinc-form, exhibits a Kd for Zn2+ in the nanomolar range, and shows significant changes in both excitation and emission maxima upon zinc binding. The utility of this cell permeable probe is demonstrated in fluorescence microscopy emission ratio imaging experiments on mammalian cells. We further show that Zinbo-5 is well suited for two-photon excitation microscopy ratio imaging and can readily reveal changes in intracellular zinc concentration within optical planes of single cells. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first example of two-photon excitation microscopy applied to ratio imaging of zinc. These methods can be applied to real-time emission or excitation ratio imaging studies of zinc physiology in living cells.
Metallurgical instabilities in a 50% Ag-50% Pd alloy☆

The author gives data on short range ordering, the effect of room temperature deformation by swaging, isochronal recovery, and the effect of annealing temperature on the electrical resistivity of a fully recrystallized specimens. 16 refs.
A Systematic Review of the Literature Associating Breastfeeding with Type 2 Diabetes and Gestational Diabetes

As diabetes becomes more prevalent in younger women, diabetes and maternal-child health issues such as breastfeeding co-exist with increasing frequency. We sought to determine the relationship between breastfeeding and both type 2 diabetes and gestational diabetes (GDM) in a variety of clinical contexts, with a focus on prevention. The Medline database from 1966-2003, relevant references of selected articles, the Cochrane database, and the NIH Clinical Trials website were searched. Search terms included breastfeeding, infant nutrition, and diabetes. The search was restricted to the English language and human subjects. Each study was reviewed by at least two of the authors and included if it pertained to the relationship between type 2 diabetes or GDM and breastfeeding. Twelve of 15 identified studies (80%) met selection criteria. All studies were observational. Specific maternal-child health populations varied by study. Two of the authors abstracted information from each article on 1) study design, 2) target population, 3) sample size/power, 4) definition of breastfeeding, 5) definition of diabetes, and 6) confounders. Higher rates of pregnancy and neonatal complications among women with type 2 or gestational diabetes can pose significant challenges to breastfeeding. Low estrogen levels in breastfeeding women may have a protective effect on glucose metabolism and subsequent risk of diabetes. Having been breastfed for at least 2 months may lower the risk of diabetes in children. Initial research has begun on the long-term effects of diabetes during pregnancy on children. Breastfeeding may lower both maternal and pediatric rates of diabetes. Women with diabetes should be strongly encouraged to breastfeed because of maternal and childhood benefits specific to diabetes that are above and beyond other known benefits of breastfeeding.
Planar rectilinear shortest path computation using corridors

The rectilinear shortest path problem can be stated as follows: given a set of m non-intersecting simple polygonal obstacles in the plane, find a shortest L"1-metric (rectilinear) path from a point s to a point t that avoids all the obstacles. The path can touch an obstacle but does not cross it. This paper presents an algorithm with time complexity O(n+m(lgn)^3^/^2), which is close to the known lower bound of @W(n+mlgm) for finding such a path. Here, n is the number of vertices of all the obstacles together.
Platinum alloys and iridium bottom electrodes for perovskite based capacitors in dram applications

Abstract Two types of potential bottom electrode structures for integration of ferroelectric materials in DRAM technology have been investigated: one based on iridium, the other based on platinum alloyed with oxygen gettering elements, such as B and Ti. The electrode structures, deposited on Si substrates, have been annealed in oxygen at 650°C for 30 min and characterized by RBS and AES. It was found that alloying the Pt with 3% of alloying elements had no beneficial effect and did not improve the properties of Pt as a barrier to oxygen diffusion. At the investigated annealing conditions, oxygen diffuses through Pt or its alloys and oxidizes the underlaying material. On the other hand, a thickness of 1100 A of Ir was found to provide a barrier to oxygen diffusion under the same conditions. A layer of Ta in contact with Pt or Ir was found to deteriorate the barrier properties of both metals at the investigated annealing conditions.
Solubility of alumina in cryolite melts: Measurements and modeling at 1300 K

The solubility of alumina was measured experimentally in neutral and basic cryolite melts with a composition range of 3≤cryolite ratio r≤12.5 (r=mol NaF/mol AlF3). Thermodynamic activity probes for Al and Na were developed and used to monitor the melt basicity (log aNaF) and acidity (log \(a_{AIF_3 } \)) for the solubility measurements. The alumina solubility in cryolite melts was modeled thermodynamically in terms of three oxyfluoride solutes over the wide composition range of 1.5≤r≤12.5. In an acidic melt, mono-oxygen Na2Al2OF6 is the dominant solute. In a less acidic melt, the di-oxygen solute Na2Al2O2F4 is dominant. With further increase in melt basicity, another di-oxygen solute Na4Al2O2F6 gains importance. The present model describes perfectly the experimentally determined alumina solubility data. The solute distributions were calculated as a function of dissolved Al2O3 content for Al2O3-undersaturated cryolite melts, and are compared with the literature data. The three-dimensional (3-D) geometries (stereochemistry) of the three oxyfluoride solutes are also proposed in this study.
New horizons in the management of allergy

Over the last year, the understanding of early childhood allergen exposures and their impact on the development of allergy has radically changed. This article reviews these epidemiologic discoveries, although they have not yet led to therapeutic initiatives.
Social and ecological implications of ITQs: an overview

Implications sociales et ecologiques du systeme des quotas individuels transferables pour la gestion des ressources halieutiques. Cette privatisation des droits de peche permettrait de reduire la surexploitation et la surcapitalisation tout en favorisant la regulation par le marche.
Determination of strontium binding to macromolecules.

Abstract An equilibrium dialysis technique for determining the binding of strontium to macromolecules is described. The major difficulty to be overcome is that 90Sr has a decay product, 90Y, which is also a β-emitter. The described protocol is used to determine the Sr binding isotherm to bovine prothrombin fragment 1. The binding is found to be cooperative, somewhat weaker than Ca binding, and to involve approximately nine strontium sites. The stoichiometric equilibrium constants are determined by nonlinear regression. The procedure should be of great utility for many macromolecules that show strontium affinity.
An empirical implication of Auspitz-Lieben-Edgeworth-Pareto complementarity

Abstract It is shown that if a differentiable demand function satisfying the budget identity is generated by a strongly concave twice-differentiable utility function such that all commodities are complements according to the Auspitz-Lieben-Edgeworth-Pareto definition, then all goods are normal and the demand for each commodity is a decreasing function of its own price.
Analyses of forest foliage II: Measurement of carbon fraction and nitrogen content by end-member analysis

Chemical constituents of forest canopies are accepted as key indicators of ecosystem state and function. Remote sensing of these parameters offers the potential for rapid and accurate assessment of rates of key biogeochemical processes over large regions. NASA's Accelerated Canopy Chemistry Program was established to test the accuracy and generality of high-spectral resolution remote sensing in the measurement of lignin, cellulose and nitrogen concentrations in forest canopies.One of the most straightforward methods for extracting constituent concentration information from spectra is through simple linear mixing models of pre-determined end-member or pure compound spectra. While there are ample reasons to expect that linear mixing models will not work in foliar and whole-canopy samples, end-member analysis might still provide important information in support of standard and emerging statistical techniques, such as linear regression and partial least squares regression on first and second difference spectr...
Plane shear waves in a fully saturated granular medium with velocity and stress controlled boundary conditions

A one-dimensional system describing small shearing disturbances in a semi-infinite, fully saturated granular medium is studied. The system is fully non-linear as a result of the incrementally non-linear constitutive law for the material. In particular, there are two different wave speeds corresponding to loading or unloading of the material. Global solutions are constructed with boundary data consisting of a single pulse in either velocity or stress. In the case of velocity controlled boundary conditions, the solution is a traveling pulse of increasing kinetic energy which eventually unloads the material, regardless of whether the initial pulse loads or unloads. The solution with stress controlled boundary conditions has these features only if the initial stress pulse unloads the material. If the initial stress pulse is loading then the solution is a slowly traveling pulse of decreasing kinetic energy which is also loading.
Adhesion and TNF priming in neutrophil-mediated cartilage damage

Abstract Neutrophils predominate in the acute stages of rheumatoid arthritis and are implicated in the cartilage damage which is characteristic of this disease.In vitroneutrophils can be primed for increased ability to damage host tissues by a number of cytokines including tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF). The role of adherence in this process was investigated. Opsonization of cartilage with aggregated IgG (HAGG) and complement promoted neutrophil damage to cartilage. Adherence was increased by HAGG and TNF. Separation of neutrophils from cartilage markedly reduced the neutrophil-mediated injury and abolished the priming effect of TNF. Inactivation of complement or antibodies against CD11a or CD11b reduced neutrophil-mediated cartilage damage and markedly reduced TNF-priming of this damage and yet did not alter adherence of control or TNF-primed cells. These results suggest that neutrophil damage to cartilage is promoted by agents that favor adherence. The failure to block adhesion of neutrophils by complement inactivation or antibodies to CD11a or CD11b suggests that neutrophil adherence to cartilage occurs simultaneously through several different receptors. The massive reduction of TNF enhancement of neutrophil damage to cartilage by preventing adhesion suggests that adherence is required for this action of TNF.
Peptidomimetics and the template approach to nucleation of β-sheets and α-helices in peptides

Abstract Introducing structural constraints into engineered analogs of natural proteins is important for defining essential characteristics, such as specificity or stability, of the protein. This may be achieved by the use of peptidomimetics — elements which mimic the structure of natural peptide components, or conformational templates which induce specific structure formation in contiguous peptide sequence.
Effects of odd pricing on price recall

Abstract Odd pricing is the ubiquitous practice of expressing a price so that it falls just below a round number. In this study, subjects were presented with a set of prices and were asked to recall those prices 2 days later. It was found that odd-ending prices are less likely than even-ending prices to be recalled accurately and that expressing a price as an odd-ending price increases the likelihood that it will be underestimated when it is recalled.
Clinical and immunochemical studies of four cases of heavy (Hγ2) chain disease

Abstract The initial case described by Franklin and co-workers [3,4], and the four cases described herein, are considered to represent examples of a previously unrecognized syndrome. The principal features of this syndrome are (1) proliferation of cells of the plasmacytic and reticulum cell series, associated with the clinical pattern of a malignant lymphoma; (2) excessive production of polypeptides which are related to the H (heavy) polypeptide chains of the 7S gamma 2 globulins (designated H γ 2 -chains); and (3) a decrease in the synthesis of normal gamma globulins. In confirmation of the results obtained in Case I of this syndrome by Franklin and his associates [3,4], the molecular weights of the abnormal proteins in the cases described herein have been found to be of the order of 52,000 to 55,000 (S 20 = 3.6 to 3.8). The abnormal proteins in all these cases have been shown to be closely related antigenically, and it is presumed that their structures are similar. The protein in one case (Case V), however, was shown to lack an antigenic determinant which was present on the abnormal proteins in the other cases. This syndrome is presently classified as a type of plasma cell dyscrasia, related to plasma cell myeloma but clearly distinguished from myeloma by both the clinical pattern and the nature of the associated abnormality in gamma globulin synthesis. The designation, "heavy ( H γ 2 ) chain disease," is suggested for this syndrome.
Basophil FcepsilonRI histamine release parallels expression of Src-homology 2-containing inositol phosphatases in chronic idiopathic urticaria.

Background Basophils are implicated in the pathogenesis of chronic idiopathic urticaria (CIU). Autoantibodies to the IgE receptor (FcɛRI) and serum histamine releasing activity have been detected in some subjects with CIU, although their role in vivo is unclear. Basophils of patients with CIU have altered FcɛRI-mediated histamine release (HR); however, the mechanism is unknown. In the basophil FcɛRI signaling pathway, protein levels of Src-homology 2–containing—5′-inositol phosphatase (SHIP)–1 are inversely correlated with the release of mediators or releasability . A related phosphatase, SHIP-2, is a negative regulator of monocyte IgG receptor (FcγR) signaling . We hypothesized that SHIP levels are altered in CIU basophils. Methods Blood basophils were isolated from cold urticaria, CIU, or normal donors, and FcɛRI-dependent and independent HR were quantified. Protein levels of SHIP-1, SHIP-2, spleen tyrosine kinase, and phosphorylated Akt were determined by Western blotting. Subjects' serum was tested for serum histamine releasing activity and anti-FcɛRIα antibodies. Results CIU basophils displayed a bimodal response to anti-IgE activation. One half of CIU subjects' basophils had reductions in anti-IgE–induced HR and were designated nonresponders (CIU NR). CIU NR basophil HR remained diminished at 10-fold to 30-fold higher doses of anti-IgE. CIU anti-IgE responder basophils had HR similar to normal subjects. SHIP-1 and SHIP-2 proteins were increased in CIU NR basophils and were linked to reduced phosphoAkt after anti-IgE stimulation. CIU basophil anti-IgE response was not related to the presence of serologic factors. Conclusion In CIU basophils, the observed changes in FcɛRI signaling pathway molecule expression may underlie changes in releasability. Clinical implications Patients with CIU can be segregated on the basis of basophil functional phenotype.
Career decision-making self-efficacy and institutional integration of underprepared college students

This investigation applied, as the theoretical base, a model of student persistence and departure (Tinto, 1987) to explore the nature of the relationship between career decision-making self-efficacy and integration. Career decision-making self-efficacy identifies students' perceived confidence (self-efficacy) in their ability to plan and execute vocationally relevant tasks in the educational environment. The sample comprised 418 underprepared students. Data were analyzed using correlation, analysis of variance, and multiple regression. There is an interrelationship between perceived career decision-making self-efficacy and integration (overall, social, and academic) for underprepared college students. The variance in students' integration can be explained by their career decision-making self-efficacy and by their initial goals and commitments. Career decision-making self-efficacy surpassed all other variables in explaining the variance in overall and academic integration. Based on these research results, career decision-making self-efficacy should be considered as a variable in future studies of integration, a longitudinal study should be conducted to determine the direct relationship of career decision-making self-efficacy to persistence and attrition, and if a relationship to persistence is found, then the rationale exists for the design and experimental testing of interventions aimed at increasing career decision-making self-efficacy.
Investigation of the Galvanic Mechanism for Localized Carbon Dioxide Corrosion Propagation Using the Artificial Pit Technique

Abstract Localized carbon dioxide (CO2) corrosion is the most dangerous type of internal corrosion to mild steel pipelines in the oil and gas industry since the penetration rate of localized corrosion can be one or more magnitudes higher than that of uniform corrosion. In this study, the focus is on propagation of localized CO2 corrosion on mild steel that occurs by a galvanic mechanism. A galvanic cell is established by the coupling of two distinct areas in a conductive CO2 solution: a bare steel surface and an iron carbonate (FeCO3) layer-covered steel surface. It was found that localized CO2 corrosion propagates when a stable difference in corrosion potential is established between the anode (bare steel surface) and the cathode (FeCO3-covered surface). Stable propagation will occur only when the conditions are in the “gray zone,” i.e., close to saturation with respect to FeCO3, when no significant FeCO3 dissolution nor precipitation is expected. Practically, this corresponds to when FeCO3 supersaturati...
Effects of personality disorders on functioning and well-being in major depressive disorder.

Background—Patients with depressive disorders have limitations in physical and emotional functioning comparable to patients with chronic medical conditions. Personality disorders (PDs) are also known to be associated with functional impairment. Aims—To determine the effects of PDs on the functioning and well-being of patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). Method—In the Collaborative Longitudinal Personality Disorders Study, 668 patients who met criteria for schizotypal, borderline, avoidant, or obsessive-compulsive PDs or for MDD and no PD were assessed with semi-structured interviews at baseline, 6, 12, 24, and 36 months. In this study, 151 patients who met criteria for current MDD at the 36-month follow-up were compared on the basis of the presence (n = 118) or absence (n = 33) of persistent PD. Physical and social/emotional functioning and well-being were assessed using the Medical Outcomes Study (MOS) Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36). These results were compared with those of a sample of patients with MDD seen in the mental health specialty sector who were followed in the Medical Outcomes Study. Results—Patients with MDD and co-occurring PD had significantly more impairment on scales measuring role limitations due to emotional problems, social functioning, and general health perceptions than patients with MDD and no PD. Although patients with MDD and no PD were found to have levels of functioning and well-being that were lower in several domains than those previously reported in depressed patients recruited from mental health settings, patients with MDD and cooccurring PD were found to have much lower levels of functioning in all areas than reported samples. Conclusions—Co-occurring PDs contribute significantly to impairment in social and emotional functioning and reduced well-being in patients with MDD.
Assessing the available techniques for testing myocardial viability: what does the future hold?

Left ventricular dysfunction in the setting of severe coronary artery disease poses a major diagnostic and therapeutic dilemma. While this clinical scenario is generally associated with poor outcomes, some but not all patients benefit from coronary revascularization. For example, patients with severe, transmural myocardial infarctions may derive little or no functional benefit from revascularization, as the underlying myocardium is irreversibly scarred. Furthermore, these patients may be exposed to high procedural risks with a low likelihood of deriving any perceivable benefit. Conversely, hibernating myocardium reflects a substrate whereby the nonfunctioning myocytes are chronically ischemic but may be viable. Existing data are somewhat inconclusive with regard to the benefits of performing viability testing in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy. While this testing may predict regional and global functional myocardial recovery, the ability of viability studies to predict survival and prognosis remains...
Gene conversion, unequal crossing-over and mispairing at a non-tandem duplication during meiosis of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

We have developed a novel system to examine conversion, exchange and mispairing involving a non-tandem duplication of the ade8 locus in yeast by monitoring the segregation of heterozygous markers between the duplicated sequence. Plasmid Yrp17 carries the yeast selectable markers URA3+ and TRP1+. Yrp17 derivatives with a 4 kb insert carrying ade8-18 were used to clone the mutations trp1-1 and ura3-1 by gap repair. Integrants of the resulting plasmids at the Ade8 locus were crossed to yield diploid hybrids with a non-tandem duplication of Ade8 and heterozygosity for the plasmid markers between the duplicated sequences. 1192 complete, unselected asci were analyzed and 270 exhibiting recombination of the markers contributed by the plasmid were analyzed by Southern transfers to detect changes in plasmid sequences. Twenty-seven tetrads had unequal homologous exchanges and five had unequal sister-chromatid exchanges. Seven tetrads carry an additional copy of the integrated plasmid and ten are missing one. We propose that these two classes represent conversions of the entire 11 kb plasmid, which occur after misalignment and formation of an unpaired loop. Mispairing is a frequent event, and occurs in approximately fifty percent of all meioses. The system described provides a means to determine the meiotic rules of conversion, exchange and pairing for duplicated DNA sequences.
Ureteroscopy and laser lithotripsy: technologic advancements

Ureteroscopic lithotripsy has evolved since the first reported cases employing rigid rod-lens endoscopes and stiff ultrasonic lithotrites. Fiber optics facilitated rigid endoscope miniaturization and the development of a steerable, deflectable flexible ureteroscopes. Over 30 years of technical innovations culminating in digital imagers and powerful, precise laser lithotrites, complimented by progressive endoscopic techniques have produced efficient endoscopic therapies with minimal morbidity and commonly performed in an outpatient setting.