cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Beta Decay of Carbon 10 and the Cluster Model

A new toroidal spectrometer has been used to determine an end point of 1865\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}15 keV for the main positron branch in the decay of ${\mathrm{C}}^{10}$. This end point, together with the previous work on the mass 10 nuclei, leads to a Coulomb energy difference of 4.61 MeV between the mirror nuclei ${\mathrm{C}}^{10}$ and ${\mathrm{Be}}^{10}$. According to the cluster model, developed by Wildermuth and Kanellopoulos, ${\mathrm{C}}^{10}$ is composed of a di-proton cluster and two alpha-particle clusters. A lower bound on the size of the di-proton cluster may be obtained from the ${\mathrm{Li}}^{6}$ charge radius, while the size of the alpha clusters can be calculated from the charge radius of ${\mathrm{C}}^{12}$. However, these estimates of cluster size imply an upper limit of 3.52 MeV on the ${\mathrm{C}}^{10}$-${\mathrm{Be}}^{10}$ Coulomb energy difference. Hence, it is concluded that this particular cluster model does not describe the spatial properties of these nuclear clusters in a manner consistent with experimental evidence.
Prediction of prostate cancer extracapsular extension with high spatial resolution dynamic contrast-enhanced 3-T MRI

To assess the value of dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) combined with T2-weighted (T2W) endorectal coil (ERC) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at 3 T for determining extracapsular extension (ECE) of prostate cancer. In this IRB-approved study, ERC 3-T MRI of the prostate was performed in 108 patients before radical prostatectomy. T2W fast spin-echo and DCE 3D gradient echo images were acquired. The interpretations of readers with varied experience were analysed. MRI-based staging results were compared with radical prostatectomy histology. Descriptive statistics were generated for prediction of ECE and staging accuracies were determined by the area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve. The overall sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value for ECE were 75 %, 92 %, 79 % and 91 %, respectively. Diagnostic accuracy for staging was 86 %, 80 % and 91 % for all readers, experienced and less experienced readers, respectively. ERC 3-T MRI of the prostate combining DCE and T2W imaging is an accurate pretherapeutic staging tool for assessment of ECE in clinical practice across varying levels of reader experience. • Endorectal coil (ERC) magnetic resonance imaging is widely used for imaging prostatic disease. • ERC 3-T MRI is reasonably accurate for local prostate cancer staging. • High diagnostic accuracy is achievable across different levels of reader experience. • MRI facilitates therapeutic decisions in patients with prostate cancer.
Toward new scientific observations from GPS occultations: advances in retrieval methods

Atmospheric soundings using signals received in low Earth orbit from Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite transmissions are widely recognized as important data for establishing a precise climate record of upper-air temperatures, due to their self-calibrating nature and all-weather acquisition. More recently, advances in retrieval methods using the same GPS data have opened the possibility of new scientific studies related to atmospheric processes and climate change. We will present recent innovations in extracting scientifically useful information from the phase and amplitude of received GPS transmissions, and discuss the technical challenges that need to be overcome to achieve new scientific results. Promising areas being pursued include: remote sensing of the planetary boundary layer from space, important for understanding ocean-atmosphere coupling; retrieving tropopause temperature structure at high vertical resolution, important for understanding troposphere-stratosphere exchange mechanisms and the role of convection; high accuracy and precision of upper altitude (25+ km) retrievals in the stratosphere. Using an end-to-end simulator recently developed at JPL, we will investigate in realistic detail the relationship between the atmospheric state and retrieved scientific parameters, and discuss retrieval research needed to address new scientific applications.
On the use of deuterium isotope effects in chemical synthesis

The decreased kinetic acidity of deuterium relative to hydrogen can be used to gain an advantage in the reductive cyclization of an alkenyllithium species onto a ketone. The intermediate alkenyllithium can add to the carbonyl or abstract an α-proton, giving rise to two products. The yield of the cyclized product can be increased, and the formation of the uncyclized by-product can be suppressed, by replacing the acidic protons with deuterons prior to cyclization.
Services and outcomes for transition-age foster care youth: Youths' perspectives

This article reports findings from a study of 96 former foster youth in one state in the United States regarding the transition-related services they received (both prior to and after age 18 years) and the outcomes achieved since age 18. At the time of the survey, approximately 60% of the sample was in the voluntary care of the state agency. Quantitative data describe the services received and outcomes achieved. Qualitative comments provide further feedback about young people's perceptions of services. Many statutory and private child-serving agencies continue efforts to develop services to meet the needs of this population. Study findings have implications for further development of these services to assist youth at the time of transition.
Effect of glucose on the denaturation of glucose dehydrogenase by urea.

GLUCOSE dehydrogenase from spores of Bacillus cereus is heat stable in solutions of sodium chloride at pH 6.5 (ref. 1). Increasing concentrations of sodium chloride also protect the enzyme from inactivation by 8 M urea. The enzyme has a half-life of 7 min in 8 M urea, pH 6.5, but in 8 M urea : 1 M solutions of sodium chloride, the half-life of the enzyme is 192 min. The rate of decay of glucose dehydrogenase activity in the presence of urea follows second order kinetics2. A number of enzymes can be protected from urea inactivation by their specific substrates3–8. In this communication we report the effect of glucose in stabilizing glucose dehydrogenase and partially reversing the inactivation resulting from urea.
Fracture Design For Suspended Sand Packs

This work presents a simple method of designing a suspended fracture of a desired conductivity. The design balances volume, pump rate, and fluid loss to get the desired length. Sand schedule then is calculated to give the optimum flow capacity. The fluid and sand used to build the excess flow capacity in an equilibrium pack design are used to obtain better vertical coverage and deeper penetration. The method is most applicable to low permeability reservoirs where the conductivity of an equilibrium pack is not needed. In this type of reservoir, the surface area of a fracture face will give up only a finite amount of fluid. It is not necessary for the fracture to have a greater flow capacity to the well bore than the formation has into the fracture. The design also can be applicable in some massive zones where the permeability is higher, but the cost to build an equilibrium pack is prohibitive. With a suspended pack design using the same amount of fluid, a deeper fracture with 100% vertical coverage can be obtained. In many cases, this produces a higher productivity increase with a lower cost.
In vitro culture as a potential method for the conservation of endangered plants possessing crassulacean acid metabolism

Rare and endangered plants possessing crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM), such as cacti, usually present limited reproductive capacities and very slow growth rates. The use of in vitro culture can overcome these difficulties. The massive in vitro production of new propagules which result in totally regenerated plants is described for two endangered cacti, Obregonia denegrii Fric. and Coryphantha minima Baird. A comparison of in vitro and ex vitro growth rates demonstrated that the in vitro environment notably accelerates cacti growth. Malic acid titratable acidity indicated that increase of the net carbon dioxide uptake is associated with active growth. This might be related to particular factors of the in vitro environment such as the high relative humidity inside the culture vessels, or growth regulators supplemented to the growth media. In vitro-derived cacti showed a proficient re-establishment capability which could be related to their succulence since water loss during transplantation did not represent a crucial hydric stress. Succulence and plasticity of the CAM metabolic pathway in plants like cactus, represent some possible advantageous for the application of in vitro propagation techniques in a number of endangered, succulent plants like members of the Cactaceae, Agavaceae, Orchidaceae, or Bromeliaceae families.
Transformation of lupus-inducing drugs to cytotoxic products by activated neutrophils

Drug-induced lupus is a serious side effect of certain medications, but the chemical features that confer this property and the underlying pathogenesis are puzzling. Prototypes of all six therapeutic classes of lupus-inducing drugs were highly cytotoxic only in the presence of activated neutrophils. Removal of extracellular hydrogen peroxide before, but not after, exposure of the drug to activated neutrophils prevented cytotoxicity. Neutrophil-dependent cytotoxicity required the enzymatic action of myeloperoxidase, resulting in the chemical transformation of the drug to a reactive product. The capacity of drugs to serve as myeloperoxidase substrates in vitro was associated with the ability to induce lupus in vivo.
Mixing, sedimentation rates and age dating for sediment cores

Abstract Analytic solutions to the advection-diffusion equation useful as a guide for the interpretation of mixing, sedimentation rate and age dating effects in sediment cores have been derived. Various simplified mixing models appropriate to 14 C and 210 Pb measurements have been considered. The emphasis has been on a discussion of the various interrelations and dependencies among the mixing coefficient, sedimentation rate and radioactive decay constant parameters in determining the 14 C and 210 Pb concentrations as a function of depth. Porosity variations within the sediment column are also considered and the transformed advection-diffusion equation including porosity effects is derived.
The origin of large local uplift in extensional regions

Large localized uplift is commonly observed in continental regions undergoing extension. These observations can be modelled by planar, high-angle normal faulting of an elastic upper crust overlying an inviscid lower crust. Isostasy provides the necessary driving force. The model quantifies the role of flexural rigidity, density variations in the crust and erosion and deposition of sediment.
John's: the Maverick Christian Group the Evidence of Sociolinguistics:

The purpose of this essay is to demonstrate that John's was a maverick Christian group and that the nature and quality of this group can be seen in the nature and quality of the language used in the Gospel. By employing insights from speech accommodation theory, antilanguage perspectives, and the sociolinguistics of intimacy, one can establish the general lines of the Johannine association that might assist in a more adequate interpretation of this Gospel.
Modeling and design of a nanoscale memory cell for hardening to a single event with multiple node upset

The occurrence of a multiple node upset is likely to increase significantly in nanoscale CMOS due to reduced device size and power supply voltage scaling. This paper presents a comprehensive treatment (model, analysis and design) for hardening a memory cell against a soft error resulting in a multiple node upset at 32nm feature size in CMOS. A novel 13T memory cell configuration is proposed, analyzed, and simulated to show a better tolerance to the likely multiple node upset, i.e. a transient or soft fault affecting any two nodes in a cell. The proposed hardened memory cell utilizes a Schmitt trigger design; simulation shows that the multiple node upset tolerance is improved by nearly twice as much over existing designs. Moreover the 13T cell achieves a 33% reduction in write delay and only a 5% increase in power consumption compared to the DICE cell (consisting of 12 transistors). Simulation results are provided using the predictive technology file for 32nm feature size in CMOS. Monte Carlo simulation confirms the excellent multiple node upset tolerance of the proposed memory cell in the presence of process, voltage, and temperature variations in their designs.
A content analysis of the conversational behavior of accepted and rejected children

The present study was designed to assess whether the conversational behavior of children separated into accepted, rejected, and mixed-status dyads differed along the dimensions of listening to, paying attention to, and indicating interest in their dyadic partner. Conversations of 40 third-grade dyads were analyzed as they occurred in a 2- min waiting period and a 4- min conversation period. Seventeen categories of verbal behaviors that indexed these dimensions were used as content codes. Multivariate analyses of variance performed on the observational data yielded significant main effects for status, sex, and experimental condition. Results are interpreted in terms of previous social skills research, and suggestions for future research are offered.
The effect of chemical radiation protectors on cell cycle progression after gamma or neutron irradiation

The effects of two chemical radiation protectors, WR-1065 and WR-151326, were characterized in V79 Chinese hamster cells after either cobalt-60 (60Co) gamma or fission spectrum neutron irradiation. Each protector was administered at a concentration of 4 mM to exponentially growing cultures for 30 min prior to and during irradiation with either 60Co gamma or JANUS fission spectrum neutrons. After irradiation the cells were either plated immediately for survival or returned to the incubator and assayed for cell progression. Aliquots of cells were removed at selected times, counted, fixed and stained with 4'6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI). Analysis of DNA histograms indicate that the presence of the protector during irradiation reduced the division delay experienced at the G2-M interface. Implications of these effects are discussed.
Women with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) complicated by eating disorders are at risk for exacerbated alterations in lipid metabolism

Women with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) complicated by eating disorders are at risk for exacerbated alterations in lipid metabolism
Functional penetration of variability of motor neuron spike timing through a modulated neuromuscular system

Variability of the neuronal spike pattern is usually thought of in terms of the information that the different interspike intervals might be encoding. However, the very presence of the variability can have other kinds of functional significance. Here, we consider the example of the B15/B16-ARC neuromuscular system of Aplysia, a model system for the study of neuromuscular modulation and control. We show that variability of motor neuron spike timing at the input to the system penetrates throughout the system, affecting all downstream variables including modulator release, modulator concentrations, modulatory actions, and the contraction of the muscle. Furthermore, not only does the variability penetrate through the system, but also it is actually instrumental in maintaining its modulation and contractions at a robust, physiological level.
Planar, Higher Variable Joints for Reconfigurable Mechanisms

This paper introduces planar, higher variable joints as essential components of reconfigurable mechanisms that change topology due to a joint geometry change. Higher variable joints are higher pair equivalent lower pairs that are geometrically different. It will be shown that 2nd order effects, or surface curvature, of higher variable joints is critical to achieve a particular joint motion. A practical application of higher variable joints will also be presented.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
An evaluation of facial prostheses

A survey was conducted to evaluate patient reactions to facial prostheses that were provided to 143 patients in the past 7 years at Roswell Park Memorial Institute. Of the 76 patients who responded, 38 patients were wearing their prostheses and 38 patients were not wearing their prostheses. Reasons cited by the patients for not using their prosthesis included lack of retention, additional surgery, discomfort, and irritation. Most of the prostheses were prepared in silicone rubber with color characterization accomplished by the tattooing method. More than 69% of the prostheses were remade within a year because of rapid changes in the defect, prosthesis material, or prosthesis color. The study revealed the need for improvement in materials, adhesive techniques, and the psychological orientation of the patient. This project was conducted at a teaching and research institute. No fees for the patients were required. Therefore our data might differ from that collected from a private practice or clinic.
Cholecystokinin induces c-fos expression in hypothalamic oxytocinergic neurons projecting to the dorsal vagal complex

Systemic administration of cholecystokinin (CCK) decreases gastric motility and stimulates pituitary secretion of oxytocin (OT). Although peripheral OT does not affect gastric function, increasing evidence suggests that central OT secretion acting within the dorsal vagal complex (DVC) can alter gastric motility. To evaluate whether systemically administered CCK is capable of activating oxytocinergic neurons projecting to the DVC, we utilized fluorogold retrograde labeling from the DVC in combination with c-fos and OT immunocytochemical staining to quantitatively analyze paraventricular nucleus (PVN) neurons of rats following injection of CCK at a dose known to cause maximal pituitary OT secretion (100 micrograms/kg i.p.). Our results showed that 2320 +/- 63 PVN neurons were retrogradely labeled from the DVC; 146 +/- 21 (6.3%) of these contained OT, and these cells were predominantly located in the medial parvocellular subdivision of the PVN. Of all retrogradely labeled cells, 671 +/- 112 (28.9%) expressed c-fos after CCK stimulation, and 68 +/- 14 of these (10.1%) contained OT. Approximately 50% of the OT-containing neurons retrogradely labeled from the DVC stained positively for c-fos. Many magnocellular OT neurons in the PVN that were not retrogradely labeled from the DVC also expressed c-fos after CCK stimulation. These results demonstrate that parvocellular OT neurons projecting to the DVC are co-activated along with magnocellular OT neurons projecting to the pituitary following administration of a large dose of CCK, and lend support to a possible functional role for OT as a central neurotransmitter that modulates vagal efferent traffic to the gastrointestinal tract.
Phenotypic dichotomy following developmental exposure to perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in female CD-1 mice: Low doses induce elevated serum leptin and insulin, and overweight in mid-life.

Abstract The synthetic surfactant, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is a proven developmental toxicant in mice, causing pregnancy loss, increased neonatal mortality, delayed eye opening, and abnormal mammary gland growth in animals exposed during fetal life. PFOA is found in the sera and tissues of wildlife and humans throughout the world, but is especially high in the sera of children compared to adults. These studies in CD-1 mice aim to determine the latent health effects of PFOA following: (1) an in utero exposure, (2) an in utero exposure followed by ovariectomy (ovx), or (3) exposure as an adult. Mice were exposed to 0, 0.01, 0.1, 0.3, 1, 3, or 5 mg PFOA/kg BW for 17 days of pregnancy or as young adults. Body weight was reduced in the highest doses on postnatal day (PND) 1 and at weaning. However, the lowest exposures (0.01–0.3 mg/kg) significantly increased body weight, and serum insulin and leptin (0.01–0.1 mg/kg) in mid-life after developmental exposure. PFOA exposure combined with ovx caused no additional increase in mid-life body weight. At 18 months of age, the effects of in utero PFOA exposure on body weight were no longer detected. White adipose tissue and spleen weights were decreased at high doses of PFOA in intact developmentally exposed mice, and spleen weight was reduced in PFOA-exposed ovx mice. Brown adipose tissue weight was significantly increased in both ovx and intact mice at high PFOA doses. Liver weight was unaffected in late life by these exposure paradigms. Finally, there was no effect of adult exposure to PFOA on body weight. These studies demonstrate an important window of exposure for low-dose effects of PFOA on body weight gain, as well as leptin and insulin concentrations in mid-life, at a lowest observed effect level of 0.01 mg PFOA/kg BW. The mode of action of these effects and its relevance to human health remain to be explored.
Temporal and thermal effects on deformation potentials in bone

There were 44 freshly excised adult rat femora subjected to mechanical deformation in a 4-point bending jig while the load/deformation curves and the electrical potentials generated were recorded simultaneously. Serial testing was repeated after storage of specimens up to 30 days at 25°C and −15°, and after heating for 1 h at 70°, 80°, and 85°C. The amplitude of the potential decreased shortly after the femora had been excised until, by 4–7 days, it reached a plateau which was 10–20% of the initial value. In some cases polarity reversal occurred. These changes were not prevented by freezing or drying nor were they accompanied by increased stiffness. It is presumed that they are related to more subtle changes in the mechanical properties of bone or to alterations inthe generating or conducting mechanisms. Heating caused a significant increase in potential without a change in the waveform. A corresponding increase in the deformation occurred due to sofening of the bone which could, in itself, be responsible for the increased potential without a basic alteration in the transducer mechanism.
The Cloning and Expression of Human Deoxyribonuclease II A POSSIBLE ROLE IN APOPTOSIS

We have previously implicated deoxyribonuclease II (DNase II) as an endonuclease responsible for DNA digestion during apoptosis. The full-length human cDNA has now been cloned. The cDNA contains an open reading frame of 1078 bases coding for a 40-kDa protein. This protein is 10 kDa larger than commercially supplied enzyme, which has been proteolytically cleaved at an internal aspartate residue. The gene is located at chromosome 19p13.2, and has no significant homology to other human proteins, but has >30% identity to three predicted genes in Caenorhabditis elegans. To determine whether overexpression of DNase II induces apoptosis in Chinese hamster ovary cells, the cDNA was cotransfected with a plasmid encoding green fluorescent protein. Within 24 h, a significant proportion of green fluorescent protein-positive cells contained condensed chromatin, whereas vector-only controls remained viable. Considering that DNase II is normally active only at low pH, it was surprising that transfection induced chromatin condensation. To confirm that transfection was not activating another endonuclease, cells were incubated with the caspase inhibitor benzyloxycarbonyl-Val-Ala-Asp-(O-methyl)-fluoromethylketone; this failed to inhibit chromatin condensation induced by DNase II. These results demonstrate that DNase II acts downstream of caspase activation and that it may be activated by an as yet unknown mechanism to induce DNA digestion during apoptosis.
Screening Level Risk Assessment of Heavy Metal Contamination in Cleveland Area Commons

Commons are public lands that are often used for recreational activities and are generally assumed to be free of soil contamination. However, in old industrial cities, urban commons may have accumulated heavy metal burdens from airborne contamination. This paper examines the heavy metal burdens and risk analysis results for 50 commons in the greater Cleveland, Ohio area. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Method 3050B and 1N HCl soil extraction results are presented for Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn mass burdens, and are interpreted relative to Ohio residential soil guidance and “typical” values from the remediation guidance of 30 states. Results demonstrate that most of these soils have heavy metal burdens that are well above naturally occurring levels, and several (at least 8 of the 50 sites tested) have heavy metal burdens that exceed Ohio’s residential soil contamination guidance. Lead and cadmium were found to be the most significant contributors to site hazard index values.
Experiments and Observations on the Gastric Juice: and the Physiology of Digestion

This item was featured in the Rare Book exhibition "From Hippocrates to Harrison". The exhibition commemorated 150 years of the Faculty of Medicine.
Regulation and activation of ezrin protein in endometriosis

BACKGROUND: Ezrin protein and its activated form phospho-ezrin play a role in cell morphology, motility and adhesiveness. In this study, we hypothesized that these proteins play a role in the pathogenesis of endometriosis by promoting adhesion and invasion of endometrial stromal cells (ESCs) in ectopic sites. METHODS: We compared the expression of ezrin and phospho-ezrin in normal endometrium from women without endometriosis with their expression in eutopic and ectopic endometrial tissues from women with endometriosis, using immunohistochemistry and western blot analysis. Paired eutopic and ectopic endometrial tissue samples from women with endometriosis (n = 13) and normal endometrium from women without endometriosis (n = 12) were collected. Invasive potential of ESCs from each of these samples was compared using Matrigel membrane invasion assay. RESULTS: Eutopic and ectopic endometrial tissues from women with endometriosis have higher ezrin and phospho-ezrin levels as confirmed by immunohistochemistry and western blot analysis (P < 0.05). The Matrigel membrane invasion assay revealed that ectopic ESCs have more invasive characteristics, more protrusions and higher ezrin staining than normal ESCs (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Ezrin can be a potential marker for endometrial cell invasion and may play a role in the pathogenesis of endometriosis.
Parallel and sequential specification of a context sensitive language for straight lines on grids

A context sensitive language over {0, 1} + is described whose words represent straight lines in the plane. Various generation and recognition algorithms for it are described. Affine transformations correspond to simple string rewriting algorithms. Motivating geometrical and number-theoretical aspects of linear geometry leading to the codes are indicated. The results are of interest for pattern recognition, computer graphics, parallel computation, and neural net theory.
Sudden cardiac death in athlete with anomalous single coronary artery.

A 43-year-old Caucasian male and avid runner was referred to our institution for evaluation after an episode of exercise-induced syncope. Treadmill testing was complicated by cardiac arrest at peak exercise with polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (Fig. 1) that was successfully cardioverted. Baseline transthoracic echocardiogram revealed no evidence of structural disease with normal myocardial contractility. Cardiac catheterization demonstrated an anomalous coronary artery arising from a single ostium in the right aortic sinus of Valsalva (Fig. 2), dividing into
Geomorphic development of the Canadian River Valley, Texas Panhandle: An example of regional salt dissolution and subsidence

Development of the Canadian River Valley in the Texas Panhandle resulted mostly from regional subsidence following dissolution of Permian bedded salts. Salts of the Clear Fork, Glorieta, San Andres, and Seven Rivers Formations have undergone dissolution along the margins of the Palo Duro, Dalhart, and Anadarko Basins. The Canadian River Valley follows a zone of subsidence for
Pentamethylcyclopentadiene and the carbaborane B9C2H112− as analogous ligands in transition metal complexes

Abstract A variety of experimental evidence suggests that both the electron donor abilities and the steric requirements of η 5 -pentamethylcyclopentadiene and the B 9 C 2 H 11 2′ carbaborane cluster are roughly equivalent, and are clearly greater than those of unsubstituted cyclopentadiene.
Microfabrication of a Three-Dimensional Polycaprolactone Thin-Film Scaffold for Retinal Progenitor Cell Encapsulation

Retinal degenerations are the leading cause of irreversible visual disability among the adult population. Stem-cell-based therapy has the potential to preserve and restore vision in these conditions. In addition to replacing lost or diseased cells, transplanted cells may be able to rescue dying photoreceptors of the host retina. To fully realize the potential of these cells, improved methods for cell delivery are needed. Utilizing microfabrication processes, a novel biodegradeable thin-film cell encapsulation scaffold was developed in polycaprolactone (PCL) as a possible cell transplantation vehicle. Individual thin-film 2–2.5-D PCL layers (<10 μm thin) were structured with varying micro- and nano-geometries (protrusions, cavities, pores, particles) utilizing a modified spin-assisted solvent casting and melt templating technique. Thin-film layers were aligned and thermally bonded to form the 3-D cell encapsulation scaffold (<30 μm thin) and these were found to promote retinal progenitor cell (RPC) retenti...
Electroreduction of O2 to H2O at Unusually Positive Potentials Catalyzed by the Simplest of the Cobalt Porphyrins

Simple cobalt porphine, adsorbed on graphite electrodes, catalyzes the direct reduction of O2 to H2O, while most other monomeric cobalt porphyrins do not. The surprising behavior of cobalt porphine suggests possible new strategies for the design of electrocatalysts for the reduction of O2 to H2O using structurally similar but more oxidation-resistant analogs.
The euro: a seafarer on tides of `stateless' money?

Abstract Using Excel simulation model, John Marthinsen and John Edmunds demonstrate how portfolio investment flowing from one currency zone to another can easily cause the value of the euro to spiral away from its `correct' value. The authors simulated trajectories for exchange rates among the euro, the yen and the US dollar. They found repeatedly that in a short span of days, the market valuations of an entire region's capital stock can drop more than 20 per cent or rise more than 40 per cent. The result shows that the euro displays longer swings, with wider amplitude, than the 11 European currencies would have done if they had not been unified. This provocative result has major implications for the capital stock of the European Union, and shows how important it is for economic policymakers to manage investor expectations beyond the usual policy measures. It is particularly important in the European Union where the euro appears, to judge by this research, to magnify the swings caused by international flows of portfolio investment.
Ruthenium (II) catalyzed ring closure of prochiral α-chloro-N-tosyl amides: A diastereoselectivity study.

Prochiral N-tosyl amides cyclized un (Ph3P)3RuCl2 catalysis gave diastereomeric 2-pyrrolidinone products. Stereoselectivity depended upon the size of C2-substitutents.
Correlates of physical activity level in breast cancer survivors participating in the Women's Healthy Eating and Living (WHEL) Study.

Physical activity levels among breast cancer survivors are typically low, and knowledge of the correlates of increased physical activity among cancer survivors is limited. The purpose of this study was to examine factors that are associated with physical activity or inactivity among breast cancer survivors. Data from 3088 women participating in the Women’s Healthy Eating and Living (WHEL) Study, collected prior to randomization, were the focus of the current analyses. Self-reports of physical activity levels, quality of life, depression, and dietary intakes were collected. Pearson correlation analyses were employed to examine the associations among these variables, and multiple regression analyses were performed to examine the relationship between selected health behaviors and physical activity levels, after controlling for demographic, breast cancer-related, and psychosocial variables. Demographic and psychosocial variables were related to physical activity levels (P < 0.001 for all). Cancer treatment type and cancer stage were correlated with survivors’ physical activity levels (P < 0.01), but the associations were no longer significant after controlling for demographic variables. Physical activity levels were strongly associated with other health behaviors, especially dietary intakes (P < 0.001), even after controlling for demographic, cancer-related, and psychosocial factors. Low physical activity levels in breast cancer survivors are associated with specific behavioral and other factors, which can be considered as indicators of women at higher risk. Findings of significant differences in physical activity levels based on demographic characteristics suggest the importance of promoting physical activity particularly among breast cancer survivors of ethnic minority or lower education levels.
Bistable energy harvesting enhancement with an auxiliary linear oscillator

Recent work has indicated that linear vibrational energy harvesters with an appended degree-of-freedom (DOF) may be advantageous for introducing new dynamic forms to extend the operational bandwidth. Given the additional interest in bistable harvester designs, which exhibit a propitious snap through effect from one stable state to the other, it is a logical extension to explore the influence of an added DOF to a bistable system. However, bistable snap through is not a resonant phenomenon, which tempers the presumption that the dynamics induced by an additional DOF on bistable designs would inherently be beneficial as for linear systems. This paper presents two analytical formulations to assess the fundamental and superharmonic steady-state dynamics of an excited bistable energy harvester to which is attached an auxiliary linear oscillator. From an energy harvesting perspective, the model predicts that the additional linear DOF uniformly amplifies the bistable harvester response magnitude and generated power for excitation frequencies less than the attachment's resonance while improved power density spans a bandwidth below this frequency. Analyses predict bandwidths having co-existent responses composed of a unique proportion of fundamental and superharmonic dynamics. Experiments validate key analytical predictions and observe the ability for the coupled system to develop an advantageous multi-harmonic interwell response when the initial conditions are insufficient for continuous high-energy orbit at the excitation frequency. Overall, the addition of an auxiliary linear oscillator to a bistable harvester is found to be an effective means of enhancing the energy harvesting performance and robustness.
Adsorption of domoic acid to marine sediments and clays

Conditional solid–water distribution coefficients (Kd) for the adsorption of domoic acid (DA) to a series of complex sediments and clays were determined in artificial seawater. Kd ranged from 5.11 L g−1 to 0.97 L g−1, with a corresponding ranking of: kaolinite > Gulf of Mexico sediment > Santa Barbara Basin sediment > Bread and Butter Creek sediment > poorly crystallized kaolin > Ca-montmorillonite > Na-montmorillonite > well crystallized kaolin > diatomaceous earth. Adsorption correlated with the anion exchange capacity of the clays tested (R2 = 0.98), but not the more structurally complex sediments. The effect of added transition metals (Fe(III), Cu(II), Al(III)) and terrestrially derived dissolved organic matter (Suwannee River DOM, SRDOM) on DA adsorption to Na-montmorillonite, well crystallized kaolin, and Gulf of Mexico sediment, was also tested. The addition of transition metals led to increased adsorption to all surfaces by a factor of 2–7, presumably by enabling the adsorption of DA–metal complexes. SRDOM enhanced DA adsorption by a factor of approximately 2.5. The release of adsorbed DA from sediments was also examined. Under our conditions, adsorbed DA equilibrated with the overlying aqueous phase within minutes with approximately 50% release.
On the desegregation of the visible elite; or, beware of the emperor's new helpers: He or she may look like you or me

In this article an analysis is offered as regards the emergence, beginning in the late 1980s, of a new set of elites. While the “desegregation” of the elites is acknowledged to have begun earlier, as a consequence of the irresistible demands of the civil rights movement and women's movement for inclusion in decision-making positions, it is argued that there has been an increasing cooptation of the intent of these “affirmative action” appointments. It is posited that the traditional elites, having initially selected “qualified Blacks” and “qualified women,” without regard to personal political ideology, are increasingly selecting more conservative and/or opportunistic persons. As might be argued, for example, in the appointment of Sandra Day O'Connor and Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court of the United States, these new elites, in government, education, industry, etc., while fitting a desegregating gender and/or complexion criteria, are ideologically closer to the old elites. They are, it is additionally argued, in a domestic neocolonial analogy to the African decolonization experience, to temporarily elongate the legitimacy of the old regime because they may be identified with by people who share their characteristic. The author nevertheless presents reasons why he believes this may be a limiting development in the short range, but a positive development in the long range in requiring a more deracialized and degenderized definition of oppression and oppressors and why this may reignite the pursuit of social and economic justice for all.
Significance of γ-hydroxybutyric acid in the brain

1. Administration of the endogenous compound gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) can induce a sleep-like state in experimental animals and, indeed, it has been used as a general anaesthetic in clinical medicine. 2. Although GHB appears to be a CNS depressant, there is evidence it possesses epileptiform activity resembling petit mal epilepsy. In the brain GHB is evidently derived from GABA, the final step being catalyzed by succinic semialdehyde reductase, a cytosolic NADP(+)-dependent enzyme. 3. Two different oxidoreductases, GHB dehydrogenase and hydroxyacid-ketoacid dehydrogenase, acting independently, are responsible for the reverse reaction when GHB is being metabolically inactivated. 4. Brain contains a Na(+)-dependent GHB uptake system which exhibits two components, one with a Km of 46 microM and the other with a Km of 325 microM. GHB also binds to receptor sites in brain homogenates and exhibits two distinct affinities. One binding site displays a Kd of 95 nM whereas the second site has a Kd of 16 microM. Binding to both sites is inhibited in the presence of NCS-382, a GHB receptor antagonist. 5. GHB might play a role as a neurotransmitter, particularly being involved in influencing dopamine release in the substantia nigra.
Self-sustained Oscillations in Blood Flow Through a Honeycomb Capillary Network

Numerical simulations of unsteady blood flow through a honeycomb network originating at multiple inlets and terminating at multiple outlets are presented and discussed under the assumption that blood behaves as a continuum with variable constitution. Unlike a tree network, the honeycomb network exhibits both diverging and converging bifurcations between branching capillary segments. Numerical results based on a finite difference method demonstrate that as in the case of tree networks considered in previous studies, the cell partitioning law at diverging bifurcations is an important parameter in both steady and unsteady flow. Specifically, a steady flow may spontaneously develop self-sustained oscillations at critical conditions by way of a Hopf bifurcation. Contrary to tree-like networks comprised entirely of diverging bifurcations, the critical parameters for instability in honeycomb networks depend weakly on the system size. The blockage of one or more network segments due to the presence of large cells or the occurrence of capillary constriction may cause flow reversal or trigger a transition to unsteady flow.
Yohimbine disrupts prepulse inhibition in rats via action at 5-HT1A receptors, not α2-adrenoceptors

Prepulse inhibition (PPI) of the acoustic startle response is an operational measure of sensorimotor gating that can be assessed in both humans and animals. The noradrenergic system appears to play a role in PPI as the α1 agonist cirazoline disrupts PPI and the α1 antagonist prazosin blocks the disruptions in PPI produced by phencyclidine. To better understand the role of adrenergic receptors in the modulation of PPI, we assessed the effects of the α2 adrenergic antagonist yohimbine (2.5, 5.0, and 7.5 mg/kg) on PPI. Yohimbine reduced PPI at the 5.0 and 7.5 mg/kg doses, without significantly affecting startle magnitude. In separate experiments, we examined whether adrenergic or serotonergic compounds blocked this disruption in PPI produced by yohimbine. There was a trend for the α2 agonist clonidine (0.01, 0.02 mg/kg) to attenuate the PPI disruption produced by yohimbine. However, other α2 agonists (guanfacine, medetomidine) and an α1 antagonist (prazosin) failed to prevent the disruption. The α2 antagonist atipamezole weakly decreased PPI in a narrow dose range (0.3–1.0 mg/kg). The 5-HT1A antagonist WAY100,635 (0.1, 0.3 mg/kg) significantly prevented the yohimbine-induced disruption of PPI. These findings indicate that (1) yohimbine disrupts PPI in rats and (2) the yohimbine-induced disruption of PPI is largely due to the 5-HT1A partial agonist properties of yohimbine.
Dynamical skyrmion state in a spin current nano-oscillator with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy.

We study the spectral characteristics of spin current nano-oscillators based on the $\mathrm{Pt}/[\mathrm{Co}/\mathrm{Ni}]$ magnetic multilayer with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. By varying the applied magnetic field and current, both localized and propagating spin wave modes of the oscillation are achieved. At small fields, we observe an abrupt onset of the modulation sidebands. We use micromagnetic simulations to identify this state as a dynamical magnetic skyrmion stabilized in the active device region by spin current injection, whose current-induced dynamics is accompanied by the gyrotropic motion of the core due to the skew deflection. Our results demonstrate a practical route for controllable skyrmion manipulation by spin current in magnetic thin films.
Shape tolerant three-dimensional recognition of biological microorganisms using digital holography.

We present a system for shape tolerant three-dimensional (3D) recognition of biological microorganisms using holographic microscopy. The system recognizes 3D microorganisms by analyzing complex images of the 3D microorganism restored from single-exposure on-line (SEOL) digital hologram. In this technique the SEOL hologram is recorded by a Mach-Zehnder interferometer, and then the original complex images are reconstructed numerically at different depths by inverse Fresnel transformation. For recognition, a number of sampling segment features are arbitrarily extracted from the restored 3D image. These samples are processed using a number of cost functions and the sampling distributions for the difference of the parameters (location, dispersion) between the sample segment features of the reference and input 3D image are calculated using a statistical sampling method. Then, a hypothesis testing for the equality of the parameters between reference and input 3D image is performed for a statistical decision about populations on the basis of sampling distribution information. Student’s t distribution and Fisher’s F distribution are used to statistically analyze the difference of means and the ratio of variances of two populations, respectively. The proposed system is designed to be tolerant to recognizing various, plain microorganisms with analogous shape such as bacteria and algae. Preliminary experimental results are presented to illustrate the robustness of the proposed recognition system using statistical inference.
Technical Factors Affecting an Immunoelectrophoretic Reference System for Analysis of Mycobacterial Antigens

The length of immunoelectrophoretic separation patterns obtained with a reference mycobacterial antigen was reduced significantly when a continuous buffer system was used in place of the recommended discontinuous system. Varying the supporting medium by using 1% concentrations of different agar preparations in the discontinuous system also affected the separation length and resolution of the reference pattern. Measurement of the electrical resistivity of the agar medium provided an explanation of these differences on the basis of current density or field intensity applied per slide. Variation in the reference pattern obtained in differently designed electrophoresis chambers also was attributed to differences in field intensity. To avoid these obvious alterations in the separation pattern of the reference antigen, it was suggested that separation procedures described originally for the reference system be used without modification.
Surface alteration of graphite, graphite monofluoride and teflon by interaction with Ar+ and Xe+ beams

Abstract Ion beam studies of the interactions of Ar+ and Xe+ with surfaces of pyrolytic graphite, graphite monofluoride and teflon are reported. The techniques of X-ray and UV photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS and UPS) and thermal desorption mass spectrometry under UHV conditions are used to examine the surfaces of the materials after bombardment with 30–3000 eV rare gas ions. Implanted rare gases from a 500 eV beam in doses of ≈1.5 × 10-2 A s/cm2 could be detected only in graphite and graphite monofluoride, although reduced carbon species were formed in both teflon and graphite monofluoride. The binding energies of the implanted rare gases indicate that they are trapped as neutral atoms within the lattice. Evolution of Xe from graphite is maximum at ≈375°C. Approximately 2.8% of the Xe+ and 5.6% of the Ar+ ions from the beam remain trapped in graphite; the amount trapped in graphite monofluoride is about one order of magnitude less than this.
Working for a better world: Cataloging arguments for the right to employment

Taking the work of Amartya Sen as a point of departure, a case is made that there may be no single policy with as many potential benefits as a guaranteed job at a living wage–benefits package for every person ready and willing to work. The case is outlined in 4 arguments. Along the way, numerous social and economic costs of unemployment and underemployment and benefits of full employment are catalogued. Reference is also made to how the right to employment is supported by a variety of arguments for social justice, an area in which Sen has made important contributions.