cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Structures of the oligosaccharides obtained from the core regions of the lipopolysaccharides of Bradyrhizobium japonicum 61A101c and its symbiotically defective lipopolysaccharide mutant, JS314

Abstract The only core oligosaccharide released from the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of Bradyrhizobium japonicum 61A101c by prolonged (5 h) mild hydrolysis with acid, and the major core oligosaccharide obtained from its symbiotic and LPS-defective mutant, JS314, was the trisaccharide α- d -Man p -(1 → 4)-α- d -Glc p -(1 → 4)-2,7-anhydro-α-Kdo f . The 2,7-anhydro-3-deoxy-α- d - manno -2-octulofuranosonic acid moiety was probably formed during the prolonged mild hydrolysis with acid. A disaccharide core component, also released by mild acid hydrolysis of the mutant LPS, had the structure 4- O -Me-α- d -Man p -(1 → 5)-Kdo. The Kdo residue in this disaccharide is present as the normal pyranose form and as an anhydro derivative, possibly 4,8-anhydro-3-deoxy- d - manno -2-octulosonic acid, which may have formed also during prolonged mild hydrolysis with acid. Mild acid hydrolysis of the LPS of the parent strain does not produce this disaccharide, but 4- O -Me-Man is found exclusively in the O-chain fraction released from the parent LPS. Additionally, a small amount of O-chain is found in the mutant LPS. The results imply that the O-chain is attached to the remainder of the LPS through the 4- O -Me-Man-Kdo disaccharide component of the core region.
Composition, ultrastructure and function of the cutin- and suberin-containing layers in the leaf, fruit peel, juice-sac and inner seed coat of grapefruit (Citrus paradisi Macfed.).

Cutin and suberin polymers from various anatomical regions of grapefruit were analyzed chemically and ultrastructurally. The leaf, fruit peel and juice-sac showed an amorphous cuticular layer. The cutin in the leaf was composed of 10,16-dihydroxy C16 acid and its positional isomers as the major monomers whereas 16-hydroxy-10-oxo C16 acid was a major component in the fruit peel. Juice-sac cutin, on the other hand, contained the dihydroxy C16 acids, hydroxyoxo C16 acids, hydroxyepoxy C18 acids and trihydroxy C18 acids. Ultrastructural examination of the inner seed coat showed that an amorphous cuticular layer encircled the entire seed except in the chalazal region which showed several layers of cells with lamellar suberin structure throughout the cell walls. Consistent with the ultrastructural assignment, the compositions of the aliphatic components of the polymers from the chalazal region and the non-chalazal region indicated the presence of suberin and cutin, respectively. The aliphatic portion of the polymer from the chalazal region of the inner seed coat contained C16, C18:1, C22 and C24 ω-hydroxy acids (46% combined total) and the corresponding dicarboxylic acids (43%) as the major components. ω-Hydroxy-9,10-epoxy C18 acids and 9,10,18-trihydroxy C18 acids were the major components (77%) of the polymer from the non-chalazal portion of the inner seed coat. The main portion and the chalazal region of the inner seed coat yielded 17 and 342 μg/cm2 of aliphatic monomers, respectively, and the diffusion resistance of these two portions of the inner seed coat were 62 and 192 sec/cm, respectively. The inner seed coat was shown to be the major moisture diffusion barrier influencing imbibition and germination.
Lateral differences in schematic face encoding during dual-task performance with increasing levels of difficulty.

20 normal, right-handed, familial dextral men performed (a) unimanual finger tapping, (b) encoding of schematic faces at three levels of difficulty (3, 5, and 7 faces), (c) verbal production, (d) concurrent tapping and verbal production, and (e) concurrent tapping and face encoding. Subsequent recognition of faces was disrupted more by concurrent left-hand tapping than by concurrent right-hand tapping, supporting both the hypothesis that the right hemisphere mediates face encoding in adults and Kinsbourne and Hicks' (1978) "functional cerebral distance principle." Left- and right-hand tapping rate and variability were not asymmetrically affected by either verbal production or face encoding. While there was an increase in generalized interference effects on face encoding, the degree of asymmetry of the interference remained constant. In addition, as the difficulty of the memory task increased, variability of tapping rate decreased. This was discussed in terms of attention and automatic motor programming. Language: en
Essential role of caffeoyl coenzyme A O-methyltransferase in lignin biosynthesis in woody poplar plants

Caffeoyl coenzyme A O-methyltransferase (CCoAOMT) has recently been shown to participate in lignin biosynthesis in herbacious tobacco plants. Here, we demonstrate that CCoAOMT is essential in lignin biosynthesis in woody poplar (Populus tremula × Populus alba) plants. In poplar stems, CCoAOMT was found to be expressed in all lignifying cells including vessel elements and fibers as well as in xylem ray parenchyma cells. Repression of CCoAOMT expression by the antisense approach in transgenic poplar plants caused a significant decrease in total lignin content as detected by both Klason lignin assay and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. The reduction in lignin content was the result of a decrease in both guaiacyl and syringyl lignins as determined by in-source pyrolysis mass spectrometry. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy indicated that the reduction in lignin content resulted in a less condensed and less cross-linked lignin structure in wood. Repression of CCoAOMT expression also led to coloration of wood and an elevation of wall-bound p-hydroxybenzoic acid. Taken together, these results indicate that CCoAOMT plays a dominant role in the methylation of the 3-hydroxyl group of caffeoyl CoA, and the CCoAOMT-mediated methylation reaction is essential to channel substrates for 5-methoxylation of hydroxycinnamates. They also suggest that antisense repression of CCoAOMT is an efficient means for genetic engineering of trees with low lignin content.
Mixed Variable Optimization of a Load-Bearing Thermal Insulation System Using a Filter Pattern Search Algorithm

This paper describes the optimization of a load-bearing thermal insulation system characterized by hot and cold surfaces with a series of heat intercepts and insulators between them. The optimization problem is represented as a mixed variable programming (MVP) problem with nonlinear constraints, in which the objective is to minimize the power required to maintain the heat intercepts at fixed temperatures so that one surface is kept sufficiently cold. MVP problems are more general than mixed integer nonlinear programming (MINLP) problems in that the discrete variables are categorical; i.e., they must always take on values from a predefined enumerable set or list. Thus, traditional approaches that use branch and bound techniques cannot be applied. In a previous paper, a linearly constrained version of this problem was solved numerically using the Audet-Dennis generalized pattern search (GPS) method for MVP problems. However, this algorithm may not work for problems with general nonlinear constraints. A new algorithm that extends that of Audet and Dennis by incorporating a filter to handle nonlinear constraints makes it possible to solve the more general problem. Additional nonlinear constraints on stress, mass, and thermal contraction are added to that of the previous work in an effort to find a more realistic feasible design. Several computational experiments show a substantial improvement in power required to maintain the system, as compared to the previous literature. The addition of the new constraints leads to a very different design without significantly changing the power required. The results demonstrate that the new algorithm can be applied to a very broad class of optimization problems, for which no previous algorithm with provable convergence results could be applied.
The case for analysis preserving language transformation

Static analysis has gained much attention over the past few years in applications such as bug finding and program verification. As software becomes more complex and componentized, it is common for software systems and applications to be implemented in multiple languages. There is thus a strong need for developing analysis tools for multi-language software. We introduce a technique called Analysis Preserving Language Transformation (aplt) that enables the analysis of multi-language software, and also allows analysis tools for one language to be applied to programs written in another. aplt preserves data and control flow information needed to perform static analyses, but allows the translation to deviate from the original program's semantics in ways that are not pertinent to the particular analysis. We discuss major technical difficulties in building such a translator, using a C-to-Java translator as an example. We demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of aplt using two usage cases: analysis of the Java runtime native methods and reuse of Java analysis tools for C. Our preliminary results show that a control- and data-flow equivalent model for native methods can eliminate unsoundness and produce reliable results, and that aplt enables seamless reuse of analysis tools for checking high-level program properties.
Subcollicular projections to the auditory thalamus and collateral projections to the inferior colliculus.

Experiments in several species have identified direct projections to the medial geniculate nucleus (MG) from cells in subcollicular auditory nuclei. Moreover, many cochlear nucleus cells that project to the MG send collateral projections to the inferior colliculus (IC) (Schofield et al., 2014, Front. Neuroanat. 8:10). We conducted 3 experiments to characterize projections to the MG from the superior olivary and the lateral lemniscal regions in guinea pigs. For experiment 1, we made large injections of retrograde tracer into the MG. Labeled cells were most numerous in the superior paraolivary nucleus, ventral nucleus of the trapezoid body, lateral superior olivary nucleus, ventral nucleus of the lateral lemniscus, ventrolateral tegmental nucleus, paralemniscal region and sagulum. Additional sources include other periolivary nuclei and the medial superior olivary nucleus. The projections are bilateral with an ipsilateral dominance (66%). For experiment 2, we injected tracer into individual MG subdivisions. The results show that the subcollicular projections terminate primarily in the medial MG, with the dorsal MG a secondary target. The variety of projecting nuclei suggest a range of functions, including monaural and binaural aspects of hearing. These direct projections could provide the thalamus with some of the earliest (i.e., fastest) information regarding acoustic stimuli. For experiment 3, we made large injections of different retrograde tracers into one MG and the homolateral IC to identify cells that project to both targets. Such cells were numerous and distributed across many of the nuclei listed above, mostly ipsilateral to the injections. The prominence of the collateral projections suggests that the same information is delivered to both the IC and the MG, or perhaps that a common signal is being delivered as a preparatory indicator or temporal reference point. The results are discussed from functional and evolutionary perspectives.
Small-World Properties in Mild Cognitive Impairment and Early Alzheimer's Disease: A Cortical Thickness MRI Study.

Background. Small-world network consists of networks with local specialization and global integration. Our objective is to detect small-world properties alteration based on cortical thickness in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) including stables and converters, and early Alzheimer's disease (AD) compared to controls. Methods. MRI scans of 13 controls, 10 MCI, and 10 with early AD were retrospectively analyzed; 11 MCI converters, 11 MCI stables, and 10 controls from the ADNI website were also included. Results. There were significantly decreased local efficiencies in patients with MCI and AD compared to controls; and MCI patients showed increased global efficiency compared to AD and controls. The MCI converters experience the worst local efficiency during the converting period to AD; the stables, however, have highest local and global efficiency. Conclusions. The abnormal cortical thickness-based small-world properties in MCI and AD as well as the distinct patterns between two MCI subtypes suggest that small-world network analysis has the potential to better differentiate different stages of early dementia.
Microcirculatory response to periodic pulsations in capillary pressure.

Abstract A mathematical analysis of time-dependent convection and diffusion in the microcirculation is presented in order to ascertain the effect on capillary-tissue fluid exchange of cardiac pulsatility and the rhythmic contractions of arterioles and precapillary sphincters. Disturbances to the hydrostatic pressure and protein concentration in the capillary and in the surrounding interstitial fluid resulting from such fluctuations are determined. It is established that the small cardiac pulsations that exist at the microcirculatory level have little effect on fluid exchange, and the quantitative nature of this effect is determined. However, the contractions of arterioles and precapillary sphincters are found to substantially affect the various Starling forces, resulting in a complex pattern of filtration and reabsorption over a period of oscillation. The analysis shows that blood flow reduction achieved through rhythmic contraction of arterioles or sphincters results in less fluid reabsorption than a corresponding reduction achieved through a sustained steady contraction. Therefore, rhythmic contractility provides a mechanism for blood flow regulation that avoids excessive tissue dehydration.
Remote sensing of mountain environments

Logistical challenges of conducting field research in topographically complex alpine settings, combined with the multi-scale and multi-thematic informational needs of earth and landscape scientists and program managers, have contributed to the development and application of remote sensing data, methods, and approaches for the study of mountain environments. This article provides a brief introduction to remote sensing science; illustrates specific challenges unique to remote sensing applications in mountainous environments, along with corresponding solutions; provides several examples of remote sensing applications in the alpine treeline ecotone; and concludes by describing recent and anticipated remote sensing developments that have the potential to improve characterizations of alpine settings through satellite surveillance techniques linked to image processing and analysis.
Industrial Control: Heating of Shunt-Motor Starting Resistors

THE USUAL METHOD of starting a shunt motor from a constant-potential source is to insert one or more steps of armature resistance which are short-circuited by contactors operated after a definite time. The required capacity of a resistor for this type of duty is directly related to load conditions and time setting of relays as well as duty-cycle requirements. If time settings are made arbitrarily without some co-ordination with the kind of load, the energy dissipated in the resistor may be unduly high, because the load may be up to speed in a time much less than the setting. On the other hand if the load has a high inertia, the definite time may be too short, causing excessively high peaks on switching points after the first one. Although d-c motors have been used extensively in this way, equations governing such operation do not appear to have been published.
THE INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCE, THE READING ADAPTATION, AND THE ULTIMATE OBJECTIVES

Author's Summary.— An attempt to show the difficulty of reconciling and achieving simultaneously the three most prominent objectives of present-day elementary modern language instruction.
Effects of hypothermia on the in vivo measurement of rapid axonal transport in the rat: a cautionary note

: Rapid axonal transport of glycoproteins was examined in the retinofugal projections of hypothermic and normothermic adult male Long-Evans hooded rats previously receiving intraocular injections of [3H]fucose. The amount of retinal fucosylation appeared normal in the hypothermic animals 3.5 h after isotope injection, but glycoprotein transport was reduced relative to normothermic controls. This reduction was especially pronounced in the most distal structure of the retinofugal tract (superior colliculus). We conclude that rapid axonal transport decreases with reductions in mammalian body temperature. This finding emphasizes the importance of controlling body temperature in in vivo studies of mammalian axonal transport.
Different familial adenomatous polyposis phenotypes resulting from deletions of the entire APC exon 15.

Germline mutations of the adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene cause familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), an autosomal, dominantly inherited disease that predisposes patients to colorectal cancer. The APC gene is composed of 15 coding exons and encodes an open reading frame of 8.5 kb. The 3' 6.5 kb of the APC open reading frame is encoded by a single exon, exon 15. Most identified APC mutations are at the 5' half of the APC open reading frame and are nucleotide substitutions and small deletions or insertions that result in truncation of the APC protein. Very few well-characterized gross alterations of APC have been reported. Patients with FAP typically develop hundreds to thousands of colorectal tumors beginning in their adolescence. A subgroup of patients with FAP who develop fewer tumors at an older age have what is called attenuated FAP (AFAP). Accumulating evidence indicates that patients carrying germline APC mutations in the first four coding exons, in the alternatively spliced region of exon 9, or in the 3' half of the coding region usually develop AFAP. We characterized two germline APC alterations that deleted the entire APC exon 15 as the result of 56-kb and 73-kb deletions at the APC locus. A surprising finding was that one proband had the typical FAP phenotype, whereas the other had a phenotype consistent with that of AFAP.
Herpetic zoster folliculitis in the immunocompromised host.

Exclusive involvement of herpes zoster (HZ) in the follicular epithelium occurs rarely and lacks the typical cutaneous and histopathologic findings associated with herpesvirus.1 We describe a patient who underwent adjuvant chemotherapy for pancreatic cancer and subsequently had a nonvesicular rash for several weeks, ultimately proving to be herpetic zoster folliculitis.
Rats that acquire a THC discrimination more rapidly are more sensitive to THC and faster in reaching operant criteria

Abstract Male Sprague-Dawley rats were trained to discriminate delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) from saline in a two-lever operant task using successive training criteria. Untreated animals were first shaped to barpress for a milk reward with one lever available. As each animal reached criterion the second lever was installed, the first lever was removed, and the animal was treated with 3.0 mg/kg THC 30 min prior to barpress training. When criterion on the second lever was reached the rats were trained to discriminate THC from vehicle injections with both levers available. Following acquisition of the discrimination, test doses of THC at 0.00, 0.375, 0.75, 1.5 and 3.0 mg/kg revealed that the half of the 24 rats who reached criterion (STC) more rapidly exhibited significantly greater sensitivity to THC at the 0.75 mg/kg test dose than did the 12 slow-learner rats; the former group generated an ED50 of 0.77 mg/kg, whereas the ED50 for the later group was 1.63 mg/kg. The fast learners acquired both the initial barpress response and the discrimination more rapidly than did slow-learners. Results suggests that some animals are inherently more sensitive to THC and faster in meeting learning criteria.
Exploiting Content Similarity to Improve Memory Performance in Large-Scale High-Performance Computing Systems

As we consider building the next generation of extreme-scale systems, many of the biggest challenges are related to memory characteristics. In particular, overcoming challenges related to resilience and memory bandwidth will require innovative strategies for improving the performance of main memory. In this paper, we propose to exploit memory content similarity to improve memory performance. We begin by presenting several novel strategies that leverage memory content similarity to improve system resilience and effective memory bandwidth. Additionally, we seek to understand the source of similarity in the memory of HPC applications.
Neutral-ionic interface in charge-transfer salts with long-range coulomb interactions

Abstract Coulomb interactions - V α stabilize both neutral and ionic lattices against charge-transfer (CT) excitations for Madelung-constant α>1. The neutral-ionic phase boundary δ c (χ) and ionicity jump Δ q (χ) are accurately given by the lowest-order corrections in χ = ¦ t ¦/ V (α-1) for χ ⩽ 0.2 and Mulliken CT integral t . Numerical solutions of (2 N ⩽ 18)-site DA rings, with D 2+ and A 2− excluded, show Δ q (χ) to vanish for χ > χ c = 0.33±0.02, where δ c /¦ t ¦=0.39±0.02, in contrast to δ c = 0 in two-state models that neglect the D + and A − spins.
Pattern of long-distance projections from fetal hippocampal field CA3 and CA1 cell grafts in lesioned CA3 of adult hippocampus follows intrinsic character of respective donor cells.

Abstract Fetal hippocampal grafts transplanted to the lesioned CA3 of adult hippocampus can extend axonal projections to many regions of the host brain. However, the identity of grafted cells that project to specific host regions is unknown. We hypothesize that the pattern of long-distance axonal projections from distinct fetal hippocampal cells grafted to lesioned CA3 is specified by the intrinsic nature of respective donor cells rather than characteristics of the host graft region. We grafted fetal hippocampal CA3 or CA1 cells into kainic acid lesioned CA3 of adult hippocampus at four days post-lesion. Neurons projecting to either the contralateral hippocampus or the ipsilateral septum were then measured in these grafts at four months post-grafting using Fluoro-Gold and DiI tract tracing. CA3 grafts located close to the degenerated CA3 cell layer showed a high propensity for establishing projections into the contralateral hippocampus (commissural projections) compared to similarly located CA1 grafts, which exhibited negligible commissural projections. Similar distinction was observed between the two graft types even when they were located only partially in the lesioned CA3. Among CA3 grafts, those placed near the degenerated CA3 cell layer established significantly greater commissural projections than those placed only partially in the CA3 region. Septal projections, in contrast, were robust from both CA3 and CA1 grafts. This differential projection pattern between CA3 and CA1 grafts resembles projections of CA3 and CA1 cells in intact hippocampus. These results demonstrate that the intrinsic character of grafted fetal cells determines the type of efferent projections from fetal grafts into different targets in the lesioned adult host brain. However, the extent of efferent projections from specific grafts is also influenced by the location of grafted cells within the host region. Thus, graft-mediated appropriate reconstruction of damaged circuitry in the lesioned brain may require grafting of homotopic donor cells. Further, the robust and specific projections observed from CA3 grafts is likely beneficial for functional recovery of hippocampus following CA3 injury and hence of significance towards developing a graft-mediated therapy for human temporal lobe epilepsy.
Comparative Hemodynamic Effects of Converting Enzyme Inhibitor and Sodium Nitroprusside in Severe Heart Failure

Abstract In nine patients with severe congestive heart failure, the acute response to the infusion of a nonspecific vasodilator, sodium nitroprusside, was compared with the infusion of the converting enzyme inhibitor, teprotide (SQ 20, 881). The hemodynamic effects were similar. Nitroprusside and teprotide increased cardiac index 24 and 20 percent, respectively, reduced mean arterial pressure 11 and 14 percent and pulmonary wedge pressure 21 and 24 percent, and produced no significant change in heart rate (−0.5 and −0.7 percent). Arterial partial pressure of oxygen decreased in response to nitroprusside infusion from 75.8 ± 4.1 to 65.4 ± 3.2 mm Hg (p Therefore, converting enzyme inhibition produces an acute hemodynamic response in severe congestive heart failure comparable with that of sodium nitroprusside with less detrimental acute effect on pulmonary oxygen transport. Long-term oral therapy with converting enzyme inhibitor deserves evaluation in congestive heart failure.
Analytical solutions for distributions of chemotactic bacteria

This paper reports general and specialized results on analytical solutions to the governing phenomenological equations for chemotactic redistribution and population growth of motile bacteria. It is shown that the number of bacteria cells per unit volume, b, is proportional to a certain prescribed function of s, the concentration of the critical substrate chemotactic agent, for steady-state solutions through an arbitrary spatial region with a boundary that is impermeable to bacteria cell transport. Moreover, it is demonstrated that the steady-state solution for b and s is unique for a prescribed total number of bacteria cells in the spatial region and a generic Robin boundary condition on s. The latter solution can be approximated to desired accuracy in terms of the Poisson-Green's function associated with the spatial region. Also, as shown by example, closed-form exact steady-state solutions are obtainable for certain consumption rate functions and geometrically symmetric spatial regions. A solutional procedure is formulated for the initialvalue problem in cases for which significant population growth is present and bacteria cell redistribution due to motility and chemotactic flow proceeds slowly relative to the diffusion of the chemoattractant substrate. Finally, a remarkably simple exact analytical solution is reported for a steadily propagating plane-wave which features motility, chemotactic motion and bacteria population growth regulated by substrate diffusion.
Synthesis of CoPt nanorods in ionic liquids.

Cobalt platinum nanorods, hyperbranched nanorods, and nanoparticles were synthesized in 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, [BMIM][Tf2N], ionic liquid though the thermal reduction of platinum acetylacetonate, and cobalt acetylacetonate at 350 °C in the presence of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). It was found that the morphology, composition, and crystal phase of the resultant CoPt alloy nanomaterials could be controlled by changing the concentration and molar ratio of platinum and cobalt reactant precursors.
Phase variances from triple correlation analysis

Abstract We extend a simple heuristic model of the triple correlation procedure to compute variances of the bispectrum phases. These are then compared to measured bispectrum phase variances for an unresolved source showing good agreement thus validating the model.
Ultrastructural changes in vaginal epithelium of mice neonatally treated with estrogen and prolactin

The vaginal epithelium of the normal estrous mouse shows narrow intercellular spaces, many cytoplasmic fibrils and a continuous basal lamina. At 100 days of age, the vaginal epithelium of mice which had received 5 or 20 μg estradiol-17β, 20 μg ovine prolactin, or 5 μg estradiol-17β + 20 μg prolactin within the first few days of postnatal life, shows wider intercellular spaces in the middle epithelial layers than occur in normal estrous mice. In addition, the mice receiving 20 μg estradiol-17β show prominent intercellular spaces in the basal cell layer and interruptions in the basal lamina, which permit penetration of cytoplasmic processes into the subjacent connective tissue. The relevance of these findings to vaginal carcinogenesis is considered.
Stagflation, virtuosity and other ambivalences

This essay investigates emotional and affective dimensions to social life that emerge in the early period of neoliberalism. In consideration of the films Five Easy Pieces; Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, and McCabe and Mrs. Miller, I argue that negative affects such as depression, fear, anxiety, and cynicism not only reflect reconfigurations of selfhood engendered by neoliberalism but also present the possibility for new modes of sociality. Drawing on the work of Paolo Virno, I suggest that virtuosity–the capacity to perform–allows neoliberal subjects to navigate the emotional situation emergent from dynamic changes in the economy, politics, and culture.
Flue gas desulfurization: the state of the art.

Coal-fired electricity-generating plants may use SO2 scrubbers to meet the requirements of Phase II of the Acid Rain SO2 Reduction Program. Additionally, the use of scrubbers can result in reduction of Hg and other emissions from combustion sources. It is timely, therefore, to examine the current status of SO2 scrubbing technologies. This paper presents a comprehensive review of the state of the art in flue gas desulfurization (FGD) technologies for coal-fired boilers. Data on worldwide FGD applications reveal that wet FGD technologies, and specifically wet limestone FGD, have been predominantly selected over other FGD technologies. However, lime spray drying (LSD) is being used at the majority of the plants employing dry FGD technologies. Additional review of the U.S. FGD technology applications that began operation in 1991 through 1995 reveals that FGD processes of choice recently in the United States have been wet limestone FGD, magnesium-enhanced lime (MEL), and LSD. Further, of the wet limestone processes, limestone forced oxidation (LSFO) has been used most often in recent applications. The SO2 removal performance of scrubbers has been reviewed. Data reflect that most wet limestone and LSD installations appear to be capable of approximately 90% SO2 removal. Advanced, state-of-the-art wet scrubbers can provide SO2 removal in excess of 95%. Costs associated with state-of-the-art applications of LSFO, MEL, and LSD technologies have been analyzed with appropriate cost models. Analyses indicate that the capital cost of an LSD system is lower than those of same capacity LSFO and MEL systems, reflective of the relatively less complex hardware used in LSD. Analyses also reflect that, based on total annualized cost and SO2 removal requirements: (1) plants up to approximately 250 MWe in size and firing low- to medium-sulfur coals (i.e., coals with a sulfur content of 2% or lower) may use LSD; and (2) plants larger than 250 MWe and firing medium- to high-sulfur coals (i.e., coals with a sulfur content of 2% or higher) may use either LSFO or MEL.
Manometric tests of anorectal function in healthy adults.

Abstract OBJECTIVE: Although tests of anorectal function are useful in the assessment of defecation disorders, there is inadequate and inconsistent information regarding normative data. Also, there are discrepancies in manometric techniques and data interpretation. Our aim was to perform a comprehensive evaluation of anorectal function in healthy adults. METHODS: We used a 6-mm diameter probe containing six radially arrayed microtransducers, and a 4-cm-long latex balloon for performing anorectal manometry in 45 healthy subjects who were controlled for gender and age. Sequentially, subjects were asked to squeeze, bear down, or blow up a party balloon. Subsequently, rectal sensation, rectal compliance, and rectoanal reflexes were assessed simultaneously by performing intermittent phasic balloon distentions. Additionally, balloon defecation, pudendal nerve latency, and saline continence tests were performed. RESULTS: In men, the anal sphincter was longer (p CONCLUSIONS: This study represents the most comprehensive age- and gender-controlled assessment of anorectal function using solid state technology. Gender influences some parameters of anorectal function. Our results could serve as a valuable resource of normative data.
New genus and two new species of Oncotympanina stat. nov. (Hemiptera: Cicadidae: Cicadini) and the erection of Sonatini new tribe

Abstract The tribe Oncotympanini Ishihara, syn. nov. is synonymized with Cicadini Latreille (Hemiptera: Cicadidae). A new subtribe, Oncotympanina Ishihara, stat. nov., is placed within Cicadini for the Philippine genus Oncotympana Stal and a new genus, Neoncotympana Lee, gen. nov. A revised description of the genus Oncotympana is also provided. Two new species, Oncotympana averta Lee, sp. nov. and Neoncotympana leeseungmoi Lee, sp. nov., are described from the Philippines. The Asian continental genus Sonata Lee, previously placed in Oncotympanini, is transferred to the tribe Sonatini Lee, new tribe.
Matter under extreme conditions

Abstract Historically, chiral restoration was first studied in nuclear physics by calculating how gA∗ where the star denotes the value of the axial vector coupling constant gA in the medium, tends to unity with increasing density. Arguments using relations from chiral invariance: the Goldberger-Treiman and KFSR relations, in medium indicate that the nucleon effective mass mn∗ and the in medium vector meson mass mρ∗ scale with density as fπ∗, where fπ∗, the pion weak decay constant, is also the order parameter for chiral symmetry restoration. Results from the QCD sum rule calculations and finite energy sum rules are shown to be consistent with this. In order to achieve these results, the cut off Λ in the Nambu-Jona Lasinio theory must also become density and temperature dependent, scaling as fπ∗ in medium . The Brookhaven AGS heavy ion experiments involving collisions of 14.6 GeV/nucleon 28Si with 197Au are analyzed using temperature and density dependent meson masses. It is shown that the enchanced K+ / π+ ratio of ∼ 0.2 can be produced; much of the K+ production results from π + π → K+ + K−, there being many π mesons present because of their decreased masses, and the phase space is substantially increased because of the decrease in the kaon effective mass.
Suppression of the murine gut mucosal IgA response to cholera toxin with oral cyclosporine

Abstract The gut mucosal immune system may be a primary target for many ingested chemicals. Methods have been developed to examine the effects of chemicals on the systemic humoral immune response; however, studies to evaluate various methods of assessing the local gut mucosal immune response in a toxicology assay have been limited. The objectives of this study were to examine the effects of the known immunosuppressive compound, cyclosporine (CYS), on the generation of a cholera toxin (CT)-specific gut mucosal IgA response and evaluate the methods used to measure the gut IgA response. Groups of female B6C3F1 mice were left untreated or were treated daily, p.o., with corn oil (vehicle) or CYS at doses of 10 and 50 mg/kg for 20 days. On Days 3 and 13, mice were sensitized p.o. with CT. On Day 21, mice were terminated, gut washings were collected, and lamina propria lymphocytes were extracted from gut tissue with collagenase treatment. Cholera toxin-specific IgA in the gut washings was measured by an ELISA. The numbers of CT-specific IgA (CT-IgA) and total IgA antibody-forming cells (spotforming cells, SFC) obtained from the lamina propria were determined by the ELISPOT method. A dose of 50 mg/kg CYS produced a significant decrease in the amount of CT-IgA in gut washings. This dose also decreased the number of cells recovered from the lamina propria by at least 50%. The amount of CT-specific SFC/million lamina propria cells decreased with a dose of 10 mg/kg CYS, whereas 50 mg/kg CYS did not alter the response. When the CT-IgA SFC response was calculated on the basis of lamina propria cells obtained per mouse, both the 10 and 50 mg/kg dose were found to suppress the response by at least 50% of control. The amount of IgA-SFC/total lamina propria cells obtained per mouse was also found to be decreased with a dose of 50 mg/kg. Thus, the results indicate that oral exposure to CYS results in a suppressed CT-specific IgA response. In comparing the two endpoints, measurement of CT-specific SFC was a more sensitive indicator. However, collection of gut washings and measurement of CT-IgA by ELISA is much easier than the labor-intensive methods required to isolate lamina propria lymphocytes.
A deterministic broad-band polarization-dependent loss compensator

Polar decomposition of the transmission matrix allows lumped polarization-dependent loss (PDL) followed by lumped polarization mode dispersion (PMD) compensation at the receiver's end. Thus, we propose in this paper, the architecture of a broad-band PDL compensator in a feed-forward compensation scheme. This module consists of three stages. Stage 1 and 2 are the frequency-dependent polarization rotators that align all the different PDL vectors into the {1,0,0} direction in Stokes space. Stage 3 eliminates both the PDL magnitude and the frequency dependence in the isotropic attenuation by introducing different frequency-dependent variable attenuation to the linear horizontal and vertical polarizations. By applying the known Mueller transformations of the PDL compensator to the monitored polarimetric data, we show that the composite PMD spectrum can be deduced for subsequent broad-band PMD compensation.
Anti-DNA antibody idiotypes in primary biliary cirrhosis

A significant increase in 16/6 Id--a major cross-reactive idiotype of anti-DNA antibodies (Ab) derived from a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and hitherto identified in SLE patients and their relatives, was found in 16/17 patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC). The increased serum level of Ab with the 16/6 idiotype (16/6 Id) in PBC patients (median 50 ng/ml) was not found in 6/7 of the patients' spouses nor among 27/28 healthy controls or most patients with other types of cirrhosis. The quantity of 16/6 Id was not correlated to either the stage of disease or the presence of antimitochondrial, antinuclear, or anti-dsDNA antibodies. However, 16/6 Id could be shown to be associated with anti-ssDNA antibodies. The high frequency of the lupus-derived 16/6 Id in PBC may accompany the polyclonal B-cell activation seen in that disease. Of 14 healthy first-degree relatives of the PBC patients, 4 (29%) also had elevated serum 16/6 Id (20-25 ng/ml) and the cluster of 3 of them in a single family may indicate a genetic predisposition to develop PBC.
Outcomes and risk factors associated with endophthalmitis after intravitreal injection of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor agents.

Objective To describe outcomes of and risk factors for endophthalmitis after intravitreal anti–vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) injection. Design Single-center, consecutive, case series and retrospective case-control study. Participants Between January 1, 2009, and May 31, 2010, 16 vitreoretinal surgeons administered a total of 27 736 injections. During this period, 23 cases of presumed infectious endophthalmitis occurred. Each surgeon used his own preferred injection technique. Intervention Vitreous or aqueous tap, or both, with intravitreal antibiotic injection and subsequent topical antibiotic and steroid drops. Main Outcome Measures Visual acuity, bladed lid speculum use, conjunctival displacement, hemisphere of injection, bevacizumab versus ranibizumab, and infectious organism. Results Seven of 23 cases had positive culture results; 3 grew coagulase-negative Staphylococcus . All cases had pain and vitritis on average 3.4 days (range, 1–6 days) after injection, with no difference between culture-positive and culture-negative groups. Eighteen (78%) of 23 cases had a hypopyon. Fifteen of 23 cases returned to baseline vision (±2 lines) within 3 months. Neither lid speculum use (0.10% vs. 0.066% in the no-use group; P = 0.27), conjunctival displacement (0.11% vs. 0.076% in the no-displacement group; P = 0.43), hemisphere of injection (0.11% superior vs. 0.079% inferior; P = 0.56), or bevacizumab versus ranibizumab (0.11% vs. 0.066%; P = 0.21) affected risk. Analysis of only culture-positive results yielded similar results. There was no statistically significant difference between the proportion of culture-negative cases after bevacizumab injection (83%) versus ranibizumab injection (55%; P = 0.13). Conclusions Most patients in whom presumed infectious endophthalmitis develop after anti-VEGF injection regained baseline vision after treatment. Bladed lid speculum use, conjunctival displacement, hemisphere of injection, and type of anti-VEGF agent did not affect risk. No difference in culture-negative endophthalmitis rates was detected after bevacizumab versus ranibizumab injection. Neither the presence of pain, vitritis, decreased vision, hypopyon, nor the interval between injection and development of symptoms differentiate culture-positive from culture-negative cases. Because a subgroup of patients had poor outcomes, a low threshold for vitreous tap with intravitreal antibiotic injection may be warranted. Financial Disclosure(s) The author(s) have no proprietary or commercial interest in any materials discussed in this article.
Effects of insulin resistance on white matter microstructure in middle-aged and older adults

Objective: To investigate the potential relationship between insulin resistance (IR) and white matter (WM) microstructure using diffusion tensor imaging in cognitively healthy middle-aged and older adults. Methods: Diffusion tensor imaging was acquired from 127 individuals (age range 41–86 years). IR was evaluated by the homeostasis model assessment of IR (HOMA-IR). Participants were divided into 2 groups based on HOMA-IR values: “high HOMA-IR” (≥2.5, n = 27) and “low HOMA-IR” ( Results: The high HOMA-IR group demonstrated decreased axial diffusivity broadly throughout the cerebral WM in areas such as the corpus callosum, corona radiata, cerebral peduncle, posterior thalamic radiation, and right superior longitudinal fasciculus, and WM underlying the frontal, parietal, and temporal lobes, as well as decreased fractional anisotropy in the body and genu of corpus callosum and parts of the superior and anterior corona radiata, compared with the low HOMA-IR group, independent of age, WM signal abnormality volume, and antihypertensive medication status. These regions additionally demonstrated linear associations between diffusion measures and HOMA-IR across all subjects, with higher HOMA-IR values being correlated with lower axial diffusivity. Conclusions: In generally healthy adults, greater IR is associated with alterations in WM tissue integrity. These cross-sectional findings suggest that IR contributes to WM microstructural alterations in middle-aged and older adults.
Electroborus brighti: the first Hylesinini bark beetle described from Dominican amber (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae)

Electroborus brighti, new genus, new species (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) is described based on two specimens from Dominican amber, which represents the first Hylesinini found in Dominican amber. A phylogenetic analysis of 24 Hylesinini species and a Strombophorus Hagedorn species based on morphological characters suggests E. brighti is not related to the Neotropical genus Phloeoborus Erichson, but shares a close affinity to African Hylesinini genera. The discovery of this new genus adds to the evidence that tropical South America and Africa shared similar faunas throughout evolutionary history. Although many Old World taxa have become extinct in the New World, the existence of E. brighti among Recent faunas is a possibility, given that the South American and African scolytine faunas are relatively poorly studied.
Climatic consequences of regional nuclear conflicts

We use a modern climate model and new esti- mates of smoke generated by fires in contemporary cities to calculate the response of the climate system to a regional nu- clear war between emerging third world nuclear powers us- ing 100 Hiroshima-size bombs (less than 0.03% of the ex- plosive yield of the current global nuclear arsenal) on cities in the subtropics. We find significant cooling and reduc- tions of precipitation lasting years, which would impact the global food supply. The climate changes are large and long- lasting because the fuel loadings in modern cities are quite high and the subtropical solar insolation heats the resulting smoke cloud and lofts it into the high stratosphere, where re- moval mechanisms are slow. While the climate changes are less dramatic than found in previous "nuclear winter" sim- ulations of a massive nuclear exchange between the super- powers, because less smoke is emitted, the changes are more long-lasting because the older models did not adequately rep- resent the stratospheric plume rise.
FcγRIIb on Liver Sinusoidal Endothelium Clears Small Immune Complexes

It has long been known that the ITIM-bearing IgG Fc receptor (FcγRIIb, RIIb) is expressed on liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSEC) and that the liver is the major site of small immune complex (SIC) clearance. Thus, we proposed that RIIb of LSEC eliminates blood-borne SIC, thereby controlling immune complex-mediated autoimmune disease. Testing this hypothesis, we found most RIIb of the mouse, fully three-quarters, to be expressed in liver. Moreover, most (90%) liver RIIb was expressed in LSEC, the remainder in Kupffer cells. An absent FcRγ in LSEC implied that RIIb is the sole FcγR expressed. Testing the capacity of liver RIIb to clear blood-borne SIC, we infused mice intravenously with radio-iodinated SIC made of OVA and rabbit IgG anti-OVA. Tracking decay of SIC from the blood, we found the RIIb knockout strain to be severely deficient in eliminating SIC compared with the wild-type strain, terminal half-lives being 6 and 1.5 h, respectively. RIIb on LSEC, a major scavenger, keeps SIC blood concentrations low and minimizes pathologic deposition of inflammatory immune complex.
An Exploratory Case Study Using CBSP and Archium

The need for architectural rationale has long been recognized, but unfortunately it has remained a relatively unexplored area of research in software architecture. However, there is growing interest in methods for capturing the rationale behind software architectures. We summarize two of these methods (CBSP and Archium), present an exploratory case study using both methods to evolve a real software system, and then use the results from this case study to analyze and compare these methods. From this analysis, we conclude that the CBSP and Archium methods are complementary rather than competing because of their respective strengths and weaknesses.
Ischemic Stroke Activates Hematopoietic Bone Marrow Stem Cells

Rationale: The mechanisms leading to an expanded neutrophil and monocyte supply after stroke are incompletely understood. Objective: To test the hypothesis that transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO) in mice leads to activation of hematopoietic bone marrow stem cells. Methods and Results: Serial in vivo bioluminescence reporter gene imaging in mice with tMCAO revealed that bone marrow cell cycling peaked 4 days after stroke ( P P P P 3 adrenergic receptor, hematopoietic stem cells did not enter the cell cycle in increased numbers after tMCAO (naive control, 3.23±0.22; tMCAO, 3.74±0.33, P =0.51). Conclusions: Ischemic stroke activates hematopoietic stem cells via increased sympathetic tone, leading to a myeloid bias of hematopoiesis and higher bone marrow output of inflammatory Ly6C high monocytes and neutrophils.