cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
High resolution imaging to assess oilseed species’ root hair responses to soil water stress

An imaging method was developed to evaluate crop species differences in root hair morphology using high resolution scanners, and to determine if the method could also detect root hair responses to soil water availability. High resolution (1890 picture elements (pixels) cm−1) desktop scanners were buried in containers filled with soil to characterize root hair development under two water availability levels (−63 and −188 kPa) for canola (Brassica napus L. cv Clearwater), camelina (Camelina sativa L. Crantz cv Cheyenne), flax (Linum usitatissimum L. cv CDC Bethune), and lentil (Lens culinaris Medik. cv Brewer). There was notable effect of available moisture on root hair geometry (RHG). At −188 kPa, length from the root tip to the root hair initiation zone decreased and root hair length (RHL) became more variable near the root hair initiation zone as compared to −63 kPa. For the response of primary axial RHL, significant main effects were present for both water availability (P \text{flax} = \text{lentil}} \right) \) had lower RHD \( \left( {\text{canola} = \text{camelina} < \text{flax} < \text{lentil}} \right) \) in primary axial roots and a similar trend was found in lateral RHL. Both water and species had a significant effect on primary axial root surface area (RSA) (P < 0.05) but no significant effect was found for lateral RSA. For primary axial RSA the longest and most dense root hair had the greatest RSA. This novel approach to in situ rhizosphere imaging allowed observation of species differences in root hair development in response to water availability and should be useful in future studies of rhizosphere interactions and crop water and nutrient management.
Wavelength Calibrations in Infrared. Part I. Some Problems Concerning the Determination of Absolute Positions of Infrared Lines

Measurements on a few of the infrared lines of water vapor, carbon dioxide, and acetylene are presented. This work was undertaken since in some instances there appeared to be a question about the absolute accuracy of the positions of band lines although good precision was obtained for the relative values. The technique used has enabled us to tie the values to the precision data available for the vibration rotation bands of the CO molecule.
Experimental Studies of Interactions between Two Unionids, Elliptio waccamawensis and Leptodea ochracea: Variation in Negative and Positive Effects

ABSTRACT We conducted a field experiment in Lake Waccamaw, North Carolina, to elucidate the responses of two unionids (Elliptio waccamawensis and Leptodea ochracea) to varying population densities. Field enclosures at two depths maintained each species in low, mixed culture, and high densities; intra- and interspecific interactions were inferred from changes in growth, tissue mass, and shell mass. The experiment lasted one year (May, 1995–1996), with interim data collected in September, 1995. E. waccamawensis did not respond to density manipulations over the annual experimental period; however, its growth was significantly reduced in the presence of L. ochracea during summer at the deeper site. This negative effect on E. waccamawensis is consistent with competition for resources, and a laboratory experiment estimating mussel grazing rates provided supporting evidence. For L. ochracea, density had no effect on annual growth at the deeper site; at the shallow site, however, high density significantly increa...
G-overhang dynamics at Tetrahymena telomeres

To learn more about the structure of the DNA terminus at Tetrahymena thermophila telomeres, we have devised a ligation-mediated primer extension protocol to accurately measure the length of the G-strand overhang. We show that overhang length and the identity of the 3′-terminal nucleotide are tightly regulated. The majority of overhangs terminate in the sequence 5′-TTGGGGT and >80% are either 14–15 or 20–21 nucleotides in length. No significant changes in overhang length were detected as cells traversed the cell cycle. However, changes in length distribution were observed when cells exited the cell cycle, indicating an altered balance between DNA synthesis and degradation or end protection. We also provide evidence that rDNA molecules have overhangs on both telomeres. Full-length rDNA could be cloned by a strategy that depends on overhangs being present at both ends. Moreover, analysis of leading strand telomeres revealed that a significant fraction have overhangs ≥5 nucleotides. Our results indicate that generation of the terminal telomeric DNA structure is highly regulated and requires several distinct DNA-processing events.
Uranium levels in the Naryn and Mailuu-Suu rivers of Kyrgyz Republic

In March of 2000, scientists from four nuclear physics research institutes in the Central Asia Republics of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, and the U.S. Sandia National Laboratories embarked on a three-year cooperative transboundary river monitoring experiment. The experiment, named Navruz (meaning “new beginning'), uses standardized methods to monitor basic water quality parameters, radionuclides, and metals in the Syr Darya and Amu Darya rivers. Overall, the project addresses three main goals: (1) to help increase capabilities in Central Asian nations for sustainable water resources management; (2) to provide a scientific basis for supporting nuclear transparency and non-proliferation in the region; and (3) to help reduce the threat of conflict in Central Asia over water resources. Contamination of these rivers is a result of growing population, urbanization, agricultural uses, and radioactive and metals contamination from a legacy of uranium mining, industry, and other activities of the former Soviet Union. The project focuses on waterborne radionuclides and metals because of the importance of these contaminants to public health and political stability in Central Asia. Moreover, the method of enabling scientists from bordering countries to study a transboundary problem, can lead to a greater scientific understanding, consensus on necessary mitigation steps, and ultimately the political resolution of the issue. The project scope, approach, and preliminary results are presented.
Colonoscopy completion and complication rates in a community gastroenterology practice.

Background In the United States, colonoscopy completion and complication rates are rarely reported outside academic institutions. Increased transparency of quality measures and outcomes is being driven by professional societies, government agencies, and private enterprise. Objective To collect and report the completion and complication rates of colonoscopy in a community gastroenterology practice. Design Single-center study, prospective for completion, retrospective for complications. Setting Community gastroenterology group practice, conducted from August 2002 through December 2004. Patients A total of 12,407 consecutive patients referred for colonoscopy; mean age, 59.7 years; 5925 men. Interventions Polypectomy and cautery were completed as indicated. Main Outcome Measures Completion of colonoscopy to cecum or ileocolonic anastomosis. Complications of hemorrhage and perforation. Results A colonoscopy was completed in 98.4% of patients. Polypectomy was accomplished in 5074 (40.9%). Polyps occurred more often in men (46.4% vs 35.8%, P P Limitations Completion not independently verifiable. Complications were collected retrospectively. Conclusions Colonoscopy completion and complication rates in this community gastroenterology practice compared favorably with U.S. academic centers. Endoscopic quality in community practices can meet published outcomes.
How do we get skaters to protect their heads

Safety equipment continues to be underused by skaters worldwide. Through their large observational study, Osberg and Stiles have added to our knowledge of the safety behaviors of in-line skaters. Their data are consistent with other observational studies showing that only a small percentage of skaters wear helmets, and a higher percentage use wrist guards.1,2 Although wrist injuries are much more common among unprotected skaters, the potential for catastrophic head injuries is greater in those with unprotected heads. In a survey of in-line skaters in public parks, 5% of all reported injuries involved the head.3 In a prospective study of patients with in-line skating injuries seen in an emergency department, 6% had head injuries necessitating a computed tomographic scan.4 The low percentage of skaters observed wearing helmets is cause for concern. Osberg and Stiles found a huge disparity between the rate of helmet use (5.7%) and wrist guard use (60.5%). We need to get skaters to use their helmets as often as their wrist guards.
Evaluations of Tests Used for Making Selection and Promotion Decisions

Participants (N= 212) rated the fairness, job relevance, appropriateness, and invasiveness of 16 tests that could be used to select or promote people into production or management positions. Fairness, job relevance and appropriateness were highly correlated, and were combined to form a composite evaluation scale. Evaluations and invasiveness ratings varied among the 16 tests, with the most positive ratings given to interviews and work samples and the most negative ratings given to astrology, graphology and polygraphs. Evaluations of four tests were affected by the position (manager vs. production worker). Evaluations of 11 tests and invasiveness ratings of two tests were affected by respondent experience with the test. Respondents who had experienced the tests evaluated them more positively and considered them to entail a smaller invasion of privacy. Responses were not affected by whether the test was to be used for selection versus promotion decisions.
Maintaining constant WIP-regulation dynamics in production networks with autonomous work systems

In this paper, a method is presented for information sharing in production networks with large numbers of autonomous work systems for the purpose of maintaining constant dynamic properties when the structure of physical order flows between the work systems is omni-directional and variable. It is shown that information sharing is necessary if undesirable behaviors such as oscillation or slow response are to be avoided. A method for designing the dynamic properties of such networks is presented along with a method for distributed computation and communication of information needed to locally compensate for the expected order flows from other work systems.
A property of planar convex bodies

It is proved that from each interior point of a planar convex body emanate three distinct vectors terminating on the boundary, the sum of any two of which also terminates in the boundary. Some other related results are obtained.
Sonography in first trimester bleeding

Vaginal bleeding is the most common cause of presentation to the emergency department in the first trimester. Approximately half of patients with first trimester vaginal bleeding will lose the pregnancy. Clinical assessment is difficult, and sonography is necessary to determine if a normal fetus is present and alive and to exclude other causes of bleeding (eg, ectopic or molar pregnancy). Diagnosis of a normal intrauterine pregnancy not only helps the physician in terms of management but also gives psychologic relief to the patient. Improved ultrasound technology and high-frequency endovaginal transducers have enabled early diagnosis of abnormal and ectopic pregnancies, decreasing maternal morbidity and mortality. The main differential considerations of first trimester bleeding are spontaneous abortion, ectopic pregnancy, or gestational trophoblastic disease. This article reviews the causes of first trimester bleeding and the sonographic findings, including normal features of first trimester pregnancy.
Representation as ‘Spokespersonship’: Bruno Latour's Political Theory

In his most recent book, The Politics of Nature, Bruno Latour offers political ecologists an unusual piece of advice. To paraphrase, the gambit goes something like this: Next time you are called up...
Universal upper bound on the entropy-to-energy ratio for bounded systems

We present evidence for the existence of a universal upper bound of magnitude $\frac{2\ensuremath{\pi}R}{\ensuremath{\hbar}c}$ to the entropy-to-energy ratio $\frac{S}{E}$ of an arbitrary system of effective radius $R$. For systems with negligible self-gravity, the bound follows from application of the second law of thermodynamics to a gedanken experiment involving a black hole. Direct statistical arguments are also discussed. A microcanonical approach of Gibbons illustrates for simple systems (gravitating and not) the reason behind the bound, and the connection of $R$ with the longest dimension of the system. A more general approach establishes the bound for a relativistic field system contained in a cavity of arbitrary shape, or in a closed universe. Black holes also comply with the bound; in fact they actually attain it. Thus, as long suspected, black holes have the maximum entropy for given mass and size which is allowed by quantum theory and general relativity.
Positional specificity tests in co-culture of retinal and tectal explants

Abstract In previous studies we demonstrated that HRP-labeled ganglion-cell axons arising from fetal mouse retinal explants can distinguish appropriate (tectum) from inappropriate (spinal cord) CNS target regions in vitro. Retinal fibers preferentially invade the tectum where they ramify, develop terminal arbors, and make functional connections. The present study attempts to determine if fibers from a half-retina prefer the ‘appropriate’ half-region of a tectal explant. In one series, nasal or temporal halves were placed near the medial edge of the tectum, to test turning toward or away from the appropriate (posterior or anterior) half-tectal region. Several co-cultures showed apparent preferences, especially those with many ingrowing retinal fibers; but in other co-cultures the data were equivocal. A second paradigm placed the half-retinas near anterior or posterior tectal edges, and simply scored presence vs absence of retinal fiber ramifications within the nearest tectal half-region. This identified entry of retinal fibers into appropriate vs inappropriate half-tectal region in 8 out of 8 blind scorings. These data encourage further, more critical analyses of retinotectal co-cultures to explore the basis of the specific neuritic connections which form in situ.
Reaction Cross-Sections for N-14 + B-10

Excitation functions for the yields of eleven residual nuclei from the $^{14}\mathrm{N}$+ $^{14}\mathrm{N}$ reaction have been measured over the range ${E}_{\mathrm{c}.\mathrm{m}.}=7\ensuremath{-}25$ MeV in steps of \ensuremath{\sim} 250 keV with $\ensuremath{\gamma}$-ray techniques. The magnitude and energy dependence of the excitation functions for the partial yields are very different from those for the $^{12}\mathrm{C}$+ $^{16}\mathrm{O}$ system. The total fusion cross section is similar to that from $^{12}\mathrm{C}$+ $^{16}\mathrm{O}$ when compared at the same center of mass energy, but appears to saturate at an energy and magnitude which are lower than expected from previous systematics. Small, regular fluctuations can be seen in the fusion cross section at the 1-2% level.NUCLEAR REACTIONS $^{14}\mathrm{N}(^{14}\mathrm{N}, x)$; ${E}_{\mathrm{c}.\mathrm{m}.}=7\ensuremath{-}25$ MeV; measured excitation functions for production of $A=16\ensuremath{-}27$ reaction products, observed small structures at ${E}_{\mathrm{c}.\mathrm{m}.}=15.0, 17.1, 18.5, 20.4, \mathrm{and} 22.0$ MeV; deduced critical angular momentum for fusion.
Anomalous commutator algebra for conformal quantum mechanics

The structure of the commutator algebra for conformal quantum mechanics is considered. Specifically, it is shown that the emergence of a dimensional scale by renormalization implies the existence of an anomaly or quantum-mechanical symmetry breaking, which is explicitly displayed at the level of the generators of the SO(2,1) conformal group. Correspondingly, the associated breakdown of the conservation of the dilation and special conformal charges is derived.
Ozone effects on inhibitors of human neutrophil proteinases

Abstract The effects of ozone on human α 1 -proteinase inhibitor (A-1-PI), α 1 -antichymotrypsin (A-1-Achy), bronchial leukocyte proteinase inhibitor (BLPI), and Eglin C were studied using in vitro exposures in phosphate-buffered solutions. Following ozone exposure, inhibitory activities against human neutrophil elastase (HNE) and/or cathepsin G (Cat G) were measured. Exposure of A-1-PI to 50 mol O 3 /mol protein resulted in a complete loss of HNE inhibitory activity, whereas A-1-Achy lost only 50% of its Cat G inhibitory activity and remained half active even after exposure to 250 mol of O 3 . At 40 mol O 3 / mol protein, BLPI lost 79% of its activity against HNE and 87% of its Cat G inhibitory activity. Eglin C, a leech-derived inhibitor, lost 81% of its HNE inhibitory activity and 92% of its ability to inhibit Cat G when exposed to 40 mol O 3 /mol. Amino acid analyses of ozone-exposed inhibitors showed destruction of Trp, Met, Tyr, and His with as little as 10 mol O 3 /mol protein, and higher levels of O 3 resulted in more extensive oxidation of susceptible residues. The variable ozone susceptibility of the different amino acid residues in the four proteins indicated that oxidation was a function of protein structure, as well as the inherent susceptibility of particular amino acids. Exposure of A-1-PI and BLPI in the presence of the antioxidants, Trolox C (water soluble vitamin E) and ascorbic acid (vitamin C), showed that antioxidant vitamins may protect proteins from oxidative inactivation by ozone. Methionine-specific modification of BLPI reduced its HNE and Cat G inhibitory activities. Two moles of N -chlorosuccinimide per mole of BLPI methionine caused an 80% reduction in activity against Cat G, but only a 40% reduction in HNE inhibitory activity.
Field-enhanced electron mobility by nonlinear phonon scattering of Dirac electrons in semiconducting graphene nanoribbons

The calculated electron mobility for a graphene nanoribbon as a function of applied electric field has been found to have a large threshold field for entering a nonlinear transport regime. This field depends on the lattice temperature, electron density, impurity scattering strength, nanoribbon width, and correlation length for the line-edge roughness. An enhanced electron mobility beyond this threshold has been observed, which is related to the initially-heated electrons in high energy states with a larger group velocity. However, this mobility enhancement quickly reaches a maximum due to the Fermi velocity in graphene and the dramatically increased phonon scattering. Superlinear and sublinear temperature dependence of mobility seen in the linear and nonlinear transport regimes. By analyzing the calculated nonequilibrium electron distribution function, this difference is attributed separately to the results of sweeping electrons from the right Fermi edge to the left one through the elastic scattering and moving electrons from low-energy states to high-energy ones through field-induced electron heating. The threshold field is pushed up by a decreased correlation length in the high-field regime and is further accompanied by a reduced magnitude in the mobility enhancement. This implies an anomalous high-field increase of the line-edge roughness scattering with decreasing correlation length due to the occupation of high-energy states by field-induced electron heating.
Stochastic technology, production organization and costs

Abstract Using a model including patients, physicians, insurers and uncertain diagnostic technology, the optimal cesarean rate is derived from preferences, technology and the incidence rate, when the choice of insured patients is constrained only by technology. Uncertain diagnosis produces unnecessary cesareans and unsafe vaginal births. Technical progress can lead to more cesareans and higher costs. Joint production of goods and bads and collective payments require incentive compatible pricing schemes, different from RBRVS. Equilibrium outcomes of HMOs and fee-for-service organizations are identical. However, implementable incentive schemes involve additional costs. Efficiency requires insurers, and not providers, to be liable for malpractice claims.
A Review of Additive Manufacturing

Additive manufacturing processes take the information from a computer-aided design (CAD) file that is later converted to a stereolithography (STL) file. In this process, the drawing made in the CAD software is approximated by triangles and sliced containing the information of each layer that is going to be printed. There is a discussion of the relevant additive manufacturing processes and their applications. The aerospace industry employs them because of the possibility of manufacturing lighter structures to reduce weight. Additive manufacturing is transforming the practice of medicine and making work easier for architects. In 2004, the Society of Manufacturing Engineers did a classification of the various technologies and there are at least four additional significant technologies in 2012. Studies are reviewed which were about the strength of products made in additive manufacturing processes. However, there is still a lot of work and research to be accomplished before additive manufacturing technologies become standard in the manufacturing industry because not every commonly used manufacturing material can be handled. The accuracy needs improvement to eliminate the necessity of a finishing process. The continuous and increasing growth experienced since the early days and the successful results up to the present time allow for optimism that additive manufacturing has a significant place in the future of manufacturing.
Physical Simulation of Friction Stir Welding and Processing of Nickel-Base Alloys Using Hot Torsion

The Gleeble hot torsion test was utilized in an attempt to simulate the friction stir-processed microstructure of three Ni-base alloys: Hastelloy X, Alloy 625, and Alloy 718. The simulation temperatures were based on actual thermal cycles measured by embedded thermocouples during friction stir processing of these alloys. Peak process temperatures were determined to be approximately 1423 K (1150 °C) for Hastelloy X and Alloy 625 K and 1373 K (352 °C and 1100 °C) for Alloy 718. The peak temperature and cooling rates were programed into the Gleeble™ 3800 thermo-mechanical simulator to reproduce the stir zone and thermo-mechanically affected zone (TMAZ) microstructures. The TMAZ was successfully simulated using this technique, but the stir zone microstructure could not be accurately reproduced, with hot torsion samples exhibiting larger grain size than actual friction stir processing trials. Shear stress and strain rates as a function of temperature were determined for each material using hot torsion simulation.
Muscle activation patterns in subjects with and without low back pain

Abstract Newcomer KL, Jacobson TD, Gabriel DA, Larson DR, Brey RH, An K-N. Muscle activation patterns in subjects with and without low back pain. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2002;83:816-21. Objective: To analyze muscle activation patterns during various footplate perturbations, used as proprioceptive challenges in patients with low back pain (LBP) and in controls. Design: A prospective and controlled comparative study. Setting: Outpatient clinic. Participants: Twenty subjects with chronic LBP and 20 age- and sex-matched controls. Interventions: The subjects underwent 5 sets of footplate perturbations in 3 directions with 16 perturbations for each set. Main Outcome Measures: Latency, frequency, and asymmetry of muscle activation of the erector spinae, rectus abdominus, anterior tibialis, and gastrocnemius muscles were measured bilaterally with surface electromyography. Results: In the toes-up movements, subjects with LBP were significantly less likely to activate their rectus abdominus muscles ( P =.02), and they were more likely to exhibit asymmetric muscle activation in the smaller forward movements (odds ratio=4.1, P =.03). The latter result appears to be driven by asymmetric contraction of the erector spinae and rectus abdominus. Conclusions: Significantly more subjects with LBP than control subjects exhibited absent firing of trunk muscles during 2 of the 5 footplate perturbations. These results suggest an abnormality of the neuromuscular loop and may represent altered proprioception. © 2002 by the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine and the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Adenovirus-based short hairpin RNA vectors containing an EGFP marker and mouse U6, human H1, or human U6 promoter.

Swap Shop With the popularity of siRNA for gene silencing, it would be easy to imagine that molecular biology supply companies market every possible iteration of shRNA expression vector. While it i...
Preparation of tungsten and tungsten carbide submicron powders in a chlorine-hydrogen flame by the chemical vapor phase reaction

Abstract A hydrogen-chlorine flame chemical vapor deposition reactor has been developed to synthesize ultrafine powders of refractory compounds (e.g. carbides and nitrides). At the laboratory scale, synthesis of tungsten and tungsten carbides (both (WC)1−itx and α-W2C) gave encouraging results. The collected refractory powders do not have internal porosity, they exhibit spherical shape and have a very narrow size distribution. The size of the particles and the crystalline structure depends on the flame temperature, flow rate of the reactants and residence time of particles. In short, they depend on the flame characteristics. Thermochemical calculations were carried out to obtain the optimum conditions for different carbide powder synthesis. The flame is completely characterized and the temperature distribution within the reactor is obtained.
Surviving Lecture: A Pedagogical Alternative.

Lecture is the approach traditionally used to teach music theory courses. Although efficient in the delivery of large amounts of information in a short period of time, lecture lacks the effectiveness of an active learning approach. "Theory Survivor" is a unique cooperative-learning method based on the Student Teams-Achievement Divisions technique created by Robert Slavin. It combines the efficiency of lecture with the effectiveness of active learning. Using the motivational forces of group cohesion, extrinsic rewards, and positive peer pressure to its advantage, Theory Survivor provides a rich educational environment in which students thrive.
Urinary N-acetyl-β-d-glucosaminidase in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats☆

Excretion of urinary N-acetyl-β-d-glucosaminidase has been found to be elevated in diabetic humans and rats. This urinary glycosidase may reflect blood sugar control over time, since it has been significantly and positively correlated with hemoglobin A1 in children with insulin-dependent diabetes. Other studies have suggested that urinary NAG may predict diabetic nephropathy. In order to more carefully define the relationship between urinary NAG excretion and blood and urine sugars, hemoglobin A1, and microalbuminuria, 48 rats were made diabetic by the use of streptozotocin. All rats were uninephrectomized at 3 weeks. Of these, 23 were treated with daily insulin injections, 25 were untreated, and both groups were compared to 13 control, nondiabetic rats. Urine volume, glucose, albumin, and blood sugar were all significantly (P < 0.05) elevated in the untreated rats compared to the treated and control groups. Urinary NAG:UCr was significantly (P < 0.01) elevated in the untreated group with lower but still elevated levels (P < 0.05) in the treated rats. To further define the time course of the increase in UNAG:UCr 12 rats were followed serially at 12-hr intervals for 92 hr after streptozotocin. Urinary NAG increased significantly (P < 0.05) at 12 hr after streptozotocin injection and reached a plateau at 36 hr while hemoglobin A1 did not rise until 2 weeks after onset of hyperglycemia. Urinary NAG increases more rapidly than hemoglobin A1 after onset of hyperglycemia and glycosuria. Although it does not reflect blood sugar control over as long a time period, it does, however, reflect varying degrees of hyperglycemia and glycosuria.
Levels of 137Cs and 40K in wood ash-amended soils

Abstract Wood ash is a residual material produced at an annual rate of 1.5–3.0 million tons by wood burning power plants in the USA. Up to 80% of the wood ash generated in northeastern USA is landspread on agricultural soils. Recently, concern has arisen regarding the 137Cs content of wood ash and levels of 137Cs of wood ash-amended soils. The 137Cs originated primarily from above ground nuclear weapons testing in the 1950s and 1960s. This study examined the total and pH 3, NH4OAc extractable levels of 137Cs and 40K in three soils incubated in the laboratory with 0, 3 and 9 g of wood ash on a calcium carbonate equivalence basis kg−1 soil. The wood ash contained 137Cs and 40K at 3920 and 21700 pCi kg−1, respectively. At the regulated wood ash application rate limit, 3 g wood ash (calcium carbonate equivalent basis) kg−1 of soil, there was no statistical difference from the control treatment in both total and soluble 137Cs and 40K levels. For one soil, there was an increase in the 137Cs level when wood ash was amended at 9 g wood ash (calcium carbonate equivalent basis) kg−1 soil. The 137Cs was strongly bound to the cation exchange sites of the soils with the average fraction soluble in pH 3, NH4OAc solution at 4.8% in the mineral soils and 0.9% in the organic soil. Considering the current limits on permitted wood ash application rates to soils, there was no statistically significant effect on the levels of 137Cs or 40K found in wood ash-amended soils.
Expression and role of VEGF in the adult retinal pigment epithelium.

Purpose Despite a lack of active angiogenesis, VEGF is expressed in nearly every adult tissue, and recent evidence suggests that VEGF may serve as a survival factor for both vascular and nonvascular tissues. VEGF blockade is a widely used treatment for neovascular diseases such as wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Therefore, it was sought in this study to evaluate the expression and role of endogenous VEGF in RPE. Methods VEGF and VEGFR2 expression in the murine retina were assessed during development. Bevacizumab was used to neutralize VEGF in ARPE-19 cells, and the effects on cell survival and apical microvill were assessed by TUNEL and SEM, respectively. VEGF was systemically neutralized in vivo by adenoviral-mediated overexpression of soluble VEGFR1 (sFlt). RPE and choriocapillaris were analyzed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Changes in gene expression were evaluated by quantitative real-time PCR. Results VEGF expression was detected in the developing RPE as early as embryonic day (E) 9.5, whereas VEGFR2 expression by RPE began nonuniformly between postnatal (P) day 6.5 and P8.5. VEGF neutralization in vitro led to increased apoptosis and reduced microvilli density and length. Systemic VEGF neutralization led to transient degenerative changes; RPE were vacuolated and separated from photoreceptor outer segments, and choriocapillaris fenestrations were decreased. VEGF levels were elevated in RPE of Ad-sFlt1 mice at day 4 postinfection, and there was increased expression of the neurotrophic factor CD59a at day 14. Conclusions These results indicate that VEGF plays a critical role in survival and maintenance of RPE integrity. Potential undesired off-target effects should be considered with chronic use of anti-VEGF agents.
Graded structure and the speed of category verification: On the moderating effects of anticipatory control for social vs. non-social categories ☆

Abstract Speeded classification tasks have widely been used as leverage to discern whether exemplars are considered to be typical or atypical members of categories. However, little is known about the possibly different nature of the mechanisms that underlie such reactions for “social” vs. “non-social” categories. We presented participants with typical and atypical exemplars to classify and manipulated the opportunity that participants had to control their responses by varying whether stimulus onset asynchrony (SOA) was short (350 ms) or long (2000 ms). For non-social categories (e.g., BIRD), participants were faster to classify typical instances than atypical instances, regardless of SOA. In contrast, we predicted and found that manipulating SOA strongly moderated the pattern of response times when motives for control were greater, as was the case when participants were presented with occupations relevant to racial stereotypes (e.g., DOCTORS and JANITORS). The implications of these findings, and their relation to effects observed with gender-based occupational stereotypes, are discussed.
Built Environment and Physical Functioning in Hispanic Elders: The Role of “Eyes on the Street”

BackgroundResearch on neighborhood effects increasingly includes the influences of the built environment on health and social well-being.ObjectivesIn this population-based study in a low-socioecono...
THE DARK MATTER DISTRIBUTION IN A383: EVIDENCE FOR A SHALLOW DENSITY CUSP FROM IMPROVED LENSING, STELLAR KINEMATIC, AND X-RAY DATA

We extend our analyses of the dark matter (DM) distribution in relaxed clusters to the case of A383, a luminous X-ray cluster at z = 0.189 with a dominant central galaxy and numerous strongly lensed features. Following our earlier papers, we combine strong and weak lensing constraints secured with Hubble Space Telescope and Subaru imaging with the radial profile of the stellar velocity dispersion of the central galaxy, essential for separating the baryonic mass distribution in the cluster core. Hydrostatic mass estimates from Chandra X-ray observations further constrain the solution. These combined data sets provide nearly continuous constraints extending from 2 kpc to 1.5 Mpc in radius, allowing stringent tests of results from recent numerical simulations. Two key improvements in our data and its analysis make this the most robust case yet for a shallow slope β of the DM density profile ρDM ∝ r^(–β) on small scales. First, following deep Keck spectroscopy, we have secured the stellar velocity dispersion profile to a radius of 26 kpc for the first time in a lensing cluster. Second, we improve our previous analysis by adopting a triaxial DM distribution and axisymmetric dynamical models. We demonstrate that in this remarkably well-constrained system, the logarithmic slope of the DM density at small radii is β < 1.0 (95% confidence). An improved treatment of baryonic physics is necessary, but possibly insufficient, to reconcile our observations with the recent results of high-resolution simulations.
Why do Hispanics in the USA report poor health

Abstract Despite the health and survival advantages of Hispanics relative to non-Hispanic whites in the USA, Hispanics report themselves to be in worse health than whites. Prior research indicates that these ethnic differences in self-rated health (SRH), measured by a simple question asking individuals to assess their overall health status, persist in the presence of an extensive set of explanatory variables. In this paper we use data from the first wave of the Los Angeles Family and Neighborhood Survey (L.A.FANS-1) to test three hypotheses regarding Hispanic–white differences in SRH. We evaluate whether poorer health reports among Hispanics result from: (1) acculturation and language-related differences in reports; (2) measures of socioeconomic status (SES) that are often omitted in other studies; and (3) somatization of emotional distress by Hispanics. Our results provide new insights into the validity of these explanations and suggest avenues for future research. First, they underscore the importance of language of interview over other measures of acculturation, suggesting that translation issues between the Spanish and English versions of the SRH question may give rise to some of the differences. Second, adjustment for SES—especially years of schooling—narrows, but does not eliminate, the gap between whites’ and Hispanics’ SRH. Finally, although respondents who are depressed are more likely to report poor SRH, this study provides little evidence to support the somatization hypothesis. The second wave of L.A.FANS incorporates new questions that are likely to permit more in-depth assessments of these hypotheses in future analyses.
Early signs of anomalous neural functional connectivity in healthy offspring of parents with bipolar disorder

Objectives Bipolar disorder (BD) has been associated with dysfunctional brain connectivity and with family chaos. It is not known whether aberrant connectivity occurs before illness onset, representing vulnerability for developing BD amidst family chaos. We used resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to examine neural network dysfunction in healthy offspring living with parents with BD and healthy comparison youth. Methods Using two complementary methodologies [data-driven independent component analysis (ICA) and hypothesis-driven region-of-interest (ROI)-based intrinsic connectivity], we examined resting-state fMRI data in 8–17-year-old healthy offspring of a parent with BD (n = 24; high risk) and age-matched healthy youth without any personal or family psychopathology (n = 25; low risk). Results ICA revealed that, relative to low-risk youth, high-risk youth showed increased connectivity in the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (VLPFC) subregion of the left executive control network (ECN), which includes frontoparietal regions important for emotion regulation. ROI-based analyses revealed that high-risk versus low-risk youth had decreased connectivities between the left amygdala and pregenual cingulate, between the subgenual cingulate and supplementary motor cortex, and between the left VLPFC and left caudate. High-risk youth showed stronger connections in the VLPFC with age and higher functioning, which may be neuroprotective, and weaker connections between the left VLPFC and caudate with more family chaos, suggesting an environmental influence on frontostriatal connectivity. Conclusions Healthy offspring of parents with BD show atypical patterns of prefrontal and subcortical intrinsic connectivity that may be early markers of resilience to or vulnerability for developing BD. Longitudinal studies are needed to determine whether these patterns predict outcomes.
Photobleaching recovery studies of membrane events accompanying lectin stimulation of rabbit lymphocytes.

Abstract Fluorescence photobleaching recovery methods reveal marked changes in lateral mobilities of rabbit lymphocyte membrane components during the course of stimulation with succinyl concanavalin A (S Con A). The diffusion constant of S Con A receptors on T lymphocytes falls from 1.6×10−10 cm2/sec to 6.5×10−11 cm2/sec within 4 hr after stimulation, remains constant for 14 hr, and returns to its former value. The mobility of B cell receptors similarly falls from 1.4×10−10 cm2/sec to 5.5×10−11 cm2/sec but regains its unstimulated value much more slowly. In contrast, a fluorescent phospholipid analog shows constant mobilities of 1.9×10−8 cm2/sec and 1.5×10−8 cm2/sec in T and B cells, respectively, throughout the experiment.
A search for leptonic quarks

Abstract A search for leptonic quarks (non-strongly interacting fractionally charged particles) was performed at the Cambridge electron accelerator. No fractionally charged particles were detected. The following limits on the quark mass were calculated assuming that the Bethe-Heitler pair production cross section describes the production process. Charge (z Q ) = 1 3 : M Q ⩾ 780 MeV or M Q ⩾ 0.5 MeV . 2 3 : M Q ⩾ 840 MeV or M Q ⩾ 2.0 MeV .
Development of an Optogenetic Sensor of Membrane Potential

Living organisms use voltage to transmit information over distances ranging from nanometers to meters. Traditional probes of voltage rely on physical electrodes which are invasive and can be used only in limited numbers. Here we present a voltage-sensitive fluorescent protein based on green-absorbing proteorhodopsin. The Proteorhodopsin Optical Proton Sensor (PROPS) has a far red excitation, a near infrared emission, is highly photostable, and is exquisitely sensitive to membrane potential. This protein has no homology to GFP or to any existing indicator of membrane potential. Using PROPS we have recorded for the first time electrical activity in live bacteria and saw 5-fold changes in fluorescence. We have also put it into eukaryotic cells in order to record electrical activity from neurons. PROPS represents a new optogenetic tool in the quest for an all optical neural interface.
Structural studies on porcine brain tubulin in extended sheets

Abstract Structural studies have been conducted on porcine brain tubulin, assembled into microtubule-related structures, by electron microscopy in conjunction with optical diffraction and image reconstruction techniques. By minimizing background noise and sample damage, we have improved the resolution on negatively stained samples, extending the data from the previous limit of a 42 A layer line to an additional layer line at 21 A. The new reflections confirm the basic surface lattice proposed from the earlier studies and extend the structural features that can be assigned to individual tubulin molecules. Data are obtained for microtubules in standard buffers for both the helical form and flat sheets of up to 13 protofilaments. When zinc is added to the preparations, sheets with more than 13 protofilaments are formed and the extended lattices provide more reflections on both the 42 A and 21 A layer lines, as well as the equator. The lattice in the presence of zinc differs considerably from the normal lattice, with adjacent protofilaments staggered by 21 A, compared to the staggering of adjacent filaments of about 10 A in the absence of zinc. There is also a distinct pairing of adjacent protofilaments in the zinc-induced sheets. Initial studies with the Unwin-Henderson method on unstained zinc-tubulin sheets suggest that the adjacent protofilaments may be related by a dyad axis, either perpendicular or parallel to the protofilament axes.
Note: On direct product cancellation of graphs

The direct product of graphs obeys a limited cancellation property. Lovasz proved that if C has an odd cycle then [email protected]?BxC if and only if [email protected]?B, but cancellation can fail if C is bipartite. This note investigates the ways cancellation can fail. Given a graph A and a bipartite graph C, we classify the graphs B for which [email protected]?BxC. Further, we give exact conditions on A that guarantee [email protected]?BxC implies [email protected]?B. Combined with Lovasz's result, this completely characterizes the situations in which cancellation holds or fails.
Extracorporeal life support for a 5-week-old infant with idiopathic pulmonary hemosiderosis

Idiopathic pulmonary hemosiderosis is a rare disease defined by the triad of iron deficiency anemia, hemoptysis, and diffuse pulmonary infiltrates on chest radiograph. Idiopathic pulmonary hemosiderosis is known to cause dyspnea and, in some cases, acute onset of massive pulmonary hemorrhage which is traditionally treated with conventional mechanical ventilation or high-frequency oscillation in conjunction with immunosuppressive therapy. In this case report, we describe a 5-week-old infant presenting with hemoptysis, massive pulmonary hemorrhage, and significant hypercapnic respiratory failure. The patient failed conventional ventilation but responded well to extracorporeal life support that was initiated early in his course. Idiopathic pulmonary hemosiderosis was suspected in light of his response to high-dose steroids and was confirmed by subsequent lung biopsies. Conclusion: Patients with severe pulmonary hemorrhage secondary to idiopathic pulmonary hemosiderosis can be safely supported with extracorporeal life support when conventional therapies have been exhausted.
Optimal injection strategies for surfactant flooding enhanced oil recovery using a streamtube reservoir simulator

Abstract Optimal injection strategies for a two-dimensional, pilot surfactant/polymer flood were calculated using a streamtube surfactant/polymer reservoir simulator. The task was formulated as a discrete optimal control problem. Optimal injection strategies were defined as those which maximized profit from the process. Discounted cash flow was included in the algorithm, but it did not significantly affect the optimal injection strategies due to the relatively short injection period. Final converged control strategies that maximized the performance functional were found to be nonunique and sensitive to the initial anions injection policy. However, approximately the same value of the performance measure was reached in all cases. By optimizing a mathematical model of the process, new insights into the weaknesses of the simulator were indicated.
Organizational Politics and Planned Organization Change A Pragmatic Approach

Since the late 1960s, the political aspect of planned organizational change has received considerable attention. But despite the increasing acceptance of the fact that organizational change is inex...
Endothelin-1 effects on aqueous humor dynamics in monkeys.

Purpose To report data showing no effect of endothelin-1 on aqueous humor formation and total outflow facility in the cynomolgus monkey, in contrast to the enhancement of outflow facility in monkeys and the suppression of aqueous humor flow in rabbits previously reported by others. Methods Living monkeys received, unilaterally: (i) intracameral endothelin-1 (10 microl bolus, or 2ml or 4ml exchange; final intracameral concentration 1 or 10 nM) with total outflow facility measured for up to 1 hr post-treatment by two-level constant pressure perfusion, and (ii) intravitreal endothelin-1 (20 microl, final intravitreal concentration 0.1 or 1 microM) with aqueous humor flow measured by scanning fluorophotometry for 5 hr starting 12 hr post-treatment. Contralateral eyes received vehicle. Results Endothelin-1 had no effect on total outflow facility or aqueous humor flow with any of the methods described. Conclusion Endothelin-1 seems have a variable effect on aqueous humor dynamics within and between species.
Constitutive modeling of fiber composites with a soft hyperelastic matrix

This paper presents an experimental and numerical study of unidirectional carbon fiber composites with a silicone matrix, loaded transversally to the fibers. The experiments show nonlinear behavior with significant strain softening under cyclic loading. The numerical study uses a plane-strain finite element continuum model of the composite material in which the fiber distribution is based on experimental observations and cohesive elements allow debonding to take place at the fiber/matrix interfaces. It is found that accurate estimates of the initial tangent stiffness measured in the experiments can be obtained without allowing for debonding, but this feature has to be included to capture the non-linear and strain-softening behavior.