cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Assessment of the Vapor Phase Catalytic Ammonia Removal (VPCAR) Technology at the MSFC ECLS Test Facility

The Vapor Phase Catalytic Ammonia. Removal (VPCAR) technology has been previously discussed as a viable option for. the Exploration Water Recovery System. This technology integrates a phase change process with catalytic oxidation in the vapor phase to produce potable water from exploration mission wastewaters. A developmental prototype VPCAR was designed, built and tested under funding provided by a National Research. Announcement (NRA) project. The core technology, a Wiped Film Rotating Device (WFRD) was provided by Water Reuse Technologies under the NRA, whereas Hamilton Sundstrand Space Systems International performed the hardware integration and acceptance test. of the system. Personnel at the-Ames Research Center performed initial systems test of the VPCAR using ersatz solutions. To assess the viability of this hardware for Exploration. Life Support (ELS) applications, the hardware has been modified and tested at the MSFC ECLS Test facility. This paper summarizes the hardware modifications and test results and provides an assessment of this technology for the ELS application.
Electrical stimulation enhances functional recovery after sciatic nerve injury (89.7)

Direct injury to the sciatic nerve is a major clinical problem facing surgeons, as it leads to loss of limb function and devastation to a patient’s quality of life. Presently, no non-surgical treat...
A Pilot Study of a Self-Management Intervention for Cognitive Impairment in Epilepsy (S43.001)

OBJECTIVE: To assess the feasibility and effectiveness of a self-management intervention to address cognitive dysfunction in adults with epilepsy at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Epilepsy Center. BACKGROUND: Approximately 50% of the 2 million people in the US living with epilepsy will have cognitive problems. Despite the significant impact cognitive functioning has on quality of life, there are limited treatment modalities with which to intervene. DESIGN/METHODS: HOBSCOTCH (HOme Based Self-management and Cognitive Training CHanges lives) was developed to teach problem-solving strategies and compensatory memory strategies. Adults age 18-65 with epilepsy and subjective cognitive complaints were randomized to receive HOBSCOTCH, HOBSCOTCH+ (which adds working memory training) or care as usual. The primary outcome was quality of life (QOLIE-31), with secondary outcomes of objective memory function and depression as measured by validated scales. In addition, a focus group was conducted to obtain quantitative data about patient satisfaction with the intervention. RESULTS: Pilot data (n=16) demonstrated that HOBSCOTCH participants (n=9) demonstrated an improvement in QOLIE-31 scores as compared to controls (average change in score 6.3 vs -5.8, p=0.01). There was a trend towards reduction in depression and improvement in objective memory scores. Qualitative data indicate high satisfaction and subjective improvement in cognitive functioning in day-to-day life. CONCLUSIONS: Cognitive problems are common in epilepsy, are multifactorial, & significantly affect quality of life. This pilot data suggests that a self-management intervention may improve cognitive performance in patients with epilepsy, and may be applicable to other patient populations or clinical settings. The effectiveness of HOBSCOTCH in epilepsy is currently being evaluated in a randomized trial. Study Supported by: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (3U48DP001935-04S3). Disclosure: Dr. Caller has nothing to disclose. Dr. Secore has nothing to disclose. Dr. Ferguson has nothing to disclose. Dr. Roth has nothing to disclose. Dr. Alexandre has nothing to disclose. Dr. Harrington has nothing to disclose. Dr. Jobst has received personal compensation for activities with NeuroPace, Inc. Dr. Jobst has received personal compensation in an editorial capacity for Medlink Inc. Dr. Jobst has received research support from NeuroPace, Inc., UCB Pharma, and Lundbeck Inc.
A model composition for Mars derived from the oxygen isotopic ratios of martian/SNC meteorites

Oxygen is the most abundant element in most meteorites, yet the ratios of its isotopes are seldom used to constrain the compositional history of achondrites. The two major achondrite groups have O isotope signatures that differ from any plausible chondritic precursors and lie between the ordinary and carbonaceous chondrite domains. If the assumption is made that the present global sampling of chondritic meteorites reflects the variability of O reservoirs at the time of planetessimal/planet aggregation in the early nebula, then the O in these groups must reflect mixing between known chondritic reservoirs. This approach, in combination with constraints based on Fe-Mn-Mg systematics, has been used previously to model the composition of the basaltic achondrite parent body (BAP) and provides a model precursor composition that is generally consistent with previous eucrite parent body (EPB) estimates. The same approach is applied to Mars exploiting the assumption that the SNC and related meteorites sample the martian lithosphere. Model planet and planetesimal compositions can be derived by mixing of known chondritic components using O isotope ratios as the fundamental compositional constraint. The major- and minor-element composition for Mars derived here and that derived previously for the basaltic achondrite parent body are, in many respects, compatible with model compositions generated using completely independent constraints. The role of volatile elements and alkalis in particular remains a major difficulty in applying such models.
Absorbed dose calculations to blood and blood vessels for internally deposited radionuclides

At present, absorbed dose calculations for radionuclides in the human circulatory system used relatively simple models and are restricted in their applications. To determine absorbed doses to the blood and to the surface of the blood vessel wall, EGS4 Monte Carlo calculations were performed. Absorbed doses were calculated for the blood and the blood vessel wall (lumen) for different blood vessels sizes. The radionuclides chosen for this study were those commonly used in nuclear medicine. No penetration of the radionuclide into the blood vessel was assumed nor was cross fire between the vessel assumed. The results are useful in assessing the dose to blood and blood vessel walls for different nuclear medicine procedures.
The prediction and diagnosis of wind turbine faults

The rapid expansion of wind farms has drawn attention to operations and maintenance issues. Condition monitoring solutions have been developed to detect and diagnose abnormalities of various wind turbine subsystems with the goal of reducing operations and maintenance costs. This paper explores fault data provided by the supervisory control and data acquisition system and offers fault prediction at three levels: (1) fault and no-fault prediction; (2) fault category (severity); and (3) the specific fault prediction. For each level, the emerging faults are predicted 5–60 min before they occur. Various data-mining algorithms have been applied to develop models predicting possible faults. Computational results validating the models are provided. The research limitations are discussed.
Observations on the complexity of regular expression problems

Abstract Several observations are presented on the computational complexity of regular expression problems. The equivalence and containment problems are shown to require more than linear time on any multiple tape deterministic Turing machine. The complexity of the equivalence and containment problems is shown to be “essentially” independent of the structure of the languages represented. Subclasses of the regular grammars, that generate all regular sets but for which equivalence and containment are provably decidable deterministically in polynomial time, are also presented. As corollaries several program scheme problems studied in the literature are shown to be decidable deterministically in polynomial time.
Partial Wave Analysis of the Experimental Photomeson Cross Sections

The experimental data concerning photopion production is studied for photon energies below 400 Mev. The data are analyzed in terms of $S$- and $P$-waves of the final pion-nucleon system, and an indication is obtained of the importance of higher partial waves. The "(3,3) state" matrix elements seem to be significantly larger than the other $P$-wave matrix elements at energies below 400 Mev, but not at higher energies. The energy dependence of the various partial waves can be understood on the basis of rather general arguments.
CONTINGENCY PLANNING IN CHILE

ABSTRACT While Chile had experienced various major oil spills (including the 1974 Metula spill of 52,500 tons, the 1978 Cabo Tamar spill of 12,500 tons, and the 1987 Cabo Pilar spill of 7,500 tons), contingency planning for oil spills had been carried out on a voluntary basis. The Chilean maritime authority had assumed the responsibility for oil spill control in terms of equipment and trained personnel. Since November 1992, a new regulation is in force. Responsibility for oil and chemical spills control is assumed by the industry. According to the new regulations, every oil and chemical terminal must have contingency plans to deal with spills, proper equipment, and trained personnel. Vessels, Chilean or foreign flag, must have approved contingency plans in line with Regulation 26 of Annex I of the International Convention on Prevention of Pollution from Ships, MARPOL 73/78. Even though Chile is not party to MARPOL 73/78, Annexes I, IV, and V of the convention were incorporated as national regulations by D...
Direct observation of microbubbles in directional solidification of salol.

Dynamic light scattering at the crystal-melt interface of solidifying salol was followed for 14 days. The hydrodynamic radius deduced from intensity correlation data increased continuously from {approx}1 to {approx}100 {mu}m. When the scattering layer was trapped by the advancing crystal front, microscopic observation revealed bubbles as inclusions whose size agreed with the light-scattering value. Scattering was also observed to disappear after prolonged pumping on the sample.
Induced cycles of egg production in the chukar partridge.

Abstract REPRODUCTION in most wild passerine and gallinaceous birds is much the same in that most are seasonal layers and produce their young in the spring of the year, when favorable light and temperature conditions prevail. Under domestication, chukars (Alectoris graeca chukar) and pheasants (Phasianus colchicus) can be induced to lay in midwinter, rather than in the spring, provided the birds are preconditioned by short day lengths before being exposed to long daily photoperiods (Funk et al., 1942). Rowan (1929) demonstrated that repeated cycles of gonadal development could be induced in slate-colored juncos (Junco hyemalis) by subjecting these birds to alternating periods of short and long days. His results were substantiated by Wolfson (1954), who reported that multiple cycles of gonadal development, fat deposition, and periods of molt could be induced in juncos and white-crowned sparrows (Zonotrichia leucophrys leucophrys) by subjecting these species to alternating periods of short (9L:15D) and long…
Detection of an initial burst of Ca2+ translocation in sarcoplasmic reticulum

Abstract Rapid quench methods were used to determine Ca2+ uptake, ATPase phosphorylation and Pi production in the transient state of Sarcoplasmic Reticulum. It was found that within 20 milliseconds of the addition of ATP maximal levels of phosphorylated enzyme intermediate are reached and an initial burst of Ca2+ uptake is completed. This burst, kinetically distinct from the following transport activity, is related to the phosphorylated intermediate with a molar ratio of two.
An epidemiological pitfall using mortality as a long-term outcome measure in therapeutic studies comparing "age-matched" groups.

The comparison of mortality differences between groups in therapeutic studies often presupposes that the age distributions of the groups are similar if the average age of the groups are similar. A common epidemiological pitfall occurs when experimental groups are assumed to be age-matched if there is an equality of average age between the groups. This pitfall is particularly hazardous when mortality is the outcome measure. Consider the four hypothetical groups shown in Table 1. Each group consists of five men such that the mean age of each group is 65 years. What is the expected mortality risk for each group over time? Since the groups have the same average age, would a significant variation in mortality risk between the groups be expected? To answer these questions, the expected mortality of each individual in each group must be determined. The expected mortality of the “average” 65 year old man can be accurately predicted using the Gompertz relationship between mortality and age:
Bayesian approach for the design and analysis of a two level factorial experiment in the presence of dispersion effects

With linear dispersion effects, the standard factorial designs are not optimal estimation of a mean model. A sequential two-stage experimental design procedure has been proposed that first estimates the variance structure, and then uses the variance estimates and the variance optimality criterion to develop a second stage design that efficiency estimates the mean model. This procedure has been compared to an equal replicate design analyzed by ordinary least squares, and found to be a superior procedure in many situations. However with small first stage sample sizes the variance estiamtes are not reliable, and hence an alternative procedure could be more beneficial. For this reason a Bayesian modification to the two-stage procedure is proposed which will combine the first stage variance estiamtes with some prior variance information that will produce a more efficient procedure. This Bayesian procedure will be compared to the non-Bayesian twostage procedure and to the two one-stage alternative procedures li...
Nitrogen retention after injection of protein hydrolysate into the portal and systemic veins.

Conclusion(1) No significant difference in the total nitrogen retention has been noted after infusion of protein hydrolysate into the portal or the systemic venous systems. (2) Polythene tube appears well tolerated and remains patulous for prolonged intravenous therapy in dogs.
Higher-Order Strategic Maneuvering in Argumentation

In a critical discussion, interlocutors can strategically maneuver by shading their expressed degree of standpoint commitment for rhetorical effect. When is such strategic shading reasonable, and when does it cross the line and risk fallacious derailment of the discussion? Analysis of President George W. Bush’s 2002–2003 prewar commentary on Iraq provides an occasion to explore this question and revisit Douglas Ehninger’s distinction between argumentation as “coercive correction” and argumentation as a “person-risking enterprise.” Points of overlap between Ehninger’s account and pragma-dialectical argumentation theory suggest avenues for harmonization of rhetorical and dialectical perspectives on argumentation. Out of this conceptual convergence comes theoretical resources for understanding strategic maneuvering, by accounting for ways that discussants exploit gaps between their externalized and actual “discussion attitude.” As such higher-order strategic maneuvering played a major role in the 2003 Iraq prewar “discourse failure,” perspicacious understanding of this particular argumentative maneuver carries practical, as well as theoretical import.
MAKING HERITAGE IN BRAZILIAN QUILOMBOS

Resumen en: The Brazilian Palmares Cultural Foundation has recognized 1,624 communities as remanescentes de quilombos or remnants, of traditional Black settlements. ...
Regulation of Heat Transfer Using Liquid Crystals in the Presence of Electric Fields

Abstract The heat transfer through a fluid depends both on the thermal conductivity and the motion of the fluid. When the fluid is a certain type of liquid crystal, the motion of the fluid can be controlled by an electric field. Results presented here show that the rate of heat transfer increased by at least a factor of ten when a high field was applied. Results are reported showing how a model proposed earlier can be used to explain the fluid's motion which started at the instant the field was applied.
Survivors of endometrial cancer: Who is at risk for sexual dysfunction?

Abstract Objective Our goal was to determine the prevalence of sexual dysfunction and identify risk factors associated with sexual morbidity in patients with early stage endometrial cancer. Methods This prospective trial included patients with stage I-IIIa endometrial cancer, without evidence of disease, and one to five years out from primary surgical treatment. Patients who received chemotherapy were excluded. The Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) was used to measure our primary endpoint of sexual function. Other patient reported outcome indices included: Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Endometrial (FACT-En), Center for Epidemiology Studies Depression scale (CES-D), and Menopausal Rating Scale (MRS). Results Of the 72 women treated for early stage endometrial cancer, 65% were married, 69% had a sexual partner, the mean age was 60, 86% had stage I disease, and 18% received radiation therapy. The median score for the FSFI was 16.6 (0–32.8; scores below 26 are diagnostic for sexual dysfunction). Eighty nine percent of the patients had a score below 26. There was a moderate correlation between the total FSFI score and FACT-En scores but not with CES-D or MRS. Histologic grade, relationship status, mental health, and diabetes significantly correlated with total FSFI scores in multivariate analysis. Conclusion This patient population commonly thought to be at low risk actually suffers from severe sexual dysfunction. The four risk factors revealed by multivariate analysis need to be studied in greater detail in order to appropriately target patients and develop meaningful interventions.
Cerebellar activation during discrete and not continuous timed movements: an fMRI study.

Individuals with cerebellar lesions are impaired in the timing of repetitive movements that involve the concatenation of discrete events such as tapping a finger. In contrast, these individuals perform comparably to controls when producing continuous repetitive movements. Based on this, we have proposed that the cerebellum plays a key role in event timing—the representation of the temporal relationship between salient events related to the movement (e.g., flexion onset or contact with a response surface). In the current study, we used fMRI to examine cerebellar activity during discrete and continuous rhythmic movements. Participants produced rhythmic movements with the index finger either making smooth, continuous transitions between flexion and extension or with a pause inserted before each flexion phase making the movement discrete. Lateral regions in lobule VI, ipsilateral to the moving hand were activated in a similar manner for both conditions. However, activation in the superior vermis was significantly greater when the movements were discrete compared to when the movements were continuous. This pattern was not evident in cortical regions within the field of view, including M1 and SMA. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that subregions of the cerebellum are selectively engaged during tasks involving event timing.
Activation of murine resident peritoneal macrophages by a cell wall extract of Candida albicans

Ethylenediamine extraction of the cell walls of Candida albicans yields an extract which possesses antigenic activity, and like other whole cell and cell wall preparations of Candida, has been shown previously to possess immunomodulatory activity. We report here results which show that non-elicited, resident peritoneal macrophages treated with the ethylenediamine cell wall extract exhibit morphological characteristics of activated macrophages. Treated cells also manifest an increased respiratory burst response and secrete elevated levels of IL-6. The treatment with the extract appears to provide a co-priming signal to the resting macrophages, since co-stimulation with interferon-γ results in an increased level of IL-6 and IL-1. Our results also show that extract-treated cells manifest increased responsiveness to lipopolysaccharide as measured by the production of tumour necrosis factor-a. These results provide an additional basis for our understanding of the immunomodulatory activity of components of the ...
n-Dodecane reforming over nickel-based monolith catalysts: Deactivation and carbon deposition

Abstract The carbon deposition behavior of Ni-based monolith reforming catalysts was studied during n -dodecane autothermal reforming, partial oxidation, and steam reforming. One catalyst formulation was nickel deposited on cerium zirconium oxide (CZO) coated monolith, while the second formulation was nickel directly deposited on bare monolith. In both formulations, a series of catalysts with a range of nickel loadings (0–16 wt.%) were prepared to examine the influence of nickel loading on carbon deposition and to elucidate the benefits of the reducible oxide support CZO on carbon deposition. Carbon deposition was generally more pronounced at higher nickel loadings and on catalysts lacking CZO. Nickel supported on bare monolith suffered from excessive carbon deposition and carbon-induced monolith disintegration. The morphologies of carbon were determined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Temperature programmed oxidation (TPO) indicated the presence of two types of carbon. The low-temperature TPO peak can be attributed to coating carbon, while the high-temperature peak corresponds to filamentous carbon structures, including large whiskers and smaller filaments. Accumulation of whisker carbon had a deleterious effect on the monolith substrate resulting in the physical destruction of some samples. X-ray diffraction (XRD) gave no evidence for the presence of graphite or carbide species in carbon-deposited catalysts. The experimental results of this study are used to diagnose the causes for nickel catalyst deactivation during autothermal reforming and for proposing strategies to mitigate the deactivation.
Status review of the science and technology of ultrananocrystalline diamond (UNCD™) films and application to multifunctional devices

Abstract This review focuses on a status report on the science and technology of ultrananocrystalline diamond (UNCD) films developed and patented at Argonne National Laboratory. The UNCD material has been developed in thin film form and exhibit multifunctionalities applicable to a broad range of macro to nanoscale multifunctional devices. UNCD thin films are grown by microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition (MPCVD) or hot filament chemical vapor deposition (HFCVD) using new patented Ar-rich/CH 4 or H 2 /CH 4 plasma chemistries. UNCD films exhibit a unique nanostructure with 2–5 nm grain size (thus the trade name UNCD) and grain boundaries of 0.4–0.6 nm for plain films, and grain sizes of 7–10 nm and grain boundaries of 2–4 nm when grown with nitrogen introduced in the Ar-rich/CH 4 chemistry, to produce UNCD films incorporated with nitrogen, which exhibit electrical conductivity up to semi-metallic level. This review provides a status report on the synthesis of UNCD films via MPCVD and integration with dissimilar materials like oxides for piezoactuated MEMS/NEMS, metal films for contacts, and biological matter for a new generation of biomedical devices and biosensors. A broad range of applications from macro to nanoscale multifunctional devices is reviewed, such as coatings for mechanical pumps seals, field-emission cold cathodes, RF MEMS/NEMS resonators and switches for wireless communications and radar systems, NEMS devices, biomedical devices, biosensors, and UNCD as a platform for developmental biology, involving biological cells growth on the surface. Comparisons with nanocrystalline diamond films and technology are made when appropriate.
Electrodermal recovery and stimulus significance.

The validity of Edelberg's (1970) hypothesis that speed at which the electrodermal response (EDR) recovers is affected by meaning of the stimulus evoking it, has been challenged by subsequent work showing prior ED activity's (EDA) highly significant association with ED recovery time. However, prior EDA's association with ED recovery does not rule out the possibility that the stimulus meaning may also affect recovery. In the present study a within-subjects design (N = 10) was used to evaluate effects of stimulus significance on skin conductance response (SCR) amplitude and recovery time (rec t/2) while prior EDA was held constant. Amplitude was greater and rec t/2 longer (slower) when the stimulus significance increased, and the effect on recovery did not depend entirely on amplitude. Prior EDA also affected amplitude and recovery but stimulus meaning had an additional effect. These findings contradict the notion of the EDR as a unitary phenomenon, and imply that both peripheral and central mechanisms are involved in determining response amplitude and recovery. Stimulus meaning may affect recovery to an even greater degree than it affects amplitude.
PHYSIOLOGICAL FACTORS THAT AID DIFFERENTIATION OF ZYGOTES AND EARLY JUVENILES OF ACETABULARIA ACETABULUM (CHLOROPHYTA)

To improve our understanding of early development and to enable standard genetic analyses in Acetabularia acetabulum (L.) Silva, we examined some physiological factors that impact differentiation of young diploid plants. Eighty percent of zygotes differentiated within 6–7 days when they were inoculated at high densities (≥5,000 zygotes·mL−1), and zygote differentiation was independent of the photon flux density of cool white light. In contrast, 90% of juveniles differentiated within 25 days when they were inoculated at medium densities ( 250 μmol·m−2·s−1 cool white light. Both zygotes and juveniles differentiated best at an alkaline pH (7.96), when the temperature was between 18.6° and 23.5° C, and when the external potassium concentration was 1–10 mM. Compared to prior publications, adjustment of these parameters reduced the time to differentiation by 25% (from 8 to 6 days) and more than tripled the percentage of zygotes that developed into healthy juveniles (from 23% to ∼80%).
Atropselective Macrocyclization of Diaryl Ether Ring Systems: Application to the Synthesis of Vancomycin Model Systems

Vancomycin is the last line of defense available in the clinic for treating multidrug-resistant bacterial infections. Vancomycin contains two 16-membered diaryl ether macrocycles, each of which contains a stereogenic axis across the diaryl ether linkage. Since an effective total synthesis of vancomycin requires that these stereogenic axes be formed in a stereoselective manner, we have developed an atropselective variation of the triazene mediated diaryl ether forming reaction. This variation introduced an energetic penalty into the transition state of the undesired atropisomer. This reaction is used to synthesize the C−O−D diaryl ether macrocycle found in vancomycin with high diastereoselectivity (de > 90%), providing the naturally occurring atropisomeric configuration.
Valuing Diversity: New Tools for a New Reality

The article reviews the book “Valuing Diversity: New Tools for a New Reality,” edited by Lewis Brown Griggs and Lente-Louise Louw.
Analgesic effect of intraarticular morphine, bupivacaine, and morphine/bupivacaine after arthroscopic knee surgery

Summary In a double-blind randomized fashion, 38 patients were divided into four groups according to the intraarticular injection received after arthroscopic surgery. Patients in group I (n = 7) received saline, group II (n = 10) morphine, group III bupivacaine, and group IV (n = 11) morphine and bupivacaine. Before surgery and at 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 6, and 24 h postoperatively, pain levels were recorded. In addition, postoperative supplemental i.v. morphine requested by the patient was tabulated. Results showed that the mean consumption of supplemental analgesia was lowest in the morphine/bupivacaine group. Although there was a statistically significant difference in pain scores between the saline group and the other three groups during the early postoperative period, there was no significant difference in pain scores between the morphine, bupivacaine, and morphine/bupivacaine groups. We conclude that postoperative, intraarticular injection of analgesics is beneficial in reducing pain levels. The combination of morphine/bupivacaine appears to be the most beneficial analgesic due to its low supplemental analgesic requirements post-operatively.
Introduction: The Puerto Rico Project: Reflections Sixty Years Later

In the late 1940s Julian Steward initiated a social anthropological study of Puerto Rico, carried out by a team working in a range of communities representing different ecological zones. The project was a landmark in anthropology but met with criticism from Puerto Rican scholars. The articles in this collection reconsider the Puerto Rico Project in terms of its place within the history of anthropology, its reception in Puerto Rico and elsewhere, and some theoretical and political issues raised by it.
Fitting the Mold of Graduate School: A Qualitative Study of Socialization in Doctoral Education

Doctoral student attrition in the United States has reached alarming proportions, with reported rates of approximately 50% across disciplines (Nettles and Millett 2006). Attrition rates of underrepresented populations have been reported at higher rates across disciplines (Council of Graduate Schools 2004), pointing to a disparate experience for these students. Socialization has been shown to be a determining factor in doctoral student success and retention (Turner and Thompson 1993) while not necessarily reflecting how the socialization experience differs by disciplinary and institutional contexts. Through this qualitative study I sought to understand the effects of the socialization process upon doctoral student success and retention in the disciplines of chemistry and history at two institutions. Results highlighted a disparate experience for women, students of color, students with families, part-time students, and older students. Suggestions for policy, practice, and further research are included.
Isoforms of the nonclassical class I MHC antigen H2-Q5 are enriched in brain and encode Qdm peptide

Although the human nonclassical class Ib major histocompatibility complex (Mhc) locus, HLA-G, is known to act as an immune suppressor in immune-privileged sites, little is currently known regarding participation of the rodent class Ib Mhc in similar pathways. Here, we investigated the expression properties of the mouse nonclassical Mhc H2-Q5(k) gene, previously detected in tumors and tissues associated with pregnancy. We find that H2-Q5(k) is alternatively spliced into multiple novel isoforms in a wide panel of C3H tissues. Unlike other known class I MHC, it is most highly transcribed in the brain, where the classical class Ia Mhc products are scarce. The truncated isoforms are selectively enriched in sites of immune privilege and are translated into cell surface proteins in neural crest-derived transfected cells. Furthermore, we present data supporting a model whereby Q5(k) isoforms serve an immune-protective role by donating their Qdm leader peptide to Qa-1, in a pathway homologous to the HLA-G leader fragment binding HLA-E and inhibiting CD94/NKG2A-positive cytotoxic cells. In addition, we report a previously unknown homolog of H2-Q5(k) in the C57BL/6 mouse, which encodes Qdm, but is transcribed solely into noncanonical isoforms. Collectively, these studies demonstrate that H2-Q5(k), and its homologous class I-like H2(b) gene may play tissue-specific roles in regulating immune surveillance.
Immunoreactive somatostatin distribution and axoplasmic transport in rat peripheral nerve

The levels of immunoreactive somatostatin (IR-somatostatin) were determined in various parts of the rat spinal cord and peripheral nervous system. The axoplasmic transport rate of IR-somatostatin was determined in the sciatic nerve by the ligation technique. The concentration of the peptide (nanograms per mg protein) was 0.8 ± 0.3 in dorsal root ganglia, 22.1 ± 5.1 in dorsal spinal cord, 5.1 ± 1.2 in ventral spinal cord, and 1.1 ± 0.4 in sciatic nerve. IR-somatostatin was present in a higher concentration in the dorsal root (3.9 ± 1.8 ng/mg protein) than in the ventral root (1.3 ± 0.6 ng/mg protein). Column chromatographic studies showed that most of the IR-somatostatin extracted from dorsal root ganglia and sciatic nerve was identical to the synthetic cyclic somatostatin. In addition, 16% of the total immunoreactivity of the dorsal root ganglia, but not of the peripheral nerve, was of a higher molecular weight form, which probably corresponds to a precursor protein of somatostatin. These observatioons su...
The effect of fetal sepsis on umbilical cord blood gases.

Summary The relationship between fetal sepsis and acid-base status is unknown. We hypothesized that in uterosepsis would result in fetal metabolic acidemia. In a retrospective study during a 38-month period, the acid-base status at birth of neonates with in utero sepsis, documented by positive blood cultures, was reviewed. Compared with term neonates, preterm neonates had a 22-fold increase in the risk of bacteremia at birth. In spite of this increased risk of sepsis, there was no significant alteration in arterial pH in preterm septic neonates when compared with preterm controls. Fetal sepsis at term was accompanied by a statistically significant reduction in arterial pH (7.21 ± 0.07) compared with controls (7.26 ± 0.06, p p
Digital generation of coherent sweep signals

The authors describe a digitally implemented coherent sweep generator, i.e. a sweep generator in which sweep rate, start frequency, and start phase can be specified. By carrying out a digital integration twice, using a counter and an accumulator as integrators, a quadratic phase function of a linear sweep is produced. The desired start frequency and start phase are introduced by presetting the counter and accumulator. The mod (2 pi ) of the quadratic phase function is extracted and used as an address for a sine look-up table whose output is applied to a digital-to-analog converter. The system is capable of producing sweep signals from DC up to the lower megahertz range, and the sweep rate can be verified over several orders of magnitude. By operating several digital sweep generators from the same clock, multiple coherent sweep signals may be produced, or quadrature signals can be produced with two modules. The digital sweep generator has been implemented with transistor-transistor logic (TTL). Generated waveforms are presented. >
Lesser Cornstalk Borer Response to Photoperiod and Temperature

Larval and pupal development of the lesser cornstalk borer, Elasmopalpus lignosellus (Zeller), was studied under numerous photoperiod and temperature conditions: decreasing photoperiod and constant temperature; constant photoperiod and decreasing temperature; decreasing photoperiod and temperature simultaneously; and decreasing photoperiods and daily fluctuating temperatures. None of these environments induced a defined diapause, although development was significantly prolonged by cooler temperatures. Photoperiod apparently had no influence on development.
The relative importance of wind strength and along-shelf bathymetric variations on the separation of a coastal upwelling jet

Abstract A high-resolution numerical model with idealized topography is used to investigate the degree to which a coastal upwelling jet separates from the shelf as it flows around a submarine bank depending on the wind strength and the horizontal scale of the bank. Experiments were run using several wind forcing magnitudes and submarine banks with different geometries, so as to explore a wide range of the flow strength as measured by the Rossby number (Ro) and the ratio of the squares of the internal Rossby radius of deformation and curvature of the topography as denoted by the Burger number (Bu). The intensity of the jet separation is strongly dependent on both parameters, with maximum separation with increasing Ro and Bu close to 1, when large amounts of upwelled water are exported toward deeper waters. For small Bu, separation is minimal and independent of Ro. For high Ro, the degree of separation decreases at large Bu since the bank acts only as a small perturbation to the flow. Term balances in the a...
Estimation of spike initiation zone and synaptic input parameters of a Drosophila motoneuron using a morphologically reconstructed model

The fruitfly Drosophila melanogaster has recently emerged as a powerful model for studying neuronal circuit development and function through identified neurons. A major obstacle to these studies has been a lack of computational models of these neurons for generating and testing hypotheses with fast-throughput simulations. Here, we constructed a computational model of an identified Drosophila motoneuron, aCC/MN1-Ib, from its recorded biophysical and anatomical properties [1]. Constructing this model required estimating the location and properties of distal spike-generating Na+ and K+ channels. The effects of channel location were simulated by including anatomical details in the model through a morphological reconstruction. By simulating a match to the observed in vivo electrophysiological characteristics, we predict the anatomical location of the spike initiation zone (SIZ) to be distal on aCC’s primary axon [2]. The complex morphology of the neuron effectively filters fast activating ionic currents which occur at the SIZ but are recoded from the soma in vivo. In particular, the transient component of the voltage-activated sodium current is extensively filtered relative to the slower persistent component. Input-output behavior in a broader network context was also predicted [2]: about 20 miniature excitatory potentials are required for initiating an action potential and about 200 individual potentials underlie evoked spontaneous rhythmic currents (SRC) in this neuron. Our model of aCC, which is the first morphologically-realistic active model of an identified Drosophila motoneuron, provides a template for further investigation of neuronal function in health and disease.
Dietary calcium as a potential modifier of the relationship of lead burden to blood pressure.

BACKGROUND Cumulative lead burden and low dietary calcium have been independently associated with increased risk of hypertension. There is evidence of an interaction between these factors. We tested the hypothesis that dietary calcium intake modifies the relationship between lead burden and hypertension. METHODS A total of 471 men from the Normative Aging Study were evaluated. Bone lead was assessed using a K-x-ray fluorescence instrument, and information on dietary calcium intake was obtained with a self-administered semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire. RESULTS We categorized 259 subjects (55%) as having low calcium intake (< or =800 mg/d) and 212 subjects (45%) as having higher calcium intake. In logistic regression models stratified by dietary calcium intake, tibia lead had a weak association with hypertension among subjects with low dietary calcium (odds ratio for 1-standard deviation increase in tibia lead = 1.30; 95% confidence interval = 0.97-1.74) but not in subjects with higher dietary calcium intake. Similarly, blood lead was associated with hypertension only in subjects with low calcium intake. We also found evidence of an interaction between dietary calcium intake and body mass index. CONCLUSIONS High bone and blood lead increased the likelihood of hypertension, particularly among subjects with low dietary calcium intake. Dietary calcium may be helpful in prevention of hypertension induced by elevated lead burden.
Fiscal consequences of budget baselines

Abstract Governments have two main choices for a budgetary baseline procedure: the dollars spent the year before, or the level of services that those dollars bought which is labelled a “current services” baseline. This paper analyzes the effects of different baselines on fiscal policy, first by developing a conceptual framework and then by examining American state data to compare government spending patterns under alternative baseline rules. Controlling for a host of institutional, economic, and demographic factors, we estimate that a current services baseline rule raises the annual growth rate in state spending by half a percentage point.
Collective action and tropical deforestation

Views tropical forests as providing a number of outputs for the host country and the world at large. Activities to curb deforestation yield private goods, local (country‐specific) public goods, and global public goods. Markets can operate with respect to the private goods, while nations are motivated to strike bargains with one another with respect to the country‐specific public goods. Inefficiency or suboptimality stems from the global public goods that preservation activities of one country confer on another. Collective action at the transnational level is needed to address these global public goods. This suboptimality can be attenuated if the developed countries establish property rights to genetic material gathered from the rain forests. Much can be done to promote allocative efficiency and these actions should be accomplished prior to the institution of a supranational linkage. Since the bulk of the global public benefits are derived by the developed countries, they are in a weak bargaining position with respect to the shrinking rain forests. An early agreement is in their interests even if the bargain favours the tropical countries.
The Oreades Hear Emerson in Worcester

In Martha Burt Wright's and Anna M. Bancroft's history of the Oread Collegiate Institute, founded by the educational reformer Eli Thayer in 1849, passages from the correspondence of Bernette Hill establish the topic of Ralph Waldo Emerson's 31 January 1856 Worcester lecture as “Beauty.”
Shearography for non-destructive evaluation of composite structures

Recently, there has been considerable interest in the development of optical methods for non-destructive evaluation of composites in a production/field environment, because of the full-field, non-contacting and high speed nature of optical methods. Among the various optical methods, shearography is rapidly gaining acceptance by industry. Shearography is equivalent to a full-field strain gage which allows strain distribution over a large area to be observed, and it does not require installing strain gauges/transducers. The output of shearography is a fringe pattern depicting the distribution of strain. It reveals flaws in materials by looking for flaw-induced strain anomalies which are translated into anomalies in the fringe pattern. This paper reviews the state-of-the-art of shearography and its application in non-destructive testing of composites.
Transient current collection and closure for a laboratory tether

The motion of tethered electrodes creates time-varying plasma currents. A similar current system has been studied in a large laboratory plasma with a stationary, pulsed tether. It is shown that in the appropriate electron MHD regime, the transient current is transported in the whistler mode. The current exhibits helicity. The insulated tether induces electron Hall currents which provide the cross-field current closure. The transient current increases with voltage and exhibits no saturation at the Langmuir limit due to electron heating. Superposition of delayed pulses emitted from displaced tether positions predicts that tethered satellite currents close along a short whistler wing rather than a long phantom loop.
The climatic impact of a Sonoran vegetation discontinuity

The international fence separating Mexico and the United States is marked by a sharp vegetation discontinuity in the Sonoran Desert. Due to overgrazing, the Mexican side of the border has shorter grasses, more bare soil, and a higher albedo compared to the adjacent lands in the United States. In this investigation, long-term climate records are analyzed to determine the magnitude of any climatic differences associated with the spatial variation in the vegetation regime. The results suggest that summertime maximum temperatures recorded at the Mexican stations are significantly higher (by nearly 2.5 °C) than the Arizona stations when latitude and elevation are held constant. When only elevation is held constant, the difference in the maximum temperature jumps to approximately 4 dgC. No discernible changes in monthly and/or summer season precipitation could be identified in the records. These findings add support to other site-specific field measurements suggesting warming in desert areas where vegetation cover is decreasing and albedo is increasing.
A study of fatigue failure in superalloys using positron annihilation

This study shows there are significant changes occurring in the open volume defect concentration during fatigue cycling as measured by the S parameter. These changes are dependent upon the stress ratio, R = σmin/σmax, the maximum stress, σmax, and the number of fatigue cycles. The decline in the S parameter is due to the elimination of the residual vacancies. This decline is followed by an increase due to the generation of dislocations and the formation of small microcracks. This is followed by a decline in the S parameter due to growth of the microcracks ultimately leading to failure. [Russian Text Ignored].
Salt Effects in Aqueous Solutions of Urea

It is suggested, when working with drug—urea—water systems, that more than passing consideration be given to the effect or effects produced by addition of a fourth component, as, for example, when an acid is used to adjust pH. Data are cited which indicate that these effects are measurable and often predictable. Solubility data for methyl salicylate and methyl benzoate are given as functions of varying acid, salt, and urea concentrations. These data represent the equilibrium solubilities of the esters in the various systems at 30°. The solubilities were obtained by sampling and subsequent determination of the ester concentration using UV spectrophotometry. A mathematical model was derived which permits a quantitative evaluation of salt effects in urea solutions. The theoretical calculations, based on this model, were found to be in good agreement with the experimental values observed for neutral and pH 1 solutions of methyl salicylate and methyl benzoate in urea. Extension of these findings to an earlier investigation indicates that significant error in interpretation of solubility in urea may result if these salt effects are disregarded.