cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Quantitative autoradiography of heterochromatin replication in Microtus agrestis.

Although, heterochromatin is usually late to begin and late to finish DNA replication, these characteristics vary considerably in different organisms. Quantitative autoradiography of Microtus agrestis chromosomes indicate that the grain density over heterochromatin is significantly greater, and that its duration of replication is considerably shorter than that of euchromatin. It is suggested that the results of these and other similar studies might be best explained by the assumption that the basic characteristic of heterochromatin replication may be the tendency of its replicons to replicate in greater unison than they do in euchromatin.
209 EPIGENETIC MODIFICATION WITH ZEBULARINE AND VALPROIC ACID AND EXPRESSION OF PLURIPOTENCY GENES IN BOVINE ADIPOSE STEM CELLS

Bovine adipose-derived stem cells (ASC), a form of adult stem cells, are somatic cells that have similar characteristics of embryonic stem (ES) cells. ASC are multipotent and have been found to express genes associated with pluripotency, Oct4, Sox2 and Nanog. The unique properties of ASC make them a desirable source for reprogramming experiments. When somatic cells are reprogrammed, there are certain epigenetic changes or modifications that must occur. Epigenetic modifications will change the chromatin configuration without changing the DNA sequence. Somatic cells can be exposed to small molecules that induce some of these changes. Two epigenetic modifying factors are a DNA methyltranferase inhibitor, zebularine (Zeb) and a histone deacetylase inhibitor, valproic acid (VPA). By altering gene expression with these epigenetic modifiers, the cells may be stimulated to reprogram more efficiently than untreated cells. Three lines of bovine ASC were isolated from the stromal fraction of adipose tissue and expanded through 3 passages in DMEM (high glucose) supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum. Cells were cultured by addition of 5 mM VPA or 100 μM Zeb to the culture medium and cultured for 5, 7, 10 or 14 days before mRNA was isolated and converted to cDNA. Control groups, consisting of untreated bovine ASC from the same cell lines, were cultured for the same time periods as the treatment groups. Quantitative RT-PCR was performed to determine transcript levels for Oct4, Sox2, Nanog and poly adenylate polymerase (PAP) as a reference gene. Transcript levels were quantified by relative quantification using the ΔΔCT method and expressed as ratios of the target genes (Oct4, Sox2 and Nanog) to the reference gene (PAP) and normalized against a calibrator consisting of untreated bovine ADS cells. Normalized ratios were log-transformed before analysis by ANOVA to correct for lack of normality. A one-way ANOVA was completed to test the statistical significance among the control and treatment groups. Pairwise comparison was conducted to test expression levels between individual treatments. When cells were treated for 5 days, Oct4 and Nanog expression levels were increased (P ≤ 0.05) between the control and both treatment groups. Expression of Sox2 was not different (P = 0.06) across treatment groups. Based on pair wise comparisons gene expression in VPA and Zeb treated groups were not different. Treatment for 7, 10, or 14 days did not result in any difference in transcript levels between the treatment groups and control for any of the genes analysed. VPA and Zeb treatment for 5 days may have produced a partial reprogramming. This partial reprogramming could aid in the bovine ASC reaching complete pluripotency when combined with other reprogramming techniques. This work was financed in part by a grant from the LSU System for the ACRES/LSU Collaborative Research Program.
An Artifact in a Synthetic Pine Oil

ABSTRACT The isopropyl ether of α-terpineol was identified as an artifact in the synthetic pine oil produced when isopropyl alcohol was used as the emulsifier.
The vibration-rotation microwave spectrum of 13C tagged acetonitrile in the region 17 to 75 GHz for the ground, v8 = 1 and 2 vibrational states☆

Abstract Some rotational components in the ground and v 8 = 1 and 2 vibrational states of acetonitrile with 13 C tags have been determined in the frequency range 17–95 GHz. Molecular constants for these states have been determined from more than 135 observed rotational transitions. Experimentally measured frequencies are presented and compared with those calculated using the results of basic perturbation theory. A constant set was obtained for the v 8 = 1 and v 8 = 2 vibrationally excited levels using the experimental data obtained for the ground and these two vibrational levels. Agreement was found to be quite good for most components.
Supernumerary minute ring chromosome 14 in a man with primary infertility and left varicocele.

Objective To describe a case of supernumerary minute ring chromosome (SMRC) in an infertile man, with the concurrent finding of a left varicocele. Design Case report. Setting Urologic infertility clinic in a university hospital. Patient(s) Male patient presenting with primary infertility. Intervention(s) Karyotyping, genetic counseling, and microsurgical left varicocelectomy. Main Outcome Measure(s) Sperm concentration and motility, chromosomal number and structure. Result(s) Fluorescence in situ hybridization revealing SMRC 14. Sperm concentration and motility improved after left varicocele repair. Conclusion(s) A karyotype should be included in the evaluation of severe oligospermia. Although SMRC 14 may be associated with fertility problems, repair of a coexisting varicocele should be considered in these patients.
The Saul Ginsburg archival collection: A major source for the study of Russian Jewish life and letters

(1981). The Saul Ginsburg archival collection: A major source for the study of Russian Jewish life and letters. Soviet Jewish Affairs: Vol. 11, No. 2, pp. 39-51.
Molecular definitions of fatty acid hydroxylases in Arabidopsis thaliana

Towards defining the function of Arabidopsis thaliana fatty acid hydroxylases, five members of the CYP86A subfamily have been heterologously expressed in baculovirus-infected Sf9 cells and tested for their ability to bind a range of fatty acids including unsubstituted (lauric acid (C12:0) and oleic acid (C18:1)) and oxygenated (9,10-epoxystearic acid and 9,10-dihydroxystearic acid). Comparison between these five P450s at constant P450 content over a range of concentrations for individual fatty acids indicates that binding of different fatty acids to CYP86A2 always results in a higher proportion of high spin state heme than binding titrations conducted with CYP86A1 or CYP86A4. In comparison to these three, CYP86A7 and CYP86A8 produce extremely low proportions of high spin state heme even with the most effectively bound fatty acids. In addition to their previously demonstrated lauric acid hydroxylase activities, all CYP86A proteins are capable of hydroxylating oleic acid but not oxygenated 9,10-epoxystearic acid. Homology models have been built for these five enzymes that metabolize unsubstituted fatty acids and sometimes bind oxygenated fatty acids. Comparison of the substrate binding modes and predicted substrate access channels indicate that all use channel pw2a consistent with the crystal structures and models of other fatty acid-metabolizing P450s in bacteria and mammals. Among these P450s, those that bind internally oxygenated fatty acids contain polar residues in their substrate binding cavity that help stabilize these charged/polar groups within their largely hydrophobic catalytic site.
The Sales Tax Puzzle – Has the law of demand been repealed?

TRA86 removed the deductibility of state and local sales taxes from U.S. personal income taxes. This effectively increased the price to state governments of sales tax revenue relative to income tax revenues. This implies that state reliance on income taxes relative to sales taxes should have increased after TRA86 was implemented. Leading public finance economists investigated this in the period shortly following the reform and invariably found that the predicted substitution of income for sales taxes did not take place. In fact, several studies noted that state dependence on the sales tax increased relative to income taxes – hence the Sales Tax Puzzle. Several experts tried to rationalize their non-findings. These rationalizations are unconvincing. This paper asserts that the puzzle may be resolved in two different ways. The first, seemingly trivial, is that the analysis must incorporate sufficient time so as to allow for relatively complex adjustments. Our contributions here are to anchor this “obvious” point with a theoretical model related to earlier work of the authors, and an explicit empirical examination of the lag structures of individual states’ reactions to the comprehensive tax reform. The second demonstrates that the analysis must take into account regional shifts that were taking place in the U.S. during this period. When such compositional shifts involving political and deductibility patterns are explicitly introduced into the model, the paradoxical findings are resolved both in the long and in the short run. Our contribution here is a demonstration that the use of detailed state-level data, unlike any of the earlier work in this area, allows for the inclusion in the analysis of inter-regional shifts in various parameters. An additional contribution is the explicit use and emphasis of the propensity to itemize as an independent variable. The use of this variable ties this area of analysis of post tax reform behavior into a hitherto untapped strand of public-finance literature. The variable is both theoretically interesting, and proves to have experienced compositional shift patterns which help resolve the sales-tax puzzle paradox.
Iliad 7.293ff.

Wordplay involving names is routine in Homer. Less common, but not rare, is wordplay that does not have anything to do with names. Thus, at Iliad 1.290f. there is a play on ; at 24.611 an implicit play on (people)/ (stone); at Odyssey 12.45–46 a possible play on .
Detecting sub-MeV neutrons in solid plastic scintillator with gamma-ray discrimination

We report on recent efforts to design a solid plastic scintillation hodoscope to measure neutron production cross sections at low energies. Our program includes not only the development of the detector itself, but also a set of auxiliary measurements which will help characterize its low-energy response. A novel scintillation counter has been developed to detect sub-MeV neutrons while rejecting gamma-ray backgrounds with good efficiency. The detector uses multiple layers of thin solid scintillator, with optical isolation between the adjacent layers. Incident low-energy neutrons produce ionizing recoil particles which remain within just one of the scintillator layers, while background gamma rays create electrons which most often cross the boundary between layers. By observing the trigger pattern within the layers, most gamma-ray backgrounds can be distinguished from the low-energy neutrons of interest. We report on the results of our Monte Carlo studies of this design, as well as on the operation of a prototype detector unit. We also have undertaken a new measurement of the neutron-proton total cross section below 1 MeV. Calculations of the efficiency for detecting low energy neutrons in plastic scintillator rely on accurate low energy n-p cross sections, yet surprisingly few such data currently exist. New measurements which span the region from 150 to 800 keV neutron (lab) energy are reported and discussed. Additionally, we have measured the light response of BC 418 scintillator for recoil proton energies as low as 100 keV. Recoil protons are produced at a known energy in the scintillator by placing it in a neutron beam and detecting in coincidence the elastically scattered neutrons at fixed angle. Our new results extend the energy range of previous measurements of the light response of solid organic scintillators, and may indicate a significantly modified response at the lowest observed energies.
High temperature creep of single crystal gadolinium gallium garnet

High temperature creep of single crystal gadolinium gallium garnet (GGG) was studied in the temperature range of 1723–1853 K (0.86–0.94 Tm, Tm: melting temperature) and strain rate from 9 · 10−7 s−1 to 2 · 10−5 s−1. The compression tests were made along the 〈100〉 and 〈111〉 orientations. We have performed both constant strain-rate and stress-dip tests. For the 〈100〉 orientation, deformation occurs via the 〈111〉 slip systems. For the 〈111〉 orientation, both the 〈100〉 {010} and the 〈111〉 slip systems can be activated. GGG garnet is very strong under these conditions: σ/μ=(1–3)×10−3 (σ: creep strength, μ: shear modulus). The creep behavior is characterized by a power law with stress exponent n=2.9–3.3 and high activation energies E*=612–743 kJ/mol (E*∼45×RTm, at zero stress which decrease with the increase of stress). Stress-dip tests suggest a small internal stress (σi/σ∼0.62; σi: internal stress, σ: applied stress) compared to other materials. These results suggest that the high creep strength of GGG is mainly due to difficulty of dislocation glide rather than dislocation climb.
Fourier Transform Infrared study of mineral matter in coal. A novel method for quantitative mineralogical analysis

Abstract A novel method for the quantitative determination of mineral matter in coal is reported. The low-temperature ash of coal is analysed by means of absorbance spectral subtraction of individual components. The spectra of individual minerals, stored in digital form on computer memory, are multiplied by appropriate weighting factors and subtracted from the spectrum of the low-temperature ash, so that the characteristic bands of the mineral are removed. Provided that the weight of each mineral in the infrared beam is known then the weight fractions can be determined from the weighting factors. Successive subtraction starting with the most strongly absorbing components reveals the minor or less strongly absorbing species, which could not previously be determined by infrared spectroscopy. The analysis of several mixtures and of the low-temperature ash of various coal samples is reported.
Signaling of noncomprehension by children and adolescents with mental retardation: Effects of problem type and speaker identity

Previous research has demonstrated considerable within-individual and within- group variability in the signaling of noncomprehension by persons with mental retardation. The first purpose of this study was to determine whether within- individual variability in such signaling was related to differences in the nature of the inadequate message and the identity of the speaker. The second purpose was to evaluate the relationship between within-group variability in noncomprehension signaling and measures of cognition, receptive and expressive language ability, speech intelligibility, and social cognition. Participants were school-age individuals with mild mental retardation and typically developing children matched to them on nonverbal MA. Noncomprehension signaling was examined in a direction-following task in which inadequate message type and speaker were manipulated. It was found that message type, but not speaker, influenced noncomprehension signaling, with no difference between the two groups. We also found...
The pH of bodenburg silt loam soil as related to forest cover and time under cultivation

Abstract Soil pH's were evaluated at three time intervals following land clearing at two locations in the Matanuska Valley. Seasonal fluctuations of pH values over a seven‐year period as determined in water (pHw,) and 0.01 M CaCl2 (pHs) were additionally evaluated at these locations. A statistical rise in soil pH occurred at both locations with clearing and subsequent cultivation. Soil reaction differences related to season and year were not consistent and were not related to a definite pattern. No relationship between monthly or seasonal precipitation and the soil reaction was found. The correlation coefficient between pHw and pHs was highly significant. Work of other investigators is discussed in the interpretation of the data collected.
Towards a scalable model for location privacy

With the growth of wireless and mobile technologies, we are witnessing an increase in location-based services (LBS). Although LBS provide enhanced functionalities, they open up new vulnerabilities that can be exploited to cause security and privacy breaches. Specifically, location data of individuals that are used by such services must be protected from security and privacy breaches. Such services will require new models for expressing privacy preferences for location data and mechanisms for enforcing them. We identify the factors on which location privacy depends and propose a scalable model for expressing privacy that can be used for LBS and other applications where the privacy of location information must be protected.
Antecedents and Consequences of Organizational Commitment: A Comparison of Two Scales:

The structural properties of two measures of organizational commitment, the Organizational Commitment Questionnaire and the Organizational Commitment Scale, were examined to establish similarities and differences in the measures. Next, the antecedents of age, gender, marital status, leader-member exchange, and justice and the consequences of job satisfaction, life satisfaction, nonwork satisfaction, intent to turnover, and job involvement were examined in relation to each scale. Results indicated that the scales differed with respect to the components of commitment each measured and the strength of the relationships each had with the antecedents and consequences. Suggestions for when the use of each scale might be appropriate are provided.
Orexin, drugs and motivated behaviors

Orexins are known to regulate sleep and feeding, but a study in Nature now shows that they are also involved in drug-seeking behavior. This suggests a larger role for orexin-producing neurons as an interface between internal states and motivated behaviors.
Neuronal Exosomal miRNA-dependent Translational Regulation of Astroglial Glutamate Transporter GLT1

Perisynaptic astrocytes express important glutamate transporters, especially excitatory amino acid transporter 2 (EAAT2, rodent analog GLT1) to regulate extracellular glutamate levels and modulate synaptic activation. In this study, we investigated an exciting new pathway, the exosome-mediated transfer of microRNA (in particular, miR-124a), in neuron-to-astrocyte signaling. Exosomes isolated from neuron-conditioned medium contain abundant microRNAs and small RNAs. These exosomes can be directly internalized into astrocytes and increase astrocyte miR-124a and GLT1 protein levels. Direct miR-124a transfection also significantly and selectively increases protein (but not mRNA) expression levels of GLT1 in cultured astrocytes. Consistent with our in vitro findings, intrastriatal injection of specific antisense against miR-124a into adult mice dramatically reduces GLT1 protein expression and glutamate uptake levels in striatum without reducing GLT1 mRNA levels. MiR-124a-mediated regulation of GLT1 expression appears to be indirect and is not mediated by its suppression of the putative GLT1 inhibitory ligand ephrinA3. Moreover, miR-124a is selectively reduced in the spinal cord tissue of end-stage SOD1 G93A mice, the mouse model of ALS. Subsequent exogenous delivery of miR-124a in vivo through stereotaxic injection significantly prevents further pathological loss of GLT1 proteins, as determined by GLT1 immunoreactivity in SOD1 G93A mice. Together, our study characterized a new neuron-to-astrocyte communication pathway and identified miRNAs that modulate GLT1 protein expression in astrocytes in vitro and in vivo.
Amniotic Fluid Embolism: A Review of the Literature and a Case Report with Recovery

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5915/17-2_3-12758 Amniotic fluid embolism (AFE) is a rare but catastrophic complication of labor. Its mortality is 86%. Only 39 patients are known to have recovered. A case of AFE withfibrinolysis and renal failure is presented. After treatment with fibrinogen, blood transfusion and dialysis, the patient recovered. The clinical syndrome was first described in 1941. The mean age of patients is 32 years; 88% are multiparas. Benirschke was the first to establish a clinical diagnosis by finding amniotic fluid debris in centrifuged central venous blood, above the white cell layer.
Business‐to‐Business Online Purchasing: Suppliers' Impact on Buyers' Adoption and Usage Intent

SUMMARY Experts predict that the Internet will become the primary low-cost network for business-to-business commerce transactions. Both buying and selling firms can benefit from the cost savings and productivity improvements associated with online purchasing. Although more organizational buyers are turning to the Internet for purchasing activities, challenges exist as some buying firms harbor concerns. To assist suppliers in the development of effective strategies aimed at increasing online purchasing among professional buyers, a study was designed to investigate the impact of supplier support on buyers' adoption of the Internet for corporate-related purchasing activities. Path analysis was used to examine the relationships among four variables: supplier support, communication convenience, buyer adoption behavior, and Internet usage intent. The results suggest that suppliers play a critical role in the adoption of this new innovation. By offering encouragement, guidance (e.g., training), and incentives (e.g., price discounts) and by stressing convenience of use, suppliers can increase the likelihood that buyers will adopt and use this new method for purchasing.
Germination-Arrest Factor (GAF): Biological properties of a novel, naturally-occurring herbicide produced by selected isolates of rhizosphere bacteria

Five strains of deleterious rhizosphere bacteria (DRB), identified as Pseudomonas fluorescens, were shown to produce and secrete a naturally-occurring herbicide that targets the seeds of certain graminaceous plants, including annual bluegrass (ABG; Poa annua L.), considered a weed in many agronomic systems. The herbicide arrests germination of the seeds in a developmentally-specific manner, typically irreversibly blocking the germination process immediately after the emergence of the plumule and coleorhiza. Because of its unique mode of action, this herbicide has been termed a Germination-Arrest Factor (GAF). Bacterial-culture filtrates containing GAF arrest seed germination of a large number of graminaceous species, including grassy weeds and grass species grown for seed and food. The germination of corn seeds did not appear to be affected by the herbicide. The seeds of dicot species appear to be less sensitive to GAF than seeds of graminaceous species. The biological effects of GAF on graminaceous species is primarily limited to germination, although transient slowing of ABG seedling growth was observed after post-germination exposure to GAF. Exposure of non-germinated ABG seeds to GAF for periods as short as 24 h was sufficient to irreversibly arrest germination. A quantitative bioassay for GAF was developed based on the sensitivity of ABG seed to this compound.
An Improved Undergraduate Human Factors Course: Three Results

The undergraduate human factors course was improved at the Stevens Institute of Technology. The objectives of the course improvement were twofold: 1) to increase the quality of the course, and 2) to increase enrollment. Computer-based modules were developed and implemented to achieve these objectives. Three primary findings emerged from their use. First, students finished the course with a firm grounding in the empirical and experimental methods of human factors. Second, students generated more design solution alternatives by using the modules. Third, course enrollment increased by seventy-five percent.
Bipolar Disorder and Comorbid Conduct Disorder in Childhood and Adolescence

ABSTRACT Objective To report on the rate and associated features of comorbid conduct disorder (CD) in 26 bipolar (BP) youths and examine whether comorbidity affects clinical course. Method The clinically referred subjects, 8 to 13 years old at study entry, were participating in a longitudinal investigation of childhood-onset psychiatric disorders. They were repeatedly examined during an interval of up to 12 years, and diagnosed by DSM-III criteria. Results There was a 69% rate of lifetime comorbidity and 54% rate of episode comorbidity with CD. CD predated the first BP episode for 11 youths and postdated it for 7. Only 12% of the 26 children had primary uncomplicated affective illness. Youngsters without CD comorbidity had a higher rate of primary affective illness, a somewhat greater number of BP episodes, but slightly better overall clinical course. They also had a greatly elevated rate of maternal mania, whereas BP youths with CD were notable for the rate of paternal substance abuse. Conclusions Comorbid CD may exist in a large portion of young patients with BP disorder, confusing its clinical presentation and possibly accounting for some of the documented failure to detect BP disorder. Comorbid CD in bipolar youths appears to be associated with a somewhat worse clinical course. The overall indications are that comorbid CD may identify a subtype of very early onset BP disorder. J. Am. Acad. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry , 1995, 34, 6:715–723.
736–5 Quality of Life in Patients Receiving Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators Before Age 40

As the use of Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators (ICD) increases, greater numbers of young patients (pts) will receive these devices. Such pts may have different expectations and requirements than older pts who more commonly receive ICDs. We investigated quality of life issues in all 25 pts followed at Yale New Haven Hospital who were under age 40 years (13–40 y, m = 28) at time of ICD placement. Mean time since ICD placement was 3.3 years. Four pts were excluded: 2 had devices explanted, and 2 died (1 from sepsis and 1 from arrhythmia following ICD inactivation). Cardiac diagnoses included: myocardial infarction (7), long QT syndrome (6), cardiomyopathy (6), and other (6). Each pt received a modification of the New England Medical Center health questionnaire; 16/21 responded (76%). Nine were women, and 10 were married, 3 after ICD implantation. Highest education attained was high school for 6 (37%), college for 7 (44%), and graduate school for 3 (29%). Two pts obtained graduate degrees and 4 women conceived after ICD implantation. All delivered healthy infants including 1 whose ICD discharged during pregnancy. Ten pts were employed; 8 held the same job before and after ICD placement. Two of the employed pts reported work difficulties: both reported that they accomplished less than before, and worked less carefully. All pts felt their health was good to excellent, with 6 reporting an improvement in health since placement of the lCD, and 1 reporting a moderate decrease in overall health. All felt they were capable of the activities of daily living, while 68% engaged freely in moderate physical activities. Only 31% felt able to fully participate in vigorous activities. All pts felt they were average to very attractive. However, 63% worried about how their clothes fit with the ICD and 68% worried about wearing bathing suits (89% of the women and 43% of the men). The ICD interfered somewhat with social interactions in 75% of pts, and 50% avoided social functions, while 50% worried about sexual encounters, and 44% avoided these encounters. Thus, even though these young pts have body image concerns and limit their activities, they are productive, active members of society, justifying aggressive medical therapy and social support.
Executives' remuneration maximization behavior: Some further evidence

The traditional concern of most economic analyses of corporate behavior has been with the hypothesis that top executives of an enterprise direct their managerial activities in such a manner as to maximize the monetary well-being of its fiduciary owner, the stockholders. However, recently the possibility has been raised that goals other than maximization profits or common stock price might well govern top executives' behavior. More than a decade ago Baumol observed that [1, p. 46] , "Executives' salaries appear to be far more closely related with scale of operations of the firm than its profitability." This statement, which was a corollary to his "sales maximization" hypothesis, has served as a theoretical framework of two well-known executive compensation studies. The first one was by McGuire, Chiu, and Elbing [4] which concluded that sales and compensation were more highly correlated than were profits and compensation. The authors of a later inquiry, Lewellen and Huntsman [3, pp. 718-19], on the other hand, inferred that: "Because the results of the study persistently indicate that both repoited profits and equity market values are substantially more important in the determination of executive compensation than are sales-indeed, sales seem to be quite irrelevant-the clear inference is that there is a greater incentive for management to shape its decision rules in a manner consonant with shareholder interests than to seek the alternative goal of revenue maximization." Lewellen and Huntsman's multivariate regression results totally refute both Baumol's hypothesis and McGuire et al. 's findings. Our empirical scrutiny shows that earlier analysis is either too simple or contains a fundamental statistical prob*Ohio University. lem, namely multicollinearity, which allowed them to reach conclusions as they did. In the following paragraphs we will a t tempt to show that as one discerns this problem and methodologically resolves it one would arrive at conclusions supportive of the original hypothesis postulated by Baumol [ 1 ] . According to Baumol, the overall most important performance variables which the top executives consider are (i) profits and (ii) sales; ergo, it is hypothesized that welfare of top executives is a function of (i) profits and (ii) sales. Their welfare is measured by the amount of total compensation which they receive from their firms. Specifically, the functional form is as follows:
the 1989 Antarctic Ozone Hole as observed by TOMS

The 1990 Antarctic ozone hole matched the record 1987 ozone hole in depth, duration, and area. During the formation phase of the hole (August), total ozone values were the lowest yet recorded. The decline rate approximately matched the record 1987 decline, and reached a minimum of 125 Dobson Units on October 4, 1990. October total ozone averages were marginally higher than 1987. As during 1987, the 1990 total ozone values within the hole slowly and steadily increased during the mid-October through November period. The ozone hole breakup was the latest yet recorded (early December), with low ozone values persisting over the pole through December, setting a record low for December average polar ozone. Temperatures were near average during the early spring, but were below normal for the late-spring. Temperatures in the early spring of 1990 were substantially warmer than those observed in the early spring of 1987.
Facile entry into the thiazolo[3,2-a]indol-3(2H)-one system via an unusual reaction with thionyl chloride

This study included investigations into the canthin-6-one series. ..gamma..-oxo-3((methoxycarbonyl)methyl)-1H-indole-1-butanonic acid (1a) was treated with oxalyl chloride to give the acid chloride (lb) R/sub 1/ = CO/sub 2/CH/sub 3/; R/sub 2/ = Cl. Similar reaction of (1a) with refluxing thionyl chloride followed by methanol treatment did not give the expected methyl ester (1c) but instead gave orange fibrous needles of (2a) in 20% yield. The corresponding reaction of ..gamma..-oxo-3-methyl-1H-indole-1-butanoic acid (1d) with thionyl chloride followed by quenchings with methanol or neopentyl alcohol led respectively to (2b) R/sub 1/ = H; R/sub 3/ = CH/sub 3/ and 2c (R/sub 1/ = H; R/sub 3/ = CH/sub 2/C(CH/sub 3/)/sub 3/. The structural proof of (2) rests on its /sup 1/H and /sup 13/CNMR data along with comparison to (3) whose synthesis and structural elucidation by x-ray and /sup 13/C NMR spectroscopy have been reported. Proton-carbon coupling constants were determined by using the gated-decoupling technique. Analytical calculations were found for C/sub 15/H/sub 15/NO/sub 5/; C/sub 13/H/sub 13/NO/sub 3/; C/sub 16/H/sub 13/NO/sub 5/S; C/sub 14/H/sub 11/NO/sub 3/S; and C/sub 18/H/sub 19/NO/sub 3/S. 1 table. (DP)
Picosecond time-evolution of the fluorescence spectrum of a large aromatic hydrocarbon molecule in solution at 300K

Abstract A new Nd 3+ -YAG laser configuration has been used to obtain fluorescence spectra of a large aromatic molecule with about 12 ps time-resolution. The data presented are both in the form of time-profiles at selected wavelengths and more importantly fluorescence spectra recorded at 6.7 ps intervals around the irradiation event. The sample molecule was 3,4,9,10-dibenzpyrene in hexane at 300 K. The major result was the observation of two short-lived transients in the region 380–480 nm characterized by rather diffuse spectra. One, which included a strong “hot-band”, was clearly pulse- limited and is assigned to the second excited singlet state. The second transient was considerably weaker and survived beyond the irradiation pulse. This had characteristics of a vibrational quasicontinuum in the S 1 state. Out of these evolved the familiar structured spectrum characteristic of thermalised S 1 → S 0 fluorescence. In a related experiment, the ultraviolet fluorescence spectrum (230–340 nm) of two-photon-excited higher states of the same molecule was shown to depend on the time-delay between two excitation pulses.
High resolution, real-time optical studies of radiological air sample filtration processes in an environmental continuous air monitor

The need for a continuous air monitor capable of quick and accurate measurements of airborne radioactivity in close proximity to the work environment during waste management, site restoration, and D&D operations led to the Los Alamos National Laboratory development of an environmental continuous air monitor (ECAM). Monitoring the hostile work environment of waste recovery, for example, presents unique challenges for detector design for detectors previously used for the clean room conditions of the typical plutonium laboratory. The environmental and atmospheric conditions (dust, high wind, etc) influence aerosol particle penetration into the ECAM sampling head as well as the build-up of deposits on the ECAM filter. Dust deposits cause complex microstructures to form, onto which incoming plutonium bearing aerosols deposit. This leads to potential degradation in alpha spectroscopy used to detect the relatively few aerosol particles that would be expected to be collected in the early temporal stages of a significant airborne plutonium release incident. From the worker protection perspective, it is the early detection performance that counts, not the ability to ultimately determine the true average concentration during a release episode. Average concentration can be measured more accurately using simple high volume air sampler for collection and retrospective laboratory analysis of the filters. For realistic studies of particulate deposit structure formation on ECAM filters and their impact on alpha spectroscopy, a modified ECAM sampling head equipped with optical microscopy system feeding data to a high resolution video data capture and logging instrument was constructed. The combination of the internally focused microscope with the high-resolution digital camera and image analysis software allows for digital recording and analysis of the filter surface in near real time as aerosol structures evolve during sampling. The mounting of the optical system in the ECAM, in the same geometry as the radiation detector, is critical for realistic aerosol particle penetration and deposition analysis. Collection of alpha spectra using a second ECAM provides data for parallel assessment of the influence of microstructural features of the filter surface deposits simultaneously with the degradation of the ability of the ECAM system to distinguish isotopes based on their alpha energy. Different types of particulate and atmospheric influences will be brought to bear on determining ECAM operational parameters and selection of filter media that will compensate for the deleterious effects of aerosol microstructure formations during monitoring under adverse conditions.
The formation of N-alkylprotoporphyrin IX and destruction of cytochrome P-450 in the liver of rats after treatment with 3,5-diethoxycarbonyl-1,4-dihydrocollidine and its 4-ethyl analog

Abstract The effects of two porphyrogenic agents, 3,5-diethoxycarbonyl-1,4-dihydrocollidine (DDC) and 3,5-diethoxycarbonyl-2,6-dimethyl-4-ethyl-1,4-dihydropyridine (DDEP), have been studied in rats. The administration of these compounds leads to the formation and accumulation in the liver of N-methylprotoporphyrin IX and N-ethylprotoporphyrin IX, respectively. In each case, the alkyl group of the porphyrin is derived from the 4-alkyl group of the porphyrogenic chemical. Each N-alkylporphyrin is a potent inhibitor of protoheme ferrolyase (EC 4.99.1.1) (ferrochelatase) activity. N-Methylprotoporphyrin IX is somewhat more potent than N-ethylprotoporphyrin IX as an inhibitor of ferrochelatase activity in vitro. However, more N-ethylprotoporphyrin IX accumulates in rat liver than does the N-methyl analog. Since alkylporphyrins are formed during the catabolism of heme (or hemoprotein), the effects of DDC and DDEP on hepatic microsomal cytochrome P-450 were also studied. Whereas DDC treatment led to only a slight decrease in cytochrome P-450 levels (25%), DDEP administration led to a marked decrease (75%) in the total cytochrome P-450 level. In phenobarbital- and 3-methylcholanthrene-treated rats, DDC administration did not alter the hepatic microsomal cytochrome P-450 content, while administration of DDEP to either phenobarbital-treated or 3-methylcholanthrene-treated rats led to marked reduction of levels in cytochrome P-450. Although the N-methylprotoporphyrin IX level was not increased following DDC administration to either phenobarbital- or 3-methylcholanthrene-treated rats, there was a marked increase in N-ethylprotoporphyrin IX accumulation in both phenobarbital- and 3-methylcholanthrene-treated rats after the administration of DDEP. These results suggest that DDC and DDEP react with different forms of rat hepatic microsomal cytochrome P-450.
Design of high-Q microcavities for proposed two-dimensional electrically pumped photonic crystal lasers

Electrically pumped photonic crystal lasers are of practical importance for future integrated photonic circuit systems. This paper proposes a methodology for achieving high quality (Q) factor photonic crystal defect cavities that allow current injection into their active regions. It is shown that by combining certain high Q-factor photonic crystal cavity designs with the technique of wet oxidation of (Al,Ga)As layers, Q factors of up to /spl sim/10/sup 4/ can be obtained within the scope of existing semiconductor planar process technology. The proposed device structures can be optimized through use of finite-difference time-domain methods to obtain optimal separation of the high refractive index substrate from the active core; furthermore, the effects of the top ohmic contact layer, the top and bottom cladding layers of the structure, and the current injection opening can be taken into account to achieve an optimal Q factor in electrically pumped lasers.
Gain/phase imbalance compensation for multi-band quadrature receivers

This paper presents a compensation technique for the gain/phase imbalance of quadrature demodulators for direct conversion receivers. The power measurements for the imbalance estimation can be done in less than ten symbol periods of the test signals. This means that the compensation method does not need many iterative cycles using the least mean square method or discrete Fourier transform that previous methods need. Experimental results show that the differences between the estimated and actual values are small: the gain imbalance was 0.3 dB, and the phase imbalance was 1.1/spl deg/.
Precision: Privacy Enhanced Context-Aware Information Fusion in Ubiquitous Healthcare

Ubiquitous computing is an emerging paradigm for health care environments in which expedited decision making is of paramount importance. The information obtained from heterogeneous devices in such dynamic environments constitute a high degree of complexity, and emphasize the need for fusion. The realization of context-aware ubiquitous computing exacerbates existing privacy concerns. In this paper, we present Precision, a system for privacy enhanced context-aware information fusion in ubiquitous computing environments. In our scheme, privacy is defined as a set of parameters encapsulated in composite data entities called privons. Precision is an ongoing work, and in this paper, we discuss the overview of Precision and present preliminary results.
Reading and Reading Instruction for Children from Low-Income and Non-English-Speaking Households

Summary Although most young children seem to master reading skills in the early grades of elementary school, many struggle with texts as they move through middle school and high school. Why do children who seem to be proficient readers in third grade have trouble comprehending texts in later grades? To answer this question, Nonie Lesaux describes what is known about reading development and instruction, homing in on research conducted with children from low-income and non-English-speaking homes. Using key insights from this research base, she offers two explanations. The first is that reading is a dynamic and multifaceted process that requires con tinued development if students are to keep pace with the increasing demands of school texts and tasks. The second lies in the role of reading assessment and instruction in U.S. schools. Lesaux draws a distinction between the “skills-based competencies” that readers need to sound out and recognize words and the “knowledge-based competencies” that include the conceptual and vocabulary knowledge necessary to comprehend a text’s meaning. Although U.S. schools have made considerable progress in teaching skills-based reading competencies that are the focus of the early grades, most have made much less progress in teaching the knowledge-based competencies students need to support reading comprehension in middle and high school. These knowledgebased competencies are key sources of lasting individual differences in reading outcomes, particularly among children growing up in low-income and non-English-speaking households. Augmenting literacy rates, Lesaux explains, will require considerable shifts in the way reading is assessed and taught in elementary and secondary schools. First, schools must conduct comprehensive reading assessments that discern learners’ (potential) sources of reading difficulties—in both skills-based and knowledge-based competencies. Second, educators must implement instructional approaches that offer promise for teaching the conceptual and knowledge-based reading competencies that are critical for academic success, particularly for academically vulnerable populations.
Detecting deception in secondary screening interviews using linguistic analysis

Ensuring security in transportation is a challenging problem. Many technologies have been implemented for primary screening, but less has been done to improve the secondary screening process. This paper introduces two methods that may aid in detecting deception during the interviews characteristic of secondary screening. First, message feature mining uses message features or cues combined with machine learning techniques to classify messages according to their deceptive potential. Second, speech act profiling, a method for quantifying and visualizing entire conversations, has shown promise in aiding deception detection. These methods may be combined and are intended to be a part of a suite of tools for automating deception detection.
Estimating the Dead Space Volume Between a Headform and N95 Filtering Facepiece Respirator Using Microsoft Kinect

N95 filtering facepiece respirator (FFR) dead space is an important factor for respirator design. The dead space refers to the cavity between the internal surface of the FFR and the wearer's facial surface. This article presents a novel method to estimate the dead space volume of FFRs and experimental validation. In this study, six FFRs and five headforms (small, medium, large, long/narrow, and short/wide) are used for various FFR and headform combinations. Microsoft Kinect Sensors (Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA) are used to scan the headforms without respirators and then scan the headforms with the FFRs donned. The FFR dead space is formed through geometric modeling software, and finally the volume is obtained through LS-DYNA (Livermore Software Technology Corporation, Livermore, CA). In the experimental validation, water is used to measure the dead space. The simulation and experimental dead space volumes are 107.5–167.5 mL and 98.4–165.7 mL, respectively. Linear regression analysis is conducted to...
The NEWT platform: an extensible plugin framework for creating ReSTful HPC APIs

This work describes the NEWT platform, a framework for creating ReSTful web APIs for high-performance scientific computing. The NEWT platform is designed to be a customizable framework that can be deployed at an HPC center, and enables access to various backend resources and services through a common web API. The goal of this effort is to create a service that can be plugged into multiple backend resources, and can easily be extended, while presenting a standard interface to the consumer with common semantics. This effort also updates the NEWT API that has been deployed at NERSC since 2010, and provides additional structure and consistency across the API.
Multiple microRNAs within the 14q32 cluster target the mRNAs of major type 1 diabetes autoantigens IA-2, IA-2β, and GAD65

Islet antigen (IA)-2, IA-2β, and glutamate decarboxylase (GAD65) are major autoantigens in type 1 diabetes (T1D). Autoantibodies to these autoantigens appear years before disease onset and are widely used as predictive markers. Little is known, however, about what regulates the expression of these autoantigens. The present experiments were initiated to test the hypothesis that microRNAs (miRNAs) can target and affect the levels of these autoantigens. Bioinformatics was used to identify miRNAs predicted to target the mRNAs coding IA-2, IA-2β, and GAD65. RNA interference for the miRNA processing enzyme Dicer1 and individual miRNA mimics and inhibitors were used to confirm the effect in mouse islets and MIN6 cells. We show that the imprinted 14q32 miRNA cluster contains 56 miRNAs, 32 of which are predicted to target the mRNAs of T1D autoantigens and 12 of which are glucose-sensitive. Using miRNA mimics and inhibitors, we confirmed that at least 7 of these miRNAs modulate the mRNA levels of the T1D autoantigens. Dicer1 knockdown significantly reduced the mRNA levels of all 3 autoantigens, further confirming the importance of miRNAs in this regulation. We conclude that miRNAs are involved in regulating the expression of the major T1D autoantigens.
SiGe HBT compact modeling for extreme temperatures

Analog and RF design building blocks for space applications require very accurate prediction of SiGe HBT device behavior in this extreme environment. The ability of two industry standard bipolar compact models to represent the SiGe HBT in an extreme temperature environment was evaluated. It was determined that neither the Mextram or VBIC industry standard models were able to accurately represent the SiGe HBT's device performance over the extreme cold temperature environment. For initial design work a model binning approach was taken, where multiple models were required to represent the SiGe HBT over the full cryogenic temperature range. Each of the industry compact models was fitted over a limited temperature range. As the temperature range decreased the accuracy of the model decreased.