cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Modeling Astrocytoma Pathogenesis In Vitro and In Vivo Using Cortical Astrocytes or Neural Stem Cells from Conditional, Genetically Engineered Mice

Current astrocytoma models are limited in their ability to define the roles of oncogenic mutations in specific brain cell types during disease pathogenesis and their utility for preclinical drug development. In order to design a better model system for these applications, phenotypically wild-type cortical astrocytes and neural stem cells (NSC) from conditional, genetically engineered mice (GEM) that harbor various combinations of floxed oncogenic alleles were harvested and grown in culture. Genetic recombination was induced in vitro using adenoviral Cre-mediated recombination, resulting in expression of mutated oncogenes and deletion of tumor suppressor genes. The phenotypic consequences of these mutations were defined by measuring proliferation, transformation, and drug response in vitro. Orthotopic allograft models, whereby transformed cells are stereotactically injected into the brains of immune-competent, syngeneic littermates, were developed to define the role of oncogenic mutations and cell type on tumorigenesis in vivo. Unlike most established human glioblastoma cell line xenografts, injection of transformed GEM-derived cortical astrocytes into the brains of immune-competent littermates produced astrocytomas, including the most aggressive subtype, glioblastoma, that recapitulated the histopathological hallmarks of human astrocytomas, including diffuse invasion of normal brain parenchyma. Bioluminescence imaging of orthotopic allografts from transformed astrocytes engineered to express luciferase was utilized to monitor in vivo tumor growth over time. Thus, astrocytoma models using astrocytes and NSC harvested from GEM with conditional oncogenic alleles provide an integrated system to study the genetics and cell biology of astrocytoma pathogenesis in vitro and in vivo and may be useful in preclinical drug development for these devastating diseases.
Non-poor Components of Population Growth and Immigration in the U.S., 1990–2010

Traditional measures of poverty are informative in indicating the degree of economic deprivation in a population at a cross-sectional point in time, but they do not consider growth in the size of the non-poverty population. We develop a measure of non-poverty population growth in order to explore whether it constitutes a useful indicator of an important demographic dynamic. We illustrate our approach with an analysis of the U.S. states using Census and American Community Survey data from 1990, 2000, and 2010. The results indicate that the extent to which the non-poor population increased across states is uncorrelated with the initial poverty rate as conventionally measured. Broken down by nativity, the findings further show that some states with official poverty rates above the national average (e.g., Arizona, Georgia, and Texas) nonetheless had some of the highest rates of non-poor population growth among less skilled immigrants. By contrast, other states with official poverty rates below the national average (e.g., Connecticut, New Hampshire, and Vermont) often had low rates of non-poor population growth among less skilled immigrants. These findings suggest that low initial poverty rates do not necessarily contribute substantially to the alleviation of global poverty through the immigration of less skilled persons from less developed nations. However, the rate of non-poor population growth among less skilled immigrants also appears to be uncorrelated with state variation in minimum wages even after taking into account population density and median home value.
An in vitro release study of 5-fluoro-uracil (5-FU) from swellable poly-(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA) nanoparticles

Nanomaterials are at the leading edge of the rapidly developing field of nanotechnology. The use of nanoparticles as drug delivery vehicles for anticancer therapeutics has great potential to revolutionize the future of cancer therapy. The present paper concerns both the optimizations of anticancer drug loading and its release from polymeric nanoparticles. The major aim of this study was to design poly (HEMA) nanoparticles as swelling controlled drug release system for anticancer drug. The prepared nanoparticles were characterized by Infra-Red (IR) Spectra, Particle size Analysis, and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The nanoparticles were loaded with widely used anticancer drug, 5-Fluorouracil, and controlled release of drug was investigated to observe the effects of various parameters such as percent loading of the drug, chemical architecture of the nanocarriers, pH, temperature, and nature of release media on the release profiles. The chemical stability of 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) was also tested in phosphate buffer saline (PBS) (pH = 7.4) and release was studied in various simulated biological fluids. The prepared nanoparticles could provide a possible pathway for controlled and targeted delivery of anticancer drug, thus causing lower side effects and higher efficacy.
Strategies for Optimal Chemical Mechanical Polishing (CMP) Slurry Design

Abstract Chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) has become the preferred route for achieving wafer‐level global planarization in microelectronics device manufacturing. However, the micro‐ to molecular‐level mechanisms that control its performance and optimization are not well understood. In CMP, complex slurry chemistries react with the first few atomic layers on the wafer surfaces forming a chemically modified film. This film is subsequently mechanically abraded by nanosized slurry particles to achieve local and global planarity for multi‐level metalization. For optimal CMP performance, high material removal rates with minimal surface defectivity are required. This can be achieved by controlling the extent of interparticle and particle–substrate interactions, which are facilitated through the manipulation of the slurry composition, solution chemistry, as well as operational parameters. Interparticle interactions must be engineered to maintain slurry stability to minimize the number and extent of surface def...
Rosacea: II. Therapy

Abstract Despite an incomplete understanding of the pathogenesis of rosacea, therapeutic modalities continue to expand. The principal subtypes of rosacea include erythematotelangiectatic rosacea, papulopustular rosacea, phymatous rosacea, and ocular rosacea. These phenotypic expressions are probably caused by divergent pathogenic factors and consequently respond to different therapeutic regimens. A subtype-directed approach to therapy is discussed in part II of this review. We provide an overview of the available topical, oral, laser, and light therapies in the context of these cutaneous subtypes, review the evidence that supports their use, and outline their therapeutic approach. Suggestions for future areas of study also are provided. Learning objective At the completion of this learning activity, participants should be familiar with the subtype-directed approach to therapy for rosacea including available topical, oral, laser, and light therapies.
2-D DMO For a Medium With Constant Vertical Velocity Gradient

This paper describes a simple modification of a DMO procedure for a 2-D seismic line (Fore1 and Gardner, 1990) which compensates for the adverse effects of vertical velocity variations. For this discussion the velocity gradient is assumed to be vertical and constant. Standard DMO fails to correct for the variation in rms velocity as the depth of the reflection point changes. A shallow dipping reflector and a deep horizontal reflector can have the same zero-offset travel time at a CMP location. After DMO these events still require different stacking velocities when the velocities at the reflection points are considtrably different. The modified DMO described here corrects for this defect. Its application makes all events with the same zero-offset time stack accurately with the same velocity. The incorporated NM0 step renders a criterion for the quality of the used moveout velocity. The procedure is effective for dips in the in-line direction up to 700 and for dips in the cross-line direction up to 300. If the cross-line dip exceeds about 30,3-D data and 3-D processing are required, as pointed out by Perkins and French (1990).
‘Complementing’ viral infection: mechanisms for evading innate immunity

Through co-evolution with their hosts, viruses have developed a variety of immune escape and control mechanisms. In addition to strategies used to avoid the cellular and humoral immune responses, many viral families encode proteins capable of neutralizing the host's first line of defense, complement. The diversity of these complement avoidance mechanisms and proposed mechanisms by which viruses not only avoid, but also use the immune system to their advantage are discussed.
Effect of B Complex Vitamins on Liver and Heart Glycogen Levels of Hyperthyroid Rats

SummaryYoung hyperthyroid rats fed a diet high in crystalline B-complex vitamins grew fairly well but nevertheless showed a low concentration of glycogen in their livers and hearts. Additional supplementation with liver meal increased their growth rate to normal, but exerted no apparent favorable effect on the glycogen content of these organs. The decrease in cardiac glycogen concentration can be explained in part on the marked cardiac hypertrophy which is associated with experimental hyperthyroidism in the rat.
Spatial and temporal variations in mesoscale water vapor retrieved from TOVS infrared radiances in a nocturnal inversion situation

Abstract Mesoscale moisture fields are retrieved from TOVS (TIROS Operational Vertical Sounder) infrared radiances from two polar-orbiting satellites. A special feature of the retrieval process is the determination of the surface skin temperature independently of the temperature profile above the surface. This allows temperature inversions in retrieved temperature profiles, thereby more closely matching rawinsonde (RAOB) temperature profiles in inversion situations. A modification to the moisture feedback equation is required for such surface temperature inversion cases. Resulting satellite-derived total moisture values are compared both to RAOB-measured moisture at the RAOB scale (>250 km) and to total moisture estimated from surface dew points at the surface weather observation scale (<250 km). One finding is that mesoscale features are detected by the increased density satellite measurements which remain undetected by observations at the RAOB scale. Secondly, differences between satellite-derived and s...
Restoring Nature, Without Mosquitoes?

The benefits of wetlands are now widely appreciated. Less widely known is that historically many wetlands were drained to help control malaria and other deadly diseases. This essay's general theme is that there are pros and cons to restoration or creation of wetlands. The specific theme is that mosquitoes pose practical and theoretical problems. In particular, abundant mosquitoes should not be regarded as an after-the-fact surprising side effect but rather, abundant mosquitoes should be viewed as a primary and foreseeable effect of providing habitat suitable for them. Yet our funding mechanisms and educational institutions often fail properly to address the reality that restoring or creating wetlands has a downside.
Latin America: A Naval History, 1810-1987

Shows how Latin American naval fleets were developed to protect these nations from foreign intervention, discusses the influence of the U.S. Navy on the continent, and analyzes the Falklands War.
CONSERVATION LAWS AND EXACT SOLUTIONS OF THE BOLTZMANN EQUATION

The distribution function f which satisfies the time-dependent Boltzmann equation (BE) for a Lorentz model with perfectly elastic random scatterers is proved nonnegative, and is computed exactly when backscattering dominates. Joule heating and Ohm’s law are recovered, although f has no steady-state limit, contrary to the relaxation-time approximation. (The conventional approximation to the time-independent BE also yields Ohm’s law but not the Joule heating and, worse, it unphysically predicts f<0.) The exact solution is compared with various effective-temperature approximations, and is shown to remain very nearly unchanged over a wide range of times even in the presence of a small amount of inelastic scattering.
Characteristics of a 1:30 mixing ratio stopped flow apparatus

The annular mixer of a small stopped flow apparatus for following changes in transmission is presented together with test results on mixing NaOH with ferricytochromec in the volume ratio 1∶30.
Calcium accumulation in human and sheep erythrocytes that is induced by Escherichia coli hemolysin

Abstract The membrane permeability of both human and sheep erythrocytes is modified by an Escherichia coli-produced extracellular hemolysin. Alterations in membrane permeability were determined by measuring changes in the extracellular concentration of radiolabeled compounds that had been added to a 30–35% erythrocyte suspension. During the pre-lytic period, the E. coli hemolysin promotes calcium accumulation by both human and sheep erythrocytes. The concentration of calcium associated with the cells rises to a level that is approximately 1.5 (sheep) to 3 (human) times higher than that in a comparable volume of extracellular solution. Hemolysin also causes a rapid depletion of the high intracellular potassium levels normally present in human erythrocytes. That neither inulin, sucrose nor phosphate is accumulated by hemolysin-treated erythrocytes indicates that hemolysin makes the membrane selectively permeable to cations.
Understanding the veil: non-stranger sexual assault of a Muslim woman.

Respecting and understanding religious and cultural influences of gender-based violence inproves the care provided by forensic nurses.
GABAB receptor positive modulators: enhancement of GABAB receptor agonist effects in vivo

In vivo effects of GABA(B) receptor-positive modulators suggest that they have therapeutic potential for treating central nervous system disorders such as anxiety, depression, and drug abuse. Although these effects generally are thought to be mediated by positive modulation of GABA(B) receptors, such modulation has been examined primarily in vitro. The present study was aimed at further examining the in vivo positive modulatory properties of the GABA(B) receptor-positive modulators, 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-(3-hydroxy-2,2-dimethylpropyl) phenol (CGP7930) and (R,S)-5,7-di-tert-butyl-3-hydroxy-3-trifluoromethyl-3H-benzofuran-2-one (rac-BHFF). Both compounds enhanced loss of righting induced by baclofen in mice. However, CGP7930 was less effective and rac-BHFF was less potent for enhancing loss of righting induced by γ-hydroxybutyrate (GHB), which, like baclofen, has GABA(B) receptor agonist properties. In contrast with baclofen- and GHB-induced loss of righting, the hypothermic effects of baclofen and GHB were not enhanced by rac-BHFF but were enhanced by CGP7930 only at doses that produced hypothermia when given alone. CGP7930-induced hypothermia was not attenuated by the GABA(B) receptor antagonist 3-aminopropyl(diethoxymethyl)phosphinic acid (CGP35348), at doses that blocked baclofen-induced hypothermia, and was not increased by the nitric-oxide synthase inhibitor N(ω)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester, at doses that increased the hypothermic effects of baclofen and GHB. The results provide evidence that CGP7930 and rac-BHFF act in vivo as positive modulators at GABA(B) receptors mediating loss of righting, but not at GABA(B) receptors mediating hypothermia. Conceivably, CGP7930, but not rac-BHFF, acts as an allosteric agonist at these latter receptors. Taken together, the results provide further evidence of pharmacologically distinct GABA(B) receptor subtypes, possibly allowing for a more selective therapeutic interference with the GABA(B) system.
Diurnal expression and function of peptide transporter 1 (PEPT1).

Background Protein is absorbed primarily as di/tripeptides, which are transported into the enterocyte exclusively by H + /peptide cotransporter 1 (PEPT1). Diurnal changes in expression and function of several other mucosal transporters occur in rat. Diurnal variations in mRNA, protein, and transport function of PEPT1 occur in rat duodenum and jejunum, but not in ileum. Methods Mucosal levels of mRNA and protein were determined at 9 AM, 3 PM, 9 PM, and 3 AM ( n = 6 each) by real time RT-PCR and Western blotting, respectively, in rats maintained in a 12-h light/dark room [light 6 AM to 6 PM]; transporter-mediated uptake of dipeptide (Gly-Sar) was also measured by everted sleeve technique. Results mRNA transcripts of PEPT1 and Gly-Sar uptake varied diurnally in duodenum and jejunum (peak at 3 PM, P max (nmol/cm/min) was greater at 3 PM and 9 PM compared with 9 AM (3 PM versus 9 AM: 104 versus 62 in duodenum, and 185 versus 101 in jejunum; P m was unchanged across time points or locations. Protein levels varied minimally in jejunum and ileum with peaks at 9 PM and 3 AM. Conclusion Gene expression and transport function of PEPT1 vary diurnally in duodenum and jejunum in temporal association with nocturnal feeding of rats.
Triangular/quadrilateral remeshing of an arbitrary polygonal surface via packing bubbles

This paper describes a new computational method for creating a triangular and quadrilateral mesh of an arbitrary polygonal surface while controlling the anisotropy and directionality of the mesh. The input polygonal surface may include non-manifold edges and holes, and it can be either a closed polyhedron or an open polygonal surface. The method creates a mesh in two steps. In the first step, volumetric cells are packed - ellipsoidal bubbles for a triangular mesh or rectangular solid bubbles for a quadrilateral mesh - on the input polygonal surface, then vertices are created at the centers of the bubbles and superimposed onto the input polygonal surface. In the second step, the original vertices of the input polygonal surface are deleted. The method is tolerant to the noise typically introduced by the measurement error of a laser range scanner, it can control element size and anisotropy precisely, and it creates high quality mesh elements. Applications of the proposed scheme include: reducing the number of elements of a mesh created by a laser range scanner, CT scanner, or MRI scanner; creating a surface mesh that can be a starting mesh for a tetrahedral or a hexahedral finite element mesh; and solution-adaptive anisotropic remeshing for finite element analysis.
Top management team characteristics and life insurer performance: Do top managers make a difference?

This study examines the impact of top management team characteristics on life insurer performance. The authors argue that greater social cohesion among team members makes it less likely that the insurer will be able to adapt to the changes that have characterized the U.S. life insurance industry over the past decade and will, therefore, be detrimental to performance. Our findings support this assertion and suggest that life insurers driven by more diversified top management teams outperform life insurers with more homogenous top management teams.
Emotion-modulated startle in anxiety disorders is blunted by co-morbid depressive episodes.

Method. We utilized the emotion-modulated startle (EMS) paradigm to examine the effects of a concurrent depressive episode on emotional reactivity in young adults with anxiety disorders. Using an archival dataset from a multi-disciplinary project on risk factors in childhood-onset depression, we examined eye-blink startle reactions to late-onset auditory startle probes while participants viewed pictures with affectively pleasant, unpleasant and neutral content. EMS response patterns were analyzed in 33 individuals with a current anxiety (but no depressive) disorder, 24 individuals with a current anxiety disorder and co-morbid depressive episode and 96 healthy controls. Results. Control participants and those with a current anxiety disorder (but no depression) displayed normative linearity in startle responses, including potentiation by unpleasant pictures. By contrast, individuals with concurrent anxiety and depression displayed blunted EMS. Conclusions. An anxiety disorder concurrent with a depressive episode is associated with reactivity that more closely resembles the pattern of emotional responding that is typical of depression (i.e. context insensitive) rather than the pattern that is typical for anxiety (i.e. exaggerated).
Epidemiologic studies of serum uric acid levels among micronesians

Data from epidemiologic studies of Chamorro and Palauan populations of Micronesia were analyzed for associations of serum uric acid levels with other characteristics of the populations. The mean serum uric acid levels for those groups were significantly higher than those reported for Western populations, but the frequency distribution patterns were similar, being unimodal and slightly skewed toward higher values. Analysis by geographic subgroups showed differences in mean serum uric acid levels, but those differences did not follow any pattern of association with sociocultural indices. There was a general association of serum uric acid levels with total daily caloric intakes. Correlation analysis of individual characteristics indicated that serum uric acid levels were positively associated with measures of blood pressure, obesity and serum triglyceride levels. There was no consistent association with serum cholesterol or glucose levels, electrocardiogram abnormalities, smoking habits or measures of occupation, education or sociocultural attitudes. The overall impression was that, except for a possible dietary influence, the risk of hyperuricemia was more strongly associated with being a Micronesian than with geographic residence or life style.
Double Exposure: The Effects of Repeated Identification Lineups on Eyewitness Accuracy

Summary Eyewitnesses may be asked to identify the same suspect from a lineup on successive occasions. This study explored the effects on eyewitness decisions of repeated same-suspect lineups, within a 2 × 2 × 2 mixed-model factorial design. Witnesses to a video crime attempted to identify the culprit from two same-format lineups (simultaneous or sequential) separated by a 2-week retention interval (Lineup1, Lineup2) in which a suspect (guilty or innocent) was common to the lineups. We predicted two components of a posited repeated lineup effect: that positive identification errors made at the first lineup would be carried forward rather than corrected at the second lineup and that the number of false identifications of the innocent suspect would rise from first to second lineup. Predictions were supported, with a stronger negative impact of repeated lineups for simultaneous than sequential lineups. Additionally, witnesses who made selections of the guilty suspect and of the innocent suspect at Lineup2 were equally confident and were significantly more confident than witnesses who declined to pick. The results underscore concerns about possible negative outcomes from repeated lineups. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Temporal change in the herbaceous understory community of an old-growth forest: from seasons to decades

Studies focusing on the herbaceous groundlayer of forest communities have become increasingly common in the literature, yet rarely do these studies adequately capture the temporal dynamics that typify this stratum. Using long-term data from an old-growth remnant stand in southeastern Ohio, we compare seasonal, annual, and decadal changes in herb composition and abundance on a north- and south-facing slope. Herbs were sampled within 70, 2-m2 circular plots at three times throughout the growing season in 1997, 1998, 2011, and 2012. Slope, season, and year all had significant effects on species composition, as did their interactions. Species richness and diversity varied considerably throughout seasons, yet remained consistent over the fifteen-year study interval. A dramatic reduction in overall abundance, from an average of 63 % in 1997 to just 12 % in 2012, was observed. This decline was most severe from 1997 to 1998. A nonmetric multidimensional scaling ordination for all 4 years showed a collapse in phenological distinction among seasonal-sampling units. Finally, we looked at year-to-year changes in individual species abundances by comparing occurrence frequencies. The frequency of a species in year i was usually a good indicator of its frequency in year j; however, a few species showed considerable increases or decreases, such as the invasive Alliaria petiolata, which increased from zero plots in 1997 to 15 plots in 2012. These results suggest the importance of adequately and simultaneously documenting vegetation changes at short, intermediate, and long-term timescales—especially for understanding the dynamics of temperate deciduous forest herb communities.
Effects of Irradiation on the Electrical Properties of Alpha-Quartz Crystals

A study is made of irradiation effects on α-quartz crystals using the techniques of electrical conductivity and dielectric loss measurements. The initial radiation-induced conductivity (RIC) induced by X-ray irradiation over the temperature range from 94 to 250 K is found to have a nearly constant activation energy of 0.29 ± 0.02 eV. Since a large RIC still results from irradiation at temperatures too low for alkalis to be liberated, it is proposed that the RIC is due to holes (as small polarons) rather than to alkalis. The dielectric loss measurements in Na-swept quartz are used to follow the changes in the relaxation peaks due to the Al-Na defect as a function of radiation dose and annealing. At the same time a low-temperature “irradiation peak” is studied. Restoration of the main Al-Na peak during annealing occurs in two stages: one near 500 K and the other above 600 K. From the observed behavior of the irradiation peak in various crystals, it is concluded that this peak is probably due to alkali centers. Finally, a defect model interpreting the two annealing stages is presented.
Carbon cycling within epilithic biofilm communities across a nutrient gradient of headwater streams.

Primary production (PP), nutrient uptake, and carbon (C) cycling within epilithic biofilm communities were assessed in four headwater streams in the Arkansas Ozarks, U.S.A., representing a hundred-fold range in total dissolved nitrogen (TDN) and soluble reactive phosphorus concentrations. Small enclosures containing stream water and rock substrate were incubated for 8 h with 13C-enriched dissolved inorganic C. 13C was measured in dissolved organic carbon (DOC), bulk biofilm, and individual biofilm phospholipid fatty acids (PLFA) as biomarkers for C uptake into autotrophic and heterotrophic microorganisms. Biofilm %N, chlorophyll content, C-specific biofilm PP, N-specific TDN uptake, and relative abundance of algal PLFA increased with the nutrient gradient represented by the four study streams. Total net DOC release as a proportion of PP was greatest in both the lowest and highest nutrient streams, while the source of released DOC varied with the nutrient gradient. In the most nutrient-rich stream a greater fraction of DOC was comprised of C fixed during the incubation, but in the most nutrient-poor stream released DOC was mainly derived from older biofilm C. Carbon uptake into PLFA increased with the nutrient gradient for algal but not heterotrophic bacterial biomarkers, indicating lower relative incorporation of new PP by biofilm heterotrophs in higher nutrient streams. Results suggest that tight C flow between biofilm autotrophs and heterotrophs may support biofilm nutrient retention in low-nutrient streams while nutrient enrichment may disrupt this coupling and release more new PP as DOC with potential effects on nutrient export to downstream ecosystems. Nutrient enrichment of aquatic ecosystems is a globally ubiquitous phenomenon that has led to eutrophication of lentic, lotic, and coastal marine ecosystems and associated problems such as water quality degradation, species extirpations, and loss of ecosystem functions (Rabalais 2001). Elevated nitrogen (N) concentrations in watersheds have been identified as the primary cause of hypoxia in many downstream coastal ecosystems including the northern Gulf of Mexico (Howarth and Marino 2006). Headwater streams are key components of watersheds and have strong effects on downstream N export because their high surface area-to-volume ratio supports greater rates of biogeochemical processing such as microbial uptake and denitrification (Peterson et al. 2001). Epilithic microbial biofilm communities of headwater streams are responsible for much of the uptake and subsequent transfer of N to higher trophic levels (Dodds et al. 2000). Elevated concentrations of stream-water nutrients, including N and phosphorus (P), can increase the biomass, chlorophyll content, and primary production of biofilm communities (Guasch et al. 1995; Dodds et al. 2002). Higher rates of
A pH-dependent conformational change, rather than the chemical step, appears to be rate-limiting in the hammerhead ribozyme cleavage reaction.

We have investigated the chemical basis for a previously observed 7.8 A conformational change in the hammerhead ribozyme that positions the substrate for in-line attack. We have found that the conformational change can only be observed at or above pH 8.5 (in the presence of Co(2+)) and requires the presence of an ionizable 2'-OH at the cleavage site, and note that this observed apparent pK(a) of 8.5 for the conformational change is within experimental error (+/-0.5) of the previously reported apparent kinetic pK(a) of 8.5 for the hammerhead ribozyme in the presence of Co(2+). We have solved two crystal structures of hammerhead ribozymes having 2'-OCH(3) or 2'-F substitutions at the cleavage site and have found that these will not undergo a conformational change equivalent to that observed for the hammerhead ribozyme having an unmodified attacking nucleophile under otherwise identical conditions. We have also characterized the kinetics of cleavage in the crystal. In addition to verifying that the particular sequence of RNA that we crystallized cleaves faster in the crystal than in solution, we also find that the extent of cleavage in the crystal is complete, unlike in solution where this and most other hammerhead ribozyme substrates are cleaved only to about 70 % completion. The initial cleavage rate in the crystal obeys the expected log-linear relation between cleavage-rate and pH with a slope of 0.7, as has been observed for other hammerhead ribozyme sequences in solution, indicating that in both the crystal and in solution the pH-dependent step is rate-limiting. However, the cleavage rate in the crystal is biphasic, with the most dramatic distinction between initial (slower) and final (faster) phases appearing at pH 6.0. The initial phase corresponds to the pH-dependent cleavage rate observed in solution, but the second, faster phase is roughly pH-independent and closely parallels the cleavage rate observed at pH 8 (0.4/minute). This result is particularly remarkable because it entails that the rapidly cleaving phase at pH 6 is comparable to the cleavage rate for the fastest cleaving hammerhead ribozymes at pH 6. Based upon these observations, we conclude that the pH-dependent conformational change is the rate-determining step under standard conditions for the hammerhead ribozyme self-cleavage reaction, and that an ionizable 2'-proton at cleavage site is required for this conformational change. We further hypothesize that deprotonation of the cleavage-site 2'-oxygen drives this conformational change.
Should endobronchial ultrasonography be part of the thoracic surgeon's armamentarium?

Objective The study objective was to determine the clinical usefulness and accuracy of endobronchial ultrasound-guided needle aspiration of mediastinal and hilar lymph nodes. Methods A retrospective analysis of a thoracic surgery unit's experience was performed. Results In a period of 19 months, 75 patients underwent the procedure (mean age = 65.5 ± 1.6 years; male to female = 2:1) most commonly for mediastinal lymphadenopathy in the setting of diagnosed or suspected lung cancer. It was diagnostic in 68.9% after rapid on-site evaluation and 74.3% after final cytologic examination. The rapid on-site evaluation and final cytology results were discordant in 16.2% ( P Conclusion Endobronchial ultrasound-guided needle aspiration is a clinically useful minimally invasive option for lung cancer staging and evaluation of mediastinal lymphadenopathy. The procedure should be considered complementary to mediastinoscopy.
Evidence of Juxtacrine Signaling for Transforming Growth Factor α inHuman Endometrium

To determine the mechanism of signaling for transforming growth factor alpha (TGFalpha) in human endometrium, uterine luminal fluid proteins were retrieved by lavage followed by collection of the adjacent endometrium at hysterectomy. In the endometrium we observed the presence of the full-length transmembrane TGFalpha protein and the phosphorylation of its only known receptor, the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), by immunoprecipitation-Western blot; TGFalpha mRNA via reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction; and immunolocalization of TGFalpha to the surface endometrium adjacent to the uterine lumen. Despite this demonstration of TGFalpha in functional endometrium, we could not detect measurable amounts of TGFalpha in any of the 16 endometrial washings by either immunoprecipitation-Western blot or by ELISA. Recovery rate for intraluminal fluid spiked with TGFalpha control peptide was 93.4-97%. The inability to detect TGFalpha in intraluminal fluid despite its high concentration in cells directly adjacent to the uterine lumen, along with the absence of any cleaved TGFalpha species identified in the endometrium, suggests that TGFalpha signals its receptor as a transmembrane ligand. Since the EGFR is present in the endometrium and on the surface of embryos, these data are consistent with a juxtacrine mode of signaling for TGFalpha between endometrial cells, and between the luminal surface epithelium and preimplantation embryos.
Wave Structure and Evolution In Baroclinic Flow Regimes

A uniform potential vorticity model, modified by two Ekman layers of different strengths, is used to study analytically and numerically the structure and evolution of strongly nonlinear, baroclinic waves. the model consists of a single zonal wave with its lowest two meridional modes, and of the mean flow correction with its lowest four meridional modes. Each meridional mode consists of a baroclinic and a barotropic pattern. Travelling steady waves, amplitude vacillation and structural vacillation are found in the model. Steady waves are energetically balanced between baroclinicity and Ekman dissipation through nonlinearity. In a typical amplitude vacillation, the wave potential energy vacillates with time, via the interference of nonlinear barotropic and baroclinic patterns of the lowest meridional mode of the wave. In a typical structural vacillation, the distribution of wave kinetic energy in the meridional direction vacillates with time, via interference of the lowest two nonlinear meridional modes of the wave. the results are qualitatively consistent with those observed in annulus experiments. the mechanisms of amplitude and structural vacillations may be responsible for blocking in middle and high latitudes.
A new method for “ferrous iron” and “excess oxygen” in rocks, minerals, and oxides

Abstract A new method is given whereby oxygen excess or deficiency in many minerals and oxides may be simply determined. The method depends on the stability in phosphoric acid-pyrophosphate mixtures of both MnIII and MnII. The sample is dissolved in a phosphoric acid mixture containing excess MnII, with or without the addition of standard oxidant, and MnIII remaining in solution or produced by reaction with the sample is titrated with ferrous ammonium sulphate, using barium diphenylamine sulphate as indicator. The method is useful in many cases where existing methods are inapplicable or unsatisfactory. Accurate results can be obtained using relatively small samples.
The Nonmonotonic Relation between Insider Ownership and REIT Risk-Taking and Returns

We examine empirically the relations between REIT insider ownership and several measures of performance and management decisions. Three variables exhibit U-shaped or inverted U-shaped profiles, with a critical turn at about 30% ownership. Incentive alignment appears to dominate above 30% ownership; risk aversion and entrenchment dominate from zero to 30%. These phenomena are most pronounced for stock beta and property type concentration. Linear models are inadequate to explain the data, misleadingly indicating the absence of a relationship. Leverage presents an inverted U-shape. G&A expense ratios decline nonlinearly in insider ownership. Institutional ownership is associated with lower leverage, lower expenses, lower ROA, and higher stock returns.
Comparison of MCDA Paradigms

The underlying concepts of MAUT, SMART, AHP, preference cones, ZAPROS, and outranking methods are compared. Learning systems are considered. The learning view is that decision makers initially do not fully understand all of the criteria that are important. Therefore, rather than uncovering an underlying utility function, what must be uncovered are the full ramifications involved in selecting one alternative over another. This paradigm can involve an evolutionary problem, where criteria can be added or discarded during the analysis. Methods are also reviewed with respect to their psychological validity in generating input data. Past experiments conducted by the authors are reviewed, with conclusions drawn relative to subject comfort in using each method. Subjects typically make errors, in that they have inconsistent ratings of scores across systems, and will occasionally have reversal of relative importance of criteria across systems. This emphasizes the need to be careful of input in decision models, and strengthens the argument for more robust input information. Furthermore, systems based on the same model have been found to yield different results for some. In a study exposing both US and Russian students were compared. Each group found it more comfortable to use systems developed within their own culture.
Analytical and Numerical Investigation of the Strain Rate Field in the Secondary Shear Zone

The use of analytical modeling of continuous chip formation in conjunction with orthogonal cutting experiments is proposed in the open literature to identify the material coefficients of constitutive equation within the practical range of stress, strain, strain rate, and temperature encountered in metal cutting. However, most of these approaches do not provide reliable material coefficients since they use average value of the physical quantities in the primary and/or secondary shear zones. The average value of the effective stress, effective strain, effective strain rate and temperature are not very sensitive to the variation of the cutting conditions. The use of distributions of the physical quantities, rather than average values, is believed to provide well-conditioned information for the identification procedure of the constitutive law. An investigation of the primary shear zone has been published elsewhere. The secondary shear zone, characterized by higher temperature compared to the primary shear zone, is being tackled in this paper. An original analytical approach is proposed to investigate the strain rate field in the secondary shear zone for continuous chip formation processes. Based on the distribution of the flow velocity in the primary shear zone and the shape of the secondary shear zone, the field of flow velocity in the secondary shear zone is determined to respect the different boundary conditions. The ability of this approach to predict the velocity and the strain rate fields is assessed by comparing it to the results of numerical simulation of chip formation using DEFORM3D in the case of AISI 1045 steel.© 2005 ASME
Summation and tetanus in cardiac muscle; effects of temperature, epinephrine and digitoxin.

Summary1. Summation of contractions and incomplete tetanus may be consistently produced in frog ventricle strips by elevation of bath temperature. In these experiments a temperature of about 30° C regularly induced the summated response. 2. Digitoxin in cone, of 0.3 μg/ml potentiated the summated response and caused its appearance at lower temperatures. 3. Epinephrine in cone, of l0-6 prevented summated response to digitoxin or high temperature. 4. The summated response to digitoxin or high temp. is associated with reduction in duration of refractory period and the inhibitory effect of cooling or epinephrine with increase in duration of refractoriness. 5. Rat ventricle strips may show summation, incomplete tetanus and post-tetanic potentiation at temp. of 38° C and in the absence of treatment with drugs. The mechanisms of these phenomena are not yet delineated.
Biochemical Systematics of the Peromyscus boylii Species Group

Allelic variation at 32 loci was examined among forms of the Peromyscus aztecus and P. boylii assemblages of the P. boylii species group, representative taxa of the P. truei and P. leucopus species groups, and P. eremicus of the subgenus Haplomylomys to examine conflicting hypotheses regarding the monophlyetic or polyphyletic nature of the P. boylii species group. Twenty-three loci exhibited intraspecific or interspecific variation. Although phenetic analysis of the biochemical data suggested that the P. boylii species group is polyphyletic, neither the phenetic nor the cladistic analyses supported the recent chromosomally based hypothesis that allied the P. aztecus assemblage with the P. leucopus species group. With exception of P. pectoralis , the P. boylii group taxa genetically appeared to form a monophyletic group.
Low-Profile Synthetic Jet Cooling for Portable Computers

This paper explores the novel technique of forced synthetic jet cooling within high-aspect ratio ducts that can be accommodated within low-profile electronic systems. A synthetic jet is an intense, small-scale turbulent jet that is synthesized directly from the fluid in the system in which it is embedded and is formed when fluid is alternately sucked and ejected from the cavity by the motion of a diaphragm bounding the cavity, so that there is no net mass addition to the system. This feature obviates the need for input piping or complex fluidic packaging and makes synthetic jets ideally suited for the low-profile geometries of portables. In the current work, a simple configuration of a 2-D synthetic jet ejector in a rectangular channel is used to ascertain the flow and thermal performance curves, overall thermal resistance and effectiveness for the synthetic jet ejector channel flow.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
An Attempt to Modify the Agglutinability of the Typhoid Bacillus by Selective Isolation of Individual Bacilli

To isolate individual bacilli selectively seemed necessary as a means for this investigation. The most precise method for accomplishing this selective isolation is the technic designed and developed by Dr. M. A. Barber of the University of Kansas.1 By using a microscopic capillary pipette supported in a mechanical holder provided with motion in three directions, one is able after considerable practice to isolate individual micro-organisms from a hanging drop. This drop is supported by a cover-glass over a moist chamber which is held and moved about under the micro-
T-lymphocytic leukemia expresses complex, branched O-linked oligosaccharides on a major sialoglycoprotein, leukosialin.

Leukocytes express a major sialoglycoprotein, leukosialin, of which the apparent molecular weight (mol wt) can be variable according to the differences in O-glycans attached to this molecule. In the present study, we analyzed the structures of O-glycans attached to leukosialin present in various T-lymphocytic leukemia cells. T-lymphoid cells from patients with acute T-lymphocytic leukemia express a large amount of the branched hexasaccharides, NeuNAc alpha 2\---|-3Gal beta 1\---|-3(NeuNAc alpha 2\---|-3Gal beta 1\---|-4GlcNAc beta 1\---|-6)GalNAc, which are also expressed in activated normal T lymphocytes, but that are almost absent in resting normal T lymphocytes. T-lymphoid cells from patients with chronic T-lymphocytic leukemia, on the other hand, mainly express the tetrasaccharides NeuNAc alpha 2\---|-3Gal beta 1\---|-3(NeuNAc alpha 2\---|- 6)GalNAc on leukosialin, but they also express a small significant amount of the hexasaccharides. The same hexasaccharides can be detected in thymocytes. The increased amount of the hexasaccharides in acute leukemia is associated with increased activity of beta 1\---|-6 GlcNAc- transferase, a key enzyme in forming the hexasaccharides. Immunoblot analysis of cell lysates showed that monoclonal antibody (MoAb) T-305 reacts preferentially with leukosialin of high mol wt containing the hexasaccharides. These findings indicate that T-lymphocytic leukemia cells reexpress the oligosaccharides present in immature cells.
Prevaluation of Occupational Hazards in the Braided Bag Project

Objective To provide scientific basis for administrative approval of constructive project by recognizing,evaluating,analyzing the possible occupational hazard factors.Methods Occupational Check List was adopted for the qualitative evaluation.Results All of the indexes comlied with hygiene standard,including the site selection,general layout,installation layout,occupational preventive apparatus,individual preventive supplies,occupational hygienic management and accessorial chamber of the project etc.The occupational hazard factors were formaldehyde,aldehyde,carbon monoxide,butanol,isopropanol,paraffin gas,polyethylenes dust,polypropylene dust,calcium carbonate dust,noise,and power frequency electric field.etc.Conclusion The project has serious occupational hazards.The occupational preventive apparatus of the project were feasible.
Using Undetermined Coefficients to Solve Certain Classes of Variable-Coefficient Equations

AbstractThis paper considers the question of when undetermined coefficients may be applied to compute the particular solution of certain second order nonhomogeneous differential equations with vari...
Zur Immunopathologie der Leukozyten Antikörper gegen intracelluläre Antigene

Organ- und speziesunspezifische zytoplasmatische Antikorper, die bei viszeralem Erythematodes und infektioser Hepatitis gefunden werden, konnen auch mit Plasmabestandteilen menschlicher Leukozyten in Reaktion treten. Es handelt sich dabei um keine zellspezifische Reaktion, da sie durch Absorption des Serums mit Zytoplasmafraktionen von Rattenleber verhindert werden kann. Diese Antikorper haben auch keine zytotoxischen und lytischen Eigenschaften und vermogen mit der intakten Zelle nicht zu reagieren. Es bestehen aber Anhaltspunkte fur eine gewisse protektive Wirkung dieser Serumfaktoren, da sie die Freisetzung lysosomaler Enzyme unter Umstanden verhindern oder verringern konnen. Durch Absorptionsexperimente und durch ihre differente Reaktionsweise sind diese zytoplasmatischen Antikorper von leukozytaren Auto- und Isoantikorpern und antinuklearen Faktoren unterscheidbar.
Objective Risks and Individual Perceptions of Those Risks

Justin Pickett and Sean Roche have performed a valuable service to the criminological community in focusing our attention on the key unstated assumption underlining not only the recent article by Nagin, Solow, and Lum [NSL] (2015) but also a host of other recent studies defending the deterrence doctrine the assumption that there is a close connection between objective risks of legal punishment of crime and individual perception of those risks. The fact that NSL left this essential assumption unstated is part of why it was so pernicious, in addition to it almost certainly being wrong. It is harder for readers to recognize dubious assumptions when authors do not explicitly state, nevermind admit the existence of evidence testing strong doubt on them. NSL (2015) were certainly not the first deterrence researchers to make this assumption. All macro-level deterrence researchers, regardless of discipline, have relied on the assumption that actual levels of legal punishment serve as good proxies for perceived levels of punishment. Economists, however, seem to be especially oblivious... Language: en