cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Blood transcriptomics and metabolomics for personalized medicine

Molecular analysis of blood samples is pivotal to clinical diagnosis and has been intensively investigated since the rise of systems biology. Recent developments have opened new opportunities to utilize transcriptomics and metabolomics for personalized and precision medicine. Efforts from human immunology have infused into this area exquisite characterizations of subpopulations of blood cells. It is now possible to infer from blood transcriptomics, with fine accuracy, the contribution of immune activation and of cell subpopulations. In parallel, high-resolution mass spectrometry has brought revolutionary analytical capability, detecting > 10,000 metabolites, together with environmental exposure, dietary intake, microbial activity, and pharmaceutical drugs. Thus, the re-examination of blood chemicals by metabolomics is in order. Transcriptomics and metabolomics can be integrated to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the human biological states. We will review these new data and methods and discuss how they can contribute to personalized medicine.
The energy budget of man at high altitudes.

Observations (mid-July) were made, at high altitudes (3,080 m to 4,267 m, White Mountains, California), of the radiative physical and physiological parameters of importance to man. The data was used to show how man was actually coupled to the climatological events and processes going on at the physical-horizontal interface. Such observations were then used to test theoreticalempirical models predicting such interactions between man and the environment. High correlations were found between hypothesis and observations during the investigational period. Subsequently, an all-year simulation was conducted which attempted to predict the annual march of net radiation on the human and its causal components for high elevations in arid regions.
Feeding ecology and the evolution of body size of baboons

Summary The total metabolic requirement (kcal day-1) of herbivores increases as a fractional power of weight while gut capacity increases approximately linearly. Because MR/GC ratio (metabolic requirement/gut capacity) decreases with body size, foods can be retained within the gut progressively longer in larger herbivores. Since digestibility (proportion of intake not appearing in the faeces) is related to retention time, digestibility of foods will be a function of size. Small animals respond by eating rapidly digesting foods. Since high quality foods (i. e. rapidly digesting) are rare and low quality, abundant, larger sized animals (constrained by their higher metabolic requirement) must eat higher fibre diets. In the middle body sizes, the constraints of the MR/GC ratio have been sufficiently relaxed to allow the evolution of structures which selectively delay the passage of fibrous foods (i. e. ruminoreticulum). Sexual selection is considered a factor responsible for larger male body size. This paper argues that male size is constrained by competition with ruminant species who are more efficient at digesting the types of foods required of greater male size. Female size is viewed as reduced below that of the male to absorb the energetic costs of lactation. The extent of the reduction is constrained by the increasing loss of digestive capacity with decreasing size. Resume Les besoins metaboliques totaux (kcal jour-1) des herbivores augmentent en relation fractionnelle avec le poids du corps tandis que la capacite stomacale suit ± lineairement. Puisque le rapport MR/GC (besoins metaboliques/capacite stomacale) diminue avec la taille du corps, les aliments peuvent etre retenus dans l'estomac progressivement plus longtemps chez les plus grands herbivores. Etant donne que la digestibilite (proportion de I'aliment qui n'apparait plus dans les feces) est liee au temps de retention, la digestibilite des aliments sera fonction de la taille. De petits animaux repondent en mangeant une nourriture rapidement digeree. Sachant qu'une nourriture de bonne qualite (vite digeree) est rare, et une de moins bonne, abondante, les plus gros animaux (contraints par leurs besoins metaboliques superieurs) doivent manger un regime plus fibreux. Dans les tailles moyennes, les exigences du rapport MR/GC ont ete suffisamment adoucies pour permettre une evolution de structures qui propose selectivement le passage aux nourritures fibreuses (p. e. ruminoreticulum). La selection sexuelle est consideree comme le facteur determinant chez les animaux de plus grandes tailles. Cet article pretend que la taille du mâle est limitee par la competition avec des especes ruminantes qui digerent plus efficacement les types de nourritures qui sont aussi celles du plus grand mâle. La taille de la femelle serait ainsi inferieure a celle du mâle en raison du cout energetique de la lactation. Le supplement de la reduction de taille est lie lui a la perte de la capacite digestive a cause de la diminution de taille.
The Consequences of Including Seductive Details During Lecture

When text passages include seductive details (i.e., interesting, tangentially related adjuncts that are irrelevant to the lesson), students perform worse on recall (Garner, Gillingham, & White, 1989) and problem-solving tests (Harp & Mayer, 1997, 1998) than students reading the same material without seductive details. To determine whether including seductive details during lecture had a similar effect, students listened to a recorded lecture that either contained or did not contain seductive details and took a test on the material. As predicted, students who heard a lecture containing seductive details recalled significantly fewer main points and provided significantly fewer acceptable problem-solving solutions than students who heard the lecture without seductive details. These results suggest that lectures should not include seductive details.
Effects of AACSB Accreditation on Academic Salaries

Abstract The effect of business accreditation on academic salaries is a subject of some importance to both higher education administration and faculty. The present study empirically assessed two questions central to the issue of professional accreditation: (a) Is there a salary differential between AACSB-accredited schools and schools that are not AACSB accredited? (b) Is the salary differential across disciplines greater at AACSB-accredited schools than at unaccredited schools? The findings suggest that AACSB accreditation positively affects both the magnitude of business school salaries and the cross-disciplinary salary differentials.
Comparisons of on-farm screening tests for detection of antibiotic residues.

Abstract A study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of on-farm tests for detection of antibiotic residues in milk and urine. Composite milk samples (n = 122) were taken from 58 cows receiving antibiotic treatment with a single antibiotic by any route of administration. Samples were obtained 72h posttreatment, and sampling continued every 24h until all residue tests showed a negative result for antibiotics. Antibiotic residues were detected by the Bacillus stearothermophilus disc assay, the Delvotest P, and the Penzyme test. Urine of cull cows was collected and tested for residues with the Live Animal Swab Test for antibiotic residues present in slaughter carcasses. No significant difference was found between the Bacillus stearothermohilus disc assay and either on-farm test. Chisquare analysis indicated that with both the Delvotest and the Penzyme test, 17% of samples gave positive results when the disc assay showed negative readings. An inordinately high percentage (69%) of urine samples from cull cows exhibited antibiotic contamination, although all animals had completed the specified withholding periods. Fifteen of these positive results were obtained from primiparous cows that had never been treated with any antibiotic.
Coherent and incoherent frontal patterns for multicomponent adsorption dynamics—II. Non-uniqueness of frontal patterns in the isothermal case for convex isotherms of two-component mixtures

Abstract It has been shown that of frontal patterns can be non-unique in the isothermal case for convex adsorption isotherms of two-component mixtures with variable coefficients of separation. The uniqueness of frontal patterns have been analysed by using extreme conditions. The influence of the dispersive factors on the nature of the concentration distribution is considered. It has shown that the dispersive factors can qualitatively change the nature of concentration distribution in the adsorber too: (a) convert coherent patterns into incoherent ones; (b) transform some coherent patterns into other coherent ones.
Intranasal naloxone is a viable alternative to intravenous naloxone for prehospital narcotic overdose.

Objective. To compare the prehospital time intervals from patient contact and medication administration to clinical response for intranasal (IN) versus intravenous (IV) naloxone in patients with suspected narcotic overdose. Methods. This was a retrospective review of emergency medical services (EMS) and hospital records, before and after implementation of a protocol for administration of intranasal naloxone by the Central California EMS Agency. We included patients with suspected narcotic overdose treated in the prehospital setting over 17 months, between March 2003 and July 2004. Paramedics documented dose, route of administration, and positive response times using an electronic record. Clinical response was defined as an increase in respiratory rate (breaths/min) or Glasgow Coma Scale score of at least 6. Main outcome variables included time from medication to clinical response and time from patient contact to clinical response. Secondary variables included numbers of doses administered and rescue doses...
Effect of reduction and alkylation on structure and function of rabbit IgG antibody—II. Effects on classical pathway C3 convertase formation☆

Anaerobic reduction of purified rabbit IgG antibody (Ab) with 1.5 moles of dithiothreitol per mole of Ab at pH 8.0, followed by alkylation, cleaves 39% of the inter-heavy-chain (H-H) disulfide (SS) bonds. This treatment has the following effects on the ability of the Ab to activate the classical pathway of complement. Compared to control Ab, reduced and alkylated (RA) Ab retained 4–5.6% of overall hemolytic activity and 55% of complement-fixing activity at 0°C. Complexes of RA Ab and equivalent amounts of soluble Ag consumed C4, C2 and C3 at 37, 51 and 44%, respectively, of the rate at which these components were consumed by equal concns of complexes containing control Ab. Complexes made with RA Ab bound 18% as much Cl as those made with native Ab. These data indicate that the principal, if not the only, effect of RA is on Cl binding. Measurements of the ability of complexes of Ab with cell-bound Ag to bind Cl showed at most a 20% loss of Cl binding sites and a ca two-fold decrease in affinity for C1. Similar results were obtained with purified (activated) Cl and with native C1 in serum. No significant difference could be detected in the rate of activation of bound C1. Normal rabbit IgG which was reduced and alkylated under the same conditions retained 52% of its H-H SS bonds and 30% of its ability to bind Cl. This finding suggests that the impairment in C1 binding results from an effect on the C1 binding site itself, rather than from an effect on the ability of the RA Ab to transmit a putative conformational “signal” from the Ag-binding site to the C1 binding site. Finally, our data show that the observed functional effect of reduction and alkylation depends strongly on the assay used to evaluate that effect.
Impact of local attenuation approximations when estimating correlation length from backscattered ultrasound echoes

Estimating the characteristic correlation length of tissue microstructure from the backscattered power spectrum could improve the diagnostic capability of medical ultrasound. Previously, size estimates were obtained after compensating for source focusing, the frequency-dependent attenuation along the propagation path (total attenuation), and the frequency-dependent attenuation in the scattering region (local attenuation). In this study, the impact of approximations of the local attenuation on the scatterer size estimate was determined using computer simulations and theoretical analysis. The simulations used Gaussian impedance distributions with an effective radius of 25 microm randomly positioned in a homogeneous half-space sonified by a spherically focused source (f/1 to f/4). The approximations of the local attenuation that were assessed neglected local attenuation (i.e., assume 0 dB/cm-MHz) neglected frequency dependence of the local attenuation, and assumed a finite frequency dependence (i.e., 0.5 dB/cm-MHz) independent of the true attenuation of the medium. Errors in the scatterer size estimate due to the local attenuation approximations increased with increasing window length, increasing true local attenuation and increasing f number. The most robust estimates were obtained when the local attenuation was approximated by a tissue-independent attenuation value that was greater than 70% of the largest attenuation expected in the tissue region of interest.
Oculomotor Response Inhibition Abnormalities in Pediatric Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Background: Disturbances in the orbital prefrontal cortex and its ventral striatal target fields have been identified in neuroimaging studies of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). In animal models and studies of patients with lesions to this brain circuitry, a selective disturbance in the ability to suppress responses to irrelevant stimuli has been demonstrated. Such a deficit in response suppression might underlie the apparent inhibitory deficit suggested by the symptoms of OCD. To date, little direct evidence of such a deficit has been reported. Further, although OCD commonly emerges during childhood or adolescence, few studies have examined psychotropic-naive pediatric patients near the onset of illness to find the possible role of atypical developmental processes in this disorder. Methods: Oculomotor tests were administered to 18 psychotropic medication—naive, nondepressed patients with OCD aged 8.8 to 16.9 years and 18 case-matched healthy comparison subjects to assess the following 3 welldelineated aspects of prefrontal cortical function: the ability to suppress responses, the volitional execution of delayed responses, and the anticipation of predictable events. Results: A significantly higher percentage of response suppression failures was observed in patients with OCD ( P =.003), particularly in younger patients compared with their case-matched controls. No significant differences between patients with OCD and controls were observed on other prefrontal cortical functions. Severity of OCD symptoms was related to response suppression deficits. Conclusion: A basic disturbance of behavioral inhibition in OCD was detected that may underlie the repetitive symptomatic behavior that characterizes the ill
Cost-effectiveness of HIV-prevention skills training for men who have sex with men.

Objective A previous study empirically compared the effects of two HIV-prevention interventions for men who have sex with men: (i) a safer sex lecture, and (ii) the same lecture coupled with a 1.5 h skills-training group session. The skills-training intervention led to a significant increase in condom use at 12-month follow-up, compared with the lecture-only condition. The current study retrospectively assesses the incremental cost-effectiveness of skills training to determine whether it is worth the extra cost to add this component to an HIV-prevention intervention that would otherwise consist of a safer sex lecture only. Design Standard techniques of incremental cost-utility analysis were employed. Methods A societal perspective and a 5% discount rate were used. Cost categories assessed included: staff salary, fringe benefits, quality assurance, session materials, client transportation, client time valuation, and costs shared with other programs. A Bernoulli-process model of HIV transmission was used to estimate the number of HIV infections averted by the skills-training intervention component. For each infection averted, the discounted medical costs and quality-adjusted life years (QALY) saved were estimated. One- and multi-way sensitivity analyses were performed to assess the robustness of base-case results to changes in modeling assumptions. Results Under base-case assumptions, the incremental cost of the skills training was less than $13,000 (or about $40 per person). The discounted medical costs averted by incrementally preventing HIV infections were over $170,000; more than 21 discounted QALY were saved. The cost per QALY saved was negative, indicating cost-savings. These results are robust to changes in most modeling assumptions. However, the model is moderately sensitive to changes in the per-contact risk of HIV transmission. Conclusions Under most reasonable assumptions, the incremental costs of the skills training were outweighed by the medical costs saved. Thus, not only is skills training effective in reducing risky behavior, it is also cost-saving.
Contextual generality of roosttime restlessness in captive American robins (Turdus migratorius)

A series of experiments with captive American robins examined factors affecting roosttime restlessness, that is, the burst of locomotor activity that appears at dusk and is thought to be a correlate of the communal roosting habit of this species. First, the restlessness occurred earlier on cloudy days than on sunny ones, suggesting the importance of illumination level in initiating the activity burst. Second, in studies on social effects, the restlessness was greater when robins were totally isolated than when they had visual-auditory access to conspecifics; indeed, when a small flock of robins was housed together, restlessness at dusk was suppressed completely. Third, the birds were more restless when they could see a human observer than when they could not, implying an interaction of tearfulness with the roosting tendency. Finally, restlessness occurred in a large flight cage as well as in small cages, as long as the birds were not maintained in a flock. In sum, roosttime restlessness appears to be a robust phenomenon that occurs under a wide range of laboratory conditions, but which also can be substantially influenced by numerous environmental variables. Further experimental examination of these variables may advance present understanding of the survival value of communal roosting in this species.
Tenfold increase in the lifetime of blue phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes

Organic light-emitting diodes are a major driving force of the current information display revolution due to their low power consumption and potentially long operational lifetime. Although electrophosphorescent organic emitters have significantly lower power consumption than fluorescent emitters, the short lifetime of electrophosphorescent blue devices has prevented their application in displays for more than a decade. Here, we demonstrate a novel blue electrophosphorescent device with a graded dopant concentration profile in a broadened emissive layer, leading to a lower exciton density compared with a conventional device. Thus, triplet-polaron annihilation that leads to long-term luminescent degradation is suppressed, resulting in a more than threefold lifetime improvement. When this strategy is applied to a two-unit stacked device, we demonstrate a lifetime of 616±10 h (time to 80% of the 1,000 cd m(-2) initial luminance) with chromaticity coordinates of [0.15, 0.29], representing a tenfold lifetime improvement over a conventional blue electrophosphorescent device.
ψ Superposition and Quantum Rules

The superposition rule for probability amplitudes Ψ is not a separate ad hoc assumption of a physical character but is a formal consequence of the arrangement of the states of a system in sets of mutually orthogonal states linked by probabilities of transition. Nor do the quantum prescriptions of Born and Schrodinger have to be introduced as ad hoc assumptions; they can be deduced as consequences of (a) the superposition rule, and (b) the definition of conjugates q and p as leading to a constant probability density in qp-space, a quality known from classical statistical mechanics. Quantum theory can thus be deduced from a nonquantal background.
Solution of the Faddeev integral equation without contour rotation

We present a new method of solution of the Faddeev equations for three-particle scattering above the breakup threshold using separable two-body potentials. No contour deformation is required with our method. The numerical techniques involved are explained in detail, and a justification for these techniques is given. A comparison is made to earlier calculations which used the contour-deformation technique.
Quantitative Detection of Superoxide Ions in Whole Blood of the American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis)

ABSTRACT WST-1 and nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) were used to quantify production of superoxide ions by leukocytes of the American alligator in whole blood. Because of the difficulty of isolating healthy leukocytes in alligators, these compounds were employed in whole blood instead of leukocyte preparations commonly used in other studies. The detection of superoxide was concentration- and time-dependent and linear with serial dilutions of whole blood. WST-1 reduction was inhibited by superoxide dismutase, indicating that the reduction was due to the presence of superoxide. Light microscopy revealed that superoxide production occurred in leukocytes, with no detectable contributions from other blood components.
Hamiltonian modelling of relative motion.

Abstract: This paper presents a Hamiltonian approach to modelling relative spacecraft motion based on derivation of canonical coordinates for the relative state-space dynamics. The Hamiltonian formulation facilitates the modelling of high-order terms and orbital perturbations while allowing us to obtain closed-form solutions to the relative motion problem. First, the Hamiltonian is partitioned into a linear term and a high-order term. The Hamilton-Jacobi equations are solved for the linear part by separation, and new constants for the relative motions are obtained, they are called epicyclic elements. The influence of higher order terms and perturbations, such as the oblateness of the Earth, are incorporated into the analysis by a variation of parameters procedure. Closed-form solutions for J2- and J4-invariant orbits and for periodic high-order unperturbed relative motion, in terms of the relative motion elements only, are obtained.
A developmental cognitive-biobehavioral approach to pediatric pain assessment

Recent years have seen an increase in the study of pain in children. However, a comprehensive framework to help guide pediatric pain assessment has not been available. A developmental approach to facilitate cognitive-biobehavioral assessment of pediatric pain is presented and discussed. An illustrative literature review of pain assessment measures, cognitive development and conceptualizations of health and illness is provided. The developmental cognitive-biobehavioral approach is offered as a guide for future research in pediatric pain assessment.
Homogeneous syngas conversion

Recent approaches to the homogeneous conversion of synthesis gas to organic chemicals and fuels are reviewed. Progress in this field is placed in the context of important industrially practiced transformations, such as the Fischer–Tropsch process for conversion of synthesis gas to higher alkanes, as well as previous attempts to produce a viable homogeneous alternative. Approaches to homogeneous syngas conversion discussed in some detail include the reduction of transition metal carbonyl complexes by main group hydrides or transition metal hydrides; unusual routes to formyls including radical-based late transition metal chemistry; early metal and lanthanide reductive couplings; cluster chemistry; and Lewis acid-assisted transformations. Our current research combines a number of these concepts in an attempt to convert syngas selectively to multicarbon organic fragments.
The Virtual Culture Industry: Work and Play in Virtual Worlds

This essay uses Horkheimer and Adorno's work on the culture industry to analyze virtual worlds and massively multiplayer online role-playing games. While artificial worlds have enormous potential to facilitate communication, transcend spatial boundaries, promote free expression, and protect marginalized groups, the utopian promise of these worlds is undermined by their mirroring of real-world market systems, the exploitation of labor, and blurring the line between entertainment and work. The culture industry thesis provides a useful starting point for theorizing virtual worlds and explaining why these places have become mirrors of real-world economic relations.
Solar thermal power systems point-focusing distributed receiver /PFDR/ technology - A project description

The goal of the Project is to support the industrial development of PFDR technology that will provide favorable life-cycle costs per unit of electrical or thermal energy produced. The technology will be made available in the early 1980s for applications project experiments. PFDR systems utilize concentrator dishes to furnish energy to their own individual receivers and power conversion subsystems. Initial effort is with steam Rankine and gas Brayton cycles. Periodic assessments will be made to confirm or change the cycles initially selected. Subsystems will be designed, fabricated and tested together in modules as appropriate. This paper describes PFDR systems briefly, outlines the project goals and organization, discusses the plans and current status of the project, and lists the benefits of PFDR technology concepts.
Channel estimation and interference suppression in frequency-selective fading channels

The issue of interference suppression is considered for wireless time-division multiple-access (TDMA) systems equipped with multiple receive antennas in frequency-selective fading channels. A novel scheme is presented to estimate the multipath channel, coherently demodulate information symbols, and meanwhile suppress radio interference. The proposed scheme is simple to implement and able to mitigate interference of various origins, including inter-symbol interference, co-channel interference and others. Numerical examples are presented to illustrate the performance of the proposed scheme.
Chemical modification of hyperbranched ultrathin films on gold and polyethylene

Synthetic methods for modifying the carboxylic acid groups of hyperbranched thin film grafts were studied. Amidation, esterification, reduction, and alkylation reactions of carboxylic acid derivatives that proceed in high conversion (>90%) are described. The stability of ultrathin, hyperbranched film grafts attached to self-assembled monolayers on gold to conditions of strong base, strong acid, heat, and organic solvents is detailed. Practical procedures that can be used to prepare and modify poly(acrylic acid) hyperbranched grafts on gold, polyethylene film, and powder for use in the synthesis of cationic polyelectrolyte grafts, for use in the synthesis of poly(allyl alcohol) grafts, for use in the synthesis of poly(allyl ester) grafts, and for use as substrates for organometallic chemistry and further graft chemistry are discussed. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 3944–3953, 2000
Intake fraction of primary pollutants: Motor vehicle emissions in the South Coast Air Basin

The intake fraction is defined for a specific species and emission source as the ratio of attributable population intake to total emissions. Focusing on California's South Coast Air Basin (SoCAB) as a case study, we combine ambient monitoring data with time-activity patterns to estimate the population intake of carbon monoxide and benzene emitted from motor vehicles during 1996-1999. In addition to exposures to ambient concentrations, three microenvironments are considered in which the exposure concentration of motor vehicle emissions is higher than in ambient air: in and near vehicles, inside a building that is near a freeway, and inside a residence with an attached garage. Incorporating data on motor vehicle emissions estimated by the EMFAC2000 model, we estimate that the 15 million people in the SoCAB inhale 0.003-0.009% (34 85 per million, with a best estimate of 47 per million) of primary, nonreactive compounds emitted into the basin by motor vehicles. This population intake of primary motor vehicle emissions is approximately 50% higher than the average ambient concentration times the average breathing rate, owing to higher concentrations in the three microenviromments and also to the temporal and spatial correlation among breathing rates, concentrations, and population densities. The approach demonstrated here can inform policy decisions requiring a metric of population exposure to airborne pollutants. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Short-term biocompatibility of biphasic nanocolloids with potential use as anisotropic imaging probes

Abstract Advances in nanotechnology, in particular the development of novel types of nanoparticles, will result in advanced tools for biomedical research and clinical practice. One exciting aspect of future nanomaterial research will be the possibility to combine therapy and imaging in multifunctional nanoparticle designs. In this context, anisotropic particles with subcellular dimensions may offer so far unattainable capabilities, because they could provide access to directional information with respect to nanoparticle–cell interactions. We have recently developed an electrified jetting process, which can produce water-stable polymer particles with two distinct phases. To address the first critical hurdle towards the application of these biphasic nanocolloids as imaging probes, short-term biocompatibility was evaluated using model cell culture systems. Exposure of human endothelial cells and murine fibroblasts to biphasic nanocolloids made of 0.5% polyacrylic acid and 4.5% poly(acrylamide- co -acrylic acid) did not affect cell proliferation as determined by a colorimetric proliferation assay. Moreover, double staining with Annexin V and propidium iodide and subsequent flow cytometric analysis indicated high cell viability, although slightly decreased viability was observed at the highest dose tested (1 mg particles/10 6 seeded cells). Particle internalization as well as surface binding occurred simultaneously for both cell types, as evidenced by confocal laser scanning microscopy. Taken together, these results suggest excellent short-term biocompatibility in physiological systems for wide concentration ranges of the biphasic nanocolloids and open possibilities for future work investigating receptor- or surface marker-mediated targeting.
Surface plasmon polariton contributions to strokes emission from molecular monolayers on periodic Ag surfaces

Abstract Surface enhanced Raman scattering from molecular monolayers adsorbed on a holographic grating and covered by Ag has been studied. The coupling of surface plasmon polaritons to light through the grating produces emission similar to the continuum observed in other surface Raman experiments. The angular dependence of the surface Raman scattering shows that enhanced Raman cross-sections can arise from scattering of surface plasmon polaritons into light by the localized molecular vibrations.
Interaction of thyroid hormone and androgen on body weight, comb, and liver in cockerels

Comparisons of the effects of thiouracil treatment, surgical thyroidectomy, and radiothyroidectomy on body and organ weights of White Leghorn chicks were made to determine the most effective method of producing hypothyroidism. Radiothyroidectomy was deemed most effective and in a second experiment radiothyroidectomy, castration, and replacement of thyroid hormone and/or androgen were utilized in setting up the following groups of male chicks: (1) Control, (2) Castrates, (3) Thyroidectomized, (4) Thyroidectomized castrates, (5) both procedures plus partial thyroid hormone replacement, (6) both procedures plus exogenous methyl testosterone, (7) both procedures plus androgen and thyroid. Castration was done when the birds were about 1-week-old. Radiothyroidectomies were done on Day 11. Hormones were mixed with feed. Comb size and body weight were measured weekly, and daily food consumption was measured throughout. The experiment was terminated when the birds were 5 weeks old, and the following conclusions were drawn from the measurements made: (1) Castration had no effect on body weight in the presence or absence of thyroid hormone, whereas thyroid lack decidedly reduced body weight gain. (2) Exogenous androgen reduced food intake and body growth in Group 6, but not when endogenous or exogenous thyroid was present. (3) Both androgen and thyroid hormone are involved in comb growth, but either alone resulted in more growth than occurred in the thyroidectomized castrates. (4) Some androgen is produced by the significantly smaller testes of the thyroidectomized chick. (5) Lack of thyroid hormone (Groups 3, 4, and 6) resulted in larger relative liver weights and greatly increased liver glycogen. (6) Subnormal exogenous thyroid hormone (Group 5) gave less than normal body and comb growth, but allowed normal liver size and glycogen content to be maintained. (7) Thyroid weight was significantly reduced by castration. (8) The highest comb water content was in those groups having both thyroid and androgen. (9) Adrenal weight was unaffected by any of the treatments.
Somatic mutation as the basis for malignant transformation of BHK cells by chemical carcinogens

The chemical induction of malignant transformation in BHK cells seems to result from a somatic mutation. Stable transformants, whose frequency is significantly increased by mutagenic carcinogens, can revert to normal and often display temperature-restricted phenotypes indicative of an altered gene product.
Proposal for sequencing DNA using ligation of hexamers to generate sequential elongation primers (SPEL-6).

Abstract The efficiency of the directed-priming proposal of Studier [Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86 (1989) 6917–1921] can be improved upon by employing a library of less than 4094 hexamers, allowing for the easy construction of all required primers using template-directed automated ligation. This ‘top-down’ sequencing procedure should be several times more efficient than the present ‘bottom-up’ procedures [see Watson, Science 248 (1990) 44–49].
The regional distribution of large gliding possums in southern Queensland, Australia. I. The yellow-bellied glider (Petaurus australis)

Generalised linear modelling (logistic regression) was used to predict habitat suitability for the yellow-bellied glider (Petaurus australis) from data collected from 620 sites throughout southern Queensland, Australia. Of 42 potential explanatory biotic and abiotic variables, 12 were selected in the final model including an index describing bark characteristics of the overstorey, five climatic variables, three topographic/lithological variables, two landscape metrics and one survey covariate. The predictive capacity of the final model was evaluated using Receiver Operating Characteristic curves and an independent validation dataset (ROC = 0.75; n = 180). Of the extant forest and woodlands of the southern Queensland study region, the interpolated model predicted that approximately 19% was yellow-bellied glider habitat. The majority of predicted habitat occurred within public-owned forests, which are managed under a set of prescribed standards in a Code of Practice for commercial forest management. An important issue for conservation management of the yellow-bellied glider will be management of habitat on privately owned land, which incorporates over 27% of potential glider habitat.
Silicon anamorphic gratings for IR high-resolution spectroscopy with future giant telescopes

Future 30m telescopes provide enormous challenges for IR high resolution spectrograph design. The spectrograph collimated beam size will reach ~ 400 mm in order to reach R ~ 25,000 under 0.4 arcsec seeing-limited images. This beam size will push an IR spectrograph volume larger than that of the giant optical echelle spectrograph at 10m telescopes, e.g. the Keck HIRES is 6×6×4 m3 (Vogt et al. 1994). The cost would be enormous considering the entire instrument must be cooled to cryogenic temperatures to be feasible. Here we propose a new kind of IR spectrometer using silicon anamorphic immersion gratings as the main disperser. By operating silicon immersion gratings in an anamorphic immersion mode, the increase in spectral resolving power can be up to a factor of n2 or ~12 times at Brewster’s angle (Dekker 1987). Hence, to reach the same spectral resolution, the collimated beam size is reduced to ~33mm in diameter, which makes the design of the instrument relatively easy. The recent breakthrough in silicon immersion grating technology at Penn State has allowed us to routinely fabricate high quality silicon grisms and immersion gratings with sizes of up to 2 inches, <1% integrated scattered light, and diffraction-limited performance thanks to newly developed techniques. Silicon anamorphic immersion gratings with etched dimensions of ~4 inches are being developed at Penn State. The first grating will be available for testing in late 2002. Currently, industry can supply up to 12 inch diameter silicon ingots. We plan to develop a new tool to handle this large grating size in our state-of-the-art nanofabrication facility. A silicon anamorphic grating of this size can provide a seeing-limited (0.4 arcsec) spectral resolution of R ~ 30,000 or diffraction-limited spectral resolution of R ~ 750,000 at 2.2 microns. In this paper, technical issues related to the design of an anamorphic grating spectrograph are discussed.
Meeting the demand for IT workers: A call for research

The Information Technology (IT) workforce is rapidly changing. Many of the IT baby boomers are retiring or planning to retire; the number of college students majoring in IT has declined; and, in th...
Flexible transceiver array for ultrahigh field human MR imaging.

A flexible transceiver array, capable of multiple-purpose imaging applications in vivo at ultrahigh magnetic fields was designed, implemented and tested on a 7 T MR scanner. By alternately placing coil elements with primary and secondary harmonics, improved decoupling among coil elements was accomplished without requiring decoupling circuitry between resonant elements, which is commonly required in high frequency transceiver arrays in order to achieve sufficient element-isolation during RF excitation. This flexible array design is capable of maintaining the required decoupling among resonant elements in different array size and geometry, and is scalable in coil size and number of resonant elements (i.e. number of channels), yielding improved filling factors for various body parts with different geometry and size. To investigate design feasibility, flexibility, and array performance, a multi-channel, 16-element transceiver array was designed and constructed, and in vivo images of the human head, knee, and hand were acquired using a whole-body 7T MR system. 7T parallel imaging with GRAPPA performed using this flexible transceiver array was also presented.
Quantum lattice fluctuations in a one-dimensional charge density wave material: luminescence and resonance Raman studies of an MX solid

Luminescence spectra, both emission and excitation, and the excitation dependence of the resonance Raman (RR) spectra have been measured for a 1-dimensional charge-density-wave solid, [Pt(L)2Cl2][Pt(L)2](ClO4)4; L equals 1,2- diaminoethane. The luminescence experiments support the existence of tail states in the band gap region, which indicate the presence of disorder. In contrast, the RR measurements conclusively demonstrate that the effects of static structural disorder on the vibrational spectroscopy can be neglected. This apparently paradoxical result can be explained by considering the zero-point motion of the lattice. Our experimental results are compared to recent theoretical models.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
The interaction of the psychotomimetic glycolate esters with adenosine triphosphate, calcium and lecithin monolayers

Abstract The action of a psychotomimetic agent, N-methyl-3-piperidinol cyclopentyl-phenylglycolate on the surface pressure and surface viscosity of lecithin monolayers was investigated. Evidence is presented suggesting that PMCG is associating with the phosphate group of the lecithin as well as with the fatty acid chains of the lecithin molecule. Also, it was shown that the drug forms associations with Ca2+ and phosphate ions and with ATP. The association with ATP primarily involves the adenine group, while the phosphate chain interferes in some manner with this association. The results are discussed in terms of their possible significance in explaining some of the observed effects of PMCG and related agents on excitable tissue.
Exterior wood stains and lasures for the future

In recent years numerous pieces of environmental legislation have been introduced or will be introduced both in the UK and throughout Europe. The greatest environmental issue at the moment is the limitation of volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions. Water‐based coatings have been available for many years; their main application initially was for broad wall paints. More recently, water‐based coatings have come on the market for trim coatings. Although their performance for interior use is sufficient, but inferior to their solvent‐based alternatives, how do water‐based coatings for exterior wood perform? An alternative to water‐based technology is high solids. In a recent life cycle analysis (Ministry of the Environment in France) high solids alkyds have been shown to have low environmental impacts. In the study used for setting the criteria and thresholds for the European eco‐label for decorative paints and varnishes, a high solids alkyd developed by Cray Valley Ltd was put into the category having the lowest environmental impact together with water‐based paints. For the future of exterior coatings for wood, is the route to environmentally friendly coatings water‐based or solvent‐based technology?
Aging Restricts Electrical Signaling along Endothelial Tubes via Enhanced Activation of SKCa/IKCa Channels: Role for Oxidative Stress

Electrical conduction in cellular networks is governed by gap junction patency between cells and the open state of membrane ion channels. In light of endothelial cell (EC) dysfunction with aging, we determined whether aging altered electrical signaling. Intact endothelial tubes (width: ≈60μm; length ≥ 2mm) isolated from superior epigastric arteries of Young (4-6 months) and Old (24-26 months) male C57BL/6 mice were studied using dual intracellular microelectrodes. Separation distance between sites of current injection and membrane potential (Vm) recording was 50-2000μm. A reduction in electrical length constant (Δ) from 1630 (Young) to 1320μm (Old) accompanied an increase in restingVm from Young (-28±1mV) to Old (−36±1mV) (n≥9; P<0.05). With similar pEC50 values and maximum Vm responses to acetylcholine (ΔVm Young: 7.3±0.1, −38±3mV; Old: 7.2±0.1, −39±1mV), the conduction amplitude (CA; ΔVm/nA current injection) for intercellular electrical signaling was less (P<0.05) in Old vs. Young (at 500 μm: 5.9±1 vs. 8.9±1 mV/nA; n=6). Despite similar hyperpolarization (∼-35 mV) to direct activation of calcium-activated K+ channels (SKCa/IKCa; KCa2.3 and KCa3.1) with NS309 (1μM), the reduction in CA was greater (P<0.05) in Young vs. Old (−6±1 vs.-4±1 mV/nA; n≥7). Inhibiting SKCa/IKCa (apamin+charybdotoxin) restored conduction in Old to that of Young (at 500 μm:∼10 mV/nA; n=6). To investigate a role for oxidative stress, H2O2 (200 μM) increased Vm to EK (≈-90mV) and impaired CA by ≥ 90% (n=8) in Young; these effects were blocked by apamin+charybdotoxin (n=6). Catalase (500 U/ml) depolarized resting Vm from −38±1 to −28±1mV and increased CA by ≈30% in Old (n=7; P<0.05). Thus restricted spread of electrical signals along endothelium of Old reflects enhanced current dissipation through open SKCa/IKCa in response to oxidative stress. (Support: NIH R01-HL086483, R37-HL041026, F32-HL110701)
Temperature Dependence of the Protein-Chromophore Hydrogen Bond Dynamics in the Far-Red Fluorescent Protein Mplum

We used molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to investigate the dynamics of the hydrogen bonds formed due to protein-chromophore interactions in the far-red fluorescent protein mPlum. Low temperature experiments on mPlum show a reduced Stokes shift compared to room temperature. This suggests that the increased flexibility of the chromophore environment at higher temperatures along with its ability to reorganize after excitation is related to the larger Stokes shift. We performed MD simulations at various temperatures and systematically explored the protein-chromophore hydrogen bond pattern at various temperatures. We also investigated the dynamics of the hydrogen bond formed between residues E16 and I65, which is considered to play an important role in the observed large red shift in the emission spectrum. We quantify the hydrogen bonding pattern as a function of temperature to show how the Stokes shift in mPlum is correlated to the E16-I65 hydrogen bond dynamics.
An Enantioselective Approach to the Securinega Alkaloids: The Total Synthesis of (+)-Norsecurinine and (+)-Allonorsecurinine.

Total syntheses of (+)-norsecurinine and (+)-allonorsecurinine are described that utilize a rhodium carbenoid-initiated O–H insertion/Claisen rearrangement/1,2-allyl migration domino process for the stereoselective introduction of the tertiary alcohol moiety. Overall the employed strategy is flexible and will allow access to other members of the Securinega family of alkaloids.
A radiological study of cell-virus interaction in the Rous sarcoma.

Abstract Rous sarcoma virus (RSV) and Newcastle disease virus (NDV) are in activated exponentially by X-rays and ultraviolet (UV) light. While both viruses are similar in their sensitivity to X-rays, RSV is about ten times more resistant to UV light than is NDV. The capacity of chick fibroblasts to initiate the growth of RSV is as sensitive to inactivation by both X-rays and UV light as is their ability to divide and form colonies, while their capacity to initiate the growth of NDV is many times more radioresistant. A common radiosensitive target controls the ability of cells to divide and to initiate the production of RSV. Once the cells have started to produce virus, they may upon irradiation lose their ability to divide and yet continue to produce virus. The results suggest that the genome of the Rous sarcoma virus must be integrated with that of the cell before virus production can begin.