cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chemical compositions in convective and nonconvective regions during PEM‐Tropics B

[1] Four DC-8 flights during Pacific Exploratory Mission (PEM)-Tropics B are analyzed in terms of geographical location, meteorological conditions, and chemical compositions. The meteorological conditions are determined using the meteorological analysis of the Florida State University Global Spectral Model, trajectory analysis, and in situ measurements. Typical undisturbed meteorological conditions are found over the northeastern Pacific between 30° and 15°N and southeast of Hawaiian Islands during flights 5 and 6. Disturbed meteorological conditions are found over western and central equatorial Pacific especially over the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) and the South Pacific Convergence Zone (SPCZ) during flights 7 and 10. Comparison of the chemical concentrations between disturbed and undisturbed regions revealed remarkable differences. The distribution of the chemical constituents is found to be closely linked to the atmospheric state. Large amounts of pollutants are found to be capped at lower levels due to climatologically persistent trade wind inversion in the undisturbed regions. Transient convective systems are found to be the primary entity that destroys the inversion, causing the vertical transport of the chemicals. The disturbed regions displayed more homogeneous vertical distributions of chemicals resulting from low-level convergence and associated convection. Trajectory analysis showed that in undisturbed regions centered north of Hawaiian Islands, and in disturbed regions, the interaction between lower-level easterlies and upper-level westerlies plays a significant role on atmospheric chemistry over these regions.
3420 Biliary manometry, scintigraphy or empiric sphincterotomy for suspected sphincter of oddi dysfunction: a cost utility analysis.

Aim: To determine the clinical and economically optimal strategy for the initial evaluation of symptomatic patients with sphincter of Oddi dysfunction (SOD). Methods: Using institutional charges, cost ratios, expert opinion and published estimates from literature, we performed a cost-utility analysis (TREEAGE software 3.5) comparing empiric sphincterotomy (EmS), biliary scintigraphy and biliary manometry in the initial approach to patients with suspected SOD. The following assumptions were used for our base case; prevalence of SOD 0.35, scintigraphy sensitivity/specificity =0.75/0.90, manometry sensitivity/specificity =1.0/1.0, response rate to EmS if SOD is present=0.6, EmS complication rate=0.10, EmS + manometry complication rate=0.15. The model assumed a five-year follow up period. Results: At our base case, the strategy of initial scintigraphy results in a marginal utility gain of 2.4 quality-adjusted-life weeks at an incremental cost of $ 127.50. At any likelihood of SOD >31.2%, EmS is the dominant strategy. If the sensitivity or specificity of scintigraphy is 51% of an uncomplicated ERCP, EmS is the dominant strategy. The model is very sensitive to the probability of ERCP complication but insensitive to the incremental risk of performing joint ES and BM. Conclusions: The most cost-effective approach to SOD is fundamentally determined by the likelihood of SOD, however, the probability of ERCP related morbidity and costs/performance characteristics of scintigraphy also play a pivotal role in this determination
Structure-function analysis of glutamine synthetase adenylyltransferase (ATase, EC 2.7.7.49) of Escherichia coli

Glutamine synthetase adenylyltransferase (ATase) regulates the activity of glutamine synthetase by adenylylation and deadenylylation in response to signals of nitrogen and carbon status: glutamine, alpha-ketoglutarate, and the uridylylated and unmodified forms of the PII signal transduction protein. ATase consists of two conserved nucleotidyltransferase (NT) domains linked by a central region of approximately 200 amino acids. Here, we study the activities and regulation of mutated and truncated forms of ATase. Our results indicate the following. (i) The N-terminal NT domain contained the adenylyl-removing (AR) active site, and the C-terminal NT domain contained the adenylyltransferase (AT) active site. (ii) The enzyme contained a glutamine binding site, and glutamine increased the affinity for PII. (iii) The enzyme appeared to contain multiple sites for the binding of PII and PII-UMP. (iv) Truncated versions of ATase missing the C-terminal (NT) domain lacked both AT and AR activity, suggesting a role for the C-terminal NT domain in both activities. (v) The purified C-terminal NT domain and larger polypeptides containing this domain had significant basal AT activity, which was stimulated by glutamine. These polypeptides were indifferent to PII and PII-UMP, or their ATase activity was inhibited by either PII or PII-UMP. (vi) Certain point mutations in the central region or an internal deletion removing most of this part of the protein eliminated the AR activity and eliminated activation of the AT activity by PII, while not eliminating the binding of PII or PII-UMP. That is, these mutations in the central region appeared to destroy the communication between the PII and PII-UMP binding sites and the AT and AR active sites. (vii) Certain mutations in the central region of ATase appeared to dramatically improve the binding of glutamine to the enzyme. (viii) While the isolated AT and AR domains of ATase bound poorly to PII and PII-UMP, these domains bound PII and PII-UMP significantly better when linked to the central region of ATase. Together, our results indicate a highly coordinated enzyme, in which the AT and AR domains participate in each other's regulation and distant regulatory sites are in communication with each other. A model for the regulation of ATase by glutamine, PII, and PII-UMP consistent with all data is presented.
Some Physical Effects of Freezing upon Milk and Cream

Summary 1.Slow freezing of milk or cream caused a gradual precipitation of the caseinate system and an immediate destruction of the fat emulsion. 2.Freezing did not alter the heat stability of skim milk until the product had been held frozen for several months at –18° C. (0.4° F.) or below. Freezing caused an immediate increase in the amount of casein which could be centrifuged from milks heated before freezing. Freezing, therefore, caused a slow and gradual increase in the size of the casein aggregates but the change was not noticeable until the freezing period was well advanced. 3.The destruction of the fat emulsion in cream during slow freezing was lessened by adding cane sugar or increasing the solids-not-fat content of the cream before freezing. Homogenization slightly retarded fat separation when low fat creams were frozen. Freezing destroyed the fat clumps formed in cream by homogenization and restored to the cream the heat stability which it possessed before processing. 4.Fresh whole milk was pasteurized, condensed to ⅓ its weight, canned and frozen without any detrimental effects to the body or flavor of the product. This milk when held frozen at a low temperature and reconstituted at any time within a four-week period by the addition of cold water, yielded a product which often could not be distinguished from fresh market milk. Its use where fresh market milk is expensive or not available was suggested. 5.A process for the preparation of large quantities of normal undenatured casein and of milk serum was developed. Frozen homogenized cream was thawed at a temperature below the melting point of the fat; clear milk serum was collected from the melting mass and the residual mixture of fat and casein was utilized in the preparation of normal casein or to raise the protein solids of ice cream mix.
Fibrocartilage tissue engineering: the role of the stress environment on cell morphology and matrix expression

Although much is known about the effects of uniaxial mechanical loading on fibrocartilage development, the stress fields to which fibrocartilaginous regions are subjected to during development are mutiaxial. That fibrocartilage develops at tendon-to-bone attachments and in compressive regions of tendons is well established. However, the three-dimensional (3D) nature of the stresses needed for the development of fibrocartilage is not known. Here, we developed and applied an in vitro system to determine whether fibrocartilage can develop under a state of periodic hydrostatic tension in which only a single principal component of stress is compressive. This question is vital to efforts to mechanically guide morphogenesis and matrix expression in engineered tissue replacements. Mesenchymal stromal cells in a 3D culture were exposed to compressive and tensile stresses as a result of an external tensile hydrostatic stress field. The stress field was characterized through mechanical modeling. Tensile cyclic stresses promoted spindle-shaped cells, upregulation of scleraxis and type one collagen, and cell alignment with the direction of tension. Cells experiencing a single compressive stress component exhibited rounded cell morphology and random cell orientation. No difference in mRNA expression of the genes Sox9 and aggrecan was observed when comparing tensile and compressive regions unless the medium was supplemented with the chondrogenic factor transforming growth factor beta3. In that case, Sox9 was upregulated under static loading conditions and aggrecan was upregulated under cyclic loading conditions. In conclusion, the fibrous component of fibrocartilage could be generated using only mechanical cues, but generation of the cartilaginous component of fibrocartilage required biologic factors in addition to mechanical cues. These studies support the hypothesis that the 3D stress environment influences cell activity and gene expression in fibrocartilage development.
Theoretical description of transdermal transport of hydrophilic permeants : Application to low-frequency sonophoresis

Application of ultrasound enhances transdermal transport of drugs (sonophoresis). The enhancement may result from enhanced diffusion due to ultrasound-induced skin alteration and/or from forced convection. To understand the relative roles played by these two mechanisms in low-frequency sonophoresis (LFS, 20 kHz), a theory describing the transdermal transport of hydrophilic permeants in both the absence and the presence of ultrasound was developed using fundamental equations of membrane transport, hindered-transport theory, and electrochemistry principles. With mannitol as the model permeant, the role of convection in LFS was evaluated experimentally with two commonly used in vitro skin models- human cadaver heat-stripped skin (HSS) and pig full-thickness skin (FTS). Our results suggest that convection plays an important role during LFS of HSS, whereas its effect is negligible when FTS is utilized. The theory developed was utilized to characterize the transport pathways of hydrophilic permeants during both passive diffusion and LFS with mannitol and sucrose as two probe molecules. Our results show that the porous pathway theory can adequately describe the transdermal transport of hydrophilic permeants in both the presence and the absence of ultrasound. Ultrasound alters the skin porous pathways by two mechanisms: (1) enlarging the skin effective pore radii, or (2) creating more pores and/or making the pores less tortuous. During passive diffusion, both HSS and FTS exhibit the same skin effective pore radii (r = 28 +/- 13 A). In contrast, during LFS, r within HSS is greatly enlarged (r > 125 A), whereas r within FTS does not change significantly (23 +/- 10 A). The observed different roles of convection during LFS across HSS and FTS can be attributed to the different degrees of structural alteration that these two types of skin undergo during LFS.
The radiographic density of composite restorative resins

The radiodensities of enamel, dentin, aluminum, and 14 modern composite resins at thicknesses of 1 to 4 mm were compared. Nine of the 14 composites were radiopaque with respect to that of aluminum. Radiolucent lesions or voids were simulated by cutting grooves 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 mm deep in aluminum stepwedge blocks, superimposing stepwedges of the radiopaque composites over the blocks, and radiographing the combination. It was found that only five of the nine radiopaque composite materials possessed radiodensities that permitted clear radiographic detection of the smaller defects.
A systems engineering process for development of federated simulations

This paper specifies a systems engineering process for the development of federated simulation models in order to support systems-of-systems analysis. The specification borrows ideas from the systems engineering domain, the simulation interoperability domain, and the software engineering domain. It has activities on the operational level to define how the real system operates, the system level to define the overall architecture of the federation, and the technical level to fully specify requirement to model developers. Use of this process allow the developers of federated simulations to separate these concerns and dialog more effectively with all of these groups.
Effect of Land–Atmosphere Interactions on the IHOP 24–25 May 2002 Convection Case

Abstract Numerical simulations are conducted using the Coupled Ocean/Atmosphere Mesoscale Prediction System (COAMPS) to investigate the impact of land–vegetation processes on the prediction of mesoscale convection observed on 24–25 May 2002 during the International H2O Project (IHOP_2002). The control COAMPS configuration uses the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model version of the Noah land surface model (LSM) initialized using a high-resolution land surface data assimilation system (HRLDAS). Physically consistent surface fields are ensured by an 18-month spinup time for HRLDAS, and physically consistent mesoscale fields are ensured by a 2-day data assimilation spinup for COAMPS. Sensitivity simulations are performed to assess the impact of land–vegetative processes by 1) replacing the Noah LSM with a simple slab soil model (SLAB), 2) adding a photosynthesis, canopy resistance/transpiration scheme [the gas exchange/photosynthesis-based evapotranspiration model (GEM)] to the Noah LSM, and 3) repla...
Versatile formation of CdSe nanoparticle-single walled carbon nanotube hybrid structures.

Pyridine-protected CdSe nanoparticles decorated SWNTs spontaneously, producing a large loading of CdSe nanoparticles on the SWNTs. The absorption spectrum of this hybrid material reflects those of the components. CdSe nanoparticles of different diameters, core−shell nanoparticles, and nanorods were shown to decorate SWNTs this way, showing the versatility of this technique.
Adolescents' Perceptions of Family Dynamics When a Sibling Has Chronic Pain

This qualitative study presents the experiences of youth with chronic pain and their siblings, and their perspectives on how pain experiences influence family dynamics. Most siblings reported changes to many aspects of their relationships, family processes, and increased responsibilities as a result of the patients' pain experiences, whereas most patients did not report significant changes to their relationships or family processes. Professionals treating adolescents with chronic pain may find siblings to be a valuable, but overlooked, source of information on family dynamics and illness influence on family relationships.
Activation of p53 by Oxidative Stress Involves Platelet-derived Growth Factor-β Receptor-mediated Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated (ATM) Kinase Activation

Phosphorylation of the p53 tumor suppressor protein is a critical event in the up-regulation and activation of p53 during cellular stress. In this study, we characterized the signaling pathway linking oxidative stress to p53 through the platelet-derived growth factor beta (PDGF beta) receptor and the ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) kinase. In response to H2O2, we observed phosphorylation of p53 specifically at serine 15, but not serine 9, 20, or 392. Phosphorylation of Ser-15 was correlated with enhanced induction and functional activation of p53 manifest as transcription of the p53 target p21CIP/WAF. We found that H2O2 induced phosphorylation of the PDGF beta receptor and increased ATM kinase activity, two events integral to p53 activation as either AG1433 (a PDGF beta receptor inhibitor) or caffeine (an ATM kinase inhibitor) inhibited Ser-15 phosphorylation. Similarly, p53 activation by H2O2 was inhibited by kinase-inactive forms of the PDGF beta receptor or ATM. Inhibition of ATM kinase had no effect on H2O2-induced PDGF beta receptor tyrosine phosphorylation, whereas PDGF beta receptor suppression with RNA interference impaired H2O2-induced ATM activation, indicating that ATM lies downstream to the PDGF beta receptor in this signaling cascade. Functionally, inhibition of the PDGF beta receptor abrogated the inhibition of cell proliferation, and promotion of apoptosis due to H2O2 treatment. Thus, these data link PDGF beta receptor transactivation to H2O2-induced p53 phosphorylation and suggest a functional role for growth factor receptors in modulation of p53 function.
A Darwinian Statement of the Mendelian Theory

So far as the present writer knows, no public notice has yet been given to a series of statements by Darwin in his “Animals and Plants under Domestication” that constitute virtually a statement of the Mendelian theory of the distribution and recombination of factors in hybrid offspring. Darwin's idea of dissociation is, of course, founded on Naudin's conception of disjunction; but the remainder of his theory is as original as Mendel's, except that it is purely speculative instead of being derived directly from experimental data. It is worked out, as a matter of fact, by means of his theory of pangenesis.
A novel mutation in LAMIN A/C is associated with isolated early-onset atrial fibrillation and progressive atrioventricular block followed by cardiomyopathy and sudden cardiac death

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia in adults requiring hospitalization and is characterized by rapid and irregular activation of the atria. Loss of effective atrial contraction leads to decreased ventricular filling and cardiac output, while stasis of blood in the atria increases the risk for thromboembolic stroke1. Although most AF develops as a consequence of other systemic processes such as hypertensive, valvular or coronary artery disease, 10–20% occurs in individuals without underlying risk factors. Genetic factors are implicated in the development of isolated AF, with nearly 40% of cases having a positive family history.2,3 Disease-causing mutations have been found in cardiac potassium channel genes, although mutations in sodium channels and connexins have also been implicated.4 An infrequent genetic etiology is mutation in the gene encoding for lamin A/C, LMNA, but the AF is typically associated with a combined cardiac and skeletal myopathy.5 The LMNA gene resides on chromosome 1q21 and it encodes for two isoforms, lamin A and C, which are generated by alternative splicing (Figure 1D). Lamins A and C are intermediate filament proteins that form the nuclear lamina, function as a nuclear scaffold to maintain the structure and size of the nucleus and are also implicated in transcriptional regulation, nuclear pore positioning and heterochromatin organization.6 Mutations in nuclear lamins and lamin-associated proteins cause more than 16 distinct human diseases, termed “laminopathies”. Lamin A/C is expressed in multiple cell types and mutations in LMNA result in a range of phenotypes including premature aging syndromes, types of muscular dystrophy, a subset of lipodystrophies, bone dysplasias and cardiovascular diseases.7 The cardiac involvement in laminopathies usually presents with progressive atrioventricular block (AVB), dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), sudden cardiac death (SCD) and infrequently, atrial arrhythmias. It remains unknown how mutations in these ubiquitously expressed proteins cause such heterogeneous phenotypes with variable penetrance. Figure 1 Novel LMNA mutation (K117fs) segregates with atrial fibrillation, atrioventricular block, and dilated cardiomyopathy Here, we present a large family in which a novel mutation of LMNA segregates with affected members with cardiac disease. The phenotype consists of early-onset AF and progressive AVB that is followed by DCM and SCD. In this report, we discuss the clinical and genetic findings and emphasize that LMNA mutations are a potential cause of early-onset AF and progressive conduction system disease.
State vector models of the cell cycle. III: Continuous time cell cycle models.

Abstract In this paper the elements of the matrix of the Hahn cell-cycle model are identified with the infinitesimal transition probabilities of a Markov process, and as a limiting process a differential equation analogue is derived. The probability density function of the discrete time model is derived and used to obtain the density function for transit times of the continuous time model. It is shown that the mean transit time remains constant and that the variances of the discrete and continuous time models are the same to the order of the time increment. Finally, it is shown how to derive the Takahashi model from the continuous time Hahn model.
Comparison of the protein in axillary bud tubers and underground stolon tubers in potato

To determine if axillary leaf bud tubers can be used to study tuber protein synthesis in potato we have compared the proteins in axillary bud tubers with those in underground stolon tubers in the variety Superior. By SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and by electrophoresis in nondenaturing polyacrylamide gels at pH 8.6, the proteins in axillary bud tubers appear to be the same as those in underground stolon tubers. The proteins also appear to be immunologically identical based on Ouchterlony double immunodiffusion test and immunoelectrophoresis.
Web Site Success: Antecedents of Web Site Satisfaction and Re-use

In building a successful organizational Web site, it is imperative that the design matches the organization's well-defined objectives. Clearly, different types of Web sites will have different objectives or goals. Thus, determining success across Web sites is both goal and context specific. One measure of Web site success is user satisfaction and the resulting intent to return to a Web site. Built on theories from the information system success and information technology adoption literature, this study investigated four variables believed to impact Web site satisfaction and behavioral intentions to use of end users: information quality, system quality, perceived usefulness, and social influence. Data was collected by surveying regular users of two different Web sites, each from a different category within a taxonomy of Web sites. Structural equation modeling techniques were used to test the proposed model of Web site success for each studied Web site. The results indicate that the determinants of Web site...
Phenomenology of prompt gamma neutron activation analysis in the detection of mines and near-surface ordnance

ABSTRACT Prompt gamma neutron activation analysis (PGNAA) has been proposed for confirming the presence of energetic materials aspart of a mine or unexploded ordnance detection system. Ancore Corporation (previously SAIC Advanced NucleomcsDivision), funded through Night Vision Electro Sciences Directorate by Environmental Security Test Certification Program,has carried out proof-of-concept demonstrations of PGNAA in this confirmatory role at Socorro, NM, and Yuma, AZ. Inthis, the first part of a two-part paper addressing the use of PGNAA in the detection of surface and rear-surface UXO, weexplore the phenomenology of PGNAA signals from surface or near-surface ordnance in soil to gain insight into the results cfthose demonstrations.PGNAA uses the high-energy gamma ray (10.8 MeV) from capture on N'4 as a signature of the presence of nitrogen. This isone of the highest energy gamma rays resulting from neutron capture, and nitrogen is a major constituent of explosives, but asmall portion of soil. Thus, PGNAA might be effective at confirming the presence of explosives.The phenomenology of dry soil is dominated by the two most common elements, oxygen and silicon. Neutrons injectedinto the soil elastically scatter from nuclei (predominantly oxygen), losing energy and propagating in a random walk fashion.Once slowed, neutron capture on soil elements produces a broad gamma-ray spectrum. Capture on Si29 produces a 10.6 MeVgamma, which is not resolvable from the nitrogen signal of interest using scintillation detectors. Thus, PGNAA will needeither good resolution detectors, or robust background subtraction to estimate the silicon contribution.For any system unable to resolve the 5i29(1O.6 MeV) and N'4(1O.8 MeV) gammas there is an inherenfly low signal tobackground, resulting primarily from the silicon in the soil. After background subtraction, there remains a challenging signal
Recent advances in the diagnosis and classification of inflammatory bowel disease

The availability of an increasing number of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)-specific serologic antibodies, the discovery of disease-susceptibility genes, the introduction of pharmacogenetic markers, and the recent application of wireless capsule enteroscopy to the evaluation of patients with IBD are providing new types of information that must be integrated with more traditional IBD paradigms. The challenge facing researchers and clinicians is to determine how to incorporate these potentially clinically relevant insights into our understanding of disease pathogenesis and to define the spectrum of potential applications to the management of patients with IBD. The ultimate diagnostic and predictive value of these tests will likely be optimized when they are applied in combination, rather than individually. As the clinical relevance of this expanding diagnostic armamentarium is defined, it is hoped that these tests will enable clinicians not only to diagnose IBD accurately but also to determine disease patterns prospectively, suggest prognoses, and allow for individualization of therapeutic regimens.
Repetitive hyperpnoea causes peripheral airway obstruction and eosinophilia

Hyperpnoea of canine peripheral airways with dry air results in airway obstruction, mucosal damage, and inflammation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of repeated dry air challenge (DAC) on airway obstruction, reactivity and the development of airway inflammation in dogs. Canine peripheral airways received DAC (delivered under general anaesthesia through a bronchoscope) every 48 h for two weeks. Peripheral airway resistance and reactivity were measured prior to each DAC. After the final DAC, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) cells and soluble mediators from challenged and control airways were measured. Repeated bronchoscopy had no effect on airway mechanics. Repeated DAC produced cumulative increases in peripheral airway resistance and peak obstructive response to DAC. The response to hypocapnia was also increased in airways receiving repeated DAC. However, when the response to agonists was expressed as a change from baseline, consistent significant increases were not observed. Repeated bronchoscopy produced insignificant changes in BALF cells and eicosanoid mediators. Repeated DAC produced marked eosinophilic inflammation and increased prostaglandins D2, E2, and F2alpha, as well as leukotrienes C4-E4. In conclusion, repeated dry air challenge in dogs in vivo causes persistent airway obstruction and inflammation not unlike that found in human asthma.
Reliability of a Cued Combat Identification Aid on Soldier Performance and Trust

Personal combat identification (CID) aids have been developed to assist Soldiers in the appropriate allocation of lethal force. Because of the dynamic nature of the battlefield, CID aids may be situationally unreliable. The purpose of the current study was to explore the effects of varying the reliability levels of CID aids on Soldier performance using a simulated marksmanship trainer. Twelve Army ROTC students and two active duty USMC volunteers engaged in three separate “shoot/don’t-shoot” tasks using three separate simulated CID aids of different reliability levels (90%, 75%, and 60%). Improved target identification accuracy and reaction time were observed when the participants used more reliable CID aids. Higher trust ratings were associated with the more reliable aids. The results suggest that these types of automated aids may be useful in terms of both lethality and as a fratricide prevention tool, provided there is a high reliability associated with the system.
The Virion Host Shutoff Protein (UL41) of Herpes Simplex Virus 1 Is an Endoribonuclease with a Substrate Specificity Similar to That of RNase A

Earlier, our laboratory reported that purified glutathione S-transferase-virion host shutoff (GST-vhs) protein exhibited endoribonucleolytic activity in in vitro assays using as substrates in vitro-transcribed regions of IEX-1 mRNA. Here, we report that studies of the cleavage patterns of synthetic RNA oligonucleotides defined the activity of GST-vhs as being similar to that of RNase A. Thus, GST-vhs cleaved the RNA at the 3' end of single-stranded cytidine and uridine residues. Since the GST-mvhs nuclease-defective mutant protein failed to cleave the synthetic RNAs, the results unambiguously attribute the activity to vhs.
The adsorption and early fate of purified poliovirus in HeLa cells.

Abstract Poliovirus labeled with P 32 was prepared in S3 HeLa cells and purified by column chromatography and cesium chloride density gradient centrifugation. Virtually all the P 32 -label of such virus preparations adsorbs to HeLa cells. However, there is a wide diversity in the fate of the adsorbed particles. Over 50% rapidly dissociate from the cell at 37°, but not at 0°. This elution is independent of the cell and virus concentration and of the multiplicity of infection. Eluted virus does not readsorb but contains the same amount of infectious RNA as does normal virus. The eluted virus is the same size as original virus as determined by sedimentation in sucrose gradients, but is much more labile in 2 M cesium chloride. Almost all the adsorbed virus which does not elute is rapidly broken down intracellularly, the P 32 -label then appearing in the acid-soluble fraction. An RNAase-susceptible large molecular weight state is probably an intermediate in this process. Finally, a very small fraction of the adsorbed particles persists seemingly unchanged throughout the latent period.
Directional Properties of Fission Neutrons

An experiment has been performed to measure the correlation between direction of neutron and fragment in the fission process. The results are consistent with the isotropic evaporation of neutrons from the moving fragments.
Processing and characterization of Na and (Na-K) beta-beta″ alumina ceramics

Abstract Precursor powders of both sodium and sodium potassium beta-beta″ aluminas have been synthesized by a commercially viable spray-drying technique. The influence of materials composition and thermal treatment on the particle size, surface area, microstructure and phase compositions of the powders is discussed.
Piecewise polynomial Taylor methods for initial value problems

A class of explicit Taylor-type methods for numerically solving first-order ordinary differential equations is presented. The basic idea is that of generating a piecewise polynomial approximating function, with a given order of differentiability, by repeated Taylor expansion. Sharp error bounds for the approximation and its derivatives are given along with a stability analysis.
Endotoxin-induced endothelial cell proinflammatory phenotypic differentiation requires stress fiber polymerization.

ABSTRACTEndotoxin-induced intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and interleukin 8 (IL-8) production in endothelial cells, which is mediated by Toll-receptor signaling, is essential for optimal neutrophil recruitment and migration during sepsis. Endotoxin also causes stress fiber polymerization
Palaeoclimatic evidence from sand seas

Abstract Sand seas can be an important source of information on the Quaternary history of many deserts. Because sand seas appear to react sensitivity to climatic changes, the quality of palaeoenvironmental information obtained from them is frequently much better than that from adjacent rocky desert areas. Patterns of dune alignments may be used to reconstruct the wind directions that formed currently inactive or fixed dunes and thus can provide information on palaeocirculation patterns. The climatic conditions under which these dunes formed can be examined using palaeoclimatic models to explore the combinations of wind velocity, rainfall and evaporation rates required to reactivate them. Choice of appropriate values for these parameters may be hampered by the problems of dating episodes of dune activity. In many sand seas, the best palaeoclimatic information comes from studies of interdune lacustrine or playa deposits, which may reflect increased local rainfall or higher groundwater discharge, or greater penetration of the sand sea by rivers with headwaters outside the desert. Caution should be taken in the interpretation of such deposits, for juxtaposition of aquatic and aeolian environments can occur even in modern hyperarid and seas. The record of climatic changes preserved in the deposits of modern sand seas suggests that periods of dune formation may have been interrupted by long periods of stability, which may also have included deposition of interdune lacustrine deposits. For example, within the past 40,000 years, active dune formation in many sand seas appears to have been restricted to the interval between about 20,000 and 12,000 yr B.P., and to the late Holocene (approximately 1 4 to 1 3 rd of the time).
Metabolic acidosis stimulates RANKL RNA expression in bone through a cyclo-oxygenase-dependent mechanism.

Metabolic acidosis inhibits osteoblastic bone formation and stimulates osteoclastic resorption. To determine whether acidosis alters expression of RNA for the osteoclastic differentiation factor RANKL, mouse calvariae were incubated in neutral or physiologically acidic media. Acidosis resulted in a significant cyclo-oxygenase-dependent increase in RANKL RNA levels, which would be expected to induce the associated increase in bone resorption. Introduction: Metabolic acidosis increases net calcium efflux from bone, initially through physicochemical mechanisms and later through predominantly cell-mediated mechanisms. Acidosis decreases osteoblastic bone formation and increases osteoclastic resorption. The growth and maturation of osteoclasts, derived from hematopoietic precursors in the monocyte/macrophage lineage, are dependent on the interplay of a number of factors. Commitment of pre-osteoclasts to osteoclasts is induced by the interaction of the osteoclastic cell-surface receptor RANK with a ligand expressed by osteoblasts, RANKL. The RANK/RANKL interaction not only initiates a differentiation cascade that culminates in mature bone-resorbing osteoclasts but also increases osteoclastic resorptive capacity and survival. Methods: To test the hypothesis that metabolic acidosis increases expression of RANKL, we cultured neonatal mouse calvariae in acidic (initial medium pH ∼7.1 and [HCO3−] ∼11 mM) or neutral (initial medium pH ∼7.5 and [HCO3−] ∼25 mM) medium for 24 and 48 h. We determined the relative expression of RANKL RNA by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and quantitated the expression by Northern analysis. Results: In this model of metabolic acidosis, there was significantly increased expression of RANKL RNA at both 24 (2-fold) and 48 h (5-fold) compared with respective controls. Net calcium efflux from bone was also increased in acidic medium compared with control medium. At 48 h, net calcium efflux correlated directly with RANKL expression (r = 0.77, n = 15, p < 0.001). Inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis with indomethacin blocked the acid-induced increase in RANKL RNA as well as the increased calcium efflux. Conclusions: Metabolic acidosis induces osteoblastic prostaglandin synthesis, followed by autocrine or paracrine induction of RANKL. This increase in RANKL would be expected to augment osteoclastic bone resorption and help explain the increase in cell-mediated net calcium efflux.
Concurrent design of ESD protection and ICs for optimization and prediction

□ ESD failure is a killing factor to ICs □ On-chip ESD protection required for ICs □ Mixed-mode ESD design method for prediction □ ESD-IC co-design is important & feasible! □ Novel ESD design concept is the future.
Assessing teamwork in medical education and practice: Relating behavioural teamwork ratings and clinical performance

Background: Problems with communication and team coordination are frequently linked to adverse events in medicine. However, there is little experimental evidence to support a relationship between o...
Fluid flow stability analysis of multilayer fiber drawing

We here investigate drawing of multi-layered Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluid fibers, drawn under isothermal and non-isothermal conditions. We first develop one-dimensional equations governing mass, momentum, and energy balances and solve them numerically to obtain steady state draw root shape, velocity, and temperature profiles. These solutions are then used to perform linear stability analysis. For the case of isothermal draw, the system displays an oscillatory instability when the draw ratio (ratio of cross-sectional areas of fiber at the entrance and exit of the drawing) is higher than a critical draw ratio (highest stable draw ratio) of about 20.21. Investigation of stability behavior under non-isothermal draw conditions is performed by considering radiative heating and convective cooling. Employing only radiative heating enhances the critical draw ratio, and simultaneous heating and convective cooling increase the critical draw ratio even further. For the case of simultaneous heating and cooling, with increasing convective cooling strength, the critical draw ratio first increases, reaches a maximum, and then gradually decreases. However, with only convective cooling, the critical draw ratio decreases with an increase in convective cooling strength. We also find that the stabilizing effect of a non-isothermal operation can be enhanced by considering fluids with higher viscosity sensitivity to temperature, increasing the maximum temperature, and for sharper attenuation of the fiber cross-sectional area with length. For the case of isothermal drawing of non-Newtonian fluid fibers, the system has a higher critical draw ratio for shear thickening fluids (power-law exponent, n>1). In contrast, the use of a shear thinning fluid (n<1) reduces the critical draw ratio. Consideration of a non-isothermal operation of non-Newtonian fluid fibers reveals that the critical draw ratio is primarily determined by the non-Newtonian behavior rather than the non-isothermal drawing.
Estrogen receptor β expression in nevi during pregnancy

Estrogen levels increase during pregnancy and clinical evidence has long suggested that melanocytes are estrogen-responsive. We hypothesized that nevi from pregnant patients would exhibit increased expression of estrogen receptor beta (ERbeta) and thus enhanced potential to respond to altered estrogen levels. Normal, dysplastic and congenital nevi (n = 212) were collected from pregnant and non-pregnant women ranging from 18 to 45 years of age. Immunohistochemical staining was performed on these nevi using antibodies specifically directed against estrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha) and ERbeta. ERalpha was not observed in any lesions; thus, ERbeta was the predominant estrogen receptor in melanocytic cells from all types of nevi. Enhanced positivity for ERbeta in normal nevi during pregnancy was noted, compared with non-pregnant controls including nevocytes residing in both the epidermal and dermal micro-environments (P = 0.005 and P = 0.001 respectively). Nevi with increasingly melanocytic atypia showed increased ERbeta in nevocytes nested within the epidermis. No additional increase in ERbeta in atypical nevi was observed during pregnancy. For normal and congenital nevi, regardless of pregnancy status, dermally associated nevocytes tended to have greater ERbeta immunoreactivity. Significant decreases in ERbeta immunoreactivity were observed in congenital nevi from pregnant women compared with normal and dysplastic nevi from pregnant women. Our data suggest that nevi possess the capacity to be estrogen-responsive. Factors such as pregnancy and degree of atypia are associated with enhanced ERbeta with the exception of congenital nevi where the melanocytes were unique in their response to pregnancy.
The prevention of infectious diseases by immunization

During the past few decades, we have witnessed an impressive decline in many infectious diseases after the introduction of vaccines for their prevention. The development and evaluation of these vaccines is a continuing process. New vaccines are produced to prevent diseases for which immunization was not available in the past. Older vaccines are replaced by improved vaccines. Some vaccines, like smallpox, are stopped, as they are no longer necessary. Vaccines against Hib, Bordetella pertussis, and V-Z virus illustrate,the process of vaccine evolution. The vaccine against V-Z virus is being evaluated before expected licensure; the v;iccine against Hib has been in use only a short time, and “second generation” vaccines already are “in the pipeline.” Pertussis vaccine that has been used routinely for about four decades has created much controversy. Although a successor to this vaccine is being sought, the prevention of pertussis with the use of the existing vaccine must be accomplished. These vaccines although they are diverse in vintage, share many commonalities.
BAD Ser128 is not phosphorylated by c-Jun NH2- terminal kinase for promoting apoptosis

The phosphorylation and regulation of the proapoptotic Bcl-2 family protein BAD by c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) is controversial. JNK can suppress interleukin-3 withdrawal-induced apoptosis via phosphorylation of BAD at Thr201. However, it has also been reported that JNK promotes apoptosis through phosphorylation of BAD at Ser128. Here, we report that JNK is not a BAD Ser128 kinase. JNK phosphorylates murine BAD (mBAD), but not human BAD (hBAD), in which Ser91 is equivalent to Ser128 in mBAD. In contrast, Cdc2, which phosphorylates Ser128, phosphorylates both mBAD and hBAD. Replacement of Ser128 by alanine has no effects on BAD phosphorylation by JNK in vitro and in vivo. Two-dimensional phosphopeptide mapping in combination with phosphoamino acid analysis reveals that JNK does not phosphorylate BAD at Ser128. Elimination of Ser128 phosphorylation has no effects on the proapoptotic activity of BAD in apoptosis induced by UV via JNK or growth factor withdrawal. Thus, our results show that Ser128 is not phosphorylated by JNK for promoting cell death.
The role of plasma formation in mode-locking of few-cycle Ti:Sapphire lasers: A spatiotemporal model

The spatiotemporal pulse dynamics of few-cycle Ti:sapphire lasers is studied. It is found that in the high-intensity regime, plasma formation in the crystal plays an important role in the mode-locking process and for the laser behavior.
Particle nucleation in turbulent gas jets

Experiments were conducted to test the theory of nucleation-controlled growth of spherical particles in a turbulent jet. Dibutyl phthalate (DBP) particles were formed in a bench-scale jet apparatus with nozzle diameters 0.235 cm and 0.375 cm. Size distributions and number concentrations of the particles were measured at different DBP vapor concentrations, jet velocities, and positions. There is evidence that the DBP particle nucleation was confined to the shear layer of the jet and that the particles grew by condensation as they moved away from the nozzle. Trends in the data suggest that for low rates of particle formation in jets, the final aerosol concentration can be predicted from simple scaling laws.
The influence of a threshold stress for grain boundary sliding on constitutive response of polycrystalline Al during high temperature deformation

Abstract A continuum polycrystal plasticity model was used to estimate the influence of a threshold stress for grain boundary sliding on the relationship between macroscopic flow stress and strain rate for the aluminum alloy AA5083 when subjected to plane strain uniaxial tension at 450 °C. Under these conditions, AA5083 deforms by dislocation glide at strain rates exceeding 0.001 s−1, and by grain boundary sliding at lower strain rates. The stress–strain rate response can be approximated by e ˙ = A σ n , where A and n depend on grain size and strain rate. We find that a threshold stress less or equal to 4 MPa has only a small influence on flow stress and stress exponent n in the dislocation creep regime (a threshold stress of 2 MPa increases n from 4.2 to 4.5), but substantially increases both flow stress and stress exponent in the grain boundary sliding regime (a threshold stress of 2 MPa increases n from 1.5 to 2.7). In addition, when the threshold stress is included, our model predicts stress versus strain rate behavior that is in good agreement with experimental measurements reported by Kulas et al. [M.A. Kulas, W.P. Green, E.M. Taleff, P.E. Krajewski, T.R. McNelley, Metall. Mater. Trans. A 36 (2005) 1249].
Learning a Precedence Effect-Like Weighting Function for the Generalized Cross-Correlation Framework

Speech source localization in reverberant environments has proved difficult for automated microphone array systems. Because of its nonstationary nature, certain features observable in the reverberant speech signal, such as sudden increases in audio energy, provide cues to indicate time-frequency regions that are particularly useful for audio localization. We exploit these cues by learning a mapping from reverberated signal spectrograms to localization precision using ridge regression. Using the learned mappings in the generalized cross-correlation framework, we demonstrate improved localization performance. Additionally, the resulting mappings exhibit behavior consistent with the well-known precedence effect from psychoacoustic studies
Radar network characterization

The use of dense networks of small radars for weather sensing is being investigated by the Engineering Research Center for Collaborative Adaptive Sensing of the Atmosphere, with a first test-bed of this new paradigm well underway. The potential benefits of closely-deployed, overlapping, short-range weather radars are easy to see intuitively, and can be summarized as a greater ability to mitigate the effects of the Earth curvature and sense close the ground in all of the network domain, an increased spatial and temporal resolution, the capability of performing multiple-radar measurements, and the capability of adaptively tasking the individual radars according to the meteorological scene, while using less complex radar units. Virtually all of these potential benefits are governed by the trade-offs generated by the characteristics of the particular radar units employed and their spatial distribution, creating different data outcomes depending on the individual radar capabilities, the radar network layout, and the resulting number of radars with overlapping coverage.