cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Forest reproduction along a climatic gradient in the Sierra Nevada, California

To elucidate broad-scale environmental controls of coniferous forest reproduction in the Sierra Nevada, California, we monitored reproduction for 5 years in 47 plots arrayed across a steep elevational (climatic) gradient. We found that both absolute seedling densities (stems < 1.37 m) and seedling densities relative to overstory parent tree basal area declined sharply with elevation. Rates of seedling turnover (the average of birth and death rates) also declined with elevation. In contrast, seed production was not predicted by elevation and was highly variable from year to year. During a mast year of seed production, the intensity of masting was uneven among plots. Seedling densities were elevated only during the single year immediately following the mast year, suggesting reproduction in our forests may be primarily limited by abiotic factors such as the availability of suitable sites and weather. Disturbance also clearly affected reproduction; plots that had recently burned had significantly higher seedling to parent tree ratios for Abies species, suggesting that even though established Abies concolor may be relatively susceptible to fire, the species can recover rapidly through prolific reproduction. Since reproductive failures may be our earliest signal of changing forest conditions, seedling dynamics could provide a sensitive, if variable, indicator of environmental changes.
Socle series of cohomology groups of line bundles on G / B

Abstract The G -module structure of the cohomology groups of line bundles over the flag variety G/B for a semisimple algebraic group G is studied. It is proved that, generically, their socle filtrations satisfy the same sum formula as Andersen's filtrations if Lusztig's conjecture is true. Another purpose of this paper is to calculate the socle series of the H 0 's for the p -regular weights close to a chamber wall for the group of type G 2 , because the multiplicity is not free in this case.
A preliminary investigation comparing one and eight channels at fast and slow rates on music appraisal in adults with cochlear implants.

AbstractMusic perception is important to cochlear implant patients, but little effort has been devoted to improving signal processing for music. In this preliminary investigation, we probed the importance of number of channels and stimulus rate. We asked eight users of the Clarion cochlear implant to rate music quality on a scale from 0 to 100 on three different types of music (country and western, pop and classical). Patients rated eight- and one-channel processors running at a fast and slow rate. The stimulus rate was 200 pps for the slow rate. For the eight-channel condition, the fast rate varied from 394 to 765 pps. For the one-channel condition, the fast rate varied from 2601 to 4335 pps. Results indicated that the eight-channel condition was uniformly rated higher than the one-channel condition. However, the results for stimulus rate were less clear. No patients assigned higher ratings with the slow rate, but only three subjects assigned higher ratings with the fast rate. We conclude that music perc...
Molecular Dynamics Simulations of Alkanes in the Zeolite Silicalite: Evidence for Resonant Diffusion Effects

Molecular dynamics simulations have been conducted to study n-alkane dynamics in the zeolite silicalite. Chains ranging in length from n-C4 to n-C20 have been examined at various loadings and temperatures. An interesting chain-length dependence for the individual components of the self-diffusivity tensor was observed. While the self-diffusivity of chains in the [100] and [001] directions exhibits a monotonic decrease as a function of chain length, the self-diffusivity along the [010] axis is a periodic function of chain length. Local maxima in the self-diffusivity along this axis occur for n-C8 and n-C16, while local minima are observed for n-C6 and n-C14. The apparent activation energy for diffusion is also periodic with chain length. Periodicity in the diffusivity and activation energies are most pronounced at low temperature. A physical explanation for this behavior is given in terms of a resonant diffusion mechanism. The essential features of previous theoretical treatments describing how resonant dif...
On the numerical integration of a class of pressure‐dependent plasticity models with mixed hardening

Radial return algorithms, for both three-dimensional and plane stress situations, are developed for a class of pressure-dependent plasticity models (formulated in state variables) with mixed hardening. The consistent tangent matrix has been developed which, among other advantages, does not require numerical inversion. The algorithms, for Gurson's mixed hardening model, are incorporated in a finite element program to solve several simple uniaxial tension problems. When compared with numerically integrated solutions, the results from the finite element analysis show excellent agreement. Finally, results of the axisymmetric necking problem, using Gurson's mixed hardening model, are presented as an example of application.
The American Temperance Movement and Market-Based Violence

The net impact of market legality on crime is ambiguous if consumption of the illegally traded good causes violence. With modern crime data, I show that drug control policy that increases market-based violence while reducing violence associated with intoxication raises homicide rates for individuals in their 20s relative to older and younger people. Using a state-level panel of age-specific homicides from 1900 to 1940, when many states and eventually the federal government criminalized alcohol markets, I demonstrate that the spread of the temperance movement similarly compressed the age distribution of homicide victims, primarily in northern, urban states with large immigrant populations.
Vergleich der rechnerischen Wahrscheinlichkeit einer Vaterschaft auf Grund der Blutgruppenmerkmale mit dem Urteil des erbbiologischen Gutachtens dargestellt an 165 Fällen

Vergleicht man die aus den Blutgruppenbefunden gewonnenen Essen-Moller-Werte mit dem Ergebnis der erbbiologischen Ahnlichkeitsuntersuchungen, so zeigt sich deutlich, das dem Verfahren ein gewisser Wert nicht abgesprochen werden kann. Die Bewertung der Essen-Moller-Ergebnisse kann aber selbst bei hohenW-Werten niemals isoliert einen tragkraftigen Schlus gestatten. Den Werten kann nur im Rahmen der Gesamtbeurteilung eine Bedeutung zugemessen werden.
A Separation Control CFD Validation Test Case. Part 1; Baseline and Steady Suction

Low speed flow separation over a wall-mounted hump, and its control using steady suction, were studied experimentally in order to generate a data set for a workshop aimed at validating CFD turbulence models. The baseline and controlled data sets comprised static and dynamic surface pressure measurements, flow field measurements using Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) and wall shear stress obtained via oil-film interferometry. In addition to the specific test cases studied, surface pressures for a wide variety of conditions were reported for different Reynolds numbers and suction rates. Stereoscopic PIV and oil-film flow visualization indicated that the baseline separated flow field was mainly twodimensional. With the application of control, some three-dimensionality was evident in the spanwise variation of pressure recovery, reattachment location and spanwise pressure fluctuations. Part 2 of this paper, under preparation for the AIAA Meeting in Reno 2005, considers separation control by means of zero-efflux oscillatory blowing.
Connexin 36 mediates blood cell flow in mouse pancreatic islets.

The insulin-secreting β-cells are contained within islets of Langerhans, which are highly vascularized. Blood cell flow rates through islets are glucose-dependent, even though there are no changes ...
EPISTEMOLOGICAL BELIEFS OF COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENTS AND THEIR LEARNING PROCESSES

The study reported in this article explored the association between students' epistemological beliefs and learning processes. Schommer's theory of epistemological beliefs has 12 components (e.g., seek single answers, avoid integration, learn the first time) that form four factors (Fixed Ability, Certain Knowledge, Simple Knowledge, and Quick Learning). Schmeck and colleagues argue for multiple routes to academic achievement through Deep, Elaborative, and Agentic processing. The authors predicted that relationships among Schommer's four factors and Schmeck's Deep Processing, Elaborative Processing, and Agentic Processing would be observed. Results indicate that there are relationships between belief in Fixed Ability and Agentic, Deep, and Elaborative Processing and the belief in Simple Knowledge and Agentic Processing. The implication of the study is students' epistemological beliefs impact their learning processes, which may impact their engagement and performance.
Modelling the Members’ Intentions to Give A Case Study Using the TPB in the Context of Public Broadcasting

Public broadcast stations in the USA are often dependent on effective fundraising for their survival. Raising money from audiences has become an important avenue through which those non-profit broa...
Reciprocal DNA nanomechanical devices controlled by the same set strands

Reciprocating devices are key features in macroscopic machines. We have adapted the DNA PX-JX(2) device to a reciprocal format. The PX-JX(2) device is a robust sequence-dependent nanomachine, whose state is established by a pair of control strands that set it to be either in the PX state or in the JX(2) state. The two states differ by a half-turn rotation between their ends. Here we report the construction of a pair of reciprocal PX-JX(2) devices, wherein the control strands leading to the PX state in one device lead to the JX(2) state in the other device and vice versa. The formation, transformation, and reciprocal motions of these two device systems are confirmed using gel electrophoresis and atomic force microscopy. This system is likely to be of use for molecular robotic applications where reciprocal motions are of value in addition its inherent contribution to molecular choreography and molecular aesthetics.
Did courtship drive the evolution of mind

The driving force in the evolution of language and the human mind was the advantage gained in courtship by efficient communicators. Ontogeny recapitulating phylogeny may offer an alternative to Donald's picture of the relative origins of language and mimesis. Very recent evidence is pertinent to dating the origin of language.
Speculative Investor Behavior in a Stock Market with Heterogeneous Expectations

Consider a common stock that pays dividends at a discrete sequence of future times: t = 1,2, Taking all other prices and the random process that determines future dividends as exogenously given, we can ask what will be the price ofthe stock? In a world with a complete set of contingency claims markets, in which every investor can buy and sell without restriction, the answer is given by arbitrage. Let dtixt) denote the dividend that will be paid at time t if contingency Xj prevails, and let Ptixt) denote the current {t = 0) price ofa one dollar claim payable at time t if contingency Xt prevails. Then the current stock price must be 2(2;t,i3t(x«)dt(xf). Furthermore, in such a world it makes no difference whether markets reopen after initial trading. If markets were to reopen, investors would be content to maintain the positions they obtained initially (cf. Arrow, 1968). The situation becomes more complicated if markets are imperfect or incomplete or both. Ownership ofthe stock implies not only ownership of a dividend stream but also the right to sell that dividend stream at a future date. Investors may be unable initially to achieve positions with which they will be forever content, and thus the current stock price may be affected by whether or not markets will reopen in the future. If they do reopen, a speculative phenomenon may appear. An investor may buy the stock now so as to sell it later for more than he thinks it is actually worth, thereby reaping capital gains. This possibility of speculative profits will then be reflected in the current price. Keynes (1931, Ch. 12) attributes primary importance to this phenomenon (and goes on to suggest that it might be better if markets never reopened).
Magnetic surface levels in the presence of surface superconductivity

Abstract Magnetic surface levels are considered in the presence of surface superconductivity. A novel source of quasi-particle damping is noted.
SU-FF-T-344: Backscatter Correction Factor for Megavoltage Photon Beam

Purpose: For routine clinical dosimetry of photon beams, it is often necessary to add backscatter phantom material to ensure full backscatter. Available data, however, only exists for Co‐60 and 9cm thickness is required to achieve full backscatter condition. This study is to establish the minimum backscatter thickness required for 6 and 15MV photon beams and to determine the correction factor for backscatter material in case of insufficient thickness. Material and method: Backscatter correction factor, BCF(s,d,t), is defined as the ratio of absorbed dose measured on phantom central‐axis with square field size s and thickness d of full backscatter to that with backscatter thickness t. Measurements were performed in SAD geometry with a 0.125cc thimble chamber. The field sizes are 5×5, 10×10, 20×20 and 30×30cm at depth of dmax (1.5 cm for 6MV and 3 cm for 15MV), 5 and 20cm for backscatter thicknesses of 2, 4, 5, 8 and 10cm. To verify 10cm thickness provides full backscattering, we also measured at 11cm and 20cm. 7.5cm Styrofoam is placed behind the solid‐water pieces to avoid backscattering from the table. A convolution method is used to calculate BCF using Monte‐Carlo (MC) generated point‐spread kernels for clinical photon beams between Co‐60 and 24MV. Result and discussion: MC simulation agrees with the measurements within 0.8% in the same physical trend. We've attributed the difference between the measurement and calculation to difference in beam quality. BCF increases for decreasing energies and increasing field sizes. The largest correction occurs at depth of maximum dose, 0.978 for 6MV and 0.988 for 15MV. Conclusion: We concluded that backscatter thickness is 6.5cm for 6MV and 5.5cm for 15MV. If 4cm backscatter thickness is used, BCF is 0.995 and 0.988 for 10×10 and 30×30cm under 6MV and is 0.996 and 0.993 for 10×10 and 30×30cm under 15MV at dmax respectively.
Animal Ethics: Toward an Ethics of Responsiveness

The concepts of animal, human, and rights are all part of a philosophical tradition that trades on foreclosing the animal, animality, and animals. Rather than looking to qualities or capacities that make animals the same as or different from humans, I investigate the relationship between the human and the animal. To insist, as animal rights and welfare advocates do, that our ethical obligations to animals are based on their similarities to us reinforces the type of humanism that leads to treating animals—and other people—as subordinates. But, if recent philosophies of difference are any indication, we can acknowledge difference without acknowledging our dependence on animals, or without including animals in ethical considerations. Animal ethics requires rethinking both identity and difference by focusing on relationships and responsivity. My aim is not only to suggest an animal ethics but also to show how ethics itself is transformed by considering animals.
LANGUAGE PROBLEMS IN CHILDREN REFERRED FOR ATTENTION DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER (ADHD). † 803

ADHD is a common condition with a prevalence reported to be 3-5% of school age children. These children frequently have language problems in association with ADHD. Importantly, the frequency of language difficulties in those children who are evaluated for, but do not meet ADHD diagnostic criteria, is unknown. Accordingly, we evaluated forty-five children (37 male, 8 female) between the ages of 6 and 10 years (mean age 8±1 yrs) referred to a tertiary care center for evaluation of possible ADHD (R/O ADHD group) for the presence of language difficulties. Twenty children (12 male, 8 female; mean age 8±1) with no history of attentional problems or hyperactivity served as controls (Cntrl group). We hypothesized that there would be a higher incidence of language difficulties in the R/O ADHD group compared with controls, whether or not the children were diagnosed with ADHD. All children in the R/O ADHD group were administered the CELF-R Language Screening Test(CELF-R) and the WISC-III intelligence scale. The Connors Scales were completed by their parents and teachers. Children in the Cntrl group were administered the CELF-R and the K-BIT Intelligence Screening Test. The diagnosis of ADHD was based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual - IVth edition criteria. Mean IQ score in the R/O ADHD group and mean screening IQ score were within the average range. There was no difference in gender, age, or Hollingshead SES score (36±13 and 39±14) between the groups. Results of the CELF-R are shown: Table
Efficient nonadhesive ex vivo expansion of early endothelial progenitor cells derived from CD34+ human cord blood fraction for effective therapeutic vascularization

Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) have been shown to have therapeutic potential in ischemic disease. However, the number of EPCs for cell therapy is limited. In this study, instead of the typical adherent culture method, we investigated a more efficient, clinically applicable nonadhesive expansion method for early EPCs using cord blood-derived cells to overcome rapid cellular senescence. After a suspension culture of isolated CD34+ cells in serum-free medium containing each cytokine combination was maintained for 9 d, the number of expanded functional EPCs was assessed by an adherent culture assay. Compared to mononuclear cells, the CD34+ fraction was superior in its expansion of functional EPCs that could differentiate into acLDL/UEA-1+ cells without significant cellular senescence, whereas the CD34− fraction showed no EPC expansion. Among the cytokine combinations tested for the CD34+ fraction, a combination (SFIb) consisting of stem cell factor (SCF), FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3 ligand, interleukin-3,...
PLASTICITY TO LIGHT CUES AND RESOURCES IN ARABIDOPSIS THALIANA: TESTING FOR ADAPTIVE VALUE AND COSTS

Plants shaded by neighbors or overhead foliage experience both a reduction in the ratio of red to far red light (R:FR), a specific cue perceived by phytochrome, and reduced photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), an essential resource. We tested the adaptive value of plasticity to crowding and to the cue and resource components of foliage shade in the annual plant Arabidopsis thaliana by exposing 36 inbred families from four natural populations to four experimental treatments: (1) high density, full sun; (2) low density, full sun; (3) low density, neutral shade; and (4) low density, low R:FR-simulated foliage shade. Genotypic selection analysis within each treatment revealed strong environmental differences in selection on plastic life-history traits. We used specific contrasts to measure plasticity to density and foliage shade, to partition responses to foliage shade into phytochrome-mediated responses to the R:FR cue and responses to PAR, and to test whether plasticity was adaptive (i.e., in the same direction as selection in each environment). Contrary to expectation, we found no evidence for adaptive plasticity to density. However, we observed both adaptive and maladaptive responses to foliage shade. In general, phytochrome-mediated plasticity to the R:FR cue of foliage shade was adaptive and counteracted maladaptive growth responses to reduced PAR. These results support the prediction that active developmental responses to environmental cues are more likely to be adaptive than are passive resource-mediated responses. Multiple regression analysis detected a few costs of adaptive plasticity and adaptive homeostasis, but such costs were infrequent and their expression depended on the environment. Thus, costs of plasticity may occasionally constrain the evolution of adaptive responses to foliage shade in Arabidopsis, but this constraint may differ among environments and is far from ubiquitous.
Status Epilepticus and Refractory Status Epilepticus Management

Status epilepticus (SE) describes persistent or recurring seizures without a return to baseline mental status and is a common neurologic emergency. SE can occur in the context of epilepsy or may be symptomatic of a wide range of underlying etiologies. The clinician's aim is to rapidly institute care that simultaneously stabilizes the patient medically, identifies and manages any precipitant conditions, and terminates seizures. Seizure management involves "emergent" treatment with benzodiazepines followed by "urgent" therapy with other antiseizure medications. If seizures persist, then refractory SE is diagnosed and management options include additional antiseizure medications or infusions of midazolam or pentobarbital. This article reviews the management of pediatric SE and refractory SE.
Color-Mediated Ganzfeld and Computer-Assisted Feedback in PSI Testing

Ganzfeld visual stimulation of varying hues and four levels of computer-assisted feedback were presented to 80 undergraduate students taking courses in general and experimental psychology. A 4 × 4 factorial design with repeated measures for studying psi hitting gave no significant differences in GESP scoring attributable to the independent variables or to interactions between them. Probability matching was suggested as a plausible description of psi-related phenomena with ‘synchronicity’ as their likely explanation.
Phosphoinositide Binding Specificity among Phospholipase C Isozymes as Determined by Photo-Cross-Linking to Novel Substrate and Product Analogs†

We tested for the presence of high-affinity phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate [PI(4,5)P2] and PI(3,4,5)P3 binding sites in four phospholipase C (PLC) isozymes (delta1, beta1, beta2, and beta3), by probing these proteins with analogs of inositol phosphates, D-Ins(1,4,5)P3, D-Ins(1,3,4,5)P4, and InsP6, and polyphosphoinositides PI(4,5)P2 and PI(3,4,5)P3, which contain a photoactivatable benzoyldihydrocinnamide moiety. Only PLC-delta1 was specifically radiolabeled. More than 90% of the label was found in tryptic and chymotryptic fragments which reacted with antisera against the pleckstrin homology (PH) domain, whereas less than 5% was recovered in fragments that encompassed the catalytic core. In separate experiments, the isolated delta1-PH domain was also specifically labeled. Equilibrium binding of D-Ins(1,4,5)P3 to PLC-delta1 indicated the presence of a single, high-affinity binding site; binding of D-Ins(1,4,5)P3 to PLC-beta1, -beta2, or -beta3 was not detected. The catalytic activity of PLC-delta1 was inhibited by the product D-Ins(1,4,5)P3, whereas no inhibition of PLC-beta1, -beta2, or -beta3 activity was observed. These results demonstrate that the PH domain is the sole high-affinity PI(4,5)P2 binding site of PLC-delta1 and that a similar site is not present in PLC-beta1, -beta2, or -beta3. The data are consistent with the idea that the PH domain of PLC-delta1, but not the beta isozymes, directs the catalytic core to membranes enriched in PI(4,5)P2 and is subject to product inhibition.
Scrambling and modal noise mitigation in the Habitable Zone Planet Finder fiber feed

We present the baseline fiber feed design for the Habitable-zone Planet Finder (HPF), a precision radial velocity (RV) spectrograph designed to detect Earth analogs around M-dwarfs. HPF is a stabilized, fiber-fed, R∼50,000 spectrograph operating in the near-infrared (NIR) from 0.82 to 1.3 µm, and will be deployed on the Hobby- Eberly Telescope (HET) in Texas. While the essential function of the optical fibers is to deliver high throughput, this mode of light transport also provides the opportunity to introduce radial and azimuthal scrambling, which boosts instrument stability and thereby RV precision. Based on the unique requirements of HPF on the HET, we present initial tests showing very high scrambling gains via a compact scrambler in conjunction with octagonal fibers. Conversely, the propagation of light through the fibers injects modal noise, which can limit achievable RV precision. Laboratory tests of a custom-built mechanical agitator show significant gains over a static fiber feed. Overall, the fiber feed is designed to provide high relative throughput, excellent scrambling, and reliable modal noise suppression. We will also attempt to minimize focal ratio degradation (FRD) to the extent possible with the chosen configuration. HPF inculcates several other new technologies developed by the Penn State Optical-Infrared instrumentation group, including a rigorous calibration system, which are discussed separately in these proceedings.
Absolute cross sections for collision-induced depolarized scattering of light in krypton and xenon

Depolarized Raman spectra of binary collisional pairs of atoms in krypton and xenon are obtained at gas densities of 1–10 amagat. Absolute intensities relative to a known rotational transition of nitrogen are determined. For light of 4880 A wavelength incident in the x-direction, polarized in the z-direction and scattered in the y-direction of a cartesian frame x, y, z, at a frequency shift of -12 cm-1, the differential scattering cross section per unit wavenumber band times volume, is found to be 1·10 × 10-52 cm6 ± 10 per cent for krypton, and 4·76 × 10-52 cm6 ± 10 per cent for xenon, if the sum of both polarizations is considered. Wave-mechanical and classical computations reproduce both the shape and the intensity of the experimental spectra if the so-called point-dipole model of the anisotropy of the polarizability of collisional pairs of atoms is used. Other models of the anisotropy are seen to be overcorrected by these criteria.
Stenting for atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis: one poorly designed trial after another.

The three randomized trials of stenting vs medical therapy published so far are so seriously flawed that it is impossible to make treatment decisions based on their results.
Numerically packing spheres in cylinders

Abstract A novel approach has been developed to numerically pack spheres in cylinders. The packing algorithm uses a simple sequential technique that is based on a dimensionless packing parameter. The dimensionless packing parameter includes both axial and radial variables in order to determine a sphere's sequential placement within a cylindrical packing structure. The numerical simulation has been applied to the loose packing of identical spheres in cylindrical containers with D/d ≥ 2.0. The predicted results for the mean porosity and the radial porosity distributions are validated against the available experimental data for spheres in cylindrical containers. The simulated results are highly accurate and the simple packing algorithm requires minimal computational prerequisites.
Fibrations as triple algebras

Abstract The standard conversion of a map to a fibration is shown to be a triple. The algebras of this triple are fibrations with restrictions. Up to a category of fractions, however, the algebras are equivalent to the category of fibrations.
Oxidant, mixed-function oxidase and peroxisomal responses in channel catfish exposed to a bleached kraft mill effluent.

Channel catfish (Ictalarus punctatus) were exposed to 0, 10, 20, and 40% bleached kraft pulp and paper mill effluent (BKME) for up to two weeks. Fish were sacrificed on days 1, 3,7, and 14 of exposure. Blood, liver, and gill tissues were assayed for biochemical responses associated with oxidative stress (superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase activities and methemoglobin, reduced glutathione, and malondialdehyde concentrations), peroxisome proliferation (palmitoyl-CoA oxidase and lauroyl-CoA oxidase activities) and the mixed-function oxidase system (cytochrome P-450 difference spectra and ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase activities). There were significant dose-related increases in hepatic catalase and ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase activities and significant decreases in hepatic reduced glutathione concentrations. There were also significant increases in lauroyl-CoA oxidase and palmitoyl-CoA oxidase activities, both components of the fatty acid beta-oxidation system and located in peroxisomes. No statistically significant changes were seen in the other components studied. The increases in catalase and the fatty-acid oxidase activities suggest that BKME exposure may have resulted in peroxisome proliferation in catfish hepatic tissue.
Measuring tumor aggressiveness and targeting metastatic lesions with fluorescent pHLIP.

Purpose: Malignant cancer foci develop acidic extracellular environments. Mild acidic conditions trigger insertion and folding of the pH (low) insertion peptide (pHLIP TM ) across a cellular membrane, enabling targeting of such lesions. Procedures: We employed optical imaging to follow targeting by fluorescent pHLIP given i.v. in mice. For visualization, Cy5.5 and Alexa750 were covalently attached to the N terminus of pHLIP, which stays outside of a cell membrane after transmembrane insertion. Results: We demonstrate that pHLIP targets: (a) tumors of different origins established by subcutaneous injection of cancer cells, (b) spontaneous prostate tumors in TRAMP mice and (c) metastatic lesions in lung. pHLIP accumulation in tumors correlates with tumor aggressiveness. Within a tumor, it stains extracellular spaces and cellular membranes. Conclusions: Tissue acidity can be detected by pHLIP peptide insertion and used to diagnose primary tumors, metastatic lesions, and lipid bodies in necrotic tissues. The ability of pHLIP to differentially bind metastatic and non-metastatic tumors may provide a new approach for evaluating cancer prognosis.
Xenotransplantation of immunodeficient mice with mobilized human blood CD34+ cells provides an in vivo model for human megakaryocytopoiesis and platelet production

The study of megakaryocytopoiesis has been based largely on in vitro assays. We characterize an in vivo model of megakaryocyte and platelet development in which human peripheral blood stem cells (PBSCs) differentiate along megakaryocytic as well as myeloid/lymphoid lineages in sublethally irradiated nonobese diabetic/severe combined immunodeficient (NOD-SCID) mice. Human hematopoiesis preferentially occurs in the bone marrow of the murine recipients, and engraftment is independent of exogenous cytokines. Human colony-forming units-megakaryocyte (CFU-MK) develop predominantly in the bone marrow, and their presence correlates with the overall degree of human cell engraftment. Using a sensitive and specific flow cytometric assay, human platelets are detected in the peripheral blood from weeks 1 to 8 after transplantation. The number of circulating human platelets peaks at week 3 with a mean of 20 x 10(9)/L. These human platelets are functional as assessed by CD62P expression in response to thrombin stimulation in vitro. Exogenous cytokines have a detrimental effect on CFU-MK production after 2 weeks, and animals treated with these cytokines have no circulating platelets 8 weeks after transplantation. Although cytokine stimulation of human PBSCs ex vivo led to a significant increase in CFU-MK, CD34+/41+, and CD41+ cells, these ex vivo expanded cells provided only delayed and transient platelet production in vivo, and no CFU-MK developed in vivo after transplantation. In conclusion, xenogeneic transplantation of human PBSCs into NOD/SCID mice provides an excellent in vivo model to study human megakaryocytopoiesis and platelet production.
Scanning Depth of Route Panorama Based on Stationary Blur

This work achieves an efficient acquisition of scenes and their depths along long streets. A camera is mounted on a vehicle moving along a straight or a mildly curved path and a sampling line properly set in the camera frame scans the 1D images over scenes continuously to form a 2D route panorama. This paper proposes a method to estimate the depth from the camera path by analyzing a phenomenon called stationary blur in the route panorama. This temporal blur is a perspective effect in parallel projection yielded from the sampling slit with a physical width. We analyze the behavior of the stationary blur with respect to the scene depth, vehicle path, and camera properties. Based on that, we develop an adaptive filter to evaluate the degree of the blur for depth estimation, which avoids error-prone feature matching or tracking in capturing complex street scenes and facilitates real time sensing. The method also uses much less data than the structure from motion approach so that it can extend the sensing area significantly. The resulting route panorama with depth information is useful for urban visualization, monitoring, navigation, and modeling.
IMPACT!: Reducing impact forces on underwater pipelines exposed to submarine slides

ABSTRACT Results are presented for experimental and CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) analysis of streamlined underwater pipes exposed to debris flows and turbidity currents. The results show that drag forces on pipelines may be significantly reduced by streamlining, lowering the risk of damage from debris flows and turbidity currents. Several shapes were tested: cylinder, airfoil, and wedge. Of these, the wedge exhibited the lowest drag coefficient - about 5 times less than the cylindrical pipe at low values of the Reynolds number, and about 2 times less at higher Reynolds numbers.
Use of a zinc-finger consensus sequence framework and specificity rules to design specific DNA binding proteins.

Abstract We have designed three zinc-finger proteins with different DNA binding specificities. The design strategy combines a consensus zinc-finger framework sequence with previously characterized recognition regions such that the specificity of each protein is predictable. The first protein consists of three identical zinc fingers, each of which was expected to recognize the subsite GCG. This protein binds specifically to the sequence 5'-GCG-GCG-GCG-3' with a dissociation constant of approximately 11 microM. The second protein has three zinc fingers with different predicted preferred subsites. This protein binds to the predicted recognition site 5'-GGG-GCG-GCT-3' with a dissociation constant of 2 nM. Furthermore, selection experiments indicate that this is the optimal binding site. A permuted version of the second protein was also constructed and shown to preferentially recognize the corresponding permuted site 5'-GGG-GCT-GCG-3' over the non-permuted site. These results indicate that earlier observations on the specificity of zinc fingers can be extended to generalized zinc-finger structures and realize the use of zinc fingers for the design of site-specific DNA binding proteins. This consensus-based design system provides a useful model system with which to study details of zinc-finger-DNA specificity.
Isolation and analysis by the reductive-cleavage method of linkage positions and ring forms in the Mycobacterium smegmatis cell-wall arabinogalactan

The Mycobacterium smegmatis arabinogalactan polysaccharide has been isolated from the cell wall by saponification and extraction to remove lipids and subsequent solubilization by treatment with lysozyme. Analysis for neutral sugars demonstrated the presence of D-arabinose and D-galactose in a ratio of 3:1, respectively. Reductive cleavage of the fully methylated polysaccharide in the presence of triethylsilane and trimethylsilyl trifluoromethanesulfonate and subsequent acetylation in situ gave six partially methylated 1,4-anhydroalditol acetates as the major products and three partially methylated 1,5-anhydroalditol acetates as minor products. Partially methylated 1,5-anhydroalditol acetates were not formed when reductive cleavage was accomplished with triethylsilane and a mixture of trimethylsilyl methanesulfonate and boron trifluoride etherate as the catalyst, demonstrating that the polysaccharide is exclusively comprised of furanosyl residues. The partially methylated anhydroalditols so produced were identified by comparison to authentic standards. Their identifies are consistent with the presence in the M. smegmatis arabinogalactan of an octasaccharide repeating unit comprised of a nonreducing terminal D-arabinofuranosyl group, a 2-O-linked D-arabinofuranosyl residue, three 5-O-linked D-arabinofuranosyl residues, a 3,5-di-O-linked D-arabinofuranosyl residue, a 5-O-linked D-galactofuranosyl residue, and a 6-O-linked D-galactofuranosyl residue.
Engineering Design: A Partnership Approach

The capstone, two-semester, senior design sequence in the mechanical engineering curriculum was restructured and offered based upon a paradigm of partnership rather than competition. Partnership, requiring trust not only among the students but also of the professor, empowers students to view their responsibilities to their profession, their clients and employers, the public, and the environment in a much more personal and thus meaningful matter. The value-laden nature of the engineering profession and its historical attitudes and biases with respect to the natural world have been examined extensively.
Insights towards sulfonamide drug specificity in α-carbonic anhydrases

Carbonic anhydrases (CAs, EC 4.2.1.1) are a group of metalloenzymes that play important roles in carbon metabolism, pH regulation, CO2 fixation in plants, ion transport etc., and are found in all eukaryotic and many microbial organisms. This family of enzymes catalyzes the interconversion of CO2 and HCO3−. There are at least 16 different CA isoforms in the alpha structural class (α-CAs) that have been isolated in higher vertebrates, with CA isoform II (CA II) being ubiquitously abundant in all human cell types. CA inhibition has been exploited clinically for decades for various classes of diuretics and anti-glaucoma treatment. The characterization of the overexpression of CA isoform IX (CA IX) in certain tumors has raised interest in CA IX as a diagnostic marker and drug target for aggressive cancers and therefore the development of CA IX specific inhibitors. An important goal in the field of CA is to identify, rationalize, and design potential compounds that will preferentially inhibit CA IX over all other isoforms of CA. The variations in the active sites between isoforms of CA are subtle and this causes non-specific CA inhibition which leads to various side effects. In the case of CA IX inhibition, CA II along with other isoforms of CA provide off-target binding sites which is undesirable for cancer treatment. The focus of this article is on CA IX inhibition and two different structural approaches to CA isoform specific drug designing: tail approach and fragment addition approach.
Antioxidant status decreases in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia during the first six months of chemotherapy treatment.

Background. Children undergoing treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) receive combination chemotherapy and many of the components are associated with free radical production. Procedure. Among 103 children newly diagnosed with ALL, plasma concentrations of antioxidants, total antioxidant capacity (ORAC), and DNA oxidized base 8-oxodeoxyguanosine (8-oxo-dG) were analyzed at baseline and 3 and 6 months after diagnosis. Results. Plasma vitamin A, antioxidants, 8-oxo-dG, and ORAC changed from diagnosis through the first 6 months of ALL therapy. In patients with higher plasma concentrations of vitamin A, E, total carotenoids, ORAC, and 8-oxo-dG there was a beneficial association with fewer dose reductions, fewer infections, improved quality of life, less delay in chemotherapy treatment schedule, reduced toxicity, and fewer days spent in the hospital. There were also adverse relationships demonstrated. Conclusions. Among children with ALL, antioxidant levels and oxidative stress appear to be associated with duration and complications of treatment. 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
High-temperature superconductors and CO2 emissions

Abstract High-temperature superconducting materials have potential to mitigate CO 2 emissions into the atmosphere, particularly in central electricity generation, which is the major source of these CO 2 emissions (followed by the transportation and manufacturing sectors). High temperature superconductors (HTSCs) could provide improved efficiencies to sectors reliant on central electric power. For the U.S., the potential reductions of CO 2 emissions through HTSCs could amount to 1.48 trillion lbs per annum, or 14.9% based on 1985 energy consumption figures. Worldwide CO 2 emissions could be reduced by 3.92 trillion lbs.
Influence of hexose conditions on glutamine oxidation of SV-40-transformed and diploid fibroblast human cell lines

Abstract SV-40 transformed human fibroblast lines showed a reciprocal regulation of glucose and glutamine utilization. Glutamine oxidation of both transformed and nontransformed human lines increased in hexose-free or galactose medium. When medium glucose levels fell below 1.8 m m , glutamine oxidation increased. The switch to increased respiratory metabolism occurred rapidly. Hexokinase levels were 10-fold higher than galactokinase levels in SV-40-transformed cell lines.
An electrically controlled, pneumatically actuated high-power rheostat

Electrical power control device consisting of high power dissipation rheostat controlled by electropneumatic transducer for maintaining constant current to DC arcs
Series comparative measurements of thermal conductivity with thermistors

Thermistors (negative temperature coefficient resistances) matched in pairs by the Godin technique have been employed in a Wheatstone bridge circuit to measure thermal conductivity of silicon from 300 to 470°K by the series comparative method. Resulting values are lower than those obtained previously but the measurement uncertainties of the two methods overlap.
Toward More Sustainable Infrastructure: Project Evaluation for Planners and Engineers

Carl Martland, Wiley, Hoboken, NJ, 2011, 477 pp., ISBN 978 0 470 44876 2, £39.99 (hb) In Martland’s book, concepts and methods of engineering economics are introduced and applied to the evaluation ...
Nature as a crystal engineer: Trapping hydronium cations inside crystalline lattices – three heretofore unknown hydronium cations, two of which are geometrical isomers

Examination of the structural data between 2000 and the last release of the Cambridge Structural Database (2006) revealed the existence of three new hydronium cations not previously known, plus a few other ones whose stereochemistry was already documented, even if the exact geometrical details were somewhat different from those previously described.
Candidate sound bites: Too much concern over length?

Examinations of political candidate sound bites tend to focus only on their quantity and length. This study suggests that focus is incomplete. Here, analysis moves beyond the measure of sound bite length to also provide an assessment of their impact, as measured by their potential influence on voter behavior. Results indicate that bite length and impact are independent, suggesting further evaluation may be necessary as attempts to reform the election coverage process.
Basic Attention Measures as Predictors of Success in Flight Training

A two-stage study was conducted to assess the potential of a new methodological technique for measuring individual differences in basic attention capabilities and the validity of these differences in predicting success in flight training. A performance testing system included a digit-processing reaction-time task and a one-dimensional compensatory tracking task. Comparisons were made between separate and concurrent performances of these tasks, and simultaneous performances also included comparisons involving changes in task priorities. Results indicating consistent individual differences in basic attention capabilities suggest several dimensions for their description. A preliminary validation study compared scores for a group of 11 flight instructors and with a group of 32 student pilots. In addition, the student sample was dichotomized based on performance in training. There were reliable differences for both groups on combined task performance efficiency. Language: en
Resilience of the human fetal lung following stillbirth: Potential relevance for pulmonary regenerative medicine

Recent advances in pulmonary regenerative medicine have increased the demand for alveolar epithelial progenitor cells. Fetal lung tissues from spontaneous pregnancy losses may represent a neglected, yet ethically and societally acceptable source of alveolar epithelial cells. The aim of this study was to determine the regenerative capacity of fetal lungs obtained from second trimester stillbirths. Lung tissues were harvested from 11 stillborn fetuses (13 to 22 weeks' gestation) at postdelivery intervals ranging from 10 to 41 hours and grafted to the renal subcapsular space of immune-suppressed rats to provide optimal growth conditions. Histology, epithelial and alveolar type II cell proliferation, and surfactant protein-C mRNA expression were studied in preimplantation lung tissues and in xenografts at posttransplantation week 2. All xenografts displayed advanced architectural maturation compared with their respective preimplantation tissues, regardless of gestational age and postdelivery interval. The proliferative activity of the grafts was significantly higher than that of the preimplantation tissues (mean Ki-67 labeling index 26.7%±7.7% versus 14.7%±10.5%; P 36 hours) postdelivery interval was significantly higher than that of the corresponding preimplantation tissue, and equivalent to that of grafts obtained after a short postdelivery interval (<14 hours). The regenerative capacity of fetal lung tissue was greater at younger (13 to 17 weeks) than at older (19 to 22 weeks) gestational ages. The presence of inflammation/chorioamnionitis did not appear to affect graft regeneration. All grafts studied displayed robust surfactant protein-C mRNA expression. In conclusion, fetal lung tissues from second trimester stillbirths can regain their inherent high regenerative potential following short-term culture, even if harvested more than 36 hours after delivery.
Impact of observation‐optimized model parameters on decadal predictions: Simulation with a simple pycnocline prediction model

[1] A skillful decadal prediction that foretells varying regional climate conditions over seasonal-interannual to multidecadal time scales is of societal significance. However, predictions initialized from the climate observing system tend to drift away from observed states towards the imperfect model climate due to model biases arising from imperfect model equations, numeric schemes and physical parameterizations, as well as the errors in the values of model parameters. Here I show how to mitigate the model bias through optimizing model parameters using observations so as to constrain the model drift in climate predictions with a simple decadal prediction model. Results show that the coupled state-parameter optimization with observations greatly enhances the predictability of the coupled model. While valid “atmospheric” forecasts are extended by more than 5 times, the decadal predictability of the “deep ocean” is almost doubled. The coherence of optimized model parameters and states is critical to improve the long time scale predictions.